Fantasy Football Potential Steals

 This website has talked a ton about all aspects of NFL football so far this off-season, but the one we haven't really touched on much is fantasy football. One of the most fun games for sports fans every year. This website is going to have a ton of fantasy football rankings, opinions, updates and more over the course of the off-season and during the season. This is going to be the first fantasy article we have! Every single year there are major draft steals in fantasy football drafts. Guys that aren't supposed to be good and have major breakouts. Today we look at some guys who I think have potential to be steals in your fantasy football drafts. That could mean a guy in the late rounds who has quality starter potential or a guy maybe projected to be a top 30 pick but that I think should maybe be around a top 10-15 pick. Here we go.

(BY THE WAY: for my projections and rankings I'm basing them off of ESPN's ranks and also most of these predictions are meant for PPR scoring though they still hold true for Non PPR leagues.)

Najee Harris, RB, Steelers

Current Projection: Rds. 2-3 (RB15 currently on ESPN)

Starting this list off with a rookie. Najee Harris was the first RB off the board in the 2021 NFL draft and for good reason. I like to think of him as a back who is as big and tough as Derrick Henry but with the pass catching ability of an Ekeler or Le'Veon Bell. In past years, rookie RBs like Saquon Barkley or Zeke Elliott have really been the only super hyped up RBs for fantasy to be worthy of a first round pick, but I think Harris needs to be the next man up on that list. The Steelers offense is nowhere close to as explosive as it was in the days of the 'Killer Bs'. The offense is based around checkdowns and handoffs. Harris will excel. He will be a workhorse back from day 1 and will be the guy getting all the checkdowns. He will have major PPR value for an RB and I think he is a fantasy first round talent. If you can get him in round 2 or even early round 3 you will be set up nicely to win your league from the start. I personally would take him with a first round pick. Harris will be a top 7 fantasy back. 

Julio Jones, WR, Falcons

Current Projection: Rds. 3-4 (WR17 currently on ESPN)

You might be shocked to see Julio Jones on a 'fantasy steals' list considering he is widely known as a top 5 receiver in the NFL by almost anyone you ask. Think again. Fantasy rankings are not being kind to one of the best receivers of All-Time. ESPN has Julio Jones ranked as the 17th best WR for fantasy football this season. That's insane. He always is dealing with injuries, we know, but that doesn't change who he is when he's healthy. He was banged up a bit last year but when he played he was the same Julio we know and love. If you can snag him in rounds 3 or 4 you are getting a major steal. Consider that you've already drafted your RB1 and WR1 with your first 2 picks and then you get Julio Jones to be your WR2 in rounds 3 or 4! Crazy value. Julio Jones is being criminally disrespected.

Tyler Higbee, TE, Rams

Current Projection: Rds. 10+ (TE17 currently on ESPN)

This is the first player who is pretty unknown and could be an actual STEAL based off the fact that he could go undrafted in some leagues. Tight End is one of the weirdest positions in fantasy. There are usually about 3-4 elite, dominant, and consistent threats each year. Outside of them, you are usually scrambling to find a guy who has 10+ point per game potential. And those guys are hard to find. Higbee might be able to find his way into that 10+ point per game area. Not even a top 30 fantasy TE last year, Higbee is primed for a breakout this year. The Rams brought in QB Matt Stafford to lead their offense and he will be a major upgrade over Jared Goff. TE running mate Gerald Everett also departed in free agency to Seattle this off-season meaning Higbee is going to finally be 'the guy' at TE for the Rams. With the most creative offensive coach in football in Sean McVay who is always working to get his TEs involved along with the fact it will be Matthew Stafford at QB who loves throwing to his TE's (see TJ Hockenson last year) and Everett is gone, Higbee could go off. Once you have all of your main players drafted, make sure to look for Higbee in the later rounds. He has easy TE1 potential this year in my opinion and could be a league winning type pick.

Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons

Current Projection: Rds. 10+ (QB16 currently on ESPN)

People always get suckered into taking QBs too early each year in drafts because they don't realize how replaceable the position is in fantasy. Due to how much they touch the football and how good the QB play right now in the NFL is, the difference in points per week between an elite fantasy QB and a good fantasy QB isn't too different. Matt Ryan is one of those guys who I think isn't considered elite in real life or fantasy, but could put up fantasy numbers close to the elite guys. Think about it. Matt Ryan was first in the NFL in pass attempts last year. That won't continue this year but it's a promising stat nonetheless. Secondly, the Falcons didn't improve their RB situation much. Mike Davis is good but he's not a top 20 RB in football. Third, the Falcons drafted unicorn absolute stud TE Kyle Pitts with the 4th pick in the draft this year. Matt Ryan is going to have Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Pitts at his disposal. Couple that with the fact the Falcons are a pass happy team who plays from behind a lot and you will see Matt Ryan is going to be really good this year in fantasy. If you keep picking skill position players and then wait until later to draft Matt Ryan, your team is going to be set up for major success. Ryan will be a top 10 fantasy QB this year.

Brandon Aiyuk, WR, 49ers

Current Projection: Rds. 6-8 (WR29 currently on ESPN)

While some may say that the Niners still lack that true threat at WR, I believe they have it in Brandon Aiyuk. The 2020 first round pick, Aiyuk was injured a bit last season but when he played he produced in fantasy. In PPR, Aiyuk was getting 10+ almost every week no matter who the opponent. He just found his way to get his targets and yards and even some TDs. I'm not sure if Aiyuk will develop this year into a WR1 type player, he is definitely one of the best FLEX options in all of fantasy and is even a pretty good WR2 in my opinion. No matter what he just seems to get his points every week. He is one of those few players in fantasy you can rely on to get you double digits week in and week out at the WR position. Just barely ranked a top 30 fantasy WR, I think Aiyuk will easily surpass his rank if he stays healthy this year and has the chance to be a major steal in the mid to late rounds. If we see Trey Lance at all this year that boosts Aiyuk's stock even higher I think as well. A really good pick in the mid rounds to be a weekly contributor in your lineup.

James Robinson, RB, Jaguars

Current Projection: Rds. 7-9 (RB27 currently on ESPN)

Just a few weeks ago if I showed you Robinson's ranking on ESPN, you would be shocked. That is because we saw the Jags surprise everyone and take Clemson's Travis Etienne with the 25th pick in the NFL draft. Everyone was pretty surprised by this pick due to how good Robinson was for the Jags last season, myself included. This has caused Robinson's draft stock to tank all the way down to the 27th ranked RB for fantasy in 2021. However, I think that just because Etienne is there, doesn't change the fact that Robinson is still going to be a star. I think the Jaguars are trying to build an elite offense around wonderkid QB Trevor Lawrence and one of the ways they are doing that is by creating one of the league's best backfields. I think of this situation similarly to Cleveland's. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are 2 elite RBs sharing the backfield together. Chubb is the workhorse bruising back and Hunt is the change of pace, elusive, receiving back. This is what it should be like in Jacksonville. Robinson is the high amount of carries, bruiser while Etienne is the change of pace, pass catcher/home run hitter. Coach Urban Meyer even said Etienne is going to play a bit of WR in year 1. James Robinson is still going to produce big time in fantasy this year. He will be the early down back and get the goal-line touches. Where he is ranked and supposed to be draft right now has him as a possible pick to be your first or second bench pick. What a steal he will be at this spot. He will be an easy FLEX and potential RB2 for the whole season. Just because Etienne is there doesn't mean Robinson's stellar, top 5 RB 2020 campaign disappears. Robinson will still be a super good fantasy back in 2021 and projects to be a massive steal. 

DeVonta Smith, WR, Eagles

Current Projection: Rds. 8+ (WR41 currently on ESPN)

Smith marks the second rookie on this list. I am going to try and put into words as best as I can how much of a steal I think Smith is going to be. The reigning Heisman trophy winner and top 10 pick in the draft, going to Philadelphia might have been the best landing spot possible for Smith to succeed. We saw how he was used last year at Alabama. In every way possible. They would throw it to him short and watch him make men miss left and right. He would get it deep or over the middle. He found the football in every way possible and he dominated in college's best conference. Now he heads to Philly where things are completely different. The Eagles are a joke of a team right now and have nothing at WR. This is what benefits Smith. He should step in to be the team's WR1 right away. He also is paired with former college QB Jalen Hurts who is looking to prove himself as the Eagle's franchise QB. Hurts is going to be looking for Smith on every single play. Due to the fact he's going to be the WR1 on a talentless offense, Smith could have an Alabama like role on the Eagles. We saw how that worked out for him last year in college. Where Smith is projected to go has him positioned to be a major steal. He might end up being the 3rd or 4th player drafted to your BENCH. He is going to quickly become a weekly FLEX/WR2 in my opinion and other managers will be scratching their heads as to why they didn't take him earlier on. Smith is one of my rookie of the year favorites and we could see him have a Justin Jefferson like year 1 impact in Philly. He is going to be a star in fantasy pretty quickly.

DJ Chark, WR, Jaguars

Current Projection: Rds. 6-8 (WR34 currently on ESPN)

Entering his 4th season, DJ Chark looks to sort of break back out in a way. After a rookie year with not much playing time, Chark had a mini breakout in his second season which saw him as a top 20 fantasy WR. He came crashing back down to earth a bit last season with Gardner Minshew and co. playing poorly at QB for him. Year 4 could be where we see Chark have the best year of his career YET. Trevor Lawrence is coming to town. We all know Lawrence is a generational QB talent and we are ready to see what he can do in Florida with the Jags. Chark is one of the players that is going to benefit most from Lawrence's arrival. Probably the Jags' WR1, Chark is sure to become one of Lawrence's favorite targets. We already know Chark has elite production in him because we've seen it here and there. Now, that production could be a weekly occurrence with Lawrence at the helm. Chark could be a high end WR2 just a few weeks into the season. He's projected to be a late mid round pick and I think he will easily outperform this projection. I really like Chark's outlook for 2021 and think he has major draft steal potential. 

Myles Gaskin, RB, Dolphins

Current Projection: Rds. 4-5 (RB22 currently on ESPN)

Gaskin is not one of these later round gems that some of these other picks have been, but that does not change the fact that I think he is going to breakout and have an incredible year in Miami. Lets start off with the fact that the Dolphins easily could have gone a different direction at RB this off-season. They passed on RBs in the draft and could have easily spent big money on a feature back like Aaron Jones or Chris Carson but they did not. That shows you how much they like Myles Gaskin. The team put a major emphasis on improving the offense for Tua Tagovailoa this off-season and they did that by strengthening the O-line and receiving core, but again, Gaskin was viewed as good enough to be kept. Gaskin has high end RB2 low end RB1 potential going into the season. A home run hitting type RB, Gaskin is everywhere. He can catch passes with ease out of the backfield and turn it upfield and make a major play or he can get the majority of the handoffs and efficiently turn in 100 yard performances again and again. Tua looks like he may have a future as a game manager type QB and that would majorly benefit Gaskin. Gaskin had a mini breakout in 2020 but I think his major breakout comes in 21' where we see him turn into a top 15 fantasy RB for the entire season. Gaskin will be crazy good value if you can get him in the 4th or 5th rounds of your fantasy draft.

Hunter Henry, TE, Patriots

Current Projection: Rds. 10+ (TE16 currently on ESPN)

Hunter Henry landed in the perfect place during free agency this off-season. The Patriots are known to develop high talent TEs into NFL stars and Henry should be no different from this. While Jonnu Smith is also in the fold at TE, I don't think that will matter too much for Henry. We have seen the Patriots play some of their best football when they have 2 dominant TEs (remember Gronk and Hernandez). Henry has struggled to stay healthy over the course of his young NFL career but when he is we have seen him as a redzone target machine and a tough catch maestro. With Bill Belichick coaching him, I think Henry is in for a major breakout season. He could be an easy TE1 for fantasy team's this season. His draft value is also absurdly low and you could potentially get him in the very last round of your draft. Henry is absolutely worth a late round flier and I think he will have the best year of his career so far in New England.