Fantasy Cheat Sheet: Six Players to Target in the Last Round of Your Draft
Fantasy Cheat Sheet: Six Players to Target in the Last Round of Your Draft: Despite drafting excellent fantasy teams all summer, somehow Week 1 always produces some surprising heroes that went undrafted and may bring value all season.
The idea behind taking a chance on these players late in draughts is to get a jump on the competition, save money on expensive free agents, and shore up a hole in your roster.
Here are six guys who might be worth acquiring with the final choice in your draught:
Quarterback
Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
Goff is likely to go undrafted in leagues with 10 or 12 teams. In the National Fantasy Football Championship (104 draughts), he has been the 24th-ranked quarterback drafted over the past two weeks. The Lions feature a top tight end in Zach Zenner, a top wide receiver in Amon-Ra St. Brown, and a top pass-catching running back in D’Andre Swift (T.J. Hockenson).
Free-agent signee D.J. Chark should be an upgrade as their WR2. In some ways, Goff’s receiving options are identical to the Rams’ in 2018 (Todd Gurley, Robert Woods, Brandin Cooks, and Cooper Kupp), when he threw for 4,688 yards and 32 touchdowns (8.4 yards per catch). Dan Campbell played quarterback for the New Orleans Saints for five years when Drew Brees was one of the league’s most productive passers. In 2022, the Lions will be hoping to make a real playoff push in the NFL, so they need you to keep an open mind regarding Goff.
Running Back
Ty Chandler, Minnesota Vikings
Several clubs have reached out to the Minnesota Vikings in recent days asking about running back Alexander Mattison, who is widely regarded as Dalvin Cook’s handcuff in late August. Ty Chandler’s strong preseason play (15/113/1 with two catches for four yards) suggests he may have a larger role than initially thought.
In his five years at North Carolina, he accumulated 3,810 yards, 30 touchdowns, 72 receptions, and 675 carries, with his best season coming as a senior when he ran for 1,029 yards and caught 14 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown. Even though he is only one injury away from a meaningful role, his change of pace value may earn him additional plays right out of the start in Week 1. Chandler has been the 93rd-ranked running back with an ADP of 240 over the last two weeks in NFFC draughts.
Chris Evans, Cincinnati Bengals
There is a chance that Chris Evans will provide unexpected fantasy value if Joe Mixon is sidelined with an injury. In his first season, he had 32 touches for a total of 228 yards and two touchdowns on 14 receptions. Evans had a fantastic fantasy performance, averaging 1.53 points per touch.
Despite averaging 5.6 yards per rush and 9.8 yards per grab in college, his stat line is very modest (320/1,795/15 with 49 catches for 479 yards and two touchdowns). Evans’s ability to stand up in pass protection is crucial if he is to see frequent passing snaps. The Bengals acquiring Samaje Perine, a journeyman with a low ceiling in the passing game (63/449/2 over 60 games), creates a better opportunity for Evans to succeed. As of late August in the NFFC, he is ranked the 70th best running back.
Wide Receivers
Amari Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Rookie Romeo Doubs is the major wide receiver mover for the Packers over the summer, but I continue to preach that the winning wideout for Aaron Rodgers will be the one who gets most of his snaps out of the slot. As the season kicks off, Randall Cobb will be the primary choice.
He’s familiar with the Packers’ system and was a top-tier wideout in his day. Cobb’s days of being a ceiling performer ended in 2015. Amari Rodgers caught seven passes for 66 yards and a touchdown while also running the ball six times for 36 yards. In spite of his free ADP (238) over the past two weeks in the NFFC, I anticipate his stock to grow as the season develops. To underscore my trust in my opinion, I rostered Rodgers in 139 of 150 Underdog best ball draughts.
Curtis Samuel, Washington Commanders
Last March, Washington signed Samuel to a three-year contract for $34.5 million after a spectacular season in 2020 with the Panthers (1,051 total yards with five touchdowns and 41 catches) (1,051 combined yards with five touchdowns and 41 catches).
As a wide receiver, his PPR total of 212.4 points was enough for 24th place. At his position as a wide receiver in the NFFC, Samuel is the 221st overall pick this year. Drafters’ attention in fantasy football has gone to a promising young rookie in Jahan Dotson (now with an ADP of 123). Samuel offers a run/pass foundation, providing him a chance to work out of the backfield. All he needs to succeed is a higher opportunity.
Tight End
Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens
Likely capitalised on the great opportunity presented to him by the Ravens during the preseason by recording 12 receptions for 144 yards and one score. Over the course of his four years at Coastal Carolina, he recorded 133 receptions for 2,050 yards and 27 touchdowns.
He fits the characteristics of a large wide receiver (6’4″, 235 pounds), but is classified as a tight end in fantasy leagues. With uncertainty at the wide receiver positions in Baltimore, Likely has a great shot to play alongside Mark Andrews. Even though I came to his identification late, there remains a promising possibility. Thus, Likely may play wide receiver and tight end, where he has an unexpected advantage and no salary (ADP – 225 in the NFFC).
Since the Ravens are a rushing team, he probably won’t be getting many passes from Drew Brees, but he may get more playing time than expected as a rookie.