Beanie Wells has sleeper appeal: The Arizona Cardinals seem to have some issues in their backfield. First, the team traded Tim Hightower to Washington. And then last week, rookie Ryan Williams was lost for the season with a knee injury. But coach Ken Whisenhunt told the Arizona Republic that he feels no urgency to sign another running back. And when the team does make a move, that player will merely complement Wells. Whisenhunt is showing a lot of faith in the Ohio State product, who has a ton of talent but hasn’t been able to avoid the injury bug. But as I’ve mentioned in the past, the fact that Wells is destined to see a featured role in the offense makes him a potential asset in fantasy land. His current ADP of Round 10 on NFL.com makes him a draft steal.

McFadden is back at practice: One of the more talented runners in fantasy football, Darren McFadden has returned to Raiders practice after suffering a broken orbital bone in his left eye on Aug. 3. And according to Jerry McDonald of the Oakland Tribune, Run DMC “looked as if he had never been away.” That’s good news for fantasy owners, especially when you consider how highly McFadden will be taken in drafts. In 2010, he finished sixth in fantasy points at his position on NFL.com — and that was in just 13 games. Therein lies the issue with McFadden, who hasn’t played a full season at the NFL level. If you do grab him in Round 1, it would certainly behoove you to also grab backup Michael Bush as insurance in the middle to late rounds.

Keep an eye on Delone Carter: Fantasy owners in larger leagues looking for a potential deep sleeper at running back should remember Carter’s name. He might be listed fourth on the Colts current depth chart, beat writer Phillip B. Wilson of the Indianapolis Star suggests that Joseph Addai and Carter are the top two backs on the roster. That’s not a surprise, as Donald Brown has been a disappointment thus far. When you consider Addai’s lack of durability, it wouldn’t be a stretch to predict that Carter could end up seeing a good amount of playing time in 2011. If he does in fact open as the second back in the rotation, he’ll also be a worthwhile handcuff for Addai.

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