Travis Outlaw averaged 9.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game last year but could be in line for better numbers with an expanded role this season.

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In order to give the good ol' overrated preseason sleeper article some semblance of worth and structure in today's oversaturated fantasyland, sleepers will be defined as either "draftable sleepers" or "deep sleepers." Keeping it simple, draftable sleepers are players typically taken during an average 12-team draft. These are your traditional sleepers in the truest sense of the word -- players who should outperform their stats from last year in a noticeable way. They tend to be on the shallower end of the spectrum and may appear to be obvious to the plugged-in reader.

For those with an obsessive dedication to the game, I am rewarding you on your quest for the Holy Grail of fantasyland -- a true deep sleeper. To do this, I got out my trusty shovel to unearth some hidden gems for you. But then I decided the shovel wasn't digging deep enough, so I splurged on renting a Belltec Hydraulic Planetary Auger Drive -- massive high-torque hydraulic diggers are perfect for large excavations -- in order to forge deep enough to find those sleepers buried at the center of the Earth. Now join me for some spelunking as we delve deep into Rip Van Winkle's Ambien-fueled dreamland starting with the point guards and graduating to the pivots.

-- Sometimes all it takes is an injury and the untested backup becomes the young prodigy, or the washed-up backup becomes the rejuvenated veteran. With platoons in Toronto and Clipperville, floor leaders Jose Calderon and Sam Cassell could both find stardom this year if injuries again befall their prone partners. T. J. Ford and Brevin Knight are both excellent undersized distributors with a penchant for injuries. Calderon and Cassell are up to the task and will be top-10 dime-men if either teammate is forced into Armani suits.

-- Two teams destined to rebuild this year could be worse off than giving their young veterans an extended tryout in a starter's role. In Philly, combo guard and former High School Player of the Year Louis Williams tore up the Summer League like it was his backyard and he was building a pool in it. He was hanging at the rim so often, it was like they were dating. With his MVP trophy in tow, the Sixers should figure out exactly what they have in this raw talent.

-- Meanwhile, 3,000 miles across the country, new Kings coach Reggie Theus was an assistant back at Louisville when Francisco Garcia was the star player. Thanks to a bountiful basketball IQ, Garcia demonstrated a knack for making the right play when he finally got some burn last year, prompting Theus to say that the youngster will have the rock in his hands more often this year.

With Mike Bibby, Kevin Martin and Ron Artest in front of him, Garcia won't start, but he's the top backup at all three positions and a prime player to target should any of the aforementioned troika get injured. Plus, he's the leading candidate to start at small forward while Artest serves a seven-game suspension to open the year.

-- It's easy to get overlooked in Portland and Orlando with all the love for their No. 1 overall pick cornerstone centers. However, you'd be remiss to ignore the young lanky swingmen hiding in plain sight on their teams' benches. Travis Outlaw and Trevor Ariza could both break camp as starters, which is all you need to succeed in this league if you're talented enough and both are.

Outlaw has been slow to develop since leaving high school, but his game reminds me of Josh Smith from two years ago, only with one less block a night. Ariza made the professional leap after one year of stardom at UCLA and could push Hedo Turkoglu for the starting job thanks to his defensive skills and versatility. At the very least, the injury to Tony Battie guarantees him more time.

-- My favorite foreign sleeper is going to bring some serious toughness to Clutch City as Yao Ming's sidekick. The best player not in the NBA last year who will be here this year is Luis Scola. This Argentinean bruiser will do the dirty work for Yao and benefit from his double-teams, where his surprisingly feathery touch will be on display. Watch him play one game and you'll immediately understand why the Rockets can't wait for this glue guy to arrive.

-- I could gush praise all day about undersized Jazz PF Paul Millsap. Here are his per-40-minutes stats from his rookie year: 15.2 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 1.8 spg and 2.0 bpg. That's what happens if Carlos Boozer goes down.

You want to see something similar but even more exciting? Check out the per-40-minute stats on newly re-signed Pistons big man Amir Johnson: 15.2 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 1.6 spg and 4.2 bpg. He also shoots 58.1 FG% for his career. His biggest problem though is his teammate and likely sixth man Jason Maxiell. Antonio McDyess can only play so many minutes so Maxiell will see about 25 or so a night. He's a defensive force as well.

-- I want to throw some love Ryan Gomes way now that he's stuck up in Minnesota, because his versatility will help melt the winter snow, but it was another player who was dealt to a no-win situation that could really help you in one category and one category only. Reggie Evans is the de facto starter at power forward for the Sixers and led the league in rebounds per minute last year. He should snare 10-plus rpg easily if given more than 25 minutes.

-- As for the men in the middle, the cupboard is a little bare. Due back from injury is Robert Swift in Seattle, but he struggled to stay healthy even before he tore his ACL. He's got some nice post moves and runs the floor very well, though. But the guy that I've been crushing on since his days at Arizona State is Ike Diogu. The Pacers are bound for the lottery, so why not let Ike get some extended run? He reminds me so much of Al Jefferson it's scary. He's a future 18-and-10 guy with very strong FG% and FT% who just happens to block shots. Definitely more of a PF than a C, he'd benefit greatly from playing alongside Jermaine O'Neal. Are you listening Larry Bird and Jim O'Brien?

In conclusion, quality guards are usually a dime a dozen while quality big men are scarce, and thus are a valuable commodity in fantasy basketball. But this year brings us a glut of deep sleepers at power forward spot and next to nothing for the little guys. While you shouldn't draft most of these players, keep a watchful eye on their early season performance and don't be afraid to pounce on these moneymakers like the paparazzi at 3 a.m. outside of the posh LA nightclubs.

Matt Satten is a Lead Writer with DroppingDimes.com. He has eight years of professional fantasy basketball experience. E-mail him at msatten@gmail.com