For those of you who love loading up on rookies in your fantasy football drafts, you’ll love this recent conversation I had.
“Hey, did I ever tell you about the time I drafted Puka Nacua and Sam LaPorta?”
“Yes, only about a billion times. But please, Mr. Rank, would you like guacamole or not?”
And as much as I liked Puka, LaPorta and Dalton Kincaid -- all studs in their first years in the league -- I also really liked wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr., who put up just 377 receiving yards with the Broncos in 2023. OK, so this isn’t exactly a perfect process.
The key to drafting rookies is patience. Just like you had to show with Jahmyr Gibbs last year. You’re going to need to be able to tell when to hold the line (like with Gibbs) or cut bait (like a lot of you refused to do with Quentin Johnston).
Here are some rookies you should take a flier on in your fantasy drafts this season.
QUARTERBACKS
I case you forgot, I am a Bears fan. But I really do love Caleb’s potential in this offense under new coordinator Shane Waldron. The USC product arguably has the best supporting cast of any quarterback drafted first overall -- at least in recent memory -- with guys like Keenan Allen, DJ Moore, Rome Odunze, Cole Kmet and D'Andre Swift in tow. What you will soon find out is Caleb will give you a safe floor -- as a passer and rusher -- every week.
Obviously, the comparison between Daniels and C.J. Stroud, the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year and No. 2 overall pick a year ago, will be a talking point this season. I love Daniels' rushing ability. He amassed an FBS-leading 1,134 rush yards in his Heisman Trophy-winning campaign last year. Be sure to take a solid backup like Jared Goff or Matthew Stafford if you’re rolling with Daniels this year.
RUNNING BACKS
The biggest hurdle facing Corum is Kyren Williams, who averaged a league-leading 95.3 rush yards per game last season. Like no big deal, just a league winner in front of him. He should still get opportunities, though. And what’s hilarious is the people who ignore this Rams committee will be quick to dismiss the rest of the players in this position group for that same reason.
This is the running back I’m going to have the most shares of this fantasy season. It’s not hard to imagine Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman falling in love with Kimani’s skills. The sixth-round draft pick is a like a razor blade covered bowling ball out there, and currently sitting behind veterans Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins in the Chargers backfield, he could end up as one of the biggest risers in the league. You’re going to be drafting him before the 10th round by the time we get to September.
Brooks will take some time to get going. He had ACL surgery in November, but the Panthers, who'll look to Chuba Hubbard early in the season, are hopeful he’ll only miss a few weeks. Brooks is perfect for leagues with IR spots, but he’s also worth a stash in truly deep leagues.
The fourth-round draft pick has a lot of competition with studs Raheem Mostert and De’Von Achane in the Dolphins backfield. He’s a definite handcuff if you draft either Mostert or Achane, who have both dealt with injuries. But don’t be fooled, Wright can play. He’s fast (4.38-second 40-yard dash) and averaged 7.4 yards per carry at Tennessee last year with only one fumble.
Javonte Williams was a rumored cut candidate before camp, but he’s looked excellent since. And even with Williams, Jaleel McLaughlin and Samaje Perine currently on the roster, I’m still willing to take a look at Audric, who rushed for 1,341 yards and 18 touchdowns last year at Notre Dame. The fifth-rounder doesn’t play a lot in the passing game, but he feels like a Tyler Allgeier-type player to me.
James Conner has done well in his three seasons with the Cardinals, but it looks like Arizona will be working in some new blood this year. Benson has an injury history, but the three-down back really impressed at Florida State. The only drawback is that he’s yet to show he has receiving skills that can truly make an impact at this level.
WIDE RECEIVERS
I’m guessing Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze will be highly coveted rookie receivers in your fantasy leagues. Don’t worry, I’ve got some other players to look for.
He has a real shot to be the targets leader for the New England Patriots. That might not be all that reassuring. The bottom line for me is the rebuilding Pats could be playing from behind and needing to throw the ball a lot, which will breed opportunity for guys like Polk. He should outperform his ADP. And if you don’t want to take that from me, at least listen to my friend Rome Odunze, a teammate of Polk's at Washington.
I expect the Bills to funnel a lot of targets to tight end Dalton Kincaid, who saw 91 targets as a rookie, with the departures of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. But there are still 160 targets vacated by Diggs. Expect Coleman, the 33rd overall pick in April, to see his fair share. Plus, he’s a great stack option for players who draft Josh Allen.
I’m not going to weigh in much on the whole Brandon Aiyuk trade discussion, but if Aiyuk is dealt, Pearsall, the 31st overall pick in April’s draft, has a real opportunity to put up some significant points in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.
TIGHT ENDS
Hey, I was the one who suggested this pairing in my Mock Draft with a Twist. The Raiders are going to be running a lot of 12 personnel packages (two-tight end sets) this season with Bowers and Michael Mayer, and Gardner Minshew excels in 12 personnel, leading the league with a 111.3 passer rating on such plays since 2019 (min. 150 such pass attempts), per Next Gen Stats. Bowers will likely end up as the second-highest targeted player in this offense behind Davante Adams.
The Bengals added Mike Gesicki in free agency, so there isn’t a clear path to targets for All right now. He’s also recovering from an ACL tear sustained last season at Iowa, but he’s an intriguing prospect who joins Gesicki, Drew Sample and Tanner Hudson in Cincinnati. When healthy, All is a big play waiting to happen.