With Day 1 of the NFL Draft in the books, it’s time to consider where these guys should be looked at in terms of fantasy football. Most of the time, there’s a lot of overrating going on after initial reactions.
Just last year, some believed Nelson Agholor was entering the perfect situation with the Eagles and he would step in and be a fantasy star. And then some (myself included) thought that Melvin Gordon could’ve been a top-15 running back with the Chargers after getting taken at No. 15 in last year’s draft.
Neither of those things panned out, among others, and it goes to show just how hard it is to trust rookies in fantasy football.
Let’s see if we can correctly examine the major fantasy players from the first 31 picks of the draft.
Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys
Well, it happened. I touched on this possibility already, but now it’s a reality. The Cowboys didn’t take Elliott at No. 4 with the hope that he’d back up or even split touches with Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris. They want him to take the lead role right now.
McFadden was great last season, but he’s still an injury concern, while Morris hasn’t done much the last couple years with Washington. Sure, those two will probably get touches here and there, but Elliott will be the No. 1 back not only between the tackles, but also in the flat as a receiver. Not to mention, his blocking ability is another boost for playing time.
Running behind this offensive live, the possibilities are endless, but we can’t anoint him the next DeMarco Murray just yet. First, Tony Romo has to be healthy for the offense to be complete. Elliott can be an elite RB behind this line, and placing him near the top 10 will be a popular move.
In fact, I like Elliott right around where Mark Ingram is going, which is just outside the top 10.
Will Fuller, Houston Texans
The Texans got their weapon. Everything seems to be coming together for the Houston offense to finally be relevant again. DeAndre Hopkins is an absolute monster and he’s going to get most of the attention in the passing game, and Fuller kind of fits in perfectly for that scenario.
While Hopkins draws the coverage, Fuller has the speed to burn by the secondary and that’s where Brock Osweiler comes in. The hope is that Osweiler can get these guys the ball. The Texans also have decent options in Jaelen Strong and Cecil Shorts, but Fuller was drafted in the first round to be a difference maker immediately.
Maybe he won’t be a WR2 or even WR3 out of the gates, but if this offense gets going, there’s no problem in rating Fuller in the same range as someone like Travis Benjamin or Marvin Jones, which is about WR4 range.
September 27, 2014: Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver William Fuller (7) during a NCAA game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Syracuse Orange at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ Notre Dame defeated Syracuse 31-15
Josh Doctson, Washington Redskins
Washington’s depth chart is fairly loaded at wide receiver, but with a couple contracts expiring in the coming years, Doctson will fill that void in the future. But will he be worth anything this year?
Even with all of the options, there’s no reason not to believe Doctson can have a decent year, at least from a touchdown perspective. Doctson gives the Redskins something they don’t have in a receiver (outside of Jordan Reed), and that’s size. Doctson gives Kirk Cousins a bigger wide out that can go up and catch anything in his area.
None of their other receivers are above 6-foot and Doctson is a couple of inches above that. Reed took one-third of the receiving touchdowns last year, but expecting him to stay healthy is a stretch. Doctson probably won’t have great yardage totals, but he should be a spot play for touchdowns with six-to-eight expected for the year. And then if Reed or Jackson get hurt, maybe that yardage total will go up, as well.
Laquon Treadwell, Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings didn’t have a possession receiver that they could keep on the field at all times last year. Even with Stefon Diggs burning defenses, he still wasn’t a guy they kept on the field every down. The hope is that Treadwell can come in and be that player.
While Diggs provides the speed and opens up the secondary, Treadwell brings the size and physicality to Minnesota’s receiving corps. With Teddy Bridgewater slinging the ball that probably doesn’t mean much in terms of fantasy, but grabbing him as a WR5 isn’t a terrible idea.
With Adrian Peterson still there and Diggs and Jairus Wright drawing faster defensive backs, there will be opportunities for Treadwell. That includes in the end zone, much like the aforementioned Doctson.
Corey Coleman, Cleveland Browns
Coleman was the first wide receiver drafted so he has that going for him, but playing for the Browns isn’t considered fantasy gold. As it stands after Day 1, Cleveland is set to roll with Robert Griffin III at quarterback, although that could easily change with the first pick on Day 2.
Nevertheless, the Browns won’t have a consistent guy at quarterback and their running game is still a question. Coleman will get targets as he’s competing with Brian Hartline, Andrew Hawkins and Gary Barnidge.
Coleman could be a WR3, but he’s also hard to trust in this offense. Touchdowns won’t be there on a consistent basis, especially if Barnidge pulls in the majority of them. Everyone pumped up Travis Benjamin last year, but he still only had 966 yards and five touchdowns.
Elsewhere, there were three quarterbacks taken in the first round, but only Jared Goff is expected to be the starter in Week 1. And if you’re starting Goff as your fantasy quarterback off the bat, something is wrong with your team. His top receivers will be Tavon Austin, Kenny Britt, Brian Quick and probably a rookie or two.
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