7 Players the WalterPicks Team Would Reach On 🏈

Patrick McDonnell - Patriots Creator

Player: TE David Njoku, Cleveland Browns

Reasoning: As someone who HATES being without a set-and-forget TE, Njoku is the last one on the board that I feel good about taking. The last five weeks of last season, he led all TEs in targets per game with 13. The Browns should continue to lean into their passing game regardless of who is at QB, and Njoku has the volume and talent to enter the elite tier of fantasy TEs. The past two seasons, he has consistently had high target rates in the red zone. 

I would rather have him than Travis Kelce or Mark Andrews, and I think he should be going in the same range as Sam LaPorta. On most platforms, their gap is about 40 picks apart. 

Walter’s Analysis: Walter mostly agrees with Pat’s reasoning, as the Browns tight end has the same fantasy ceiling (TE4) as TEs like Kelce, LaPorta, Andrews, and Hockenson. Yet, all four of those tight ends are often going three to four rounds earlier than Njoku.

That feels too late for a TE who is the second pass catcher in a Browns offense that should trail in most games. Given that Walter has Njoku ranked as the TE7 and 16 spots ahead of his current 95 ADP on ESPN, fantasy managers should be targeting him way ahead of where he is going in drafts.

Avery Rousos - Commanders Creator

Player: WR Calvin Ridley, Tennessee Titans

Reasoning: It CAN’T get worse than Will Levis (QB35 in pass attempts per game and QB40 in passer rating in 2024). His only WR comp is Van Jefferson and Tyler Lockett. He’s still great downfield, ranking as the WR3 in air yards per game with 111.3 in 2024, but it just didn’t turn into points (11.8 PPR PPG) because Levis was so bad. All Cam Ward has to do is be average, and Ridley will crush his ADP.

Walter’s Analysis: Ridley has seen his ADP slightly rise over the last few weeks, but Walter is not totally in on the Titans WR in 2025. The projections team has him ranked 74th overall (compared to his 60 ADP on ESPN) and as the WR35 in drafts. Part of that reason could be due to his capped ceiling with a rookie quarterback under center.

Of all the WRs going around Ridley in drafts, he has a lower ceiling (WR19) than Jerry Jeudy (WR16), Courtland Sutton (WR17), DeVonta Smith (WR14), Jaylen Waddle (WR12), and Jameson Williams (WR14). So, Walter doesn’t believe we should reach too high for the veteran WR in drafts. However, his improved situation should help him be a better fantasy option than he was a season ago.

Trevor Martin- Lead Data Scientist

Player: RB Chase Brown, Cincinnati Bengals

Reasoning: He is the clear lead back on the team with the highest projected passing volume in the NFL. He is my favorite Round 2 RB target in PPR formats, and he's going in Round 3 on most platforms. The Bengals’ defense hasn't improved at all, so Brown could lead all RBs in targets and receptions this season.

Walter’s Analysis: Walter has been high on Brown all offseason after dominating Cincinnati’s backfield last year. With Zack Moss recently released and sixth-round rookie Tahj Brooks as the only RB threatening Brown’s potential large workload, a top-5 RB finish is not out of the question.

That’s exactly where Walter has his ceiling at this season. The projections team also has him ranked as the overall RB8 in drafts, over other RBs like Jonathan Taylor, Bucky Irving, and Josh Jacobs. So, this is a player you should be reaching for in the early-to-middle part of the second round.

Sam Factor- CEO

Player: RB TreVeyon Henderson, New England Patriots

Reasoning: Henderson is the clear best receiving back on a Patriots team that still lacks many elite receiving weapons. The last time Josh McDaniels was the Pats OC, James White's target shares in his final three healthy seasons were 18.1%, 17.4%, and 22.2%. For context, here were the top-3 RBs in target share last season:

Henderson is an ideal Round 5+ PPR target, especially if you don’t go RB-heavy in the early rounds. I am not scared to reach for Henderson in Round 4.

Walter’s Analysis: Henderson has every opportunity to make an instant impact in this New England offense. That’s part of the reason Walter is so high on him entering his rookie campaign. He is currently ranked as the RB16 in PPR formats, better than established RBs like James Conner (RB18), Chuba Hubbard (RB19), James Cook (RB20), and Kenneth Walker (RB21).

That RB16 ranking has him as the 41st overall player on Walter’s big board. With an RB1 ceiling (RB11) and a solid floor (RB26), Henderson could emerge as a league winner in 2025. Reaching for him at the back end of the fourth round might not be a bad idea.

Andrew Sampogna - Falcons Creator

Player: WR Matthew Golden, Green Bay Packers

Reasoning: With injuries to Jayden Reed and Christian Watson, the door to immediate impact is open for Golden. He was drafted with high-end capital, and all of the talks in Green Bay camp have sung the praises of the former Longhorn. Going around guys like Jauan Jennings, Jakobi Meyers, and Deebo Samuel, I’ll reach on the upside of an incredibly athletic rookie on a high-end offense. 

Walter’s Analysis: Walter isn’t particularly high on Golden in his first year, considering his ADP (WR40) and Walter’s ranking (WR40) are the same. However, Walter does agree that there is a high ceiling the Packers’ rookie could have if everything clicks for him in this offense.

Golden has a WR19 ceiling, which is higher than several of the WRs going around in drafts. Samuel (WR22), Cooper Kupp (WR29), Meyers (WR22), and Chris Godwin (WR36) all have a lower ceiling than the former Texas star. So, if you are shooting for upside in the middle-to-late rounds, he might be worth grabbing in the eighth round of drafts.

Seth Burton - Steelers Creator

Player: WR Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco 49ers

Reasoning: He has first-round draft capital. He is the only healthy WR in a hyper-efficient San Francisco 49ers offense. He dominated in his final two games of 2024 as a QB’s best friend, making him an easy reach in this year’s draft. 

Walter’s Analysis: After showing some encouraging signs toward the end of his rookie campaign, Walter is in on Pearsall as a value this season. He is ranked 25 spots higher (91st) than his ADP on ESPN (115) and has a solid WR17 ceiling in the WalterPicks app. That ceiling could help Pearsall go from potential flex play to a strong WR2 fantasy option.

He has a higher porjected ceiling than WRs going in his range like Khalil Shakir (WR36), Keon Coleman (WR49), Jayden Reed (WR40), and Samuel (WR22). As a result, there is no way the second-year WR should be going this late in drafts. You can absolutely reach for him in the eighth or ninth rounds.

Joey Pollizze - Buccaneers Creator

Player: WR Tetairoa McMillan, Carolina Panthers

Reasoning: We all saw last season the fantasy ceiling that rookie wide receivers could have in their first year. Both Brian Thomas Jr. and Malik Nabers finished as top-6 wide receivers in 2024. This season, McMillan could be that rookie WR who significantly outperforms his ADP. He is the clear WR1 on an ascending Panthers offense, and head coach Dave Canales has already said the rookie will see a ton of targets in Year 1.

Walter’s Analysis: Walter is in on McMillan this year, considering the rookie’s ranking in the WalterPicks app (WR27) is higher than on every other platform. With a ranking of 57th overall, it’s hard not to think about taking him in the fifth or sixth round of drafts.

He has a WR15 ceiling, but also a safer floor than some fantasy managers might realize. His WR41 floor is higher than Jameson Williams (WR43), Rome Odunze (WR46), Chris Olave (WR46), and Ridley (WR49). All five of those WRs are going right around McMillan in drafts. The fifth round feels like the perfect spot to reach for him.