We’re in peak draft season now that preseason games have kicked off, and the draft rooms are full of sharks. With so many sharp drafters, its become even more imperative to hit on a late round selection. Grabbing a breakout star at the sixth round or later could flip tournaments, as we saw with Puka Nacua. We may not find any players that flip leagues as decidedly as Nacua, but here are six players that can tilt a FastDraft Fantasy Origins or Flex 4 tournament your way!
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Jaylen Warren – RB, Pittsburgh
Jaylen Warren is currently the late 6th round of FastDraft drafts, and he could easily pay off his discounted ADP. Last season with the Steelers, Warren went on to finish second on the team with 61 receptions. With Diontae Johnson in Carolina and no Brandon Aiyuk as of this writing, Warren is locked in as the No. 3 target behind Pat Freiermuth and George Pickens. Not only does your fantasy team profit from Warren’s pass-catching skills, but he’s the No. 2 running back in what should be a run-heavy offense. And we all know how new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith loves to rely on his second-string players! If Najee Harris were to miss anytime, Warren would instantly be locked in as an RB1.
Dylan Laube – RB, Las Vegas Raiders
Dylan Laube was unknown to many during the pre-draft process, and his 6th round selection didn’t set off many alarms. But the drumbeat from Raiders’ camp for positive play by Dylan Laube has been deafening. Every few days, praise from beat reporters, assistant coaches, teammates, and even head coach Antonio Pierce comes out in favor of Laube. Laube enters an unimposing running back room led by Zamir White and Alexander Mattison.
#Raiders HC Antonio Pierce says Dylan Laube is “making the most out of” his opportunity pic.twitter.com/CL84wAxG5i
— The Coachspeak Index (@CoachspeakIndex) August 3, 2024
With all the hype attached to his name, it’s easy to see him leap-frogging Mattison on the depth chart, but what if he takes more work away from Zamir White? The Raiders project to be trailing in many games this season, so it would make sense to target the running back that can catch the most passes. Laube has the potential to be an every-week RB2 with upside.
Jaylen Wright – RB, Miami Dolphins
It’s unusual to target third string running backs, but not all third stringers are as talented as Jaylen Wright. Important lessons can be learned from Jaylen Wright. While its strange to target a third stringer, we must remember his talent and team situation. Raheem Mostert played more games over the past two consecutive seasons than at any other two-year gap in his career. He’s also 32 and running backs rarely last much longer after that. I love Devon Achane, but let’s remember that he boasts an incredibly small frame at 5-9 and 190-pounds.
We saw that his body was unable to hold up to the punishment that running backs are exposed to, and he missed time due to injury despite eclipsing a 50-percent snap share only five times in his rookie season. Wright boasts a 4.38 40-time and finished with an exceptional 114 (95th percentile) speed score and 131.6 (95th percentile) burst score. The Dolphins offense is a fantasy wagon, and Wright has a clear path to valuable touches. His speed, paired with the Dolphins offense, can mean a big play at any time.
Keon Coleman – WR, Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills moved on from Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis in the offseason, leaving 240 targets behind. Dalton Kincaid is the low hanging fruit, but Keon Coleman has the most unknown upside in Buffalo for 2024. Initially lacking praise from Bills GM Brandon Beane, Coleman started receiving more positivity as camp progressed. Only Mack Hollins has a comparable size to Coleman.
Keon Coleman is RISING and @AlanSeslowsky is here for all of it🚀
Find out why⬇️ pic.twitter.com/UnE0p077C7
— PlayerProfiler (@rotounderworld) August 8, 2024
But it was Coleman who ran with the first team during the team’s first preseason game. It was even more reassuring to see Coleman finish the two drives with the Bills starters with a 27-percent target share. With so many targets available and tethered next to Josh Allen, Coleman should be a more popular target in drafts.
Brian Thomas Jr. – WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
When the Jaguars moved on from Calvin Ridley and Zay Jones, they had a clear need for an outside receiver. Brian Thomas Jr. was drafted in the first round, and his big play ability meets exactly what the Jaguars needed. Thomas will slide into the role left by Calvin Ridley, while Davis takes the other side. Thomas is a proven deep ball specialist after finishing with 17.3 yards per reception at LSU.
That will pair perfectly with Trevor Lawrence‘s tendency to throw the ball downfield. Last season, Lawrence threw the No. 6-most deep passes, and now they have a proper outside burner to grab those deep passes. Pair that with the 25 redzone targets left behind by Ridley, and we have the potential for a massive rookie season from Thomas Jr. We all know what Davis brings to the table. He will have his moments, but Brian Thomas Jr. has the potential to be the best outside option in Duval.
Chase Brown – RB, Cincinnati Bengals
Chase Brown didn’t do much last season, but he took a short pass to the endzone and was clocked in at running 22 miles per hour. After the departure of Joe Mixon, it appeared Brown would be the lead back until Zack Moss was signed. Even if this is a split backfield, there’s evidence that Brown will be the fantasy manager they want. Brown has the advantage in every speed metric over Moss, and he even recorded more bench press reps than Moss did at the combine! Brown will be in the pass-catching role, and his speed is much more threatening on the field. Joe Mixon had 64 receptions last year, so Brown could easily end up with 50+ targets through the season. The potential target number paired with the Bengals high powered offense would mean instant fantasy production.
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