By Chet Gresham – @ChetGresham
Published May 18, 2016
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We just completed our rookie draft in my dynasty league, and I thought it might be helpful to some out there to see how it played out. This draft did include free agents, so they aren’t all rookies, but there weren’t many good free agents out there, so the majority are rookie picks. This is a 14-team league, so the value will be slightly better for those in 12-teamers.
When picking rookies in dynasty leagues, I usually favor wide receivers since they have more longevity as a pro versus running backs, but you of course also need to think of your roster. If you are severely devoid at one position and you feel like the pick is a toss up, then go with the position you need, but remember that most rookies aren’t making a huge impact Year 1, so think longer term whenever you can.
| PICK | OVR | FRANCHISE | SELECTION |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.01 | 1 | Adam Levitan | Elliott, Ezekiel DAL RB |
| 1.02 | 2 | Patrick Daugherty | Coleman, Corey CLE WR |
| 1.03 | 3 | Sigmund Bloom | Treadwell, Laquon MIN WR |
| 1.04 | 4 | Mike Clay | Doctson, Josh WAS WR |
| 1.05 | 5 | Patrick Daugherty | Fuller, Will HOU WR |
| 1.06 | 6 | Chet Gresham | Thomas, Michael NOS WR |
| 1.07 | 7 | Seth Trachtman | Shepard, Sterling NYG WR |
| 1.08 | 8 | Josh Norris | Dixon, Kenneth BAL RB |
| 1.09 | 9 | Mike Clay | Henry, Derrick TEN RB |
| 1.1 | 10 | Ryan Van Bibber | Prosise, C.J. SEA RB |
| 1.11 | 11 | Raymond Summerlin | Perkins, Paul NYG RB |
| 1.12 | 12 | Mike Clay | Carroo, Leonte MIA WR |
| 1.13 | 13 | Fantasy Douche | Boyd, Tyler CIN WR |
| 1.14 | 14 | Pete Prisco | Hooper, Austin ATL TE |
The consensus No. 1 pick is Ezekiel Elliott as it should be. He's already going in the first round of many re-draft leagues, and is poised to be a top back behind the Cowboys offensive line for as long as he can stay healthy.... The Corey Coleman, Laquon Treadwell and Josh Doctson picks all went about as ADP has shown. Treadwell has been going ahead of Coleman, which I agree with, but nothing abnormal here.... Will Fuller did go a bit earlier than expected, with ADP slotting him as the 10th-overall pick. I especially dislike the Fuller pick due to all of the talent with good opportunities this season that was available with the sixth pick.... Thankfully, I was left with some pretty good players to choose from with the seventh pick, with Sterling Shepard, Derrick Henry, Michael Thomas and Kenneth Dixon. Besides Elliott, these four are probably my favorite rookie picks this year. My team is pretty weak at wide receiver, so that's where I was leaning from the start, so it came down between Shepard and Thomas for me. I like both quite a bit, and would be happy with either, but I went with Thomas as I think his touchdown potential is a little bit higher.... The next three picks played out as I figured they would. After those it became less predictable. C.J. Prosise is getting quite a bit of hype right now, and I believe it is deserved. I don't see him doing all that much this season, but his long-term upside is quite high. With this rookie draft not being as full of great players as some, I feel like Prosise has the upside to make him worth a first-rounder for sure....
| PICK | OVR | FRANCHISE | SELECTION |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.01 | 15 | Fantasy Douche | Drake, Kenyan MIA RB |
| 2.02 | 16 | Patrick Daugherty | Mitchell, Malcolm NEP WR |
| 2.03 | 17 | Chris Burke | Howard, Jordan CHI RB |
| 2.04 | 18 | Ryan Van Bibber | Booker, Devontae DEN RB |
| 2.05 | 19 | Chris Burke | Higgins, Rashard CLE WR |
| 2.06 | 20 | Chet Gresham | Goff, Jared RAM QB |
| 2.07 | 21 | Seth Trachtman | Lynch, Paxton DEN QB |
| 2.08 | 22 | Evan Silva | Marshall, Keith WAS RB |
| 2.09 | 23 | Seth Trachtman | Wentz, Carson PHI QB |
| 2.1 | 24 | Fantasy Douche | Smallwood, Wendell PHI RB |
| 2.11 | 25 | Raymond Summerlin | Thomas, Mike RAM WR |
| 2.12 | 26 | Mike Clay | Henry, Hunter SDC TE |
| 2.13 | 27 | Adam Levitan | Washington, DeAndre OAK RB |
| 2.14 | 28 | Pete Prisco | Payton, Jordan CLE WR |
Round 2:
Round 2 has some nice players, but none I would consider no doubters, because I have plenty of doubt. This is why I'm either trading my pick or going with someone I think has a lot of upside if they happen to play up to their potential. I was leaning Carson Wentz when deciding between him and Jared Goff, but I think Goff has a similar upside and should be the better of the two to start their careers. I currently have Drew Brees and Tony Romo, so this wasn't a must pick for me, but both of my guys are getting up there in age and I think it's worth rostering a young quarterback in your dynasty leagues.... There are also plenty of running backs who have decent opportunities for playing time this season. Most will be dropped from your dynasty team in a year or two, but the opportunity is too hard to pass on. Kenyan Drake, Jordan Howard, Devontae Booker, Keith Marshall, Wendell Smallwood and DeAndre Washington all should be able to push the incumbent running back and win the backup job on their respective teams. I'm not as high on Drake or Howard as some, but really with this group, it is a bit of a crapshoot. The opportunity is probably the best reasoning to grab one from this group.... I'd probably grab Henry Hunter over the wide receivers picked in this round. As long as he stays healthy, he is slotted in as the starting tight end for the Chargers after Antonio Gates retires, and Hunter has enough ability to be a Top-10 fantasy tight end when he's starting.
| PICK | OVR | FRANCHISE | SELECTION |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.01 | 29 | Seth Trachtman | Cooper, Pharoh RAM WR |
| 3.02 | 30 | Pete Prisco | Miller, Braxton HOU WR |
| 3.03 | 31 | Fantasy Douche | Ervin, Tyler HOU RB |
| 3.04 | 32 | Josh Norris | Heuerman, Jeff DEN TE |
| 3.05 | 33 | Pete Prisco | Williams, Jonathan BUF RB |
| 3.06 | 34 | Chet Gresham | Collins, Alex SEA RB |
| 3.07 | 35 | Patrick Daugherty | Higbee, Tyler RAM TE |
| 3.08 | 36 | Nick Mensio | Watson, Terrell CLE RB |
| 3.09 | 37 | Josh Norris | Jones, Cardale BUF QB |
| 3.1 | 38 | Chris Burke | Robinson, Demarcus KCC WR |
| 3.11 | 39 | Ryan Van Bibber | DeValve, Seth CLE TE |
| 3.12 | 40 | Evan Silva | Tamme, Jacob ATL TE |
| 3.13 | 41 | Raymond Summerlin | Boehringer, Moritz MIN WR |
| 3.14 | 42 | Pete Prisco | Sharpe, Tajae TEN WR |
Round 3:
Tyler Ervin is probably the running back in the third round with the most immediate opportunity and upside. He has Lamar Miller ahead of him, and I like Miller, so this isn't about bad competition, but it does look like Miller is the only back on the team who we can easily say is ahead of Irvin. Irvin could also see time in the offense as a receiving option this year, and has the ability to be a three-down back if Miller goes down. I'm sure Alfred Blue and Jonathan Grimes aren't going to go away completely, but Ervin's upside is worth it in the third round of your rookie draft.... I took Alex Collins based less on upside, but more on his steady ability that I think would give him early down work if Thomas Rawls were to be injured.... As far as fliers go for quarterbacks, I like Cardale Jones a lot. He was not a good fit with the spread offense and should prove to be a strong drop-back pocket passer if given the right tutelage.... Jeff Heuerman is an interesting pick if your rookie draft also allows you to grab free agents. The Broncos don't have a top tight end, and Heuerman is expected to fight for the starting job this summer.
| PICK | OVR | FRANCHISE | SELECTION |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.01 | 43 | Adam Levitan | Ferguson, Josh IND RB |
| 4.02 | 44 | Patrick Daugherty | Kessler, Cody CLE QB |
| 4.03 | 45 | Sigmund Bloom | Peake, Charone NYJ WR |
| 4.04 | 46 | Raymond Summerlin | Lasco, Daniel NOS RB |
| 4.05 | 47 | Pete Prisco | Wilds, Brandon ATL RB |
| 4.06 | 48 | Chet Gresham | Braverman, Daniel CHI WR |
| 4.07 | 49 | Chris Burke | Prescott, Dak DAL QB |
| 4.08 | 50 | Fantasy Douche | Louis, Ricardo CLE WR |
| 4.09 | 51 | Chris Burke | Vannett, Nick SEA TE |
| 4.1 | 52 | Chris Burke | Moore, Chris BAL WR |
| 4.11 | 53 | Raymond Summerlin | Duarte, Thomas MIA TE |
| 4.12 | 54 | Evan Silva | Ellington, Bruce SFO WR |
| 4.13 | 55 | Sigmund Bloom | Garrett, Keyarris CAR WR |
| 4.14 | 56 | Pete Prisco | Barber, Peyton TBB RB |
Round 4:
This is the round you will be extremely lucky to get a long-term player, but it does happen. Any player you get from here on out has major flaws that they will need to address, and that can often mean moving around the league before. Keyarris Garrett is probably the most well-known pick from this round. Garrett fell further than some thought he would and wasn't drafted, but did land in Carolina after the draft as a UDFA. I thought about him over Daniel Braverman, but I just liked Braverman a bit more, but I could see Garrett having a bit more upside if he can live up to his potential.... I will most likely pass on Dak Prescott in rookie drafts this year. He could provide some rushing numbers to boost his value if he can get on the field, but I just don't like his ability as a passer enough. I doubt he'll see the field anytime soon.
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