Month: August 2020

Every year, there are players who end up outperforming their average draft position in fantasy football. Here are 12 players who are poised to provide great value in the mid to late rounds of your fantasy draft this summer.

(Current average draft position in parentheses.)

1. RB James White (RB41)

There’s no guarantee that Cam Newton will start for the Patriots this season but it seems like a safe bet, which is good news for White. In 2018 — the last time Newton played (almost) a full season — Christian McCaffrey was targetted 124 times. Granted, White has never put up McCaffrey-level numbers, but he did catch 72 passes last year and 87 passes in 2018. White could be a PPR-gem as the 41st RB off the board.

2. WR Emmanuel Sanders (WR40)

Last year, Sanders played with Joe Flacco and Jimmy Garoppolo and finished the year as WR30 in fantasy. Now Sanders will get to play with Drew Brees in New Orleans and many fantasy owners seem to be undervaluing him. When he played with Peyton Manning in Denver, Sanders averaged 1,269 receiving yards and 7.5 touchdowns per season. Sanders should provide great value as WR40 now that he’s playing with a top QB again.

3. QB Kirk Cousins (QB22) 

Cousins finished as QB15 last year but he’s being drafted as QB22 this offseason. Yes, the Vikings lost Stefon Diggs this offseason, but Minnesota also gained Justin Jefferson to pair with Adam Thielen. Cousins has thrown for at least 4,000 yards in four of the last five seasons and has thrown at least 25 touchdown passes every year since 2015. There’s no reason to believe his numbers will see a big decline in 2020.

4. TE Dawson Knox (TE30)    

Fantasy owners shouldn’t reach for Knox but he has good value as a TE2 and great value as a TE3. Knox won’t be the Bills’ top receiving threat this season but he was targetted 50 times as a rookie and that number should go up in 2020. NFL tight ends often make a big leap in Year 2 and Knox could end up being a late-round steal.

5. RB Chris Carson (RB18) 

The arrival of Carlos Hyde in Seattle shouldn’t scare owners away from Carson, who finished as RB12 in 2019. Even after the Seahawks selected Rashaad Penny in the first round of the 2018 draft, Carson has had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. As long as he stays healthy, Carson appears poised to remain Seattle’s workhorse back.

6. WR Keenan Allen (WR20) 

In PPR leagues, Allen ranked sixth among wide receivers in fantasy last year. His numbers will likely see a dip after the departure of Philip Rivers but Allen would still be a steal as the 20th WR off the board. Allen has averaged 101 catches for 1,262 yards and six touchdowns per year over the last three seasons. That kind of production deserves a higher average draft position — even with uncertainty at quarterback.

7. TE Greg Olsen (TE23) 

During his final two seasons in Seattle (2016-2017), Jimmy Graham caught 16 touchdown passes. Last season, Jacob Hollister received the third-most targets (59) among Seahawks players and Will Dissly was thrown to 27 times in six games before going down with an injury. This year, Olsen might receive the bulk of Seattle’s tight end targets — including targets in the red zone. If he gains the trust of Russell Wilson, Olsen could end up being a big steal as a late-round pick.

8. RB Damien Harris (RB63)

Harris is a bit of a risky pick because the Patriots’ backfield is so hard to predict but he could easily outperform his RB63 ADP. After being selected by New England in the third round of last year’s draft, Harris appeared in just two games as a rookie. Sony Michel has struggled with various injuries and he averaged just 3.7 yards per carry in 2019. If Michel gets banged up or underperforms this season, Harris could carve out a role in the Patriots’ offense. Consider him a late-round sleeper to draft and stash for later in the year.

9. TE Jace Sternberger (TE28) 

Sternberger, like Harris, is a risk because of his small sample size. Last year, Sternberger dressed for just six games and didn’t catch any passes. This year, his main competition for the Packers’ No. 1 tight end position will be 36-year-old Marcedes Lewis who totaled just 156 receiving yards and one touchdown last year. Sternberger will likely emerge as Green Bay’s top receiving tight end and he could prove to have decent value as a late-round TE2 (or a TE3 in deeper leagues).

10. QB Tyrod Taylor (QB32)

In an offseason highlighted by reduced practice time and a shortened preseason, rookie QB Justin Herbert won’t be the favorite to start for the Chargers in Week 1. Taylor will be entering his second season in Los Angeles and his experience will likely give him an advantage in the Chargers’ QB competition. In 2017, the last year he was a full-time starter, Taylor finished as QB16. He will likely provide good value as a QB2 or QB3 in the first half of the 2020 season but owners should be aware that Herbert will be a mid-season threat to take over if Los Angeles is struggling to win.

11-12. WRs: Antonio Brown (WR71) and Josh Gordon (WR127) 

These receivers are risky picks and owners shouldn’t reach for either of them. That said, Brown and Gordon might return to action by mid-season (after completing possible suspensions) and they could provide a late-season boost when owners are fighting to make the playoffs. You could wait to add them if/when they are signed, but selecting Brown or Gordon near the end of the draft would ensure another team doesn’t beat you to them on the waiver wire later this year.

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