2022 Fantastic Fantasy Freshmen Post-Draft Rankings part II

    2022 Fantastic Fantasy Freshmen

              Post-Draft Rankings part II

Cum Laude

Skyy Moore, Kansas City Chiefs

Currently, the veteran starters in Arrowhead are JuJu Smith-Schuster, Mecole Hardman and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (not exactly a Murderers’ Row of playmakers) after shipping Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins. Before the Draft, many fantasy footballers wondered who would the Chiefs select to replace the game-breaking speedster? Many forecasted a first-round pick at the position. Instead, the Chiefs patiently waited until the second round to upgrade its receivers’ room and plucked Skyy Morre from Western Michigan with the 54th-pick overall.

At 5’10” and 195-pounds, Moore has the production, athletic ability and receiving skills on the resume to become an impactful pass catcher as a professional. In training camp, the former Broncos’ playmaker will have to compete for playing time with Hardman and Valdes-Scantling. If he learns the playbook and impresses the coaching staff, Moore likely jettisons up the depth chart sooner than later. How many snaps and targets will the rookie garner in Kansas City? While I cannot project either with 100% certainty, there is a reasonable projection. Of course, catching passes from Patrick Mahomes is the cherry on top of the rookies’ outlook.

2022 Projections: 68 receptions for 800 yards and five touchdowns

Grade: B

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Post-Draft S-Flex Stupendous Sixty

Jameson Williams, Detroit Lions

It seems likely that Jameson Williams will open the season on the PUP list after suffering an ACL injury in the SEC Championship Game. The rookie hopes for a quick return and wants to be on the field when training camp opens. In reality, fantasy diehards, and Dynasty players, do not know with certainty when the Alabama speedster will return. Regardless of when he adorns a Lions’ uniform, his long-term ceiling is very high as a fantasy scorer.

The quick-twitch competitor, 6’1” and 189-pounds, is a home run hitter, who tracks the deep ball extremely well. A smooth and effortless route runner, Williams attacks defensive backs, eats cushions and stacks opponents. He secures the ball out of the air with natural hands and makes tacklers whiff in the open field. He is a prolific yards after catch game breaker. Last year, he established a school record with four touchdowns beyond 70 yards and logged seven scores from 30-plus yards. As a vertical deep threat, Williams changes the entire dynamic of the Lions’ aerial assault and will provide fantasy points in abundance. The only unanswered question is when?

2022 Projections: 45 receptions for 600 yards and four touchdowns

Grade: B

Jahan Dotson, Washington Commanders

The former Penn State star is a polarizing prospect after the Draft: Some fantasy footballers are concerned about the landing spot while others are willing to follow the draft capital after the Commanders selected Jahan Dotson in the first round at pick No. 16. I am on team Dotson in Dynasty leagues and crossing my fingers that he falls into the second round in my rookie drafts. Terry McLaurin is the alpa receiver in the passing game while Dotson should be second in the pecking order in Washington. Only five-year veteran Curtis Samuel stands in front of the newest Commander, and he has been a fantasy disappointment since being selected in 2017.

A two-sport star in high school, Dotson won Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) state championships in the 4x 100 relay and long jump in 2016. Two years later, he captured  the Eastern Penn. Conference crown in the 100- and 200-meters. He plays like a sprinter on the gridiron. At 5’11” and 178-pounds, he is a slippery speedster with long strides and a crafty route runner, who tracks the deep ball well. He employs uber change of direction skills and loose hips to create separation. McLaurin needed a teammate to draw coverage away and threaten the defense deep down the field. Dotson provides Washington a much-needed second option who can attack the secondary vertically.

2022 Projections: 55 receptions for 700 yards and four touchdowns 

Grade: B-

Twitterverse on Fire!

Among the running backs selected on day three of the NFL Draft, who are you targeting in Dynasty leagues?

Isaiah Spiller, LAC: 27.7%

Dameon Pierce, HOU: 56.4%

Hassan Haskins, TEN: 2.3%

Tyler Allgeier, ATL: 13.6%

“For me it's a toss up. Give me D. Pierce or T. Allgeier. You know me Scholar…I want that volume. In my opinion, they both have the highest immediate volume opportunity.”

- @FantasyBosco

“I could see targeting I. Spiller and H. Haskins based on assumed cost.”

- @SwagzillaZeroG

“I voted for I. Spiller, but so few votes for H. Haskins is strange. Derrick Henry is the definition of LOTS of mileage on the tires.”

- @copieps

“I liked T. Allgeier as a mid-round choice, and I got a soft-landing spot. He reminds me of forgotten RB Domanick Davis of LSU and the Texans. Played faster than his workout times: Great one-cut runner.  Allgeier has a chance to surprise.”

- @aceholesrule

James Cook, Buffalo Bills

Many fantasy diehards hoped that the Bills would select Breece Hall at the end of the first round of the Draft. As an organization, Buffalo understands draft capital and positional value and waited to find a running back in the second round. With the 63rd pick, the Bills acquired James Cook, who was the third runner taken off the board. Devn Singletary is the incumbent starter. Even so, the rookie will earn a nice workload.

At 5’11” and 199-pounds, Cook employs an excellent combination of vision, quickness, burst and lateral agility. He is a versatile three-down ball carrier. A good outside runner with patience, he easily changes direction. A one-cut ball carrier, he excelled in a zone-blocking scheme, reading blocks well. He sets up blocks with patience and footwork, dismantling ankles. The former Bulldogs runner is also an excellent route runner and pass catcher with very innate hands. Over the past two seasons, the Bills’ offense scored 984 points, averaging 29.8 points per game in 33 contests. Very few freshmen kick off their professional career in a better offense than Cook in Orchard Park, NY.

2022 Projections: 420 rushing yards, 40 receptions for 270 yards and six total touchdowns

Grade: B-

Christian Watson, Green Bay Packers

Similar to the Chiefs, the Packers’ roster had a dearth of talent at the receiver position after trading Davante Adams to the Raiders. Despite two selections in the first round, Green Bay bypassed the position before trading up with Detroit to grab Christian Watson with the second pick in the second round. Sammy Watkins, Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb are the veteran wide outs when training camp kicks off, and the former Bison’ star appears to be penciled into a significant role in the passing game.

Despite playing at the FCS level, Watson illustrated NFL athleticism at the Combine, which launched his draft status. At 6’4” and 208-pounds, he is a speedster who reaches top-end velocity rapidly. The rookie has excellent long speed and hits second gear in the open field. A physical competitor, he employs hurdles, spins and acceleration to escape opponents. Watson’s ability to learn the playbook, gain Aaron Rodgers’ confidence and dazzle the coaching staff will be the keys to garnering snaps and targets…Draft with confidence.

2022 Projections: 60 catches for 720 yards and six touchdowns

Grade: B-

George Pickens, Pittsburgh

Drafting the second-round receiver is betting on the Pittsburgh organization’s scouting department and coaching staff to identify and develop the young man to reach his ceiling. It is a good wager in fantasy football. Since 2000, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert does not always uncover a diamond in the rough but he has found more gems—Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders, Mike Wallace and Diontae Johnson—than most in the Draft. It is clear that Colbert targeted Pickens as an impact player in the future. Is George Pickens the next great Steelers’ wide out?

At 6’3” and 195-pounds, Pickens is a big-and-physical receiver. He is a fluid athlete with very good agility, strong hands and ball skills. With a large-catch radius, the former Georgia product makes adjustments in mid-air to corral passes and catches the ball in a crowd. He possesses alpha traits as a competitor and bullies smaller defensive backs. Chase Claypool and Johnson are the current starters, and Pickens should see snaps, and targets, in three-receiver formations. Pittsburgh is a franchise worth placing confidence in as a fantasy footballer.

2022 Projections: 55 receptions for 650 yards and four touchdowns

Grade: B-