X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Late-Round Fantasy Football Draft Picks Who Will Outperform ADP

K.J. Osborn fantasy football rankings waiver wire pickups

Adam Koffler identifies late-round players who will outperform their average draft position in 2022 fantasy football.

Want a leg up on your competition this season? What better way than to crush those late rounds in your fantasy football draft?

It's important to get those early-round picks right. Those guys will be the cornerstones of your lineup. But these late-round gems can offer incredible upside at a fraction of the cost and could help you make that playoff push.

Here are four late-round players who will outperform their average draft position (ADP) in 2022.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

K.J. Osborn, Minnesota Vikings

ADP: WR66, Overall 146

You might have heard by now that the Minnesota Vikings picked up a new head coach for the 2022 season. That would be former Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O'Connell. So what does that have to do with K.J. Osborn, the perceived WR3 for this Vikings offense?

Well, O'Connell loved 3WR sets in Los Angeles. In fact, he ran 3WR sets the most of any team in the NFL, and by a large margin.

He ran so many 3WR sets that Van Jefferson had an 81.1% snap share (30th), ran 30.4 routes per game (16th), and had route participation of 85.3% (36th) (per PlayerProfiler). Most teams' WR3s don't see the field nearly as often. For comparison, Osborn only had a snap share of 67.6% (70th), ran 27.8 routes per game (31st), and had route participation of 78.1% (61st).

Additionally, heading into his third season, it's possible the 25-year-old takes another drastic step forward in his development. Adam Thielen, while very productive a season ago, is heading into his age-32 season. His 10 touchdowns in 13 games were incredible, but his target share of just 21% is a far cry from the 26 and 27% rates he saw in 2017 and 2018.

And did you know, when Thielen missed (or played minimally) from Week 13 on last season, Osborn was the WR28 with 13 fantasy points per game? So not only should the third-year Vikings receiver not named Justin Jefferson get more opportunities this season as the WR3, but he also has major upside should he step into the WR2 role in 2022.

 

Zay Jones, Jacksonville Jaguars

ADP: WR104, Overall 208

Christian Kirk was the flashy free agent signing for the Jacksonville Jaguars, getting a four-year, $72 million deal with $37 million guaranteed. The big contract was met with question marks, but Kirk is certainly no slouch at the wide receiver position.

But there was another wide receiver acquisition this offseason. A much lesser known guy, former Buffalo Bills and Las Vegas Raiders wideout Zay Jones. Jones was gifted a three-year, $24 million contract with $14 million guaranteed after his impressive performance down the stretch during the 2021 season. $14 million guaranteed isn't $37 million guaranteed, but it's an amount that certainly shouldn't be ignored.

And so far in training camp, Zay Jones has flashed as the designated X receiver:

Recall, Jones saw 102 targets in his second season in Buffalo. He put up 652 yards and seven touchdowns that season, good for a middling WR4 finish in fantasy football. And last season after Darren Waller went down in Week 12, Jones was called upon once again as a top receiving option for Derek Carr in Las Vegas.

During that late-season stretch, Jones averaged 7.7 targets on 31.9 routes run. He also averaged 97.7 air yards per game. Trevor Lawrence was eighth in total air yards his rookie season, averaging 275.4 air yards per game (metrics per PlayerProfiler).

All that to say, Jones' skill set aligns well with what Lawrence does very well, which is throw the deep ball. As long as he's on the field a majority of the snaps, there are $14 million reasons to believe he'll be thrown the football in Jacksonville.

This is a new coaching staff with a relatively ambiguous receiver corps made up of new faces (Kirk, Evan Engram, and Zay Jones), so we want exposure at the cheapest possible cost - and that's via Zay Jones. And Jags beat writers have confirmed he's being peppered with balls from Lawrence in training camp:

 

David Njoku, Cleveland Browns

ADP: TE19, Overall 160

There are so many reasons to like Njoku in 2022, but let's start with the two most obvious. First, the Browns let Austin Hooper walk in free agency. Second, they subsequently gave DJ a massive four-year, $54.8 million extension with $28 million guaranteed. As of this article, he's the fifth-highest paid tight end in the league after George Kittle, Travis Kelce, Dallas Goedert, and Mark Andrews. Impressive company.

Now, let's talk about this season in Cleveland. Deshaun Watson has been suspended for six games, so we'll see a combination of Jacoby Brissett and Watson in 2022. To do that, let's look at Njoku's opportunity last season in the one game Hooper didn't play. In that game, Njoku played on 100% of the snaps and ran 29 routes (per PlayerProfiler). That may not seem like a ton, but when compared to his average of 17.3 routes run on the season, it's a big difference.

The last time Njoku ran anywhere near 29 routes per game was back in 2018 when he ran 25.4 per game. That season, he was top-10 at the tight end position in both snap share (84.3%) and route participation (70.8%) (per PlayerProfiler). He averaged nearly six targets per game and finished the season as a low-end TE1. He did that with rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield. Njoku was second on the team in targets after Jarvis Landry, who saw 149 that season.

Fast forward to this season, where Amari Cooper is the perceived top target in the offense. In 2018, Landry commanded a 26.4% target share and a 28.2% targets per route run (TPRR) rate. Last season, Cooper commanded just an 18.8% target share and had a 22.6% TPRR. After Cooper, Njoku will be competing with Donovan Peoples-Jones, David Bell, and Anthony Schwartz for targets.

Even with Harrison Bryant looming in the TE2 role for the Browns, it's easy to see a path for Njoku to be the second-highest target earner on this team. Add in the guaranteed money, and you better believe he'll be involved early and often on a team that loves to involve their tight ends. In fact, the Browns targeted tight ends 142 times in 2021, good for sixth-most in the NFL.

Don't forget about Njoku's 97th percentile burst score. This guy has the ability to take a screen pass to the house on any given play:

 

Wan'Dale Robinson, New York Giants

ADP: WR82, Overall 176

Robinson dominated at Kentucky in 2021, catching 104 balls for 1,334 yards and seven touchdowns. He was so good, that Brian Daboll and the new Giants coaching regime decided to spend an early second-rounder on the guy in the 2022 NFL Draft. And so far in training camp, it sounds like Wan'Dale has star potential:

But teams and coaches talk about a lot of guys in training camp, so what makes Robinson any different than the next guy? Well, he's almost certainly going to be the starting slot receiver for the Giants, and he could also double as a gadget guy that lines up in the backfield alongside Saquon Barkley. Either way, it's likely he's on the field a good amount in his rookie season.

With Kadarius Toney and Kenny Golladay operating on the outside, Robinson figures to line up in the slot to start the season with Sterling Shepard recovering from a torn Achilles in December of last year. You'll recall Shepard was peppered with targets early in the season prior to dealing with nagging injuries. In Weeks 1 and 2, he averaged 9.5 targets on 35.5 routes run (per PlayerProfiler). That was good for a 26.7% TPRR and a 28.5% target share.

Not too shabby for the Giants' slot man, which is more than likely going to be Wan'Dale Robinson this season. And another thing that's going in the rookie's favor is that veteran wideout Kenny Golladay seems to be struggling a bit in training camp.

With Daboll as the head coach, this Giants team could put up a bunch of points this season playing at a much faster tempo than the last couple of seasons under Joe Judge and Jason Garrett. Last season, the Bills averaged 66.3 plays per game while the Giants averaged just 61.8 plays per game. The Bills passed 37.7 times per game, while the Giants passed 34.9 times per game. The tempo mixed with the increase in pass attempts should benefit the rookie slot receiver in 2022.

With Shepard having no clear timeline for his return to play, Wan'Dale Robinson looks to be the biggest beneficiary and is making the most of his opportunity thus far in training camp. You'll want him on your fantasy football rosters this season.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Zane Smith

Has Upside in Mexico
Giancarlo Stanton

Likely Returning Early Next Week
Cole Custer

Is Cole Custer a DFS Option in Mexico?
Spencer Strider

Registers 13 Strikeouts
Hunter Brown

s Records 12 Strikeouts
Emeka Egbuka

"the Talk" of Bucs Minicamp
Royce Lewis

to be Placed on Injured List
Byron Buxton

Exits Early on Saturday
Evander Kane

Drops to Fourth Line Saturday
Kasperi Kapanen

Won't Play on Saturday
Calvin Pickard

Starts Game 5 for Oilers
Jaxson Dart

Working as No. 2 QB During Offseason Workouts
Xavier Gipson

Roster Spot Could be in Jeopardy
Josh Reynolds

the Front-Runner for WR2 Duties
Garrett Wilson

Stock Up This Offseason
Breece Hall

Motivated Going into 2025 Season
Brandon Aiyuk

Making Good Progress From Knee Injury
Keon Coleman

Inconsistent at Minicamp
Mitchell Trubisky

Not a Lock for Backup Job
Dalton Kincaid

Adds Strength and Bulk
James Cook

a Full Participant in Mandatory Minicamp
Tyrese Haliburton

Struggles in Friday's Loss to OKC
Jacob Misiorowski

Expected to Make Next Start
Chet Holmgren

Dominates the Glass in Game 4
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Leads the Way in Game 4
Jalen Williams

Has a Quality Showing on Friday Night
Charlie Morton

Continues Good Work With 10 Strikeouts
James Wood

Homers, Drives in Four
Agustín Ramírez

Agustin Ramirez Homers Twice to Snap Skid
Isaac Paredes

Astros Hopeful Isaac Paredes Can Avoid the Injured List
Royce Lewis

Dealing With Hamstring Strain
Kodai Senga

Diagnosed With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain
Gleyber Torres

Goes Deep Twice on Friday
Jonathan India

Leaves With Apparent Shoulder Injury
Evan Carter

Leaves Early With Wrist Soreness
Anthony Richardson

Should be Fine for Training Camp
Russell Westbrook

to Decline Player Option
Kevin Durant

Trade Could Happen in the "Next Few Days"
A.J. Puk

Pauses Throwing Program
Matt Chapman

Can Begin Rehabbing in a Week
Logan Gilbert

Next Start Could Come in the Big Leagues
Cam Akers

Joining Saints
Yordan Alvarez

Still Not Hitting
Michael Mayer

to Get More Involved
Aaron Rodgers

DK Metcalf Building Chemistry with Aaron Rodgers
Colston Loveland

Likely to be Primary Tight End
Jacob Wilson

Returns on Friday
Justin Martinez

Out 12-13 Months With UCL Sprain
Will Johnson

Returns to Practice
Harold Fannin Jr.

Could Have Big Role in Rookie Season
Quentin Johnston

Still Running With Starters
Rashawn Slater

Takes Part in Minicamp
Jack Bech

Mostly Working With Second-Team Offense
Joaquin Buckley

Set For Main Event
Kamaru Usman

An Underdog At UFC Atlanta
Miranda Maverick

Set For Co-Main Event
Rose Namajunas

Looks To Bounce Back
Andre Petroski

Looks To Extend His Win Streak To Four
Edmen Shahbazyan

A Favorite At UFC Atlanta
Raoni Barcelos

Set To Take On Former Champion
Cody Garbrandt

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mansur Abdul-Malik

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Cody Brundage

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Alonzo Menifield

Opens Up UFC Atlanta Main Card
Oumar Sy

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Connor Hellebuyck

Wins Vezina And Hart Trophies
Aleksander Barkov

Records Two Power-Play Assists Thursday
Sam Reinhart

Collects Three Points in Thursday's Loss
Matthew Tkachuk

Notches Three Points in Losing Effort
Calvin Pickard

Joins Exclusive List with Thursday's Win
Mattias Ekholm

Logs Two Assists in Comeback Victory
Leon Draisaitl

Delivers Victory in Overtime Thursday
Myles Turner

Playing Through Illness
Reed Sheppard

Will Play in the NBA Summer League
Kevin Durant

Deal Could Come Sooner Rather Than Later
Dorian Finney-Smith

Undergoes Ankle Surgery
Anze Kopitar

Wins Third Lady Byng Trophy
Sergei Bobrovsky

Heading Out for Win No. 15
John Klingberg

Won't Play in Game 4 Against Panthers
Viktor Arvidsson

Sits Out Game 4 Against Panthers
Stuart Skinner

Remains in Oilers Crease Thursday
Chris Kreider

Ducks Acquire Chris Kreider From Rangers
Jalen Williams

Leads Thunder in Scoring Wednesday
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Settles for 24 Points in Game 3 Loss
Pascal Siakam

Does Everything for Pacers Wednesday Night
Tyrese Haliburton

Gets Close to Triple-Double in Game 3 Win
Bennedict Mathurin

Leads All Scorers with 27 Points Wednesday
Brandin Podziemski

Has Second Offseason Surgery
Cale Makar

Wins His Second Norris Trophy
Lane Hutson

Voted NHL's Best Rookie
CGY

Adam Klapka Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Considered a Game-Time Call Thursday
Jaylen Brown

Undergoes Successful Knee Procedure
Kevin Porter Jr.

Likely to Decline Player Option
Matt McCarty

Comes Off Season-Best Showing at RBC Canadian Open
Justin Thomas

Desperate to Continue Good 2025 Season
Kevin Durant

Knicks Not Looking to Trade for Kevin Durant
Jon Rahm

Seeks Revenge at U.S. Open
Tom Kim

Aiming for Improvement in U.S. Open
PGA

Sungjae Im Expects Solid Performance at Oakmont
Brian Harman

Aims to Rebound From the Memorial
Tony Finau

has Been Up and Down at U.S. Open
Patrick Cantlay

Hoping This is the Year at Oakmont
Akshay Bhatia

Improving in Time for U.S. Open
Xander Schauffele

Primed for Another Major Championship Run
Cameron Young

May Struggle at U.S. Open
Collin Morikawa

Eyeing Third Major Championship Title
Matt Fitzpatrick

Seeks to Avenge Oakmont Collapse
Jordan Spieth

Can Contend at Oakmont
Shane Lowry

a Strong Value Play at U.S. Open
Brooks Koepka

Seeks Another Major Win at Oakmont
Viktor Hovland

Still Can Improve at U.S. Open
Michael Kim

a Boom-or-Bust Value Play at U.S. Open
Russell Henley

Looking to Play the Weekend at Oakmont
Tyrrell Hatton

a Safe Option at U.S. Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Eyeing Third U.S. Open Title
Darius Garland

Kings Targeting Darius Garland
Kevin Durant

Expected to Be Moved Soon
Denny Hamlin

Charges Late to Win at Michigan
Carson Hocevar

Michigan Run is Derailed by A Late-Race Flat Tire
Kyle Larson

Up-and-Down Day Ends With Top-Five Finish at Michigan
Ross Chastain

Quietly Finishes Sixth at Michigan
Corey Perry

Nets Power-Play Goal in Monday's Loss
Chris Buescher

Takes Second Place After William Byron Runs Out of Fuel
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Has a Great Points Day to Build Buffer Over the Playoff Cut Line
Ryan Blaney

Flat Tire Results in Poor Finish for Ryan Blaney
Alex Bowman

Playoffs in Doubt After Stage 2 Crash at Michigan
Sean O'Malley

Submitted For The First Time In His Career
Merab Dvalishvili

Defends Bantamweight Belt At UFC 316
Julianna Peña

Julianna Pena No Longer A Champion
Kayla Harrison

Is The New Champion
Joe Pyfer

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Kelvin Gastelum

Drops Decision
Patchy Mix

Drops Decision In His UFC Debut
Mario Bautista

Extends His Win Streak
Vicente Luque

Submitted At UFC 316
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF