In the vastly growing world of IDP fantasy football, one has to remain alert for any rumblings going on in the NFL and what may result from these rumblings. These sleepers are broken down into two categories, Sleepers and Deep Sleepers. The sleepers are guys you've probably heard of and can let slide a bit in your draft, and are almost sure to produce good fantasy numbers. Deep sleepers are the guys you maybe have never heard about but have a good shot at becoming a solid fantasy player. So here are a few nuggets you can impress your friends with by grabbing them late.

Sleepers

David Thornton, WLB, Colts
Listed at 6'2 230 he has better size and athleticism than his predecessor Mike Peterson. With Peterson's departure to Jacksonville, Thornton is expected to produce in Tony Dungy's Cover-2 system. Coming over from the special teams and playing in nickel situations last year gave him some valuable experience that should make this year go smoothly. And a word of wisdom on Thornton's opportunity: this system produced the likes of Derrick Brooks and Mike Peterson.

Shawn Barber, WLB, Chiefs
Coming over in the off-season from Philly, Barber is one of the most athletically gifted LB in the league today. He has the speed and size that the Chiefs missed last season with the departure of Donnie Edwards. Like Edwards, Barber has the skill and speed to cover even the fastest of players and the instincts to pick off a pass and take it to the house, as he did last year in week 16 with an 80 yard return against the Cowboys. With the acquisition of Vonnie Holiday and moving Mike Maslowski to the middle, the Chiefs will now be able to let their LB roam free to make plays, an area of the game that Barber excels at.

Tank Williams, SS, Titans
Drafted in '02, Williams had it tough early in the year but began to come into his own as the season wore on. His parents surely knew what they were doing when the named this 6'3 223 pound safety out of Stanford. He obviously has the size and possesses the speed to be a perennial pro-bowler for years to come. He should benefit from having Lance Schulters and a defense full of PTPM's (Prime Time Play Makers) around him. Drafting Williams will be a smart move later in the draft to solidify your safeties and possibly have a stud by mid year.

Eric Barton and Napoleon Harris, LB, Raiders
Eric Barton cannot be classified as a sleeper (certainly not deep sleeper) due to his good numbers last year, but we'll mention him as he is definitely not one of the better-known players in the NFL. After getting his first true shot last year Barton showed his playmaking abilities by leading the team in tackles recording 6 sacks to go along with 3 forced fumbles and 2 picks. Barton will be joined this year by last year's first round pick Napoleon Harris. Harris started off last year a little lost but began to find a comfort zone at the end of the year. Harris possesses all the tools needed to be a stud at his position and should benefit from having Barton alongside him. Keep an eye out for these guys just in case they start to slide because you can have a mega steal on your hands.

Deep Sleepers

Chris Hope, FS, Steelers
In his second year out of Florida State this young hard-hitting ball hawk may be what the Steelers have been lacking in their secondary. He has the size at 6'0 212 and the speed to become a force in middle for years to come. Many have him slated to beat out Brent Alexander for the starting FS job. His production will be a direct by-product of the drafting and progress of Troy Polamalu and the health of Kendrell Bell. If all sides pan out we can be looking at the resurgence of the Steelers Blitz machine, which would present a plethora of takeaway opportunities.

Akin Ayodele, SLB, Jaguars
I know his name isn't the easiest to pronounce but this character can flat out play the strong side. Listed at 6'2 251, and in his second year out of Purdue, Ayodele possesses the size and speed needed to rush the passer and cover the TE if need be. He has the potential and athleticism to be an excellent LB in this system coached by Jack Del Rio. Coming over from Carolina, Del Rio's aggressive style will allow Ayodele to roam around and blitz all of the time. This should fit Ayodele perfectly and produce the kind of numbers that Mark Fields produced last year (127 tackles and 7.5 sacks). His production will solely rely on him winning the starting job in camp. If he doesn't, don't be hesitant to grab the guy that beats him out, which would probably be former pro-bowler Keith Mitchell. You should wait and let these guys slide to the bottom portion of your draft.