Tuesday, May 07, 2024

Fantasy Football

Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft Breakdown

Last week, my friend and I wanted to participate in a rookie mock draft. We randomized our draft order and I got the 1.05 and @FinalDriveSam got the 1.06. This rookie class is full of studs and each pick in this draft below can be argued as a great value. As we get closer to the draft, I will be putting out more information for you to prepare for your rookie drafts. I hope you enjoy the breakdown of each of our picks below. Who do you think was the steal of the draft?

Draft Format

For this mock draft, we used…

Fixed Draft (picks went 1st to 10th each round), Superflex (playing QB in the flex), and full point PPR

@FDHoustonW Picks

1.05 D’Andre Swift

I was very surprised to find myself landing my number two Rookie RB at 1.05. Swift has been a stud at Georgia ever since his freshman year where he even cut into the carries of Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. Swift appears to be everything needed in an NFL back. He can be a three-down starter and will make an immediate impact for whatever team selects him. Swift has a great build. He can also burst in the open lanes of the defense and then it is off to the races.

I believe that the Miami Dolphins will use one of their three first-round picks on Swift. I would assume Swift would be joining Tua Tagovailoa in Miami. These two young studs would propel Miami’s offense greatly. Swift would be the main attraction for Miami in 2020 and Tua may sit his rookie year to heal from the season-ending hip injury he suffered at Alabama. Grabbing Swift anywhere after the top three picks is an absolute steal for me.

2.05 Henry Ruggs III

Ruggs is falling way too far in rookie drafts as of right now. He should be a late first-rounder to early second-rounder. Ruggs should never fall to the 2.05 and this is an absolute steal. Henry Ruggs ran an outstanding 4.27 40 at the combine. Wow! Blazing speed like that is going to help him transition to the next level. Teams will be very happy to take this speedster. When you possess a guy this fast on your team, it helps in both games- running and passing.

Corners must stay on their toes because if they are caught with their eyes in the backfield, they’re beat and there goes Ruggs for a 65-yard TD. Ruggs excels in the slant game and many times at Alabama, Ruggs would take a slant and extend it into a long play. I believe that Henry Ruggs will be a Denver Bronco and join Drew Lock and company. Denver is heading in the right direction with Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant, and newly acquired Melvin Gordon. Adding Ruggs to the mix would be a success. Ruggs would be able to take the top off the defense which will benefit the whole offense.

3.05 Anthony McFarland

Anthony McFarland struggled with some injuries early in Maryland and it is affecting his draft stock. McFarland went on to suffer a high-ankle injury that limited his workload in 2019. However, in his last game at Maryland, McFarland took 8 carries for 134 yards and a score against a pretty good Michigan State defense. McFarland has top-end speed clocking in at 4.44 40, and his playing speed appears to be even faster. If McFarland can stay healthy, he will be used as a scatback in the NFL similar to Tarik Cohen. I think at the rookie 3.05 McFarland is worth the injury risk just purely on his electricity and athleticism.

4.05 Chase Claypool

Grabbing Chase Claypool at the rookie 4.05 is the steal of the draft for me. I have been on this since about January. When watching him play, he gives me the sense of Mike Evans or even Calvin Johnson. Many considered him a tight end but he shocked many coaches with his performance at the combine. After running in the 4.4 range, many not know that he is, in fact, a WR.

Claypool grabbed 13 TD in 2019 and he has all the tangibles to make contested catches in the red zone. He is a physical specimen at 6′ 4″ 240 lbs. He will have his name called in the second round of the NFL Draft. The best of all is that he will find a role with a WR-needy team that isn’t terrible. I see him falling to the Eagles in the second round and will be an instant star with Carson Wentz.

5.05 Lynn Bowden Jr.

Lynn Bowden. UK beat Arkansas 24-20. Photo by Chet White | UK Athletics

Lynn Bowden is the most versatile player coming into this draft. His versatility earned him the Paul Hornung Award. Bowden was asked to play about every position for Kentucky last season and he excelled in each. Bowden still has some negatives in his game but truly he is a slot receiver. He may be able to help teams that are looking to add some flair to their offense. Grabbing Bowden here at 5.05 is a risk that I would take every day of the week. He may be a bust, but I think he has the tangibles to be a top slot receiver in this league. I don’t think Bowden will fall to the fifth round in most rookie drafts. However, I was fortunate to grab him here.

@FinalDriveSam Picks

1.06 Jerry Jeudy

Jerry Jeudy is arguably the best receiver in this class and to have him fall to 1.06 is a great value pick. The athletic star out of Alabama is expected to be a mid-first-round pick in the NFL Draft and whoever takes him will affect his potential. For example, if the Jets decide to take him his value drops due to the fact that Adam Gase and an unproven Quarterback is determining his productivity. On the other hand, a team like the 49ers or Raiders would give Jeudy his best chance to become a relevant receiver in the league. Jeudy would become the number one option in Las Vegas and if he ended up in San Fran he would be apart of a three-headed monster with Kittle and Deebo. Jeudy should be valued in the top six in rookie drafts no matter what format your league has to offer.

2.06 Jordan Love

Jordan Love was my selection at 2.6 and for a Superflex league, I view this as a steal. Jordan Love is roughly the third or fourth QB likely to be drafted and is expected to be a first-round pick. The raw arm strength from Love is what some scouts are loving about him, especially because the last QB to have similar skill sets was Patrick Mahomes. The negatives of Love though are that he is from a weaker conference and that his TD/INT ratio last season was 20:17. However, the eye test for me is the best indicator of true talent. Love is capable of making plays that no one else in the draft can make. If Love can fall to a functional team, I believe he could become a reasonable fantasy option.

3.06 Antonio Gibson

Antonio Gibson is a jack of all trades running back out of Memphis and put up some crazy numbers. He averaged 11.2 yards per carry and 19.3 per reception. I know the sample size is relatively small, but his explosiveness is undeniable. I see him in a role similar to what the 49ers are doing where it takes around 10 touches to put up solid fantasy games. Gibson could have slid down the draft boards, but I wanted to make sure I had him.

4.06 Cole Kmet

To get Cole Kmet in the fourth round and to be the first one to start the tight end train is a good draft to me. Kmet is one of the best tight ends in the draft and to be able to have two top position players in the rookie draft is nice. Cole Kmet is coming off a decent college performance in 2019 and showed some highlights that make your eyes pop. His athletic frame is also perfect for the NFL, he can line up on the offensive line or he can play in the slot. The tight ends, unfortunately, do not put up good rookie seasons in the NFL so it might be a while to see the potential of Kmet.

5.06 K.J. Hill

K.J. was not my first choice by any means but having a potential field stretcher is worth a shot. Hill wasn’t/isn’t the most anticipated WR in this class but if I would look back at other OSU receivers to come out of college I would say Hill could be a gem. McLaurin is a prime example who had an excellent rookie season with Keemun and Haskins throwing him the ball. The best landing spot for Hill is to replace Brandin Cooks in LA as a deep threat specialist. However, my initial thoughts are that it will take a couple of years to see if Hill can be a relevant fantasy option.

Here, check out my previous TE Rankings: 40-31, 30-21

Check out my Rookie QB Dynasty Rankings & Rookie TE Dynasty Rankings

Check out my Top 10 Dynasty RB & Top 10 Dynasty WR as well!

Follow my work on Twitter @FinalDriveFF and check out other Belly Up Fantasy Sports articles.