Holy smokes, if you’ve been glued to your fantasy drafts, you know some names have gone absolutely bonkers in terms of rising value. Mike Washington Jr. is one of those guys, shooting up more than 40 draft spots in just two weeks of August! Talk about a late surge, right? We’ve seen a whole month of ADP movers and shakers, but this guy’s jump is something else as we head into Week 1. Everyone’s scrambling to figure out which of these buzzy names will actually live up to the hype once the real games kick off.
Dalton Schultz: The Sneaky Safe Bet?
Alright, let’s talk Dalton Schultz. Remember back on August 25th when he was just an Honorable Mention riser, a sleeper tight end? Well, a week later, he exploded onto the official list with a 17-spot jump in ADP. Look, he’s still going in the 11th round, coming off the board as the 19th tight end overall, so we’re talking about a dart throw here, not a first-round pick. But that’s exactly what makes him such a good bet to return solid value at that price. When you look at the other tight ends going in his range, guys like Oronde Gadsden II, Chig Okonkwo, Terrance Ferguson, or Hunter Henry, they all face way more competition for targets. Schultz offers a much higher fantasy floor.
Now, let’s be real, he’s not about to win you your league on his own. He did finish as the TE3 overall once, but that was five years ago in Dallas. Even if he ends up being the second target in Houston behind Nico Collins, the total offense probably isn’t big enough for Schultz to become a top-tier breakout. But if you’re like me and you pass on tight ends for a bunch of rounds, Schultz is probably your man for a high-floor option to start early in the season.
MarShawn Lloyd’s Wild Ride to the Top of the Depth Chart
Where Schultz is the safe bet, MarShawn Lloyd is the exact opposite. This Packers running back saw a massive, *massive* late surge in ADP, and it’s all because of the Josh Jacobs’ legal investigation. That whole situation landed Jacobs on the commissioner’s exempt list, suddenly leaving Lloyd atop the Green Bay depth chart alongside Chris Brooks and Kaleb Johnson, who they just traded for.
All signs point to Lloyd getting the bulk of the running back touches while Jacobs is out. So, his fantasy value is gonna hinge entirely on how efficient he is and, critically, how long Jacobs is actually gone. It’s tough to project his production, mainly because he’s only had seven touches in the two years since he was drafted. But hey, he was a third-round pick out of USC, so he should be able to put up relatively average numbers in what’s usually a good offense. The real kicker is Jacobs’ absence. Nobody knows how long he’ll be out, with legal proceedings, Roger Goodell’s decisions, and a potential NFL suspension all in play. Lloyd ended up as the RB32 in the eighth round. That makes sense if Jacobs misses roughly half the season. If Jacobs comes back much sooner, Lloyd is a bust at that cost. But if Jacobs misses the entire year, Lloyd is an absolute steal. With the little info we have, picking Lloyd right around that range seems smart, but don’t reach any higher.
Then there’s Mike Washington Jr., who absolutely blew up the last two weeks of August, rocketing up more than 40 draft spots in that short window. This dude had an explosive preseason, putting up 186 scrimmage yards on 25 total touches. But the real game-changer was Ashton Jeanty’s ankle sprain. That injury sent Washington Jr.’s stock soaring, and honestly, with very little clear reporting on what comes next, everyone’s just holding their breath for Week 1. This guy’s rise is purely a product of opportunity and a strong showing, and now we wait to see if he can make it stick.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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