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
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

NFL Draft 2018 - First Round Reaction

Kyle Richardson gives his initial reactions to the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Which picks will offer the most value to your fantasy football team for both redraft and dynasty leagues?

Well, I said it was going to be a wild draft and it did not disapoint. 2018 had twists and turns around every corner. There were unexpected players to plummet, several trades that caught us off guard and some picks we may question for years to come. From a fantasy football standpoint, this could have been one of the most frustrating drafts I can remember in quite some time.

Breaking down the first round won’t be easy. It could be a few years before we truly know the outcome of picks one through 32. We saw a record four quarterbacks go in the top 10 this year before turning to a defensive focus and only 11 offensive players were taken in the first round.

I have a feeling most of our mock drafts were much like our March Madness bracket… busted. Nevertheless, let's see what kind of fallout is already taking place in the fantasy world after the 2018 NFL Draft.

Editor's Note: RotoBaller’s Dynasty content delivers year-round dynasty fantasy football rankings, trade advice, rookie analysis, and player outlooks. Build a title-winning roster with sleepers, stash targets, and our full dynasty fantasy football guide.

 

NFL Draft - Round 1 Reaction

I have to hand it to the Browns, because they finally made the right decision. I have always believed Baker Mayfield is the QB1 in this draft. He has everything I want in a QB, will have a ton of weapons around him and there is no controversy. Tyrod Taylor will be the starting QB this season and then Mayfield will take over next season. This couldn’t have been a more perfect situation for him. The Browns have only been perfect one other time and, well, it wasn’t actually perfect. Mayfield holds almost no value in 2018, but beyond he has the ceiling of a top five QB and the floor of a low end QB1.

Saquon Barkley will be the best offensive player in this draft before it’s all said and done and he drops into a really good offense. Luckily for Barkley, the Giants also decided to add to the offensive line. This is no surprise, but Barkley will have the opportunity to be a RB1 this season in that offense. If the line is truly improved, then Barkley shouldn’t have any issues.

Sam Darnold goes to the Jets with the third overall pick, which I anticipated being used on Mayfield if he was there. We will see Darnold by the end of the season, but I don’t think he can reach QB1 status anytime soon. The Jets just don’t have as many playmakers on offense as I would like. Robby Anderson, who is the Jets best offensive weapon, is in the middle of a sticky legal situation. Darnold is one of the last rookie QBs I am interested in for dynasty leagues. I would rather use that pick on another QB with more upside that I may have to wait longer on.

The only other QB I may want less than Darnold is Josh Allen, who goes to the Bills at seven overall. The Bills are going to rush Allen which will be horrible for his growth process. He needs time and that’s something the front office or the fans won’t give him. I don’t want any Allen shares on my fantasy teams. Don’t be sucked in by the amazing arm strength. When he is playing in bad weather during the season, it’s going to make his accuracy issues even worse. Hard pass for me.

I love Josh Rosen’s landing spot. This is the only rookie QB I would add in redraft formats right away and is one of my top dynasty QBs as well. He gets to play with one of the best running backs in the game and a hall of fame receiver. Rosen will make an impact in 2018 and beyond. Plus, who doesn’t love a QB with a chip on his shoulder.

I can’t tell you how disappointed I was in DJ Moore landing in Carolina. I will break this pick down further in my #TrendingNow article coming out next week, but to give you a quick breakdown, Cam Newton will not support this many fantasy weapons. I would be okay owning Moore in a dynasty league if I have the ability and patience to wait a couple years, but I see no immediate impact here. I will forever curse the Cowboys for passing on him.

The Ravens decided it was time to beef up their TEs with the selection of Hayden Hurst at 25th overall. I don’t believe buying into rookie TEs, but Hurst could have some sneaky value as a bye-week fill in. I don’t see a TE1 season coming in 2018, but if the Ravens receivers just don’t turn out to be as good as they hope, Hurst could steal some of that. The long term question is how Hurst fits into a Lamar Jackson offense.

As down as I was on Calvin Ridley heading into the season, I am right back up. I don’t think he could have landed in a more perfect position. This pick actually moved Ridley back up in front of Moore on my boards, but the key is where Ridley will play. If the Falcons play him in the slot as much as possible, he has the potential for some WR3 with WR2 upside in PPR leagues. If they play him outside more often, you could be looking at only a flex play most weeks. Regardless though, this was the pick needed to save Ridley’s value. He’s a mid-first round selection in dynasty leagues and will be a late round steal in redraft leagues.

There was only one other player I loved in this draft more than Rashaad Penny, so I couldn’t have been happier with this pick. Penny is going to be a volume monster in 2018. Yeah, I understand the Seahawks have issues with the line, but the Seahawks would not have made this bold pick if they truly didn’t believe Penny was a difference maker. He is going to start, he is going to play and he is going to be fantastic. In PPR leagues, Penny has so much RB2 upside.

As much as I loved Penny’s landing spot, I hated it for Sonny Michel. However, in redraft leagues, I am all over Michel if I can get him at the right price. The Patriots are going to do something they are known for here, use up Michel as much as possible in the first couple of seasons and then trade him before the knees become a worry. The Patriots backfield is always an unknown each week which will limit Michel in some capacity, but as long as he doesn’t put the ball on the ground too many times, he should see decent volume in 2018.

The pick with the most upside in the first round is Lamar Jackson. He has the upside of the QB1 and a top dynasty asset. You are going to have to wait awhile to see what comes of this. It’s going to be at least a couple of years if not longer before Jackson unseats a healthy Joe Flacco, but it could be spectacular when it finally happens. He has so much potential through the air and on the ground that he may reach Russell Wilson status or higher. In the same breath, he could be one of the worst first round picks in history. There are a lot of concerns, but it is worth taking a flyer in dynasty leagues and waiting on his time.

 

More NFL Draft Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Yordan Alvarez

Resumes Swinging -- Return Imminent?
Jake Burger

to Miss an Additional 2-3 Weeks
TreVeyon Henderson

Signs Rookie Contract
Christian Watson

Goes on PUP List
Austin Riley

Hopes to be Activated Next Week
Ketel Marte

Lands on Restricted List After Burglary
Ricky Pearsall

Heads to PUP List
Brandon Aiyuk

Placed on PUP List
Luther Burden III

Signs Rookie Deal
Washington Nationals

Eli Willits Expected to Sign Contract on Saturday
Grayson Rodriguez

Being Shut Down Again - Will We See Him Again This Year?
Ezequiel Tovar

Activated and Back in Lineup on Friday
Max Fried

"Hopeful" to Pitch Next Week - Looks Like He'll Avoid IL Stint
Steven Kwan

Receives Injection in Wrist, Considered Day-to-Day
CJ Abrams

Back to Start Second Half
Alec Bohm

Back From Rib Injury on Friday
Trey Hendrickson

Holdout to Spill into Regular Season?
Jalen McMillan

Bucs Offensive Coordinator Not Forgetting About Jalen McMillan
Levi Onwuzurike

to Miss at Least Four Games
Nick Emmanwori

Seahawks, Nick Emmanwori Reach Agreement on Rookie Deal
Max Holloway

Set For Main Event
Brandon Lowe

Back From 10-Day Injured List
Dustin Poirier

Set For His Final UFC Fight
Roman Kopylov

Set For Co-Main Event
Paulo Costa

Returns At UFC 318
Luis L. Ortiz

to Remain on Leave for Another Month - Will he Pitch Again?
Daniel Rodriguez

Looks For Third Win In A Row
Kevin Holland

Set For His Fourth Fight This Year
Dan Ige

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Patricio Freire Set For His Second UFC Fight
Daniel Zellhuber

Set To Open Up UFC 318 Main Card
Michael Johnson

Looks For Third Consecutive Win
Elijah Arroyo

Signs Rookie Deal
Jaydon Blue

Described as "Borderline Lazy"
T.J. Sanders

Bills Sign T.J. Sanders to Rookie Deal
Christian Wilkins

Raiders Put Christian Wilkins on PUP List
Jabari Small

Lions Add Jabari Small to Backfield
Quinshon Judkins

Remains Unsigned, Won't Report With Rest of Rookies
Mason Taylor

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Jets
Hendon Hooker

Leading Lions QB2 Battle Entering Training Camp
Ozzy Trapilo

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Bears
Tate Ratledge

Agrees to Rookie Contract with Lions
Jack Bech

Signs Rookie Contract with Raiders
Yegor Chinakhov

Requests Trade
Dakota Joshua

Maple Leafs Acquire Dakota Joshua
Lukas Dostal

Signs Five-Year Extension with Ducks
Shemar Stewart

Not Practicing With College Team
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Expected Back Friday
Damian Lillard

Returning to Portland
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma