Amidst the endless cheat sheets, strategies and dollar values owners will encounter, sometimes a successful draft comes down to sleepers. Owners who landed Carson Palmer, Thomas Jones, Chris Cooley or Neil Rackers last season can attest, sleepers can turn a mediocre team into a contender and a good team in a champion.

Here's our list of 15 potential sleepers for 2006:

Sleepers
Cedric Benson, RB, Chicago
It's difficult to unseat a successful incumbent starter like Thomas Jones (1,335 yards, nine TDs) in most cases, but Benson has a legitimate chance to accomplish the feat. While he failed to make an impact as a rookie, Benson should still be allowed a chance to start due to his skills and in part because the Bears want a return on their large financial investment in him. In fact, don't be shocked if Benson is selected ahead of Jones in some seasonal drafts.
Reggie Brown, WR, Philadelphia
Brown showed flashes of potential as a rookie and could be the most explosive wide receiver on a roster devoid of a featured wideout in the pass attack. He won't be able to replace the statistical success of the departed Terrell Owens (Cowboys), but Brown's status as the Eagles' top receiver should mean countless opportunities in an offense that could throw around 60 percent of the time. Fantasy Footballers should consider him in the middle to late rounds.
Nate Burleson, WR, Seattle
Burleson went from a potential sleeper into a bust last season in Minnesota, as knee problems and an inconsistent level of production from the quarterback position combined to spell his statistical doom. Now in Seattle, Burleson will be in a far more stable situation and could return to prominence in an offense that fields a veteran field general in Matt Hasselbeck and fellow wideout Darrell Jackson to draw the attention of the top defensive backs.
Mark Clayton, WR, Baltimore
Clayton showed flashes of potential in the final five contests of his rookie season with 24 receptions, 316 yards and two touchdowns. While his overall numbers were not impressive, the fact that he finished on a high note is a real positive and makes Clayton a potential low-end sleeper candidate. With a veteran quarterback in Steve McNair under center and an experienced wideout in Derrick Mason as a mentor, Clayton could make some serious noise.
Michael Clayton, WR, Tampa Bay
Clayton was a statistical monster as a rookie with 80 receptions, 1,193 yards and seven touchdowns, but injuries and the success of Joey Galloway turned him from stud to dud in his sophomore season. Now that he's back to 100 percent and headed into his third season, Clayton will have a chance to re-emerge into a prominent wideout in the pass attack for Jon Gruden and could become a terrific bargain choice in the middle to late rounds of drafts.
Ron Dayne, RB, Denver
The Broncos released Mike Anderson (Ravens) in the offseason and questions have surrounded Tatum Bell and his skills as a featured back, so Dayne is a notable sleeper in an offense that breeds 1,000-yard backs on a seasonal basis. The team didn't choose a back in the draft and will head into the season with Bell and Dayne, whose skills as a downhill runner mirror Anderson and could make him the more attractive fit for Mike Shanahan's purposes.
Frank Gore, RB, San Francisco
Despite the fact that he started one contest as a rookie, Gore still led the 49ers with 608 yards on the ground and looked far more effective than incumbent starter Kevan Barlow in the offense. Furthermore, the presence of Norv Turner -- who has coached such studs as Emmitt Smith, Stephen Davis, Ricky Williams and LaMont Jordan -- turns Gore from a low-end sleeper and into a back who has 1,000-yard potential in his second pro season.
Zach Hilton, TE, New Orleans
Hilton came out of nowhere to produce 32 receptions and 373 yards in the final eight contests of last season, which would project out to an impressive 65 catches and 746 yards over a full schedule. While he will have to compete with Ernie Conwell and Mark Campbell, Hilton has the most potential of the trio and could thrive under Sean Payton, whose offense has produced great numbers for Jason Witten and Jeremy Shockey in recent seasons.
Cedric Houston, RB, N.Y. Jets
Houston produced decent numbers in four starts as a rookie while Curtis Martin and Derrick Blaylock were out due to injuries. While both will return to 100 percent and be in the Jets' backfield mix, Martin is 33 and on the downside of his career and Blaylock has not been able to avoid injuries. Chances are he won't open the regular season atop the depth chart, but Houston should still see more than his share of opportunities to produce in the offense.
Vincent Jackson, WR, San Diego
Jackson isn't one of the league's best-known athletes, but he's a physical specimen at 6-foot-5 and 241 pounds and there's little ahead of him on the depth chart. Aside from veteran Keenan McCardell, the Chargers have a list of mediocre wideouts ( Eric Parker, Rashaun Woods, Kassim Osgood) who could all be unseated should Jackson impressed his coaches in the preseason. He might not even be drafted in most formats, but Jackson is one to watch.
Matt Jones, WR, Jacksonville
The retirement of veteran Jimmy Smith increased the value of Jaguars receivers across the board, but none more than Jones. A former quarterback in college who showed some real potential in his rookie season as a wideout at the pro level, Jones now has a chance to be the team's most prominent choice in the pass attack for Byron Leftwich. While he still needs to gain a bit more experience at the position, the upside on Jones is high indeed for this season.
Jon Kitna, QB, Detroit
Kitna is considered the favorite to open the regular season atop the Lions' depth chart, and he'll be in line to produce some nice stat lines in that position. The veteran has proven in the past that he can find success as a starter -- he threw for 3,591 yards and 26 touchdowns for Cincinnati in 2003 -- and the fact that he'll be in an offense loaded with weapons and guided by coordinator Mike Martz bodes well for Kitna's chances to become prominent for owners.
Chester Taylor, RB, Minnesota
Taylor moved from a reserve role in Baltimore and into the top spot on the depth chart in Minnesota, so his value as a prominent sleeper is obvious. Brad Childress envisions a scenario where Taylor touches the football 15-20 times each week as the team's featured back, so a season with around 30 receptions, 1,300 all-purpose yards and five to seven total touchdowns is well within reach. Don't be shocked when Taylor lands in the third to fourth rounds.
Roddy White, WR, Atlanta
White showcased his impressive skills as a rookie to the tune of 446 yards and three touchdowns, and there's little reason to believe he won't be able to improve upon those numbers in his sophomore season. He could become quarterback Michael Vick's second choice in the pass attack after Alge Crumpler -- especially if Michael Jenkins can't claim the role -- so White is well worth a late-round flier as a No. 4 receiver in leagues with 12-plus teams.
Kellen Winslow, TE, Cleveland
Injuries and an unfortunate motorcycle accident have made Winslow a forgotten man at his position, but he's back to 100 percent and remains a talented component in the Browns offense. The emergence of other tight ends like Chris Cooley and L.J. Smith, not to mention the expectations around rookie Vernon Davis, could cause Winslow to slide into the middle to late rounds in drafts. Should that come to fruition, Winslow could become an absolute steal.