- Harold Fannin Jr. offers potentially strong value as a third-round rookie pick: Fannin’s receiving profile coming out of college is as good as they come, and there could be an opportunity for him after David Njoku’s contract expires after this year.
- Tory Horton offers an encouraging profile to fit in the Seattle Seahawks’ offense: While Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp are likely to dominate targets, Horton has the potential to develop into a starter for an offense in need of a clear outside receiver option.
- Subscribe to PFF+: Get access to player grades, PFF Premium Stats, fantasy football rankings, all of the PFF fantasy draft research tools and more!
Estimated Reading Time: 5 minutes
The true dart throws in dynasty rookie drafts typically come in the third round and beyond in 12-team standard leagues (25th or later). While the hit rate remains low, there are still a select few who emerge every year to become fantasy stars, including Puka Nacua, who made this list in 2023, and Tyrone Tracy in 2024. Each player listed below was, at best, a Round 3 pick in the NFL draft and listed as a third-round pick or later based on Fantasy Pros consensus ADP.
Diving into the best data available at PFF will help identify which players going later in rookie drafts are worth a shot for dynasty rosters.
Click here for more draft tools:
NFL Draft Big Board | Mock Draft Simulator | NCAA Premium Stats
2025 PFF Draft Guide | Mock Draft Hub | Prospect Data Profiles
Draft Position Rankings
TE Harold Fannin Jr., Cleveland Browns
- Fantasy Pros Consensus ADP: 31st overall (TE5)
- NFL Draft Capital: Round 3, 67th overall
As expected, Fannin wasn’t one of the top-four tight ends drafted out of this year’s class, and that’s allowed him to be considered in the third round of dynasty rookie drafts, which is arguably one of the nicest values in the entire class when considering the elite receiving profile coming out of college. Fannin led the entire FBS in receiving production this past year, posting 1,555 receiving yards and an incredible 96.4 receiving grade on 3.77 yards per route run. As fantasy managers, it doesn’t make sense not to bet on that upside, especially at this point in drafts, regardless of the situation he’s landed in.
The Browns offense still has a lot of question marks in terms of who is going to be throwing the ball this coming season, and with David Njoku the clear TE1 for the team, it’s understandable that not everyone is going to love this landing spot. However, situations often change quickly in the NFL, whether year-to-year or week-to-week, so it’s important not to overvalue Year 1 situations too much in dynasty leagues. Helping Fannin’s case is that Njoku’s contract expires at the end of this coming season, which could allow Fannin to step into a much larger role in Year 2 of his NFL career when he’ll be just 22 years old.
WR Tory Horton, Seattle Seahawks
- Fantasy Pros Consensus ADP: 41st overall (WR15)
- NFL Draft Capital: Round 5, 166th overall
The Seahawks have two very capable slot-centric wide receivers in Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp, and while both players will likely have to spend some time outside to make room for the other, this offense needs a quality full-time outside wide receiver. While Horton was only a fifth-round pick, and there will be room for the team to upgrade there at some point if he doesn’t hit the ground running, he has a shot to earn that role as a rookie when looking at his college production profile.
Horton entered 2024 having already posted two seasons of over 1,100 yards but missed much of this past season with an injury, despite being on pace to set a new career-high in yards per route run. Horton was able to partake in the NFL combine, even running a 4.41-second 40-yard dash and seemingly putting aside the injury concerns. Horton found a lot of college success against single coverage, which will help at the next level when considering the attention that Smith-Njigba and Kupp are likely to draw. Horton’s primary competition on the outside is Marquez Valdes-Scantling, who continues to get chances and fails to impress, which wouldn’t be a surprise to continue in 2024, opening up an opportunity for the rookie to emerge as a starting option in three-wide receiver sets.
RB Tahj Brooks, Cincinnati Bengals
- Fantasy Pros Consensus ADP: 44th overall (RB17)
- NFL Draft Capital: Round 6, 193rd overall
While Chase Brown can be considered a major winner coming out of this year’s draft after the Bengals were one of the teams rumored to be interested in running back relatively early, the team chose to wait until the sixth round, which was great news for Brown’s lead back potential again in 2025. That being said, there was a need for the Bengals to add some help because Samaje Perine and Zack Moss are uninspiring backups on the depth chart right now, which should allow Brooks to carve out a role as a backup, and potential handcuff, to Brown in 2025.
Brooks does not offer much receiving upside coming out of college, though he’s been incredibly productive as a runner these past two seasons at Texas Tech, delivering over 1,500 rushing yards in back-to-back seasons. Interestingly, his college profile isn’t all that different from Brown, and while Brown offered a little more receiving potential, he was also a Day 3 pick with over 1,000 rushing yards in his final college season, almost identical in size, and now lands in the same backfield. The “sleeper value” with Brooks is almost entirely based on his handcuff potential for Brown at this point, which is at least a shorter path to being a starter than most Day 3 backs.
WR Dont’e Thornton Jr., Las Vegas Raiders
- Fantasy Pros Consensus ADP: 54th overall (WR19)
- NFL Draft Capital: Round 4, 108th overall
Thornton’s time at Tennessee didn’t result in a ton of production, though that passing offense was unremarkable in terms of production and when given an opportunity, Thornton was about as efficient as we’d hope to see coming out of college. Thornton set a new career-high 3.72 yards per route run in 2024, which is a 93rd percentile mark for best season YPRR among wide receiver prospects since 2018. Thornton also posted the best yards per route run total against single coverage for his career (6.68) among all prospects since 2018, albeit on a very small sample of just 36 targets.
Thornton is a gamble in that he’s a Day 3 pick who has flashed on a very small sample size, but there might not be a better spot for him to gain some opportunity than with the Raiders, considering their receiver options coming out of the draft. Jack Bech got the better capital, so he’ll get the first swing at a starting role, though if Thornton’s elite size and speed combo translates to the next level, he could emerge as a consistent deep threat in Year 1 with the potential to grow his role as the years go on.
TE Oronde Gadsden II, Los Angeles Chargers
- Fantasy Pros Consensus ADP: 52nd overall (TE8)
- NFL Draft Capital: Round 5, 165th overall
The Chargers’ tight end room needs a viable receiving threat to emerge as a consistent weapon for Justin Herbert to rely on, and while they brought in Tyler Conklin and Will Dissly is still on the team, neither is necessarily scary enough to keep Gadsden buried on the depth chart for long, considering his receiving potential. Gadsden missed most of the 2023 season but posted over 900 receiving yards for Syracuse in both 2022 and 2024, leading the team in receiving grade (82.6) this past year.
For his career, Gadsden has been a strong target-earner and efficient with his opportunities, earning an 85th percentile career yards per route run total (2.04) for the position. Gadsden was specifically effective working in more of a receiver role, earning 2.08 yards per route run (92nd percentile) out of the slot, and 2.42 yards per route run (88th percentile) lined up wide. The area where Gadsden will likely require time to get on the field ahead of Conklin and Dissly is as an in-line traditional role, and as a blocker, which wasn’t a clear strength for him and considering no team ran fewer offensive snaps out of 12-personnel (one running back, two tight ends) than the Chargers, so Gadsden will require patience for if/when he becomes fantasy relevant, but he at least offers the receiving profile to make him a more desirable dart throw at the position late in rookie drafts.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
NHL Draft Lottery another reminder Canucks need more than luck to get back on track
This Vancouver Canucks offseason has been defined by uncertainty to this point.This is a club that’s found itself in a lengthy, bizarre stalemate with its top prospect over a meagre amount of bonus money.A franchise that’s already dealt with a credible round of speculation about the stability of the ownership group, which the club refuted while clarifying that longtime governor Paolo Aquilini had resigned from his ownership duties.A team that offered its hand-picked, Jack Adams Trophy-winning head coach the moon and more on a long-term extension, only for the coach to decide to walk anyway.From the reliability of the Canucks’ star centre to the availability of their star goaltender to the future of the team’s captain, just about everything seems to be up in the air these days.And that’s before Canucks fans logged onto the social media site X on […]
First World Cup 2026 tickets on sale as hospitality packages released, $73,200 top price
The first ticketing packages for next summer’s men’s World Cup went on sale on Tuesday, with the release of a collection of high-end hospitality options. The initial release was limited to certain hospitality offerings involving several games packaged together, starting at $5300 per person and climbing to an eye-popping $73,200.Regular tickets are expected to go on sale later this year, with prices yet to be fully detailed. When the United Bid was presented by the U.S., Canada and Mexico as part of its co-hosting application, the bid document stressed that its projection of $1.8 billion in ticket sales was conservative, and estimated that group game ticket prices would average $305.Tuesday’s release was specifically targeted towards the hospitality sector, in conjunction with OnLocation, FIFA’s hospitality partner. The first phase was limited to U.S. venues and included three types of packages.The U.S. […]
Auch Klopp spielt eine Rolle – Millionen-Bedrohung für PSG
Kaum zu glauben: Das letzte Mal, dass es in Paris ein Fußball-Derby in der höchsten Spielklasse gab, war am 25. Februar 1990. Damals trafen in der Division 1, wie die Ligue 1 bis 2002 noch hieß, Paris Saint-Germain und Racing Paris im Prinzenpark aufeinander. Das kleine Racing, bei dem von 1986 bis 1987 sogar der spätere Weltmeister Pierre Littbarski (65) ein kurzes Gastspiel gab (34 Spiele, 4 Tore), siegte 2:1, stieg am Saisonende aber in die 2. Liga ab und ist aktuell nur noch fünftklassig.Lesen Sie auch<!-->[-->Seitdem gab es neben PSG keinen zweiten Pariser Klub mehr im französischen Fußball-Oberhaus. Bis jetzt! Am vergangenen Freitag sicherte sich der FC Paris dank eines 1:1 gegen FC Martigues vorzeitig den Aufstieg in die Ligue 1. Zum ersten Mal in diesem Jahrhundert hat PSG also wieder Konkurrenz in der Stadt. Und die hat einiges […]
Vini Jr. estreia no Festival de Cannes como produtor de filme com temática antirracista
Atual melhor do mundo eleito pela Fifa The Best, Vini Jr. terá outra prestigiada cerimônia para comparecer em breve. De 13 a 24 de maio, o longa infantil "Clarice Vê Estrelas", produzido pelo jogador em parceria com Bruno Gagliasso e dirigido por Letícia Pires, será exibido no Marché du Film, evento de negócios do Festival de Cinema de Cannes. Botafogo: Muros do Nilton Santos são pichados com críticas a Renato Paiva e John TextorSensação da F1: Piastri dormia com 'contos de carros' e foi parar no automobilismo 'por causa da chuva'; conheça Vini Jr. entrou no projeto através de um convite de Gagliasso, por seu posicionamento "na linha de frente no combate ao racismo". Em entrevista ao gshow, o ator contou que o jogador "ficou super interessado em apoiar esse projeto artístico que é um recurso totalmente lúdico contra o […]
Notre Dame, Clemson announce 12-game football series as part of adjusted ACC schedule
Notre Dame football has a new rival, although it’s one that’s been building for the past decade.On Tuesday, Notre Dame and Clemson announced a 12-game home-and-home series beginning in 2027 and running through the 2038 season. Considering the two schools were already scheduled to play five times during that window, the announcement means seven additional games between the Irish and Tigers, which represents a scheduling counterweight for both programs as the Big Ten and SEC discuss an intra-conference scheduling agreement and the SEC considers moving to a nine-game conference schedule.AdvertisementThose potential changes in the 12-team College Football Playoff world meant Notre Dame and Clemson prioritized more marquee matchups, or at least a re-imagination of how the ACC’s five-game agreement with Notre Dame was adjudicated. The Clemson games will all count toward the five-games-per-year average for Notre Dame with the ACC, […]
2015 noch Lachnummer – Das Geheimnis hinter der Dominanz von McLaren
Wer in dieser Saison ins Fahrerlager der Formel 1 kommt, läuft als Erstes am Motorhome von McLaren vorbei. Die Anordnung orientiert sich an der Konstrukteurs-WM des letzten Jahres – der Gewinner steht ganz vorne.Daran wird sich wohl auch 2026 nichts ändern. Zu dominant sind die Engländer aktuell unterwegs. Am Sonntag gewann Oscar Piastri (24) in Miami vor seinem Team-Kollegen Lando Norris (25). Es war der fünfte Sieg der „Papayas“ (Farbe der Autos wie die der Frucht) im sechsten Rennen.Lesen Sie auch<!-->[-->Da war nicht immer so. Nach den acht Konstrukteurs-Titeln bis 1998 und dem letzten Fahrer-Titel 2008 (Hamilton) folgte der gnadenlose Absturz. 2015 landete McLaren auf dem vorletzten Platz der Teams, nur noch unterboten von Pleite-Rennstall Marussia. Tiefpunkt war ein verzweifelter Motorentausch beim Rennen in Belgien, der den beiden Fahrern Alonso und Button eine Strafe von 105 (!) Startplätzen einbrachte. Zwei […]
Related
NHL Draft Lottery another reminder Canucks need more than luck to get back on track
This Vancouver Canucks offseason has been defined by uncertainty to this point.This is a club that’s found itself in a lengthy, bizarre stalemate with its top prospect over a meagre amount of bonus money.A franchise that’s already dealt with a credible round of speculation about the stability of the ownership group, which the club refuted while clarifying that longtime governor Paolo Aquilini had resigned from his ownership duties.A team that offered its hand-picked, Jack Adams Trophy-winning head coach the moon and more on a long-term extension, only for the coach to decide to walk anyway.From the reliability of the Canucks’ star centre to the availability of their star goaltender to the future of the team’s captain, just about everything seems to be up in the air these days.And that’s before Canucks fans logged onto the social media site X on […]
First World Cup 2026 tickets on sale as hospitality packages released, $73,200 top price
The first ticketing packages for next summer’s men’s World Cup went on sale on Tuesday, with the release of a collection of high-end hospitality options. The initial release was limited to certain hospitality offerings involving several games packaged together, starting at $5300 per person and climbing to an eye-popping $73,200.Regular tickets are expected to go on sale later this year, with prices yet to be fully detailed. When the United Bid was presented by the U.S., Canada and Mexico as part of its co-hosting application, the bid document stressed that its projection of $1.8 billion in ticket sales was conservative, and estimated that group game ticket prices would average $305.Tuesday’s release was specifically targeted towards the hospitality sector, in conjunction with OnLocation, FIFA’s hospitality partner. The first phase was limited to U.S. venues and included three types of packages.The U.S. […]
Auch Klopp spielt eine Rolle – Millionen-Bedrohung für PSG
Kaum zu glauben: Das letzte Mal, dass es in Paris ein Fußball-Derby in der höchsten Spielklasse gab, war am 25. Februar 1990. Damals trafen in der Division 1, wie die Ligue 1 bis 2002 noch hieß, Paris Saint-Germain und Racing Paris im Prinzenpark aufeinander. Das kleine Racing, bei dem von 1986 bis 1987 sogar der spätere Weltmeister Pierre Littbarski (65) ein kurzes Gastspiel gab (34 Spiele, 4 Tore), siegte 2:1, stieg am Saisonende aber in die 2. Liga ab und ist aktuell nur noch fünftklassig.Lesen Sie auch<!-->[-->Seitdem gab es neben PSG keinen zweiten Pariser Klub mehr im französischen Fußball-Oberhaus. Bis jetzt! Am vergangenen Freitag sicherte sich der FC Paris dank eines 1:1 gegen FC Martigues vorzeitig den Aufstieg in die Ligue 1. Zum ersten Mal in diesem Jahrhundert hat PSG also wieder Konkurrenz in der Stadt. Und die hat einiges […]
Vini Jr. estreia no Festival de Cannes como produtor de filme com temática antirracista
Atual melhor do mundo eleito pela Fifa The Best, Vini Jr. terá outra prestigiada cerimônia para comparecer em breve. De 13 a 24 de maio, o longa infantil "Clarice Vê Estrelas", produzido pelo jogador em parceria com Bruno Gagliasso e dirigido por Letícia Pires, será exibido no Marché du Film, evento de negócios do Festival de Cinema de Cannes. Botafogo: Muros do Nilton Santos são pichados com críticas a Renato Paiva e John TextorSensação da F1: Piastri dormia com 'contos de carros' e foi parar no automobilismo 'por causa da chuva'; conheça Vini Jr. entrou no projeto através de um convite de Gagliasso, por seu posicionamento "na linha de frente no combate ao racismo". Em entrevista ao gshow, o ator contou que o jogador "ficou super interessado em apoiar esse projeto artístico que é um recurso totalmente lúdico contra o […]
Notre Dame, Clemson announce 12-game football series as part of adjusted ACC schedule
Notre Dame football has a new rival, although it’s one that’s been building for the past decade.On Tuesday, Notre Dame and Clemson announced a 12-game home-and-home series beginning in 2027 and running through the 2038 season. Considering the two schools were already scheduled to play five times during that window, the announcement means seven additional games between the Irish and Tigers, which represents a scheduling counterweight for both programs as the Big Ten and SEC discuss an intra-conference scheduling agreement and the SEC considers moving to a nine-game conference schedule.AdvertisementThose potential changes in the 12-team College Football Playoff world meant Notre Dame and Clemson prioritized more marquee matchups, or at least a re-imagination of how the ACC’s five-game agreement with Notre Dame was adjudicated. The Clemson games will all count toward the five-games-per-year average for Notre Dame with the ACC, […]
2015 noch Lachnummer – Das Geheimnis hinter der Dominanz von McLaren
Wer in dieser Saison ins Fahrerlager der Formel 1 kommt, läuft als Erstes am Motorhome von McLaren vorbei. Die Anordnung orientiert sich an der Konstrukteurs-WM des letzten Jahres – der Gewinner steht ganz vorne.Daran wird sich wohl auch 2026 nichts ändern. Zu dominant sind die Engländer aktuell unterwegs. Am Sonntag gewann Oscar Piastri (24) in Miami vor seinem Team-Kollegen Lando Norris (25). Es war der fünfte Sieg der „Papayas“ (Farbe der Autos wie die der Frucht) im sechsten Rennen.Lesen Sie auch<!-->[-->Da war nicht immer so. Nach den acht Konstrukteurs-Titeln bis 1998 und dem letzten Fahrer-Titel 2008 (Hamilton) folgte der gnadenlose Absturz. 2015 landete McLaren auf dem vorletzten Platz der Teams, nur noch unterboten von Pleite-Rennstall Marussia. Tiefpunkt war ein verzweifelter Motorentausch beim Rennen in Belgien, der den beiden Fahrern Alonso und Button eine Strafe von 105 (!) Startplätzen einbrachte. Zwei […]
Be the first to leave a comment