It’s officially draft season, which means it's time to have your big board ready. Here’s a list of players who represent good value at their ADP, broken down round by round for rounds 8-15.
Where there’s a major difference between a player’s PPR performance vs. their standard performance, I’ve given an alternative pick in the same round. Similarly, I've done so for specialty picks, such as when a QB represents great value but you might have already taken one. ADP Data is provided by Fantasy Football Calculator as of 07/22/2016.
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Fantasy Football Draft Values
8th Round: Michael Crabtree, Raiders Wide Receiver
If you can pick up Michael Crabtree in the 8th round, you’ll be getting one of the major steals of your draft. Crabtree posted an amazing year with the Raiders last year, placing 19th among wide receivers, good for a mid-level WR2, and well above Amari Cooper, who finished as a low-end WR2, and is being drafted 6 rounds ahead of Crabtree.
Though I expect Cooper to outscore Crabtree this year, the Raiders should continue to take a step forwards in 2016 and Crabtree owners can expect a solid WR2/flex play at the cost of at WR4.
9th Round: Steve Smith Sr., Ravens Wide Receiver
At this point in your draft, any #1 WR or RB on a team is worth a pick. Steve Smith may be getting old and playing off a major injury, but his talent is undeniable, and if he plays healthy, he will be, at a very minimum, a solid WR2.
With unproven guys like Dorial Green Beckham and backups like Derrick Henry being drafted around him, Steve Smith is a sensible choice in round 9.
10th Round: Corey Coleman, Browns Wide Receiver
Similarly to Steve Smith, it appears Corey Coleman will emerge as the #1 WR on the Browns this year. Though they are traditionally a fantasy-irrelevant team, the Browns could potentially turn around their passing game this year with miracle worker Hue Jackson, Robert Griffin III, and an extremely deep, young talented receiver corps.
It’s entirely likely Coleman doesn’t end up as anything more than a flex play, but in the 10th round, he represents amazing value, similar to Allen Robinson from last year, who is now going in the 2nd round.
11th Round: Kansas City Defense
I’m tempted to put the Kansas City D/ST as a high-value 10th round pick - they represent that much value. Currently, the KC D/ST is the 6th D/ST picked overall, despite the fact that they finished within one point - one point! - of the top scoring defense, Denver D/ST, last year.
This year should be no different, and in the middle of the 11th round, picking an elite D/ST over the likes of backups like Chris Johnson and Javorius Allen should be an easy choice.
12th Round: Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots Kicker / Tyrod Taylor, Bills Quarterback
Just like Kansas City D/ST, just because the kicker position isn’t flashy doesn’t mean it’s not important. But unlike Kansas City, Stephen Gostkowski was the runaway #1 at his position - the Patriots score a lot and kick a lot of field goals. Even more importantly, Gostkowski doesn’t miss, and the Patriots trust him a lot for it. If you’ve ever lost a game by one point, don’t be afraid to reach for a good kicker - Gostkowski can win you those games.
If you have a Patriots fan in your league, or haven’t taken a QB yet, Tyrod Taylor is a solid pick. Last year, he finished 8th overall in points per game, and he should continue to improve this year, especially if he remains healthy. Being 8th in points per game, his 12th round price tag (as the 17th QB overall) is too good to pass up if you haven’t chosen a QB yet.
13th Round: Danny Amendola, Patriots Wide Reciever
Once you get beyond the 12th round, nearly every pick should be a flyer, kicker, or defense. Surprisingly, Amendola is being drafted in the 13th round despite not really being any of these. Barring an injury to Julian Edelman, expect him to be a solid flex play.
With an injury to Edelman, Amendola immediately gains high end WR2 potential, so he is absolutely worth the roster spot, if only for a bye week fill-in.
14th Round: Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Buccaneers Tight End
Tight ends are notoriously hard to pick, and a solid, receiving tight end is extremely rare in fantasy. That’s why Austin Seferian-Jenkins, while admittedly a flyer, is a great value pick in the 14th round. Even if you already have a tight end, Seferian-Jenkins is still potentially a good pick.
If he remains healthy and emerges as a reliable pass catcher for Tampa Bay, he will represent amazing trade value, if not simply a great play at the TE slot.
15th Round: Blair Walsh, Vikings Kicker
The 15th round is mainly kickers, so your pick in this round is probably the least important of any of your picks. If you didn’t pick up Gostkowski or Gano earlier in your draft (and I recommend that you do), you can absolutely count on Blair Walsh to be a serviceable kicker.
Josh Brown and Cairo Santos should also be serviceable this year, as, again, 15th round kickers all tend to score very similarly by the time the year is over and the dust has settled.
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