Day 3 Dynasty Diamonds: Late Round Players You Need To Know (2024 NFL Draft)

2024 NFL Draft: Day 3 Players To Know For Dynasty

Wow. The first two days of the 2024 NFL Draft were absolutely incredible. From dream landing spots (Ladd McConkey) to free-falling wide receivers (Adonai Mitchell & Troy Franklin), it has been an exciting two nights. Day 3 is already shaping up to be another fun show. There is still so much fantasy football relevant talent on the board. Here are a few you really need to be familiar with. They could all find their way into dynasty lineups as early as 2024.

More: Day 3 Best Available

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DYLAN LAUBE, RB, NEW HAMPSHIRE

Dylan Laube is one of the funner running back prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class. He was wildly productive over the last two seasons, albeit at UNH in the FCS. Still, Laube showed he can be a quality runner between the tackles with good vision, patience, and a knack for finding the cut-back lanes. He has enough speed and burst to create breakaway runs. Where he really shines, though, is in the passing game. He creates matchup problems from the backfield as well as lining up in the slot or even out wide. Laube is a legitimately good route runner with good hands and the athletic profile to make plays after the catch. His willingness and ability in pass protection will help him carve out a role on passing downs early in his NFL career.

NFL teams are going to appreciate Laube’s versatility on offense and experience in the return game. That will help him not only get drafted but make a 53-man roster as a rookie and work his way into a role that could eventually make him fantasy relevant. That will likely be as a change-of-pace guy and primary option in passing situations. Draft Capital will come in the middle rounds to a team looking to add a receiving threat to its backfield. In dynasty, Laube is a fun pick in the third round of rookie drafts with the longshot hope that he becomes the next Austin Ekeler.

JAVON BAKER, WR, UCF

Javon Baker is an above average route runner who particularly thrives in the deep and intermediate quadrants of the field. He doesn’t exactly have “burner” speed and he takes a minute to get going, but that doesn’t stop him from making plays vertically. His ball skills and ball-tracking ability are exceptional. When the ball is in the air, Baker uses his natural instincts to find the football to attack it at its highest point. After the catch, Baker’s lateral agility and explosion kick-in to help him gain additional yards. At the NFL level, Baker projects as a team’s third or fourth option who will primarily play out wide at Z or X. Draft capital won’t come until Day 3, but that won’t prevent him from being one of the more intriguing sleeper wide receivers in the third or fourth round of dynasty rookie drafts.

More: First Round Reaction

ISAAC GUERENDO, RB, LOUISVILLE

Isaac Guerendo is an intriguing running back prospect despite his lack of college production. His combination of size and raw athletic traits—speed, explosion, agility, etc—is about as impressive as it gets. Guerendo was a little-known player prior to the NFL Combine. That was until he ran the fastest 40-time of all the running backs (4.33), and jumped out of the stadium. It’s no surprise, then, that Guerendo is a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the football. Guerendo is a decisive runner who hits the hole with purpose. He has the explosion to get to the next level quickly. He’s not one to make a defender miss with his open-field elusiveness, but at 221-pounds, he’s not exactly easy to take down when he gets a head of steam.

While his speed makes him a constant home-run threat, Guerendo can sometimes try too hard to find that big play. He has good vision to find the hole, but he tends to bounce things outside more often than he needs to. In the passing game, Guerendo is serviceable as a check-down option out of the backfield. He has good hands and is a quality pass protector.

The glaring hole in Guerendo’s profile is the lack of production. He played sparingly at Wisconsin while backing up Jonathan Taylor and Braelon Allen. He then continued to play the No. 2 role at Louisville behind Jawhar Jordan. That will likely be his role in the NFL, as well. Guerendo will be a team’s No. 2 or No. 3 running back who can provide value on all three downs. He can act as a change- of-pace guy and an explosive element out of the backfield. However, if he is to ever develop his game to the point where a team makes him their primary ball carrier, Guerendo would become one of the most dangerous running backs in the league. He certainly has the frame and athleticism to do it.

Despite his underwhelming production profile, Guerendo is likely to garner heavy attention on draft weekend. It’s hard to see a guy this athletic fall beyond the middle rounds. Some NFL team is going to call his name with the hopes he develops into his athleticism and they get a steal in the fourth or fifth round. In dynasty, Guerendo is worth a similar shot in rookie drafts based on the tantalizing upside of a 100th-percentile athletic specimen.

KIMANI VIDAL, RB, TROY

Kimani Vidal was a highly productive runner over his final two seasons at Troy. He has good size to be an NFL workhorse with impressive size-adjusted speed and burst. He is a between-the-tackles runner with the explosive traits to break off chunk plays. He follows his blockers well and is rarely tackled for loss yardage. Once he’s in the open field with a head of steam, Vidal is difficult to bring down. And even when you get hands on him, Vidal is always driving his legs and pushing forward to squeeze out one extra yard or two.

In the passing game, Vidal is a very capable receiver, but you won’t mistake him for a receiving weapon. Instead, he’s a reliable target on swings, screens, and check-downs. He will need to improve in pass protection if he is to become a true three-down option, however.

At the NFL level, Vidal will have to fight for a roster spot, but assuming he makes a team, he has a shot to develop into a solid RB2/RB1b, a la a Jaylen Warren type. He has the traits to be a workhorse back if ever given the opportunity, too.

MALIK WASHINGTON, WR, VIRGINIA

Malik Washington is one of the most fun wide receiver prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class. He is severely undersized at 5-8, but he is quick and shifty with great ball skills and an intriguing production profile. Washington is a quality route runner who pairs that with his athletic traits and high football IQ to consistently create separation and get open. He has natural and reliable hands and he works well in traffic, making him a go-to target for his quarterback in just about every situation. And that’s how things played out for him in his one year at Virginia. The Cavaliers made Washington the focal point of their offense and found ways to get the ball in his hands in as many ways as they could.

Despite his size, Washington is a tough tackle in the open field. Not only does he use his elite quickness to make guys miss, but he is more than willing and capable to break through arm tackles as well. He has a running back mentality with the ball in his hands and he will fight for every inch.

In the NFL, Malik Washington projects as a depth wide receiver who could compete to be a team’s starting slot. He will thrive in the quick game and underneath routes and be a reliable option in must-have situations. Washington is likely to be a fourth round pick on draft weekend. He will make for an intriguing option, yet low(ish) upside play, in the later rounds of dynasty rookie drafts.

TYRONE TRACY JR., RB, PURDUE

Tyrone Tracy is one of the more interesting prospects in the 2024 NFL Draft class. He began his college career at Iowa where he played wide receiver for four seasons before transferring to Purdue and making the switch to running back. Despite his inexperience at the position, Tracy proved to be a quality runner in 2023. He runs with a good combination of speed and power with open-field elusiveness and impressive balance. He’s a bit indecisive behind the line of scrimmage and his vision comes and goes, but everything he showed last season laid the foundation for potential development.

Of course, being a former wide receiver, Tracy is an above-average pass-catcher who will add immediate value on passing downs. That versatility, plus his experience and skills as a kick returner will not only help him get drafted, but will help him make a roster and get on the field while buying enough time to develop his running back skills.

With less than 150 career carries, drafting Tracy is a bet on his athletic profile. He has requisite size with impressive size-adjusted speed, plus elite explosion and lateral agility. If you like drafting for upside in the late rounds of rookie drafts (you should), then Tyrone Tracy Jr should be high on your list of targets.

JADEN SHIRDEN, RB, MONMOUTH

Jaden Shirden is an undersized running back who is coming off back-to-back highly productive seasons at Monmouth. Shirden runs with good vision and is decisive when choosing a lane. He is elusive in the open field with enough speed and acceleration to rip off long runs. He doesn’t bring much to the table in terms of strength or power, as he profiles as more of a change-of-pace runner at the next level. Shirden also has the receiving chops to add some value as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. He will be a late round pick if he is drafted at all, but he is at least worthy of being on the dynasty radar in deep leagues in the event that he develops into his upside.

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