PlayerProfiler is home to award-winning dynasty rankings and tools. Our Dynasty Deluxe package includes complete Dynasty Rankings, Rookie Rankings, Trade Analyzer, Draft Planner, Mock Drafts, and more. Check it out! Below, Wyatt Bertolone makes his PlayerProfiler debut discussing 2025 NFL Draft Day Three prospects to target.
Every year, we see less heralded prospects drafted on day three of the NFL Draft make an impact on fantasy football. 2024 saw Bucky Irving and Tyrone Tracy Jr be some of the best values of the year, while we got bye-week fill-in performances from Jordan Whittington and Ja’Tavion Sanders. 2023, of course, had Puka Nacua‘s stellar season as well as some usable weeks from Dontayvion Wicks and Aidan O’Connell.
In 2022, Dameon Pierce, Tyler Allgeier, and Isiah Pacheco all provided serious production for our teams. Sometimes, these players even ascend to a point of sustained production, bucking their Day Three stigma. Finding these players makes a massive impact on our fantasy teams as they normally come with a cheap price due to their weaker draft capital.
Today, I’ll look at my five favorite projected 2025 NFL Draft Day Three prospects according to NFLMockDraftDatabase.com.
DJ Giddens (RB) Kansas State
After back-to-back great seasons for Kansas State, DJ Giddens enters the NFL Draft as an exciting option for teams. Giddens was a walk-on to Kansas State, starting his collegiate career with a redshirt year and then backing up Deuce Vaughn before getting his chance. Becoming the starter in 2023, Giddens burst onto the scene with back-to-back seasons of over 1,200 rushing yards with over 20 receptions as well. Giddens was particularly impressive in his final season, which saw him average 4.16 yards after contact with a 54.9-percent breakaway run percentage.
Giddens is a hyper athletic long strider who’s elusive once he gets going, capable of ripping off chunk gains in succession. He’s a capable pass catcher who can excel in the screen game, although his hands are a little inconsistent. He struggles with his vision and will need to play in a gap scheme offense where he can be a point-and-shoot running back. Also, his pass protection is a liability, meaning he’s not going to be playing many third downs in the NFL. Giddens is still developing, but with his exciting athleticism, he could help a team right away.
DJ Giddens‘ Advance Stats & Metrics profile
Fantasy Potential
Currently, DJ Giddens projects to be drafted in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. We’ve seen several impact running backs come from that range. With running backs being devalued by the NFL in more recent years, the fourth round is no longer as bad as it was. Depending on his landing spot, I’m expecting Giddens to be a third-round rookie draft pick in dynasty leagues. That is a great price for the potential he presents. Giddens should earn opportunities as a rookie due to his explosive nature that could grow into more as he develops. He’ll even be worth a late-round pick in seasonal leagues, given said potential with the known impact that rookies make at the end of the year during the fantasy playoffs.
Damien Martinez (RB) Miami
After two years at Oregon State, Damien Martinez transferred to Miami for his junior season, finishing college as a three-year starter, averaging just over 1,000 rushing yards a season and having scored 26 rushing touchdowns despite only having 516 career carries. Martinez averaged over six yards per carry in each season while averaging 3.93 yards after contact per attempt over his career, with his final season being an impressive 4.51 yards after contact per attempt.
Martinez is a big back with good athleticism for his size, using his physical gifts to both run over and elude defenders. His vision and pacing as a runner are above average as well. While he didn’t carry a large load in college, he certainly projects to someone who could. Unfortunately, Martinez isn’t likely to be much of a factor in the passing game. His hands are ok, but he does not set up well in pass protection.
Damien Martinez‘s Advance Stats & Metrics profile
Fantay Potential
Like DJ Giddens, Damien Martinez is projected to be drafted in the fourth round of the NFL Draft as things stand now. With his lack of pass game usage, the landing spot will be vital. Martinez will be best off being drafted by a team like the Steelers or Broncos who could use a two-down bruiser like himself, where he’ll be able to contribute immediately. Landing on a team like the Commanders or the Chargers, where they already have a similar running back, would be tough.
Martinez could still carve out a role due to his efficiency as a runner. But it will be much less likely. In dynasty rookie drafts, Martinez should be drafted in the third round, depending on the landing spot. Despite his lack of pass-catching, Martinez is still worth the cost due to his ability to contribute immediately as a runner. In seasonal leagues, Martinez is with consideration at the end of your drafts.
Tory Horton (WR) Colorado State
Tory Horton had a very productive career over five years, starting his collegiate career with Nevada and ending it with Colorado State as their number one wide receiver over the three years he was there. For his career, Horton averaged 2.46 yards per route run. However, each season with Colorado State, that number was a minimum of 2.74. In his final campaign, Horton was working to get his third straight season of at least 1,000 receiving yards. Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending knee injury just five games into the year.
Horton is a tall and rangy wide receiver who passes above average athleticism with a fluid nature to his game. He’s a natural route runner who is quick in and out of his breaks. Horton is a bit on the slight side, though for his height, and doesn’t have much play strength, meaning physical corners can stifle him at the line and at the catch point. In the NFL, Horton will have to line up off the line of scrimmage so that he can avoid press coverage, but he could find success as a slot/flanker.
Tory Horton‘s Advance Stats & Metrics profile
Fantasy Potential
Expected to be drafted early on day three in round four, Tory Horton hopefully lands on a team that already has an X wide receiver who can soak up all the press coverage so that he doesn’t have to. Horton’s fluid route running will allow him to hit the ground running in the NFL. Effective route running helps wide receivers make the transition into the big leagues easier, as every team and quarterback loves a player who can get open.
I’m willing to use a fourth-round rookie pick on Horton in my dynasty leagues when the running back talent dries up, as he could buck the trend of Day Three wide receivers with his polished game. If he lands on a team where there’s an immediate opportunity available because of a weak depth chart, he’ll be worth a late-round pick in seasonal leagues. However, it’s more likely that he’s someone you keep in mind as a waiver wire add later in the year.
Isaac TeSlaa (WR) Arkansas
Starting in the FCS, Isaac TeSlaa played three seasons for Hillsdale, culminating in a highly productive junior year, enabling him to transfer to Arkansas. TeSlaa played two seasons for the Razorbacks with little production on the run first offense. He played mostly in the slot, attacking vertically from the position with a 14.3 average depth of target in his final season. TeSlaa is your classic “physical tools/little production” prospect. Standing 6-4 and weighing 214 pounds, TeSlaa is large for the position and has elite athleticism. TeSlaa can be a mismatch for most defenders and does a good job of tracking deep balls while showing solid hands. He also has a decent understanding of where to settle in zone coverage. Unfortunately, TeSlaa will likely have to remain in the slot as he shows little ability to beat man coverage due to his unrefined route running and release packages.
Isaac TeSlaa‘s Advance Stats & Metrics profile
Fantasy Potential
Isaac TeSlaa is expected to be drafted in the fifth round of the NFL Draft, which is a death knell for most wide receivers. The overwhelming majority of relevant fantasy wide receivers come from the first two days of the draft. TeSlaa represents rare physical traits, though, so if there’s someone to bet on, it’s him. If he can learn some of the more nuanced parts of the game, he could develop into a real threat in the passing game. At a minimum, he should be a mismatch that his offensive coordinator will look to exploit. TeSlaa should go undrafted in your dynasty rookie drafts. I’m looking to add him to my taxi squads after the draft and play the long game. In seasonal leagues, you don’t need to worry about him.
Oronde Gadsden II (TE) Syracuse
Oronde Gadsden II is part of the new breed of tight ends that have been entering the league in recent years and has NFL bloodlines to boot. Gadsden is essentially a large wide receiver masquerading as a tight end, having played wide receiver to start his college career. Over his four years playing for Syracuse, he was highly productive whenever he was healthy. Both years he played a full season, Gadsden had over 900 receiving yards and at least six touchdowns. For his career, Gadsden averaged 2.02 yards per route run, which is a great number for a tight end.
Gadsden stands 6-5 and likely played in college around the 230-pound mark, although he weighed in at 243 for the Combine and his fast, owning an 85th-percentile Speed Score. Gadsden’s hands are reliable, and he has a large catch radius to help him win even when tightly covered. Gadsden’s hips are a little tight, making him a little slow out of his breaks, but he does a great job stretching the defense up the seams. Gadsden is a willing blocker but is frankly not there yet and will need to work to improve if he hopes to play significant snaps in the NFL.
Oronde Gadsden II‘s Advance Stats & Metrics profile
Fantasy Potential
As of now, Oronde Gadsden II is expected to go late on Day Three. It makes sense, considering he’s a bit limited as a tight end since he can’t help as a blocker currently, and he lacks some fluidity in his game. Still, Gadsden has a lot of potential due to his athleticism, big wingspan, and NFL bloodlines. That fits the mold of an eventual tight end value. That’s the kind of tight end worth taking a shot on late in your dynasty rookie drafts, especially if he lands on a team with a weaker depth chart both at tight end and/or wide receiver.
We likely have to play the long game with Gadsden as he develops as a tight end, so he’s destined for our taxi squads. For seasonal leagues, you won’t need to worry about him other than a potential bye week waiver add if an injury happens in front of him.
Finding Day Three prospects that become values for our fantasy teams is a tough task, but with the right information, we can have a better hit rate than our leaguemates.
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