Fantasy: Late-round players to target
Get ready for your season with theScore's 2017 Fantasy Football Draft Kit.
With the last two weeks of drafts upon us, let's take a look at some of the players available after the 10th round who have the potential to significantly exceed their current value.
Average draft position (ADP) data courtesy of FantasyPros and is based on 12-team leagues with standard scoring.
Quarterbacks
Carson Palmer, Cardinals
(13th round)
With his practice regimen limited to a more manageable level for a player his age, Palmer was revitalized in the second half of 2016 and looks sharp heading into this season. The 37-year-old has a chance to get off to a hot start with matchups against the weak secondaries of the Lions, Colts, Cowboys, and 49ers over the first month. At worst, Palmer should be an excellent streaming option in September, and there's a chance he remains a fantasy starter all season.
Sam Bradford, Vikings
(17th round)
Bradford gets no respect, but the Vikings' offense is better than people think. After a change at coordinator, Bradford ended last season strong and returns a core group that includes breakout candidate Stefon Diggs, the underrated Adam Thielen, and safety-net tight end Kyle Rudolph. Rookie back Dalvin Cook is also a reliable receiver and should bring a new playmaking element to the backfield. If you wait at quarterback, Bradford is a great QBBC target and starts the season with a potential shootout game against the Saints.
Running backs
Chris Carson, Seahawks
(15th round)
The seventh-round rookie has received a surprising amount of snaps with the first-team offense in the preseason. That's partially due to players being sidelined by injuries, but Carson's impressed every time he's taken the field - and severely outplayed Eddie Lacy when the two split carries in the Seahawks' third exhibition game. Thomas Rawls is still atop the depth chart, but his hold on the starting job isn't strong. Carson is going to be fantasy relevant at some point in 2017 and should be stashed immediately.
Tarik Cohen, Bears
(16th round)
Jordan Howard was a rookie sensation for fantasy owners, but he might face more competition for touches this season, especially in the passing game. Cohen has flashed dynamic skills throughout August and is expected to handle the third-down, change-of-pace role in Chicago. If Howard were to struggle as a sophomore or go down with an injury, Cohen could emerge as a fantasy starter the same way Howard did a year ago.
Wide receivers
Ted Ginn Jr., Saints
(12th round)
Consistency might be a problem with Ginn, and that makes him a much better best-ball target, where you can capitalize on his big gains while avoiding the inevitable down weeks when Drew Brees spreads the ball around. But so far in the preseason, Ginn has been the second-most productive wideout in New Orleans, behind only Michael Thomas. Grabbing a piece of a quality offense is a smart way to use your late-round picks and Ginn could end up being more valuable than Willie Snead, who's going off the board five rounds earlier.
Marquise Goodwin, 49ers
(Undrafted)
Pierre Garcon will dominate targets in San Francisco, but Goodwin is slated to start on the other side - and as we saw last year in Atlanta, Kyle Shanahan is capable of scheming receivers onto the fantasy radar. That could make Godwin this year's Taylor Gabriel. Since the speedy Godwin isn't going to end up on many fantasy rosters outside the deepest of leagues, feel free to keep him on your watch list if you're working with a shorter bench.
Tight ends
Austin Hooper, Falcons
(14th round)
Tight ends often take a few years to hit their stride in the NFL, so we might be a little early on Hooper, who is 22 years old and entering his second year as a pro. Hooper's role grew down the stretch in 2016 and he ended the season by leading the Falcons in targets in Super Bowl LI. He then spent time in the offseason training with Matt Ryan to develop their chemistry. All good signs. At his current ADP, there's zero risk involved for fantasy owners who want to see if a breakout is coming.
Cameron Brate, Buccaneers
(15th round)
When the Buccaneers drafted O.J. Howard in the first round, Brate's fantasy stock took a major hit, the assumption being that a rookie selected that high would instantly take over the position. However, Tampa Bay plans to use Brate and Howard as part of two-tight-end sets, allowing the veteran to continue to contribute in the passing game. With no real third option behind Mike Evans and DeSean Jackson, Brate will serve as the de facto slot receiver, giving him sneaky fantasy value.