Some people feel there really aren't any sleeper quarterbacks. There are only 32 teams in the NFL and each one of those 32 starting quarterbacks are known quantities. The backups to most of those starting quarterbacks are also on the minds of most fantasy football owners. Any rookie quarterbacks coming out of the April draft will be hot commodities. Can any NFL quarterback really be considered a sleeper?
Considering that this year has seen NFL starts by the likes of Quinn Gray and Cleo Lemon, the answer is a resounding "yes". Each of these three guys are most likely to do absolutely nothing next year, but one of them just might be that next great unknown quarterback.
Charlie Frye, Seattle - I know I've become a Charlie Frye homer this season, but I really think this guy has what it takes to be an NFL quarterback. There's nothing wrong with Matt Hasselbeck now, but he isn't getting any younger and those 212 career sacks have to start taking a toll. You'd be betting that Hasselbeck gets hurt next season, but there are worse bets to take.
Sage Rosenfels, Houston - Rosenfels could be next year's Matt Schaub - a career backup with loads of potential who gets snapped up to be a new starter. Minnesota? Kansas City? There are several places that could use a new starting quarterback and Rosenfels is probably available for a reasonable price. He has a 65% completion rate with 729 passing yards, seven touchdowns and six interceptions this season and that was with a pieced-together receiving corps and a team of washed-up runners in the backfield. This guy is a big target for a pre-draft day trade.
Troy Smith, Baltimore - Smith was a well-regarded quarterback in college. In fact, they liked him so much that when he left he was given a little statue of a guy running with a football, which is kind of funny since Smith is a quarterback and not a running back. Still, it was a thoughtful gift. There aren't many quarterbacks in the NFL with one of those. After Baltimore picks itself up off the turf at the end of the season, they'll realize that neither Steve McNair nor Kyle Boller is the answer at QB. Enter Troy Smith, the next starting quarterback of your Baltimore Ravens. It will be rough going early on, but Smith could be a useful bye-week fill-in next season.