NFL 2024 Fantasy Draft Primer & How to Bet It: Wide Receivers

Yesterday week we broke down the best wide receivers in the mid rounds of fantasy football drafts. Today we will dig up gems in the last rounds of your NFL fantasy drafts that could help you win it all. And before that we broke down the running backs. If you haven’t read each part of that series what are you doing? Today we will select one receiver from rounds 5-7 and discuss their NFL fantasy value.

This is an ongoing series to highlight players who REEK of value in NFL fantasy drafts. We aren’t talking about McCaffrey with the 1st overall pick, but instead we are going to be finding gems. Each article will feature a position within a range of draft rounds (we will always skip the 1st round). We will assume that these picks are for 12-team leagues with .5 PPR and will not be discussing in terms of Superflex. On top of that I’ll highlight a futures bet that corresponds with each player, all of whose odds can be found on BETONLINE.

So without further ado, let’s kick it off with NFL fantasy football 2024 late round value picks: the wide receivers. It’s mock draft season baby!!!

1. Wide Receiver Value Round Eight: Brian Thomas Jr.

Rookie wideout Brian Thomas Jr is stepping into a big role

Yesterday I highlighted how much I love Calvin Ridley in the mid rounds of NFL fantasy drafts. He proved he is still an elite player on the Jaguars last season and had over 1,000 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns on 76 receptions. Well Ridley is now on the Titans and the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted rookie standout Brian Thomas Jr as a potential replacement.

Thomas has a prototypical wide receiver build, standing around 6’4″ and weighing around 200 pounds, which gives him an advantage in contested catches and red zone targets. This is something that Jacksonville currently lacks as Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis are a bit undersized. His height and arm length provide a large catch radius, making him a reliable target even when not perfectly open. Thomas is known for his ability to secure tough catches, which is crucial for consistency in fantasy points.

Playing in a pass-heavy or balanced offense that emphasizes vertical passing should further enhance Thomas’s opportunities. Quaterback Trevor Lawerence has been able to support multiple targets before, so there’s no doubt that Thomas will have an immediate and prominant role in the offense. Lawerence has thrown over 4,000 yards in the past two seasons and has amassed 46 touchdowns in those years. He is still very young and a player that is improving. Thomas may become his new favorite target if they find immediate chemistry and is one of the few options this late in NFL fantasy drafts that could give you a top 20 WR value.

Trevor Lawerence o21.5 touch downs for -118 on BetOnline:

While we may not get Brian Thomas Jr props this season, we can still bet on his success by predicting an uptick in touchdowns thrown by Lawerence. Yes, Ridley leaving the team means that there are 8 touchdowns that Lawerence needs to produce in order to tie his total from last season (21). But two seasons ago Lawerence threw 25 touchdowns. In many ways Lawerence regressed a touch last season, so this bet is banking on a rebound and that Thomas is a big part of that.

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2. NFL Fantasy Round Nine Value Wide Receiver: Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Jaxon Smith-Njigba could have a breakout season making him a valuable fantasy commodity

Smith-Njigba had an outstanding season at Ohio State, where he set records for receptions and receiving yards in a single game during the 2021 season. That lead the Seattle Seahawks to spend major draft capital on him in last year’s draft. Don’t forget that when you are drafting your fantasy team this year. It often takes wideouts several seasons to truly breakout (more on that with the next pick) and JSN’s rookie season progressed he kept improving.

Last season Jaxon Smith-Njigba was behind two stand out receivers, DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. But Lockett is on the wrong side of 30, which means JSN could take the next step in the Seahawks offense. Smith-Njigba excels at gaining yards after the catch, turning short receptions into significant gains, which is a valuable trait in fantasy football. He is also known for his sure hands, Smith-Njigba can make difficult catches in traffic, which is crucial for converting targets into receptions.

It will be interesting to see of JSN can take the next step this season, and if he does watch out. One of the major concerns here is the new scheme that the Seahawks will take with new coaching and if Geno Smith can continue his rebirth as a decent fantasy QB. The Seahawks have managed to stay relevant after losing Russel Wilson, and bridging the gap with impact receivers has worked so far. Now it’s Geno’s turn to continue supporting two NFL fantasy weapons.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba o725.5 receiving yard for -110 on BetOnline:

JSN managed 628 receiving yards last season off of 63 receptions on 93 targets. This number is bound to go up as Tyler Lockett is another year older and the Seahawks will look to get the young wide out more involved. Lockett had 79 receptions on 112 targets for 894 yards. If we meet somewhere in the middle JSN should be able to hit this line. If one of DK or Lockett were to miss time, Jaxon has the chance to soar past this line.

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3. Value Wide Receiver NFL Fantasy Round Ten: Jameson Williams

Jameson Williams and the high flying Detroit offense could bring NFL fantasy value

Much like Brian Thomas Jr and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the Detroit Lions used a 1st round pick to select Jameson Williams to be a difference maker at the receiver position. So far we haven’t seen that from Williams, but there have been hurdles that he has had to face. Williams missed most of his rookie season as he was coming off an injury from the end of his college career (this didn’t deter the Lions from drafting him) and last season he missed four games and training camp due to suspension. This year Jamo will have a chance to prove his 1st round value.

Jamo has already been a stand out at training camp. Reports have suggested that he will take on a much larger role this season on top of being the primary deep threat on a Lions team that loves to air it out. While Williams only had 2 touchdowns and 354 yards last season, he did have 14.75 yards per carry, which indicates the upside he brings.

Williams is known for his blazing speed, which makes him a constant deep threat and capable of scoring long touchdowns. His ability to stretch the field can lead to big fantasy points from explosive plays. His speed also allows him to gain significant yards after the catch, turning short receptions into big gains. He finally will get a chance to build chemistry with quaterback Goff before the season begins, and you have to imagine more plays will be schemed for his skillset this season.

This is a player who put up 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns in his final NCAA season. If he can find a way to be translate his skillset to the NFL he could be an NFL fantasy league winner.

Jameson Williams o3.5 touchdowns for -118 on BetOnline:

Williams only needs to double his touchdown output from last season to cash this bet. Yes, there are many many mouths to feed in Detroit. But this is a team who has schemed creative plays to feed Jamo and with a complete training camp under his belt and full health, Williams has a chance to be a BIG playmaker.

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NFL Fantasy Football 2024 Late Round Value Picks: Wide Receivers

1. Wide Receiver Value Round Eight: Brian Thomas Jr.

2. NFL Fantasy Round Nine Value Wide Receiver: Jaxon Smith-Njigba

3. Value Wide Receiver NFL Fantasy Round Ten: Jameson Williams

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