Undrafted Rookies Who Could Make Noise

John DiBari

While the NFL draft seems to become a bigger and bigger spectacle each year, the league has a long history of undrafted players making a name for themselves. Of course, very few undrafted players will become the next Kurt Warner or Antonio Gates, but that doesn’t mean they can’t help your fantasy football teams.

Even the most successful undrafted free agents (UDFA) don’t usually see success in year one. The players below, however, just might make some noise as rookies.

Preston Williams, WR, MIA

The Colorado State product comes into the league following other recent CSU wide receivers Rashard Higgins and Michael Gallup. A 91st-percentile dominator rating athlete, Williams finished the pre-season with five receptions and a team-leading 104 yards. With ideal NFL size, the 6’4″, 211-pound Williams has a chance to be a featured part of this Miami offense as the year goes on.

There is little ahead of Williams on the Dolphins’ wide receiver depth chart. The only teammate offering similar size at the position is the perpetual disappointment DeVante Parker. Jakeem Grant, and Albert Wilson are both undersized, and Wilson has a significant injury history too. Veteran Allen Hurns is also coming off of a substantial injury himself and has never played 16 games.

Most importantly, the Dolphins are projected for a worst-in-the-league four wins this season. They will be trailing early and often, and that likely leads to tons of garbage time production for everyone in the passing game.

Jakobi Meyers, WR, NE

In the pre-season, Meyers led all players in targets and receiving yards. He was getting reps with Tom Brady and the rest of the first team in practice. The 6’2″, 203-pound Meyers comes into the NFL from North Carolina State and joins what is now a crowded receiver room in Foxborough. However, the Pats traded away Demaryius Thomas, opting to keep Meyers as their fifth wideout.

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the last month and missed the drama, there is obviously no guarantee Antonio Brown remains on the Patriots all season. Going back to college, Josh Gordon has missed copious amounts of time over the previous decade. Brady’s BFF Julian Edelman has only played 16 games twice over his 11-year career. Phillip Dorsett has also missed games in three of four NFL seasons.

With the big names ahead of him, it’s easy to overlook Meyers, but between injuries and suspensions, there is a strong chance he ends up seeing more work than anyone would’ve anticipated back in June.

Keelan Doss, WR, OAK

He’s already had a fascinating career as one of the stars of HBO’s Hard Knocks, only to see himself get cut at the end of training camp. The Raiders hoped to sign him to their practice squad for $7,600 per week. He opted for a change of scenery, signing with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

After the AB drama unfolded, the Raiders tried to pull Doss away from Jacksonville’s practice squad. In response, the Jags signed him to a rookie minimum contract of $495,000, even though he was to remain on their practice squad. With their backs against the wall, the Raiders then came crawling back, offering him a $300,000 signing bonus plus a fully guaranteed $495,000 and a spot on the active 53-man roster.

Doss saw the third-most targets league-wide in the pre-season, and will likely carve out a role as the year goes on as the team is financially committed to him at this point. He brings good size at 6’2″ and 211-pounds. If he can get his dropsies squared away, he may become a reliable red zone target.

Devine Ozigbo, RB, JAX

A draft darling for many fantasy football pundits this off-season, the 5’11, 222-pound Nebraska product was expected to be a late-round draft selection, but he never heard his name called.

After initially landing with the Saints as a UDFA, Ozigbo was cut when the team trimmed down to its 53-man roster. The Jags then signed him after veteran back-up running back Alfred Blue was placed on injured reserve. Leonard Fournette is the clear-cut alpha dog in this running game, but he’s got a well-documented lower leg injury history and will likely miss time at some point.

With only fellow rookie Ryquell Armstead as depth-chart competition, Ozigbo could see early-down work in a run-heavy offense if Fournette misses time.

Damion Willis, WR, CIN

In the Bengals’ week one matchup against the Seahawks, Willis led the receiving corps with a 90% snap share, well ahead of both Tyler Boyd and John Ross. He saw five targets and tallied three receptions for 30 yards. With Boyd primarily playing out of the slot, Ross and Willis seem to have the outside receiver roles locked up until the return of AJ Green.

The 6’3″, 204-pound Troy product had an 85th-percentile college dominator rating, and will only get better with more reps. Ross and Green have seen their fair share of injuries. If either misses additional time, Willis is likely to keep seeing significant snaps. If the snaps can start turning into targets and touches, he might be the biggest sleeper in this year’s entire class.

The odds are stacked against undrafted rookies, especially at the offensive skill positions. Every year a few players emerge following the NFL draft and make football fans and fantasy owners wonder why no teams were willing to use a pick on them. As the deepest of sleepers for your dynasty rookie drafts or early waiver wire runs, if you can hit on one UDFA every couple of years, the return on investment can be immense.

The odds are not in favor of any of the above players becoming the next Warren Moon or Wes Welker. But they are still worth a dart throw in deeper leagues, and they may help you get into the fantasy playoffs and maybe even win you a championship.

john dibari