Best Ball Draft Strategy – Best Late-Round Draft Picks

Mastering your Best Ball draft strategy is crucial for success. In this guide, we reveal the best late-round draft picks to help you build a strong, competitive team. Whether you’re a hardcore fantasy football fan or looking for a new format, these picks are sure to help you this year, regardless of the format.

Discover top sleeper picks and expert tips to enhance your roster and outshine the competition. Dive in and dominate your Best Ball league with our proven strategies!

Top Late-Round Picks to Boost Your Best Ball Draft Strategy

The 2024 NFL regular season is still several weeks away. However, the Scott Fish Bowl is underway, meaning training camp is nearly here. While it’s too early to have a redraft league draft, it’s the perfect time for best ball leagues.

There are several significant differences between redraft and best ball leagues that impact how fantasy players should approach their drafts. However, finding late-round values is critical regardless of league type. Let’s look at seven of my favorite best ball sleepers to draft in the double-digit rounds.

ADP via Underdog Fantasy

Jared Goff (QB, Lions): ADP 127.5 | QB16

Goff is one of my favorite quarterbacks to draft if I’m not paying up for a big-name player in the early rounds. The former No. 1 overall pick was the QB7 in 2023, averaging 17 fantasy points per game. He had 30 passing touchdowns last year, the second-most of his career. While the Lions thought Ben Johnson would leave this offseason, he returned as the team’s offensive coordinator. Therefore, Detroit’s offense should be an elite unit again this season.

Meanwhile, the veteran is outstanding when he plays in a door. Unfortunately, Goff has struggled when playing outdoors. Last season, the former No. 1 overall pick averaged 2.1 passing touchdowns and 19.9 fantasy points per game in 12 contests in a dome. By comparison, he averaged one passing touchdown and 13.3 fantasy points per game in the five contests outside. Thankfully, Goff plays only three games outdoors this year.

Nick Chubb (RB, Browns): ADP 140.7 | RB44

My opinion on Chubb has changed from the start of the offseason to today. The veteran running back is coming off a gruesome knee injury, putting his status for Week 1 in question. However, there is hope that he could be ready to play opening weekend, making him a steal at his current ADP. More importantly, the Browns didn’t make any significant additions to their backfield in free agency.

The team added D’Onta Foreman and Nyheim Hines while letting Kareem Hunt walk this offseason. Jerome Ford returns, but he struggled as a runner last year. Meanwhile, Chubb averaged 6.1 yards per rushing attempt and a 57% missed forced tackle rate before getting hurt last season (per Fantasy Points Data). While fantasy players likely can’t start him until October, the star running could be a league-winner if you can get him at his current ADP in best ball draft.

Jaleel McLaughlin (RB, Broncos): ADP 153.7 | RB48

While the Broncos’ have a wide-open competition in the backfield, McLaughlin is the guy I want on all my best ball teams. The former Youngstown State star was impressive as an undrafted free-agent rookie, averaging 11.8 half-point PPR fantasy points per game and 6.9 yards per rushing attempt in the four contests with at least seven attempts. Furthermore, he was one of the most explosive running backs in the NFL.

McLaughlin had the 12th-best explosive run rate among running backs with at least 75 rushing attempts in 2023 (per Fantasy Points Data). Furthermore, the second-year player led the Broncos in missed forced tackle rate per rushing attempt (29%) and yards after contact per attempt (3.49). Don’t be surprised if Sean Payton views him as his next Alvin Kamara and gives him a massive workload, especially in the passing game.

Darnell Mooney (WR, Falcons): ADP 147.7 | WR68

Some were surprised to see the Falcons give Mooney a massive contract in free agency this offseason. The veteran wide receiver was an afterthought on an inconsistent Chicago Bears passing attack last year, averaging only 4.2 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Yet, there is hope for him in Atlanta after the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins this offseason.

The veteran quarterback has been outstanding for his wide receivers’ fantasy value. He has produced two top-12 wide receivers in the same season twice during his time with the Minnesota Vikings (2018 and 2020). While Mooney won’t be a WR1, the veteran is a capable receiver, putting up a 1,000-yard receiving season in his career. He is underrated as the WR68 in the ADP.

Wan’Dale Robinson (WR, Giants): ADP 167.3 | WR74

After weeks of speculation, Darren Waller announced his retirement from the NFL. Robinson is the biggest beneficiary from Waller’s retirement. Daniel Jones loves to target the middle part of the field, which will help the slot receiver. Robinson had a 26% target per route run rate and a 20.2% first-read target share in the five games he played with Jones last year (per Fantasy Points Data).

Furthermore, the former Kentucky star had six or more targets in 45% of his games last season. He should be the clear-cut No. 2 receiving option behind Malik Nabers, as the Giants have an awful receiving core. Robinson will be over a year removed from a torn ACL this upcoming season. Don’t be surprised if he has a third-year breakout performance.

Javon Baker (NE): ADP 196.1 | WR83

New England had the worst wide receiver core in the NFL last year. Thankfully, they used a pair of mid-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft at the wide receiver position. While Ja’Lynn Polk was a second-round pick, Baker is the Patriots’ rookie fantasy players want on their roster. He had over 1,100 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in his final year at UCF.

Fantasy players have recently seen NFL Draft Day 3 picks turn into fantasy stars as rookies, including Puka Nacua and Amon-Ra St. Brown. Meanwhile, Baker had the 11th-high PFF receiving grade in the draft class last year and posted a higher yards per route run average than top-10 pick Rome Odunze (3.21 vs. 2.93). The fourth-round rookie receiver could quickly turn into the go-to target for Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye early in the season.

Pat Freiermuth (PIT): ADP 133.9 | TE14

Last year was one to forget for Freiermuth and fantasy players with him on their team. The third-year player was a popular mid-round tight end draft pick. However, he missed five games and struggled when playing. Freiermuth averaged only 5.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, a career low. The tight end saw his targets (36.1%) and receiving yards per game (43.9%) significantly drop from 2022 to last season. Pittsburgh’s offense struggled to get the passing game going regardless of who called the plays.

While many hate seeing Arthur Smith get another chance in the NFL, his hiring is excellent news for Freiermuth. Fantasy players have seen the tight end be productive when given the target volume and red zone opportunities. Last year, the Atlanta Falcons tight ends averaged a 31.7% overall target share and a 29.3% red zone target share. With Diontae Johnson in Carolina, Freiermuth could see the volume needed for a breakout season in the final season of his rookie contract.

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