There are plenty of NFL rookies that were highly touted heading into the 2013 season, and were being targeted in fantasy football drafts.  And there are also some rookies who weren’t on anybody’s radar back in September, but are now fantasy relevant.  Below I’ll check in on three NFL rookies who have caught my interest for deeper fantasy leagues.  These are some NFL rookie sleepers to consider for your week 9 fantasy lineups, or guys to keep on eye on and see how they perform for the approaching weeks:

Week 10 Fantasy Football Rookie Sleepers

EJ Manuel, QB, Buffalo Bills: After the first few weeks of football, I could hardly have referred to Manuel as a “sleeper” but that all changed after he sprained his LCL on October 3rd. He is set to return to the field this weekend, and he could turn out to be a very solid sleeper surprise for those willing to take the risk. The Bills have managed to stay competitive in several games over the past month despite their quarterback situation, a good sign for Manuel when he hits the field. He’ll be facing the Pittsburgh Steelers this weekend, a team that has been tough against the pass this year, but Pittsburgh be entering the game as battered as they've ever been. They are coming off a game in which they gave up 55 points and lost two defensive players to concussions (Ike Taylor and Vince Williams). There’s a good chance that Manuel will come out incredibly strong in this game and put the final nail in the coffin for the struggling Steelers.

Tim Wright, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: After a silent start to the year, Wright has been climbing the ladder to fantasy relevance week by week. After Week 6, when he reached 91 yards, he's become more impressive with each game. He's reached the end zone each of the past two weeks and has become one of Mike Glennon's favorite receivers. Wright used to be a wide receiver and those skills have translated quite well as he attempts to perfect the nuances of the tight end position. This Buccaneers team is in desperate need of a win, and the connection between Glennon and Wright must be a part of it as they take on Miami this weekend. You won't be able to count on him as a TE1 every week, but in matchups like he has the next two weeks, he deserves to be in your lineup.

Dennis Johnson, RB, Houston Texans: With Arian Foster not practicing this week due to hamstring and back issues and Ben Tate facing four broken ribs, things are looking bleak for the running backs in Houston. Third-string option Dennis Johnson might well end up playing simply because there is nobody else. He played most of the second half in Week 9, and while Ben Tate has indicated he will play on Sunday, his four broken ribs are a tenuous situation to say the least. Last week was a good opportunity for Johnson to get a bit more comfortable on the field, which could result in an even better performance this weekend if Tate can't manage the workload. The matchup with Arizona this weekend isn't an ideal one, but you should keep Johnson on your radar for the following two weeks, as he faces the Raiders and the Jaguars.

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In case you missed them, here are some other RotoBaller Week 10 articles.  Let’s win some leagues!

• Going Bonkers – Week 10 Sleepers for Fanduel
• Week 10 Waiver Wire – Wide Receivers (WR) & Defenses (DEF)
• Week 10 Waiver Wire Pickups – Quarterbacks (QBs)
• Fantasy Football Waiver Wire – Running Backs (RBs) for Week 10
• Week 10 Waiver Wire Running Backs (RB) – Overlooked Players
• Week 10 Waiver Wire Pickups: Tight Ends (TE)