The Best Mid-Round Values in Fantasy Football
Rounds 5-9, where the money is made.
There is a saying that goes around during fantasy football draft season that goes like this “your league isn’t won at the draft”. While that is technically true, your league can definitely be “won” at your draft. The key to that is by soaking up value in the middle rounds. There is no such thing as to many productive players. Injury insurance, trade value, and weekly matchup options are all important to winning a championship.
You build your core in rounds 1-4. Everyone should have some firepower in this range, and there is little edge here unless you can predict who is going to stay healthy. You can’t, by the way. That is why I preach that rounds five through nine are the money making rounds. Identify situation, schedule, and competition to capitalize on these picks. Here are my favorite values in current average draft position for rounds 5-9.
Alvin Kamara
Round 5, Pick 57 Overall
It’s like clockwork every offseason that Alvin Kamara is criminally undervalued. Honestly, we should thank the Saints for always being garbage so that we can keep getting this value. The thing that makes Kamara a yearly cheat code is his skillset being so QB friendly that he is always necessary, and always one of their premium options.
We follow targets in fantasy football, year over year that is a sticky stat for AK41. Having just played 14 and 13 games over the last two seasons, he still saw 86 and 89 targets, pacing him for well over 100 in both. He finished as RB9 in 2024 and was RB10 in PPG. So how the hell can I get him in Round 5?
Jerry Jeudy
Round 6, Pick 68
An unquestioned NFL WR1 who just had 90 catches for 1200+ yards. Being drafted at the end of round 6? Because he doesn’t have… Jameis Winston? Come on.
I am putting more stock into Amari Cooper’s departure impacting Jeudy’s ascent to WR1 over the back half of the season. Cooper was not replaced with another presence at WR this offseason. It’s Jerry who will lead this team in targets and yards, guaranteed.
Dropping the ceiling outcome for Jeudy makes some sense, but he is the WR38 right now. That makes absolutely no sense. With his twitch and jerk movements confusing DBs, he wins at every level of the field. Plus, he possesses week-winning upside with deep ball ability, and overall game script set to be in his favor most weeks.
Positive TD regression could be coming his way as well (Just 2.7 TD% in 2024). Easy click at this price and easy buy in dynasty right now.
Aaron Jones
Round 7, Pick 83
One of my favorite strategies in traditional drafts is to lock up THREE productive running backs by the middle of the draft and not worry about them for a good 5 to 6 rounds. I’ll just hoard upside WRs and grab my QB in this range while people chase RB.
Aaron Jones is the easiest way to accomplish a 3-headed monster at the position. A lock for 60+ targets, Jones did not lose a step in 2024. His play style is friendly to a young QB and his OL is majorly improved. Minimal risk here in the 80s.
Jordan Mason is a good player, but a team with Christian McCaffrey in and out of the lineup just let him go instead of retaining him for a minimal cap cost. He’s a premium NFL backup and a great handcuff, not much more. Aaron Jones is best in space and outside runs, let Mason handle some dirty work.
Rounds 8 and 9 are the sweet spot to round out a consistent and league-winning upside filled starting lineup. I’ll be dropping a late round upside article soon. Paired with this group, the blueprint to success in 2025 will be fully laid out come draft season
T.J. Hockenson
Round 8, Pick 87
Universally ranked top-5 tight end in round 8 feels like all I need to say here. But let’s paint the picture on why this is one of the safest picks in fantasy this season.
If nothing else, Hock has one of the most stable roles in the NFL. Kevin O’Connell uses him as a security blanket on all three downs while running deep concepts with his talented WR group. Any sort of pocket collapse or interior pressure, that outlet is always available.
With a first time starter in J.J. McCarthy, the game plan will always be to get through reads quick and clean, but preaching to take what is given is a valuable lesson to young QBs. The swing to Aaron Jones or the 6 yard hitch to Hockenson will be frequently taken. It’s not sexy, if it was, we wouldn’t get this value. I play to win, this is a winning fantasy asset.
Bo Nix
Round 9, Pick 99
What a rookie season for Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix. He finished as the QB8 in points per game. That was after having only EIGHT passing touchdowns in his first EIGHT games. While working through some rookie adjustments in the pass game, he flashed his playmaking ability with his legs, scoring four rushing touchdowns during that time.
Over his last nine games, you could see the game slow down for him, the Sean Payton system started to really click. He threw 21 touchdowns in that span, posting truly elite fantasy numbers. Entering year two with a full season under his belt and a lot of momentum to end the season, there is an upside outcome that is not being reflected in his current price. Finished as QB7, added Evan Engram, Pat Bryant, and RJ Harvey, but goes as QB10. The math ain’t mathin.
2nd All-time in passing TDs for a rookie
92 rush attempts, one of the highest numbers of all time for a rookie
6th in the NFL in pass attempts in 2024
One of the top offensive lines heading into 2025
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