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Not every prospect's dream of hearing his name called during the NFL Draft will come true. Although this year's crop of skill-position players, especially QB and TE, were relatively weak compared to past classes (and supposedly next year's mega-class), there were still talented players who did not find a home.
Undrafted free agents don't inspire too much hope among fantasy football players and honestly many won't survive cutdown day. But there are usually a few players who do make the cut and some even end up being standouts. Fantasy managers remember when a James Robinson or Phillip Lindsay turns into a fantasy stud.
We'll be breaking down all the big-name fantasy football rookies for the 2022 fantasy football season throughout the offseason, but let's look at some lesser-known players today.
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UDFA Wide Receivers to Watch for Fantasy Football
Justyn Ross, Kansas City Chiefs
This list has to begin with Ross, the biggest surprise among undrafted players. We're talking about a receiver who posted a 1,000-yard season as a freshman and led Clemson in receiving on a team that included current pros Tee Higgins, Hunter Renfrow, Amari Rodgers, and Cornell Powell.
I've already gone into detail about Ross' journey to the NFL. He faces numerous challenges but if anyone has the desire and talent to succeed, it's him.
Ty Fryfogle, Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys decided to trade away Amari Cooper and let Cedrick Wilson walk in free agency rather than pay up for receivers. Assuming Michael Gallup is ready by Week 1, that means the battle for the third receiver job comes down to James Washington and rookie Jalen Tolbert. The dark horse is Fryfogle, who had a productive college career but was rarely in the national spotlight at Indiana.
His breakout season came in 2019 when he secured 45 receptions for 612 yards. He took a modest step forward in 2020 and then saw his production drop in 2021 with just 512 yards. The issue wasn't motivation or injuries, however, it was the Hoosier offense that ranked 123rd out of 130 teams in points per game. Fryfogle didn't have anything close to the type of quarterback he'll have in Dak Prescott, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him stand out in training camp.
Charleston Rambo, Carolina Panthers
It's hard to imagine that the all-time single-season receiving leader for the Miami Hurricanes went undrafted, but that's the case with Rambo. He only spent one season at The U after previously catching passes from Jalen Hurts at Oklahoma. That didn't make enough of an impression on scouts, though. His poor combine numbers of a 4.57 40-yard dash, which gave him a speed score in the 12th percentile, and a 33.5 inch vertical, kept him off draft boards.
NFL GMs put a big emphasis on size/speed for good reason, but Rambo has great hands and body control that helps counteract a lack of top-level burst. That's the reason he was able to put up huge numbers in the ACC.
I just happened to be in the perfect spot to get the catch of the day at @ShrineBowl practice from @CanesFootball WR Charleston Rambo.
It’s a gorgeous day for football out here. pic.twitter.com/bKjyzpgkQ3
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) January 29, 2022
Rambo may serve as a return man initially and have to work his way onto the field as a receiver but there's a good chance he sticks based on his skill set and motivation. Plus, why wouldn't you want to have a player named Rambo on your dynasty squad?
Charleston Rambo (who reportedly signed as a UDFA w the Panthers) has a Texas Chainsaw Massacre tattoo on his leg, in plain view of opposing corners.
— John Ellis (@1PantherPlace) May 1, 2022
Reggie Roberson, Tennessee Titans
After transferring to SMU as a freshman, it looked like Roberson was a star in the making. He broke out for 802 yards on 52 receptions back in 2018 and pretty much repeated the effort the following year. The next step forward never came, though. A shortened 2020 led to an uninspiring 2021 where he went for 625 yards and fell behind teammates Danny Gray and Rashee Rice in a high-flying offense.
Standing at 5'11" and running a sub 4.50 40 isn't the best way to get your name called on draft day, so teams passed on Roberson. His tape shows plenty of highlight-reel worth material, however, as he had no problem jetting past defenders on multiple occasions. His advanced age of 24 1/2 puts him pretty close to Velus Jones Jr. territory, so it's understandable if dynasty managers ignore him altogether.
Roberson landed in the perfect spot for an undrafted free agent receiver, looking at the depth chart. A.J. Brown is gone (why??), Robert Woods isn't likely to be active in Week 1, and everyone in the receiver room beyond rookie Treylon Burks is largely unproven.
Tay Martin, San Francisco 49ers
If any team can make an undrafted free agent into a star, it's San Fran. The Deebo drama has temporarily subsided, so this isn't speculation into the stud hybrid RB/WR leaving via trade. Even with Deebo there and Brandon Aiyuk behind him, there isn't a lot of proven depth beyond that. The Niners did draft Danny Gray out of SMU in round three, but as we've seen with Elijah Mitchell and Trey Sermon, draft stock does not matter to Kyle Shanahan.
Martin only jumped onto the scene in his senior year (the second one) because he languished in Washington State for three years, never really getting into favor with Mike Leach. He transferred to Oklahoma State where he led the team in receiving by far with 1,046 yards, helping them achieve a 12-2 record and #7 finish in the final AP Poll.
Martin is a lanky 6'3", 186 lbs who doesn't have blazing speed but is a crisp route runner and tracks the ball well. He obviously impressed the 49ers enough during a predraft visit that they wanted to add him, so keep an eye out this preseason on his progress.
Jequez Ezzard, Washington Commanders
Getting deeper, Ezzard is a player that absolutely nobody outside of your mega-nerd devy leaguemate would know. It's impressive that he's in the pros now considering he was a zero-star recruit with no scholarship offers!
Ezzard spent four years at Howard University before transferring to Sam Houston State. He caught 38 passes for 861 yards in 2020, averaging 22.7 yards per reception, and then 41 passes for 609 yards in 2021. He earned a nod on the All-WAC first team and helped the team to an FCS national championship.
Sam Houston WR Jequez Ezzard has averaged 25.0 yards/catch on 114 career receptions! Insane.
Spent 4yrs at Howard before transferring to @BearkatsFB and becoming the Southland Newcomer of the Year...
Nice to see him on @BruceFeldmanCFB Freak List & on @Seniorbowl Watch List! pic.twitter.com/oEnID86e4C
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) August 12, 2021
The Commanders (still feels weird saying that) drafted Jahan Dotson early but are likely ready to move on from past disappointments at receiver such as Antonio Gandy-Golden, Kelvin Harmon, and Cam Sims. That gives Ezzard a chance to show and prove at the highest level.
Braylon Sanders, Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins aren't exactly hard up for talent at wide receiver anymore but there's always room at the end of the depth chart. The team did trade away DeVante Parker and release Allen Hurns, which leaves Trent Sherfield and Preston Williams as his main competition behind the top three wideouts.
Sanders put up very modest numbers at Ole Miss despite catches passes from Matt Corral in a Lane Kiffin offense. His role was simple - speed burner. Sanders never caught as many as 24 passes in a season but he averaged 21.1 yards per reception over his college career. There's always room for a deep threat who can serve as a kick returner on NFL squads. Especially one with hands who can make catches like this:
UDFA Running Backs to Watch for Fantasy Football
Tyler Goodson, Green Bay Packers
Perhaps Goodson can be what the team envisioned for Kylin Hill last year. Hill, a seventh-round pick, missed half the season with an ACL tear and may not make the cut this year if Goodson shows out. It's not as if the Pack needs help at running back, but depth is always needed at the position because injuries are a part of life.
Goodson has good speed (4.42 40) and agility (95th percentile score) but his main appeal is as a receiver; he caught 31 passes in his last season at Iowa. I'm not sure if Aaron Rodgers is quite ready to become a dumpoff specialist like Drew Brees was in his final seasons but he sure targeted Aaron Jones a helluva lot in their playoff loss, making him the leading receiver behind now-departed Davante Adams.
Goodson is one of the satellite backs that could thrive in the right situation. Outside of Tyler Badie in Baltimore, which doesn't throw to RBs nearly as often, Goodson is one of the tops on my list.
Jashaun Corbin, New York Giants
You may have first heard about Corbin from our Dom Petrillo, who identified him as a running back to watch. Corbin did not get drafted after all (Arizona would have been such a sweet landing spot) but he can still prove himself pro-worthy.
Corbin fell victim to his team's lack of success at Florida State - a program that has fallen apart ever since Jimbo Fisher left. It's impressive that he was able to average 6.2 yards per carry last season on a team with a terrible offensive line and inconsistent passing game. Corbin has burst, strength, and pass-catching ability that make him a potential three-down back. That sounds hyperbolic but draft capital is not what defines a prospect's skill set.
FSU RB Jashaun Corbin on @GMFB describing his running style. #TogetherBlue #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/keq1hD2FI8
— WBG84 (@WBG84) May 1, 2022
D'Vonte Price, Indianapolis Colts
Apparently, I was higher on Price than NFL teams in the pre-draft process. Despite his blazing 4.38 40 and 95th percentile speed score, along with a 91st% college dominator rating, Price went undrafted. Playing at FIU doesn't lead to many NFL opportunities, typically.
The Colts might seem like the absolute worst place for an RB to fall but it might turn out to be the opposite. If God forbid, something were to happen to Jonathan Taylor, then Nyheim Hines wouldn't suddenly get 20+ touches per game. He would retain his current role and someone else would have to step up. Marlon Mack is gone so that leaves just Deon Jackson, an undrafted free agent last year out of Duke. Price is more of a straight-line runner who needs to get out into space to make things happen. Having the Colts' O-line in front of him is ideal and could make him an intriguing streamer at some point during the season.
Abram Smith, New Orleans Saints
This grinder out of Baylor only has one year of real college production on his resume, but it was quite a year. Smith piled up 1,601 yards on the ground in 2021, leading the Big 12 in rushing. He ran for 129 more yards than Breece Hall, for perspective.
The issue is that he doesn't have nearly the same burst as Hall, or any of the RBs who were actually drafted, and the hands aren't there. Smith will be a bruiser between the tackles and can be considered a lesser version of Latavius Murray. Turns out the Saints need just that since their running back depth after Mark Ingram consists of very similar players who haven't gotten the job done, such as Tony Jones Jr. and Dwayne Washington. If Alvin Kamara misses a chunk of games due to suspension, Smith could be a hot add like Jones Jr. was at one point last year once Murray was released. Hopefully, the results will be better.
UDFA Tight Ends to Watch for Fantasy Football
Jalen Wydermyer, Buffalo Bills
Another victim of poor combine testing, Wydermyer was ranked as PFF's No. 2 TE prospect before the draft process finished. He went undrafted because he ran a dismal 5.07 40 time with a speed score in the 2nd percentile. A breakout age under 19 is excellent but perhaps he peaked too soon.
Wydermyer went for 447 yards as a freshman at Texas A&M but would barely surpass that total each of the next two seasons. He's a former four-star recruit and accomplished receiver, so if you are able to look past the awful measurables you can see a diamond in the rough.
TE5 Jalen Wydermyer (Texas A&M)
Height: 6’4
Weight: 255 lbs4⭐️ recruit
2021:
Receiving - 40/515/4College Dominator: 23.3 (71%tile)
Breakout Age: 18.7 (95%tile)? Hands
? Route running❄️ Disappointing athletic testing
❄️ Blocking pic.twitter.com/SsExssKzSQ— Matt FF Dynasty ? (@MattFFDynasty) April 27, 2022
The Bills recently signed O.J. Howard to back up Dawson Knox, so Wydermyer will have a minimal impact as a rookie. Both TEs will be eligible for free agency after 2022, though. He'll have to shine during offseason workouts to make his case for a roster spot but don't rule it out due to workout metrics alone.
Derrick Deese Jr., Detroit Lions
The son of former NFL offensive lineman Derrick Deese, this is a prospect with size over speed. Deese comes in at 6'3", 244 lbs and will simply be a red-zone target for the Lions (or another team). He has good length and body control when receiving the ball. He certainly won't burn any linebackers down the seam, though.
Deese posted 730 receiving yards in his final season at San Jose State where he garnered a 22% target share. The level of competition he faced at the JUCO level and then the Mountain West makes him a project for sure but the lack of depth at tight end makes any talented receiver worth investigating.
UDFA Quarterbacks to Watch for Fantasy Football
Carson Strong, Philadelphia Eagles
It's rare that an undrafted quarterback sticks on a roster, much less makes an impact in the league. It was widely expected that Strong would be selected with a late-round pick but this year's QB class was so underwhelming that every single prospect, other than Kenny Pickett, slid further than anticipated. The post-draft landing spot for Strong makes him especially intriguing because there are still a lot of non-believers in the Jalen Hurts camp.
The Eagles made a bold move by acquiring A.J. Brown on Day One of the NFL Draft. Considering their recent history with draft picks like Jalen Reagor and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, their fan base was probably thrilled that they opted to trade for a receiver rather than draft one. That gives Philly the firepower they need for a balanced offense but it also puts the onus on Hurts to deliver. If things go south, they could look to develop a different QB and move on from Hurts.
I know the Gardner Minshew stans have something to say about this but there's also the chance he gets traded this offseason. At the very least, Strong could push Minshew for the QB2 job. The former sixth-rounder of Jacksonville has been adequate as a but it's not as if he's expected to be a franchise quarterback at any point. Strong has the requisite height and mechanics of a pro pocket passer. It's a long shot but stranger things have happened.
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