Fantasy deep dives

By: Josh Frey-Sam

We’re going dumpster diving.

Ok, maybe that’s a bit harsh.

Let’s go looking for diamonds in the rough!

There are always plenty of surprises in fantasy football; it’s just up to us to find out exactly who that will be.

I have one player from each position to highlight, based on their current rankings in mock drafts. Some of these can and will change drastically between now and draft season, but at least I can put them on your radar now.

My criteria when searching for these players: quarterbacks and tight ends must be outside the top 10 in their current position rankings, while running backs and wide receivers must be outside of the top 20.

Let’s get to it.

Quarterback - Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

I’ve already mentioned Dak Prescott in this space as a player I like this season, so why not double down?

I’m high on Dak because of the reports we’ve seen this spring. He’s being talked about as looking like a player who is well past the hamstring injury that robbed him of most of last season.

So, what can a healthy Dak offer?

Outside of his three injury-plagued seasons (2020, 2022, 2024) Dak has finished outside of the top 10 just once in his other six seasons. He’s also finished top three twice.

Now, the biggest area of concern for him is actually his ankle. Dak provided a huge boost with his legs early in his career, but hasn’t been the same threat since fracturing his ankle in 2020.

If that’s finally past him, we could be in for fireworks. Even if it’s not, I trust him to do enough with his arm to make him a huge value in drafts.

At this point in his career, I would say Dak is a good bet to throw for 4,000 yards and 28 touchdowns. That’s a pretty serious floor for a guy who can also provide some extra juice with his legs.

I also look at the situation in Dallas — there are tons of question marks at running back, and the team just traded for George Pickens. Telling me this team isn’t going to sling the rock?

The stinker with Dak is that the Cowboys’ schedule projects to be tough for quarterbacks this season.

He’s currently ranked as the QB16, going in the ninth round of drafts. If you decide to pass on the first wave of quarterbacks early on, consider waiting until it’s appropriate to draft Dak.

Running back - D’Andre Swift, Chicago Bears

The opportunity here is just too good to ignore, which made Swift an easy choice.

I don’t think I need to remind you that Ben Johnson is now the head coach of the Chicago Bears. I also don’t think I need to rehash how Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery fared in Johnson’s offence the last few seasons.

The difference between the situation in Detroit versus the one in Chicago is that Swift feels like the clear-cut RB1 on the team. Sure, Roschon Johnson could steal some touches and potentially some goal-line carries, but Swift is the guy and should see ample opportunity.

To me, there’s no reason he can’t play himself into your lineup as an RB2 every week based on volume alone, and he’s currently ranked as the RB29, going late sixth, early seventh round.

Chicago’s strength of schedule is average for the position.

Wide receiver - Jerry Jeudy, Cleveland Browns

This selection is extremely quarterback-dependent.

I don’t know who the Browns starter will be come Week 1, but if it isn’t Joe Flacco, then I don’t think I want anything to do with Jeudy.

However, in the event it is Flacco under centre, it just doesn’t make sense not to target Jeudy in your drafts.

He’s currently ranked WR33, going in the sixth round of drafts.

Reports out of mini-camp have suggested it’s Jeudy, a clear gap, and then the other receivers, so this passing game should run through his hands.

Let’s also not forget Jeudy’s second half of 2024, which saw him reach double digits in nine of the last 10 games, vaulting him into a WR12 finish on the year.

He is the receiver to have in this offence, it’s just a matter of whether he will have someone to get him the ball.

The Browns have a below-average strength of schedule for the position.

Tight end - Pat Friermuth

I want to throw a name out there at you: Jermichael Finley.

Remember him?

He played for my Green Bay Packers for six years before a neck injury ended his career.

In my opinion, Finley remains the best tight end Aaron Rodgers has ever had.

Why do I bring him up? Finley’s peak (2011-12) was solid for fantasy purposes. Rodgers targeted him 179 times during that two-year stretch, which amounted to 116 grabs for 1,434 yards and 10 touchdowns.

That’s to say, Rodgers, who has been regarded as a QB who doesn’t target tight ends, isn’t afraid to throw to a talented player at that position.

Friermuth will probably be the best tight end Rodgers has had since Finley — a reliable target with field-stretching ability.

Friermuth, still just 26, is coming off a top-10 finish and finds himself among a crop of pass-catchers that really dies off after DK Metcalf.

He’s being drafted as the TE18, going somewhere in the 11th round of drafts.

The one downside is that the Steelers’ schedule only projects to be average for the position.

Thanks for reading and, as always, have a great day.

Josh