High-upside rookies to stash late in Dynasty

This article marks my first since the NFL Draft. I was hoping not to wait this long to post something, but such is the busy nature of life. While many rookie drafts have now been completed in Dynasty, some commissioners prefer to wait a little while before scheduling a draft.

I must say, I personally find it incredibly frustrating to have to wait, and feel that it takes away from the speculative nature of rookie drafts. You’re supposed to be making bets on these young players, so waiting around to get more information is against the spirit of the format, for me.

Whether your rookie drafts have been completed or not, though, there is plenty of time to play around with your taxi squad before making any final decisions. In this article, I’ll list five players that I’ve had my eye on as late-round flyers or fantasy UDFAs.

I’ve used FantasyPros’ post-draft Superflex Dynasty rookie rankings, rather than ADP, for this list, as ADP will continue to change. While I personally prefer five-round rookie drafts, I’ve chosen players outside the top 36 on FantasyPros’ list, as I know many only use three-round drafts.

My Top Five Rookies Going Undrafted in Dynasty

45. Dillon Gabriel, QB, Cleveland Browns

As the QB4 in my pre-draft rookie rankings, I was hoping to see Gabriel land on the Dolphins, or a team in a similar position. When he landed on the Browns, I’ll admit to being a little concerned, purely because of the team’s history at the position. My concern was then naturally heightened when the team drafted Shedeur Sanders two rounds later.

It could be a genius move by the Browns, any team in their position would give up a third and a fifth for a franchise quarterback. And one of those two rookies will likely get the chance to be exactly that from 2026 onward. Sanders is still being drafted ahead of Gabriel in Dynasty, which is understandable, but I was already higher than most on the Oregon product.

I also still have Sanders above Gabriel for the time being, but it’s far closer than it was before. And if Gabriel does beat out his new teammate, He’ll likely be a starting NFL quarterback in a year’s time.

46. Woody marks, RB, Houston texans

At number 46 on FantasyPros’ list, Woody Marks narrowly missed out on my pre-draft rookie rankings after some late tweaks. Much like the 2024 receiver class, it was really difficult to rank some of this year’s running backs as highly as you’d like to, due to the strength and depth of the class.

Marks has a strong background of receiving production in college, making him an early candidate to feature on passing downs. And while the Texans won’t be looking to replace Joe Mixon any time soon, Marks should have Dameon Pierce looking over his shoulder.

An elusive back with good hands, Marks is an ideal player to sit on your taxi squad while he settles into the NFL.

48. Brashard Smith, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

It was always going to be intriguing to see what the Kansas City Chiefs did in the draft when it came to running back. The team has had success in the past with late-round backs in the past, including current RB1 Isiah Pacheco, who was a seventh-round pick.

The team struggled on the ground last season after Pacheco suffered a broken leg. Pacheco somehow returned before the end of the season, but was largely ineffective. The team re-signed Kareem Hunt after the veteran did a respectable job in Pacheco’s absence last year, but also added Brashard Smith in the seventh round of the draft.

Smith is another player who got lost in the crowd of impressive running backs this year. He is also another back with impressive receiving attributes, having only switched to running back for the 2024 season. There is no guarantee that Pacheco will get back to his best in 2025, which would give Smith a huge opportunity to take over early in Kansas City.

63. Xavier Restrepo, WR, Tennessee Titans

I won’t lie, I’m nervous about Xavier Restrepo’s NFL future, given that I ranked him as my WR5 in my pre-draft rookie rankings. Nevertheless, I’m sticking to my guns and picking him up wherever I can in Dynasty. It’s believed that Restrepo fell out of the draft because of poor athletic testing, but I honestly don’t care about that too much given that he is a route-running receiver who never excelled with his explosiveness.

Restrepo’s intelligence when running routes, and his ability to improvise when a play breaks down, make his reunion with Cam Ward incredibly exciting. Just like Randall Cobb did so well for Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay, Restrepo breaks away from his initial routes when Ward needs help, making this easy for the quarterback.

Restrepo also possesses really good hands and the ability to contort his body in the air to come down with errant throws. Receivers need to be good enough in at least one area to win in the NFL, Restrepo’s intelligence and route-running put him ahead of many more rounded receivers who are going ahead of him.

73. Nick Nash, WR, Atlanta Falcons

While the other four players on this list were chosen due to my own opinions from watching tape, Nick Nash is far more of an intriguing wildcard. Nash’s tape is solid, if not top-tier, but his production does catch the eye. Nash was a consensus All-American in his final college season, having caught 104 passes for 1,382 yards and 16 touchdowns.

While not playing in a top conference, those numbers are phenomenal considering that he played quarterback for the first three years of his college career. A Biletnikoff finalist in just his second full year at receiver, Nash is the definition of a high-upside flyer.

He’ll need to raise his level further in the NFL and will need to be coached up in some areas. But had he made the switch to receiver earlier in his career, he may have had time to transfer to a bigger program. Because that didn’t happen, it’s anyone’s guess as to how good Nash could be, which makes him a no-brainer late in rookie drafts.