With only John Beck and his 62 passer rating in 2007 in front of him, Miami rookie QB Chad Henne may find himself starting sooner than later for the Dolphins.

Jason Arnold/Icon SMI

By Tom Carpenter, Special to SI.com

Last week, I discussed all of the players taken in the first round of the NFL draft and some notables from the second round. Well, that didn't lift my early May football jones, and I doubt yours has been dealt with either. So let's dig a little deeper and take a look at rookie players who likely won't be drafted until the late rounds of re-draft leagues, if at all. These are players to consider in dynasty leagues, keeper leagues and on the waiver wire in re-draft leagues.

Chad Henne, QB, Miami Dolphins -- Round 2, Pick 26

I'll be up front and mention that I am a Michigan alumnus, but I'm old school enough to be surprised when a U of M quarterback makes it to, and succeeds, in the NFL, so I'm still skeptical about Henne's prospects. (Rick Leach and Drew Henson turning to baseball to try making it as pro athletes is more the norm for Michigan QBs than Tom Brady turning into a Hall of Famer.) What I find promising about Henne, besides his quality all-around skills, is that Bill Parcells likes him, which means he has a great opportunity to get on the field quickly if he can beat out John Beck. With four years of college experience, he could make a relatively quick transition to the next level. Either that or he'll try joining the PGA to make a living. Yeah, I'm still skeptical.

John David Booty, QB, Minnesota Vikings -- Round 5, Pick 2

There isn't a whole lot of fantasy upside for Booty, but it's not outlandish to imagine him starting for the Vikings at some point. They still hope Tarvaris Jackson can become a legit starter, but he'll have to prove that to be true. I wouldn't consider him much of a keeper, but Booty could be a spot fill-in this season if Jackson fails or gets hurt, especially if he can nudge Gus Frerotte out of the No. 2 role.

Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore Ravens -- Round 2, Pick 24

Rice will slide right in as the top backup to Willis McGahee, which means he'll see limited action unless McGahee is hurt. If that happens, though, Rice has the skills to succeed right out of the gate. Definitely a quality handcuff option.

Jacob Hester, RB, San Diego Chargers -- Round 3, Pick 6

After Michael Turner bolted from the Bolts, the Chargers needed to add some depth at tailback, so they traded up to get Hester. Despite being a fullback in college, Hester will use his size (5-foot-10, 226) as a running back in the NFL. He should be the primary backup to LaDainian Tomlinson. Darren Sproles could figure into the mix if LT2 goes down again or rests late in the season, but Hester would get the goal-line touches and likely the bulk of carries.

Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City Chiefs -- Round 3, Pick 10

Charles has speed to burn and the skills to make big plays, but he doesn't look much like an every-down back as a pro. If Larry Johnson is felled by injury, Charles would battle Kolby Smith for carries, making him a sketchy handcuff.

Steve Slaton, RB, Houston Texans -- Round 3, Pick 26

The Texans already had Ahman Green, Chris Brown and Darius Walker, but that doesn't mean Slaton can't get touches as a rook; Green and Brown are very prone to injury, and Walker is untested. He's small (5-9, 197 pounds), so he may not be able to handle things every down, but a shot at playing time makes him worth noting, as is his West Virginia record 50 career touchdowns in just three seasons.

Ryan Torian, RB, Denver Broncos -- Round 5, Pick 4

Injuries his senior season at Arizona State dropped his stock, but Torian has loads of skill. Best of all, he's a running back for the Broncos, which means he automatically comes with sleeper value. Right now, he's third on the depths behind Travis Henry and Selvin Young, but we all know how quickly things can change in Denver's backfield.

Timothy Hightower, RB, Arizona Cardinals -- Round 5, Pick 14

Hightower's size (6-foot, 216 pounds) could make him a viable goal-line option for the Cards as a rookie, which in turn makes him worth paying attention to in fantasy.

Mike Hart, RB, Indianapolis Colts -- Round 6, Pick 36

Hart couldn't have landed in a better place; the Colts won't ask much of him, but his unquenchable desire to succeed could earn him regular work as a rook. His size (5-9, 195) is a legitimate concern, but Brian Westbrook, Willie Parker and Maurice Jones-Drew have proved that smaller guys can still succeed. If Hart can beat out Dominic Rhodes and Kenton Keith to back up Joseph Addai, he'll be worth drafting as a handcuff.

Donnie Avery, WR, St. Louis Rams -- Round 2, Pick 2

With no receivers going in the first round, it's safe to assume there will be little, if any, regular fantasy input from the rookie receiving class in '08. Avery's incredibly fast but will be No. 3 at best when the Rams' season opens. If injuries open up more action, he could be worth consideration as a deep threat.

Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay Packers -- Round 2, Pick 5

The Packers are pretty deep at receiver, so Nelson probably won't see much action this season, barring injuries. If he does get on the field, his sure hands could help in points-per-reception leagues.

Eddie Royal, WR, Denver Broncos -- Round 2, Pick 11

Like Nelson, Royal's in a deep receiving corps. But also like Nelson, the Hokie has great hands and should have some quality value in years to come.

Jerome Simpson, WR, Cincinnati Bengals -- Round 2, Pick 15

Simpson came out of Coastal Carolina, so you probably haven't even heard of him before now. He holds school records in the long jump and high jump, so you can see he has physical tools. He's a long-term project, but with Chris Henry gone, Ocho Cinco in limbo and T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the last year of his contract, the door could be open for Simpson if he develops quickly.

Limas Sweed, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers -- Round 2, Pick 22

Sweed is big (6-5, 219 pounds) but fast and carries No. 1 receiver potential. A wrist injury that dogged him last year dropped him in the draft. His rookie value is limited due to Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes, but once Ward is done or hurt, look for Sweed to make a statement. He's definitely a quality keeper option.

Early Doucet, WR, Arizona Cardinals -- Round 3, Pick 18

With Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin in tow, Doucet won't be asked to make big plays. But his ability to pull the ball in during short-yardage plays could give him rookie value in PPR leagues.

Mario Manningham, WR, New York Giants -- Round 3, Pick 32

Alright, I began with a Michigan Man, so I'll end with a Michigan Man. He's not the biggest (6-foot, 189 pounds), his head isn't always in it, and he had some character issues the past year. But he's incredibly gifted at catching balls and making big plays. If he can  focus, Manningham could eventually end up the best receiver in the draft (think Braylon Edwards). If he doesn't mature, he could be out of the league in a few years (think David Terrell).

Tom Carpenter is a freelance writer, who has been covering fantasy sports professionally since 1999. He spent nearly eight years as a Senior Editor for Rototimes.com, was ESPN.com's original Pistons Field Correspondent and a featured columnist for USAToday.com from 2003-05. He can be reached at tecarpenter@comcastDOTnet.