For an NFL team to have success, it needs at least a few stars—anchors for the roster. If one happens to be a quarterback, so much the better.
Bur for things to really come together, a team needs sleepers too. Pleasant surprises.
Sleepers take many forms. Rookies who win a starting job in training camp. Veterans who step in to fill a void created by a free-agent departure. Guys who go from role players to budding stars. All can have immense value to an NFL team.
Some of the players listed in this piece are well known to the fans of their teams, even if they have yet to get national publicity.