The much anticipated NFL Draft is now a thing of the past, and rookie draft season is in full swing. For most fantasy players, their draft is the best part of the season. If you aren’t prepared, this enjoyable experience can quickly become overwhelming. There is no truer time than in rookie drafts, where many fantasy managers are unfamiliar with a large portion of the rookie pool. A View to a Pick is here to help you by guiding you through a typical 3-round Rookie Draft to see which players they chose and what some pivot options could be.
So, let’s look at A View to a Pick (1.07). Below is the Sleeper Draft Board from our mock draft featuring Aaron St. Denis, Jeremy Shulman, SC Romero, and Jesse Moeller. The was a superflex, tight-end premium draft.
Rookie Pick 1.11
Jesse Selects Brian Thomas Jr. Jr, Wide Receiver, LSU.
Brian Thomas struck gold when he was selected 23rd overall by Jacksonville, where he’ll be teaming up with Trevor Lawrence as a running mate for the next few years. Thomas is considered one of the best deep threats and fills a void that the Jaguars have been looking to address for a long time. Although the wide receiver group may seem crowded, Thomas is set to play in week 1, and can carve out a significant role in year 1. Apart from the top 3 wide receivers, he has the highest potential in the 2024 rookie class.
The 1.11 pick is right in the middle of tier 2 of the rookie class. Your options are Jonathon Brooks, Bo Nix, Xavier Worthy, Brian Thomas Jr., or Ladd McConkey. If you don’t have a preference, consider trading back a few spots and selecting from this group of players. This group offers substantial upside in this range of players, and Brooks or Thomas are my top two choices.
Superflex Trade Targets
QB- Bryce Young, Panthers (4,659)
RB- James Cook, Bills (4,415)
WR- George Pickens, Steelers (4,638)
TE- T.J. Hockenson, Vikings (4,415)
Superflex Rookie Pivots
QB- Bo Nix, Broncos
RB- Jonathon Brooks, Panthers
WR- Ladd McConkey, Chargers
TE- Brock Bowers, Raiders
All player values according to Keep Trade Cut.
Rookie Pick 2.11
Jesse Selects Ja’lynn Polk, Wide Receiver, University of Washington.
Ja’lynn Polk was a late riser in the draft process, but it turned out that where there’s smoke, there’s fire. The Patriots drafted Polk with the 37th overall pick, and he has the potential to be Dake Maye’s WR1 in New England. Surprisingly, not many people seem to care. In a wide receiver room desperate for talent, a player as gifted as Polk should not be falling to the late 2nd round of rookie drafts. Polk will hit the ground running and can gain significant value in the season.
Polk is a fun player who is a throwback to past generations. He is an underrated, reliable athlete who knows where to be for a quarterback and is not afraid to get his nose dirty in contested catches or as a blocker. He is the type of wide receiver that quarterbacks love, as he makes the job easier. If you are worried about the situation, as many seem to be, you can trade the pick for an impact veteran such as the players we have listed below.
Superflex Trade Targets
QB- Justin Fields, Steelers (3,048)
RB- Tony Pollard, Titans (3,105)
WR- Keenan Allen, Bears (3,077)
TE- Evan Engram, Jaguars (3,127)
Superflex Rookie Pivots
QB- Michael Penix, Falcons
RB- Blake Corum, Rams
WR- Adonai Mitchell, Colts
TE- Ben Sinnott, Commanders
Rookie Pick 3.07
Jesse Selects Tyrone Tracy, Running Back, University of Purdue.
The third round of rookie drafts this year brings to the forefront the depth of the class. Enter Tyrone Tracy, another late-round running back who landed in an open backfield with minimal competition for touches. Tracy is a freak athlete, evidenced by his 9.87 RAS score at the NFL Combine. The converted WR is a plus pass catcher, and at the top of the class in explosive run rate. He is a player that goes far too low in rookie drafts.
We often talk about the low success rates of third-round picks in rookie drafts. However, Tracy is a player you should consider as a late-round pick. Despite being older and never having more than 132 touches in a college season, Tracy’s per-touch data is impressive, as he was near the top among running backs in missed tackles forced. With players like Devin Singletary, Eric Grey, and Deon Jackson as his competition in New York, Tracy has a good opportunity to establish a role in the offense. When we are chasing day 3 players, we might as well shoot the ceiling shot on Tracy and hope you hit.
Superflex Trade Targets
QB- Aidan O’Connell, Raiders (2,917)
RB- Antonio Gibson, Patriots (1,954)
WR- Jalin Hyatt, Giants (2,060)
TE- Greg Dulcich, Broncos (1,619)
Superflex Rookie Pivots
QB- Spencer Rattler, Saints
RB- Will Shipley, Eagles
WR- Devontez Walker, Ravens
TE- Erick All, Bengals
If you enjoyed A View to a Pick, check out our full Rookie Consensus Rankings, check out of Rankings Page.
