X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Join the Best Live Fantasy Chat Community!

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


LINEUP RESOURCES

Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
Fantasy Updates
24x7 News and Alerts

NFL Rookies to Watch in Week 1: Fantasy Football Dynasty and Redraft Leagues

Dameon Pierce - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Rookies, Draft Sleepers

Regular season NFL football has finally returned! The 2022 campaign opened with an excellent game on Thursday night. The Buffalo Bills flexed their muscles against the defending champion Los Angeles Rams, winning 31-10. The fantasy football rookie class of 2022 got off to a rocky start on Thursday. Buffalo's first-year tailback James Cook fumbled on his first NFL carry and did not touch the ball again all game. We will see if Cook remains in the doghouse moving forward.

With the first NFL Sunday of the year approaching, a whole new batch of first-year players will be making their debuts as professionals. It is certain that some of these players will make immediate impacts in the league for their franchises, but will they also make immediate impacts on your fantasy squads?

Whether you're a redraft manager or a dynasty manager, being ahead of the curve with rookie players is vital to your team's success. For more rookies like Cook to watch this week, continue reading! This column will be split into two parts: one pertaining to players most relevant in redraft leagues, and the other for rookies particularly worth watching in dynasty formats.

Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers received 13 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association including Baseball Writer of the Year, Football Writers of the Year, Golf Writer of the Year and many more! Be sure to follow their analysis, rankings and advice all year long, and win big with RotoBaller! Read More!

 

NFL Rookies to Watch in Fantasy Football Redraft Leagues

Dameon Pierce (RB, HOU)

In many respects, Dameon Pierce seems like an unlikely early contributor. With just a 41st percentile college dominator percentage, he didn't stand out with the Florida Gators; indeed, he never reached 600 rushing yards in a season as a collegiate player. His athletic profile is also middling. With a 4.59 40-yard dash and a 46th percentile SPARQ-X score, Pierce isn't as elite of an athlete as you'd expect from a top rookie running back.

With all of that said, Pierce is poised for more success in Houston than any other rookie RB is this week. This is because he has an astonishingly clear path to a large workload. The Texans released Marlon Mack in late August, making Pierce the presumptive starter in the backfield. Head coach Lovie Smith then confirmed that Pierce would be starting the opener this week.

The fourth-round pick impressed in his two preseason appearances, rushing for 86 yards on just 11 carries. While he will have to contend with Rex Burkhead for touches, Pierce looks to be the clear number one tailback for Houston. He does get a tough matchup against the Indianapolis defense this week, but how he performs will be of major interest to fantasy managers.

Drake London (WR, ATL)

Drake London was taken eighth overall out of USC by the Atlanta Falcons this past April. That large investment of draft capital was not without merit. Standing at 6'4" and weighing in at 213 pounds, London has a large frame that makes him a force to be reckoned with on jump balls. London is widely considered the best possession receiver prospect in this year's draft class.

London isn't just a raw athletic specimen though; he can put his traits to good use. His statistical production with the Trojans was incredible, as he compiled 1,084 receiving yards last season in just eight games. Those totals came off of 88 receptions and 124 targets, which are absurd figures for his small number of appearances. He managed to receive attention for the Biletnikoff Award, which is awarded each season to the most outstanding receiver in college football, despite his time missed due to injury.

The rookie will have an opportunity to produce early with the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta is short on weapons for quarterback Marcus Mariota to throw to, with the only other exciting option he has being tight end Kyle Pitts. London has a chance to emerge as the team's number one wideout as early as this week versus New Orleans. If he does, his redraft value will rise quickly.

Chris Olave (WR, NO)

Three picks after the Falcons took London, the New Orleans Saints selected a receiver of their own: Chris Olave. Olave used his tremendous speed to his benefit at Ohio State. His 4.39-second 40-yard dash illustrates the speed he used to score 35 touchdowns as a Buckeye. Despite operating alongside a multitude of other talented receivers in college, Olave managed to impress fans and scouts alike.

Olave is joining a Saints team that has some major questions at the receiver position. 2019 Offensive Player of the Year Michael Thomas is present, but he has not played a game since December 2020 due to an ankle injury. The team also added Jarvis Landry in free agency, but it's yet to be seen how the team plans to use him. Olave has a chance to make a statement this season with his target competition being hazy.

The Saints open the season against the Atlanta Falcons. Assuming Thomas, who is listed as questionable for the contest, plays, Falcons star CB A.J. Terrell would likely shadow him. This would open up the defense for the deep threat Olave, who should be a good fit with quarterback Jameis Winston. In his last full season as a starter in 2019, Winston posted the second-highest air yards per attempt in the league. Olave's speed will make him a big asset on those deep targets, which we could see as early as Sunday.

 

NFL Rookies to Watch in Fantasy Football Dynasty Leagues

Tyrion Davis-Price (RB, SF)

In the third round of this year's NFL Draft, the San Francisco 49ers picked up Tyrion Davis-Price from LSU. The young running back wasn't used heavily in college until 2021 when he had 211 carries for 1,004 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games. At 6'0" and 219 pounds, Davis-Price is largely known for his physicality. His prowess as a pass-blocker will make him a desirable part of San Francisco's rotation in the backfield.

Davis-Price has some speed to him as well. His 4.48 40-yard dash at his size earned him a 90th percentile speed score. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to turn that speed into many long runs, as his average of 4.8 yards per carry last season at LSU was lackluster. Still, we can see that he has NFL speed and should be able to develop his game to further utilize it.

The San Francisco backfield is currently led by second-year back Elijah Mitchell. Mitchell came out of nowhere as a sixth-round rookie last season and will be the team's starter when healthy this year. Davis-Price has a strong bid for the backup role though. Last year's third-round pick Trey Sermon was released in the preseason, opening the door for Davis-Price to move up in the pecking order. Watching his development will be key for dynasty managers, and that process begins this week in his matchup against Chicago.

David Bell (WR, CLE)

Another third-round draft choice this year was Purdue's David Bell. Bell was extremely productive with the Boilermakers, averaging over 100 yards per game in both 2020 and 2021. His 28.7% target share ranked at the 87th percentile for receivers, and his good catching ability ensured he didn't drop many of the throws that came his way.

The main drawback to Bell's profile is his lack of explosion. His 35th percentile speed score and 20th percentile burst score are uninspiring. Moreover, his agility score is at just the eighth percentile, and his catch radius is at the 13th. Clearly, Bell's physical abilities are not his strong suit. He is technically sound and displays physicality, but he lacks the athletic traits that most top receivers possess.

Bell will open the season as Cleveland's number three wideout behind Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones. He shouldn't be relevant for redraft managers this season, but dynasty managers should be interested in getting an extended look at Bell against Carolina on Sunday. Seeing how his physical limitations impact his performance will be key in assessing his value moving forward.

Trey McBride (TE, ARI)

A second-round pick out of Colorado State, Trey McBride was the first tight end drafted this April. Given his elite stat line of 90 receptions for 1,121 yards in 2021, this should come as no surprise. His college dominator percentage of 46.3% was at the 99th percentile. McBride has extensive experience as a receiver, which is certainly a big plus when it comes to his evaluation as a fantasy prospect.

Another positive aspect of his profile is his athleticism. His 4.61-second 40-yard dash at 6'4" and 245 pounds is quite strong, amounting to an 86th percentile speed score. Scouts also lauded his acceleration and route running ability, making him a formidable weapon in the passing game. Blocking is not his strong suit though, which could impact his snap shares throughout his career.

McBride enters the season as veteran tight end Zach Ertz's backup for the Cardinals. With Ertz questionable for this week's game versus Kansas City with a calf injury, dynasty managers may get a glimpse of McBride's future as a starter. Such an experience would enlighten viewers about how the skills he demonstrated in college will translate to the pro level.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!




Win Big With RotoBaller

Be sure to also check out all of our other daily fantasy football articles and analysis to help you set those winning lineups, including this new RotoBaller YouTube video:

More Fantasy Football Analysis




LINEUP RESOURCES

Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
Fantasy Updates
24x7 News and Alerts

ROTOBALLER PLAYER NEWS

Kyler Murray8 mins ago

No Timeline For Kyler Murray
Buffalo Bills13 mins ago

Von Miller On Schedule In His Recovery
Buffalo Bills17 mins ago

Sean McDermott To Call Defensive Plays
Aaron Rai21 mins ago

Brings Positive Momentum To Valero Texas Open
Javonte Williams24 mins ago

Making "Great Strides" In Recovery
Akshay Bhatia27 mins ago

Looks To Stay Hot In Texas
Hobie Harris35 mins ago

Makes Opening Day Roster
Tyrone Taylor51 mins ago

Hoping To Return In Mid-May
Adrian Houser57 mins ago

Likely To Open On Injured List
Jeff Hoffman1 hour ago

Released By Twins
Kris Bubic1 hour ago

Named Royals Fifth Starter
Sean Doolittle1 hour ago

Tanner Rainey To Continue Rehabbing
Hunter Gaddis1 hour ago

Expected To Enter Rotation
Josiah Gray1 hour ago

To Make Season Debut Saturday
Devin Duvernay2 hours ago

Expected To Return In 2023
Matthew Stafford2 hours ago

Won't Have Any Limitations
Trey Lance2 hours ago

Has A Chance To Regain Starting Job
Odell Beckham Jr.2 hours ago

Giants A Long Shot For Odell Beckham Jr.
DJ Chark2 hours ago

Undergoes Ankle Surgery
Michael Thomas2 hours ago

Making Progress In Recovery
Aaron Rodgers2 hours ago

Trade Could Involve Two Second-Round Picks
Irv Smith Jr.2 hours ago

Agrees To One-Year Deal With Bengals
César Hernández3 hours ago

Tigers Release Cesar Hernandez
James McCann3 hours ago

Likely To Open On Injured List
Mychal Givens3 hours ago

Headed To Injured List
Leody Taveras3 hours ago

Out Another Week
Sergio Romo3 hours ago

Officially Retires With Giants
Cristian Pache3 hours ago

Won't Be On Opening Day Roster
Daniel Hudson3 hours ago

Could Return In Late April
Tony Gonsolin3 hours ago

Dodgers Targeting Late-April Return For Tony Gonsolin
Nicolas Batum4 hours ago

Drops Eight Three-Point Bombs On Chicago
Nikola Jokic4 hours ago

Logs His 29th Triple-Double Of The Year
Tyrese Maxey4 hours ago

Leads Sixers Offense With 29 Points
Immanuel Quickley4 hours ago

Scores Career-High 40 Points
Bennedict Mathurin4 hours ago

Breaks Out Of Slump Monday
Jaden Ivey4 hours ago

Fills The Box Score Monday
Khris Middleton5 hours ago

Has Season-High 34 Points Monday
Lawson Crouse5 hours ago

Delivers Three Assists Monday
Leon Draisaitl5 hours ago

Takes Point Streak To Nine Games
Connor McDavid5 hours ago

Hits 140 Points For The Season
Cale Makar5 hours ago

Helps To Set Up Two Goals
Marc-Andre Fleury5 hours ago

Returns To Form Monday
Matthew Boldy5 hours ago

Scores Another Hat Trick
Trevor Zegras6 hours ago

Suffers A Lower-Body Injury
Daniel Bard12 hours ago

Still Off Monday
Blake Sabol13 hours ago

Made "Fantastic Impression" This Spring
Anthony Rendon13 hours ago

On Fire This Spring
Tyler Anderson13 hours ago

Wraps Up Strong Spring Monday
Miguel Rojas13 hours ago

' Two-Strike Approach Leading To Success
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander14 hours ago

Questionable Versus Charlotte
Ja Morant15 hours ago

Doubtful Versus Orlando
Terry Rozier15 hours ago

Out Again On Tuesday Evening
Gordon Hayward15 hours ago

Unlikely To Play Against OKC
Daniel Gafford15 hours ago

Dealing With A Sore Foot
Kyle Palmieri15 hours ago

Records Three Points Monday
Monte Morris15 hours ago

Uncertain For Tuesday Night
Kyle Kuzma15 hours ago

Remains Out Versus Boston
Gustav Forsling15 hours ago

Scores Twice Despite Florida Loss
Bradley Beal15 hours ago

Sidelined Again On Tuesday
Brady Tkachuk15 hours ago

Logs Two Points In Ottawa Win
New England Patriots15 hours ago

Jerod Mayo To Be Bill Belichick's Successor?
Buffalo Bills16 hours ago

Taylor Rapp Signs One-Year Deal With Bills
Jarrett Stidham16 hours ago

Broncos Think Jarrett Stidham Has Starting Potential
Gardner Minshew16 hours ago

To Compete For Starting Job
Mac Jones16 hours ago

Not Guaranteed To Start In 2023
Samaje Perine16 hours ago

Could Fill In As Starter
Justin Herbert16 hours ago

Chargers Confident They'll Keep Justin Herbert Long Term
Ezekiel Elliott18 hours ago

Cowboys Open To Re-Signing Ezekiel Elliott
Rashod Bateman18 hours ago

Will Be Running In Three Weeks
Maxi Kleber19 hours ago

Questionable On Monday
Jrue Holiday19 hours ago

Ruled Out Monday
Marcus Morris19 hours ago

Sr. Sitting Out On Monday
Karl-Anthony Towns19 hours ago

To Sit Out On Monday
Tyrese Haliburton19 hours ago

Won't Play On Monday
Myles Turner19 hours ago

Unavailable On Monday
Reilly Smith19 hours ago

Ruled Out For At Least Three Games
Erik Gudbranson20 hours ago

Won't Return This Season
Todd Gilliland20 hours ago

Impressive At COTA
Ville Husso20 hours ago

Could Be Done For The Season
Ty Gibbs20 hours ago

Finds His Footing At COTA
Robby Fabbri20 hours ago

Likely Finished For The Season
Troy Terry20 hours ago

Sits Out Monday's Game
Chris Buescher20 hours ago

Continues To Shine On Road Courses
Frank Vatrano20 hours ago

Returns To Ducks Lineup
NASCAR20 hours ago

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Finishes Seventh
Tage Thompson20 hours ago

A Game-Time Call For Monday
Austin Cindric21 hours ago

Has A Solid Day
Jonas Johansson21 hours ago

Tends Twine Monday In Anaheim
Sergei Bobrovsky21 hours ago

In Goal Monday Against Ottawa
Ilya Sorokin21 hours ago

Starting Monday
John Gibson22 hours ago

Minds The Crease For Ducks Monday
Marlon Vera1 day ago

Has Four-Fight Winning Streak Snapped
Cory Sandhagen1 day ago

Dominates Striking Department
Yana Santos1 day ago

Dominated In Decision Loss
Holly Holm1 day ago

Dominates In Co-Main Event
Austin Lingo1 day ago

Suffers Submission Loss
Nate Landwehr1 day ago

Shines With Second-Round Submission Win
Andrea Lee1 day ago

Suffers Defeat In Close Matchup Saturday
Maycee Barber1 day ago

Takes Close Matchup On Saturday
Chidi Njokuani1 day ago

Takes Close Loss In Split-Decision Showing
Albert Duraev1 day ago

Holds Off Opponent In Tight Split Decision
William Byron1 day ago

Rounds Out Top Five At COTA
Ross Chastain1 day ago

Caught Up To Fourth At COTA On Sunday
Alex Bowman1 day ago

Brings Home Third Place Finish At COTA
Kyle Busch1 day ago

Scrambles Up To Second At Austin
Tyler Reddick1 day ago

Dominates And Wins At COTA
Jordan Taylor3 days ago

Making NASCAR Debut At COTA, Will Start 4th
Austin Cindric3 days ago

Excited To Showcase Speed At COTA This Weekend
Austin Dillon3 days ago

Starts 28th At COTA For Sunday
Ricky Stenhouse Jr3 days ago

. In Middle Of Pack For COTA
Denny Hamlin3 days ago

Rough Patch In Qualifying On Saturday
Kyle Busch3 days ago

Starts Ninth For COTA Race On Sunday
Kyle Larson3 days ago

Could Be A Wildcard On Sunday
Noah Gragson3 days ago

Finds Way To Qualify 10th At COTA
Brad Keselowski3 days ago

A Few Seconds Off the COTA Pace
Ryan Blaney3 days ago

Begins 38th For Sunday's Race At COTA
Chase Briscoe3 days ago

Just A Little Off At COTA On Saturday
Cory Sandhagen4 days ago

Can Earn Back-To-Back Victories
Marlon Vera4 days ago

Finds Himself In Main-Event Spotlight Saturday
Yana Santos4 days ago

Looking For Biggest UFC Win Of Her Career
Holly Holm4 days ago

Seeking First Victory Since 2020
Austin Lingo4 days ago

On Verge Of Three-Fight Winning Streak
Nate Landwehr4 days ago

Hoping For Third Straight Strong Performance
Maycee Barber5 days ago

Can Continue Her Flyweight Ascent
Andrea Lee5 days ago

In Need Of Victory To Keep Momentum Going
MMA5 days ago

Manel Kape On The Hunt For Fourth Straight Victory Saturday
Alex Perez5 days ago

Seeking First Victory Since 2020
Albert Duraev5 days ago

Can Rebound With A Victory
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF