Welcome back! The second night of the draft might not have featured the same level of star power that we saw on opening night but that doesn't mean there won't be some fantasy relevant players. As always, I've got my recap of the offensive skill position guys that get selected and what their fantasy futures could be. Follow along, will you?
Round 2
Elijah Moore, WR, Jets:Give the Jets credit, they're trying to make up for the sins of the past by giving their rookie quarterback some help. Moore is a dynamic player who should have every opportunity to be an integral part of the offense from the beginning. There could be an interesting three-way battle for targets between Moore, Jamison Crowder, and the newly-acquired Corey Davis but the rookie has WR3 upside in 2021.
Javonte Williams, RB, Broncos:I'll admit to being a little disappointed in this pick because I had my heart set on Williams going to a place like Atlanta or Miami. It's better to take a long view with the rookie running back here. For 2021, he'll have to share opportunities with Melvin Gordon. But it seems unlikely that Gordon will be in Denver in 2022, opening a pathway for Williams to be the lead Bronco in the stable. The good news for fantasy drafters this year is that the specter of Gordon could depress the rookie's draft value, making him a good keeper league value.
Rondale Moore, WR, Cardinals:Just two years ago, the Cardinals drafted three receivers – none of whom have panned out. Now they draft a speedy, shifty playmaker in Rondale Moore who projects to give Arizona a solid slot option (pending Larry Fitzgerald's potential retirement). The move signals the beginning of the end for Christian Kirk, who is a free agent after this season while it also pushes Andy Isabella closer to (further into?) irrelevance. Considering how often the Cardinals put four receivers on the field, Moore should get plenty of chances right away.
Pat Freiermuth, TE, Steelers:Believe it or not, there are other tight ends in this draft besides Kyle Pitts. For fantasy purposes, Freiermuth is probably the only other tight end that will be on redraft radars in 2021. Even then, he'll be an end-of-draft flier with Eric Ebron still ahead of him. Freiermuth's real opportunity is more likely to come after this season.
D'Wayne Eskridge, WR, Seahawks:It's hard to find anyone who loves this pick outside of the Seahawks draft room. Eskridge played five seasons at Western Michigan and never had more than 776 receiving yards. It seems like a longshot for Eskridge to make a dent in this offense with Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf still running things atop Seattle's depth chart. Maybe Eskridge can be an occasional playmaker but he's not going to be drafted in many fantasy leagues.
Tutu Atwell, WR, Rams:The two words you hear most often in regard to Atwell are "fast" and "small". The latter part might not be an issue if Sean McVay can use him effectively as a gadget player. The Rams compared him to DeSean Jackson, which seems to pigeonhole him as a best ball candidate for most fantasy managers. But for him to make any kind of impact, he'll have to find a way to leapfrog Van Jefferson on the depth chart.
Terrace Marshall, Jr., WR, Panthers:I'm a fan of this pairing. The second round has recently been a gold mine for productive receivers with Tee Higgins, Deebo Samuel, A.J. Brown, and DK Metcalf being a few of the names that have been selected there. Marshall could be the next. He's a bigger body player who wins contested catches. If he can move to the slot, that allows Robby Anderson and D.J. Moore to cook on the outside. It also means that Sam Darnold no longer has the excuse of not having enough weapons.
Kyle Trask, QB, Buccaneers:Yes, the Bucs have a quarterback. And there is a laundry list of guys who've seen their careers fade away while waiting for Tom Brady to step aside. Who knows if Trask's name will be next on that list but he will have plenty of chances to sit and learn from Brady. Outside of the end of dynasty rookie drafts, there's no reason to consider him in 2020.
Round 3
Davis Mills, QB, Texans:The Texans spending their first pick in this draft on Mills further cements the idea that Deshaun Watson is gone. Mills is a project and with Tyrod Taylor and Ryan Finley on the roster, there's no reason for Houston to rush Mills onto the field.
Kellen Mond, QB, Vikings:Mond's fantasy future isn't likely to take shape for a couple of years with Kirk Cousins still under contract.
Josh Palmer, WR, Chargers:Palmer is a nice addition to the Chargers WR room and could push to be the team's WR3.
Hunter Long, TE, Dolphins:The Dolphins appear to be stockpiling tight ends. None seem likely to cut into Mike Gesicki's work, though Adam Shaheen may want to pay attention.
Dyami Brown, WR, Football Team: Washington adds Brown to the erstwhile track team its assembling in its WR room. Unless they start running more four-receiver sets, snaps could be inconsistent for the rookie.
Tommy Tremble, TE, Panthers:Tremble is the best blocking tight end in this class, which works out fine since Joe Brady isn't known for emphasizing the position. His fantasy production will be sporadic, at best.
Amari Rodgers, WR, Packers:All "A. Rodgers" jokes aside, this could be a good landing spot – if that other A. Rodgers decides to play in Green Bay this season. If not, none of this really matters.
Trey Sermon, RB, 49ers: Yes, the running back room is crowded but Sermon is the only one with a contract beyond 2022. Plus, Shanahan's track record with running backs means he'll be a tantalizing late round option.
Nico Collins, WR, Texans:It felt like Nico Collins' lot in life was to be a big-bodied red zone target. With the relative lack of height in the Texans receiver room, Collins may have found his calling. If only we had faith in Houston's quarterback situation.
Anthony Schwartz, WR, Browns: Schwartz is fast. Very fast. He might not get a lot of touches, but he can house it on any given play. Yep, he's a best ball guy.
Tre McKitty, TE, Chargers:The Donald Parham hive took a little hit with the McKitty pick but the rookie won't a fantasy factor in 2021.
Marcas Grant is a fantasy analyst for NFL.com and a man who is cruising around the sun. Send him your cosmic vibes or fantasy football questions on Twitter @MarcasG or Instagram at MarcasG.
