Fantasy football managers are less than a month away from getting their first look at this talented crop of rookie quarterbacks and wide receivers at training camp heading into the 2024 NFL season. That means dynasty leagues that prefer to wait until July or August to have their rookie draft should have a pretty good idea about players’ situations entering their first year.
Here’s a closer look at our Superflex dynasty rookie mock draft results in a PPR format with the start of the upcoming NFL season right around the corner.
Superflex Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft
1.01) Caleb Williams, QB, Chicago Bears
The fantasy hype surrounding No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams feels justified when you combine all of the offseason moves from the Chicago Bears and the exceptional talent we saw from the former Heisman trophy winner during his days at USC.
Chicago signed versatile running back D’Andre Swift, traded for veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen, and subsequently hit another home run by adding Rome Odunze at No. 9 overall in the NFL Draft. Adding these three playmakers to the duo of DJ Moore and Cole Kmet in this passing attack makes for an outstanding situation for Williams to step into his rookie year.
The overwhelming amount of elite talent at WR may prevent these pass catchers from becoming elite fantasy producers in 2024, but this does nothing but significantly boost Williams’ fantasy ceiling in the immediate future. The short-term optimism and his long-term pairing with Odunze give fantasy managers very few reasons not to invest their top overall pick in rookie drafts in Williams.
The arm talent and off-script playmaking ability are both exceptional and could take offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s offensive scheme to a whole new level with the embarrassment of riches at his disposal in 2024.
As promising as some of the top names are at the receiver position in this class, it’s nearly impossible to have too many quarterbacks on your roster in Superflex formats. Williams isn’t a perfect quarterback prospect by any means, but the pros far outweigh the cons.
1.02) Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Arizona Cardinals
Speaking of walking into ideal situations, Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. joining Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals projects as another favorable landing spot for a top rookie prospect in this class.
Last year, TE Trey McBride led the Cardinals with 106 targets, 81 receptions, and 825 receiving yards after injuries sidelined Hollywood Brown and Zach Ertz. No disrespect to the breakout TE from 2023, but expect that to change with Harrison in town entering the 2024 NFL season. Quite frankly, there is certainly a situation where both players can ideally co-exist as fantasy producers in this offense.
Even if McBride continues to see a healthy target share, Harrison still falls into a great situation where he immediately steps into a receiver room with Zay Jones, Greg Dortch, and Michael Wilson; he’s likely to see north of 130 targets as a rookie with Murray under center.
Harrison’s rare blend of size, speed, exceptional route-running nuance, and body control are common traits of the elite pass catchers who have entered the NFL recently. He can beat you with vertical speed, after the catch, or outright bully you at the catchpoint in contested-catch situations. A player like that will demand a huge target share in his rookie year and beyond.
If you want to draft Harrison at 1.01 in a Superflex format, you won’t hear a very big argument from me. But, ultimately, the positional value and extended shelf life of a top QB prospect slightly outshines even the best of receiver prospects.
1.03) Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
Rookie quarterbacks who possess elite upside as runners have had more fantasy success early in their NFL careers than you probably realize. Cam Newton and Robert Griffin III finished as top-five fantasy QBs in their rookie season (QB3 and QB5, respectively). If you expand that sample size to Year 2 in the NFL, Lamar Jackson finished as the QB1 overall in 2019.
Why is this relevant? Well, Washington Commanders QB Jayden Daniels has the type of dynamic playmaking ability with his legs that rivals some of the elite dual-threat quarterbacks mentioned above but comes with more college starting experience at the Division I level than Newton and Jackson combined.
The rushing production these playmakers provide simply gives them a higher weekly floor. Now, Daniels may have taken a bit longer than most to finally hit his stride as a passer in college, but his development and production during his two seasons at LSU shouldn’t be overlooked.
Daniels was a true dual-threat weapon throughout his collegiate career and was exceptionally productive through the air and on the ground in 2023. He piled up 3,812 passing yards and 1,134 rushing yards, resulting in 50 total touchdowns in his fifth-year, Heisman-winning campaign.
Daniels is a bit more polished as a passing prospect entering the league, which should help him distribute the ball to competent playmakers like Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, Ertz, and Austin Ekeler consistently. And he still possesses the explosive short-area burst, dynamic long speed, and contact balance to absolute torture defenses ill-equipped to handle his dual-threat ability.
Washington’s offense that Daniels is stepping into this year under offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury once helped Cardinals dual-threat quarterback Murray finish as the QB6 in his rookie year with 3,722 passing yards while throwing to a 36-year-old Larry Fitzgerald as his WR1. He produced just 544 rushing yards back in 2019. Personally, I see Daniels topping Murray’s rookie rushing production in 2024.
Additionally, the last full season we got with Kingsbury and Murray was back in 2021, when the Cardinals threw 110 passing attempts on RPO concepts, second in the league. Assuming some of this offensive infrastructure translates to 2024, Daniels will be given some easy one-read completions to help simplify his transition and inflate his passing numbers.
Yet, Daniels proved he is fully capable of executing more complex full-read pro-style passing concepts at LSU, which gives him an exciting fantasy ceiling in this offense. The short-term upside paired with a decent long-term outlook in this Washington offense makes Daniels the runaway 1.03 in Superflex formats.
1.04) Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants
The temptation to select one of the other top quarterback prospects in this class is certainly present, but Malik Nabers’ projected role as the featured player in the New York Giants’ offense makes it difficult to overlook his immediate fantasy upside.
Nabers proved he was as explosive as many scouts claimed when he ran an unofficial 4.35-second 40-yard dash in front of scouts at the LSU Pro Day. Nabers produced an equally impressive Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.67 after posting great testing numbers in both the vertical jump and broad jump events, which helped check all of the boxes NFL personnel evaluators were hoping for when watching him tear up SEC defenses in 2023.
Malik Nabers runs a 4.35 40-yard dash at LSU’s Pro Day. 💨
Jayden Daniels gasses him up at the end. 🔥#GeauxTigers | #NFLDraft
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) March 27, 2024
The confirmation Nabers provided the Giants with his Pro Day performance should make dynasty managers equally excited.
Nabers has light-speed-type suddenness and possesses the type of formation versatility, size, and separation ability to make him a moveable weapon for a New York offense that is devoid of consistent playmakers.
To give you an idea of how badly this offense needs a productive pass-catcher on the perimeter, the Giants haven’t had a receiver top 70 receptions or 800 yards receiving in a season since Odell Beckham Jr. back in 2018 … when Eli Manning was still the quarterback.
Those numbers aren’t exactly encouraging from a fantasy perspective, but I believe that to be an indictment more so on Daniel Jones and the collection of middling receivers — namely Wan’Dale Robinson, Jalin Hyatt, and Darius Slayton — than a certainty that a Giants receiver can’t be fantasy relevant.
Nabers is flat-out electric after the catch. His weak target competition should make him an instant target funnel in his rookie year.
1.05) J.J. McCarthy, QB, Minnesota Vikings
On paper, there is so much to get excited about with J.J. McCarthy‘s landing spot with the Minnesota Vikings.
The weapons at McCarthy’s disposal fall into the borderline elite category. Justin Jefferson is arguably the best receiver in the league, Jordan Addison flashed big-play ability as a complementary second option, and T.J. Hockenson is in the top-three conversation at the TE position. Now throw in a competent offensive mind at head coach with Kevin O’Connell and the situation doesn’t get much better for a rookie quarterback.
These same weapons helped Kirk Cousins finish as a top-10 QB in five of his seven full games in 2023. In addition, Joshua Dobbs had a QB3 and QB5 finish after joining the team midseason.
It doesn’t hurt that McCarthy has plenty of experience running pro-style passing concepts during his days at Michigan, which should help ease his transition into a play-action-heavy Minnesota offensive scheme — which led the league by a wide margin with 191 play-action passing attempts in 2023.
McCarthy has the arm to make any throw in the NFL, is a criminally underrated athlete (he was utilized in QB run concepts as a Wolverine), and flashed the ability to operate within the structure of an offense and throw with anticipation over the middle of the field.
Sure, he may not be the sure thing that some of these top prospects project to be, but McCarthy’s ceiling and long-term outlook in this offense push him up the board significantly in this format.
1.06) Drake Maye, QB, New England Patriots
One could easily believe New England Patriots QB Drake Maye could be the next superstar under center in the NFL if you were to watch his highlight reel of superhuman throws during his days at the University of North Carolina.
As a pure NFL QB prospect, I believe Maye has the highest ceiling of any signal-caller in this class. Yes, that includes Williams. I’m aware that is a pretty bold statement considering some of the company he keeps with this crop of talented passers, but Maye’s exceptional athletic profile and “wow” flashes give us glimpses of a very high fantasy ceiling.
To further expand upon his measurables, Maye’s prototypical height (6’4”), weight (223 pounds), and arm strength check all the boxes. He also possesses plenty of fantasy upside as a ball carrier with surprising agility, acceleration, and contact balance.
MORE: 5 Sleepers to Target In Dynasty Leagues
Yet, Maye’s overall lack of weapons in New England clouds his immediate — and long-term — fantasy ceiling and even presents some developmental risk early in his career.
Are we certain that the wide receiver trio of Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker, and DeMario Douglas will help provide Maye with enough quality production and separation to make life easier for him in 2024 and beyond?
Are we certain we can trust offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt and the rest of New England’s staff to put Maye in the best position to succeed and accelerate his development under center early in his career?
Sure, Maye’s potential alone is still well worth a top-six dynasty rookie pick, but he comes with a bit more risk than some of the other receiver prospects in the 1.06 conversation. His upside and positional value in this format make me give him the nod here, but I don’t blame you if you decide to go in a different direction at this pick.
1.07) Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears
I still find it nearly impossible to believe Chicago has never had a 4,000-yard passer in the entire lengthy history of the franchise. Yet, here we are in 2024, and the Bears are still in search of an elite passing offense to call their own.
Well, if adding Rome Odunze and Allen to join Moore in this passing offense isn’t enough to get the job done … then I don’t know what is.
The Bears may have found themselves the next great QB-WR combination, but Odunze’s immediate fantasy production may require dynasty managers to be more patient than they would like to admit.
I love the long-term pairing with Williams under center, but competing with Moore and Allen — who have both been very productive when given a healthy share of targets — could cap Odunze’s fantasy ceiling in 2024.
To further accentuate that point, Moore and Allen combined for 204 receptions, 2,607 yards, and 15 TDs in 2023. Additionally, they both finished as top-10 fantasy WRs last year, which makes it difficult to envision either of them not having a significant role in 2024.
Not to mention, Williams is a rookie who needs some time to adjust to the pro game. The list of signal-callers who didn’t see elite fantasy success in their first year is lengthy. Expecting him to make three receivers reliable fantasy producers is a big ask.
Odunze is still an exceptionally athletic receiver prospect. He regularly dominates at the catch point and can move all over the formation, which gives him an extremely high long-term ceiling. Yet, tempering fantasy expectations early in his career is the proper course of action.
1.08) Brock Bowers, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
If there’s one top player who didn’t land in an ideal situation, it was the immensely talented TE Brock Bowers going to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Bowers still possesses exceptional RAC ability and has the elite athleticism to be a mismatch against the vast majority of linebackers and safeties trying to check him in man coverage. That gives him a long-term ceiling of TE1 overall in dynasty formats.
Still, he’ll be competing with target-hog Davante Adams and the underrated Jakobi Meyers for looks from uninspiring QB options — either Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew II — in 2024, while trying to keep second-year TE Michael Mayer off the football field completely.
It’s worth mentioning that Mayer caught 27 passes for 304 yards and two scores over 14 games as a rookie with O’Connell under center for the majority of the year. If new Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy prefers to have Mayer on the field in 11-personnel sets with an inline TE (only one tight end on the field), then it could further cap Bowers’ immediate fantasy ceiling in 2024.
I still believe in Bowers’ elite talent, but his immediate fantasy outlook drops him below both Nabers and Odunze in this mock.
1.09) Ladd McConkey, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
One could argue that, outside of Williams in Chicago, no player fell in a better landing spot for fantasy opportunity than Ladd McConkey going to the Los Angeles Chargers to catch passes from Justin Herbert.
The departures of Allen, Mike Williams, Gerald Everett, and Ekeler mean that 320 targets, 229 receptions, and 2,339 yards worth of opportunities and production are suddenly vacant.
McConkey’s current competition for targets includes Joshua Palmer, Quentin Johnston, and Hayden Hurst — none of whom can hold a candle to McConkey’s elite separation abilities, formation versatility, or run-after-catch (RAC) ability. Not to mention, McConkey adds additional value through manufactured touches, which he saw plenty of during his collegiate days at Georgia.
McConkey’s exceptional route-running nuance and explosiveness as a ball carrier after the catch make him a real threat to lead all rookie receivers in receptions and receiving yards in 2024. His long-term outlook with Herbert from the moment he steps on the field this season and beyond gives him an exciting amount of upside.
1.10) Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars lost Calvin Ridley this offseason, but they may have landed a receiver with an even higher ceiling by selecting Brian Thomas Jr. in the first round.
The Jags added Gabe Davis to the WR room this offseason to help bolster the weapons around Trevor Lawrence but couldn’t resist splurging on the dynamic deep threat from LSU.
The universal praise Thomas received for his 4.33-second 40-yard dash time at 6’3” and 209 pounds validated my previous claim that men this size aren’t supposed to move like he does. Thomas’ top-shelf suddenness, foot quickness, and body control are all pretty uncommon for a guy with his prototypical measurables for an outside receiver.
Another encouraging sign for Thomas was the team’s decision to part ways with Jones this offseason, which should give the rookie a baseline as a staple in three-receiver sets alongside Davis and Christian Kirk. However, he’s a threat to see the most snaps of any Jags WR in 2024.
Ridley’s departure vacates 136 targets, 76 receptions, 1,016 receiving yards, and eight TDs heading into 2024. Thomas may not yet have the route-running bag of tricks Ridley possesses, but his elite vertical speed and underrated ability to churn out yards after the catch give him a nice fantasy ceiling this season paired with a great long-term outlook.
1.11) Xavier Worthy, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Superflex enthusiasts who swear by investing in quarterbacks with first-round draft capital may scoff at this ranking of a smaller WR, but the fantasy ceiling is simply too high to ignore.
Xavier Worthy easily gives Patrick Mahomes the best deep threat he’s had since Tyreek Hill was on the roster.
We saw the fantasy football magic those two produced during their time together. In that same light, don’t expect Worthy to be catching 50-yard bombs from Mahomes this year. He added plenty of value in the screen game during his days with the Texas Longhorns.
Worthy’s elite speed (4.21-second 40-yard dash time), savvy route-running ability, and production as a RAC threat make him a moveable weapon that could make this a fantasy match made in heaven for years to come.
Just gorgeous.#NFLCombine | @XavierWorthy https://t.co/SV71YkmawP
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) March 3, 2024
Yes, Worthy is tiny by all NFL standards at 5’11” and 165 pounds, but depending on how Rashee Rice‘s off-field situation plays out this offseason, and with an aging Travis Kelce waning, don’t think this is just a long-term dynasty play.
Worthy has plenty of Flex value upside in 2024, which could shoot up even higher if Rice serves any sort of lengthy suspension this upcoming year.
1.12) Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos
Well, well, well … Bo Nix saw his dynasty Superflex value jump significantly after the Denver Broncos made him the 12th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Nix showcased some promising processing skills and played on time when getting to his primary read. Sean Payton values that type of skill set and believes he can be the future face of his franchise.
At the moment, Nix doesn’t have a ton of great weapons at his disposal, with Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims Jr. projected as Denver’s top two options heading into next season. Yet, the addition of Nix’s favorite receiver at Oregon, Troy Franklin, instantly gives him a familiar and explosive playmaker to feed the ball to early on.
With Adam Trautman and Greg Dulcich, Denver doesn’t have many exciting options at tight end either. Dulcich showed some nice signs during his rookie year, but he hasn’t exactly secured the leading TE role in Payton’s offense at this moment.
Nix’s draft capital and a potential path to playing time in 2024 make him a worthwhile investment in the back half of the first round in Superflex dynasty rookie drafts, but the collection of weapons and the holes in his prospect profile push him down the board a bit.
2.01) Ricky Pearsall, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Excitement about Ricky Pearsall’s fantasy outlook in this San Francisco 49ers offense was on cue with the trade rumors swirling around Brandon Aiyuk this offseason.
There is no doubt this was a bit of a surprise pick at No. 31. The Niners, who already had a strong collection of pass-catching playmakers added him as a third receiver toward the end of the first round.
The target competition early in Pearsall’s career looks brutal to overcome. Predicting a huge fantasy campaign in his rookie season with a limited target share working behind Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and Christian McCaffrey as the fifth option in the passing game would be pretty unreasonable. Yet, the trade rumors suggest he could be in line for a larger role in 2024 than originally expected.
Pearsall is among the best route runners in the class — plenty of nuance with his tempo variation and technique — with some of the best hands and ball skills. That will give him a role early in his career with the Niners, but one that is unlikely to make him a reliable fantasy option in your standard leagues.
The lack of overall passing volume from San Francisco’s offense paired with exceptionally tough target competition could make for a slow fantasy start.
I’m tempted to give Pearsall a bump in the rankings, but with Aiyuk still on the roster … I can’t quite put him in the first round in a Superflex format quite yet.
2.02) Adonai Mitchell, WR, Indianapolis Colts
Entering the 2024 NFL Draft, there was some buzz that Adonai Mitchell could sneak into the back end of Day 1. Yet, he slid a bit to the Indianapolis Colts at No. 52 overall. Whether it was character or medical concerns that saw Mitchell slide during the draft, Indianapolis got itself a very intriguing receiver to add to this improving offense.
Frankly, the slight slide down the board did make me question my ranking of Mitchell entering the NFL. Yet, the more I look closer at this landing spot, the more optimistic I become.
Mitchell’s pairing with young franchise QB Anthony Richardson provides an intriguing long-term outlook, but he’ll be competing with alpha target earner Michael Pittman Jr. and dynamic slot specialist Josh Downs for looks early in his career.
The role Mitchell will likely assume from the jump is that of Alec Pierce, who produced just 32 receptions for 514 yards on 65 targets despite playing over 90% of the offensive snaps in all but one game last year.
To give you an idea of how disappointing Pierce’s production was compared to his ample opportunity, he ranked 91st amongst wide receivers with just 0.87 yards per route run.
Not to mention, if Shane Steichen sees Mitchell as a potential option to fill a DeVonta Smith-type role in his offensive scheme, the fantasy upside can certainly flirt with high-end WR2 territory.
2.03) Trey Benson, RB, Arizona Cardinals
It still doesn’t feel quite right not mocking a running back like Trey Benson in Round 1, but the stacked nature of the QB and WR positions paired with unfavorable landing spots for the top RBs has made this a very unique board.
Benson was the best running back on my board heading into the draft process and fell into the Cardinals’ laps in the third round. He could see plenty of run as a rookie, but he’s far from guaranteed a feature role in 2024.
Optimistically, though, Benson still projects favorably as the RB of the future behind James Conner. Conner was very effective last year — 1,040 rushing yards and seven touchdowns — despite a lot of movement and injuries along the offensive side of the ball.
The two will likely work in tandem this year, but Benson’s big-play ability should make him a potential Flex option with RB2 upside if Arizona decides to feature the rookie during the back half of the year.
2.04) Jonathon Brooks, RB, Carolina Panthers
Despite tearing his ACL during his one season as the full-time starter, Jonathon Brooks still became the first running back selected in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Brooks is not a lock to be available for the start of the season and could be eased into action during training camp — which does cloud his immediate fantasy outlook. Yet, Chuba Hubbard is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and the selection of Brooks certainly suggests Carolina believes he has the potential to be a featured RB under new head coach Dave Canales.
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Canales featured Rachaad White last season in Tampa Bay, which led to White finishing as the RB4 overall despite averaging just 3.6 yards per carry behind a pretty average offensive line.
The range of outcomes is pretty wide for Brooks heading into his rookie year. But if you can accept the injury risk and a potential redshirt-type year for Brooks as a rookie, then you could have a very valuable prospect for 2025 and beyond.
2.05) Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, New England Patriots
The Patriots quickly went from one of the worst collections of offensive skill-position players in the league to having an intriguing long-term QB-WR fantasy stack by selecting Ja’Lynn Polk in the second round after selecting Maye in the first.
Polk enters a WR room with just Douglas currently locked into a starting role, which could make him a candidate to return production as a top-25 WR as a rookie and potentially become Maye’s go-to guy for years to come.
Polk’s exceptional ball skills, sticky hands, and ideal formation versatility make him one of the biggest draft winners at the position from a fantasy perspective. Sure, there could be some limitations to Polk’s effectiveness in threatening defenses vertically without elite top speed, but he should provide plenty of production working the short-to-intermediate portion of the field.
2.06) Keon Coleman, WR, Buffalo Bills
Former FSU WR Keon Coleman has turned into a social-media gold mine for the Buffalo Bills, which makes him a dynasty asset I want to see succeed in the NFL.
The situation Coleman is stepping into is certainly one that could lead to a large target share to start his career. The exodus of starting wide receivers from the Bills’ roster — Stefon Diggs and Davis — vacates 241 targets from last year, which momentarily left Allen with Khalil Shakir and Curtis Samuel as his top two receivers entering the 2024 NFL Draft.
Coleman has the size (6’3”, 215 pounds) and strength to win in contested-catch situations on the outside, which could be his projected role in Buffalo’s offense with Shakir, Samuel, and TE Dalton Kincaid all expected to see a significant amount of work in the slot next season.
Coleman’s profile certainly has some potential red flags, most notably his ability to create consistent separation against man coverage and a lack of top-end vertical speed. The ability to threaten defenders vertically and then sink his hips effectively at the breakpoint needs some serious work.
Yet, Coleman’s contested-catch ability gives Allen an elite red-zone threat for a team that consistently struggled to cash in last season when they got inside the 20-yard line.
If Coleman plays primarily outside, then you’ll have to expect some growing pains early in his career, but he does possess an elite ceiling if he can improve his release package and route-running consistency to win at a higher rate on the perimeter.
2.07) Michael Penix Jr., QB, Atlanta Falcons
Allow me to be brutally honest about this landing spot for a second. I’m having a really hard time figuring out exactly what to do with Michael Penix Jr. after the Atlanta Falcons created a fantasy disaster of a situation by picking him at No. 8 less than two months after signing Cousins to a four-year deal worth up to $180 million.
From a long-term perspective, Penix’s upside playing with talents like Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Bijan Robinson is certainly ideal. Yet, we have no guarantee of his short-term value with Cousins on the roster.
Can we confidently say Penix will even be the starter in Atlanta heading into 2025? I don’t believe we can. How about in 2026? Maybe … but not a certainty either. Not to mention, he’ll turn 24 years old before the start of his rookie year, meaning there’s a real possibility Penix doesn’t see legitimate playing time until he’s … 26 years old!
Penix is a talented prospect. His production at Washington over the final two years of his college career was outstanding. Still, his medical red flags and competent QB competition make him a very risky investment in the first round and make me feel much more comfortable drafting him if he falls to Round 2.
2.08) Malachi Corley, WR, New York Jets
Malachi Corley may not be a complete prospect like some receivers below him on this list, but he should be an exceptional complement to what top receiver Garrett Wilson does at a high level.
Corley is a RAC monster who could be a great safety valve and manufactured-touch option for Aaron Rodgers in a Jets offense that could vastly outperform last season’s production across the board. Pitfalls in his profile do exist, though.
Rodgers isn’t exactly renowned for his track record of peppering younger wide receivers with targets early in their career. And Corley doesn’t necessarily have the most expansive route tree in the world, nor does he possess a great catch radius (5’11”, 215 pounds with just 32 1/8” arms). That places a question mark on what else he can do outside of being a dominant RAC threat.
The opportunity to emerge as a great second option to Wilson is there, but we’ll have to see how quickly Corley gets up to speed with Rodgers and if the team views him more as a manufactured-touch threat in personnel packages or if they consider him a full-blown WR2/3 in this offense.
2.09) Xavier Legette, WR, Carolina Panthers
After Bryce Young threw for just 11 touchdowns through his first 16 NFL games, it was very clear Carolina needed to add some dynamic playmakers on the perimeter to help him get back on track.
Well, the team did exactly that by trading up for an exceptionally athletic outside receiver in Xavier Legette.
Legette possesses exceptional vertical speed (4.39-second 40-yard dash) and explosiveness (40” vertical) for a 6’1”, 221-pound receiver. His impressive play strength makes him a bully at the catch point, a consistent RAC threat with great contact balance, and a difficult player to rough up at the line of scrimmage against press coverage.
Legette’s one year of great production over his five-year college career is a bit head-scratching with his elite athletic profile, but the context of his personal life explains some of the inconsistent production and his late breakout at South Carolina.
Legette should make for a great complement to the effortless separator Diontae Johnson and reliable-but-aging Adam Thielen in the passing attack. If Carolina makes it a point to get him manufactured touches and Thielen is quickly phased out, Legette could be an outstanding value at this point in the second round.
2.10) Roman Wilson, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers may have waited a while to address wide receiver in the draft, but they managed to find a pretty intriguing candidate to replace Johnson by selecting Michigan’s Roman Wilson in Round 3.
Wilson has all of the explosive athletic tools to be a great vertical complement to George Pickens, but he’ll have to beat out Quez Watkins and Van Jefferson to get on the field early in his career. Doesn’t sound all that difficult, right?
However, the target competition isn’t my biggest concern for Wilson’s dynasty outlook. I’m actually far more concerned with his QB situation — with both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields set to be free agents next offseason — and the uninspiring offensive scheme of Arthur Smith for wide receivers.
The fantasy ceiling for WR2s in Smith’s offensive scheme hasn’t exactly been exciting. In fact, you have to go back to his OC days with the Tennessee Titans during the 2020 NFL season to find a year where two receivers in his offense finished inside the top 30 at the position in the same season, with A.J. Brown and Corey Davis finishing as the WR12 and WR30, respectively. That’s not encouraging.
The uncertainty at quarterback doesn’t exactly do the rookie WR’s immediate or long-term outlook any favors, either. Still, Wilson has the explosive playmaking ability and ideal playing time opportunity to warrant this ranking.
2.11) Troy Franklin, WR, Denver Broncos
The pre-draft process was nothing short of brutal for Oregon WR Troy Franklin, who swiftly went from a potential late first-round pick to a fourth-round selection.
Franklin fell so far down the 2024 NFL Draft board he almost needed a parachute to deploy for safety purposes. Fortunately, he eventually landed in a very fantasy-friendly spot with the Broncos, who selected his college teammate Nix earlier in the draft.
Despite a set of disappointing testing numbers and physical measurements at the NFL Combine, Franklin is still an exceptional vertical threat with plenty of juice as an underneath separator and RAC threat. He could eventually become the top pass-catching producer in Denver.
To reach his true potential, I’d love to see Franklin get hit with the NFL peanut butter program and add about 10 pounds of muscle. That could help him become a more effective winner against press coverage, a better fighter through contact at the top of his route, and a winner in contested catch situations.
If Franklin can replicate the chemistry and production he enjoyed with Nix over the last two seasons, then he could be a great value at this point in the rookie draft.
2.12) Jaylen Wright, RB, Miami Dolphins
We don’t have to pour one out for dynasty shareholders of De’Von Achane quite yet, but the Miami Dolphins’ selection of Tennessee RB Jaylen Wright could impact the former’s fantasy ceiling down the road.
One gripe about Wright’s prospect profile was the frequency at which he faced light boxes during his days as a Volunteer. Yet, he fell into the one NFL offense that could regularly afford him opportunities to face soft seven-man fronts with both Hill and Jaylen Waddle consistently threatening opposing defenses vertically.
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Sure, Wright may not be guaranteed a huge volume of work in 2024 while working with Achane. Wright doesn’t possess the elite pass-catching skills to keep Achane or Raheem Mostert off the field immediately. Yet, just as Achane proved last year, it doesn’t take many touches from an explosive runner to make a big fantasy impact in Miami’s wide-open offense.
All that stands in the way of Wright and split duties in this backfield is the 32-year-old Mostert who has played a full NFL season just once in his nine-year career.
Rookie Mock Draft | Rounds 3-4
3.01) Jermaine Burton, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
3.02) Jalen McMillan, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3.03) Tyrone Tracy Jr., RB, New York Giants
3.04) Javon Baker, WR, New England Patriots
3.05) MarShawn Lloyd, RB, Green Bay Packers
3.06) Blake Corum, RB, Los Angeles Rams
3.07) Ray Davis, RB, Buffalo Bills
3.08) Luke McCaffrey, WR, Washington Commanders
3.09) Ben Sinnott, TE, Washington Commanders
3.10) Kimani Vidal, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
3.11) Audric Estimé, RB, Denver Broncos
3.12) Bucky Irving, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4.01) Rasheen Ali, RB, Baltimore Ravens
4.02) Isaac Guerendo, RB, San Francisco 49ers
4.03) Dylan Laube, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
4.04) Devontez Walker, WR, Baltimore Ravens
4.05) Malik Washington, WR, Miami Dolphins
4.06) Johnny Wilson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
4.07) Jalen Coker, WR, Carolina Panthers
4.08) Ja’Tavion Sanders, TE, Carolina Panthers
4.09) Jaheim Bell, TE, New England Patriots
4.10) Blake Watson, RB, Denver Broncos
4.11) Will Shipley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
4.12) Tahj Washington, WR, Miami Dolphins
