Each season in dynasty leagues there are post-rookie draft waiver targets that provide a tremendous value for owners who were savvy or lucky enough to find them on their roster. Some provide an immediate “home-run” return like James Robinson did last season. Others make great taxi squad stashes that provide value later and might be tradeable for better assets (think Boston Scott, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Allen Lazard, Preston Williams, Collin Johnson, etc.). The majority will fall flat as expected.
Below are your author’s picks for dynasty undrafted free agent (UDFA) waiver targets to provide owners value in the future. Due to the nature of variety in terms of the number of owners and number of rookie draft rounds in dynasty leagues, your author will exclude his top-50 ranked offensive rookies. Please head over to the DFF Rankings page to see our rookie rankings! For IDP enthusiasts, stay tuned and look for the IDP version of this article to drop next week.
Sam Ehlinger – QB – Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts decided to add to their QB room in the sixth round, selecting four-year starter Sam Ehlinger. The Colts are set at QB after trading for Carson Wentz in the offseason. This comes less than a year after drafting Jacob Eason in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
Ehlinger admittedly has “career back-up” written all over him and his abilities. However, Wentz has a history of missing games after starting 16 games just twice in his five-year career. Additionally, Jacob Eason is a statue in the pocket. It might be a reach, but Ehlinger’s mobility and savvy could find him useful in a Taysom Hill-type role. We have seen players of similar size and skill-sets, such as Colt McCoy, have stints of success in the NFL. The idea here for fantasy owners is to trade Ehlinger for anything you can if he ever gets the opportunity to play meaningful snaps in a game.
Larry Rountree – RB – Los Angeles Chargers
Javian Hawkins is being drafted so frequently that it felt unsatisfactory to include him. One RB who has flown under the radar but may have a shot at meaningful touches is Larry Rountree. Rountree is a twitchy, aggressive runner who brings his lunch pail to every game ready to work. He is willing to do any job, whether it is picking up pass protection, covering kickoffs, or mashing on 4th and inches.
A four-year contributor and three-year starter, Rountree never missed a game in his college career. Consider that he is playing behind Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson, two backs who struggle to stay on the field. Additionally, 2020 fourth-round pick Joshua Kelley was unimpressive in his first season. Rountree could easily make the 53-man opening day roster with his special teams acumen and from there, may find his way into meaningful snaps due to injuries to some of the aforementioned backs.
Gerrid Doaks – RB – Miami Dolphins
Gerrid Doaks possesses the size and power that no other Miami RB has. He may start the season on the practice squad, learning behind respected veteran Malcolm Brown, but look for Doaks to be on the active roster by the end of the 2021 season. Potential opportunities are what we look for in every post-draft waiver player. Myles Gaskin and Salvon Ahmed both excelled with their opportunities in an underrated Miami offense last season. Both also missed six or more games last season. Doaks has a Jordan Howard-type frame and he knows how to both absorb and dish out punishment to defenders. Expect to see him utilized in goal-line and short-yardage situations in the future.
Sage Surratt/Jonathan Adams Jr. – WR – Detroit Lions
Wake Forest WR Sage Surratt went undrafted after making the horrific decision to opt-out of the 2020 football season following a season-ending shoulder injury in 2019. Surratt broke out as a redshirt sophomore as a physically imposing receiver that could elevate and make contested catches. Despite his lack of speed and explosiveness, he has a legitimate shot to make the team in Detroit, where the WR room is bare. His older brother Chazz, who played LB at UNC, chose to play in 2020 and saw himself drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in round three of the NFL Draft. Sage has big-time production at the Power Five level and has displayed the size and hands needed to make plays in the NFL.
Similarly, Jonathan Adams Jr. has a strong chance to make the 53-man roster or the practice squad in Detroit. Adams boasts a similar size and play-making ability to Surratt. Yes, that is Adams punking Georgia’s Tyson Campbell, who was just selected 33rd overall, pictured above. Adams was featured several times as a small school player to watch in your author’s weekly Draft Stock Watch article during last season. He was a four-year contributor at Arkansas State and finished third in the nation with 12 TDs in 2020. Had he played at a Power Five school and/or not suffered a hairline fracture in his hip at the close of the season, your author firmly believes he would have been drafted.
One of Surratt or Adams should make the Lions’ 53-man roster. Whoever doesn’t may end up on their practice squad.
Racey McMath – WR – Tennessee Titans
Racey McMath is a height, weight, speed specimen. He never really broke out during his time at LSU due to a variety of reasons ranging from injuries to playing behind NFL first-round picks. Still, at 6’2½” and 211 lbs. boasting legitimate 4.3 40-yard dash speed, McMath has all the necessary tools to become an NFL star.
Most athletes of this archetype that did not produce in college have poor hands. McMath does not. He struggles as a route runner and with his releases off the line. However, with time to develop and NFL-level tutelage, he has immense potential. His prowess as a special teams performer will ensure he makes the team, where he will be afforded those opportunities to develop on a Tennessee WR depth chart that lacks a difference-maker outside of A.J. Brown.
Jacob Harris – TE – Los Angeles Rams
Your author’s favorite post-draft waiver target, Jacob Harris was drafted as a TE by the Rams. Most fantasy platforms have him incorrectly designated as a WR. Utilize this to your advantage, as he will eventually be redesignated as a TE. Harris was taken in the fourth round after flying under the radar as a former walk-on for two different programs. He is a hard worker who boasts exceptional measurables, as well as a strong work ethic and special teams experience.
Harris will take time to develop, as he has just three years of playing experience after giving up soccer for football. Additionally, he will be undergoing a position change in the NFL. However, Gerald Everett’s departure in free agency assures he will make the team. He will have the opportunity to compete with another athletic TE that was drafted on day three of the 2020 NFL Draft in Brycen Hopkins. By the time Harris is ready, the Rams may be moving on from Tyler Higbee. Harris is your author’s favorite taxi squad stash.
Sammis Reyes – TE – Washington Football Team
The first official signee of 2021 by way of the International Player Pathway, Sammis Reyes is one of those former D1 basketball players. Always grab the TEs that were former basketball players. The big Chilean played basketball at Tulane before giving up on his NBA dreams to pursue one in the NFL. Reyes is your stereotypical workout warrior, posting a 40” vertical, 10’5” broad jump, and 4.64 40-yard dash. He also churned out 31 reps on the bench press. Reyes measured in at 6’5” 260 lbs., but he looks even bigger on film. He is my second-favorite post-draft waiver target and the perfect taxi squad stash.
Kenny Yeboah – TE – New York Jets
With the display Kenny Yeboah put on film in 2020 he should have been drafted. His lack of production at Temple his first three seasons before transferring to Ole Miss, in tandem with his reluctance to mix it up as a blocker saw the playmaking TE go undrafted. However, the Jets have struggled to find a playmaker at the TE position for years. Yeboah can carve out a role over time as a “move” TE if he begins giving effort as a blocker. Adding Yeboah could provide dividends for fantasy owners in 2022 and beyond.
Happy Waivering
While it is easy to dig for reasons to get excited about these players, none of them should require more than 10% of your free agent acquisition budget. There are always two or three big waiver pick-ups per season that prove to be difference-makers. You will want to keep a majority of your budget for one of those types of players. Still, there is a lot to be gained from filling your taxi squad or surplus bench spots with high-upside post-draft targets!
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