It is very rare for a rookie wide receiver to make an immediate impact in fantasy football. Just ask anyone who drafted Tavon Austin last year. Even Calvin Johnson’s first year was less than impressive by his standards. It takes a little while for rookies to get acclimated to the pro game. And even when they do, it’s hard for them to be consistent. Even last year’s top rookie wide out, Keenan Allen, didn’t catch his first touchdown until week four; Terrance Williams flared up, then faded down the stretch; and DeAndre Hopkins never really got it going. Tavon Austin, who I mentioned earlier, scored two touchdowns in week two then didn’t score again till week 13, where he scored two as well, and didn’t score again the rest of the season.
Rookie running backs face even longer odds to have a successful rookie campaign. Teams don’t draft running backs to be the savior of their team anymore. Gone are the days of running backs being taken with the team’s first pick. Running backs are looked at as interchangeable parts, but in fantasy football, it’s the exact opposite. With so few running backs asked to carry the load, having one of these guys on your fantasy team becomes crucial. That’s why in most drafts the first eight to ten picks are running backs.
For a rookie to have any sort of success he doesn’t have to be the highest pick, or even the most talented, he has to fall into the right situation. Just ask anyone who owned Le’Veon Bell, Eddie Lacy, or Zac Stacy last year. Most of the time rookie running backs are brought in to be a change of pace back to an aging starter, much like Giovani Bernard, and it can become maddening to own them when they clearly have more talent than the guy ahead of them on the depth chart, but don’t see enough playing time.
With all that said, here are some NFL rookies that could have an impact on your fantasy team next year. I would not reach for any of these guys, but if they fall to you in the later rounds, don’t hesitate to draft them.
Bishop Sankey (RB) Tennessee – It was kind of a surprise that he was the first running back taken in the draft, but he couldn’t have fallen into a better situation. He immediately ascends to the top of the depth chart, with the likes of Shonn Greene and Jackie Battle behind him. He runs well between the tackles, and shows a lot of power. He catches the ball well, and is excellent in pass protection, which should keep him on the field quite a bit. He is also very durable, never missing a game in college. His immediate grade is an RB3, or flex play.
Brandin Cooks (WR) New Orleans – Darren Sproles exits, Brandin Cooks enters. While Cooks may not line up in the backfield like Sproles, I could see him being used the same way, catching passes underneath and in the flat. Cooks is fast (4.3) with great hands, and has been compared to Steve Smith. He may be small (5’10”, 181), but has a big opportunity in New Orleans and with a great offensive coach like Sean Payton, I’m sure he’ll find a way to get Cooks the ball. Initial grade is a WR3, or flex play.
Eric Ebron (TE) Detroit – The Lions surprised everyone with this pick in the first round, especially after resigning Brandon Pettigrew this offseason. But make no mistake about it; Ebron will be a valuable fantasy tight end this season, and in the future. Early indications are they plan to use Ebron much like New Orleans uses Jimmy Graham. He will not line up exclusively as a tight end and will be used as a “move” tight end. With all the weapons the Lions have on offense now, Ebron will find plenty of open space. As of right now he grades out as a TE2, but could blossom into a full-blown TE1 by mid-season.
Terrance West (RB) Cleveland – Josh Gordon’s likely suspension has made West much more attractive in fantasy football, since the Browns plan to pass only when needed, and run a conservative running offense. Ben Tate has had a problem with injuries his whole career and West sits second on the depth chart right now and in all likelihood will start sometime this season. While West may not possess elite speed, he runs hard between the tackles, and has a nose for the endzone. He set the FCS record for rushing yards (2,509) and touchdowns (41) in a season last year at Towson. Initial grade will be an RB4, with some flex appeal, but since he hasn’t faced elite competition yet, see how he fares in the pre-season before jumping on the bandwagon.
Martavis Bryant (WR) Pittsburgh – With all the hype given to Sammy Watkins, Bryant slipped under the radar, but it’s hard to overlook Bryant’s speed (4.42), and size (6’4”, 211). Landing in Pittsburgh was a great spot for him, and he could fill the role vacated by Mike Wallace last year, with his ability to stretch the field as a deep threat. He will have to battle with Markus Wheaton, and Lance Moore to crack the starting line-up, but if he does, he will become a solid flex play. As it stands now, he’s a WR4 with enormous upside.
Devonta Freeman (RB) Atlanta – Let’s face it, Steven Jackson doesn’t have much left in the tank, and Jacquizz Rodgers is not a feature back in the NFL. With great hands, and a solid pass blocker he fits very well in Atlanta’s style of offense. Once the season starts he will be the change of pace back to Steven Jackson, but by mid-season he could be the starter as Jackson continues his slow slide to retirement. Out of the gate he will be a RB4, but if he supplants Rodgers on the depth chart during pre-season, he could be considered an RB3, and worthy of flex consideration.
Kelvin Benjamin (WR) Carolina – Well, the Panthers needed a wide receiver to replace Steve Smith, so they went with someone almost a foot taller at 6’5”. Benjamin will step right into the number one spot in Carolina, and in all likelihood be Cam Newton’s top target. The only knock on Benjamin is he’s only had one great year in college, but you could say he’s a late bloomer, not inconsistent. Regardless, he’ll have every opportunity to become this year’s top rookie wide receiver, given the lack of options in Carolina. The question is, how will he fare with all the attention he’s sure to get from opposing defenses? As of right now he grades out as a WR3, but could very easily turn into a WR2, or even a low-end WR1.
Tom Savage (QB) Houston – The Texans did the right thing by waiting on a quarterback, selecting Savage in the fourth round, which was a steal. He has everything you look for in an NFL quarterback, size, arm strength, and accuracy. If it wasn’t for his journeyman college career (3 colleges), he would have been a surefire first round pick. He’s currently listed second on the Texan depth chart behind Ryan Fitzpatrick, but he should crack the starting line-up sometime this season. I wouldn’t recommend drafting him right now, but if he blows up in pre-season he could become a valuable starter.
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