With the NFL kicking off in less than 100 days, the 2019 fantasy football season is in sight. For those of us in dynasty leagues, there is no offseason. Dynasty leaguers have had their focus on 2019 rookie drafts since last season. Now that the NFL draft is over and situations are more transparent, it’s time to rank this year’s crop of first-year players. These rookie dynasty rankings are bound to fluctuate closer to the season as training camp stars are born and unfortunate injuries occur, so look for an updated list closer to the season.
Tier 1
1. Josh Jacobs (RB – OAK) – RB1 and our number one overall rookie heading into the 2019 fantasy football season. Displaying a unique combination of strength and speed, Jacobs outplayed Alabama teammate Damien Harris down the stretch last season. Jacobs was more explosive in the passing game and showed up in Alabama’s biggest games of the season.
2. N’Keal Harry (WR – NE) – Most talented wide receiver in the draft… easily. The only concern with Harry is what happens to his stock after Tom Brady retires, but you have to trust in New England’s ability to produce fantasy pass catchers regardless of circumstance.
3. Miles Sanders (RB – PHI) – Three-down back that should eventually break up the RBBC in Philly. He might share work in year one, but he has the potential to be special once unleashed.
4. David Montgomery (RB – CHI) – Extremely elusive back in one of the better offensive systems in the NFL. Has three-down ability but will share passing-game work with Tarik Cohen.
Tier 2
5. Parris Campbell (WR – IND) – Fits in immediately in the slot with T.Y. Hilton and Devin Funchess on the outside. Ohio State only asked him to run crosses/intermediate routes, but Campbell has shown the ability to diversify his routes in pre-draft work.
6. Kyler Murray (QB – ARI) – Talented, special athlete with a rocket arm. Ranking might be high for some, but you have to consider him here with his running ability and this class of subpar fantasy quarterbacks.
7. D.K. Metcalf (WR – SEA) – Physical specimen. Concerns about his change of direction skills dropped him to 64th overall, but Doug Baldwin’s retirement pushed his dynasty stock back up. Low volume passing offense hurts him but not enough to fall outside the top ten.
8. Darrell Henderson (RB – LAR) – Henderson would be ranked in the top five if drafted into a better situation. Todd Gurley is an obvious roadblock when healthy, but the Los Angeles Rams offseason work shows they’re concerned about his knee or at the very least looking to lessen his workload. He has RB1 potential in this offense if ever the starter. For further info on Gurley, check out PFN’s Eric Frosbutter’s article on why he might not be a first-round fantasy lock.
9. A.J. Brown (WR – TEN) – Metcalf’s college teammate was the better player at Ole Miss and also the higher draft pick. The Tennessee Titans offense is a bit of a mess, though, so I have a hard time ranking him higher until the QB situation improves.
10. Deebo Samuel (WR – SF) – Love his fit with the San Francisco 49ers’ offense. Kyle Shanahan will find creative ways to get Samuel the ball. He’s the type of guy that can take a 5-yard slant to the house.
11. Mecole Hardman (WR – KC) – Who knows? Didn’t produce in college as a receiver on a run-first offense but was always an electric return man. His stock largely depends on the horrific Tyreek Hill situation.
12. JJ Arcega-Whiteside (WR – PHI) – One of my favorite players to watch in college football last season. He’s a touchdown machine. Likely takes over outside WR duties next season with Nelson Agholor becoming a free agent, plus Alshon Jeffery and Desean Jackson getting a year older. Will be a dynasty stash this year unless he plays so good they can’t keep him off the field.
Tier 3
13. T.J. Hockenson (TE – DET) – Most complete tight end in the draft. Terrific pass catcher with a nasty streak as a blocker. Will be force-fed targets on a team needing any relevance of offense they can get.
14. Marquise Brown (WR – BAL) – Electric playmaker. There are real concerns about his weight/frame, but he’s a heck of a football player. Baltimore’s run-first offense will hurt his weekly outlook, but there will be boom weeks. I expect him to compare to Dede Westbrook in that regard.
15. Noah Fant (TE – DEN) – More of a “move” TE. Fant lacks the nasty streak in the run game to be a full-time player, but maybe that improves in time. If used correctly, Fant has the potential to be a fantasy stud although it’s probably more of a 2-3 year projection.
16. Hakeem Butler (WR – ARI) – Pre-draft darling that surprisingly dropped to the fourth round. Targets will likely be split up in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense, but the four and five WR sets can’t hurt a pass catcher’s stock. I do worry about his target share on the outside in the Arizona Cardinals’ offense. As noted by the great Evan Silva on his Fantasy Feast podcast with Ross Tucker, slot receivers tend to have more success in Kingsbury’s offense, but the talented Butler is hard to ignore.
17. Devin Singletary (RB – BUF) – Elusive running back. Road to playing time isn’t as tough as it may look on paper. LeSean McCoy is old, Frank Gore is older, and T.J. Yeldon has proven to be nothing more than a solid backup. Worst case scenario, drafting Singletary is a futures play, but I like Singletary’s chances of having a decent impact in year one. There have been rumors that McCoy could be a cut/trade candidate.
18. Andy Isabella (WR – ARI) – Speedy receiver drafted two rounds before Cardinals’ teammate Butler. I wasn’t a huge fan of his entering the draft, so my biases likely pushed him down my board. I worry about his ability to get off the line of scrimmage at the next level. He sometimes struggled with press coverage at the Senior Bowl. Isabella is likely to end up in the slot where Kingsbury can hide his deficiencies.
19. Justice Hill (RB – BAL) – Talented running back that likely drops in drafts due to the landing spot. From what I’ve seen, fantasy players have been hesitant to draft Hill because of the depth chart ahead of him. Hill brings a different dynamic to the Baltimore Ravens’ backfield so year one playing time isn’t out of the question. I predict him to catch the most passes out of the Ravens’ backfield this season.
Tier 4
20. Irv Smith Jr. (TE – MIN) – One of the youngest players in the draft at 20 years old. Kyle Rudolph is a cut/trade candidate. Worst case scenario, he takes over for Rudolph next season.
21. Damien Harris (RB – NE) – Solid all-around back. Harris doesn’t do anything special, but he’s extremely reliable. He’ll fight for carries in a New England Patriots’ backfield that also features Sony Michel, James White, Rex Burkhead, and Brandon Bolden. Burkhead and Bolden are both core special-teamers so New England is likely to keep five backs barring a surprise cut.
22. Diontae Johnson (WR – PIT) – One of the most intriguing players in the rookie class. He didn’t test extremely well, but his film is fantastic. He looked like a man amongst boys at Toledo. It also doesn’t hurt that he was drafted by a Pittsburgh Steelers team that has been very successful at finding wide receivers in the mid-to-late rounds. Antonio Brown (6th), Martavis Bryant (4th), JuJu Smith-Schuster (2nd), Emmanuel Sanders (3rd), Mike Wallace (3rd) were all great finds by the Steelers scouting department.
23. Dexter Williams (RB – GB) – Ideal landing spot for the speedy Williams. Aaron Jones has missed multiple games over the past two seasons due to injuries and suspension, while Jamaal Williams has shown to be nothing more than just a guy. The Green Bay Packers didn’t spend high draft capital on him but the sixth round running back has the potential for early playing time.
24. Jalen Hurd (WR – SF) – Former Tennessee running back that made the transition to wide receiver at Baylor. His highlights are fun to watch, and I can’t wait to see how Shanahan uses him. He’s expected to move around and play multiple positions. Could eventually have RB eligibility depending on how the 49ers use him.
25. Riley Ridley (WR – CHI) – One of the better route runners in the draft. He didn’t have terrific collegiate stats or great combine numbers, but he landed in a decent landing spot. Ridley seems like the type of guy that never sniffs a Pro Bowl but ends up having a 10+ year career.
26. Terry McLaurin (WR – WAS) – He was the speed/deep ball receiver at Ohio State. He did land in a good situation with his college quarterback Dwayne Haskins also drafted by the Washington Redskins.
27. Ryquell Armstead (RB – JAX) – I probably should have him ranked higher. Leonard Fournette has been injury prone early in his career while also spending the past year in Tom Coughlin’s doghouse. Armstead is another power runner with a lot of miles on his tires. He has shown the ability to carry a big workload and looks like the likely handcuff to Fournette with Yeldon gone.
28. Kelvin Harmon (WR- WAS) – I’m not sure any skill-position player has seen his stock drop as much as Harmon over the past couple of months. Once thought of as a day two selection, Harmon didn’t get his name called until late in the fifth round. Luckily for him, he landed on a Redskins team desperate for pass catchers. There are real concerns about his ability to separate, so Harmon figures to be a possession receiver at the next level with limited upside.
29. Miles Boykin (WR – BAL) – Incredible athlete. Boykin had one of the best overall combine performances of any wide receiver in attendance. Unfortunately, he landed in the worst possible landing spot. Being drafted by a run-first Baltimore team is bad enough, but being drafted after a first-round WR on the same team is even worse. Boykin will struggle to find targets early in his career, but he has the talent to be fantasy worthy eventually.
30. Alexander Mattison (RB – MIN) – I honestly didn’t know a lot about him before the draft. With Latavius Murray leaving for New Orleans, Mattison figures to step right in as Dalvin Cook’s backup and potential successor if the Minnesota Vikings are hesitant to give the injury-prone Cook a second contract. Minnesota did spend a third-round pick on the 20-year old Mattison so you have to consider their long-term plans.
Tier 5
31. Dwayne Haskins (QB – WAS) – I liked Haskins coming out of Ohio State. I didn’t think he was a perfect prospect, but I thought he was worth an investment as a mid-first round quarterback. Haskins seems likely to begin his rookie year as the starter with Alex Smith dealing with a potentially career-ending leg injury. Haskins has limited upside due to his lack of running ability and a subpar offense in Washington, but he’s a good football player.
32. Benny Snell (RB – PIT) – Tough-nosed runner that Steelers fans will grow to love. James Conner seems likely to be the starting running back for the foreseeable future, but Snell is an above-average fantasy handcuff that could even vulture some goal line work. Jaylen Samuels is more of a passing back, so Snell seems likely to be next in line if something unfortunate happens to Conner.
33. Rodney Anderson (RB – CIN) – One of the most talented runners in this year’s class. Unfortunately, Anderson is also probably the most injury prone. He has been unlucky with injuries, but his work on the field was outstanding when healthy. He’ll be the likely handcuff to Joe Mixon with Trayveon Williams eventually taking over the passing game role.
34. Tony Pollard (RB – DAL) – I love this player and this fit. I think Pollard will be what the Dallas Cowboys envisioned when they used to talk up Lance Dunbar. I question Pollard’s ability to be an every-down player if something happens to Ezekiel Elliott, but I do not doubt his ability as a passing game specialist while providing the occasional breather for Zeke.
35. Darwin Thompson (RB – KC) –The sixth-round pick landed in an ideal spot after the Kareem Hunt incident left the Kansas City Chiefs scrambling for their RB of the future. I have my doubts that Thompson is that guy, but you can’t argue with the opportunity. Damien Williams, Carlos Hyde and UDFA James Williams will fight with Thompson for touches out of the backfield.
36. Jace Sternberger (TE – GB) – I first noticed Sternberger making plays against Clemson’s defense in Texas A&M’s early season contest with the eventual National Champions. The Kansas transfer with one reception for 5 yards in two career games with the Jayhawks finished the 2018 season with 48 receptions, 832 yards and 10 TDs under Jimbo Fisher. Sternberger’s 17.33 yards per reception was the second highest of any TE last season and 36th overall in the nation. Jimmy Graham is a shell of his former self, so the opportunity is there for Sternberger to take over as early as this season.
37. Josh Oliver (TE – JAX) – One of my favorite sleepers in the draft. Oliver is a pass-catching threat on a team in desperate need of tight end help. Nick Foles had a great connection with Zach Ertz in Philadelphia, so the hope is that it continues with Oliver as he grows.
38. Qadree Ollison (RB – ATL) – Tevin Coleman is a 49er. Devonta Freeman and Ito Smith finished last season on injured reserve. Ollison is the only addition to the Atlanta Falcons backfield, so he’s definitely worth a flier at this point in the draft.
39. Hunter Renfrow (WR – OAK) – Gritty. Gym rat. Sneaky athletic. Ok, I’ll stop with the stereotypes. Renfrow is a skilled route runner that catches almost everything thrown his way. Truthfully, you would never guess Renfrow was a football player if you saw him without his pads. None of that matters when you’re consistently open like Renfrow is.
40. Gary Jennings (WR–SEA) – Love the player. Love the opportunity. Baldwin’s retirement opened up opportunities for these rookies to take advantage of. Metcalf seems locked into an outside WR position with Tyler Lockett likely moving into the slot. Jennings will fight with Jaron Brown and David Moore for third WR duties.
Tier 6
41. Bryce Love (RB – WAS) – The 2017 Heisman trophy runner-up has seen his stock plummet after suffering through an injury-plagued final season at Stanford. Love, once seen as a future fantasy savior, has real concerns about his return to form post-injury. He’ll eventually compete with Chris Thompson for passing game duties with Derrius Guice and Adrian Peterson firmly above both on the depth chart this season.
42. Jordan Scarlett (RB – CAR) – With Christian McCaffrey the presumed starter for the foreseeable future, Scarlett will compete for backup duties with Cameron Artis-Payne and sluggish UDFA Elijah Holyfield.
43. Trayveon Williams (RB – CIN) – The higher drafted of the two Bengals running backs is likely a Giovani Bernard replacement in the passing game. Joe Mixon has shown a growing ability in the passing game so Williams’ upside is limited if they ever go all-in and give Mixon workhorse duties.
44. KeeSean Johnson (WR – ARI) – The third receiver drafted by the Cardinals will fight for playing time. Johnson was a standout player at Fresno State, but he disappointed with a 4.6 40 at the combine.
45. Darius Slayton (WR – NYG) – The Giants traded some guy named Odell Beckham Jr. and need someone, anyone to step up as their outside WR of the future. Sterling Shepard, Golden Tate and tight end Evan Engram are all players that do their best work in the middle of the field. Although only 6’1” 190 pounds, Slayton graded out in the 90+ percentile in both the broad and vertical jumps at the combine.
46. Travis Homer (RB – SEA) – Sixth-round pick has impressed early in OTA’s. There’s a crowded depth chart ahead of him, but Homer has the ability to carve out a role in the passing game.
47. Kahale Warring (TE – HOU) – Ideal landing spot. The Houston Texans have a clear need at tight end, and Deshaun Watson has shown an affinity for using his TE’s and slot WR’s dating back to his days at Clemson.
48. James Williams (RB – KC) – Passing game specialist had over 200 career catches – 150+ in the past two seasons – in Mike Leach’s pass-heavy Washington State offense. Although undrafted, there isn’t much of a difference draft-capital wise between Williams and sixth-round pick Thompson.
49. Preston Williams (WR – MIA) – Super talented former five-star recruit started his career at Tennessee before transferring and excelling at Colorado State. Williams’ off-field concerns likely led to him going undrafted, but there’s an opportunity for early playing time in Miami.
50. Emanuel Hall (WR – CHI) – Another undrafted wide receiver finishes out my top fifty. Hall surprisingly went undrafted, but the talented speed receiver landed in one of the most creative offenses in football.
