Dive into our latest Featured Pros article, where our top analysts break down their must-have mid-round running back and wide receiver picks, along with insights on why these players should be on your draft list.
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Fantasy Football Mid-Round RB Targets
Which RB with a half-PPR ADP between RB25-48 are you targeting the most in your drafts and why?
Brian Robinson Jr. (RB – WAS)
“Anthony Lynn is the new run game coordinator for the Commanders and could similarly deploy Austin Ekeler–Brian Robinson to Ekeler-Melvin Gordon circa 2019. Ekeler saw heavy targets back then (92 catches in 2019), but another RB was earning all the red-zone work. That could be Robinson in 2023, which makes him the better Commander RB to target, especially at a cheaper cost. He’s being drafted exactly where he was last season despite a strong sophomore campaign. He finished RB22 overall and was 21st in points per game (12.0). He was the carbon-copy fantasy RB2 that started hot – RB4 Weeks 1-11 and 11th in points per game (13.5) – just to crawl to the finish line (RB51 from Week 12 onward, averaging 7.8 points per game). The receiving usage with a mobile QB and Ekeler in the fold likely won’t be a large part of Robinson’s 2024 production, but that’s baked into his ADP as a fantasy RB3. What’s being overlooked is that he should benefit from some boosted rushing efficiency in this offense (thank you, mobile QB), along with seeing the bulk of red zone work.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
“Brian Robinson looks like a potential steal at an ADP of RB34. The risk is that Austin Ekeler ends up getting more snaps and touches than Robinson, leaving B-Rob on the wrong side of the weekly start/sit bubble. But Ekeler is coming off a poor season, and some of his offseason comments suggest he’s looking for less work than he had with the Chargers, not more. The appeal with Robinson is that if he earns a majority of Washington’s early-down snaps, he’s likely to benefit from playing with ultra-mobile rookie QB Jayden Daniels and from the rapid offensive pace favored by new Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. The 6-1, 228-pound Robinson could inherit a touchdown windfall if the Washington offense perks up with Daniels at the controls. When Kingsbury was head coach and play-caller for Arizona in Kyler Murray’s rookie year, Kenyan Drake had eight touchdowns in eight games with the Cardinals after coming over in a midseason trade with the Dolphins. Drake also averaged 80.4 rushing yards per game with Arizona and 5.2 yards per carry. Robinson’s potential for 2024 is intriguing, and the buy-in is remarkably affordable.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
“I want a ton of exposure to Brian Robinson Jr. during fantasy draft season. All of the metrics point to a player that is being undervalued. Last season, he was the RB14 in fantasy points per opportunity and the RB22 in fantasy points per game. He also stood out in efficiency categories, ranking 22nd in explosive run rate and 13th in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). I want the goal line back in a Kliff Kingsbury offense, and that should easily be Robinson Jr. ”
– Derek Brown (FantasyPros)
Jonathon Brooks (RB – CAR)
“Jonathon Brooks is one of my must-have running backs this year. The former Longhorn would have a top-20, maybe top-15 ADP if he wasn’t coming off a torn ACL. Brooks averaged 6.1 rushing yards per attempt and 113.9 yards per game last season. He had the 11th-most missed tackles forced (63) in 2023 despite missing the final four games with the injury (per PFF). Last year, Dave Canales made Rachaad White an RB1 despite averaging only 3.6 yards per rushing attempt. Brooks will be significantly better once he is 100% healthy.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
Gus Edwards (RB – LAC)
“Gus Edwards is the new RB1 for the Los Angeles Chargers! He was signed by the new Jim Harbaugh coaching staff, which runs at a high rate. In 2023, Edwards was seen as underwhelming even though he ran for 810 yards and 13 touchdowns, with running quarterback Lamar Jackson! This year, he will be on offense with Justin Herbert, a pocket-passing quarterback, which will allow the “Gus Bus” to get rolling and make drafting the RB41 a steal in fantasy drafts!”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)
Tony Pollard (RB – TEN)
“I would target Tony Pollard in 2024 for the related but opposite reason I faded him in 2023: expected touchdown regression. Pollard scored an unsustainable nine of his 12 touchdowns from 10 or more yards from the end zone in 2022. His touchdown rate was very likely to fall in 2023, but I believe it fell to the opposite, unsustainable extreme. Pollard had 61 carries inside the 5-yard line last year, second most at his position. He could split time with Tyjae Spears on the Titans this season, but bet on better touchdown luck in any case.”
– Scott Spratt (FTN)
Jerome Ford (RB – CLE)
“Jerome Ford (ECR RB38, ADP 37, my RB27) – Nick Chubb, who has endured multiple offseason surgeries after a gruesome knee injury, is not expected back until midseason and is unlikely to take on a full load upon his return. Enter Jerome Ford, who won a lot of fantasy championships last season as the RB4 in Week 17 on a Cleveland Browns squad vying for a playoff berth. Ford was the RB15 in Weeks 3-17 after Chubb went down; he’ll continue to get plenty of run behind one of the NFL’s best offensive lines. Ford, who is also an asset in the passing game, represents one of the best Draft Day values at any position at his current ADP (RB37).”
– Drew DeLuca (QB List)
“Cleveland Browns running back Jerome Ford checks in at RB37 in ADP and will be a massive steal this season. Ford finished last season as RB17 and has plummeted in ADP, with Nick Chubb being the assumed starter. The problem is that Nick Chubb is almost 29 years old and is coming off a season-ending knee injury. We’ve seen how difficult it is for even a young running back to rebound from an injury that serious, and it could prove an impossible task for an aging Chubb. Even if Chubb can return for Week 1, he is unlikely to be anywhere near his full explosiveness, and the Browns will be best served to make this a running back by committee. Even in a timeshare, Ford should easily crush his ADP and be an RB2. Ford could be a league-winner if Chubb can’t make a full return to the field.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Football Universe)
Raheem Mostert (RB – MIA)
“There are a lot of good options at RB in this range, but I’m confused why we’re so low on last season’s half-ppr RB2 overall. Raheem Mostert has roughly the same opportunity in an elite offensive scheme, and he’s going off the board at RB28. Yes, he’s old (he’s 32). Yes, he’s got very real competition in second-year phenom De’Von Achane. But with TD regression almost certain to hit and his touches all but guaranteed to come down, he’s still a locked-in RB2 for me with RB1 upside once again. Achane and Mostert can both be RB1s this season. Raheem has the dream ADP right now. Buy in.”
– Jeremy Shulman (Fantasy Football Universe)
Blake Corum (RB – LAR)
“The recent news on Kyren Williams injuring his foot has made me rethink my stance on his 2024 outlook. The Rams are grooming Blake Corum to handle a full workload if Kyren can’t hold up. If that happens, Corum suddenly becomes very interesting in a good offense like the Rams. I guess that makes this a “Blake or break” sleeper pick? However, one thing that’s never interesting is Mark Ringo’s terrible jokes in which he shows no “deCorum” whatsoever. Ha ha!”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)
“Keep buying into Blake Corum while you can. Still sitting just outside RB3 range as the RB37 off boards, I am loving this value. Corum will require patience, however. Kyren Williams has had extended spells on the sideline in both of his first two seasons in the league, potentially opening the door for Corum to get a run. As we know, being involved with the top Sean McVay running back does pay dividends. Just ask Todd Gurley, Cam Akers (for a split second), and Kyren Williams managers about that. Corum is next in line, and that is a when, not an if.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)
Chase Brown (RB – CIN)
“Chase Brown at half-PPR ADP RB38 has the perfect blend of immediate flex value and second-half-season upside. In Weeks 13-18, Brown began carving out a significant role alongside Joe Mixon, garnering 27% of team carries and 7% target share. This was enough for Brown, with his explosiveness, to become a flex option as RB35. Zack Moss was not all sunshine and rainbows last season. During his second stint replacing an injured Taylor from Weeks 13-15, he had an abysmal 2.56 yards per carry and 3.86 yards per target. Chase Brown could overtake this backfield before long.”
– Daniel Mader (Belly Up Sports)
Fantasy Football Mid-Round WR Targets
Which WR with a half-PPR ADP between WR25-55 are you targeting the most in your drafts and why?
Chris Godwin (WR – TB)
“Chris Godwin did not experience a Mike Evans resurgence under Baker Mayfield at QB in 2023 regarding fantasy points. Godwin led the Buccaneers with 91 catches for 1,1109 receiving yards, but he only caught 3 TDs… in 19 games played. However, Godwin’s target share (23%) was nearly identical to Evans’s (25%). No player scored fewer TDs with more receiving yards than Godwin. Based on the sheer volume/usage Godwin has seen, he should be closer to a total of double-digit scores versus the average of 3 TDs he has had over the past two years. It was the lack of high-value opportunities that nuked Godwin in fantasy football and placed him outside the top 36 WRs in points per game. Works in Godwin’s favor that new OC Liam Coen will be calling the offense in 2024, and he has already suggested putting Godwin back into the slot in a full-time role. Godwin played his lowest slot snap rate (37%) since 2018 last season.”
– Andrew Erickson (FantasyPros)
“Chris Godwin of the Buccaneers is going off the board as WR33, and that’s far too late. In 2023, he finished as WR31, which is easily his worst finish in any season except for his rookie season. Even in a nearly career-low year, Gowdin still managed over 1,00 receiving yards and 83 receptions. He has experienced some bad touchdown luck over the past two years, and with some positive touchdown regression, he should easily triple his touchdown total from last season and find himself as a mid to high-end WR2. Don’t let your league mates draft Godwin; he is free money going as late as the tenth round.”
– Aaron St Denis (Fantasy Football Universe)
Christian Kirk (WR – JAC)
“Christian Kirk will be one of my favorite wide receiver draft targets this year. The last time the veteran was Trevor Lawrence‘s No. 1 wide receiver, he ended the 2022 season as the WR11, averaging 11.8 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Furthermore, Kirk was the WR16, averaging 11.7 fantasy points per game from Week 2 through Week 12 last year, despite Calvin Ridley seeing a 20% target per route run rate during those contests (per Fantasy Points Data). With Gabe Davis and Brian Thomas Jr. challenging defenses downfield, expect Kirk to see plenty of easy targets in the middle of the field. I wouldn’t bet against him having a top-15 finish.”
– Mike Fanelli (FantasyPros)
“I don’t know why we are valuing Christian Kirk as a WR3, but I’ll continue to gobble up the value. Last year in Weeks 2-12, Krik was the WR19 in fantasy points per game, drawing a 22.6% target share and 30.5% air-yard share, producing 2.31 YPRR and 0.101 FD/RR (per Fantasy Points Data). Kirk should be considered the Jaguars’ run-away WR1 with WR1/2 upside in fantasy. Draft him early and often, and enjoy a banner 2024 season.”
– Derek Brown (FantasyPros)
“Christian Kirk (ECR WR29, ADP WR30, my WR16) is only one year removed from a 2022 season in which he caught 84 of 133 targets and finished as the WR11. After a Week 1 dud in 2023, Kirk was the WR16 in 0.5 PPR fantasy football leagues between Weeks 2 and 12. He was on pace for 129 targets entering Week 13, when he left with a season-ending core muscle injury. Both Calvin Ridley and Evan Engram suited up for each one of those games. Ridley is gone in 2024, as is Zay Jones, effectively replaced by rookie Brian Thomas, Jr. and the mercurial Gabe Davis, respectively. Kirk offers a high floor and a low-end WR1 ceiling; he should continue to serve as a go-to weapon for Trevor Lawrence and represents incredible value at his ADP (WR30).”
– Drew DeLuca (QB List)
Terry McLaurin (WR – WAS)
“I’m touting two Washington Commanders in a single installment of Featured Pros. What could possibly go wrong? Terry McLaurin has banked four straight 1,000-yard seasons with at least 77 catches in all four years. The quarterbacks with whom McLaurin has played at least two games over that span: Dwayne Haskins, Kyle Allen, late-career Alex Smith, Carson Wentz, Taylor Heinicke, Sam Howell and Jacoby Brissett. Perhaps No. 2 overall draft pick Jayden Daniels can take McLaurin to new heights. McLaurin hasn’t scored more than five touchdowns in any of the last four years, and he’ll now be playing with a QB who threw 31 TD passes to WRs Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. in 13 games last season. Also, new Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury likes a brisk offensive pace, and the Washington defense looks pretty sketchy on paper, which could lead to a lot of high-scoring track meets for the Commanders. It’s a nice setup for the reasonably priced (WR32) McLaurin.”
– Pat Fitzmaurice (FantasyPros)
“In on the floor ADP value of WR32 for Terry McLaurin. Last season with Sam Howell, McLaurin was WR42 on a points-per-game basis. Howell had plenty of attempts but was ranked 32nd in deep ball completion pct. This led to McLaurin having his lowest yards per target mark in his career at 7.6. His second-lowest touchdown rate was 3%, and his lowest catch rate was 59.8%. Jayden Daniels, at minimum, is an upgrade for McLaurin. Daniels was the 4th most productive deep ball QB in college last year and was known for consistently hitting the deep ball on the perimeter.”
– Daniel Mader (Belly Up Sports)
Calvin Ridley (WR – TEN)
“Calvin Ridley was the big signing of the Tennessee Titans this off-season! Derrick Henry has moved on to Baltimore, and the team is working to become a pass-centric team with Will Levis at the helm and Ridley as the WR1! In 2023, Ridley returned to the league after his suspension with 1,016 yards and 8 touchdowns, which was viewed as a down year! Look for him to play his way back into the conversation of top-flight wide receivers as the pass-catching centerpiece of the revamped Tennessee Titans’ passing attack!”
– Adam Dove (The Fantasy Couriers)
Christian Watson (WR – GB)
“I wouldn’t bet the farm that Christian Watson’s reported offseason work to reduce the asymmetry of his legs will actually reduce his frequency of hamstring injuries. But his ceiling is high enough to take the risk. Watson has Julio Jones measurables at 6-foot-4 and with a 4.36-second 40 time. And he scored 7 touchdowns in 11 starts as a rookie in 2022 and tied for second with 12 red zone targets between Weeks 8 and 13 in 2023 before a hamstring injury ended his sophomore season prematurely.”
– Scott Spratt (FTN)
Diontae Johnson (WR – PIT)
“The value of Diontae Johnson is out of control. An ADP of WR38 makes zero sense for a natural separator who will be featured in Carolina’s offensive attack. Younger than Adam Thielen – who saw 137 targets last season – Diontae hasn’t earned fewer than that number since his second year in the league when playing a full season. New head coach Dave Canales is also a noted QB whisperer, reviving the fantasy values of Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield in back-to-back seasons. Bryce Young is next up to receive the Canales treatment, and his top target will be Johnson. Thielen was the half-ppr WR25 last season. That is Diontae’s floor in 2024.”
– Jeremy Shulman (Fantasy Football Universe)
Jameson Williams (WR – DET) | Keon Coleman (WR – BUF)
“NFL Senior Writer Nick Baumgardner (who is based in Michigan) reported, “Something I heard this week (NFL combine week) more than a few times: Detroit believes Jameson Williams is going to be a dude next year. And uh, to be clear: That’s the first time I’ve heard that type of firm optimism about Williams from Lions people in honest moments since he got there.” As for Keon Coleman, Josh Allen has thrown for over 4,200 yards for the last four years. In three of those years, he threw for at least 35 TDs, which helped carry Stefon Diggs to finishes at 3rd, 7th, 4th, and 10th ranked WR in fantasy. Someone has to catch passes and TDs from Josh Allen in 2024 now that Davis and Diggs are gone. And remember, the Bills didn’t burn their first pick in the draft (#33 overall) on Coleman to keep him on the bench.”
– Mark Ringo (Sleepers and Busts)
Tee Higgins (WR – CIN)
“Tee Higgins as the WR29 in half is simply ludicrous. I know he had a down season a year ago, plagued by injuries and the like, but come on. Higgins has shown that he is a big play machine and is a near 1000-yard lock if he can be healthy. Where else are you getting that kind of guarantee at this price? Higgins also has a guy named Joe Burrow throwing him the ball; he is pretty good if you ask me. Higgins is also playing for his cash in 2024. Never underestimate the desire of players to smash their projected ceilings when they are in line for their first big contract. Higgins is a bargain right now. Go get him.”
– Ed Birdsall (Talking Points Sports)
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