2014 was a BANNER year for rookie wide receivers and a mediocre year for rookie quarterbacks and running backs. This season, the crop of running backs is the deepest it has been in years and the crop of wide receivers is bountiful once again, though I can't imagine them collectively exceeding last year's bumper crop. Who from this year's draft class will be the key players on your run to your fantasy league championship? Below is the consensus review from MFS for the new crop of NFL rookies.
Quarterbacks
1. Jameis Winston (TB). Famous Jameis is scheduled to take the field as the starting QB for Tampa this season and has the potential to post good numbers in his weaker matchups. Oh, he is going to make a lot of mistakes, but is startable in Bye weeks or a few matchups this season making him a decent QB2 or QB3. With big targets like WR Vincent Jackson and Mike Evans and TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins, feel free to spend a 12th or 13th round big on the rookie.
2. Marcus Mariota (TENN). Unlike Winston Authentic Sam Darnold Jersey , Mariota will be competing for the starting QB position in Tennessee and has far inferior weapons at wideout. He will post better running numbers that Winston but will be a longshot to match his passing yards and TDs. If I draft Mariota, I do so as my last non-kicker selection.
3. Bryce Petty (NYJ).While current QB, Geno Smith, has made a mockery of the QB position in New York, the Jets will go with veteran, Ryan Fitzpatrick, long before giving Petty a shot. Petty had a nice career at Baylor, but will only see the playing field in mop-up time at best this season.
4. Garrett Grayson (NO). Grayson seemed to be a reach in the 3rd round for New Orleans this year Authentic Akeem Spence Jersey , especially since he only takes the field after a Drew Brees injury, and will not get drafted in anything but the deepest of leagues or those that are hosted near the Colorado St campus. Grayson's trajectory will be to study under Brees for 2-3 years before getting a legitimate chance to get much playing time.
5. Sean Mannion (STL). Even though St. Louis will be starting fragile Nick Foles this season, Mannion has backups Austin Davis and Case Keenum in front of him so the odds of him getting any playing time this year is pretty much nil. He had a nice career at Oregon St so he can easily move up the depth chart this season in advance of 2016, but he should not be considered in any format this season.
Running Backs
1. Melvin Gordon (SD). Todd Gurley was the first running back selected this year but Gordon will easily be the most productive. He was a beast in college and arrives to a Chargers team that needs a workhorse back. Gordon is just that back, though he will not be a factor in the receiving game as RB Danny Woodhead will dominate backfield receptions, so you can downgrade Gordon in PPR leagues. However, there is no reason to expect him to last past the 3rd round in standard leagues.
2. Tevin Coleman (ATL). Like Gordon, Coleman arrives in an ideal situation. Atlanta has a solid aerial assault Adidas Jakub Voracek Jersey , which opens up the run game, they have a desire to be a better balanced team and they need a franchise running back. Coleman has been overlooked since he played at Indiana, but he is a game-breaker. He joins the team after they released Steven Jackson and his primary competition is last year's heir apparent, Devonta Freeman, who did little with his opportunity. I believe that the Falcons will break camp with a shared backfield and commit to Coleman more and more as the season wears on. So, I believe his ideal draft position should be in the 6th round.
3. T.J. Yeldon (JAX). Yeldo is another player coming into a great situation. The Jags pictured Toby Gerhart being their savior last season and he was an unmitigated Bust. They did catch a surprise with QB-turned-WR-turned RB Denard Robinson but they don't believe that he would last long in the NFL as a full-time back. So, Yeldon has a low bar to surpass to get on the field productively. He just came up short of three consecutive 1000-yard seasons at Alabama so the Jags like his production. The question is whether or not the Jags start off with a committee approach before committing a full load to Yeldon or not. I would grab him as the next running back after Coleman.
4. Todd Gurley (STL). Todd Gurley is projected to be the best running back over the course of his career from this draft. However, unless you are in a Keeper League Bo Scarbrough Jersey Elite , that is of no immediate concern to redraft players. Gurley is coming off a torn ACL and there is no guarantee that he will avoid the PUP list. At the very least, it is expected that RB Tre Mason will begin the season as the Rams lead back. The Rams liked what they saw in Mason but expect Gurley's overall size and power to provide them with a franchise back. It is a mystery on when his NFL career will start and how involved he will be when he does get on the field. Don't reach for Gurley with so many new backs coming into the league. I won't jump before the 9th round unless it is one of my last drafts and the reports out of the Rams' training camp are ravening about Gurley.
5. Ameer Abdullah (DET). Abdullah joins a full backfield in Detroit, but one that has injury tendencies.. Authentic Womens Rasheem Green Jersey , Authentic Womens Ronald Jones II Jersey , Authentic Womens Joel Iyiegbuniwe Jersey , Authentic Womens Mason Cole Jersey ,