Dynasty Rookie Rankings Update (Pre-NFL Draft Edition)

It's a bit cliche to say "The countdown is on" when speaking about the NFL Draft, but, as we're only weeks away, it's also accurate. For dynasty players, this is one of the biggest moments of the off-season.

And once the draft locations are determined, rookie drafts will follow shortly thereafter. Everyone knows the names, but it's time to take one last critical look as how rookies compare on a team-agnostic level with considerations for projected draft stock, production, and athletic testing numbers.

Here are my top 60 Overall Rookie Rankings, just ahead of the 2018 NFL Draft.

Editor's Note: Prepare for draft day with RotoBaller’s expert Fantasy Football Mock Drafts. Use our free Fantasy Football Mock Draft Tool and Draft Assistant to explore player trends, ADP insights, and winning roster strategies for every league format.

Top 60 Rookies (Pre-NFL Draft rankings)

Notable Rankings

Saquon Barkley is in a tier of his own among RBs and is the unanimous 1.01 in rookie drafts, assuming there is no superflex. That's not to say that I don't have any concerns about Barkley as a player. Barkley failed to eclipse 6.0 yards per carry for a season and failed to crack 100 rushing yards in eight of his 13 2017 games. But what will prop him up above everyone in the class is his athleticism and receiving production. Not only did Barkley impress with his bench press and vertical, but his 4.4 second 40 puts his weight-adjusted speed score among the best in the class. And while he lacked some efficiency in the running game, he averaged more than four receptions per game and averaged more than 11 yards per reception.

Most rankings have Derrius Guice as the number two ranked player, but I give Rashaad Penny a slight edge due to his massive final season production and impressive efficiency. Not only did he demonstrate workhorse usage, but he did so with over seven yards per carry. Both are likely question marks in the passing game with only slightly more than one reception per game and Penny had a slight edge at the combine. It might be a little controversial, but Penny is my number two player.

I moved D.J. Moore around several times before eventually landing with him at number four. I would not be surprised if, in two years, he's the premier player from this draft class, but I left him behind the top three RBs because of positional scarcity. If I had pick two or three, I'd likely be looking to trade back to four or five and just taking a haul and Moore.

Pre-NFL Combine, my ranking of Nick Chubb over Sony Michel was deemed trash because Chubb had lost a step due to injury. Post-NFL Combine, there should be no questions remaining about whether Chubb is a high-level athlete. And since Chubb handled the bigger workload with a solid efficiency, he edges Michel because he appears less likely to become exclusively a complementary RB.

I was too low on Dallas Goedert in my early rankings. Despite him choosing to not do complete testing at the combine, he still clearly among the best TE prospects in the class. Mike Gesicki was the breakout star from the combine, but both look like potential immediate contributors as red zone options and could be late first round picks.

I like this WR class from a depth perspective, but very few of them appears to be poised for greatness which is why I have a cluster of early second round WRs in James Washington, Calvin Ridley, Michael Gallup, and Equanimeous St. Brown. If Ridley were 21, with him same production, it'd be easier to write off his poor showing at the combine, but as he appears to be falling in the first round of the draft, his dynasty stock takes a slight hit as well.

Deontay Burnett is one of the youngest players in the draft and his final season production is very similar to Courtland Sutton. He posted a 0.30 dominator rating and accounted for 27 percent of his team's receiving yards. His ADP in early rookie mocks has him among the last few picks of the draft, but, without knowing where he'll land, I think he's worth a third round pick.

If Chase Edmonds had produced at the same level at a Power Five school, he'd be a first round pick in rookie drafts, but the small school workhorse is trending towards being a Day three pick and a fourth round selection in dynasty leagues. He had three straight years over 1,600 yards rushing and only slipped during his final season because of injury. Even if he's a UDFA, Edmonds is a prospect to target in the later rounds.

If Mason Rudolph or Kyle Lauletta is drafted by the Patriots, they'll shoot up the rankings into the draftable range because they'd almost immediately become strong QB stash options. Rudolph should eventually earn playing time regardless of where he lands, but, if he lands on the right team, he'll jump from priority waiver claim, to last round pick.

More NFL Draft Analysis

LIKE ROTOBALLER?

CLICK HERE, ENTER ROTOBALLER.COM, THEN CHECK THE BOX