With the NFL season right around the corner, last-minute fantasy drafts are a necessity for any NFL-addicted sports fan. For those looking to target some lesser-known players in the final rounds of their drafts this year, here are some perfect picks for your teams.
QB: DANIEL JONES, NEW YORK GIANTS
We all know what’s wrong with Daniel Jones: He doesn’t know how to control the ball. Uncontrollable fumbles and interceptions have riddled his career thus far, and most NFL fans think these mistakes will continue. For those who have been paying close attention though, that trend seems to be changing.
During year one of new Giants head coach Brian Daboll, Jones had career-low numbers in fumbles and interceptions, 2 and 5 respectively, while also playing a career-high number of games, 16.
Jones made all of this progress with a weak offense. With his leading receiver recording only 724 yards and only having two receivers tally more than 500 yards, Jones’ passing opportunities were limited.
Where Jones truly shines is with his running ability. Hitting over 700 rushing yards last season, Jones ran more than all but one of his receivers caught. In the modern age of fantasy football, rushing yards are weighted far higher than passing yards, so Jones is the perfect late-round stash that has the opportunity to turn into something greater.
RB: ROSCHON JOHNSON, CHICAGO BEARS
My favorite player to draft in the last round of every draft right now is Bears’ running back Roschon Johnson. Taken in the 4th round of this year’s draft, Johnson has been running with the Bears’ first-team offense since the middle of the preseason.
Coming out in this year’s draft, Johnson went unnoticed. Not because of skill, but because of who he shared a backfield with in college – arguably the best player in this draft as a whole, Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson. Even with Robinson there, Johnson still found a way to get on the field in meaningful ways.
Expect the same thing to go for his career with the Bears. He may not be the pure starter in week one, but by mid-season, he will be breaking tackles that no one else in that offense can and they’ll have to give him a shot.
With an average draft position of around pick 150 and at running back 50, no one is expecting anything from Johnson. That’s when he’s most dangerous.
TE: TYLER HIGBEE, LOS ANGELES RAMS
Finally, expect Tyler Higbee to have a great year. While not an outstanding talent, Higbee has always been a fine player. He tends to play solid but is never showy or over-the-top.
Now, most years, I would recommend straying away from a tight end who is just fine, someone with very little upside (at least from a talent perspective). This year is different.
In an already dilapidated receiving core, Higbee is slotting in as the veteran target with Cooper Kupp out with some unnamed hamstring injury. With Kupp out, the depth chart is minimal, to put it kindly. Van Jefferson, Tutu Atwell, Ben Skowronek and Puka Nacua highlight a receiving room that is young and is yet to hit its stride.
With all of this young talent, a figure like Higbee who already has a strong connection with Ram’s quarterback Matthew Stafford is a smart pick up. This is even more the case realizing that Higbee was the sixth-ranked tight end in fantasy last season and is looking to be a lead target for the Rams.
Higbee won’t snap off any amazing plays, but the targets he will get will lead to a huge amount of catches and thus a huge amount of points for you. Be on the lookout for Higbee when looking for a tight end late in the draft.
