Later-Round Steals for Auction Drafts - Fantasy Football Upside Picks for $1

August 31, 2025

John's fantasy football auction draft values, sleepers to target for 2025. His favorite $1 fantasy football later-round steals with upside for auction drafts.

At this point in draft season, most of us seasoned fantasy degenerates already have our top-150 memorized with no need for a laptop. Sure, the order's a little different every time, but all in all, the top dozen rounds or so contain all the same names. That said, once starters are all rostered, all ADP-related bets are off — go get your guys without hesitation. It's like the Wild West out there.

The most fun part of any fantasy draft is easily the endgame, when all decorum goes flying out the window in a pure rush to roster the latest hot commodity. Even as a generally conservative player, my gloves come off in the one-dollar rounds, looking for that big splash. Good piece of advice here — it's better to aim high and miss than aim low and hit.

Remember, no matter how much you study or how hard you try, the vast majority of picks in the double-digit rounds get dropped. End of story. Keeping that in mind, shooting for the moon on upside makes more sense than rostering vanilla players who won't move the needle, even when given the opportunity. Only one GM lifts the trophy at the end of each year, and hitting on even one or two $1 reserve picks is a great way to improve your chances of accomplishing just that.

Quarterback - $1 Auction Draft Steals

Cameron Ward, Tennessee Titans

Every day seems to yield more positive news and tape for Tennessee's number one overall pick, Cam Ward. Sometimes you just watch a rookie and can instantaneously see the sheer speed of the game overwhelm them. Nothing could be further from the case for Ward thus far, who's done everything you could ask for in a debut — showing poise, hanging in the pocket, finding the open man, and not throwing picks.

While I wouldn't advise ignoring the QB position to start Ward Week 1, he's a perfect QB2 complement to any roster when drafting quarterbacks attached to question marks. Looking at you, Justin Fields...

dude Cam Ward is legit goodness
pic.twitter.com/SwhpEgo0fw

— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) August 23, 2025

Jaxson Dart, New York Giants

Let's call Jaxson Dart the most super-luxury pick on this year's board. Even at only a buck, he doesn't fit most builds because of the patience it requires. That said, the small glimpse we've seen has everyone here in New York head over heels to see Dart start sooner rather than later.

In just 53 preseason dropbacks (a little over one full game), the rookie shot caller scored an absurd +38 fantasy points (352-3-0; 6-52-1)! Worth dreaming on, if you can afford it.

Running Back - $1 Auction Draft Steals

Shame to waste this incredible platform on something pressing on my mind. Let me take a second to say, nothing derails teams faster than a bad RB plan. Too many GMs fall in love with speculative helium plays, ultimately relying on them for their success (cough, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, cough). Maybe it's me, but keeping the backup process simple has always worked wonders. No need to overcomplicate it — pick good players with the least hurdles to playing time and hopefully catch passes on teams that project well. Easy game, right?

Running back fantasy production boils down to opportunities. Since we have no clue when or where they'll arise, best to just situate yourself in those spots with the highest potential payout. Then cross your fingers, keep your head on a swivel, and nose to the spreadsheet.

Kyle Monangai, Chicago Bears

Between Bears' GM Ryan Poles singing seventh-round rookie Kyle Monangai's praise in the media and a foot injury to fellow backup RB Roschon Johnson, it's easy to see the dream case spending this dollar. Presumed starter D'Andre Swift struggled mightily with efficiency in 2024 (3.8 yards/carry, 5.6% explosive rush, 2.46 yards after contact/attempt) — and if that continues into this season could lose the job to Monangai straight up.

Even if it takes some patience, the payoff of being the touch leader in a Ben Johnson offense for a buck could change your season.

2. Kyle Monangai averaged 5.0 yards per carry for the afternoon, and much of that was after contact.

He isn't the biggest back, but the guy has tremendous balance and a violent disposition.

Defenses will not want to see him late in games. #Bears pic.twitter.com/2Hm99QxxTw

— Erik Lambert (@ErikLambert1) August 11, 2025

DJ Giddens, Indianapolis Colts

By all accounts, Colts' fifth-round rookie DJ Giddens won the backup job for Indy, with a little help from a season-ending elbow injury to Tyler Goodson. I'd call his value set binary for fantasy, given the circumstances.

While Jonathan Taylor is healthy and continuing to command +73% of the team's RB touches, Giddens supplies roughly zero weekly value. However, unfortunately, injuries happen often, and Taylor has missed extensive time with ankle problems in the past. If he misses time for whatever reason, Giddens immediately headlines every waiver article on the web as a massive FAAB target.

Wide Receiver - $1 Auction Draft Steals

Dyami Brown, Jacksonville Jaguars

There's a famous saying in football betting that applies here to Dyami Brown: "Don't listen to what these teams say, follow what they do". Everyone's excitement meter turned up to 11 over Liam Coen's arrival in Duval County. Yet somehow, any love for Brown has seemingly slipped through the cracks. Apparently hand-picked by new leadership to serve as the Jags' primary WR3, we could very well look back come Christmas, saying Jacksonville tried to tell us the whole time.

Despite a small sample driven by underuse in Washington, the spots where Dyami Brown pops on the spreadsheet make the move to JAX all the more interesting. An enticing combination of +75% Catch, 7.4 YAC/Reception, and a 4.26 separation score could translate into valuable splash plays with Liam Coen dialing up the calls. May as well swing for the fences.

Elic Ayomanor, Tennessee Titans

Yes, all my favorite late targets happen to play in Tennessee this year... so what? The horrific stench from last year's offensive unit permeated through the offseason and onto a completely different regiment of Titans' players.

Beginning with a brand new 1.01 under center and multiple fresh starters on their offensive line, the market jumped the fantasy shark on TEN. No, I don't think they make the playoffs or finish top-10 in yards per play — but where the Titans' skill guys go off the board in fantasy drafts, they won't need to.

Still probably on the outside looking in on Week 1 starters' routes opposite Calvin Ridley, rookie Elic Ayomanor led all first-team WRs in targets, catches, and yards this preseason. Technically, a bench player in both real-life and fantasy, how long will it take Tennessee's fourth-round pick to jump the habitually unimpressive Van Jefferson on the depth chart? Entering his age-29 season, Jefferson is giving up placeholder vibes, having earned just a measly ~10% target/route with Pittsburgh last year.

The many: Look at Cam Ward’s first completion

The few: ELIC AYOMANOR HIVE STAND UP pic.twitter.com/Hfl0TYnfXF

— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) August 15, 2025

Tight End - $1 Auction Draft Steals

Chig Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans

Let's see how many fantasy tropes I can sandwich into my love for Tennessee's fourth-year tight end Chig Okonkwo. Up until very recently, the idea of productive TEs existed only in fairy tales. Given the degree of difficulty in learning two positions at once, it made sense.

Think about how many players get immediately overwhelmed by a four-inch binder full of route concepts — then pile the entire offensive line's rotations and execution schematics on top of that. It's a lot to handle, and taking time to develop is understandable.

Secondly, the best predictor for tight end breakouts lies in the combination of physical attributes plus talent level — and Okonkwo's a freak. At 6'2", 245 lbs., Chig runs a 4.5-second, 40-yard dash — and finally put it to use in 2024, with three separate top-6 positional finishes. Just a slight environmental boost toward league average on offense could make Okonkwo a consistent backend fantasy TE1.

You already KNOW that’s Chigoziem OkonkWOpic.twitter.com/JXQ8ycH2Uu

— Adam Koffler (@AdamKoffler) January 8, 2023

Honorable Mentions

• QB: Bryce Young, Carolina Panthers
• RB: Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints
• RB: Sean Tucker, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
• WR: Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos
• WR: Isaac TeSlaa, Detroit Lions
• TE: Theo Johnson, New York Giants

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