Don't Let These Rookies Fall to Someone Else with Derek Brown

Can you believe drafters are sleeping on these guys? Knowing which rookies have a realistic path to playing time can turn a late-round pick or a waiver claim into real dynasty equity. Yet, many managers are letting these guys fall down the draft board. Derek Brown, senior analyst at FantasyPros, joins Jeff Blaylock to dive deep into the 2026 rookie class and surface the late-round rookie picks dynasty managers should be drafting while their league mates draft less impactful players. From Chase Roberts and Bryce Lance to Oscar Delp, Eli Raridon, and Matthew Hibner, this is the episode for managers hunting first-round talent with fourth and fifth-round picks. Key Takeaways • Path to playing time is the key to deciding which late-round rookie is worth drafting. • DBro's favorite WR sleepers include Chase Roberts, CJ Daniels, Eric Rivers and Kevin Coleman Jr., who he calls "South Beach Jayden Reed." • Bryce Lance is available in the third and fourth round of rookie drafts despite ranking sixth in yards per route run among all FBS and FCS receivers last year — DBro sees a Christian Watson 2.0 with a clear path to starting in New Orleans. • High-end athleticism at tight end is a prerequisite for dynasty value, not just a bonus. DBro won't draft a TE who runs a 4.8 40 or slower. • Oscar Delp and Eli Raridon, DBro's two most undervalued players in this class, are falling to the third and fourth round of rookie drafts when both could be long-term starting tight ends. • DBro is most excited about tight ends in the fifth round and beyond of rookie drafts. He's targeting Seydou Traore, Matthew Hibner and Jaren Kanak. • Seth McGowan, one of DBro's favorite late-round RBs, is worth drafting as a potential RB2 in Indy, and Eli Heidenreich is a late-round RB who might end up as a starting slot receiver. • DBro is fading Demond Claiborne and Adam Randall despite the buzz, citing contact avoidance and poor tackle-breaking metrics that don't match the hype. • Cole Payton (PHI) is DBro's sleeper quarterback pick for Superflex leagues, while Haynes King (CAR) is the waiver wire name to stash. Chapters 00:00 – Introduction 08:12 – Finding first-round talent with late-round picks 14:31 – WRs: Chase Roberts & Bryce Lance 23:17 – Kevin Coleman Jr. and the Miami Dolphins' WR mess 28:04 – "TikTok footwork," contested catch rate, and what actually translates 36:04 – CJ Daniels & Eric Rivers 42:34 – TEs: Athleticism as a filter 48:17 – Oscar Delp & Eli Raridon 55:13 – Matt Hibner & Jaren Kanak 01:02:54 – RBs: Seth McGowan & Eli Heidenreich 01:10:44 – QBs: Cole Payton & Haynes King in Superflex 01:15:57 – DBro's round-by-round final picks Links Mentioned FantasyPros: https://www.fantasypros.com FP's Dynasty Channel:    / @fantasyprosdynasty   Follow Derek Brown on Twitter/X: https://x.com/DBro_FFB Jeff's Dynasty Rankings: https://www.footballguys.com/rankings... Follow Jeff on Twitter/X: https://x.com/jeffblaylock Footballguys: https://www.footballguys.com Dynasty Compass website: https://www.dynastycompass.com Related Episodes Ep. 31 — Finding Rookie Sleepers Before the NFL Draft with Alfredo Brown:    • Finding Rookie Sleepers Before the Draft w...   Ep. 34 — What the Metrics Say About the 2026 Rookie Class with Ryan Heath:    • What the Metrics Say About the 2026 Rookie...   Ep. 36 — Best, Worst & 'Huh?' Rookie Landing Spots with Andrew Cooper:    • Best, Worst & 'Huh?' Rookie Landing Spots ...   Ep. 21 – Scouting Rookie RBs with Dave Kluge:    • Scouting Rookie RBs: Who’s Real in the 202...   Ep. 22 – Scouting Rookie QBs & TEs with Mike Kashuba:    • Scouting Rookie QBs & TEs | Dynasty Draft ...   Ep. 23 – Scouting Rookie WRs with Jeff Bell:    • Is There a WR1? Scouting the 2026 Rookie C...