NFL Draft Darkhorses

By Chad Stapley
Chad Stapley

NFl Draft Draft Darkhorses

These are all players that can have some major fantasy football implications that are most likely going to be drafted in the later rounds.

 

Bralon Addison – RB/WR – Oregon

Byron Marshall – RB/WR – Oregon

Addison was the leading WR for the Ducks in every category and Marshall was on a tear early in the season before an injury sidelined him for good. They both are speedsters that sit at only 5’10 and have small frames. Both can deliver home run threats and add a major punch to anyone’s fantasy roster. Addison pulled in 10 TD passes last year and Marshall had two in just four games. They can both also add the fact that they can return kicks and add to the run game. Look for them to be drafted in the 5th round or later and to make some serious noise as a rookie.

 

Leonte Carroo – WR – Rutgers

Carroo only played eight games for the Rutgers last season and he still lead the team in every major receiving category. He absolutely comes with some baggage as he was suspended for multiple games for some legal trouble but still managed to catch 10 TDs for an awful Rutgers team. Carroo caught 29 TDs over the last three seasons, a guy with that type of nose for the end zone is bound to make noise in the fantasy football realm. He can go anywhere from the bottom of the 2nd round to the 5th round depending on how concerned teams are about his off field issues.

 

Keith Marshall – RB – Georgia

Marshall could never really stay healthy while he was attending Georgia but, when he was healthy you can see the type of potential he truly has. Marshall left Georgia with under 300 carries over four years and a gaudy average of 5.4 YPC. If he can mimic that type of success in the NFL and stay healthy he will add a solid punch to any teams running game. He is a true home run threat when he gets an open running lane and can score oodles of points in the fantasy football world.

 

Nate Sudfeld – QB – Indiana

Not only does Sudfeld have the size to compete in the NFL standing at 6’6 but he also has the arm to make the majority of the throws he will need to make. Sudfeld was the major reason Indiana has been somewhat relevant in the football world the last few years. He is a career 60% passer with 61 TDs thrown to just 20 INTs over his four years at Indiana. He will most likely need to sit behind a veteran to learn the pace of the NFL but he could be a major fantasy football point’s producer in a few years if he is drafted to the right system.

 

Jacoby Brissett – QB – NC State

Brissett quietly went on a tear over the last two seasons and no one really seemed to notice it. The uber-athletic QB threw for 43 TDs to just 11 INTs over the last two seasons throwing for a grand total of 5,268 yards. He did all that without anything resembling a decent WR crew. Brissett needs to go to a team that will be able to let him learn for a few seasons and that will utilize his athleticism. He can go anywhere from the 2nd round to the 6th round depending on how the QBs get drafted but in a few years he has the potential to be a top 10 fantasy football QB.

 

Rishard Higgins – WR – Colorado State

Higgins is going to get drafted to a team and make immediate noise in the fantasy football world. As a sophomore Higgins caught a ridiculous 17 TDs for 1,750 yards but he was also playing with a future NFL QB in Garrett Grayson. As a junior his numbers regressed a bit but he still managed to catch eight TDs for over 1,000 yards. Higgins doesn’t get mentioned with the top WRs in this draft class but he might be one of the guys that makes the quickest impact in the NFL.

 

Paul Perkins – RB – UCLA

Perkins ran for 2,918 yards over the last two seasons and somehow no one is giving him the respect he truly deserves as one of the better RBs in this draft. Perkins can run the ball outside the tackles, inside the tackles, and he can catch the ball out of the backfield. He is much faster than most people realize and he absolutely destroyed the PAC-12 teams over the past few seasons. Perkins could be a day one starter and make an immediate impact in the fantasy football circle especially if he gets drafted by a team in dire need of a RB.