Here are a few players at each position who, according to our data, should be going lower than their current ADP on DraftKings. Nonetheless, let’s get to our DraftKings Best Ball fades guide. Do keep in mind data and information are changing often, though.
Quarterback
Aaron Rodgers (Rank: 254 | ADP: 180)
Take this with a grain of salt—unlike other positions in 20-round best ball drafts, QB suffers from positional scarcity. So think of this more as a relative ranking of quarterbacks rather than a suggested ADP.
Though Rodgers finished as QB15 last season, his outlook on a Steelers team that wants to lean on the run and defense will be vastly different in 2025. Gone are the 584 pass attempts and soft garbage-time coverage schemes he benefited from with the Jets.
New Steelers OC Arthur Smith wants to ground and pound—as evidenced by his tenure as Falcons head coach, where Atlanta ran the ball at the highest rate in the NFL in 2022 and 2023.
That likely means taking the ball out of Rodgers’ hands and turning him into more of a game manager.
As stated above, he’s still a fine late-round add if you’ve missed out on other QBs or need to fill out the position. But compared to his current ADP, we like him less and prefer other options in that range.
Other fades:
- Sam Darnold (Rank: 228 | ADP: 163)
Running Back
Brian Robinson (Rank: 185 | ADP: 95)
Beat writers in Washington are speculating that Robinson might not even make the final roster, while seventh-round rookie Jacory “Bill” Croskey-Merritt has turned heads all summer. Add Austin Ekeler into the mix and—even if Robinson doesn’t get cut—we’re looking at a crowded backfield.
Of course, these reports might be off base. We had Robinson ranked a full 80 spots higher just a week ago. Watch the news over the next couple of weeks for updates, but proceed with caution.
Other fades:
Fading RBs is always tricky—plenty of players who project poorly can still be fine picks if they’re in an offense that prioritizes RB1 touches. Many have low floors because they don’t see the field much, but high ceilings if the starter goes down. These backs project poorly for us relative to ADP, but still have some league-winning upside:
- Emari Demercado (Rank: 288 | ADP: 226)
- Ollie Gordon (286 | 198)
- Raheem Mostert (277 | 222)
Wide Receiver
There isn’t a standout fade among the WRs, but here are a few we have ranked lower than ADP:
- Jalen McMillan (Rank: 201 | ADP: 174): Neck injury, placed on IR, full fade.
- Roman Wilson (238 | 226): Second-year redshirt out of Michigan, currently 4th on the depth chart in a run-heavy offense. Rumors suggest the Steelers want to add another WR.
- Joshua Palmer (177 | 152): The Bills spread the ball around, making it tough for the 4th option to outperform his ADP. Palmer has only topped 600 receiving yards once in his career.
- Andrei Iosivas (225 | 199): Appears locked into the starting slot role in Cincinnati, but produced just 479 yards last year and is due for TD regression. Good for stacks but limited upside.
- Adonai Mitchell (232 | 222): Stock rising with strong camp reports, but still sits behind three WRs and a TE on the depth chart—with Daniel Jones throwing him the ball.
Tight End
Similar to WR, there are a few tight ends we have flagged as fades at their current ADP:
- Tyler Warren (98 | 82): Going much higher on DraftKings compared to other sites, where he’s often available 30+ spots later. Fade on DK, but target elsewhere.
- Terrance Ferguson (252 | 229): Reports suggest Ferguson will open the season behind Higbee. Rams GM Les Snead recently called him the heir apparent—when Higbee’s career is over.
- Harold Fannin Jr. (243 | 223): The No. 2 TE on the depth chart in what projects to be a very poor offense.
