We've pretty much covered it all here during Fantasy Draft Week in hopes of preparing you the best we can for your draft. We've touched on sleepers, deep sleepers, breakouts and busts. So now, without further ado, we wrap up this series with our Top 10 bargain candidates based on current ADP, or average draft position according to drafts on NFL.com. Study up!
You can also see the rest of the NFL Fantasy teams' bargain candidates at the bottom of this article.
Jeremy Maclin, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
ADP Round 8 on NFL.com
A top-10 option in fantasy at his position last season, Maclin has tumbled all the way into Round 8 for one simple reason: He is now playing in Kansas City with Alex Smith (notorious for his lack of deep passes) slinging the rock. This is absolutely irrational. Last season, Maclin posted a career-high 1,318 yards and 10 touchdowns on 85 catches. This year, he's the No. 1 option in Kansas City. Head coach Andy Reid, who drafted Maclin to the Eagles back in 2009, is going to manufacture ways to get the ball in his hands, and he's looked tremendous thus far in the preseason. Yet, many are still shying away. If he's available as early as Round 4 or 5 he's definitely worth reaching for.
Brandon Marshall, WR, New York Jets
ADP Round 9 on NFL.com
Marshall has finished as a top-5 fantasy wideout in two of the last three years. A lingering ankle injury limited him last season before a rib injury knocked him out for the remainder of the year in Week 13. Were it not for those ailments, he probably could have been a top-10 fantasy option once again. Thus far this preseason he has shown good chemistry with Ryan Fitzpatrick as the duo connected four times for 62 yards in the Jets' second exhibition game. Sure, a move to New York might be a detriment to his overall fantasy value, but he is still one of the most talented and experienced pass-catchers in the league and should be able to put up low-end WR2 value. A WR2 in Round 9? Now that's a solid draft bargain.
Doug Martin, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
ADP Round 13 on NFL.com
Doug Martin's ADP has been on the rise for a few weeks thanks to a strong preseason in which he's looked like his old self, breaking tackles and showing burst on his runs. On NFL.com his ADP is in the 13th round which is positively ludicrous but he owns a more realistic draft slot in Round 6 in MFL10 drafts since August 15th. He's still a bargain at either price as the clear-cut leader in Tampa Bay's backfield, and a runner that new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter has been lauding since he took over. If he is lingering on your draft board in Round 6 or later, he's well worth a selection.
Ryan Mathews, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
ADP Round 12 on NFL.com
Mathews' arrival in Philadelphia has been overshadowed by the acquisition of DeMarco Murray. But Mathews should not be overlooked by fantasy fans. His current ADP is nothing short of criminal, as the former Chargers running back will likely split carries with Murray all season. And in the fast-paced Eagles offense, the two will constantly be rotating snaps. Mathews only played in six games in 2014 due to injury, but he racked up over 1,300 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns through 16 games in 2013. He's healthy again and has looked spry this preseason. The word 'bargain' is an understatement when it comes to Mathews, especially if the Eagles are going to play like they did against Baltimore during their second preseason game. I mean, did you see the gaping holes the offensive line was creating? So, why wouldn't you want to roster a running back as talented as Mathews if you can grab him in the later rounds?
Andre Ellington, RB, Arizona Cardinals
ADP Round 6 on NFL.com
It makes sense that many are down on Ellington this season due to his durability issues. He burned many who drafted him last season from the onset, limited with a foot injury that lingered up until he was finally ruled out for the rest of the season during a Week 13. But Ellington remains a huge part of the Cardinals offense and is a playmaker in the open field. He makes up for his lack of power running in the passing game. Chris Johnson and David Johnson might siphon a few touches here and there, but if Ellington can stay healthy he is a considerable bargain at his current price as the lead back in Arizona.
Andre Johnson, WR, Indianapolis Colts
ADP Round 6 on NFL.com
I'm already on record talking Andre Johnson up in my fantasy Franchise Tag players to target in drafts, and for good reason. His quarterback, Andrew Luck (arguably the best in the NFL) is building a great rapport with the veteran wideout. Johnson is a huge target on underneath routes and in the red zone. He should bring WR2 value to your roster which is an outstanding bargain for a receiver that you can draft as late as the sixth round.
Vincent Jackson, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
ADP Round 10 on NFL.com
With Mike Evans stealing the spotlight last season, Jackson seems to have lost some of his luster in fantasy circles. The veteran did see a massive decline in touchdowns last season yet he still managed 70 receptions for the third year in a row and posted his fourth-straight 1,000-yard receiving campaign. With a clear upgrade from last year (Josh McCown/Mike Glennon) at quarterback in rookie Jameis Winston, Jackson is a good bet to out-produce his Round 10 ADP.
Danny Woodhead, RB, San Diego Chargers
ADP Round 15 on NFL.com
Woodhead is the Chargers passing-down specialist, a role he has excelled in throughout his career. He's being forgotten in drafts due to a season-ending injury that kept him sidelined for most of the 2014 campaign, and because San Diego drafted Melvin Gordon in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft. But Woodhead's teammates, especially Philip Rivers, are excited to have him back. He's a go-to guy in red zone situations, and while he brings more value in PPR leagues, he should provide flex value in standard formats as well.
Tyler Eifert, TE, Cincinnati Bengals
ADP Round 15 NFL.com
Another one of my fantasy Franchise Tag players, Eifert's ceiling this season is sky-high in what projects to be a productive Bengals offense. His Round 15 ADP is just silly when you consider the fact that he has the potential to be the No. 2 pass catcher behind A.J. Green in Cincinnati. If the Bengals are able to take advantage of the former first-rounder's athletic prowess Eifert should be able to attain top-10 status at his position. If that happens he's a steal at his current Round 15 ADP.
Vernon Davis, TE, San Francisco 49ers
ADP Round 14 on NFL.com
Davis was a huge bust last year for fantasy owners. But a quick glance at his career stats show that 2014 was an outlier in terms of his well below-average production. Prior to last year, Davis averaged about 647 receiving yards and 50 receptions per season over the course of his career. He remains one of the biggest red-zone threats in San Francisco and is due for a bounce-back campaign in 2015. His Round 14 ADP means he is going virtually undrafted in standard leagues as one of the last tight ends off the board. If he can catch 40 passes for somewhere around 500 yards and say even five touchdowns, he will blow away his draft price. The fact that you can get him so late makes him one of the best bargains in fantasy at the tight end position.
Michael Fabiano
1. Keenan Allen
2. Giovani Bernard
3. Chris Ivory
4. Vincent Jackson
5. Tom Brady
6. Tony Romo
7. Matt Ryan
8. Marques Colston
9. Vernon Davis
10. Carson Palmer
Alex Gelhar
1. Steve Johnson
2. David Cobb
3. Denard Robinson
4. Sam Bradford
5. Vernon Davis
6. Tyler Eifert
7. Larry Fitzgerald
8. Eddie Royal
9. Brian Quick
10. Eric Decker
James Koh
1. David Johnson
2. Teddy Bridgewater
3. Eli Manning
4. Tevin Coleman
5. Chris Conley
6. Latavius Murray
7. Vincent Jackson
8. Julius Thomas
9. Jaelen Strong
10. Shane Vereen
Marcas Grant
1. Teddy Bridgewater
2. Arian Foster
3. Tyler Eifert
4. Charles Johnson
5. Tre Mason
6. Jordan Cameron
7. Eli Manning
8. Danny Woodhead
9. Eddie Royal
10. Steve Johnson
Matt Harmon
1. Jordan Cameron
2. Carson Palmer
3. Steve Smith
4. Anquan Boldin
5. John Brown
6. Eric Decker
7. Eli Manning
8. Danny Woodhead
9. Bishop Sankey
10. Kenny Stills
Adam Rank
1. Matt Forte
2. A.J. Green
3. Jimmy Graham
4. Allen Robinson
5. Doug Martin
6. Ryan Tannehill
7. Julius Thomas
8. Tom Brady
9. Shane Vereen
10.Teddy Bridgewater
Matt Franciscovich is an associate fantasy editor at NFL.com. He'll be listening to The Weekend's new record, "Beauty Behind The Madness" all ... weekend. Hit him up on Twitter _**@mfranciscovich**_ for music recommendations and fantasy advice.
