It's time for a rankings update after being in the best ball trenches throughout May. I've completed 25 drafts on Underdog Fantasy, blurbed my favorite players to draft at QB, RB, WR, and TE, and wrote "What Has Worked In Best Ball In All 4 Years". Understanding the game theory and ADP landscape as a whole is a massive part of the game, but some people just want the rankings. So let's get it.
The ADP is based on the starting draft position on Underdog Fantasy. 2023 and 2022 Finishes are my fantasy points over replacement metrics based on Underdog Fantasy's half PPR best ball scoring, which factors in weekly upside. If you're uploading these rankings to Underdog, you might have to change "ID" to "id". Of course, do not draft strictly off these rankings. I upload them to the site as a reference of which players I want to target, but almost all of my selections are within 5ish spots of ADP because I want to draft "my guys" at good prices. That's how your player takes actually get paid off. Please do the same, whether it's with these rankings or your own.
1. RB1 Christian McCaffrey
2. WR1 CeeDee Lamb
3. WR2 Justin Jefferson
4. WR3 Tyreek Hill
5. RB2 Breece Hall - The Jets were awful late last year, yet Hall posted 22.6, 2.3, 37.1, 23.1, and 26.0 fantasy points in his last five games as the clear bellcow. Nobody stands in his way this year, not even his own knee. Hall has the size and skillset to carry rare volume, and the Jets offense should be respectable, if not quite good. Aaron Rodgers gets on-paper upgrades at LT, LG, RG, RT, and swing tackle. If there's someone who competes with Christian McCaffrey for a "legendary" season, it's Hall.
6. WR4 Ja'Marr Chase
7. WR5 Amon-Ra St. Brown
8. WR6 A.J. Brown - In comparison to DeVonta Smith, Brown was unlucky last year. 88% of Smith's downfield targets were graded as "catchable" per Sports Info Solutions (WR5). That was just 54% for AJB (64th out of 81 qualifiers). That's the difference between Browns' +33% fantasy points over expected in 2022 versus his +20% finish last year. Both are good. One was elite.
9. WR7 Puka Nacua
10. RB3 Bijan Robinson
11. WR8 Garrett Wilson
12. RB4 Jahmyr Gibbs
13. WR9 Brandon Aiyuk - The reality is the entire 2nd round is undeserving of their ADPs. Here's where each player finished in fantasy points over replacement per game last year: Garrett Wilson (91st overall), Marvin Harrison Jr. (highest rookie WR ADP of all time), Saquon Barkley (26th overall), Jonathan Taylor (34th overall), Drake London (98th overall), Brandon Aiyuk (28th overall), Davante Adams (33rd overall), Chris Olave (58th overall), Kyren Williams (2nd overall), and De'Von Achane (5th overall)... If you want a WR in Round 2, you are projecting a finish that hasn't happened yet. That's not ideal, but we're all doing it. So who is the best of the worst??? Brandon Aiyuk. He's a consistent model dunker with +14%, +22%, +26%, and +47% fantasy points over expected based on his usage. Aiyuk is an elite downfield player because his route running has improved and he's a fantastic athlete. The 49ers' skill group remains crowded, but if a Deebo trade or just random injuries occur, Aiyuk has the looks of a Round 1 fantasy receiver or at the very least has the looks of a giga spike week receiver. The NFC West offenses look scary and the 49ers' defense isn't as good as it was in their peak, so San Francisco can potentially pass more in 2024 than they have during the Aiyuk era. Volume is the only thing that's held him back so far (WR36 in expected points per game). What if that unexpectedly changes?
14. WR10 Jaylen Waddle
15. WR11 Nico Collins - He's delivered on his developmental, high-upside prospect profile. Collins (6'4"/215 with 4.45 speed) was a top-12 real life receiver last year and was a perfect fit with C.J. Stroud's downfield accuracy and timing. Collins was one of the most efficient receivers in the NFL, leading to a wild +46% fantasy points over expected. He primarily did so by winning deep. His +18% completion percentage over expected on his deep targets were 9th best, and those led to multiple long scores. The Texans will have to throw more to justify adding Stefon Diggs this year, but Collins' 2023 tape and 2023 metrics looked much better than Diggs' and the Texans passed way more down the stretch after they figured out just how could Stroud is. Collins was the per-game WR7 last year and is drafted as the WR15 this time around. I'll buy that, especially in best ball.
16. WR12 Drake London
17. RB5 De'Von Achane - There have been 533 qualifying RBs since 2018 in my fantasy points over expected model, and Achane's 2023 season was the very best. He scored 5.4 more half PPR points than his usage would indicate, thanks to a ridiculous 5.2 TDs over expected. Achane did so with speed and contact balance, perfectly aligning with coach Mike McDaniels' outside zone and pitch-heavy scheme. His 7.4 yards per carry were the best of any RB since 2000 (min. 100 carries), but that's an unsustainable clip of course. The other 19 RBs to sit above 5.5 YPC watched their average drop by 1.1 yards the following regular season. Only once did a RB in that sample increase their YPC (Jamaal Charles).... All this said, Achane will be a model dunker for a long time in this offense. If he went from 5.4 to 3.0 fantasy points over expected this year while keeping his same usage, Achane still would've been the per-game RB14 last year. There's a chance he sees more volume this year, too, so he looks like a boom-bust low-end RB1, even after factoring in regression.
18. RB6 Derrick Henry - The annual top-3 RBs in half PPR points per game over the last 10 years have played on a team who finished over .500 on the season 80% of the time. 47% of these difference-making RBs played on teams above .667, too. The Ravens of course won .765 of their regular season games last year and have the 3rd-highest projected wins (11.5) in 2024. Henry's path to an elite season would come in the form of outlier touchdowns and insane rushing volume. Gus Edwards scored 13 times on 10.6 expected TDs as a part-timer without the big-play ability Henry has, and Henry's 1-year, $9M contract suggests he won't be in the even-split committee that "The Bus" dealt with alongside Keaton Mitchell (ACL-plus) and Justice Hill (1-year, $2M). As the clear workhorse on Titans' teams that won .353 and .412 of their games, Henry finished as the per-game 4th and 23rd overall player in his last two seasons. I'll take my chances that someone built like Henry can fight off the age-30 age cliff. His 2023 yards after contact per carry (3.3), elusiveness rating (64.7), and percentage of yards coming on big runs (33%) were right in line with his career averages... And if we're right on Henry balling out again, nothing will look cooler on TV than Henry in those Ravens uniforms.
19. WR13 Mike Evans - He still had it last year. Evans has finished with +30%, +15%, +27%, +34%, +11%, and +31% fantasy points over expected despite playing in new offenses with new quarterbacks. The constant is Evans' downfield and red zone dominance. Last year's +31% fantasy points over expected were catalyzed by scoring 6.2 more TDs than his usage would indicate. That was the largest difference among WRs. He's not going to reproduce that again in 2024, especially after losing OC Dave Canales. But the 31-year-old also doesn't have to, compared to his WR18 Underdog Fantasy ADP. Evans was the per-game WR9 on WR14 usage last year and was the WR7 in weekly best ball points because when he scores points, he really scores points.
20. WR14 Marvin Harrison Jr. - Somehow lower than consensus, which might've lost it's mind here. He's at 1,000 receiving yards and 7.5 TDs in the Underdog Pick'em Lobby.
21. WR15 Davante Adams - 2023 was Adams' first season since 2016 with below-average fantasy points over expected (-8%). In fact, he was above 11% in the previous 7 seasons. Iffy QB play and play-calling were the primary culprits, though neither look promising in 2024 either. Adams had a brutal -9% completion percentage over expected on his deep targets and scored 1.8 fewer TDs than his usage would suggest. Gardner Minshew is only marginally better than what the Raiders' trotted out last year and now Brock Bowers is around for some manufactured touches. Adams is in a tough spot heading into his age-32 season, even if he still looks like a top-12 NFL receiver on tape. He was the WR16 on WR5 usage last year. Sad!
22. RB7 Saquon Barkley - He's at 1,125 rushing yards and 7.5 TDs in the Underdog Pick'em Lobby.
23. RB8 Jonathan Taylor
24. WR16 Chris Olave - It's not fully his fault, but Olave has finished 58th and 76th overall in his first two seasons. The Saints look even worse this year. I'm not sure his skillset is that of a true volume hog, so I'm lower on than consensus.
25. WR17 DK Metcalf - New Seahawks OC Ryan Grubb designed my favorite college offense to watch last year. The Washington Huskies were 8th in pass rate and 4th in deep pass rate, plus they threw up 1-on-1s in the end zone. In other words, it was a full send. Geno Smith has the tools to deliver downfield strikes. He's the QB1 overall in completion percentage over expected since 2021 when he took over the starting gig, so we've been this close to a full DK Metcalf breakout. He's finished 38th and 41st overall in fantasy points over replacement in recent seasons, but this should be the most fantasy friendly environment for him of his career. Metcalf will be 26 years old, while downfield competitor Tyler Lockett turns 32.
26. RB9 Kyren Williams
27. WR18 Deebo Samuel
28. WR19 D.J. Moore - After tilting seasons with the Panthers, Moore made the most out of a new situation last year. He was +36% over expected (WR10), leading to a WR13 finish on WR26 usage. He did so by dominating on downfield targets. His +14% completion percentage over expected on targets of 15+ air yards were the 15th best in the NFL, and they helped him score 2.3 more TDs than expected (18th best). Doing so with Justin Fields at QB was extra impressive, but the improved QB situation is at least partially offset by significantly better target competition (Keenan Allen and Rome Odunze). There should be little confidence in how targets and efficiency will play out in this Bears' receiver room, especially with a new playcaller in town, too. He's the WR17 on Underdog Fantasy right now, essentially splitting his production and usage from 2023. That's too rich for me -- regression and target competition are a tough tandem to overcome -- but Moore unquestionably has game-breaking weekly upside.
29. RB10 Josh Jacobs - 2023 was a disaster season after holding out through training camp. He scored 4.1 fewer TDs than his usage would expect, leading to -20% fantasy points over expected. That was (by far) his worst of his career. Jacobs was +15% over expected the year prior, so he's been very boom-bust as an individual player. Hence the uncertainty around his 2024 fantasy football ranking. The Packers' scoring environment is just so much better than the Raiders', especially after Jordan Love's late-year breakout. From Week 10 on, Aaron Jones was the RB4 in fantasy usage per game (17.1 expected half PPR points) while the Packers were 2nd in EPA per play. If Jacobs gets that level of work in that good of an offense, he doesn't even need to be more efficient than he was last year to be a fantasy RB1. And there's a chance his individual numbers (like broken tackles and yards after contact) also improve now that he's had a normal offseason and plays for a successful organization. The Packers' $14.8M in practical guarantees have made that exact bet. For more on how Jacobs fits in with the Packers' scheme, watch this. Hint: More gap runs as LaFleur copies McVay.
30. RB11 Isiah Pacheco - Like I wrote in the Derrick Henry blurb, it's very helpful for your fantasy RBs to play on an elite offense. The Chiefs should return to their elite ways after making two notable additions at receiver, while losing a star cornerback on defense. Pacheco has also earned more trust throughout his career and faces less competition now (remember Jerick McKinnon?). From Week 12 through the Super Bowl, Pacheco averaged 17.6 half PPR points on 18.0 expected half PPR points, which both would've been good for RB3 overall if extrapolated the entire season. He's drafted as the RB14 right now.
31. WR21 Malik Nabers
32. TE1 Travis Kelce - Arguably bored of the regular season, Kelce still has glimpses of being the top-20 overall fantasy asset at times, but the overall output has fallen off heading into his age-35 season. He scored +29%, +28%, and +17% fantasy points over expected before that dropped to +6% in the 2023 regular season. His usage also was at a 7-year low. Kelce has his work cut out to be an "elite fantasy TE" with two primary additions to the receiver group, though the market isn't pricing him nearly as high on Underdog Fantasy (38th overall) as he was in the year's previous. Kelce was 56th overall in best ball points last year.
33. QB1 Jalen Hurts - Last year's play-calling and Hurts' own leg injury completely tanked the season. Here are some stats to show the obvious dropoffs directly tied to those two problems. Keep in mind, the Eagles now have a new OC in Kellen Moore and Hurts is likely to be healthier in 2024.... And even with those issues last year, Hurts finished as the 38th overall player in fantasy points over replacement per game. He was 11th overall in 2022 when things were firing.
Play action per season: 111, 133, then 81!!!
RPO passes per season: 95, 122, then 89!!!
Blitzes faced per season: 124, 172, then 185!!!
Throwaways per season: 22, 23, then 35!!! (because of the blitzes)
Rush yards per game: 52, 50, then 36!!!
Rushes per broken tackle: 15, 21, then 52!!!
34. QB2 Josh Allen
35. WR20 Cooper Kupp - 2023 was the first time Kupp has finished with below-average fantasy points over expected (-6%). He was dealing with a lingering hamstring injury and then suffered a November ankle sprain last year, but this will also be his age-31 season when those injuries seem to bite more often. In the two years prior with Matthew Stafford, however, Kupp was at +40% and 33% fantasy points over expected. An optimistic and arguably reasonable projection would be splitting the difference between 2023 and the two years prior. If so, Kupp is a nice 4th-round selection. He was the per-game WR22 on WR9 usage last season, partially because he scored 1.6 fewer TDs than expected. He's the WR24 on Underdog Fantasy right now.
36. WR22 DeVonta Smith - He's gone from +6% to +25% all the way to +37% fantasy points over expected in his first three years as a pro. Smith was the 14th-best downfield player last year per completion percentage over expected (+15%), leading to 3.2 more TDs than expected. That was 7th best at the position. Those are very difficult to reproduce, though he's a proven model breaker in this Eagles offense. Smith is more valuable in best ball because of his weekly volatility. He had 8 games below 6.5 expected half PPR points (that's really low), yet still had 7 games above 14.0 half PPR points.
37. TE2 Sam LaPorta - It's rare for a rookie to finish as the TE3 overall on TE3 overall usage, but LaPorta is a rare tight end capable of winning in all phases. Where LaPorta may struggle to reproduce is in the touchdown department, as he led the position with +4.0 TDs over expected. He can afford to lose 1-4 TDs off his rookie-year total, however, especially if his finish to the season continues. From Week 12 on, LaPorta averaged 11.2 expected half PPR points per game. He was at 8.8 per game before that stretch. LaPorta was 49th overall in best ball points as a rookie.
38. QB3 Patrick Mahomes - Adding Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy can't be overstated. The Chiefs were only 20th in big play passes, 23rd in deep-target catch rate, and 30th in average depth of target in the pass game. It was the most sluggish-looking good offense in the NFL, one that only was 15th in plays per game. They were still 4th in neutral pass rate, but their explosive play rate will unlock the ceiling games we've missed with Mahomes. In best ball, Mahomes is easily stacked with Isiah Pacheco, Brown, Worthy, and Rashee Rice being drafted shortly after. Mahomes was 16th in fantasy points over replacement in 2022 when he wasn't only throwing to MVS, Skyy, Kadarius, and the boys.
39. QB4 Lamar Jackson
40. WR23 George Pickens - The 23-year-old is always talked about as an incomplete player, as if the other guys we draft in this range are well-rounded targets. It's odd to me because this is a very young, ascending high-caliber athlete with 5-star pedigree. Pickens already averaged 67 yards per game and finished as the 57th overall player in fantasy points over replacement per game as a 22-year-old sophomore, too, despite only running half of the available routes on the tree. We've seen similar players (DK Metcalf, Brandon Aiyuk, Tee Higgins, Nico Collins, etc.) make improvements to their game around this time. Equally as important to his ascending profile is his elite fantasy environment heading into 2024. He's upgraded his QB group, play-caller, and offensive line, while also replacing Diontae Johnson (23% targets per route) with Van Jefferson and 3rd-rounder Roman Wilson (23% targets per route as a college senior). Pickens' downfield skillset is ideal for deep-target, play-action offense like OC Arthur Smith's, especially in best ball. He'll need more quick-hitting routes to truly arrive, but Pickens could be a top-12 fantasy receiver this year in similar ways to what we just saw with D.J. Moore in the Bears' talentless target void.
41. WR24 Tank Dell - We discussed his studly rookie tape here.
42. WR25 Amari Cooper - Cooper is priced as if we know Deshaun Watson is going to be awful. Is that likely? Sure, but there is room for a minor bounce back that isn't being priced in. Cooper has finished 27th and 33rd overall in fantasy points over replacement per game in unideal circumstances, and we've seen the Browns flip their offensive identity with Nick Chubb exiting his prime. In fact, if we remove the 4 weeks where the Browns had P.J. Walker or Dorian Thompson-Robinson as their QBs, the Browns had the 4th-highest neutral pass rate in the NFL last year. Cooper averaged 14.9 half PPR points in those 11 non-CFL QB games, which would've made him the WR10 per game last year. He's drafted as the WR30 on Underdog Fantasy. Amari will be 23 years old this season, of course.
43. TE3 Mark Andrews - He's finished as the 61st and 64th overall player in fantasy points over replacement over the last two seasons. The 28-year-old has established a nice per-game baseline despite missing some time with unlucky injuries, and Andrews was a top-20 overall player three years ago. His per-route production hasn't changed much, however. He was at 2.2 yards per route during his elite season, then has been at 2.0 and 1.9 since. That was 4th-best last year. Andrews is a far more reliable top target than Zay Flowers in my opinion, and OC Todd Monken may feel more comfortable calling passes in their second season in the scheme, where Andrews set a career high in slot snaps (80%). He's a Round 5 auto-click on Round 4 Lamar Jackson teams in best ball. That stack used to cost an arm (Round 2) and a leg (Round 3) a few seasons back.
44. RB12 Travis Etienne Jr.
45. QB5 Anthony Richardson - The Colts were 3rd in plays per minute under coach Shane Steichen, a similar trend he had with the Eagles' aggressive offense during their Super Bowl run. Richardson has the dual-threat ability in a fast-paced offense to reach elite QB upside, especially with AD Mitchell replacing Alec Pierce and with the entire starting OL returning and Day 2/3 backups coming in from the draft. Last year as an inexperienced rookie, Richardson was the QB1 in fantasy points per dropback. He's the most likely QB to break into the top-3 range.
46. WR26 Christian Kirk - He finished as the 34th overall player in fantasy points over replacement per game in 2022 as the Jaguars' lead receiver. We'll see if Brian Thomas immediately takes over as the top target as a rookie -- It's definitely possible. He's nice nice -- but if not, Kirk is looking prime for a bounce back season in terms of volume. He's been very efficient for his last three years (+19%, +10%, and +23% in fantasy points over expected) and remains in the prime of his career as a 27-year-old. All we need is better injury luck and for Trevor Lawrence to take his wildly anticipated leap into the top-8 QB conversation. The 25-year-old QB at least found upgrades at C (Mitch Morse) and LG (Ezra Cleveland) in recent months.
47. WR27 Tee Higgins - Last season was a disaster. He missed 5 games and left 3 other games early due to various injuries. When Higgins was on the field, the results weren't the same. A huge part of his dip in efficiency were his downfield targets. In his first three years, Higgins had +1%, +11%, and +15% completion percentage over expected on his targets 15+ yards downfield. That was -15% last year. Joe Burrow wasn't himself on a bad calf and eventually a bad wrist, so I'm willing to call 2023 the outlier. If so, Higgins is a value with unrealized upside. He finished 37th overall in fantasy points over replacement in 2023. What happens if Higgins stays healthy and Ja'Marr Chase is the one dealing with injuries? I'm willing to find out in Round 4.
48. WR28 Stefon Diggs - The signs of a fall off are there, though Diggs does seem reinvigorated by the change of scenery. He'll go back to his deep-threat days where he shredded in best ball. There's just going to be less consistency in his target volume based on the offense and target competition. He ranked 32nd overall last year. Diggs will be 30 years old in 2023. I can't get on board with a 25th overall ADP. He's at 949 receiving yards and 7.5 TDs in the Underdog Pick'em Lobby.
49. WR29 Zay Flowers
50. TE4 Trey McBride
51. TE5 Dalton Kincaid
52. WR30 Michael Pittman Jr. - Without Adonai Mitchell, Pittman was 42nd overall. I can't get on board with a 31st overall ADP. He likely doesn't have the super star traits to get pull away from the WR1/2 borderline. The RPOs provide a very nice floor in what tends to be a Round 4 range full of busts. He's at 1,050 receiving yards and 4.5 TDs in the Underdog Pick'em Lobby.
53. WR31 Keenan Allen
54. WR32 Marquise Brown - Let's try to put numbers to how different the 2024 Chiefs and 2023 Cardinals are. Brown had a career-low 15% fantasy points over expected last year while trying to catch downfield passes from Josh Dobbs and the boys. He only caught 8-of-31 deep targets for a -17% completion percentage over expected. That was 83rd out of 88 qualifiers. Yikes. Drops were a clear issue, but some of that was due to inaccuracies, a problem thwarted by playing with Patrick Mahomes. Since 2020, Mahomes is at +4% on his downfield throws. A normalization in his long completions will also lead to more TD opportunities during his age-27 contract year... On top of this, I want to short Rashee Rice, who I think is solid as an underneath option but is not nearly as good as what his rookie stats would indicate. Rice dominated because there were no other receivers who could get open, ever. He's not a first read guy, nor a downfield guy, nor a good guy. He's been in trouble twice this offseason and is lucky he didn't cause multiple fatalities. This is all after being off teams' boards for character issues at SMU. I'm expecting 4-8 games lost due to suspension given the extent of Texas law and the fact that there are 8 felony charges.
55. RB13 Joe Mixon - He's finished 35th and 21st overall in the last two year, faces no competition for snaps in Houston, and is likely on a top-8 offense. The Texans added another $7M guaranteed to his old deal for no real reason either. They clearly think he's an ideal fit for their under-center rushing offense. I agree.
56. RB14 James Cook
57. RB15 Rachaad White
58. TE6 George Kittle - This Hall of Fame run is another reminder that each player has their own efficiency baseline. Kittle has been at +32%, +29%, +48%, and +36% fantasy points over expected over the last four seasons. Insanity! He's capable of breaking the slate despite being a 32-year-old tight end. While his efficiency remains world class, his total usage has regressed with the emergence of Brandon Aiyuk and the addition of Christian McCaffrey. Kittle was at a 6-year-low in expected half PPR points per game (7.2) last season, a trend unlikely to reverse. He averaged 6.8 expected points with Aiyuk and Deebo both in the lineup. That didn't stop him from a TE7 per-game finish last year. He just has to remain that good to be worthy of a 68th overall ADP.
59. WR33 Terry McLaurin
60. WR34 Xavier Worthy - He's at 850 receiving yards and 4.5 TDs in the Underdog Pick'em Lobby.
61. RB16 David Montgomery - The Lions have the 5th- or 6th-highest projected win total heading into 2024, partially because their defense is improved. Montgomery feasted in positive game script last year, even when Jahymr Gibbs was balling out. D-Mont could be the clear 1b this year and still pay off this ADP, as they finished as the RB9 and RB11 in per-game scoring last season. The real value here is if something happens to Gibbs. Montgomery can handle 20+ touches per game, including the pass-game role. The Lions' new RB3 could be a converted safety in Sione Vaki, so Montgomery's trust factor could vault him into the top-10 conversation for weeks at a time.
62. RB17 Kenneth Walker III
63. QB6 C.J. Stroud
64. TE7 Kyle Pitts
65. WR35 Brian Thomas Jr. - I can't believe people are concerned with Thomas' freshman year stats when we just watched him put up 91 yards and 1.3 TDs per game as a 20-year-old true junior against SEC competition. Thomas has the traits of a Pro Bowl deep threat (6'3"/209 with 4.33 speed), and Trevor Lawrence has the unrealized skills to give him the volume he needs. Watch our entire video on Thomas below. Just make sure to ignore Josh's thoughts on him:
66. WR36 Ladd McConkey - Justin Herbert's clear-cut top receiver isn't a 5th-rounder yet. One day, he will be. I was very high on McConkey's skills pre-draft. The landing spot makes a ton of sense, too.
67. WR37 DeAndre Hopkins - He hasn't been his peak-self in a couple of seasons. Hopkins buoyed between +9% and +28% fantasy points over expected during his prime but has fell to +6% and +2% over his last two seasons. The Titans added Calvin Ridley and a pass-first coach this offseason, so his usage is hard to project. His efficiency is in a clear downfall heading into his age-32 season, and Will Levis' inaccuracies are likely to work against that turning back. He was the WR31 on WR20 usage in 2023, so his discounted WR46 price tag on Underdog Fantasy seems a little too pessimistic.
68. WR38 Calvin Ridley - It's been a rollercoaster career. His fantasy points over expected were at +46% with Kyle Shanahan, then +31% and +11% with the Shanny-less Falcons before the foot injury and suspension, and finally -6% in his return with the Jaguars. It's unrealistic to think he bounces back in his age-30 season, especially going from Trevor Lawrence to Will Levis.
69. WR39 Rome Odunze - Love the player. Love the long-term fit. Hate the target competition with a (very good) rookie QB dealing with a mediocre play-caller. This is about the range when the WR upside falls off, but I prefer the 25th to 75th percentile outcomes of the other receivers in this range. Caleb Williams being able to produce two WR2s and a WR3 would be wildly impressive. That's what I have in these rankings. He's at 750 receiving yards and 4.5 TDs in the Underdog Pick'em Lobby.
70. WR40 Diontae Johnson
71. WR41 Chris Godwin - In his three season before his multi-ligament knee tear, Godwin was at +42%, +31%, and +14% fantasy points over expected. Since then, he's been at -1% and 0% while also seeing fewer expected points per game. Baker Mayfield found great rapport with Mike Evans last year, but the new coaching staff wants to prioritize more slot snaps for Godwin this year after struggling more outside. It's a smart move for the Bucs. Godwin just can't be expected to bounce back to his pre-injury and peak-Brady seasons. That said, Godwin was dead last in TDs over expected (-3.9) among 217 qualifiers in 2023. This is his age-28 season and a contract year. If it doesn't happen now, it's Joever. He was the WR40 on WR26 usage last year. He's the WR42 in drafts right now. That's reasonable.
72. WR42 Courtland Sutton - Only Ja'Lynn Polk (who we will get to below) is drafted later as their team's top pass catcher. Sutton is undeniably good at football, too, and there's seriously nobody around competing for targets, with Jerry Jeudy being replaced by a combination of Marvin Mims, Tim Patrick, Josh Reynolds, and Troy Franklin. Sutton was all boom-bust last year because Russell Wilson can't play in the quick game, but he could be more consistent this season with a quick-hitting (very productive and efficient) quarterback. Sutton was the WR21 on WR43 usage last year, yet is drafted as the WR51 right now going into his age-29 season. He's the perfect one-off receiver who will not be dragged up in ADP for stacking purposes. Sutton is just a nice slight win in the middle rounds.
73. RB18 Rhamondre Stevenson - The Patriots remain a disaster on offense, so much so that it's nearly impossible for Stevenson to become more than an upside RB2, but we've seen exactly that happen before. He was the 29th overall player in 2022, then dropped to 64th overall with Zeke last year. Those were two of the worst "offenses" I've ever seen, yet Stevenson would still be okay if he simply repeated those years at this ADP (albeit with better injury luck). New England has a higher floor with Jacoby Brissett and a higher ceiling with Drake Maye compared to the Mac Jones year, and the coaching staff can only get better. New OC Alex Van Pelt has been the Browns coordinator since 2020. Did they get their RBs involved then? I forget.
74. RB19 Zack Moss - Nobody was better on shotgun runs last year, something the Bengals are going to major in once again. Moss earned a $4.5M guaranteed contract this offseason, essentially the same contract they had in line for Joe Mixon who has finished 21st and 35th overall in this Bengals offense. The OL looks better in Cincy this time around with 1st-round RT Amarius Mims, and Chase Brown is very unproven as a runner despite a maxed-out athletic chart. Almost all of Brown's production last year came as a screen merchant. Do we think that translates to running the ball? Color me skeptical. Moss in a land slide for me, but if you want darts on Brown because the Bengals have the 4th-highest win projections, then I understand.
75. RB20 Najee Harris - In laughably designed offenses with horrendous offensive line play, Harris churned out 53rd and 83rd overall finishes. There's hope that drafting starting tackles in back-to-back first rounds and adding a physical, ready-made center in the second round this year can vault the Steelers into watchable territory. Expect Harris to see plenty of volume, even if Jaylen Warren is within the Wally Pipp zone. There's likely enough work for two based on the Arthur Smith OC hiring.
76. TE8 Jake Ferguson - He was 2nd in missed tackles forced, 6th in yards after catch per reception, 7th in targets, 8th in yards, and 9th in receptions last year, but Ferg Daddy was unbelievably unlucky in touchdowns last year. In fact, he scored -3.8 TDs over expected based on his usage despite playing in a sweet offense. Of course, regression immediately hit in the NFL Playoffs when he scored three damn times. Come on!!! Well, nothing has changed for Ferguson heading into age-25 season.
77. QB7 Joe Burrow
78. QB8 Kyler Murray
79. QB9 Dak Prescott
80. RB21 James Conner - Because he's not fast, Conner catches strays but all he does is fill up the box score... on nice efficiency, too. He's been above-average in fantasy points over expected in 5-of-6 seasons as a full-time player, including +25%, +5%, and +11% points over expected during his time in Arizona. Conner only scored 1.5 more TDs than expected last year, so his strong efficiency largely came between the 20s. He had a career-high 5.0 YPC while finishing as the RB1 in yards after contact per carry and broken tackles per carry. Those are likely to come down in his age-29 season, but there's a lot of room for decline. He was the RB6 on RB12 usage and RB11 efficiency last year.
81. RB22 Raheem Mostert - The bust rates on 8th-9th round fantasy picks are already really high. Mostert could easily fall off during his age-32 season, but how many 8th-9th round fantasy picks provide the same upside? Basically none. He doesn't have to score 21 TDs or be the 5th overall player in best ball points to justify this ADP. It feels like the market has said "Mostert isn't going to reproduce his 2023 numbers, so I don't want to draft him at all." That's a faulty viewpoint. Mostert can be the 1b in this Dolphins offense and produce boom-bust RB2 numbers. Heck, even when De'Von Achane returned from injury (5 games), Mostert averaged 13.3 half PPR points, which would've been the RB19 last year. It doesn't hurt that the Dolphins gave Mostert another $1M in added guarantees this offseason as a nod to his elite 2023 season.
82. RB23 Alvin Kamara - It's been 3-straight seasons of below-average fantasy efficiency for Kamara, who turns 29 years old this upcoming season. His -11% fantasy points over expected in 2023 was a career low for him. He scored 3.8 fewer TDs than his usage would indicate and set a new low in yards per touch. The Saints' offensive line is expected to be in an even worse situation after losing two potential starters to retirement, and Kamara is likely to face competition from Kendre Miller after the rookie was sidelined with unfortunate leg injuries last year. It's a good time to fade.
83. TE9 Evan Engram - It's ineffective offense to target Engram 143 times again (6.7 YPT), and the 30-year-old had splits with and without Christian Kirk. Specifically, 7.5 targets per game versus 9.9. Because Engram is so inefficient, a decline in targets would make a big impact on his fantasy value.
84. WR43 Curtis Samuel
85. WR44 Rashee Rice
86. WR45 Keon Coleman - It does make me nervous that Coleman is going to play a lot of outside receiver on the Bills because he's not fast enough to consistently win downfield, but Buffalo is desperate for WR talent and Josh Allen is willing to throw contested targets, especially on broken plays. Coleman has to be a full-time player with primary slot options Curtis Samuel and Khalil Shakir as his running mates, and Gabe Davis has been a boom-bust WR3/4 while not being a separator in this exact offense... with prime Stefon Diggs! There's a chance Coleman looks better in a more pro-styled offense, as the Florida State offense would often throw up prayers to Coleman that had no business being thrown. We had a great debate on Coleman's college film here:
87. WR46 Jaxon Smith-Njigba
88. TE10 David Njoku - The 28-year-old is coming off a career-high 55 yards per game and 82nd overall fantasy points over replacement finish. Njoku is marginally threatened by the addition of Jerry Jeudy, but the Browns became the 3rd-highest neutral pass rate team from Week 8 on (probably because Nick Chubb was out with a knee dislocation type of injury). Over that stretch, Njoku was at a very nice 69 yards and 6 receptions per game. We'll see if coach Kevin Stefaniski stays super pass heavy with the ghost of Deshaun Watson at QB, but we'll also see if Watson can rebound in 2024, which is unlikely but completely priced in. Njoku was the TE7 in yards per route.
89. RB24 Aaron Jones - From 2017 to 2022, Jones finished above-average in fantasy points over expected every single year. Then 2023 happened. His -18% points over expected were a career low and he battled injuries yet again. Jones' ineffectiveness was partially felt with a career-low 5.2 yards per touch, but the real culprit was a lack of touchdowns. He scored 3 times. My model thought he should've scored 8, so it was one of the worst discrepancies (-5.0 TDs over expected) at RB. His odds of a true bounce back are diminished by the Vikings' lack of RB usage:
90. RB25 Jaylen Warren
91. RB26 Jonathon Brooks - It might be a slow start because the Panthers stink and he's coming off a torn ACL, but Brooks has bellcow size, pedigree, and production. He was the only rookie RB I felt comfortable projecting as a 250+ touch player in the NFL and coach Dave Canales fed Rachaad White a bunch of work last year. If reports that he'll be cleared at the beginning of training camp are true, then Brooks will fly up boards. Even when the Panthers were absolute cheeks last year, Chuba Hubbard averaged 13.3 half PPR points in his last seven games.
92. WR47 Christian Watson
93. WR48 Jayden Reed - There are two forms of regression to watch out for with Reed: target competition and big-play efficiency. Christian Watson missed half of last year. Without him, Reed averaged 10.8 expected half PPR points. That dropped to 6.4 with him healthy, including 4.7 and 4.6 expected half PPR outings in the two playoff games on 50% and 72% route participation. More Watson playing time would be bad news for Reed. Additionally, Reed had a bonkers +30% fantasy points over expected finish. He did so by ranking 16th in completion percentage over expected (+13%) on his deep targets and 15th in receiving TDs over expected (+2.4 scores). Reed also scored 2 times as a rusher. He's a very good player capable of breaking models and handling manufactured touches, but repeating last year's heat will be difficult. He was the per-game WR33 last year and is drafted as the WR32 right now.
94. WR49 Jordan Addison - The Vikings found a legit No. 2 receiver in Addison, but year two expectations need to be realistic after what happened as a rookie. Addison only averaged 6.9 expected half PPR points per game in his 7 contests with Justin Jefferson healthy, versus 10.3 without his super-start teammate. Jefferson is very unlikely to miss as much time in 2024, and Addison's 1st, 3rd, and 4th best fantasy games of the year were without Jefferson and with Kirk Cousins. On top of that, Addison scored 4.2 more TDs than his usage would indicate, which is the 3rd-highest mark of the position. Even if he's a mini model breaker based on his route running ability, Addison has a lot to overcome at a 71st overall ADP on Underdog Fantasy.
95. WR50 Tyler Lockett
96. QB10 Jordan Love - From Week 12 on, Love was 1st in EPA per play, 2nd in success rate, 2nd in PFF grade, 1st in completion percentage over expected, 1st in pressure to sack rate, and 4th in big time throw rate. All while he was rotating his WRs, TEs, and RBs around. There should be a better understanding of the personnel, and Love added a versatile 1st-round OT in the draft. The Packers will need to be better than 21st in neutral pass rate and 21st in plays per minute for Love to graduate from the QB1/2 borderline, but if they do, there are a lot of value options in Green Bay. Love has 8 stacking partners (2 QBs, 4 WRs, 2 TEs), with 5 of them being drafted after Love's ADP. He's a great back-stacking QB with upside.
97. QB11 Jayden Daniels - There are legit worries about his frame and rushing style lasting, but the passing bar for Daniels to be fantasy football relevant is very low because of how insane he is as a rusher. He's averaged 79 rushing yards per game since 2021 (including sack yards as negatives) and has put up 125+ carries in all 4 seasons as a starter. As you can see before, almost every QB with 125+ carries in an NFL season has been a top-12 QB, often much higher. And Daniels' environment is at least okay. From the great Pat Throman, "Kliff Kingsbury’s offense ranked first in both situation-neutral pace and no-huddle rate during his four seasons in Arizona." Even if the OL is worrisome and the WR group is overrated, Daniels can put up fantasy points in Washington. I especially like him as a QB1 for 3-QB best ball teams. His injury downside is mitigated by the 3rd QB, but his upside late in the year if he struggles early could create some low-advance rate advantages.
98. TE11 Brock Bowers - He set a new record for most college production among TEs when adjusted for team and age, but the landing spot is underwhelming. Coach Antonio Pierce wants to run the ball (48% neutral pass rate), new OC Luke Getsy was ran out of Chicago, and Gardner Minshew is one of the worst starting QBs out there. On top of that, the Raiders will have to figure out their young 2-TE sets with 2023 2nd-rounder Michael Mayer also in the mix. Neither are great blockers imo. Just an odd fit for his rookie season. He's at 700 receiving yards and 4.5 TDs in the Underdog Pick'em Lobby.
99. RB27 Zamir White - The Raiders lose Josh Jacobs and replace him with Alexander Mattison ($1.9M) and 6th-rounder Dylan Laube out of New Hampshire. White is one of the biggest offseason winners, has 5-star pedigree, and the size to hold up in a way too run-heavy offense. He could see top-8 expected points at the position. There's an argument that he should be ranked even higher than this. Vegas' loss of starting linemen keep me one foot in, one foot out.
100. RB28 Ezekiel Elliott - He received $2M in guarantees with another $1M incentives. That's enough for Zeke to be an active player and direct competitor to Rico Dowdle (6'0"/216), but it's not enough signal to assume he's the clear-cut starter on May 6th. Tony Pollard finished 66th overall as the Cowboys' clear starter last year when the offense became the 3rd-most pass-heavy. Whoever is the goal-line back is the one to draft. Dowdle averaged a 47% success rate and 4.0 yards per carry last season. Zeke, 45% and 3.5 while in a short-yardage only role with the Patriots. The uncertainty is unnerving, but we get to draft the Cowboys' RBs in the double-digit rounds. Roll the dice on either one of these backs. My preference is Zeke.
101. WR51 Jameson Williams
102. WR52 Rashid Shaheed - The Saints had the worst coaching staff in the NFL last year, so it's good to see new OC Klint Kubiak now calling plays. He was the San Francisco pass-game coordinator last year, obviously coming from the Shanahan/Kubiak tree. Shaheed hasn't graduated into 2-WR sets yet because he's so skinny, but there's a chance he does this year with a new regime and without Michael Thomas around. As pointed out on ADP Chasing, there's potential for Shaheed to be the at-snap motion man in this offense. The 49ers used it the most in the NFL last year. The Saints, dead last. A modern approach to offense could be what sends Shaheed to the spike-week moon. On tape, he's a legit player capable of stopping on a dime while running breaking routes. He finished with +30% fantasy points over expected last year for a reason.
103. WR53 Brandin Cooks - Touting 31-year-olds is never a great look, but Cooks is still fine! He's finished with +21%, +13%, +1%, and +21% fantasy points over expected and nothing has changed from last year, except Michael Gallup is gone and the OL might be a little worse. Cooks was the 85th overall player in best ball points in his first year with Dak Prescott and pass-heavy Mike McCarthy. In fact, the Cowboys were 5th in neutral pass rate. His primary competition for WR targets behind CeeDee Lamb is Jalen Tolbert (career 0.8 yards per route).
104. WR54 Joshua Palmer
105. WR55 Dontayvion Wicks
106. QB12 Caleb Williams
107. TE12 Dallas Goedert
108. RB29 Trey Benson
109. RB30 Blake Corum - Kyren Williams was 2nd overall in fantasy points over replacement last year, and we compared Corum to Kyren before the draft because of his versatility and quick decision-making. Sean McVay and GM Les Snead immediately comparing Corum to Kyren in their post-draft press conference was our official buy signal. If Kyren misses time or is Wally Pipped, Corum can be a top-10 RB option for us. This is a no-brainer selection. In fact, I'm shocked he isn't going earlier.
110. RB31 Gus Edwards - The Bus was signed first and given more money ($3.4M guaranteed) than JK Dobbins ($50k guaranteed). Edwards is likely to be the early-down and goal-line back for the Chargers.
111. RB32 Brian Robinson Jr. - The way many fantasy analysts speak on him, there may not be a more underrated back than Robinson, who finished 50th overall in a bad Commanders offense. Their OL scares me to death, as does the floor around their QB room, but the volume is solid. Austin Ekeler's $4.2M guaranteed is that of a committee member.
112. RB33 D'Andre Swift - He's at 850 rushing yards and 7.5 TDs in the Underdog Pick'em Lobby.
113. RB34 Tyjae Spears - We discussed his rookie tape here.
114. RB35 Tony Pollard - As a committee member, Pollard finished with +24%, +2%, +13%, and +31% fantasy points over expected. Then he broke his ankle and became the Cowboys' lead back in 2023. He bottomed out with -24% efficiency and 9.1 TDs under expected. Yikes. It's difficult to judge if it was the increased volume, the worse OL, the injury, or a combination of all. Either way, Pollard isn't likely to be the game-breaking player he was years ago behind the Titans' work-in-progress OL. The front office and coaching staff are already saying Tyjae Spears will be a 1a/1b member.
115. RB36 Javonte Williams - His career started off fine. Williams was exactly average in fantasy points over expected in 2021, but a torn ACL has set him back. In 2023, Williams was -22% over expected while scoring 4.0 fewer TDs than expected. The Broncos offense looks a bit worse on paper heading into 2024 and it's unsure if coach Sean Payton views Williams as a locked-in starter.
116. QB13 Brock Purdy
117. QB14 Trevor Lawrence
118. QB15 Justin Herbert
119. TE13 Pat Freiermuth - There's just nobody to throw the ball to in Pittsburgh behind George Pickens. Freiermuth has the ability to be a top-10 receiving TE on his own, too. He's an athletic former 2nd-round who peaked at a 1.7 yards per route average in 2022. He's now entering the prime of his career in a TE-friendly offense. New OC Arthur Smith will dial up first-read targets to his TEs (see: rookie Kyle Pitts, career-high Jonnu Smith, career-high Anthony Firkser, etc.), and the Steelers' TE2 Darnell Washington is not far off from being an offensive tackle. There will be pass attempts where it's Pickens, Freiermuth, and a really mid No. 2 WR will be the only options.
120. WR56 Mike Williams
121. WR57 Jakobi Meyers
122. WR58 Romeo Doubs
123. RB37 Jerome Ford
124. RB38 Devin Singletary
125. RB39 Austin Ekeler - In 2021, Ekeler scored 23% more fantasy points than his usage would suggest, but that's dropped to 8% and -18% respectively over the last two seasons. Last year was a career low, of course. Ekeler battled a high-ankle sprain from Week 1 on, but he's also a smaller back with a ton of NFL hits under his belt.
126. WR59 Jerry Jeudy - He's at 725 receiving yards and 3.5 TDs in the Underdog Pick'em Lobby.
127. WR60 Adonai Mitchell - His best reps looked elite. They just came too infrequently to be worth a 1st-round pick. Mitchell at least went to a favorable landing spot for best ball production. He should lap Alec Pierce for the vertical-only role, a position that in theory matches up well with Anthony Richardson's downfield arm. Mitchell needs to develop the rest of his game to be counted on. We'll see how he adjusts as a rookie.
128. WR61 Darnell Mooney - The Falcons will be in 3-WR sets on 90% of their plays this year, and Mooney was paid ($26M guaranteed over 2 years) to be their clear No. 2 receiver. He's not my favorite receiver because his size can be so debilitating, but this role has bred spike weeks out of Jordan Addison and K.J. Osborn. It's weird to be ahead of the market on a player I don't love, yet here I am.
129. WR62 Gabe Davis
130. WR63 Josh Downs
131. QB16 Tua Tagovailoa
132. QB17 Jared Goff
133. WR64 Ja'Lynn Polk - The 2nd-rounder should pace the Patriots in snaps and targets as a rookie because he has a do-everything profile with inside-outside versatility. Polk ran a lot of downfield routes in the Huskies' aerial offense (13.8 aDOT) but has flashed the dirty work profile of a classic snap-eating receiver. In fact, Josh Norris comped him to Robert Woods in the video below. It's exactly what the Patriots needed in year one of their offensive rebuild: a high-floor prospect to give Drake Maye a reliable option behind a bad OL. Polk is the latest an NFL team's top WR or TE is drafted in best. It's not close either (31st: Broncos at 107th overall).
134. RB40 Nick Chubb - The exact details of his knee tear haven't been fully documented, but it was an eerily similar look to his first knee dislocation to the same leg. Chubb being able to return as a 29-year-old would be unprecedented. He has the rare athleticism and work ethic to give it a real shot. Let's just have realistic expectations, which include not being able to play in 2024.
135. RB41 Zach Charbonnet
136. RB42 MarShawn Lloyd - AJ Dillon signed a very unique, rarely-used contract provision called the "four-year player qualifying contract" this offseason that essentially gives him just $167k guaranteed and a league-minimum cap hit. In other words, Dillon is only in Green Bay because he didn't get a decent offer from anyone else. There's a small chance he could get cut before Week 1... Lloyd is a boom-bust prospect capable of mixing in behind Jacobs when he needs a breather. He has light feet for a heavy back, with enough explosiveness to even be an occasional pass-catching option. We talked about his profile here:
137. RB43 Tyler Allgeier - New Falcons OC Zac Robinson comes from the Sean McVay tree, who loves to hammer one RB over and over and over again. That'll be Bijan Robinson... until it isn't. If B-Rob misses time, Allgeier has bellcow size and just enough skills to be used in a major role. His primary insurance competition is Bama backup and 6th-round rookie Jase McClellan. Allgeier has top-20 RB upside for weeks at a time. How is that dissimilar to strict backups Zach Charbonnet (ADP: 136th), Jaylen Wright (145th), Marshawn Lloyd (152nd), Ty Chandler (155th), Kendre Miller (159th), or Chuba Hubbard (159th)? I've at least seen Allgeier handle 15+ opportunities in 13 games in his young career.
138. RB44 Rico Dowdle
139. RB45 Chase Brown
140. QB18 Matthew Stafford
141. QB19 Geno Smith - Smith has been 111th and 144th in fantasy points over replacement per game in recent seasons, and 2024 profiles as his best environment for production yet. New Seahawks OC Ryan Grubb called the 8th-highest pass rate and 4th-highest deep pass rate of all Power 5 colleges last season with the Washington Huskies. That's how you put up 300+ yard, 3+ TD games, especially when Smith has three WRs and a TE capable of stretching the field. Since starting for the Seahawks in 2021, Smith has the best completion percentage over expected. If he gets more opportunities in this fantasy-friendly scheme, then Smith can be a borderline QB1 despite being an in-pocket signal caller. Not to mention, the NFC West is loaded with offense.
142. WR65 Jahan Dotson
143. WR66 Jermaine Burton - Tee Higgins has very low odds of being traded, but Burton has the skills to be a presence as the third target in the offense. With better maturity, Burton likely goes top-40 overall and the Bengals' support staff and locker room are a nice match to keep him on track. He's a solid deep threat receiver in terms of speed, ball-tracking, and hands. There were also times where his breaking routes and physicality in yards after catch situations had me dreaming of an underrated full-route tree upside. I'm willing to eff around and find out on this profile attached to Joe Burrow. Just watch some of these reps in our video below:
144. WR67 Khalil Shakir
145. RB46 Ray Davis
146. RB47 Kendre Miller
147. TE14 Luke Musgrave - We debated Musgrave vs. Tucker Kraft here.
148. WR68 Roman Wilson - He profiles as a slot player in 3-WR sets, but Wilson did play in 2-WR sets at Michigan because he has the 4.39 speed to win on deep crossing routes off of play-action. That's exactly what he'll be asked to do in the Steelers' under-center play-action offense. Wilson's primary competition for snaps all signed contracts with $0 to $167k in guaranteed money (Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins, Denzel Mims, Marquez Callaway). It's really just him versus manufactured touch slot Calvin Austin. Wilson is just way better than him.
149. WR69 Adam Thielen
150. WR70 Xavier Legette
151. QB20 Deshaun Watson
152. TE15 T.J. Hockenson
153. TE16 Dalton Schultz
154. TE17 Hunter Henry - There's no season-long upside here, but Henry remains a productive TE2. He had 5 games last year with at least 4-39-1, leading to a 114th overall finish in fantasy points over replacement per game. The Patriots couldn't have been worse on offense then either. If things get any better with Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye at QB, the 29-year-old could unlock a little more weekly ceiling. It doesn't hurt that Henry signed a 2-year contract with $18.5M in practical guarantees this offseason to be the clear top TE in new OC Alex Van Pelt's offense. He comes from the Cleveland offense that has a lot of first-read targets to TEs. We talked to Colt McCoy about the offense on a recent show because it was the same offense that made Trey McBride a total smash in 2023:
155. TE18 Cole Kmet
156. QB21 Kirk Cousins
157. RB48 Ty Chandler
158. RB49 Chuba Hubbard
159. WR71 Demarcus Robinson - He is still not being drafted every time, but D-Rob looks to have a pretty locked-in role as the second outside receiver after re-signing this offseason (1-year, $4M). Robinson put up 1.8, 13.5, 12.1, 13.7, 17.2, 12.2, and 5.9 half PPR points in his starts, often playing 85% or more snaps. There's enough production (52 yards per game) to warrant an 18th round selection even in this role, but there is dual contingent upside if Puka Nacua or Cooper Kupp miss time. The blocks and big hits over the middle these two take give them more injury risk than most receivers.
160. WR72 Rashod Bateman - Did it work in the past? No. But the Ravens are financially committed to the Bateman bit.
161. WR73 Ricky Pearsall
162. RB50 Clyde Edwards-Helaire
163. RB51 Elijah Mitchell
164. TE20 Noah Fant - Because Will Dissly (Chargers) and Colby Parkinson (Rams) were versatile players in ex-OC Shane Waldron's TE-galaxy brain scheme, Fant only played between 42% and 64% of snaps in all but one of his healthy games last year. He was only a part-time player. That should change now, especially after securing a 2-year, $21M contract this offseason. Fant had an elite ceiling as a prospect based on his athleticism, age, and production, but things haven't gone his way yet. The Seahawks are banking on a second contract breakout, something that happens frequently at TE (David Njoku, Evan Engram, Darren Waller, etc.). A career 1.5 yards per route average is all we need to provide TE1/2 spikes, assuming his playing time trends towards full-time status. It doesn't hurt that new OC Ryan Grubb called one of the most pass-heavy offenses in the Power 5 last year with the Washington Huskies.
165. QB22 Aaron Rodgers
166. QB23 Will Levis
167. QB24 Baker Mayfield
168. RB52 Kimani Vidal - The competition for touches is Gus Edwards ($3.3M guaranteed) and JK Dobbins ($50k guaranteed), and we know there will be a ton of touches, many of them high value thanks to Justin Herbert. Vidal is only a 6th-round pick, but he at least has the size (5'8"/213), athleticism (4.46 forty, 59th percentile three cone), and production (133 total yards per game as a senior) of the classic deep sleeper. Vidal caught 18+ passes in all four college years, so there's an especially easy path to sneaking onto passing downs. That's all we need in Round 16 or so.
169. RB53 Antonio Gibson
170. RB54 Jaylen Wright - The stylistic fit was perfect, but the lack of projected touches hurts Wright's odds of rookie production after Raheem Mostert was given more guaranteed money this offseason.
171. RB55 Tyrone Tracy Jr. - Devin Singletary signed a solid 2-year, $10.75M practically guaranteed contract to be the Giants lead back, but he isn't an untouchable talent and there's essentially nobody behind him. Tracy has a super boom-bust profile, given he just starting playing RB in 2023, but he showed a lot of athleticism and rushing instincts at Purdue. If he's just the passing-down back as a rookie, this price tag is fine. If something happens to Singletary, I like Tracy's odds of beating out Eric Gray, Deon Jackson, and Gary Brightwell for lead-back touches.
172. TE20 Tyler Conklin
173. TE21 Juwan Johnson - The converted WR has finished as the 126th and 132nd overall player in fantasy points over replacement per game as the Saints' primary TE. Johnson was top-10 in percentage of snaps in the slot or out wide last year and faces little competition for targets in the pass game. New OC Klint Kubiak was the Vikings' coordinator during Tyler Conklin's breakout year, was the Broncos' play caller when Greg Dulcich was a thing, and was the pass-game coordinator for the Niners last year. This is a TE-friendly offense all things considered. Johnson's production, $7M cap hit, and age-28 status are enough to believe in as a late-round flier. His second most recent game resulted in an 12-8-90-1 receiving line and Week 17 TE1 overall finish.
174. WR74 Darius Slayton - The upside is relatively low, but Slayton has an $8.1M cap hit and has the ability to play X receiver, where Z/slot Jalin Hyatt and slot-only Wan'Dale Robinson can't play. The offense will revolve around moving Malik Nabers around the field, but Slayton will see some downfield opportunities. It's a bonus that Slayton is largely undrafted with two-straight years of nice efficiency. He had +20% and +40% fantasy points over expected despite playing in unwatchable offenses.
175. WR75 Odell Beckham Jr. - We won't confuse 32-year-old Odell for his prime self, but he did at least average 1.9 yards per route run with the Ravens. Expect him to be a part-time player and insurance option in Miami.
176. WR76 Quentin Johnston
177. RB55 Bucky Irving
178. RB56 Khalil Herbert
179. RB57 Jaleel McLaughlin - A Sean Payton fantasy can only get you so far. McLaughlin is 187 pounds with only 2 games over 20 offensive snaps. Those are tough to overcome in half PPR, especially with Audric Estime around for Javonte Williams' insurance.
180. RB58 Dameon Pierce
181. RB59 Will Shipley - His primary competition for insurance touches behind Saquon Barkley is Kenneth Gainwell, who was dead last out of 52 qualifiers in PFF grade last season. Shipley has mini Ekeler vibes as an undersized RB who specializes as a receiver but has experience in goal line situations:
182. QB25 Daniel Jones
183. QB26 J.J. McCarthy
184. QB27 Drake Maye
185. QB28 Bo Nix - He averaged 300 passing yards, 2.7 passing TDs, 28 rushing yards, and 0.7 rushing TDs per game across his two seasons at Oregon. Nix also had outlier levels of avoiding negative plays, both in turnovers, sacks, and throwaways. All of that led to 97th percentile EPA per play among drafted QBs since 2005. Statistically, Nix has reasonable odds of being an NFL starter and the Broncos have nobody in his way. It'd be a surprise if Nix wasn't starting for close to the entire season.
186. QB29 Bryce Young - We debated his rookie tape here.
187. RB60 Braelon Allen
188. RB61 Audric Estime
189. WR77 Michael Wilson
190. WR78 Tyler Boyd
191. WR79 Greg Dortch
192. WR80 Jalen Tolbert
193. WR81 Wan'Dale Robinson
194. WR82 Demario Douglas
195. WR83 Kalif Raymond
196. WR84 Malachi Corley
197. TE22 Colby Parkinson - Tyler Higbee will start on PUP after tearing his ACL and MCL in the NFL Playoffs, and it's unclear if the Rams are just totally done with him already. They drafted Davis Allen and played him down the stretch, but Allen (6'5"/245 with a 4.84 forty) was more of an in-line TE (76% snaps) than a true receiving threat (2.3 aDOT). This offseason, the Rams gave Colby Parkinson (6'7"/252 with a 4.77 forty) a 2-year contract with $15M in practical guarantees. That's starter money. He was buried in a 3-TE rotation with the Seahawks previously, but Parkinson has the deep sleeper profile I love. He had a 19% receiving share as a true junior at Stanford, then played in the slot or out wide on 46% of his Seahawks' snaps last year. Parkinson could be a full-time player for the first time of his career, and Matthew Stafford still looked really good when healthy last season. There is a path to 600 yards and 6 TDs here.
198. TE23 Jonnu Smith
199. TE24 Cade Otton
200. QB30 Russell Wilson
201. TE25 Ben Sinnott
202. TE26 Isaiah Likely
203. TE27 Chig Okonkwo
204. TE28 Mike Gesicki
205. WR84 Josh Reynolds
206. WR86 Rondale Moore
207. WR87 Jalin Hyatt
208. RB63 Roschon Johnson
209. RB64 Tank Bigsby
210. RB65 Samaje Perine
211. QB31 Derek Carr
212. QB32 Justin Fields
213. RB66 Justice Hill
214. RB67 Alexander Mattison
215. RB68 Trey Sermon
216. WR88 Luke McCaffrey
217. WR89 A.T. Perry
218. WR90 Johnny Wilson
219. WR91 Zay Jones
220. TE29 Tucker Kraft
221. TE30 Theo Johnson
222. TE31 Will Dissly
223. TE32 Dawson Knox
224. RB69 Keaton Mitchell
225. RB70 Isaac Guerendo
226. RB71 J.K. Dobbins - He signed a $50,000 guaranteed contract. We've seen how this ends.
227. WR92 Marvin Mims Jr. - His rookie tape was concerning, but there are some available slot snaps to compete for without Jerry Jeudy now. Mims will battle Troy Franklin for play-action deep shot routes. It's likely a mid off.
228. WR93 Troy Franklin
229. WR94 Javon Baker
230. QB33 Gardner Minshew II
231. TE33 Greg Dulcich
232. TE34 Jelani Woods
233. WR95 Kendrick Bourne
234. WR96 Elijah Moore
235. WR97 Michael Gallup
236. WR98 Treylon Burks
237. WR99 Hunter Renfrow
238. WR100 Tim Patrick
239. WR101 Noah Brown
240. WR102 Cedric Tillman
241. WR103 Trey Palmer
242. WR104 Malik Washington
243. TE35 Michael Mayer
244. TE36 Zach Ertz
245. QB34 Sam Darnold
246. RB72 Miles Sanders
247. RB73 Keilan Robinson
248. RB74 Dylan Laube
249. RB75 Rasheen Ali
250. RB76 AJ Dillon