“Drafting Ashton Jeanty and Tetairoa McMillan is fun, but finding value later in drafts will separate an average dynasty manager from a great one.”
Think about the transformative impact Puka Nacua has had on rosters, not to mention other late gems in Bucky Irving, James Robinson, Trey Burton, and Kyren Williams, to name but a few.
Here are some late-round rookies to target in your rookie drafts. Fantasy Football ADP NFL
Pat Bryant, WR, Broncos – Fantasy Football ADP NFL
No rookie offers a better value at cost than Bryant, with his ADP consistently pushing him late into the third and fourth rounds. Picked in the third round, there are a lot of things to like about a player, Sean Payton, (partially) compared to Michael Thomas.
Bryant, a 22-year-old receiver from Illinois, didn’t test well but moved the chains at Illinois to the tune of 52-978-10 on a run-first squad. His burst makes up for an underwhelming 40-time, and when combined with his size, Bryant is a tough mark for any cornerback.
There’s a distinct need for a player like Bryant in Denver, with only Courtland Sutton returning as a proven product. Bryant’s size at 6-2, 204 pounds suggests he won’t need to outbattle 2024 second-round pick Marvin Mims, but instead Troy Franklin and Devaughn Vele.
Even if Bryant only mixes in as a rookie, he could step into Sutton’s role a year from now. Bryant’s route to a starting role is well worth taking a shot on late into drafts, not to mention the PPR value he can have as a short and intermediate threat for Payton.
Woody Marks, RB, Texans
Drafting a 24-year-old rookie running back is usually a red flag to stay away from. But at a cheap fantasy cost and an expensive real-life trade, Marks isn’t a name to overlook.
Houston traded a 2026 third to move up in the fourth round to take Marks, an unusual trade in itself but indicative of the lack of trust this regime has in Dameon Pierce as a backup to Joe Mixon. The team clearly wants Marks to back up their veteran starter, and Marks’ ability as a receiver could earn the rookie third downs next to C.J. Stroud.
Marks transferred to USC from Mississippi State for his senior season, running for 1133 yards on just 198 carries in 12 games. He also caught 47 passes for 321 yards. Marks holds value as a handcuff candidate to Mixon and could emerge as a standalone fantasy asset in 2026, akin to how fantasy managers treat Bucky Irving today.
Terrance Ferguson, TE, Rams
This will be the earliest rookie in ADP among the names mentioned, and for good reason. Sean McVay has desperately wanted to get a TE to elevate his offense, and he seems to think he found one in Ferguson.
McVay in the Rams spent good money in 2024 to bring in Colby Parkinson, a failed experiment to elevate their TE production with Tyler Higbee hurt and a year older. Then the regime tried to trade up for Brock Bowers in last year’s draft.
All that leads to Ferguson, a 6-5, 247-pound tight end from Oregon who crushed his athletic testing at the Combine. The 22-year-old caught 43 passes for 591 yards with Oregon last fall. Picked in the second round, McVay has a plan for Ferguson that he just wasn’t able to execute with Parkinson, late-career Higbee, or prospect Davis Allen.
Expect a sizable role in 2026 with flashes behind Higbee in 2025. Davante Adams could also be just a one-year sample in Los Angeles, opening up the offense even more for Ferguson if he is capable of stepping up.
If you want a more under-the-radar tight end to stash, consider Chargers fifth-round pick Oronde Gadsden or a personal favorite in Seattle second-rounder Elijah Arroyo.
Kyle Williams, WR, Patriots
This one is for the Sleeper dynasty managers out there, with Williams’ ADP rapidly rising after starting in the fourth-round range. Take advantage while you can.
Williams is a fun prospect out of Washington State who ran a 4.4 40-time and tested fairly well as a well-rounded 5-11, 190-pound receiver who can play outside or inside. He caught 70 passes for 1198 yards and 14 touchdowns as the engine of the offense, something he should get the opportunity to be again in a wide-open Patriots receiver room.
Williams also broke out early with UNLV as a freshman, posting a 42-601-2 line right out of high school. Analytically minded fantasy managers should love Williams, who landed in a perfect situation with up-and-coming QB Drake Maye.
Williams could be a solid rookie producer right from the get-go found in the third rounds of rookie drafts. Don’t overthink it.
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Kyle Monangai, RB, Bears
The Rutgers product can be drafted super late in rookie drafts or even found as a priority waiver-wire pickup after. Monangai has his flaws, but there are reasons to love this fit.
A seventh-round pick, Monangai brings physicality and toughness to a Bears backfield in need of it. Despite being 5-8, Monangai plays to his 211-pound stature and rumbled for over 1200 yards in his junior and senior seasons at Rutgers. That model should set him up well to compete with Roschon Johnson as the physical 1B to D’Andre Swift’s nimble 1A.
Monangai’s efficiency did drop in his final season, and he has a lot to improve upon as a pass catcher. But as the first RB drafted of Chicago’s Ben Johnson era, Monangai is a solid stash at the end of dynasty benches to see if he can carve out a handcuff role in a vulnerable backfield. Fantasy Football ADP NFL
