Swanson recommended drafting a second defense—specifically the Cardinals—for one week only. Buffalo and Baltimore carry season-long appeal but face brutal Week 1 matchups, whereas Arizona draws the Saints’ still-uncertain Derek Carr offense. The play is to use a deep roster spot on the Cardinals, fire them up in Week 1, then drop them immediately after, effectively maximizing early-season DST scoring without sacrificing your preferred every-week unit.

Swanson advised using a final pick on Jaylin Noel, noting that the rookie wideout sits outside the top-200 in the FantasyPros expert consensus rankings and has generated little camp buzz—perfect conditions for an overlooked breakout. He reminded readers that rookies often find their stride late (citing the Odell Beckham timeline) and that stashing Noel now avoids paying FAAB later if he pops after a few weeks.

Perine is available "for free in nearly every league," Swanson noted, yet history shows the Bengals routinely deploy him on passing downs and at the goal line when their lead back is banged up. Grabbing Perine with the last pick lets managers pre-empt the inevitable waiver scramble that happens the first time Cincinnati’s backfield leader misses practice.

Hunt currently carries an RB60 tag and an overall ECR of 189, yet Swanson argued he is precisely the type of late-round dart that pays off when inevitable backfield chaos hits. The Chiefs kept Hunt around for pass-protection and goal-line work, roles that can balloon overnight if the starter misses time. Stash him now, cut him by Week 2 if nothing materializes.

Swanson labeled Raheem Mostert a classic veteran backup worth scooping with your final pick. Drafters enamored with new Raiders starter Ashton Jeanty are ignoring the 32-year-old speedster, but if Jeanty misses time, Mostert instantly inherits a Mike McDaniel-style outside-zone role that previously produced RB2 weeks in Miami. Grabbing him now beats racing to the waiver wire later.

Calling him the twin to Jaylin Noel in terms of draft cost, Swanson pointed to Pat Bryant as a last-round flier. Bryant is similarly buried outside the top-200 ECR, meaning the market is ignoring him despite a path to early snaps if injuries strike. The tout stressed patience, saying the late-round rookie investment can be cut quickly if it fails, but the upside of a year-end breakout is league-winning.

Swanson called Geno Smith an unglamorous but highly useful last-round pick in redraft. While drafters chase the unknown ceiling of rookie signal-callers, Smith brings an every-week floor that could still sneak into the top-15 at the position. Swanson’s logic: pocket the 3,800-yard, 20-TD baseline Smith has shown, stash him behind your upside starter, and avoid a frantic waiver bid if the rookie hits turbulence.

Andrew Swanson said managers who hitch their wagon to a high-variance, rushing-oriented passer such as Drake Maye, Caleb Williams or J.J. McCarthy should use their very last draft pick on Matthew Stafford, provided his health checks out. Swanson framed Stafford as a plug-and-play safety net who still projects for a top-15 finish thanks to his steady 35-plus pass attempts per game and the Rams’ pass-heavy DNA under Sean McVay. The idea is to park Stafford on deep benches so you are not forced to hit waivers if your boom-or-bust QB flames out early or misses time.