The 2015 NFL draft is around the corner. As an avid fantasy football player, I cannot wait to start deciphering where this top talent is going to and which of these rookies will turn into viable fantasy options in our redraft leagues.
Once the draft has taken place, it becomes much easier to decipher player value based on, not only their talent, but the team and system they need to adapt into. As the summer goes on and we get to preseason, the depth charts become penciled in and we determine where these players will be suitably drafted to our (hopefully) championship fantasy rosters.
Picking out who will rise to the top in just their first season of pro ball before they are drafted is something few can do. The best players go to the worst teams. Football being a team sport takes a players fantasy fate puts it in the hands of the 10 men around him on any given play.
This is how I see the top 5 rookie fantasy seasons of 2015 concluding come the end of Week 17. I will give my list in standard scoring format.
Top 5 Rookie NFL Fantasy Seasons of 2015
1. Jameis Winston – QB
Winston seems the shoe-in for the number one overall pick. If recent memory serves us well, he will start week one for the Buccaneers. His talent and situation make him a top five talent. He is number one because of WR Mike Evans.
2. Marcus Mariota – QB
I hate this play because it is so safe but it is likely right… and who wants to write something only to be wrong? Mariota is not what a prototypical NFL quarterback looks like. He is versatile and explosive. Whether his skill set will translate to his team winning, we shall see. It will translate to a ton of fantasy points due to his running ability.
3. Amari Cooper – WR
Typically, the best receiver coming out of the draft goes to a team without a decent QB. This might not be the case for Cooper as he could go to the Raiders, Bears, or the Giants. All of these teams have a quarterback that is at least capable of delivering the ball to this athletic specimen.
4. David Cobb- RB
Cobb ran a slow 40-yard dash time at the combine. For this reason, his draft stock has dropped a little. Yet this drop seems to excite many coaches, the possibility that they might get this hard-nosed, patient runner on day 2 or 3 of the draft. Oftentimes, rookie running backs lose playing time not due to production, but because they are not good pass protectors. Cobb is a great pass blocker out of the backfield which is why he is my sleeper play on this list.
5. Todd Gurley- RB
Gurley will likely be the first running back taken in this year’s draft and rightfully so. Gurley is a true three-down back by NFL standards. He is powerful and patient and can protect the passer. Gurley should have plenty of opportunities for fantasy points wherever he goes.
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