The best part of dynasty fantasy football is that the season is never over. We still have some time left in the college football season, with plenty of time for prospects to turn their hype into reality or fall flat on it, but we can comfortably start to see how rankings are going to shake out. For my SuperFlex people, this one is for you.
1) Jeremiah Love, RB, Notre Dame
Much like Ashton Jeanty or Bijan Robinson before him, Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Love is a slam-dunk first-overall pick. Even in Superflex, where the QB is still king, I’d lean with Love for his talent and scarcity at the position.
It’s too early in the process to know which of the QBs will separate themselves (or who will even declare), but without an option with elite rushing upside, I’m easily taking Love over that crop. The rest of the class at this position muddies up, too, so don’t hesitate to get the surest thing.
2) Jordan Tyson, WR, ASU
I’m still holding off on QB here until I’m blown away by one of the candidates. While WRs are a dime a dozen, I’ve fallen in love with Jordan Tyson’s game. Even in a strong class of receivers, Tyson is standing out above them and securing his place as WR1. That’s no fault of the rest, as they’d be plenty deserving in most years. I’m so bullish on Tyson’s upside as an NFL talent that only a brutal landing spot would have me consider another option.
3) Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama
Now begins the run on QBs, who are so sacred to our superflex style of play. It’s going to come down to your preference of style at this point in the process, as any of the three top options make a strong argument for QB1, but Simpson sits at the top in PFSN’s rankings.
To me, if you’re drafting a QB, it doesn’t help much to land a double. Instead, we shoot for a home run.
Ty Simpson has been incredible in his only season as a starter for the Crimson Tide. He showcases elite NFL traits and processing speed despite limited playing time. It would be safer for him to spend more time playing before declaring, but if he goes to the league, then he’s the biggest boom-or-bust option of the bunch.
4) Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana
The QB run continues as we get to my favorite prospect at the position. For fantasy, I’m more willing to take a chance on the upside of Simpson. But if you miss out or are simply looking for a safer and sound QB2 option, I’m more than okay with Mendoza.
Sitting somewhere between Simpson’s upside and Dante Moore’s polish, Mendoza is the best of both worlds and someone I could easily see having a long NFL career. That leaves a lot of gray area when it comes to how he’ll pan out by his prime, but I’m content aiming for a double here if the position is a need.
5) Dante Moore, QB, Oregon
Something about Oregon, man: they know how to get the best out of their QBs. Like Simpson, Moore hasn’t demonstrated significant rushing ability that would take any of these prospects over the top as a fantasy asset. Unlike Simpson, I’m far more comfortable with Moore as an immediate contributor at the next level.
Moore has taken his game to the next level at Oregon and shows plenty of polish as a passer. I do have concerns that his upside isn’t immense and that we’re looking at a more middle-of-the-pack QB in fantasy. That’s not the worst thing to be, but it does make me hesitate.
6) Carnell Tate, WR, OSU
There’s a reality that’s easy to see where Carnell Tate challenges for WR1 in this class, but also goes much higher than this in your drafts. Tate not being the clear top option in this class is a testament to just how good a year it is to be a receiver. With any luck, the depth at the position causes them all to fall, letting a few of them land with a good QB.
7) Makai Lemon, WR, USC
Makai Lemon is where I start to diverge between the true elite options at WR and the next level. That’s not entirely fair to Lemon, who has had a fantastic year, but he’s going to suffer the same way Emeka Egbuka did as a prospect that doesn’t have any one special trait, but is good at everything. That said, if he happens to land with a good team (Buffalo, Denver, New England), his stock could rise dramatically.
8) Justice Haynes, RB, Michigan
Justice Haynes is a fun prospect and a good player, but if he ends up as RB2, then it’ll show just how difficult it’ll be to land an RB this cycle. Hayes has the build and strength to be a strong NFL runner, but for him to become an elite fantasy asset, he’s either going to need to round out his game or become Derrick Henry-lite. Either way, managers will need RBs, and they’ll go high.
9) Jadarian Price, RB, Notre Dame
Two Notre Dame RBs going in the first round of drafts is ludicrous, but that’s what elite programs do. Price will have the opposite problem of Haynes, with questions about his ability to be an RB1. It’s not his fault that Love is ahead of him, but we’ll have to question if he can take over a backfield at the next level.
The good news is he won’t have to become fantasy relevant. He has incredible burst and great open-field vision, so even in a timeshare, he can make his presence felt. His profile is the exact kind of blow-up, similar to RJ Harvey last year, if he ends up in an offense like Kansas City’s or Baltimore’s.
10) Kenyon Sadiq, TE, Oregon
Playing a massive part in Dante Moore’s ascension is his top target, Kenyon Sadiq. Those in need of a TE have been eating in recent years, so if you missed out on a Tyler Warren, Brock Bowers, or Sam LaPorta in recent years, you have another chance to get a difference maker.
Sadiq is quickly becoming one of my favorite prospects in the class. While I can’t quite get to the point, I’d take his position over the top two to three receivers in this class. I’d happily take a shot here over the vast array of options following them.
11) KC Concepcion, WR, TA&M
Once you get past the top three receivers, the class really opens up to what you prefer. For my money, Concepcion could challenge those top three with a strong finish to the year. He may not boast the incredible upside of a height-weight-speed prospect, but over the years, I’ve started to value those who can process and offer big-play potential with that. Concepcion fits the bill, and if he stays as WR4,he could wind up in the best situation of the group.
12) Jonah Coleman, RB, Washington
Jonah Coleman is a safe and sound prospect. Typically, NFL teams are going to aim for the stars at the position, and I worry that’ll drop Coleman in the draft (and thus fantasy drafts as well) once we get to the combine. That should take away from his ability; he’s a competent and reliable runner. But so was Blake Corum.
Best of the Rest
There’s still so much to sort out with this class that at some point, we’re just throwing darts. We have an idea of who’ll wind up in this second-round range of fantasy drafts and day two of the NFL draft, but this list could look dramatically different in a couple of months.
Sellers and Mateer could skyrocket at any point should they declare. For their sake, I hope they stay in school for one more year. Sellers has the physical tools that we want in a fantasy QB, so even in a down year, he could become the dynasty QB1.
Otherwise, it’ll be up to these WRs to sort themselves out while we scrounge for that second tier of draftable RBs.
13) Denzel Boston, WR, Washington
14) LaNorris Sellers, QB, South Carolina
15) John Mateer, QB, OU
16) Kaytron Allen, RB, Penn State
17) Nicholas Singleton, Penn State
18) Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama
19) Chris Bell, WR, Louisville
20) Eli Stovers, TE, Vanderbilt
21) Demond Claiborne, RB, WF
22) Ja’Kobi Lane, WR, USC
23) Chris Brazzell II, WR, Tennessee
24) Bryce Lance, WR, NDSU
sellers is from USF