Fantasy football draft targets: Best players to draft with late first-round pick
Fantasy football draft targets: Best players to draft with late first-round pick
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Nice guys finish last. Getting picked last is bad. A last-ditch effort is a final attempt. Being on your last legs means the end is near.
In other words, there aren't many positive connotations for being last – unless you're saving the best for it.
That might ring true in fantasy football, at least, where sometimes the biggest advantage comes to those who are forced to wait. Your friends, colleagues, family members or bitter rivals can bask in the glory of receiving the draft's first pick, but it comes crumbling down quickly when that star is done for the season.
Looking at you, Christian McCaffrey.
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Meanwhile, it's the caboose of the snake draft format that gets the chance to double dip. In this case, sacrificing an elite talent for two bites of the apple is worth the price of admission – especially as the gap narrows between first-round talents.
So when the random order drops, don't throw the computer out the window. Thank that fine piece of technology and admire your good fortune.
However, we have to make it count. These picks won't win you a fantasy championship, but they can certainly lose it. To make sure that doesn't happen, here are the players to target when you come up on the clock at the end of the first round and how you should kick off the second.
Fantasy football targets: Who to draft with late first-round pick?
USA TODAY Sports conducted a 10-team PPR league fantasy football mock draft. These are the players that were available in the pick No. 8 to No. 14 range.
Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Nacua came off the board at No. 8 in the mock, but his presence at the back of the first round should excite fantasy managers looking to navigate picks at the turn in snake draft formats. The Rams wideout cemented himself ahead of Cooper Kupp over the last two seasons and now won't have to contend with his running mate in 2025. While Kupp has relocated to Seattle, the Rams signed Davante Adams to replace him.
Competition for targets could present a bigger problem for Nacua, but he is firmly entrenched as WR1 and has a strong rapport with Matthew Stafford.
Nacua only played in 11 games thanks to a knee injury but still finished as WR26 in PPR formats. More importantly, he ranked as WR3 with an average of 18.8 fantasy points per game. Nacua was on pace to shatter his rookie season totals, projected to record over 122 receptions and about 1,530 yards across 17 games. Don't let Adams' presence scare you off. This is still Nacua's team and enjoy the discount if he falls to you at the back of Round 1.
Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
It's no secret that running backs hold a lot of value in fantasy football, meaning Jeanty's entry onto this list isn't shocking either. The Raiders' rookie is a speculative pick since we don't know how he'll perform at the NFL level. A pick like this is for the risk-takers who prefer an all-or-nothing approach. The Heisman Trophy runner-up won't be seeing Boise State-level competition in the NFL, especially in a tough division like the AFC West.
Working in Jeanty's favor, however, is the team he landed with. The Raiders invested the sixth pick in him and want to be a run-first team with Pete Carroll now running the show. With no real competition in the room to siphon touches from Jeanty, it is the rookie's job to lose.
There may be some concerns about game script for a Vegas team that might be trailing a lot this season, but volume remains king in fantasy. Jeanty is a fine selection late in Round 1.
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Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans
The Texans added Christian Kirk and drafted a pair of Iowa State receivers, Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel. Tank Dell is likely out for the season, but this receiver room in Houston has gotten crowded in a hurry. Collins remains the clear WR1 and could stand to benefit from the presence of other weapons on offense.
He's finished with at least 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons and has become a favorite target for C.J. Stroud.
Despite Collins' success, he has yet to play a full season in four years, missing seven games in the last two. Regardless, he finished as WR8 with an average of 17.6 fantasy points per game in an offense that stumbled through most of the season. Houston responded by firing Bobby Slowik and hiring the Rams' Nick Caley to be the team's offensive coordinator. Collins may find himself getting the Nacua treatment as Caley reimagines this offense.
From one offensive coordinator change to another, the Lions are undergoing some significant changes heading into 2025. The new-look coaching staff and departure of Ben Johnson could lead to many fantasy managers running away from Detroit, but we're going to run toward them. The Lions are like a great restaurant that just got a new chef. Management hasn't changed, the building is the same and all of the ingredients remain in the kitchen. You aren't going to stop going there just because the chef is gone – not without trying it, at least.
John Morton takes the reins in the Motor City, his second stint as an offensive coordinator in the NFL. He last coordinated the New York Jets in 2017 with an offense led by Josh McCown and Robby Anderson, now known as Robbie Chosen. Morton was the senior offensive assistant under Johnson during the 2022 season, adding to the familiarity.
St. Brown remains one of the game's best receivers, finishing at WR3 for total points in each of the last two seasons. He's as durable as they come and is a key part of the Lions' offense in the red zone. Enjoy the discount and the eventual return on investment.
Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Liam Coen is going coast-to-coast in Florida as he sets his sights on transforming the Jacksonville offense. Luckily for those considering Thomas in drafts this summer, there is reason to believe the second-year player is in for another solid season. He burst onto the scene in 2024, finishing with 87 receptions, 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns – good enough for WR4 in total points.
After seeing what Coen was able to get out of Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Jalen McMillan last season, it's hard to ignore what Thomas could do without major competition in the receiving room. The Jaguars signed Dyami Brown and drafted Travis Hunter, who could be facing an uphill climb as a two-way player.
Thomas did a lot of damage at the end of the 2024 season when Trevor Lawrence was sidelined, recording at least 100 receiving yards in three of the last four games. He should be able to build on that with a better offense in place, Lawrence returning and no real competition right away for the WR1 job. A little more risk is involved, but Thomas might find himself in the conversation as fantasy's best receiver this year.
De'Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins
Achane followed up an injury-riddled rookie season by remaining healthy enough to play in every game in 2024. Finishing as RB5, the Dolphins running back is primed for another solid season. However, Miami running backs aren't everyone's cup of tea. The Dolphins figure to be a team primed for another step back this season, highlighted by their lack of depth and concerns in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
Mike McDaniel's team is a group in transition that still wants to beat opponents with speed and finesse. They have second-year back Jaylen Wright ready to take a step, signed Alexander Mattison and drafted Ollie Gordon II. While Achane will remain RB1, the risk of a committee or changing of the guard remains a concern just like Tua Tagovailoa's health.
As expected, Miami struggles when their quarterback is sidelined. Achane averaged 64.6 rushing yards and 33 receiving yards with Tagovailoa versus just 47.7 and 10.3 without him. The Dolphins neglected to sign an experienced backup quarterback this offseason, entrusting that job to Zach Wilson. Given the state of this team, the risk outweighs the reward.
Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
While Achane is a risk too big for our liking, McCaffrey is closer to the opposite. He comes with plenty of concerns, but we're now focusing on the upside. The 49ers back dealt with injuries to his Achilles and knee in 2024, a season that was seemingly doomed from the start.
Perhaps it's not the overall RB1 that we've become accustomed to, but in terms of upside, it's hard to ask for much more than what McCaffrey brings.
If healthy, we know he will be the engine that powers the 49ers offense. San Francisco is expecting a rebound in 2025 and it all starts with the star running back.
At the back of the opening round, there's a chance you end up with the best player in fantasy and then get to double dip. Depending on how the board breaks and your appetite for drafting running backs, this is a player who would be difficult to pass on.
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