BY JEFF THITOFF

Anyone can tell you to take Adrian Peterson with your first pick…but what are you going to do after a few rounds have gone by? Grab some of these guys and hoist the trophy. You’re welcome.

(photo from NFL.com)

JULIUS JONES (RB Seattle): Jones couldn’t wait to flee Dallas and sharing the carries with Marion Barber. What happened? He fled to Seattle…to share the carries with Maurice Morris. Last season, Jones had 158 carries (698 yards, two touchdowns) and Morris had 132 rushes (574 yards, zero rushing touchdowns). Morris is off to Detroit, but Edgerrin James was just signed. Short-yardage touchdown vulture T.J. Duckett was released, but the presence of James hurts Jones’ value. Recently, I felt that Jones would likely eclipse his career-high of 267 carries for a season and with the addition of WR weapon T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Jones would be poised to have a huge yardage season and approach double-digit scores. Now that the Seahawks have Edge, I have cooled on Jones – although he is still a valuable late-round guy to grab.

DARREN MCFADDEN (RB Oakland): Injuries derailed his rookie season, but he’s going to rebound in 2009. I remember watching him tear up SEC defenses while at Arkansas; he’s still a burner and at 6-2 and 210 pounds, he will get his share of touches inside the 10-yard line. He’s a better receiver than he showed in ’08 and he will be better from having all that time to watch last year. Analysts are quick to point out how quarterbacks benefit from spending their rookie seasons on the bench to learn the pro game – didn’t McFadden benefit from having a light workload (113 carries) to watch and learn? I say “yes” and hereby label him a sleeper.

TIM HIGHTOWER (RB Arizona): Beanie Wells, selected in the first round of the draft this season, can’t stay healthy. Wells missed a chunk of time at Ohio State and has been battling ankle problems since hitting training camp. Meanwhile, Hightower scored 10 touchdowns last year on just 143 carries and caught 33 passes. The injury label on Wells is justified, and I can’t believe that Hightower is going undrafted in so many leagues. Grab him late, you won’t regret it.

MATT SCHAUB (QB Houston): How can I call Schaub a sleeper? Because he’s been going 10th among quarterbacks in most drafts, and I see him as top-6. He’s only played in 11 games in each of his two seasons with the Texans, but he passed for 3,043 yards and 15 touchdowns last season and ran for two scores. Typically, a quarterback labeled as a sleeper has some injury history – but if Schaub can stay healthy, he’s going to have a better season than Tony Romo, Philip Rivers and Matt Ryan. Speaking of injury history…

MATT HASSELBECK (QB Seattle): The 2008 season was a lost year for Hasselbeck. He couldn’t stay healthy, his receivers couldn’t stay healthy and his sister-in-law was annoying all year long. Yes, I just added “The View” into an article about fantasy football. Hasselbeck’s receivers are healthier and better with the addition of T.J. Houshmandzadeh. It was just two seasons ago when Hasselbeck passed for 3,966 yards and 28 touchdowns. He won’t be that good, but he will be significantly better than he was in ’08.

NATE WASHINGTON (WR Tennessee): They already have a tremendous 1-2 punch in running backs Chris Johnson and LenDale White. That will give quarterback Kerry Collins plenty of opportunities to burn teams with the play-action pass to free-agent signee Washington. In his last three seasons with Pittsburgh, Washington averaged 16.4 yards per reception while never being more than a No.3 receiver. He could be the No.3 on your team, and he will lead the Titans is yards and receiving touchdowns as the No.1 in Nashville.

BERNARD BERRIAN (WR Minnesota): Did you hear? Favre is back. Hasn’t really been reported much, but it’s true. Maybe I’m the first to tell you. Anyway, Berrian is hurt right now. People should be climbing on his bandwagon, but they’re jumping off. Berrian averaged 20.1 yards per catch and scored seven touchdowns in ’08 and he has a better guy throwing him the ball this season. Buy low, and you’ll be ecstatic to have Favre’s #1 target.