Few surprises among free agents to aid success
by Chris Taylor, reporter

    In fantasy sports, you can usually count on an obscure free agent pick-up to boost your team to victory.

   Last season, it was Priest Holmes and Shaun Alexander. The year before that it was Charlie Garner and Jeff Garcia, and the year before that it was Kurt Warner.

   Sadly, this year has not offered any surprise acquisitions. These sleeper pick-ups are usually unknown players who are languishing on your league’s free agent list. So far this year, there hasn’t been a player that would qualify as a sleeper.

   Either all owners have done their homework or there just aren’t any surprises this season.

   However, that may change now that wide receiver Cris Carter is coming out of retirement to play for the Miami Dolphins. Carter has had a long and productive career, and his stats rank him with the likes of Jerry Rice.

   A team desperately needing help at wide receiver should definitely look into acquiring him as soon as possible.

   The situation is very rare when a high-quality player such as Carter becomes available at this point in the season.

   Carter could be a major boost to any fantasy team with playoff aspirations.

   Carter does come with some negatives, though.

   First, he hasn’t played the game in almost a year, so he’s bound to be a bit rusty. Also, he will be playing for a team that is run-oriented. Carter also doesn’t enjoy the luxury of having a great quarterback throwing to him. Jay Fiedler will probably never draw comparisons to Daunte Culpepper.

   Still, at this point in the season, he is definitely worth the risk if you have roster space for him. Then take a wait-and-see approach.

   Another player who might be able to give teams a boost is Chad Hutchinson, quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.

   I know that by even suggesting this I am making myself a prime candidate for a long stay in a mental health facility, but there is a chance the guy could be good.

   Hutchinson has not played football in five years and has never started an NFL game. However, he does have the skills and size to be a good quarterback in the league, unlike Quincy Carter.

   Also, when you surround Hutchinson with weapons, such as Antonio Bryant, Joey Galloway and Emmitt Smith, his chances of success increase.

   Picking up Hutchinson is definitely a long shot, but if you do and it pans out, you will look like a genius.

   Now, wouldn’t that be something to rub into your competitors’ faces?