This week we are going to look into players who, based on their ADP, are currently going lower than they should in drafts. Love/Hate lists have become a big part of the fantasy industry. This week will be the love side of that, with the hate side coming next week, so be sure to tune in for that on July 22. Most of these players are going further down in the draft, and having some guys you can count on with some later picks is very crucial. The names below should be heavily looked at given their current ADP’s and here is why….

Quarterbacks

Blake Bortles (134.2 Yahoo) (150.1 ESPN) (149.36 NFL.com) Is seeing no love as he is currently getting drafted outside of the top-20 of QBs. Was he bad as a real life quarterback last year? Sure, but the fantasy world is a completely different thing. He still finished inside the top-10 of quarterbacks in points despite struggling as bad as he did. Yes, the Jaguars are likely to run the ball more this year with the addition of Leanord Fournette, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing for Bortles. An effective run game could keep the chains moving, and a threat of rushing attack would take some of the pressure off Bortles. Improved play from Allen Robinson should also help Bortles have a bounce back campaign as Robinson had his own struggles after a stellar 2015 season, as his catch % dropped nearly 5%. Bortles should play at a higher level this season and there is no reason to think he won’t at the least finish inside the top-15 of quarterbacks, with top-10 upside. 

Carson Wentz (129.2 Yahoo) (132.7 ESPN) (144.84 NFL.com) Was far from fantastic as a fantasy quarterback last season in his rookie campaign. However, now with a year of experience under his belt and the addition of playmaking WR Alshon Jeffery, there are reasons to expect improvement. Of course Jeffery will need to stay healthy for Wentz to take advantage of his playmaking ability, which is far from a sure thing. Adding Jeffery also slides Jordan Matthews to the #2 WR spot which is somewhere his talents fit better. Matthews is a solid receiver, but far from a #1 and did not perform well going up against opposing teams best cornerbacks. Wentz adds a nice dimension on the ground and should easily cross the 20 tocuhdown passing plateau this season. He is currently being drafted outside the top-20 for quarterbacks. He should be able to make his way inside that range with upside to be inside the top-15.

Running Back

Mike Gillislee (80.0 Yahoo) (78.3 ESPN) (100.88 NFL.com) Has me baffled to see how low he is going. Currently going outside the Top-25 at the RB position is just not something I understand. Here’s a bold prediction: Mike Gillislee will finish as a top-5 RB. Yes you read that right, and no I am not a Pats fan. Of course I don’t see him being above Johnson, Bell, or Zeke but after that, it is in the realm of possibilities. This is a guy who has averaged 5.7 yards per carry the last two years over nearly 150 carries. Last year that was good enough to lead the league among RBs with 100+ attempts on the ground. He also put up eight rushing touchdowns as a BACKUP running back for the Bills. Now he moves over to the Patriots to occupy the role that LeGarrette Blount had last year. Blount finished the season with 18 touchdowns on the ground with 1161 yards, averaging just 3.9 yards per attempt. Even if Gillislee drops his average per attempt down over a whole yard to 4.4 that would still be over 1300 yards on the same volume Blount had. Blount also had just 7 receptions in 2016 a number Gillislee should easily have 15+ in this year. He will be a touchdown machine in the Patriots high-powered offense. He also has just one fumble in his entire career so it is unlikely that he will land in that Bill Belichick fumble dog-house. Yes it will be his first season as a featured back, so there is reason to be skeptical, but what is not to love about this guy at these absurdly low ADP’s?

Wide Receivers

Keenan Allen (46.9 Yahoo) (45.1 ESPN) (68.44 NFL.com) I can see why he is going as low as he is, given the back to back seasons of missing big chunks of games with major injuries. That being said, if you take the risk at his current ADP and he stays healthy, it will be a great pick. Allen is an exceptional talent, and would likely surpass 1200+ yards in a full season of games. Last season only five players hit that mark of yards, and Allen is currently being drafted outside the top-20 of WRs. There is also a chance he could slide even further in your drafts, depending on your league member’s thoughts on injury prone players. He is currently going pretty well after Sammy Watkins, who has his own injury concerns and plays in an offense that will limit his talents. When taking the risk on Allen it is best to also try and grab a Tyrell Williams or Mike Williams; who would see increased targets/action on offense if Allen were to go down with injury again. You can also draft him and after he performs well in a few games, try to trade him for high value, and dump the injury risk.

Martavis Bryant (89.3 Yahoo) (65.9 ESPN) (94.55 NFL.com) This guy is a freakish athlete and explosive weapon for the Steelers offense. The suspension concerns have him going lower in drafts, and rightfully so, but the upside at his current ADP (excluding ESPN) is exceptional. If he can stay off the drugs and stay on the field, he will likely surpass the 1000 yard mark and could catch 8-12 TDs. In 2015, the last season he played, he had 765 yards with 6 touchdowns in just 11 games. If you had the chance to check out the article “2017 NFL Fantasy Football Bold Predictions” you would see I had him as my comeback player this season, which is fully a possibility, if he stays on the field and makes use of his incredible talents. Of course there is the risk of him being caught again and being suspended all season (Look at Josh Gordon and Justin Blackmon) but at his current ADP the upside is well worth the risk.

Kelvin Benjamin (87.8 Yahoo) (74.5 ESPN) (95.78 NFL.com) Is going outside the top-30 among WR, which is simply far too low. In the two seasons he has played in the NFL Benjamin has averaged 68 receptions, 975 yards, and 8 touchdowns. That in itself is enough to make this guy worthy of being a top-30 selection at his position. He now has a full year of playing post-ACL surgery under his belt and should be more comfortable and stronger this season. This is a big receiver who sees a high number of Red Zone targets and does a nice job of reeling them in (53% catch rate). Benjamin could be in for his first 10+ touchdown season, a mark that only had five members last season. At his current ADP Benjamin makes for a strong selection in standard leagues and a nice safe selection in PPR leagues. 

Tight End

Eric Ebron (123.7 Yahoo) (131.9 ESPN) (131.77 NFL.com) Has the talent and athletic ability to be a top-tier TE. He is currently getting drafted in the 13-16 range of TE’s on the different sites, making him a great upside selection at his ADP. Yes, he has yet to put it all together for a stellar season, but he has made progress in his career. His yard totals, receptions, and targets have improved each year, and he will likely get to the 4-8 touchdown range this season after catching just one last season. The departure of Anquan Boldin will lead to far more Red Zone targets for Ebron, as Boldin led the Lions in both targets inside the 20 and Inside the 10, during the 2016 season. Ebron is also in a contract year, which makes for a big season frequently, as guys chase that big payday. He does suffer nagging injuries, but has still played 13+ games in all three of his NFL seasons to this point. If he can hit that same mark of games played, he will finish inside the top-10 at his position and will be a nice fantasy asset.

Defense

Jacksonville Jaguars (140.7 Yahoo) (139.4 ESPN) (146.54 NFL.com) If you checked out the article “2017 NFL Fantasy Football Bold Predictions” you will know that I had the Jaguars listed as my favorite fantasy DST for this season. It’s not that I believe they will be the best fantasy defense, but more so where you can get them in the draft, that really makes me love them. I am not a big fan of using an early round selection on the likes of a Denver or Seattle, when a team like the Jags can be acquired much later. They added star DL Calais Campbell to their line, who will be both a strong talent and leader for the team. Youngsters Jalen Ramsey, Telvin Smith, Myles Jack, Dante Fowler Jr, and Yannick Ngakoue all have another year under their belt and should all be improved players. The offense also plans to both run more and more effectively this season which will eat time off the clock and give the defense more rest in between defensive series. This should mean fewer points against and improved overall play. They should finish as a top-10 defense and right now only ESPN players are drafting them inside the top-13 of defenses.