The NFL Draft
is in the over and most of the rookie mini-camps are done.
Now we can focus on the 2015 season.
After the tremendous
season had by several rookies in 2014, I can hardly wait for the encore
performance that the 2015 class has in store.
The 2014 class had a terrific group of wide receivers, but this year's
class has that, plus a very good group at running back as well.
Below is how I see things shaking out as far
as rankings go in redraft leagues for the coming year.
1.
Melvin
Gordan – RB – San Diego
Chargers
The early favorite
for Offensive Rookie of the Year could very well be Melvin Gordan for the San
Diego Chargers.
San Diego traded 2 draft picks to move up 2
spots to get him in the first round and he enters the best possible
situation.
He plays on a good team, with
a good quarterback, and a big need for a #1 running back.
Gordan averaged 7.6 yards per carry for Wisconsin last year with
29 touchdowns and 2,587 yards.
A big
factor in achieving those gaudy numbers is he hits top speed quickly.
Melvin could also be very strong at the end
of the year for you because his Strength of Schedule is very nice during
playoff Weeks 14-16.
2.
Amari
Cooper – WR – Oakland
Raiders
It looks like Derek
Carr has a new best friend in Amari Cooper.
Cooper comes in as the most pro-ready wide receiver with all the tools
to excel in the NFL.
Amari is a terrific
route runner with good long speed which should help him be a target monster in Oakland.
Last year at Alabama, he lead all wideouts in targets
(174) and
receptions (124).
Realistically, the Raiders should be behind
most games and should be throwing the ball more, and that means more production
out of Amari.
Remember, that you don’t
need to be on a good football team to be a productive fantasy football
performer.
3.
Nelson
Agholor – WR – Philadelphia
Eagles
The loss of Jeremy
Maclin in free agency was feared throughout Philadelphia,
and it came to fruition as Maclin left to join former Eagles Head Coach Andy
Reid in Kansas City.
Apparently, Agholor was the plan all along for
Chip Kelly, and he couldn’t have been happier to land him in the draft.
In his senior year at USC, Agholor had 1,313
receiving yards and 12 touchdowns to lead the Trojans.
Some experts said that this was the pick a
month before the draft, knowing that Nelson was an ideal fit in Philly.
Agholor is eerily similar in size and combine
scores to Jeremy Maclin.
Nelson is an
exceptional route runner with instant speed and is also a great return man.
4.
Tevin
Coleman – RB – Atlanta
Falcons
When Steven Jackson
was not re-signed, it created an opening for somebody to come in and contribute in
a high-scoring offense – and that is never a bad thing.
Coleman was a little bit hidden while playing
for Indiana,
but he had 29 runs of 15-plus yards last year and had 2,036 yards and 15
touchdowns.
He has great straight-line
speed with a 4.39 time in the 40.
Tevin
should see the early down work as well as down by the goal-line in Atlanta and will likely concede
the field on 3rd downs to receiving back Devonte Freeman.
I can see Coleman gaining 1,000 yards and
scoring 8 touchdowns.
5.
T.J.
Yeldon – RB – Jacksonville
Jaguars
This looks like
another match-made-in-heaven for Yeldon (this draft was full of them).
T.J. comes in and will almost certainly fill in
as the early down back with his big frame, but he can also catch and
block.
Yeldon averaged 5.77
yards-per-carry with Alabama
and had 3,816 total yards from scrimmage with 37 touchdowns.
If you think about the Jaguars backs, think
more Fred Taylor than Maurice Jones-Drew.
T.J. is a patient runner and uses his power well. He can instantly help
Blake Bortles in more ways than one.
6.
Kevin
White – WR – Chicago
Bears
The magic continues
with players landing in dream situations.
Brandon Marshall was traded to the Jets in the offseason and left a
vacancy opposite Alshon Jeffery at wide receiver.
The Bears drafted White and he is another big
target to go along with Jeffery and Martellus Bennett downfield and Matt Forte
out of the backfield.
My fear is that Chicago
won't target him enough, and Jay Cutler forces more throws to the other
three.
Remember, we are still talking
about Jay Cutler here.
Kevin has the
size at 6’3” and 215 lbs and speed with a 4.35 40-time to be an instant factor
if used properly.
White is very physical
with great ball skills.
7.
Todd
Gurley – RB – St Louis
Rams
It seemed odd that
the Rams drafted another running back so early after the effective season that
Tre Mason had for them just last year.
But truth be told, St Louis
had him as THE TOP player in the draft, period (and the best to enter since
Adrian Peterson).
With their quarterback
play in question, it seems destined that the Rams will run the ball as often as
possible.
Some teams were a little
nervous with Gurley because of his ACL recovery (he may not be ready for the
start of the season).
Please don’t make
a mistake, Todd is very gifted and will be a great asset for the offense for
the foreseeable future.
In dynasty
leagues, he is the top pick.
8.
Ameer
Abdullah – RB – Detroit
Lions
To be honest, I was a
little puzzled with the pick, I thought the Lions were happy with their stable
of running backs.
But the more I look at
it, the more I like it.
Abdullah is a tough runner and receiver who can play all three downs and he is
aggressive in nature.
In his last two
seasons at Nebraska,
he had 3,301 yards and 33 touchdowns.
Ameer
should take over the 3rd down role that has been handled by Reggie Bush
and he can also spell Joique Bell running the ball.
He could be a very sneaky pick for you late
in your draft.
9.
DeVante
Parker – WR – Miami
Dolphins
Get ready for Ryan
Tannehill to take another step up in the fantasy ranks, the stars are lining up
for him.
Parker slid down to the 14th
pick and the Dolphins snatched him up.
Gone are Mike Wallace, Brian
Hartline, and Charles Clay.
In are Greg
Jennings, Kenny Stills, Cameron Jordan, and Parker.
Miami
lined up with three wide receivers on 80% of pass plays last year and I can see Parker starting sooner rather than later.
DeVante has a big arm radius with great ball skills and should be an
excellent red zone option.
10.
Breshad Perriman – WR – Baltimore Ravens
Out goes one deep
speed guy in Torrey Smith, in comes another one with Perriman out of
the University of
Central Florida.
Perriman excelled in his Pro-Day workouts and
ran a 4.26 40 to shoot up draft boards.
He has the speed and size at 6’3” to be a force down field and catch
one of the best deep ball throwers in Joe Flacco.
Perriman averaged 20.9 yards per catch last
year and had nine touchdowns.
Let us
also not forget that the Ravens' #1 wide receiver is 36 years old and seemed to lose some as the year
went on last season.
Don’t sleep on
Breshad, he will perform better than you think.
11.
Jaelen Strong – WR – Houston
Texans
It was very confusing
to many to see Strong slip so far in the draft, Houston got a steal getting him so late.
The pass-catching machine out of Arizona State caught 82 passes for 1,165 yards
and 10 touchdowns last year.
He grabbed
the #11 jersey as motivation for himself to push harder and perform
better.
Jaelen has very good hands and
uses his body well and should excel as a possession receiver opposite DeAndre
Hopkins.
He is another good sleeper pick late
in your draft.
12.
Dorial Green-Beckham – WR Tennessee Titans
When you get compared
to Calvin Johnson because of your skills, the world should be at your
feet.
The problem is, Green-Beckham has
WAY too many issues to be trusted.
He was
kicked off the football team at Missouri and sat out a year at Oklahoma before deciding
to turn pro.
When he was allowed to play
in college, he was very productive scoring 17 touchdowns in 25 games.
His size, 6’5” and 237 pounds, along with a sub 4.5
forty compares well to MEGATRON, but his off-field troubles compare to Justin Blackmon
and Josh Gordan.
He looks to be in
position to start opposite Kendall Wright and his features suggest he could
succeed at the NFL level.
Do you dare
draft him?
13.
David Johnson – RB – Arizona
Cardinals
The Cardinals have
always stood behind Andre Ellington verbally, but behind the scenes they seem
to think he is not big enough for a full workload.
Truth-be-told, he did wear down in the second
half last season before getting injured.
This could be just what the doctor ordered.
Johnson is a good runner and receiver from Northern Iowa and should be a perfect complement to
Ellington.
David has the size at 6’1” to
be the goal line and short-yardage back that has been lacking for the
Cardinals.
Arizona has also improved their offensive
line and could be well advised to run more to save wear and tear on both Carson
Palmer and Larry Fitzgerald.
14.
Maxx Williams – TE – Baltimore
Ravens
The uncertain future
of Dennis Pitta and the loss of Owen Daniels and Torrey Smith made the Ravens
seem ripe for early pass catches.
They
sure got some weapons in Breshad Perriman and Maxx Williams, the consensus top
tight end.
Being from Minnesota,
I saw a lot of Williams and at times he seemed to dominate.
His combination of size, speed, and good
hands should give him many chances to perform at the pro-level.
Maxx is a matchup nightmare for ...
2015 Rookie Preview fantasysharks.comMon 5/18/15 9:00 AM