Late-Round Darts Backed by 2025 Production and Price Gaps

In this piece

De'Zhaun StriblingWR · SFADP 11.05Tre TuckerWR · LVADP 11.11Denzel BostonWR · CLEADP 12.04Mike Washington Jr.RB · LVADP 13.06Malik WashingtonWR · MIAADP 13.07Jalen NailorWR · LVADP 14.01Keaton MitchellRB · LACADP 14.03Devaughn VeleWR · NOADP 14.08

Late-round picks rarely need to start immediately. Their job is to offer a plausible path to becoming useful, while costing little enough that you can move on quickly if the evidence never arrives.

ADP, or average draft position, shows where a player typically leaves drafts; 16.08 means the eighth pick of Round 16. That makes the deepest rounds a practical place to take several controlled swings rather than chase one supposed certainty.

Start with the dark-horse price gaps

Value means paying a lower 2026 draft price than a player's 2025 production supports. Devaughn Vele is going at 14.08, which is 16 picks later than last season's production justifies, while drawing 18,263 adds in the last day. Tre Tucker carries a 12.01 ADP, a 12-pick discount against 2025 production and 11,430 adds.

The discounts are smaller for Jalen Nailor at 13.11, Malik Washington at 13.05 and Keaton Mitchell at 14.01. Each is being drafted 6 picks later than 2025 production justifies; their one-day add totals are 15,561, 14,096 and 10,566, respectively.

Adds measure attention, not future points. Use the Draft Kit to compare prices rather than treating popularity as proof.

The deepest production-backed swings

Troy Franklin is the cleanest extreme. He averaged 10.4 PPR points per game across 17 games last season, and his 16.08 draft price is 50 picks later than his 2025 production justifies. PPR awards one point per reception, so this scoring format gives catches direct fantasy value.

Two more wide receivers remain available in Round 15. Ryan Flournoy averaged 7.6 points over 15 games and is drafted 27 picks later than 2025 production justifies at 15.02. Darius Slayton averaged 7.1 over 14 games, with his 15.05 price sitting 26 picks later than that production supports.

At running back, Kimani Vidal averaged 9.1 over 13 games last season. His 14.04 ADP is 28 picks later than his 2025 production justifies.

Rookie darts require a different standard

Rookies have no NFL sample, so their prices are projections rather than discounts against past professional production. The deepest options here are Mike Washington Jr. at 13.02, Denzel Boston at 12.05 and De'Zhaun Stribling at 11.11.

Treat those selections as bets on an uncertain range of outcomes, not evidence-based values. Mixing one rookie with two players who produced in 2025 keeps the bench from depending entirely on projection.

One late quarterback with documented variance

Boom/bust describes a player whose weekly scoring frequently reaches both high and low extremes. Jacoby Brissett, available at 15.04, scored at least 20 points in 29% of his 2025 games and fewer than 8 points in 14%. He also changed teams, so those rates are context rather than a promise about 2026.

In formats where a second quarterback matters, that profile is a late alternative to spending substantial draft capital. The Anytime TD Board can provide another weekly market check once games begin.

How to use this: Reserve two or three bench spots for darts if roster construction allows, preferably across different positions and evidence types. After the first two or three games, check the Usage Report. If a player is not earning measurable involvement while a more useful option emerges, cut bait rather than defending the draft pick.