Four Rookie WRs Being Drafted Late That Could Spark Your Fantasy Teams This Year
Fantasy football season is cooking up as the NFL pre-season is getting ready to kickoff this week. From re-draft to best ball to dynasty, there are many different ways to compete in fantasy football. Regardless of the format, my number one rule to drafting in fantasy is taking advantage of value. Towards the end of the draft, there may not seem like a lot of value, but every year there are a few gems that end up helping fantasy teams. Sometimes you can get hints and collect insight to detect who these gems could be, but there's never an exact science.
To me, these late-round gems are often players that have dynamic talent and showcase their work ethics and team connections even in training camp. It shows they are ready to step up when called upon and that the team is already trusting them to do so. Where and how they were drafted by their team also factors into this. For example, if a team trades up for you or takes you over another highly touted player that fits their scheme, it means they think you're a game-changer. Here's a look at some rookie WRs going late in fantasy drafts that I think fit this mold.
Jayden Reed, WR 74
Underdog ADP: 173, 62.7 projected points
Jayden Reed has been on my radar for a while, but I have been even higher on him recently more than ever. Many look at this loaded 2023 rookie receiver class but tend to overlook Reed, who I think is one of the most complete receivers in the draft. He isn't the flashiest or fastest, but he has all the tools (including valuable ones like awareness and toughness) to earn a big role in an NFL offense.
When you watch the tape, there's no doubt that JReed is a beast. The concern about drafting him in fantasy comes from the uncertainty of the Packers new-look offense with new QB1 Jordan Love. On top of that, Christian Watson seems to be the clear WR1. But that's where some of Reed's positive traits work in his favor.
Since drafting him in the second round this spring, his coaches have raved about his ability to line up anywhere and how his returning abilities help him be dangerous with the ball in his hands. Being the sixth WR taken in a loaded class is nothing to overlook either. This is clearly a player that the Packers trust to grow with their offense. Plus, he is already having a great camp and making plays from multiple positions on the offense. He had 2 catches in their broadcasted scrimmage: one being a 15+ yard completion and the other being a touchdown.
He's currently projected to only have 62.7 fantasy points by Underdog Fantasy. On Sleeper, (who just had a recent projection update) he is projected to have 54 catches and 580 yards equating to about 141.4 fantasy points in PPR formats. This is clearly an indication of everyone catching up to Reed and how much the team loves him. Once he has a solid preseason his ADP will skyrocket. Take advantage of it while you can.
Tank Dell, WR 97
Underdog ADP: 214, 56.2 projected points
Tank Dell was hand-selected in the third round by CJ Stroud himself and wasted no time working on their chemistry Dell also has the agenda of being a former Houston Cougar and being able to play in front of familiar faces and receiving additional local support. Not only that, but they traded up to land him in the third at pick 69. I can't understate how highly the Texans and CJ Stroud think of Tank and this could likely land him a larger role in this offense. Stroud is noted for his ability in the deep passing game and has already shown off the connection. For a team that will be potentially playing from behind a lot, with a capable QB and run game to allow the offense to stretch.
The team loves him and he's been seen multiple times running through fundamentals with both Stroud and Derek Stingley III. The Texans' offense still remains a mystery, but it looks like as of now that Nico Collins is the WR1. This makes sense since he is the only WR to really fit that X-WR prototype, so this shouldn't discourage you from taking a late-round flier on Dell.
In best ball, he is even more of a great investment because if that connection translates to the regular season, he is due for at least a few big games and that could be a great value to have in best ball where sometimes your "starting" WR slouched or had a tough matchup that week. A 3 catch, 85 yards, and 1 touchdown game can come in handy every now and then. Dell may not be the WR1 yet, but he's in line to make some big plays right away. Take advantage of his ADP before a few preseason plays elevates his value.
Michael Wilson, WR 98
Underdog ADP: 214, 59.2 projected points
Michael Wilson is a receiver that I had been very high on since the beginning of the year. Ever since then, he has only continued to show how dangerous he can be. His combination of size, speed, agility, and route running make him hard to cover. So why did he fall to the 94th pick in the draft? He had injury concerns due to his current and past history, causing teams to be skeptical of using a high draft pick on him. In later rounds, it's worth taking a shot, especially in best-ball leagues where all you need is a few productive games from a player for him to outplay his value to your team.
With the Cardinals parting ways with DeAndre Hopkins, Kyler needs a new prototypical X WR. Hollywood is a capable WR and one of my players to watch this year because of his chemistry with Kyler, but he is at his best working from the slot. Wilson wins from every position he lines up at and doesn't really have any glaring weaknesses. His main cause for skepticism is his durability. At an ADP of 214 and often the last pick of many redraft and best ball leagues, it could end up being a great pick for value.
He is currently projected by Sleeper to only have 26 catches for 293 yards and 2 TDs. These projections will skyrocket after a successful preseason showing. Buy Michael Wilson at great value before it's too late.
Josh Downs, WR 91
Underdog ADP: 212, 72.4 projected points
Downs in my opinion is a WR that I felt was one of the best at creating separation in his rookie class. His route running, agility, and awareness in each of the short, intermediate, and deep passing games is something that I feel meshes well with new head coach Shane Steichen and new QB1 Anthony Richardson. Even if you still have concerns that Richardson has ways to go with his accuracy, Downs has a knack for getting open and then also being able to adjust to the ball in the air, so a lot of times there will be wider windows for Richardson to throw to.
Downs also has the ability to stretch the field with his quickness and speed as well as above-average ball-tracking ability. Both Alec Pierce and Michael Pittman have the ability to catch downfield, but they will often be filling the X and Y positions allowing Downs to operate from the slot and take the top off of defenses. This pairs well with Richardson's ridiculous arm strength. The last time Downs played with a QB with an above-average deep ball, he had over 1300 yards and 8 TDs during his sophomore year playing with Sam Howell. Not saying that he is in line for that stat line this season, but he's more than capable of being a key member of that young Indianapolis offense right away.
As of today, he is projected by Sleeper to rack up 52 catches, 607 yards, and 3 TDs which would exceed his Underdog fantasy ADP and projections. Take advantage of this in best ball tournaments such as Best Ball Mania, where his ADP is still low. That could all change after more weeks of training camp and pre-season highlights.
There's no guarantee that all or even any of these picks will pan out, but that's the beauty of taking them late in drafts. If the pick pans out, you look like a genius because you were likely able to add value with earlier picks also. If it doesn't pan out then you didn't spend high draft capital and doesn't change the scope of your team. Best of luck this fantasy season and follow me on Twitter @CommanderSZN for more fantasy topics.
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