You are faced with plenty of decisions in your fantasy football draft. It would be best if you decided when to plunge on a quarterback or tight end. Also, how soon do you take your favorite sleepers? That’s what makes fantasy football so much fun and exciting.
As you complete your roster, you fill out your final spots with sleeper options or dart throw picks. You hope and pray that you hit the fantasy lotto on these players being drafted with a 350 average draft position (ADP) or higher.
Here are the seven lucky players you should target with your last draft pick in your deeper 2023 fantasy football drafts.
- Snake Draft Pick Strategy: Early | Middle | Late
- Draft Targets for Every Round: Early | Middle | Late
- Fitz’s Draft Primers: QB | RB | WR | TE
- 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Kit
Who to Target with Your Last Draft Pick (2023 Fantasy Football)
Aidan O’Connell (WR – LV)
.@Raiders rookie QB Aidan O'Connell has looked sharp all #NFLPreseason ? pic.twitter.com/QAjkxJDYeS
— NFL (@NFL) August 22, 2023
Aidan O’Connell is one of the biggest winners of the preseason. He completed over 71% of his passes while throwing for 462 yards and three touchdowns. More importantly, the former Boilermaker did not throw an interception. The oft-injured Jimmy Garappolo will be the Raiders’ Week 1 starter, but O’Connell looks ready to step in and seems to have already overtaken Brian Hoyer for the backup job. Stashing O’Connell in a deep Superflex league could pay huge dividends.
Jordan Mason (RB – SF)
The 49ers running back duo Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell are not exactly the picture of health, leaving Jordan Mason a path to fantasy relevance. Mitchell missed all but five games last season, and Mason stepped up and averaged six yards per rush attempt. Mason put together a solid rookie season and looks to secure a role in a 49ers offense that features the running game.
Unreliable commodities in the 49ers backfield lend themselves to looking more profound in the running back depth chart, highlighting Mason, who has the inside track and the trust of head coach Kyle Shanahan. It’s a dart throw pick, but it could be a winning combo for your fantasy roster.
Isaiah Spiller (RB – LAC)
Isaiah Spiller with a nice first down run! pic.twitter.com/LSGNfV8ANS
— Dynasty Nerds (@DynastyNerds) August 21, 2023
The reality is that Austin Ekeler is THE MAN with the Chargers, but he can not take all of the running back carries. Everyone has seen the highlights of Joshua Kelley breaking a few long runs, but let’s pump the brakes on Kelley. Kelley has split touches with 2022 draft pick Isaiah Spiller as they compete for the backup role to Ekeler. Spiller missed much of last season due to injuries, so we have not seen what he can do.
However, Spiller is the more talented back, with a solid ability to break tackles. The new offensive coordinator, Kellen Moore, loves to utilize multiple backs in his offense. Kelley also has a vital role on special teams, leaving Spiller plenty of work to make a significant impact in the high-powered Chargers offense.
Trey Palmer (WR – TB)
Trey Palmer:
2 preseason TDs
Russell Gage out for the season#GoBucs
— Yards Per Fantasy (@YardsPer) August 20, 2023
The rookie wide receiver is turning heads this preseason. With the No. 3 wideout Russell Gage (knee) lost for the season, the door is wide open for Trey Palmer to take over the third receiver job in Tampa Bay. Palmer scored touchdowns in his first two preseason games and continues to see work on punt and kickoff returns. With defenses focusing on Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, Palmer has earned a role in the Bucs offense and a spot as one of the final picks in your fantasy drafts.
Josh Reynolds (WR – DET)
Jared Goff ? Josh Reynolds
(?via @Lions) pic.twitter.com/bOVgzYdPeD
— PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) August 17, 2023
The Detroit Lions hope their veteran wideouts can bridge the gap until sophomore Jameson Williams returns from his six-game suspension. The Lions signed Marvin Jones in free agency and resigned Kalif Raymond and Josh Reynolds to complement stud wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown. Reynolds has familiarity with quarterback Jared Goff from their time with the Los Angeles Rams, so he has the inside track into stepping into a direct role in the Lions offense. Reynolds will not produce gaudy fantasy numbers for your fantasy team, but he is a sneaky option as a capable bye-week fill-in fantasy producer.
Cedric Tillman (WR – CLE)
Cedric Tillman?#DawgPound
— Yards Per Fantasy (@YardsPer) August 18, 2023
The Cleveland Browns offense should improve from last season’s No. 14 ranked offense. Deshaun Watson will not be walking off the street to go behind the center. Watson will have an entire training camp to grasp the offense and develop chemistry with his weapons. One of the new weapons on this offense is fourth-round pick Cedric Tillman.
Tillman is currently fourth on the WR depth chart but has looked good this preseason. He should be able to climb over Donovan People-Jones and establish himself as the WR3 this season. Tillman can provide another big-bodied weapon that can take advantage of size mismatches and a sneaky option to produce five to seven touchdowns for the Browns and fantasy managers this season.
Adam Trautman (TE – DEN)
Adam Trautman – 1st and 2nd downs and 2 TE sets
Greg Dulcich – 3rd downs and 2 TE sets pic.twitter.com/QlaeeVEdUg— Nathan Jahnke (@PFF_NateJahnke) August 12, 2023
Adan Trautman was traded to the Denver Broncos from the New Orleans Saints this offseason to reunite with his former coach, Sean Payton. The initial depth chart lists Adam Trautman as the Broncos TE1, which is surprising, with Greg Dulcich showing flashes as a rookie. Trautman spent three seasons with Payton in New Orleans and knows his offensive system. Trautman has been on the field more often during the preseason. This development is worth monitoring, and grabbing Trautman as a dart throw final pick in your draft could play shocking dividends.
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Dennis Sosic is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Dennis, check out his archive and follow him @CALL_ME_SOS.
