While fantasy owners make look for upside and risk/reward options in the later rounds, it's important to hit on those mid-round picks. This piece analyzes five reliable options likely to come off the board in rounds 6-10.

All five have a history of solid production, and remain in encouraging situations that should allow for continued success.

Interestingly enough, you may see some of these same players listed as busts or overvalued elsewhere, but in my opinion these players are well worth their ADP.

• 2025 fantasy football rankings (redraft)
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• 2025 NFL rookie fantasy football rankings
• Best ball fantasy football rankings
• Quarterback fantasy football rankings
• Running back fantasy football rankings
• Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
• Tight end fantasy football rankings

Mid-Round Draft Targets for 2017

Derek Carr, QB, Oakland Raiders

Before a Week 16 knee injury cut his 2016 campaign short, Carr was firmly entrenched in the MVP race. He finished his third NFL season with 3,937 yards passing on 7.03 yards per attempt, 28 touchdowns and just six interceptions. The former second round pick averaged more fantasy points than Russell Wilson, Cam Newton, Dak Prescott, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, all of whom are being drafted at least in the same range, if not earlier. Despite a tough schedule, Carr has the talent and weapons to continue to produce at a high level. The addition of tight end Jared Cook will provide him with a more stable option over the middle, and newcomer Marshawn Lynch should help take some of the pressure off the passing game. Carr could very well finish the season as a top-five signal caller, as well as the most highly-owned quarterback on championship teams.

Duke Johnson Jr., RB, Cleveland Browns

Largely overshadowed in the run game by Isaiah Crowell, Johnson still projects to play a large role in Cleveland’s passing attack. Last year, he finished sixth among running backs in receptions and fourth in yards receiving, providing value despite finding the end zone just one time all season. Plus, while he only saw 73 rushing attempts, the 23-year-old managed 4.9 yards per attempt to Crowell’s 4.8. The Browns bolstered the offensive line this offseason, and now boast one of the strongest units in the league, which should allow for improvements across the entire offense. Johnson is more than worthy of a mid-round selection in PPR (or even 0.5 PPR) formats.

Eric Decker, WR, Tennessee Titans

Decker had managed at least 900 yards in four consecutive seasons before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 3 of 2016. He has caught a touchdown in 14 of his last 18 games played since the start of the 2015 season, and all of those scores came from Geno Smith or Ryan Fitzpatrick. Now with the Titans, the 30-year-old wideout will be catching passes from Marcus Mariota, an athletic, young QB with a strong arm. Tennessee’s top receiver last year was Rishard Matthews, so Decker could slide into the top spot immediately. In a wide receiver player pool that is comprised of many consistent, safe options, Decker is as reliable as they come. He is deserving of a draft pick somewhere in rounds 7-9.

Brandon Marshall, WR, New York Giants

Decker’s former teammate with the Jets is also set for a major boost in quarterback play, as Marshall switched leagues but remained in the same state to play with Eli Manning and company. Odell Beckham Jr. will of course garner the most targets this year, but he will also attract the strongest coverage, allowing the 33-year-old Marshall to consistently draw opposing teams’ No. 2 cornerbacks for the first time since he started out in Denver more than a decade ago. Despite a down season in terms of production in 2016, the six-time Pro Bowler had accumulated at least 1,200 yards and double-digit touchdowns in three of the previous four years. Marshall would be an excellent WR3 on any fantasy team this season.

Kyle Rudolph, TE, Minnesota Vikings

Widely — if not entirely — drafted outside the top 12 tight ends, Rudolph finished the 2016 season in the top three, alongside Travis Kelce and Greg Olsen. The 27-year-old led all tight ends with 132 targets, and amassed the second-most red zone targets in all of football— behind only Jordy Nelson. In 15 games with Sam Bradford under center, Rudolph averaged 51.7 yards with seven total touchdowns, seeing double-digit targets six times. Rudolph should remain Bradford’s security blanket in 2017, meaning the veteran tight end could be in for another solid fantasy season. He currently sits at TE7, and while his upside is somewhat limited, fantasy owners can expect the six-year veteran to hit value at his ADP.

More ADP Values & Draft Analysis