Time to hop in the way back machine to travel to a land where PPR doesn’t exist – Standard Leagues. I jest, but it seems these days that because everyone likes higher scores, the standard, non-PPR league gets tossed to the side. Not today my friends. We’ll take a look at seven players that could come at a value in your standard league draft. In total, there are approximately 11 rounds of value already built into these seven players. Just so we’re on the same page, I used FantasyPros ADP and projections, which incorporates five sources – ESPN, CBS Sports, numberFire, NFL.com, and FFToday.
Derrick Henry (RB, Tennessee Titans, ADP #35.8)
Ah, yes, the poster-child for standard leagues everywhere, Derrick Henry. Henry comes in as RB14 in terms of projections, but drafters are taking him as just the 19th running back off the board. Has he burned this many of you?? <reapplies salve to burn wounds> Henry gave us a glimpse of his true potential during the fantasy playoffs last year, putting up 492 yards and seven touchdowns on 71 carries. As the last pick in the third round, he feels like a bargain in standard leagues.
Chris Carson (RB, Seattle Seahawks, ADP #49.0)
After finishing as RB11 in 2018, Chris Carson is doing his best Rodney Dangerfield impression while being drafted as the 24th back off the board. Carson comes in 17th in projected fantasy points but is slipping about a full round from where RB17 is being drafted. Maybe this is due to Rashaad Penny‘s performance late last year, but Michael-Shawn Dugar of TheAthletic.com reported, “Carson continues to look like the best running back on the roster.” Getting a top 24 back, with this kind of upside at the top of the fifth round seems like a steal.
Sammy Watkins (WR, Kansas City Chiefs, ADP #82.8)
I have to be upfront, despite this being a value and fitting the process, I’m not really sure if I’m on-board. Sammy Watkins is projected as WR27, which is being drafted about one round earlier than where Watkins has been going at WR32. However, despite being in a prolific offense, I’m skeptical as to how large of a workload he’ll see. Watkins will most likely be at best the fourth mouth to feed, behind Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, and Damien Williams, which limits his upside. If you were to tell me he’s playing with a quarterback who can throw for 50 touchdowns in a season, then perhaps I can see his upside.
Peyton Barber (RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, ADP #117.4)
Peyton Barber is the most unsexy pick of all time, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t come with some value. Barber is projected as the RB32 but is currently coming off draft boards as the RB42. Currently, the RB32 coming off draft boards is Miles Sanders, who has an ADP of 81.0, giving Barber three rounds of value. Just how bad is Tampa Bay’s offensive line? Well, you can get both running backs (Ronald Jones, II) of this committee for a 10th and 11th round pick, which honestly isn’t the worst strategy ever.
Curtis Samuel (WR, Carolina Panthers, ADP #129.2)
While everyone is transfixed on the shiny, new toy, D.J. Moore, I’m over here being the lone hype-man for Curtis Samuel. Drafters have been taking Samuel as WR46, despite him being projected as WR39 and thus far, the news out of camp has been nothing but positives for the third-year wideout. PlayerProfiler compares Samuel to Randall Cobb and with Samuel’s 4.31 speed and improved route running, the comparison seems accurate. In the 12 weeks that Curtis Samuel was active in 2018, he managed to find the endzone seven times. With even just a small step forward, Samuel easily pays off this draft price.
DeSean Jackson, WR (Philadelphia Eagles, ADP #140.2)
Reunited and it feels so good! Eagles fans have to be excited for DeSean Jackson to be back home. Jackson provides a legit deep threat and those chunk-plays make up for the lack of targets. Jackson is projected as WR42 but is coming off the board as WR50. For perspective, WR42 according to ADP is D.K. Metcalf at 118.6, so getting a two-round discount on DeSean is a nice value to add.
Adrian Peterson, RB (Washington Redskins, ADP #141.6)
Old Man River is back again and costs literally nothing. Adrian Peterson is being drafted in the 12th round of drafts as RB53, despite being projected as RB43. Is the Redskin offense going to be bad? Yes, it is. But currently, Peterson’s main competition is Derrius Guice who hasn’t been able to stay healthy, making Peterson an easy value pick in what seems like his age-39 season.
(Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire)