The 2024 NFL Draft is behind us, but the analysis rages on! For Round One and then Rounds Two and Three, I gave out fantasy football grades, complete with an explanation, for the most relevant players. They are the “meat and potatoes” of this class serving as the focal points of dynasty rookie drafts. Day Three, which covers rounds four through seven, is a beast and should be treated differently for the purpose of analysis.
With 157 of the 257 total players drafted in 2024, Day Three can be a lot to take in. Not every offensive player will be fantasy-football-relevant or even make their team’s roster. That said, I’m going to quickly cover names that are at least in the discussion and you should know as a fantasy football manager. Rather than dissect each pick round-by-round, I’m making it easier and grouping them by position.
Quick Hitting the Fantasy Football Relevant Picks from Day Three of the 2024 NFL Draft
Quarterbacks
Spencer Rattler, New Orleans Saints, Round 4 Pick 15
The wait between QB6 Bo Nix at 12th overall and QB7 Spencer Rattler at 150th overall is the longest wait between quarterback picks in NFL Draft history. As if this draft isn’t historic enough already. Albeit a Day Three pick, Rattler will still compete for the backup role behind Derek Carr. He has four years of starting experience and the physical tools to develop into a legitimate pro but is by no means ready or relevant for the time being.
Jordan Travis, New York Jets, Round 5 Pick 37
Aaron Rodgers isn’t getting any younger. He will be 41 by the end of the 2024 season. This is probably his last shot to win a Super Bowl. Behind him are Tyrod Taylor and now Day Three pick, Jordan Travis. Taylor is 35 and joining the Jets on a two-year deal. That said, the future beyond Rodgers is extremely unclear. At least Travis is in the building to try and make a case for the job. He is worth a deeper league stash. If Travis rises to the occasion, his scrambling and rushing ability will rack up points. He rushed 417 times in 49 career games in college including 155 attempts in his final 24 games.
Joe Milton, New England Patriots, Round 6 Pick 17
I’m not the first person to say that Joe Milton has a cannon for an arm. In case you didn’t know, though, Joe Milton has a cannon for an arm. Milton is a Day Three quarterback pick on a team that used the third-overall pick to draft Drake Maye. I personally love the investment in two very different rookies with upside because nothing is a sure thing. Milton would look a lot better for fantasy purposes on plenty of other teams as he’ll likely be buried behind Maye for years to come.
Michael Pratt, Green Bay Packers, Round 7 Pick 25
Who is Jordan Love’s backup in Green Bay? I’m not going to bet on Michael Pratt, the 13th to last pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, but it could be. His competition on the depth chart is Sean Clifford and Alex McGough. Training camp competitions can make or break a player’s career. I’ll be watching this backup battle closely similar to the other Day Three quarterbacks before him. Pratt averaged less than two passing touchdowns per game at Tulane but is a comfortable pocket passer who has great weapons in Green Bay to help in his development.
Running Backs
Jaylen Wright, Miami Dolphins, Round 4 Pick 20
After two years of the Mike McDaniel Era in Miami, the Dolphins have a potential running back of the future. Raheem Mostert is now 32 years old. Yes, he had a career year in 2023, but his 21 touchdowns account for 47% of his fantasy points. The Dolphins don’t have a need for speed, but they make it a point to add Wright’s 4.38 [40-yard dash] speed on Day Three of the 2024 NFL Draft. It’s too significant to leave out the fact that they traded a 2025 third-round pick to obtain this Day Three pick for Wright in the first place.
Bucky Irving, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Round 4 Pick 25
After logging 336 touches in 2023, Rachaad White has some competition following Day Three of the 2024 NFL Draft. Bucky Irving is a great compliment to White. Irving caught 56 passes last season at Oregon and ranks top-five in yards after the catch amongst all other running backs in this class. If White were to miss time, Irving could slide into a workhorse role, but likely starts his career behind him in touches for the foreseeable future.
Will Shipley, Philadelphia Eagles, Round 4 Pick 27
The Eagles drafting Will Shipley all but tells us that Kenneth Gainwell won’t be back in 2025 when he’s set to become a free agent. Saquon Barkley is a big money back so paying significant money to a backup just doesn’t make sense. Enter Shipley. His limited touches won’t be enough to carve out a fantasy-relevant role, but he’s capable of handling a three-down role if Saquon were to miss time. He averaged over 17 touches per game over his final two seasons at Clemson. He’s a strong running back handcuff to Saquon.
Ray Davis, Buffalo Bills, Round 4 Pick 28
James Cook is just two months older than Ray Davis but has been playing in the NFL for two years prior to Davis ending up in the Bills’ backfield as a Day Three pick. Davis has at least 936 rushing yards in a single season for three different schools, including over 1,000 for both Vanderbilt and Kentucky in his final two seasons. Davis can do everything well including catch passes. He is going to be a change of pace back that should see a few opportunities in the red zone. There’s always the threat of Josh Allen taking away opportunities near the goal line.
Isaac Guerendo, San Francisco 49ers, Round 4 Pick 29
There’s no telling how the head coach will deploy running backs behind Christian McCaffrey. However, after a career-high 417 touches, including the Super Bowl run last season, we could see a degree of load management for the premier back. Guerendo drawing early Day Three draft capital is encouraging as is. Couple that with the fact that he ran the third-fastest 40-yard dash at the Combine amongst all players, his 220-pound frame, and Elijah Mitchell’s ongoing knee issues and Guerendo could be McCaffrey’s 2024 handcuff.
Braelon Allen, New York Jets, Round 4 Pick 34
This landing spot isn’t as bad as it looks. Breece Hall is still the obvious number-one back on the New York Jets. Behind him though is Israel Abanikanda, Xazavian Valladay, and now, Day Three pick, Braelon Allen. Unfortunately, Allen’s ceiling takes a huge hit on the Jets compared to other potential landing spots. Offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, has a history of deploying two running backs, but one clearly comes out on top. Allen is still only 20 years old and has plenty of time to produce fantasy-friendly numbers for years to come. For now, he’s a high-end handcuff to Hall, but could have some flex-worthy weeks.
Audric Estime, Denver Broncos, Round 5 Pick 12
Add Audric Estime to the list of Day Three running backs I wish were playing for the Dallas Cowboys. Instead, he’s looking to share the backfield with Javonte Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin, and Samaje Perine. Both Williams and Perine are entering the final year of their contracts. If the Broncos continue a rebuild, with their focus on other positions, it does make sense to let Williams, who had a season-ending knee injury in 2022, walk in free agency. Estime has a steady increase in production throughout his time at Notre Dame including a 6.2 yards per carry career average. He could be a lead back in the making as soon as 2025.
Rasheen Ali, Baltimore Ravens, Round 5 Pick 30
After losing Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins in free agency, on top of waiting for Keaton Mitchell to return from a late-season-ending knee injury, the Ravens all of a sudden needed running backs. Derrick Henry is the obvious lead back, but he’s 30 years old with 2,354 career touches. Ali has a legitimate path to playing time battling only Justice Hill for touches behind Henry.
Kimani Vidal, Los Angeles Chargers, Round 6 Pick 5
If it’s wrong to rank Kimani Vidal inside my top-six rookie running backs, I don’t want to be right! Vidal is a compact, strong back with a proven combination of workload and production. He has 781 carries in college including 528 in 26 games over the last two seasons. Additionally, Vidal has pass-catching upside and is difficult to bring down. He will be running behind an improved offensive line with a chance to lead an underwhelming backfield as soon as his rookie season. Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins are the only players in his way.
Dylan Laube, Las Vegas Raiders, 6 Pick 32
Zamir White looks to be the lead back in Vegas with Alexander Mattison competing for carries of his own. Laube joins the mix as a Day Three pick who will spend most of his first training camp battling Ameer Abdullah for a third down receiving role with the Raiders. His 2023 receiving line of 68/699/7 at New Hampshire stands out. His value mostly exists in Points Per Reception leagues.
Wide Receivers
Troy Franklin, Denver Broncos, Round 4 Pick 2
One of the biggest slides of the 2024 NFL Draft is Troy Franklin who is much more talented than his Day Three draft capital. This could be a blessing in disguise, though, as he reunites with his college quarterback, Bo Nix, on the Denver Broncos. Having that connection erases any concerns about Franklin sliding in the first place. He’s a low-end, top-10 rookie wide receiver who could be Nix’s top target sooner than later.
Javon Baker, New England Patriots, Round 4 Pick 10
After adding Ja’Lynn Polk in round two, Javon Baker gets added on Day Three to third-overall pick Drake Maye’s new arsenal of weapons. The draft capital speaks for itself as I expect Polk to develop into Maye’s WR1 over time. Baker will provide a downfield option for Maye and should serve, at best, as a boom-or-bust flex option in fantasy leagues.
Devontez Walker, Baltimore Ravens, Round 4 Pick 13
Days after re-signing Rashod Bateman to an extension, the Ravens draft a “Day Three pick of the 2024 NFL Draft” version of Bateman. They are both similarly sized, but blazing fast deep threats for Lamar Jackson. I’m not in any position to decide, or even care to, between Walker and Bateman. I just hope they both have some success and produce big plays for Lamar’s sake. Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews are the only pass catchers I want in this offense.
Jacob Cowing, San Francisco 49ers, Round 4 Pick 35
After selecting Ricky Pearsall in the first round, the 49ers add another wide receiver on Day Three. This pick continues to fuel the fire of a potential trade involving Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel even after the 2024 NFL Draft has ended. Aiyuk is looking for his next contract while Deebo has just two years left on his. If Deebo ends up elsewhere, Cowing could work onto the field more in the slot. If he gets a chance, Cowing could show his strength in gaining yards after the catch which the 49ers have a history of success putting players in a position to do so.
Anthony Gould, Indianapolis Colts, Round 5 Pick 7
I’m not interested in Anthony Gould for fantasy football. I’m mentioning him here for that reason. With the new kickoff rule changes, I think that’s the motivation for selecting Gould on Day Three. The Philadelphia Eagles took Ainias Smith 12 picks later, I think, to primarily return kicks, as well. Gould is more of a best ball pick as he could have a small handful of big weeks if he scores long touchdowns.
Malik Washington, Miami Dolphins, Round 6 Pick 8
The knock against Malik Washington is his size. He’s 5’9″ and 190 pounds but can get going in a hurry. I expected him to get drafted higher, even still on Day Three, but I love the Miami landing spot nonetheless. The Dolphins are always getting creative with formations, pre-snap motion, and on-field personnel which could play to Washington’s strengths especially as Tyreek Hill progresses toward the end of his contract in a few seasons.
Brendan Rice, Los Angeles Chargers, Round 7 Pick 5
After trading away Keenan Allen and letting Mike Williams walk in free agency, the Chargers had a dire need at wide receiver. After drafting Ladd McConkey early on in the second round, Brendan Rice becomes one of two late Day Three picks at the position. He’s a big long shot to earn a significant role over McConkey, Quentin Johnston and Joshua Palmer.
Tight Ends
Ja’Tavion Sanders, Carolina Panthers, Round 4 Pick 1
Sanders gets the honor of being the first pick of Day Three of the 2024 NFL Draft. Carolina is still looking for a reliable tight end in the passing game. They haven’t had one since Greg Olsen. He joins a much-needed group of pass-catching reinforcements to assist in the development of Bryce Young. There’s a chance he is a safety blanket in the passing game, but you’re better off investing in Diontae Johnson, if he ends up being cheaper than he’s ever been in 2024, for that role.
Theo Johnson, New York Giants, Round 4 Pick 7
Drafting Theo Johnson this early into Day Three indicates to me that Darren Waller is leaning toward retirement. Johnson doesn’t have significant production numbers, but is incredibly fast (4.57) for his size (6’6″, 260). The New York Giants need to keep developing pass catchers of any kind.
Erick All, Cincinnati Bengals, Round 4 Pick 15
Aside from a few big games from Hayden Hurst two years ago, Joe Burrow hasn’t had a tight end he can rely on in the passing game yet. As far as reliability is concerned, All has injury concerns having played in just 10 games over his last two seasons. Even if he is available, the “Cincinnati TE1” will often settle in as the fourth or fifth target in the pecking order. If Tyler Boyd signs elsewhere and Tee Higgins is traded, then All and rookie Jermaine Burton both get bumps up that pecking order.
Cade Stover, Houston Texans, Round 4 Pick 23
One month after extending Dalton Schultz, the Texans add another play-making tight end on Day Three of the 2024 NFL Draft. Rookie tight ends often need a few seasons to grow into fantasy-relevant players. Schultz’ contract is set up to see him elsewhere in as soon as two seasons. The timing could be perfect. Stover has typical tight-end size, but not the production to show for it. His final season at Ohio State is his best with 41 receptions 576 yards, and five touchdowns.
Jared Wiley, Kansas City Chiefs, Round 4 Pick 31
It’s not going to be easy, if even possible, for Wiley to produce on the Chiefs with so many other tight ends in the mix. Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, and Irv Smith Jr. are his notable competition for targets, outside of the group of talented wide receivers. If Kelce doesn’t retire for at least two or more years, Wiley is nothing more than a stash that could hit big if he does end up next in line.
Jaheim Bell, New England Patriots, Round 7 Pick 11
Bell is just another potential weapon the Patriots are willing to roll the dice on with another Day Three pick. Bell is such a low-risk pick but with a potentially massive reward. It’s a major youth movement in New England. Bell’s role will only increase with that idea in mind.