Let's consider RG3 in the final round
Hear me out. The Cleveland Browns have rotated through what feels like a thousand names at quarterback from Tim Couch to Brady Quinn to various black holes in between and since. There has been very little to like from a fantasy or reality perspective for many years. Tight end Gary Barnidge was the beacon of hope in an otherwise dismal 2015 fantasy season.
Things are not looking great in 2016, either, but there are signs of improvement. Contrary to popular belief, a big part of the projected improvement may be who's under center.
Robert Griffin III has fallen from grace as one of the NFL's faces of the future to being run out of Washington. This happened swiftly and without much mercy. He had even less of a chance in 2015 than San Francisco's Colin Kaepernick, wherein, Kaepernick took more than zero snaps. There is little to no buzz, but maybe consider him in the final round of deep drafts.
Opportunity Knocks
It should be obvious somewhat incumbent QB Josh McCown is not the answer in Cleveland. If he's starting at any point this season, it will be the first sign of things not going according to plan -- which is the most Browns thing imaginable. McCown had great DFS weeks in 2015, mostly due to Barnidge, but he remained a desperate streaming option in season-long leagues.
In Washington, it became the Kirk Cousins show in 2015 and he did very well, especially compared to the low expectations. Even when Cousins couldn't go, Washington turned to Colt McCoy, signaling what was - at least at the time - rock bottom for Griffin. This shouldn't happen in Cleveland unless bridges are burned or he is so awful they have to bench or release him.
Barring these two options, the playing time should be there. Considering he'll be drafted as a backup lottery ticket to another quarterback -- repeat, do not draft Griffin as your QB1 under any circumstance -- it's not a huge risk to grab him late.
Even if the Browns aren't competitive, a full season of a 26-year-old former second-overall pick makes more sense for a rebuilding team than a 37-year-old of almost any stripe.
Athletic Upside
Griffin's rookie season in 2012 is considered his peak, and it was very strong. The 20 passing touchdowns weren't the best, but he threw only five interceptions. His success was largely connected to his ability to be a double-threat, first through the air and then on the ground. In addition to his decent 3,200 yards in the air, he ran for 815 yards and seven touchdowns.
It has dried up since, but defenses adapted and easily stymied his read option. If he has made strides in the pocket, he will have to prove it quickly. If he can do this, it will open up opportunities for him to run when his receivers are in heavy coverage. The passing has to come first.
While this suggests a wait-and-see approach, leaving him to the waiver wire isn't ideal as he'll be snatched up immediately if he succeeds. He's going widely undrafted, so why not use that final pick on his athletic upside and take a stronger defense a round earlier?
The Supporting Cast
While Washington's pass catching corps of DeSean Jackson, Josh Doctson, Pierre Garcon and TE Jordan Reed is likely superior, rookie Corey Coleman alongside TE Barnidge makes for an interesting tandem in Cleveland. The real difference makers will be RBs Duke Johnson and Isaiah Crowell.
Coleman was a beast for Baylor in 2015. He averaged 18.4 yards on 74 receptions with 20 touchdowns for good measure. He improved his stock with every season. If the Griffin experiment doesn't work, Coleman has the most to lose both in reality and fantasy. According to FantasyPros, he's currently the 41st WR coming off draft boards. He could be a bargain with minimal risk.
Griffin, also a Baylor alum, had left the school prior to Coleman's arrival.
No Risk Lottery Ticket
There is little real risk associated with selecting Griffin in the final round. Best-case scenario is he returns incredible value while opening up options on your roster. The worst-case scenario is he's a bust and he's one of the first players to be dropped from a roster.
There is no chance Griffin gets slotted into the starting QB spot on any fantasy team in Week 1. That's where risk comes in. He needs to be stashed for a week or two so his situation and skillset crystallizes. This is a particularly worthy strategy in 14-team formats when opponents are waiting to draft defenses and kickers until the very last second.
Griffin could easily flame out and be a disaster, but by taking him at the end of the draft there is no commitment. Dropping him will be a no-brainer and the selection becomes void. Griffin will not hurt or derail a fantasy team because the expectations are so incredibly low but the upside is incredibly high.
If he can return even remotely close to his college and rookie results, it will be the steal of the year.