Welcome back to the Rookie Report! Draft week is upon us, and for those of us in Dynasty leagues, this certainly doesn't count as 'offseason.' Scouting and staying on top of the NFL rookies is a critical part of the league year, and while landing spots for the top rookies are pretty important, I still like to go into the draft with an idea of who I think the best players are at each fantasy position. With that in mind, here is my pre-draft breakdown of the players to keep an eye out for as you see the drafted names scroll by this weekend. At each of the main fantasy positions, I'll list my top prospects, as well as a couple sleepers of mine and a couple of popular sleepers I think are overhyped. Alright, enough intro...let's dive in:
Quarterbacks:
It's become pretty apparent as we head into the draft that the top two overall picks will be QBs, but I think there are 3 that stand out over the rest. The quarterback position is one where the vast majority of successful NFL starters were first round picks. If you pick a non-first round QB in your rookie draft, you're taking a pretty big gamble. Here's how I see this year's rookie crop:
Top Five:
Goff is the safest QB for rookie drafts in 2016
1. Jared Goff, Cal: Quite simply put, Goff is the safest QB for rookie drafts. You know he's going to the Rams with the first pick, and they aren't selecting him to sit behind Case Keenum. His weapons are going to be limited in year one most likely, but a strong running game should keep the pressure off him. You may be worried about his long-term upside since Jeff Fisher is a run-heavy coach, but Fisher has zero winning seasons in his 4 years with the Rams. If Goff doesn't get them over the 8-8 hump in the next two years, I'd expect L.A. to bring in a coach who will maximize Goff's talents. There will be a learning curve as Goff learns how to play QB from under center, be he seemingly had mastered the Cal offense, and I'd expect him to do the same with the Rams' offense as well over his first couple seasons. Goff's skillset will remind many of Matt Ryan, and I'd put his ceiling in the Ryan range as well. He'll never be an elite fantasy QB, but he can certainly be a QB1 at some point. Goff will likely be a 2nd rounder in most rookie drafts, unless they are 2QB leagues.
2. Paxton Lynch, Memphis: I'm going a little outside of the norm here by not having Goff and Wentz 1 & 2 in some order, but I just don't totally buy into Wenz at this point. I also think Lynch has the potential to be the best fantasy QB in this class. He certainly has work to do to get there, and would be best served sitting behind a veteran starter for at least half a season, but he has the tools to be a really good starting QB. He's got great size at 6'7", 244, and great athleticism. He also does an excellent job of keeping his eyes downfield when he scrambles and looking to throw rather than taking off at the first sign of trouble. He trails only Jared Goff in yards per attempt when under pressure (5.95) and he took just 15 sacks and threw only 4 interceptions all year. He's shown the ability to diagnose and beat the blitz, completing 68% of his throws for 11 TDs and just 1 INT on 81 attempts against blitzing defenses. His performance in Memphis's bowl game hurt his stock a bit, but he was viewed as the best QB in this class before that game, and I think he still may be. Like Goff, he needs to learn to play from under center, and he also needs to land in a situation where there is a path to the starting job by next year. If that happens, Lynch should be taken in your rookie draft by the end of the 2nd round (1QB leagues).
3. Carson Wentz, NDSU: There has been a strange divide between what the scouting community and the NFL teams and their team scouts see in Carson Wentz. The teams love this kid. They see his intangibles, they see his strong arm and athleticism, his size, his accuracy, and they see a franchise QB. The scouts haven't seen the same thing. They see a guy who played against FCS-level competition, was slow through his progressions, looked like his feet were stuck in cement in the pocket, and always looked to run when he scrambled rather than keeping the passing option alive. Those are some pretty serious red flags. While being slow through progressions in FCS means leaving yards after the catch on the field, in the NFL it means turnovers and broken up passes. Not being able to slide your feet in the pocket to avoid pressure means taking unnecessary sacks. Trying to outrun NFL defenders on a scramble will also turn out worse against NFL defenders than FCS ones. Granted, Wentz could improve on these things and develop into a good NFL starter. I just think he has a lot longer way to go than most TV draft experts and the Philadelphia Eagles think he has. I wouldn't take him ahead of Lynch or Goff in rookie drafts, and I certainly wouldn't count on him as a rookie in fantasy.
4. Connor Cook, MSU: Connor Cook is a bit of a mystery to me. At times he looks every bit the part of a future NFL starter. At other times he looks lost, sailing throws to open receivers and making some very questionable decisions with the ball. Who will he be at the NFL level? I think he'll find his way to a starting job at some point, but am not sure how long it'll stick. His experience in big games is a huge plus, and I think most of the accuracy issues he's had are more a result of poor decision-making than poor throws. A good QB coach should be able to minimize those mistakes and make Cook a much more consistent signal-caller. I'm not saying he'll ever be great, but I think he'll carve out a role as a starter and possibly a fantasy QB2 for several years. Think Teddy Bridgewater, Brian Hoyer, Kirk Cousins, Ryan Fitzpatrick level...not great, but serviceable.
5. Christian Hackenberg, PSU: Hackenberg has been seeing some late life in his draft stock over the past few days, but it's hard for me to ignore the past 2 years of game tape. Hack had a very promising freshman year under Bill O'Brien, but in the two years since BOB left Penn St., his mechanics have gone to hell and his accuracy has fallen off a cliff. He's especially erratic when pressured, but he can be inaccurate even when he's not. It's easy to forget that he also had Allen Robinson to throw the ball to in his freshman season, but Hack insists the issue was the coaching change. He still possesses the physical tools teams look for from a QB, but the trick will be getting him back with a coach who can undo the regression of the last 2 years. Since his size and arm strength are the protoype NFL teams look for, I'm sure he'll get a couple chances in the NFL, which is why I rank him this high.
My Sleepers:
1. Cardale Jones, OSU: When it comes to QB sleepers for Dynasty, I prefer to find the guy with mobility and a strong arm. They can learn the rest, but those two tools can't be taught. Since it's pretty much a crapshoot anyway when you're digging this deep...take the guy with the higher floor. Cardale checks the box for mobility, he's got a cannon for an arm, and while he didn't exactly take the starting job and run with it last year, he did make strides as a passer at Ohio State. He still sailed some throws last year and needs to work on playing in a pro-style offense, but the upside is there. He's come a long way from the kid who tweeted out that he didn't go to OSU to 'play school.' I'd even consider Cardale over Hackenberg, especially if you don't need immediate QB help.
2. Dak Prescott, Miss. St.: Prescott, like Cardale, is a plus athlete with a strong arm who needs to learn the position a bit better to be an impact player at the NFL level. His competitiveness and ability as a runner compare to Tim Tebow, but he has much better mechanics in the passing game and a much more accurate arm than Tebow. He actually had a higher completion percentage in college than Goff or Wentz, and with his skillset he could develop into a starter over time.
Overhyped Sleepers:
1. Vernon Adams Jr., Oregon: I've seen a handful of people comparing Adams to Russell Wilson lately, and while those comparisons are only natural - Adams is short, athletic, and an accurate passer - Adams isn't Russell Wilson. Wilson came in to the NFL with a ton of starting experience against top-level competition between NC State and WIsconsin, and Adams has one injury-shortened season at Oregon that followed a career in a similar offense at FCS school Eastern Washington. I love Vernon's swagger. He called himself the 2nd-best QB in the draft after Wentz, and was reminiscent of Willie Beamon at times on the field (if you don't know who that is, go watch the movie Any Given Sunday), but he's got a really uphill battle just to make an NFL roster. If he lands in San Francisco with Chip Kelly, maybe he gets a chance, but otherwise I can't see a good reason to draft him in your rookie draft.
2. Kevin Hogan, Stanford: Scouts will fall in love with Hogan's intangibles and his college W-L record, but he has just an average arm and average accuracy. Against NFL defenses, those are pretty steep disadvantages. Hogan's ceiling is likely that of a career backup.
Running Backs:
The running back position has gone through a huge transformation in the NFL over the past 5-10 years as the workhorse back has become a dying breed. Running back by committee situations rule the NFL landscape, and have made it tough for fantasy players to pinpoint the elite backs who will be the unquestioned starters on their teams. When drafting a rookie back early, you want to make sure it's someone with a chance to be the 3-down back who can do it all like Le'Veon Bell, Jamaal Charles or Matt Forte. Sure, there are pure power guys like Marshawn Lynch and LeGarrette Blount who have proven to be capable fantasy starters, but more often than not you are going to want someone more versatile who can score in a variety of ways. When looking for sleepers, that's where it starts to benefit you to find the guys who are really good at one specialized skill like receiving or short yardage rushing. Here are the guys to pay attention to at the RB position:
Top Five:
Henry still needs to develop skills in the passing game1. Ezekiel Elliott, OSU: Elliott should be the top pick in just about every Dynasty rookie draft. Regardless of landing spot, he should start right away, and he excels in every phase of the game. He'll be a true 3-down back. He's a powerful and decisive runner, he's a good receiver out of the backfield, and he's one of the best blocking running backs to come along in some time. Pass protection is often the biggest hurdle to getting on the field for a rookie runner, but that definitely won't be an issue for Zeke. Barring injury, he seems like a surefire top-15 RB as a rookie and a guy who will be a fantasy RB1 soon.
2. Derrick Henry, Alabama: Henry's skill set kind of flies in the face of the description I gave above about what type of RB you look for early in a rookie draft. Based on his college tape and numbers, he offers next to nothing as a receiver (think Alfred Morris). However, he's a freak athlete with a nose for the end-zone who should do enough damage on 1st and 2nd down to offset what he loses if he sits on 3rd. There will be scouts and pundits who talk about how he had too many carries in college, and how he doesn't break enough tackles and runs too upright, or how his stats are a product of his o-line. Don't buy any of it. Henry should put up 10+ TDs annually as the power half of a running back committee, and I think he will have multiple 1,000-yard seasons in his career. If he adds to his receiving game skills...look out.
3. Kenneth Dixon, La. Tech.: Like Elliott, Dixon has the skills to be a 3-down back in the NFL. He not quite the runner or blocker that Elliott is, but he excels as a receiver out of the backfield and was ultra-productive in college. He just has the most well-rounded game of any rookie back not named Ezekiel, and his pass blocking chops give him a good chance to be fantasy relevant as a rookie.
4. Paul Perkins, UCLA: Perkins has a slight frame, weighing just 210 lbs, but he is one of the more elusive backs in the draft. He forced a missed tackle every 3.2 carries, which is the best rate of any back in this class who carried at least 100 times last year. He has also showed an ability to run between the tackles despite his size, and in the games I saw he ran with a bit of a mean streak. He also has the skills to be a plus receiver out of the backfield. His size might make pass protection an issue against larger pass rushers, but at the very least he should be able to earn a change-of-pace role as a rookie, and likely more. Based on his size and production in college, Perkins most similarly compares to Shane Vereen, but I like his chances to carve out a bigger role as a runner in his career than Vereen ever has. I'd be really comfortable with Perkins early in the 2nd round of rookie drafts.
5. Jordan Howard, Indiana: Howard is an excellent runner who would likely find himself higher on this list if not for durability concerns. He missed 4 games last year with injury, and parts of the previous 2 seasons as well. He still needs to work on his pass protection technique, but he's a willing blocker. He hasn't shown much as a receiver on his college tape, but he hasn't really had a lot of opportunity to do so. He does have soft hands and could excel in the passing game if given the chance. If you think the injury concerns are overblown, by all means draft him higher. One AFC running backs coach called him the best pure runner in the draft. For me, the injury history is enough reason to drop him down a couple spots.
My Sleepers:
1. Jonathan Williams, Arkansas: Williams ran for over 1,000 yards in 2014 despite splitting time with Alex Collins in a run-heavy Arkansas offense. He was poised for bigger things in 2015 before foot surgery sidelined him for the season. While Collins ran for over 1,000 yards for 3 straight years, it's Williams who projects as the better pro. He has the traits to be a 3-down back if given the opportunity, and he should be available well after Collins in most rookie drafts.
2. Keenan Reynolds, Navy: OK, so this one is a little bit of a longshot, but Reynolds didn't run for 78 rushing scores in the past 3 years by accident. He certainly has a learning curve ahead to transition from a college option QB to an NFL running back, but he certainly has the toughness and athleticism to do it. If he lands on a team with a creative offensive playcaller, he could really carve out a role as a dynamic weapon in the same vein as Denard Robinson. I really think somehow Reynolds winds up a Patriot, and I think Belichick makes good use of him. He's no more than a late round rookie pick in your dynasty drafts, but he's certainly a name to remember.
Overhyped Sleepers:
1. C.J. Prosise, ND: I just don't buy the hype with Prosise. He's been flying up draft boards and rookie rankings among pundits over the past month, and I get what there is to like...He's been through 2 position changes in college (Safety to WR to RB) and continued to be productive. He flashed the speed of a feature back, and his past work at WR gives him a more dynamic skillset in the passing game, but I still feel like his future is basically what we've seen lately from Theo Riddick. Riddick is a nice player and a great PPR asset, but most rookie rankings I've seen have C.J. in the top 4-5 RBs, and that's just higher than I'm willing to take a guy that I see as another Theo Riddick.
2. Devontae Booker, Utah: You will see a lot of rookie rankings that have Booker in their top-5 RBs, and his combine testing and college prodction will back that ranking up, but there are a lot of red flags with Booker. For starters, Booker will play his rookie season at 24 years old. He also needs to work on his pass protection, which can delay how quickly he gets on the field. He had surgery in November for a torn meniscus, which is an injury that can cause future knee problems, and he lacks top-end speed. When you add that all up, he's a guy that should be avoided in the range he's likely to be drafted. I'd love Booker if he fell to the 3rd round...but he won't.
Wide Receivers:
The wide receiver position has become the backbone of a good Dynasty squad. The NFL has become an increasingly pass-heavy league, and wideouts don't typically have the same year-to-year swings in production that the top running backs do. The most successful dynasty teams are typically built around a stable of talented WRs. While this year's class isn't given the same credit the last two classes received, there are plenty of WRs to keep an eye on in the 2016 draft who can be a big help to your fantasy team:
Top Five:
Could Doctson be the next DeAndre Hopkins?1. Josh Doctson, TCU: For me, Doctson is the number 2 prospect in this entire class behind Ezekiel Elliott. He checks every box...he crushed the physical testing at the combine, he was extremely productive on the field, and he has the measurables you look for in a number 1 wide receiver. The biggest knock on Doctson is that he doesn't have top-end speed. He doesn't need it. He is a technician as a route-runner, and is the best in this class at high-pointing the football and making contested catches. Some scouts will say he needs to bulk up to beat press coverage, but at worst Doctson projects as a very good number 2 WR for an NFL team. The NFL player that I think he compares most closely to is DeAndre Hopkins. Cincinnati would be a perfect fit if he gets to them, and they won't hesitate to take him.
2. Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss: Just like Doctson, Treadwell has caught plenty of flack in this draft process for not being faster. Laquon ran a slower than expected 4.63 40-yard dash at his pro day, but you'd be a fool to let that detract from the fact that he was physically dominant in the SEC. He has prototype NFL WR size, and like Doctson is great at high-pointing the football and winning contested catches over DBs. While there are a lot of similarities between Treadwell and Doctson, I prefer the TCU product because he did a better job of making the tough catches look routine. That penchant for the spectacular catch that Doctson has is the biggest separator for me. Treadwell should still be a top-3 pick in Dynasty rookie drafts.
3. Corey Coleman, Baylor: Unlike Doctson and Treadwell, Coleman has tremendous speed, but while he plays bigger than his size, he still stands just 5'11". He played in a spread offense at Baylor that didn't lead to a lot of contested catch opportunities, but Coleman did struggle a little bit with drops on balls over the middle (10 drops on the year).There is still a lot more to like about Coleman than dislike. He doesn't have the nuance of the position down the way that Treadwell and Doctson do, but he's a tremendous athlete. The most common comparison I've seen for him is John Brown, but I think his ceiling is peak Steve Smith Sr. He should be off the draft board by the middle of the first round of rookie drafts.
4. Sterling Shepard, Oklahoma: Quite simply put, Shepard is the best slot receiver in this draft, and that is a position that has become increasingly important in today's NFL. He may be the best route runner in this draft, and has incredible short-area quickness and agility to create separation in his routes. He is undersized and can struggle against press coverage, but several WRs in this class suffer from that. Shepard has exceptional hands with 253 career catches at Oklahoma with just 8 drops, and scouts and coaches alike rave about his character and work ethic. He'll be a terror in PPR leagues and should be a star in the league at some point. The TD totals likely won't match the top 2 guys in this group, but I'd put my money on Shepard to have the most 90-catch seasons of the guys in this rookie class.
5. Michael Thomas, OSU: Thomas is a guy whose evaluations have been all over the place, but pretty much everyone views him as a top-7 or 8 WR in this draft. He's got plenty of size to play outside (6'3", 212), and has enough speed for the position (4.55 40-yd dash), but he just doesn't look natural as a wide receiver. He struggles a bit with press coverage and with running precise routes, but he's shown good hands and great ability after the catch. Most of his work at OSU was done in the short and intermediate areas, but he may have the skill to develop a deep game. If he can get to a point where he looks like he's just playing the game and reacting rather than thinking on the field, he has a chance to be really good. Without knowing if that will ever come, I'd project him to be a similar player to Michael Crabtree, and he should be taken in the late 1st/early 2nd round of rookie drafts.
My Sleepers:
1. Charone Peake, Clemson: Peake was largely overshadowed in his years at Clemson, playing behind Sammy Watkins, Martavis Bryant, DeAndre Hopkins and Mike Williams, but he finally had a chance to get out from that shadow a little bit last year. Granted, he's not a household name, which is why he ends up as a sleeper. DeShaun Watson, Wayne Gallman and Artavis Scott had more attention last year, but Peake has a chance to be really good at the NFL level. He has the physical tools you look for in a number 1 WR. He's tall (6'2"), fast (4.37 40-yd dash), and has a huge wingspan, which will increase his catch radius. He does have some injury red flags, and needs to work on his awareness vs. zone defenses and catching the ball more consistently (5 drops last year), but his upside is huge. He'll likely be drafted before the end of the 3rd round of the NFL draft, and shouldn't make it past the 3rd round in your rookie draft either.
2. Tajae Sharpe, UMass: Sharpe is the most productive receiver in UMass history, and he's gotten there with exceptional route running and great hands in a pass-happy offense. He needs to fill out his frame more to really fulfill his potential, but he's still just 21 and has experience playing both outside and in the slot. I think his ceiling is a rich man's Jerricho Cotchery. While that doesn't sound that exciting, you can likely have him for a 4th round rookie pick or later.
3. Daniel Braverman, WMU: You can make accusations that Braverman is a bit of a homer pick, since I attended school at Western Michigan myself, but his game projects very well to the next level. He has shredded MAC competition over the past 2 years, and actually put up lines of 13-109 and 10-123-1 against Michigan State and Ohio State, respectively in 2015. He's proven that he can get open and produce against top competition at the college level. He's definitely undersized, and he's more quick than fast, but the potential is there for Braverman to be a PPR stud down the road. I'm sure you'll hear comparisons to Cole Beasley, but Braverman will be better than Cole. If he's still available in the 5th round, do yourself a favor and scoop him up, especially if you're in a PPR format.
Overhyped Sleepers:
1. Leonte Carroo, Rutgers: Carroo has decent NFL size and has shown a penchant for catching the deep ball, averaging over 20 yards per catch over the past 2 seasons with 20 TDs. He's also had off the field issues that cost him 2 games last year and he's slower than you would expect for a guy with his deep ball numbers. Rutgers' play-action passing game likely helped open him up deep, and I think he's going to struggle to duplicate those results against NFL corners. While I've seen some experts pushing Carroo as a top-5 WR, I think he ultimately ends up as a bust. He was kind of a one-trick pony in college whose one trick isn't going to play as well in the NFL. I'd avoid him unless he slips to the late 3rd round of your rookie draft.
2. Will Fuller, ND: Some NFL team is going to fall in love with Fuller's 4.32 40 time and overdraft him by a bunch. Several mock drafts I've seen show him going in the first round. If that happens, the team that picks him will likely be disappointed. Fuller is a deep ball specialist, with 27% of his catches last year gaining 25+ yards, but there is plenty to not like. He has a slight frame and zero savvy on short underneath routes, meaning he won't do much damage over the middle of the field. He also has struggled with drops, tallying 9 of them in each of the past 2 seasons. Fuller's athlticism is outstanding, but he has so much work to do on the nuance and technique of the position that I don't ever see him becoming more than a deep threat. His skillset should bring memories of Darrius Heyward-Bey, Ted Ginn Jr., Troy Williamson and Cordarrelle Patterson...hardly elite company. Draft in the first round at your own risk.
3. Tyler Boyd, Pitt: Boyd was extremely productive in his 3 years at Pitt. He caught at least 78 passes in each of his 3 seasons there and topped 1,000 receiving yards in 2 of them. He also showed some wheels with his 4.5 40-yard dash time on Pitt's pro day, but he doesn't show that same speed on film. His short-area quickness is really lacking, and he has to get by on route running technique and good hands. In 2015, he averaged about 10 yards per catch on 91 catches, which is an awful average for an elite college WR. The only good NFL receivers who have gotten by with poor ypc numbers are Jarvis Landry and Keenan Allen, and I don't think Boyd is nearly as good as them. He's struggled to get separation against college DBs, and that will only get worse at the NFL level. I'd avoid Tyler at the range he's likely to be drafted.
Tight Ends:
The tight end position is the least exciting position in terms of the rookie draft. Very rarely does a rookie tight end make a big impact on the fantasy landscape, often taking until year 2 or 3 to break out. That doesn't mean you can or should wait until they are 2 years into their career to think about drafting them. Jordan Reed showed flashes of the player he would become as a rookie. So did Rob Gronkowski. Julius Thomas seemingly came out of nowhere when he broke out with Denver, but saavy owners were already on him. While the value of tight ends in rookie drafts is substantially lower than the three positions above, that isn't a reason to ignore them altogether. Here's a look at this year's names to watch:
Top Three:
Henry is set to become an all-around great NFL TE1. Hunter Henry, Arkansas: Henry is the clear top TE in this year's class. In most rookie drafts, he should be off the board in the late 2nd round or early 3rd, and he's an extremely well-rounded prospect. He's an excellent run blocker, and he didn't have a single drop last year while catching 51 passes. His game compares a bit to Jason Witten, who has been as steady as they come over the past decade. Like most rookie TEs, don't draft him expecting to be able to start him this year, but he should develop into a really good NFL starter.
2. Austin Hooper, Stanford: Hooper probably gets a little bit more credit than he deserves due to the recent track record of Stanford TEs in the NFL (Zach Ertz & Coby Fleener). He's got good size and good hands, but he'll struggle to get separation against NFL defenses. He's shown more as a receiver than the next entry on this list, but Hooper still projects to be more Brent Celek than Zach Ertz or Fleener.
3. Nick Vannett, OSU: Vannett has the requisite size and athleticism to be a good NFL tight end, but he has to develop the demeanor to play more physical. He was under-utilized at OSU, but he could be a red zone monster if he embraces his size.
My Sleepers:
1. Thomas Duarte, UCLA: There is a question as to whether or not Duarte is big enough to play tight end in the NFL, but he certainly has the passing game skill to be a tough matchup. His skillset and measurables are reminiscent of Jordan Reed, who was kind of a question mark coming into the league before breaking out with Washington. Duarte will struggle if asked to block regularly, but you're not drafting fantasy TEs for their blocking prowess. He could be a bust due to his lack of size, but Duarte's upside is real if he lands in the right place.
2. Rico Gathers, Baylor: The transition likely won't be an easy one for Gathers, as he is coming to the NFL from the Baylor basketball team, but there has been a long track record of basketball players making good NFL tight ends. Tony Gonzalez, Jimmy Graham, Antonio Gates, and Julius Thomas all played college basketball. Gathers is enormous, at 6'7" and nearly 280 pounds, but he is a good athlete and has soft hands. He won't make an immediate impact, but there is a really high ceiling for Baylor's former power forward.
Overhyped Sleepers:
1. Tyler Higbee, W. Kentucky: Higbee has been a popular name this offseason. He's a former wide receiver with great size at 6'6", 249, but he needs to improve as a blocker and character red flags popped up recently as he was arrested for assault just 18 days before the draft, and the details don't sound good. The victim suffered a brain hemmorhage, and Higbee changed his story to police multiple times. Initially he said the victim got into his and his girlfriend's personal space. He then said the victim called some friends to come fight Higbee, but the call was in a foreign language. When police asked how he knew that's what the victim was saying, Higbee said he "just knew." Once he was at the jail, Tyler completely reversed course and said the guy never tried to fight him, that he was just in their personal space, so he hit him. Again...this happened about two and a half weeks ago. I'd be surprised if Higbee is drafted before late in the 3rd day, and this seems like the kind of thing that may come up again. There is physical talent here, but he's not worth more than an end-of-the-draft flyer.
2. Jerell Adams, S. Carolina: I've seen Adams ranked as a top-5 tight end in a lot of rankings this offseason, but he's got a lot of work to do to live up to that. He has some speed for the position, but it's more straight-line speed than athleticism. He's also got below-average hands and isn't a great route runner. NFL teams may like him, but that's not a reason for you to draft him in fantasy.
That's all I've got for this Rookie Report Special. As I mentioned at the opening, where these guys end up will have a huge impact on their fantasy outlook, but it's always important to have an idea of who these guys are going in. Just because a guy goes in the first round or lands in a spot with immediate playing time doesn't mean he'll be an automatic stud. Just ask dynasty owners who drafted Trent Richardson as a rookie. I'll be back a little closer to the season with a 2016 rookie preview. Feel free to hit me up on twitter if you want to yell at me about the above rankings (@shawn_foss) and thanks for reading. If you're in Chicago, do yourself a favor and get to the draft in person. You may run into me there. The Rams are on the clock...
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