🦃 BLACK FRIDAY - SAVE 50% WITH CODE THANKS
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Dynasty Rookie Rankings Update (Post-NFL Draft Edition)

Dynasty league rookie rankings after the 2018 NFL Draft. Matt Wispe re-examines his rookie rankings at QB, RB, WR, and TE for fantasy football dynasty leagues and lists the top risers and fallers.

Boy, the draft can seriously turn things on its head. Pretty much the only thing that stayed steady from the pre-draft process was that Saquon Barkley is the 1.01.

And while there were some near-perfect landing spots, many intriguing rookies landed in non-ideal locations and the late second round has lost some of its shine.

Here are the updated post-draft rookie rankings, now that we know where these prospects will be playing next year. But beyond just ranking them, I'm going to take a look at the biggest rookie risers and fallers.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Post-Draft Rookie Rankings

RANK POSITION NAME TEAM
1 RB Saquon Barkley New York Giants
2 RB Derrius Guice Washington
3 RB Rashaad Penny Seattle
4 WR D.J. Moore Carolina
5 RB Ronald Jones Tampa Bay
6 RB Royce Freeman Denver
7 RB Sony Michel New England
8 RB Nick Chubb Cleveland
9 WR Calvin Ridley Atlanta
10 WR Christian Kirk Arizona
11 RB Kerryon Johnson Detroit
12 WR Courtland Sutton Denver
13 WR Anthony Miller Chicago
14 TE Mike Gesicki Miami
15 QB Baker Mayfield Cleveland
16 WR Tre'Quan Smith New Orleans
17 WR Michael Gallup Dallas
18 WR Dante Pettis San Francisco
19 QB Lamar Jackson Baltimore
20 RB Nyheim Hines Indianapolis
21 WR J'Mon Moore Green Bay
22 WR D.J. Chark Jacksonville
23 WR James Washington Pittsburgh
24 WR Equanimeous St. Brown Green Bay
25 RB Chase Edmonds Arizona
26 RB Kalen Ballage Miami
27 WR DaeSean Hamilton Denver
28 RB John Kelly LA Rams
29 TE Mark Andrews Baltimore
30 TE Dallas Goedert Philadelphia
31 WR Daurice Fountain Indianapolis
32 RB Jaylen Samuels Pittsburgh
33 WR Keke Coutee Houston
34 WR Deon Cain Indianapolis
35 RB Jordan Wilkins Indianapolis
36 QB Sam Darnold New York Jets
37 QB Josh Rosen Arizona
38 WR Cedrick Wilson Dallas
39 RB Mark Walton Cincinnati
40 WR Allen Lazard Jacksonville
41 RB Josh Adams Philadelphia
42 TE Hayden Hurst Baltimore
43 RB Ito Smith Atlanta
44 WR Antonio Callaway Cleveland
45 RB Bo Scarbrough Dallas
46 WR Richie James San Francisco
47 WR Justin Watson Tampa Bay
48 WR Auden Tate Cincinnati

Biggest Risers

Ronald Jones landing in Tampa Bay was about as good of a landing spot as you could hope for. With Doug Martin gone, only Peyton Barber, Jacquizz Rodgers, and Charles Sims stand in the way of consistent carries for Jones. Jones was my RB7 pre-draft and now he ranks as my RB4. Jones scored 20 total TD during his final season and amassed more the 1700 total yards from scrimmage. If Jones becomes the lead RB, his volume immediately makes him valuable as a rookie.

Anthony Miller was a WR that I really liked despite age concerns, but his volatile draft projections made it nearly impossible to rank him as a top-five WR. Then he landed in Chicago with a young QB who showed flashes and an undefined WR corps. The current WR2 is Taylor Gabriel, who failed to take over the same role in Atlanta in 2017. If Miller can carve out a role as the WR2 alongside Allen Robinson, he could be a viable WR as a rookie.

Pre-draft, had you asked me if there was any way I'd rank J'Mon Moore over Equanimeous St. Brown, I'd have called you crazy, but draft stock holds value. Moore was the first of three WRs selected by Green Bay in the draft. While a fourth round selection doesn't usually lead to immediate touches, the potential to be a WR with Aaron Rodgers adds value to a prospect. It's unlikely that any of the WRs selected surpass Randall Cobb on the depth chart (or potentially Ty Montgomery if he returns to WR), but Cobb's contract expires after 2019 and he's a potential cut candidate after 2018. Whoever takes over the WR2 role in that offense has top 24 WR potential.

Raise your hand if you were super familiar with Daurice Fountain before the draft. Now, raise your hand again if you're lying. Fountain wasn't a highly regarded prospect, but landing in Indianapolis in the fifth round boosts his value significantly. Fountain posted a 0.367 dominator in his final season for the Northern Iowa Panthers. While there are legitimate health concerns about Andrew Luck, the potential to be a starting WR for Luck makes Fountain a valuable third round pick.

Biggest Fallers

Why Philly? Why? Why did the Eagles have to take Dallas Goedert to serve as their second TE. Goedert was my top TE in the pre-draft rankings and was a borderline first round pick as my 11th overall player. But then he was selected to serve as a low-volume player. Trey Burton had enough flashes to earn himself a contract in Chicago, but he was only a truly valuable fantasy TE when Zach Ertz missed time. Goedert still appears to be a decent prospect, but if the Eagles don't use him consistently, he'll likely just take up space on your bench.

Akrum Wadley appeared to be a decent RB prospect, but 32 teams passed on him for seven rounds. He was immediately signed as an undrafted free agent with Tennessee, but with Derrick Henry and the addition of Dion Lewis, Wadley will have a tough climb up the depth chart. Wadley has potential long-term value and if your league has taxi squads, he's a valuable stash, but he's likely a wasted roster spot for more than a season.

Auden Tate looked like a great prospect until the combine and then he had a terrible showing which caused his stock to plummet. He did manage to land with a team that appears needy of a WR2, but his selection in the late seventh round fails to provide any optimism that he'll be given much of a chance. He'd likely need an injury to see a substantial amount of snaps.

 

More 2018 Dynasty League Strategy




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Nic Dowd

Out Against Lightning
Jake Evans

Good to Go Saturday
Gavin Brindley

to Sit Out at Least Two Games
Thomas Chabot

Available Against Sharks
Roman Josi

Returns From 12-Game Absence
Jake Walman

Out Saturday
Kawhi Leonard

Anticipated to Return on Sunday
J.T. Miller

Won't Play Against Mammoth
Brenton Strange

Activated Off Injured Reserve, Will Play vs. Arizona
Chris Godwin

Expected to Play in Week 12
Kawhi Leonard

Sidelined for Saturday's Game Against Hornets
Joe Burrow

Won't Be Activated This Week
Tre Mann

Dealing With Ankle Soreness
Jaden Ivey

Could Make Season Debut Soon
Tobias Harris

Listed as Questionable for Saturday
Aaron Gordon

Expected to Miss Time With Hamstring Injury
Matas Buzelis

Leaves Friday's Game Early With Ankle Issue
Gabriel Vilardi

Has Two Goals in Losing Effort
Jordan Staal

Provides Two Goals in Friday's Win
Matt Boldy

Amasses Three Points in Impressive Road Win
Filip Gustavsson

Shuts Out Penguins Friday
Josh Doan

Pots Two Goals Friday Night
Alex Tuch

Tallies Four Assists in Big Win
Vinnie Hinostroza

Suffers Serious Injury Friday
Aaron Gordon

Won't Return to NBA Cup Meeting with Houston
Travis Kelce

Open to Returning in 2026?
Onyeka Okongwu

Could Miss Matchup With Pelicans
Brandon Aiyuk

49ers, Brandon Aiyuk Headed for a Divorce Soon?
D'Angelo Russell

Ruled Out Against Pelicans
Trey Hendrickson

Ruled Out for Week 12
Tre Jones

Cleared to Play Friday with Planned Minutes Limit
Jaden McDaniels

Cleared to Face Phoenix
Coby White

Ruled Out for Friday's Game Against Miami
Jarrett Allen

Ruled Out on Friday
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Doubtful as Grizzlies Face Mavericks
Adolis García

Rangers Non-Tender Adolis Garcia on Friday
Jaylon Tyson

Returning Versus Indiana
Darius Garland

Cleared to Play on Friday, Expected to See Limited Action
Marvin Bagley III

to Miss Friday's Game Against Raptors
Auston Matthews

Doubtful for Saturday
Rashod Bateman

Ruled Out for Week 12
Alexandre Sarr

Ruled Out for a Second Straight Game
Roman Josi

Could Return Saturday
Samuel Honzek

Out for Six Months After Surgery
Chris Godwin

Officially Questionable for Week 12
Sion James

Expected to Play Through Groin Issue Saturday
Jalen Chatfield

Available for Friday's Matchup
Andrew Wiggins

Labeled as "Day-to-Day"
Nico Sturm

Activated From Injured Reserve
Jason Zucker

Available Friday
Connor Hellebuyck

to Miss 4-6 Weeks
Jaylen Warren

Cleared From Injury Report Ahead of Week 12
Brian Thomas Jr.

Ruled Out for Week 12
Kenneth Walker III

Listed as Questionable for Week 12
Trey Benson

Ruled Out For Week 12
Josh Jacobs

Officially Questionable to Play in Week 12
Darius Slayton

Cleared to Return From Hamstring Injury in Week 12
Daniel Jones

"Good to Go" for Week 12
Alvin Kamara

Officially Questionable to Play in Week 12
Xavier Worthy

"Trending in the Right Direction," Officially Questionable
Isiah Pacheco

Out Against Colts
Drake London

Officially Ruled Out for Week 12
CFB

Beau Pribula Expected to Start Against Oklahoma
Aaron Rodgers

Questionable to Play Against Bears
Rhamondre Stevenson

Expected to Return in Week 12
Dan Hooker

An Underdog At UFC Qatar
Arman Tsarukyan

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Ian Machado Garry

A Favorite At UFC Qatar
Belal Muhammad

Looks To Bounce Back
Alonzo Menifield

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Volkan Oezdemir

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Myktybek Orolbai

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Jack Hermansson

Makes His Welterweight Debut
Kyoji Horiguchi

Returns To The UFC
Tagir Ulanbekov

Set To Open Up UFC Qatar Main Card
Elly De La Cruz

Played Through Partially Torn Quad to End 2025
Tarik Skubal

Tigers "Doubtful" to Trade Tarik Skubal
Raisel Iglesias

Returning to the Braves on One-Year Deal
Sahith Theegala

Looking to Continue Fall Run at RSM Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Looking to Bounce Back at RSM Classic
Tom Hoge

Looking to Regain Form at RSM Classic
Joe Highsmith

Searching for Turnaround at RSM Classic
Adam Hadwin

Looking to Build on T11 Finish in Bermuda
Austin Eckroat

Searching for Momentum at RSM Classic
Joel Dahmen

Trying to Find Form at the RSM Classic
CFB

Garrett Nussmeier Doubtful to Play Against Western Kentucky
Michael Thorbjornsen

Hopes to End 2025 Campaign With Another Solid Finish
Andrew Novak

Looks to End 2025 Season on High Note at RSM Classic
Harry Higgs

Teetering for PGA Tour Card in 2026
PGA

Nico Echavarria has the Potential to Contend at the RSM Classic
Sam Stevens

Finishing Out Year in Georgia
Seamus Power

Playing Better at the Right Time
Beau Hossler

Roller Coaster Comes to Saint Simons Island
Quade Cummins

The Time is Now for Quade Cummins in Georgia
Austin Cook

Needs a Win at the RSM Classic
Cameron Champ

on the PGA Tour Card Bubble
Grayson Rodriguez

Shipped to Angels
Taylor Ward

Orioles Acquire Taylor Ward From Angels
Shota Imanaga

Accepts Cubs Qualifying Offer
Brandon Woodruff

Returning to Milwaukee in 2026
Denny McCarthy

Looking For Another Solid Finish at RSM Classic
Si Woo Kim

Looking To Use Current Momentum to Flip Script at RSM Classic
Mackenzie Hughes

a Good Bounce-Back Candidate at RSM Classic
Harris English

Making 14th Start at This Week's RSM Classic
Konnor Griffin

Could Compete for Starting Shortstop Job in 2026
Gleyber Torres

Accepts Tigers Qualifying Offer
CFB

Sam Leavitt Set to Enter Transfer Portal?
Jose Altuve

Undergoes Foot Surgery
Alex Bregman

Red Sox Going for Either Alex Bregman or Pete Alonso?
CFB

James Franklin to be Virginia Tech's Next Head Coach
CFB

Fernando Mendoza the Clear Heisman Trophy Favorite?
CFB

Beau Pribula Has Chance to Face Oklahoma on Saturday
Jack Della Maddalena

Gets Dominated
Islam Makhachev

Claims UFC Welterweight Belt
Zhang Weili

Gets Outclassed
Valentina Shevchenko

Wins Unanimous Decision At UFC 322
Sean Brady

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Michael Morales

Remains Unbeaten
Leon Edwards

Suffers Second-Round Knockout Loss
Leon Edwards

Carlos Prates Becomes The First Man To Knock Out Leon Edwards
Beneil Dariush

Suffers Brutal First-Round Knockout Loss
Beneil Dariush

Benoit Saint Denis Knocks Out Beneil Dariush In 16 Seconds
Josh Naylor

Mariners Finalizing Five-Year Contract

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP