RADIO
The 2024 NFL Draft has been over for more than a week. Therefore, the fantasy football world is knee-deep in dynasty rookie drafts.
While the top few picks are easy this year, fantasy players have a difficult decision in the middle of the first round between Rome Odunze and Brock Bowers.
Should fantasy players take the star wide receiver or high-upside tight end? Let’s dive into it.
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Rome Odunze Fantasy Football Outlook
Odunze was arguably the top wide receiver in college football last year. After returning to Washington for a final season, Odunze put up career highs in several categories, including receptions (92), receiving yards (1,640), and touchdowns (13). Furthermore, he led the Pac-12 in receptions and receiving yards while ranking second in touchdowns in 2023.
Bears WR Rome Odunze touchdown. pic.twitter.com/wbHVI3X955
— Nick Penticoff (@NickPenticoff) April 29, 2024
The former Washington star was the ninth overall pick by the Chicago Bears. Despite having DJ Moore and Keenan Allen on the roster, the Bears gave Caleb Williams one of the top wide receivers in the draft class. While some fantasy players hoped he would land in a more immediate fantasy-friendly situation, Odunze is set up for the long haul.
Brock Bowers Fantasy Football Outlook
Bowers was the clear-cut No. 1 tight end in the draft class, ranking far and away ahead of anyone else. He had 56 receptions for 882 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns as a freshman for the National Champion Bulldogs in 2021. Despite defenses doing everything possible to slow him down, Bowers continued to put up massive numbers at Georgia.
88-yards for the FRESHMAN!
Tune in to ESPN2: https://t.co/NRLoiiaLNx pic.twitter.com/CnmwJL0JP1
— Georgia Football (@GeorgiaFootball) September 11, 2021
Unfortunately, the star tight end didn’t land in an ideal fantasy situation. Bowers was the 13th overall pick in the NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. Last year, the Raiders spent an early second-round pick on Michael Mayer. Furthermore, Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers had productive 2023 seasons in Las Vegas. While the landing spot is far from ideal, Bowers is too talented not to get on the field as a rookie.
Should I Draft Rome Odunze or Brock Bowers?
Fantasy players should be happy drafting either player with their first-round rookie pick. However, there must be a winner in this debate. While both players are likely future NFL stars, I would take Odunze over Bowers. Having a star tight end is less valuable than a star wide receiver.
Furthermore, Odunze has a clearer path to targets than Bowers. The Bears likely won’t re-sign Allen after the 2024 season, making the former Washington star the No. 2 weapon on an up-and-coming offense. Meanwhile, Bowers must contend with Mayer for snaps and targets for the next few years.
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