Finding value in best ball contests will carry your team to victory and now is the perfect time to take advantage with mispriced players to help stack your team with high upside at an undervalued average draft position (ADP). Below are five such players you can target.
5 Undervalued Best Ball Players
Amari Cooper (WR – CLE)
Inconsistent and undervalued has been the theme for Amari Cooper for multiple seasons. His volatility can be frustrating but he can provide top-12 production with the potential to hit a hot streak to close out the season in best ball.
The Bad News: Cooper’s production sample size with Deshaun Watson was just five games and there’s still an unknown around Watson’s true pass volume and ceiling.
The Good News: Cooper is the Browns’ clear WR1 and is being drafted outside the top 24 of receivers.
Cooper’s ADP has never been at his actual ceiling but with the emergence of many young receivers, Cooper’s value is extremely high in early 2024 drafts. Cooper is being drafted behind players who are secondary options on their team — like DeVonta Smith and Cooper Kupp — and behind players that have unknown team or quarterback situations like Drake London and Tee Higgins. Cooper offers value, safety and upside.
Chuba Hubbard (RB – CAR)
Chuba Hubbard’s current ADP on Underdog is below multiple running backs tied to committees and free agents with unknown landing spots. Perhaps there’s skepticism around whether Hubbard retains the RB1 role with a new regime in Carolina. Hubbard’s upside was capped in Carolina’s offense, making him a low-ceiling, high-floor back — less than ideal for best ball. Carolina’s offense will improve under Dave Canales, however, and Hubbard’s ceiling will increase.
The Bad News: Given Miles Sanders’ contract, he’s not a cut candidate and should remain on the Panthers’ roster.
The Good News: Hubbard outperformed Sanders in a majority of metrics, including yards per carry, fantasy points per touch, yards after contact, etc.
Sanders may bounce back and earn an increased role but Sanders never truly had an RB1 role within the Panthers’ offense. Hubbard was consistently involved and, at the very least, would have a solid role within a committee. Canales utilized Rachaad White as a workhorse back in Tampa Bay. Despite the difficulty in finding consistent production on the ground, White put up strong receiving work (64 receptions, 549 yards and three touchdowns) that carried his fantasy season. Hubbard offers a similar skillset and could thrive as the RB1 under Canales.
Aaron Jones (RB – GB)
Aaron Jones’ 2023 season was wildly disappointing, finishing as the RB37 in points per reception (PPR) leagues. He dealt with a hamstring injury that caused him to miss six games and limited his snaps when active. It marked the first year Jones finished outside the top 10 in his position since 2018. Many fantasy managers may be concerned age finally caught up with Jones and he’ll struggle again in 2024.
The Bad News: Jones is 29 and while his overall mileage isn’t extreme for his age, it’s possible he reached a cliff.
The Good News: Including the playoffs, Jones finished the season with five straight 100-yard performances on the ground, averaging 20 carries per game.
I view Jones similarly to Keenan Allen‘s 2022 hamstring injury and subsequent 2023 resurgence. Hamstring injuries take out the best of us, old and young. But, much like Allen, Jones performed at an elite level once he was finally healthy. Jones’ current ADP could be a bit lower but with AJ Dillon set to hit free agency and Jones rumored to stay in Green Bay, Jones offers RB1 upside at an RB2 value.
Chase Brown (RB – CIN)
It took nearly the entire season but Chase Brown finally emerged as a complementary back to Joe Mixon, solidifying his role as the direct handcuff with potential standalone value.
The Bad News: While the Bengals may move on, Mixon already showed a willingness to take a pay cut and would likely do so again given the sheer number of backs on the market this year.
The Good News: With Mixon coming off a strong year, Brown’s ADP should remain outside the top 30 of backs and continue to drop as incoming rookies climb the board.
When looking at handcuffs across the league, Brown has the potential to be an elite option in 2024. What separates Brown from the pack is that he is a potential league winner if Mixon were to suffer an injury because Brown offers a three-down skillset that would give him a direct one-for-one replacement in a high-powered offense with a healthy Joe Burrow. Brown would have yardage, touchdowns and receiving work — the holy grail combination. He also offers standalone value alongside Mixon through receiving work.
Rashid Shaheed (WR – NO)
Heading into his third year, Rashid Shaheed is a potential breakout candidate with an ADP well over 100. Shaheed finished as the WR44 overall but had a high ceiling with multiple games over 18 fantasy points. He also showcased reliability downfield. His production was frustrating in redraft with a floor as low as two fantasy points, but in best ball, Shaheed is a strong value pick.
The Bad News: Shaheed has operated as a boom/bust deep threat and hasn’t had a consistent target share.
The Good News: The Saints are in a salary cap nightmare and will likely move on from Michael Thomas, making Shaheed the clear WR2.
Shaheed is capable of handling a higher target share and his 2023 numbers are a bit deceiving. Derek Carr suffered a shoulder injury and struggled to get the ball downfield for several weeks. Michael Thomas was healthy until his injury in Week 10. Shaheed saw nine targets in Thomas’ absence in Week 10 but Shaheed then suffered an injury and missed several games. We’ve yet to see Shaheed’s true role as the second look in the Saints’ offense. The Saints are expected to keep Carr in 2024, so the offense should maintain consistency. Shaheed will have the entire offseason to build on his 2023 production, increase rapport with Carr and thrive in 2024.
More Early 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Prep
- Erickson’s Early Fantasy Football Rankings, Tiers & Notes: QB | WR
- Early Must-Have Running Backs: Feb
- Early Must-Have Wide Receivers: Feb
- Early Must-Have QBs & TEs: Feb
- QB2s w/ Top-5 Upside: Feb
- Players to Avoid
- 3 Early Breakout Candidates
- 6 Early Fantasy Football Draft Sleepers
- Draft Values, Breakouts & Busts: RB
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
For more from Tera, check out his archive and follow her @ItsTeraTime.
