RADIO
It's NFL Draft season, which means dynasty managers are already chomping to get started. Many of you are likely already searching to add another league. Others are probably pushing your commissioner to set dates for your rookie draft, perhaps wanting to pick before the real draft even happens.
This is also the ideal time for dynasty managers to start planning for the future. You must ask yourself what your team is and what this draft class is. Where is the depth, what are the tiers, and where will these rookies go? Asking these questions will help you better understand the value of trades, what veterans to move for which picks, and how far you have to go for your guy.
With this in mind, we at RotoBaller decided to get an early start and conduct a staff dynasty rookie draft. We held a non-Superflex draft on Sleeper this week, running five rounds deep. Below is the draft broken down by round, with my notes on each round. Please note that if I criticize a pick, it doesn’t mean it can’t be a good move or a good player. It’s just not ideal value.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024 fantasy football drafts:- Fantasy football draft rankings (all positions)
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Fantasy Football Draft Board
Below, you will find my round-by-round breakdown of the mock draft. Please note that the following rookies, Kendall Milton, Luke McCaffrey, and Daijun Edwards, were not available on Sleeper during the draft. A placeholder was used for these three draft selections. Milton replaces Devin Leary, McCaffrey replaces Bryson Nesbit, and Edwards replaces Moose Muhammad.
Round 1
| Pick | Team | Player | College | Pos. |
| 1 | Brandon Murchison | Marvin Harrison Jr. | Ohio St. | WR |
| 2 | Chris Gregory | Malik Nabers | LSU | WR |
| 3 | Jorden Hill | Rome Odunze | Washington | WR |
| 4 | Kevin Campbell | Brock Bowers | Georgia | TE |
| 5 | Brad Camara | BrIan Thomas Jr. | LSU | WR |
| 6 | Phil Clark | Caleb Williams | USC | QB |
| 7 | LaQuan Jones | Roman Wilson | Michigan | WR |
| 8 | Richard King | Xavier Worthy | Texas | WR |
| 9 | Jackson Sparks | Jayden Daniels | LSU | QB |
| 10 | Nick Rodriguez | Troy Franklin | Oregon | WR |
| 11 | Joey Pollizze | Jonathon Brooks | Texas | RB |
| 12 | Matt Donnelly | Keon Coleman | FSU | WR |
Chalk Up Top: Very few non-Superflex drafts should deviate from how our first four picks go here. Marvin Harrison Jr. is in a tier of his own as an elite weapon. He should be the undisputed first pick in all rookie drafts that are not Superflex. His grade is on par with what I gave Ja'Marr Chase and Larry Fitzgerald as prospects. The odds of him not becoming a superstar are low.
The three players taken after Harrison should also be considered in a tier of their own. Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze, and Brock Bowers must be the next three players off the board after Harrison. The order may vary depending on whether you're in TE Premium, PPR, or half-PPR, but those three are comfortably ahead of the rest in non-Superflex drafts.
Draft Begins at Pick No. 5: Brad Camara’s choice of Brian Thomas Jr. at No. 5 was the right one in my book, but some will disagree. That is why this is the first pick with some volatility to it.
Some will prefer Troy Franklin as the fifth pick. Others will want Keon Coleman in that spot. Depending on how some teams are built, some will even prefer the top quarterback or running back in this spot. Thomas is my preferred fifth option, though. He is tremendously long, tracks the deep ball well, and I currently project him to catch passes from Trevor Lawrence.
One Possible Reach in the First: Perhaps the only “reach” in this mock first round was Roman Wilson going at pick 1.07. The speedy Michigan product was tremendous at the Senior Bowl, showing elite quickness out of his breaks and superior route running. However, I have a third-round grade on Wilson in the NFL Draft and value him as the 19th-best asset in non-Superflex dynasty rookie drafts.
Receivers whom I prefer over Wilson include Keon Coleman, Troy Franklin, Adonai Mitchell, Xavier Worthy, and Ladd McConkey. Wilson lacks the size and TD upside of Coleman, Franklin, and Mitchell. Meanwhile, McConkey and Worthy can do what Wilson does and more.
With all of that said, if you have conviction about a player, then you have to commit. Roman Wilson has talent and LaQuan clearly believes in it. If that’s his guy, then kudos to him for having the guts to take him where he did. I’d hazard LaQuan would have tried to trade back and get Wilson later in a regular draft, though.
Round 2
| Pick | Team | Player | College | Pos. |
| 13 | Brandon Murchison | Malachi Corley | W. Kentucky | WR |
| 14 | Chris Gregory | Ladd McConkey | Georgia | WR |
| 15 | Jorden Hill | Adonai Mitchell | Texas | WR |
| 16 | Kevin Campbell | Drake Maye | N. Carolina | QB |
| 17 | Brad Camara | Braelon Allen | Wisconsin | RB |
| 18 | Phil Clark | Ja'Lynn Polk | Washington | WR |
| 19 | LaQuan Jones | Devontez Walker | N. Carolina | WR |
| 20 | Richard King | Ja'Tavion Sanders | Texas | TE |
| 21 | Jackson Sparks | Trey Benson | FSU | RB |
| 22 | Nick Rodriguez | Bucky Irving | Oregon | RB |
| 23 | Joey Pollizze | Blake Corum | Michigan | RB |
| 24 | Matt Donnelly | Audric Estime | Notre Dame | RB |
Receivers With Lofty Comparisons: The first two picks of Round 2 are receivers who have earned lofty comparisons. Malachi Corley is a thick receiver who consistently produces big plays after contact, earning comparisons to Deebo Samuel. Meanwhile, Ladd McConkey is the best and most sudden route runner in this class and can play all over. I saw some Cooper Kupp in his film.
Running Backwards: The running backs in this draft are underwhelming. In fact, it isn’t unthinkable that the first running back will come off the board in the third round of this NFL Draft.
Just consider that Jonathon Brooks, the most rounded and popular back in this class, is coming off a torn ACL. Blake Corum, the most famous back, is on the older side and lacks elite speed and power. Meanwhile, Trey Benson is a complete back who isn’t elite at anything, and Jaylen Wright never averaged more than 13 touches per game. Beyond them, this class is mostly specialty backs.
Bucky Irving, who displays good hands and burst on tape, is the best of the timeshare backs in this class. He looks lighter than his listed college weight of 195 pounds. However, he can reacclimate and gain positive yards when his lanes close or a bigger body runs into him. He is a quality choice in PPR leagues, where he should become an RB3 with RB2 upside.
Round 3
| Pick | Team | Player | College | Pos. |
| 25 | Brandon Murchison | MarShawn Lloyd | USC | RB |
| 26 | Chris Gregory | Ricky Pearsall | Florida | WR |
| 27 | Jorden Hill | J.J. McCarthy | Michigan | QB |
| 28 | Kevin Campbell | Bo Nix | Oregon | QB |
| 29 | Brad Camara | Michael Penix Jr. | Washington | QB |
| 30 | Phil Clark | Xavier Legette | S. Carolina | WR |
| 31 | LaQuan Jones | Jaheim Bell | FSU | TE |
| 32 | Richard King | Will Shipley | Clemson | RB |
| 33 | Jackson Sparks | Jalen McMillan | Washington | WR |
| 34 | Nick Rodriguez | Jacob Cowing | Arizona | WR |
| 35 | Joey Pollizze | Cade Stover | Ohio St. | TE |
| 36 | Matt Donnelly | Jaylen Wright | Tennessee | RB |
A Good Reminder About Early Drafts: The best value pick in Round 3 of this mock was the last one: Jaylen Wright. He is an explosive back with breakaway speed and could be the best back in this class. Wright’s value bears watching as draft day comes closer.
You may ask, “If Wright is so good, why did he fall to 3.12?” Well, one reason may be that Wright wasn’t initially in Sleeper’s player pool. In fact, Sleeper didn’t add Wright until the end of this third round. This early in the draft process, applications like PFF’s mock draft simulator and Sleeper’s draft list are often incomplete. That is why drafting this early can be a poor move.
Best Value Picks of Round 3: As stated above, Jaylen Wright was the best value in this round by a good margin. Beyond him, two others bear mentioning.
Xavier Legette is a massive receiver whose stock is falling after he struggled at the Senior Bowl. Going into that event, some thought Legette could sneak into the first round. He has contested catch ability, can contort to make off-target catches, and has adequate straight-line speed. Unfortunately, Legette can also be lumbering, and his hands are inconsistent. Pick 3.06 is a good spot for him.
Jalen McMillan is also worth mentioning. Another big-bodied receiver, McMillan fell to Washington's third passing option this year due to injuries. However, on film, he has consistent hands, a good feel for zone coverage, and he gets open in the red zone. He could be a better version of Jauan Jennings, a large slot receiver who blocks and moves the chains.
Round 4
| Pick | Team | Player | College | Pos. |
| 37 | Brandon Murchison | Ray Davis | Kentucky | RB |
| 38 | Chris Gregory | Rasheen Ali | Marshall | RB |
| 39 | Jorden Hill | Johnny Wilson | FSU | WR |
| 40 | Kevin Campbell | Frank Gore Jr. | S. Miss. | RB |
| 41 | Brad Camara | Brenden Rice | USC | WR |
| 42 | Phil Clark | Cody Schrader | Missouri | RB |
| 43 | LaQuan Jones | Jermaine Burton | Alabama | WR |
| 44 | Richard King | Ainias Smith | Texas A&M | WR |
| 45 | Jackson Sparks | Javon Baker | UCF | WR |
| 46 | Nick Rodriguez | Dylan Laube | New Hampshire | RB |
| 47 | Joey Pollizze | Jamari Thrash | Louisville | WR |
| 48 | Matt Donnelly | Malik Washington | Virginia | WR |
Some Worthwhile Dart Throws: The fourth round is where dynasty managers have to dig deeper into their bag of tricks. This is the range you should start targeting players with an elite trait or a versatile profile that could earn them a role in their offense right away. Think along the lines of guys like Elijah Mitchell and Puka Nacua, who were perfect fits for the schemes and needs of the teams that drafted them.
Players who could fit that mold in this mock include Jamari Thrash and Dylan Laube. Thrash was really effective at the Senior Bowl, getting open against well-known corners and making several difficult catches on the sideline. He could be effective as the second or third option for the Bengals. Laube could also become an interesting stash in PPR leagues if he landed with a team like the Chargers.
Round 5
| Pick | Team | Player | College | Pos. |
| 49 | Brandon Murchison | Isaiah Davis | S. Dakota State | RB |
| 50 | Chris Gregory | Kendall Milton | Georgia | RB |
| 51 | Jorden Hill | Jase McClellan | Alabama | RB |
| 52 | Kevin Campbell | Spencer Rattler | S. Carolina | QB |
| 53 | Brad Camara | Theo Johnson | Penn State | TE |
| 54 | Phil Clark | Ben Sinnott | Kansas State | TE |
| 55 | LaQuan Jones | Dominic Lovett | Georgia | WR |
| 56 | Richard King | Jordan Travis | FSU | QB |
| 57 | Jackson Sparks | Michael Pratt | Tulane | QB |
| 58 | Nick Rodriguez | Dillon Johnson | Washington | RB |
| 59 | Joey Pollizze | Luke McCaffrey | Rice | WR |
| 60 | Matt Donnelly | Daijun Edwards | Georgia | RB |
Georgia on My Mind: When I sat down to review Georgia’s film in December, I was looking for the obvious names. Players like Brock Bowers, Kamari Lassiter, Ladd McConkey, and Amarius Mims were all guys I'd noted early in the season and was excited to dive deeper into the holiday break. So color me surprised when two other unsung Bulldogs really grabbed my eye.
One of those Bulldogs was Kendall Milton. The bruising back isn’t in PFF’s draft simulator, Sleeper’s player list, or Mel Kiper’s running back rankings. However, Milton is a punishing runner with good speed and an elite trait. That elite trait? Contact balance. Milton rarely goes down on first contact, nor on second or third. That skill is worth stashing in your TAXI.
The other Georgia player who stood out on film was Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint. The kid has a weird name and little buzz around it, but he gets open on film. He has good size and the length to extend and bring in high throws, plus he came up big for Georgia several times this year. He is a vastly underrated prospect who I would have drafted over Michael Pratt, Dominic Lovett, and Ben Sinnott.
Other Players Worth Mentioning: Luke McCaffrey has name recognition. That should elevate him in many dynasty drafts, getting him in the mid-fourth range by May. He is a tough and versatile player, too. He can cover multiple offensive positions and play special teams, which should earn him a role as a rookie. Just don’t draft him expecting his brother or his dad.
Also worth mentioning is another Georgia running back, Daijun Edwards. This is the more popular and mainstream Bulldog back. While my preference is Milton, Edwards was the one who handled receiving work for Georgia. He is a shifty player who can do a little bit of everything. Edwards is a fine value at the end of this mock.
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