Gauging the success of a rookie in fantasy football can sometimes be a difficult task outside of some obvious examples of those bound to do well. Still, when we look over the average draft position (ADP) data here at FantasyPros, some things stand out.
Yes, we know these fantasy football rookies haven’t officially played in the NFL yet, but there are situations you can evaluate and make an educated guess about how things might play out.
Below, we have four fantasy football rookies who are undervalued right now.
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Fantasy Football Draft Values
Here are a few fantasy football rookies that present value opportunities as you prepare for your drafts.
Kimani Vidal (RB – LAC) | ADP: RB57
When you look at the depth chart of the Chargers, you’ll immediately find familiar names like J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. This makes sense, as their offensive coordinator is now Greg Roman, who spent time in Baltimore with these guys. However, these two players have dealt with serious lower-body injuries. Kimani Vidal could find time on the field much sooner than expected for a sixth-round pick in the NFL Draft out of Troy.
In 2023 with Troy, Vidal ran 295 times for 1,661 yards and 14 touchdowns. He’s 5-foot-8 and 218 pounds, showing he can handle a full workload. He’s got the perfect build to do so.
As a receiver, he saw at least 22 targets each season and 30+ in two of them. In 2023, he had 18 catches for 200 yards and a score.
Dobbins and Edwards stand in his way, but he’s deserving of a pick in all formats in the late rounds because of Dobbins’ and Edwards’ injury histories.
Keon Coleman (WR – BUF) | ADP: WR58
Drafted at the top of the second round by the Bills with their first pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, Keon Coleman will be an immediate starter in this offense with limited competition around him following the departures of Gabe Davis and Stefon Diggs.
He’ll often see Curtis Samuel, Khalil Shakir and Dalton Kincaid on the field with him, but the Bills invested their first pick, albeit in the second round, on the Florida State product.
This past season with the Seminoles, Coleman caught 50 passes for 658 yards and 11 touchdowns. The quarterback play for the Seminoles down the stretch was subpar due to injury and his quarterback Jordan Travis not being equipped with the arm strength to get him the ball downfield.
As mentioned, Diggs and Davis are no longer here. They had a combined 253 targets in 2023. Couple that with Coleman’s intermediate and deep play potential, and this is a winning formula for a top-36 receiver with Josh Allen throwing him the ball.
Ladd McConkey (WR – LAC) | ADP: WR52
We all knew going into the NFL Draft the Chargers needed to add some offensive weapons. They took their offensive lineman at No. 5 overall in Joe Alt. In the second round, they took the speedy Ladd McConkey. He could potentially be the No. 1 target right away in this offense with Justin Herbert throwing him the ball.
The Chargers’ depth chart has some names with Joshua Palmer, DJ Chark and last year’s first-round pick Quentin Johnston, but none of these players should strike fear into you drafting McConkey.
McConkey’s biggest competition for the No. 1 role is Palmer, who’s excelled in his role with the team over the past three seasons but had 38 catches last year.
Johnston was drafted by the old regime. He didn’t pan out in his rookie year after so many fellow rookie wideouts had stellar seasons.
Look for McConkey to be peppered with targets, making him a fantastic PPR wide receiver option.
Luke McCaffrey (WR – WAS) | ADP: WR95
Digging a little deeper here, I see there’s some great potential for Luke McCaffrey to have value in PPR formats.
The Commanders will have a fellow rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels, but depth chart-wise, McCaffrey looks to be the leader and the starting slot receiver, with Jahan Dotson and Terry McLaurin manning the outside.
As for slot competition, McCaffrey must beat Olamide Zaccheaus and an aging Jamison Crowder.
McCaffrey used to play quarterback, but after switching to receiver for Rice, he caught 71 passes on 120 targets for 992 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2023.
Remember, he just converted to receiver in the 2022 season.
McCaffrey will have a role in this offense, even with tight end Zach Ertz and running back Austin Ekeler, who are looking to get many of the “slot receiver” types of passes over the middle of the field.
Draft him in the late rounds — even the last round — of your leagues. There’s a lot of sneaky upside here for the third-round pick and brother of running back Christian McCaffrey.
More Dynasty Rookie Draft Advice
Expert Must-Have Rookies (Premium)
DBro’s Dynasty Rookie Draft Primers
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