It happens every year.

Some of my friends know that I write about fantasy sports for a living. They tease me about being a nerd (admittedly, I am), and get far too geeked-up for draft prep in both baseball and football.

Then, draft season hits, the jokes seem to lessen, people I haven't talked to in months start coming out of the woodworks, and everyone wants some help. Revenge of the Nerds, indeed.

After preaching the virtues of why late-round quarterbacks matter, and why a kicker and defense should unequivocally be your last two picks in drafts, just last week, a friend asked for some help. He was interested in learning more about drafting smarter, he said. He was listening to the podcasts, he said. My work here was done. Game, blouses.

So when his draft is going off, you can imagine my reaction when he texts me in the middle of it to say, "Denver Defense in the 4th Round. Gotta spend up to get players that you want."

Perhaps part of the solar eclipse last week scrambled part of his brain, but this stuff does happen, and will happen, in many of your drafts. Okay, maybe just some, but it leaves awesome value in those later rounds. We need to take advantage when that other buddy of yours is one too many Zimas in and snags Stephen Gostkowski in the eighth round, extolling him as a "real difference maker among kickers."

We don't do that kind of stuff here, though.

In looking at draft data listed at FantasyFootballCalculator.com and assuming a standard 12-team league in this scenario, here are eight players that could be available in the final round and provide major value to your squad.