Where do we begin? Previously, I noted that some 25 players were considered for our initial ACC Top Ten, so I guess I can either randomly pick a few names here who were left off of that list, or go another route and attempt to highlight a few guys who didn't crack that lengthy list in hopes that we've unearthed the next breakout star. What on earth is a sleeper anyway? I'll contend that Wake Forest's Travis McKie is a big time sleeper nationally, but I just ranked him fourth in the conference!
Being as we aren't too close to draft day, let this list serve more as a "names to watch" list as we approach Midnight Madness. These names figure to be relatively safe in ACC circles, but are worth speculative late draft picks in a Tier 1 league. I also promise this article will be Tar Heel Free, so ABCer's, read and enjoy!
Dorenzo Hudson, guard, Virginia Tech Hokies
I forced myself (read, was forced by the powers that be) to include Austin Rivers in my top ten, mostly so I can hide Hudson here and hope no one drafts him before I can. Hudson is as proven a scored as you'll find in the ACC. I'm not convinced he'll help in other categories all that much or shoot a high enough percentage to not kill you, but Hudson will be the Hokies' go-to guy. In 2009-2010, a healthy Hudson averaged 15.2 points and 3.5 rebounds, while shooting 43.7%. Health is the key word here, as Hudson played in just nine games last season before receiving a medical redshirt due to a foot injury. His disappearance in 2010-11 will likely make him a forgotten man on draft day, so you can thank me for the reminder. Erick Green is probably the Hokies' most well rounded fantasy contributor, but he doesn't look the part of a star. I love the incoming freshmen here too. Forward Dorian Finney-Smith leads the way, but point guard Marquise Rankin can get from end-to-end as fast as anyone in this conference, and forward C.J. Barksdale is a tremendous rebounder with a developing offensive game. All three have major upside.
Joe Harris, guard, Virginia Cavaliers
Sitting down to write this, I had already purchased my ticket on board the Joe Harris train. In his rookie year, Harris averaged 10.4 points and 4.4 rebounds. He saw a nice little bump over his final eight contests, pulling down 6.8 boards while scoring 10.9 points. What isn't to love about that from a guard? Looking at the Cavaliers' roster however, the train nearly derailed. You have to consider the return of forward Mike Scott, who averaged a double-double last season (15.1 points, 10.2 rebounds) from injury could damage Harris' rebounding prowess. Then there is 6-foot-9, 234 pound James Johnson, who redshirted last year and you have to wonder if Harris really can maintain, or increase, his stats as a sophomore. It's a fair question, and you might be taking a leap of faith, but I simply think Harris is a solid player who head coach Tony Bennett wants on the court.
Ryan Kelly, forward, Duke Blue Devils
My memory has apparently failed me because I could have sworn Kelly showed some promise down the stretch last season. His stats disagree. By now, we know the drill with Duke big men, but I think Kelly has a chance to be a useful fantasy option in his third season. The Plumlee brothers (Mason, Miles and now Marshall) figure to cancel each other out. By that, I mean I think Mason starts, Marshall doesn't play, and Miles is the "energy" guy off the bench, spelling both Mason and Kelly. There you have it, I just made Kelly a starter in a guard heavy offense. Mason Plumlee will be the real inside presence for the Devils, but Kelly can rebound, and his offensive game stretches out to Duke's favorite location on the floor. If the summer is any indication, Kelly is ready to make a statistical surge in 2011-2012. Yes, he is playing against competition in China, but through two games, Kelly is starting and averaging 17 points and 10.5 boards. He isn't going to do that against the ACC nightly, but doubling last years' 6.6 points and 3.7 boards is a strong possibility
Bernard James, forward/center, Florida State Seminoles
James may not qualify as much of a sleeper because of his center eligibility. He still might be one of the first big men scooped up on draft night. The 6-foot-10, 26 year old averaged 2.41 blocks last season and that's enough to make him fantasy relevant. His 8.6 points and 5.9 rebounds certainly don't hurt you, and he only played 21.1 minutes last season. If you aren't familiar with James' story, I encourage you click and read. If you are short on time, here's a quick rundown. Immature high school kid joins Air Force, serves country in Iraq, grows six inches, and joins the ACC. That's enough to get him on my roster. James' scoring didn't take off at the end of 2010, but he did chip in 10.9 points over the final nine contests (including post season) and he has a chance to continue that offensive development. If you get ten points, six rebounds and three blocks from a center - you have a tremendous player.
Ryan Anderson, forward, Boston College Eagles
Honestly, I just drew his name out of a hat. Boston College lost their top five scorers from a season ago, and the school's official roster lists nine freshmen and two sophomores. Nine freshmen! You can literally list the entire team here. The top returning scorer in Chestnut Hill is Danny Rubin, who brings back his 4.1 ppg. I chose Anderson, who is one of four incoming players from California, as my guy. There is a solid tradition of Ryan Andersons in college hoops (see California and Nebraska). This Ryan Anderson is 6-foot-9, 229 pounds and comes to Massachusetts from Long Beach Poly High School, the state's all-time winningest program. He's also that school's first player to be named California's Mr. Basketball. That's good enough for me. The Eagles also have two monsterous centers worth tracking. K.C. Caudil goes 6-foot-10, 295 pounds and Dennis Clifford is 7 foot, 238 pounds.
Lorenzo Brown, guard, North Carolina State Wolfpack
This is a classic case of two players becoming one. Last season, then freshman Brown averaged 9.3 points, 3.7 rebounds 3.7 assists and 1.3 steals. Fellow freshman, guard Ryan Harrow, averaged 9.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 0.8 steals. Harrow is no longer in Raleigh. I'm not suggesting that Brown simply takes those numbers and makes them his. Brown should see 28-32 minutes each night. In his final 11 games of last season, the sophomore had at least six assists in five of them. That's a number that will increase this season, and assists can be a very nice commodity.
J.T. Terrell, guard, Wake Forest Demon Deacons
As much as I love Travis McKie, he can't do it by himself. And to be honest, he isn't that gifted of a natural scorer. Terrell, on the other hand, just might be. He was wildly inconsistent as a freshman, but managed to average a respectible 11.1 points despite shooting just 37.4%. Between Terrell and C.J. Harris (10.3 ppg), the Deacons need to replace Gary Clark's 10.9 points. That opportunity alone should give Terrell a boost in scoring. Mix in marginal increase in shooting, and he's fully capable of scoring 15 points each night out, with more consistency! Bad teams often yield some of your best fantasy players because others don't take the time to research them or because there is a perceived lack of overall talent. That isn't the issue here, so don't ignore Wake's roster in your prep work.