My annual dynasty league rookie draft was this past week, a three-round affair that allots the top rookies from the previous week's NFL Draft. I recapped the first round yesterday; rounds 2 and 3 are below, with commentary. My picks are in bold.
2.01 Damien Harris, N.E. A productive running back for a powerful Alabama offense (more effective, statistically, than teammate Josh Jacobs), Harris joins a Patriots team that annually ranks among the leaders in rushing touchdowns. He'll start out behind Sony Michel, but injuries happen (and the team that took Harris has Michel anyway).
2.02 Deebo Samuel, S.F. Deebo is a nickname, after the bully in Friday. I had to think about whether I wanted to bring that into my locker room. I decided he's probably matured, and he brings his catch-run tough guy skill set to a team that has mostly questions at receiver.
2.03 Irv Smith Jr., Minn. Talk was that Minnesota was trying to trade Kyle Rudolph. If so, Smith would step right in. Seems a little overrated, possibly due to his lineage, but he's an adept receiver who went for 710 yards and 7 TDs at Alabama last year. Note: TEs get 1.5 points per reception in this league.
2.04 Marquise Brown, Balt. This was too far for the first receiver drafted to fall. Don't care for the landing spot with a scattershot passer who might never develop (John Brown disappeared when Lamar Jackson took over last season) but no denying the talent. This dynasty, so 2019 need not be huge.
2.05 Andy Isabella, Ariz. The wide receiver run is on. Led college football in receptions and yards last season, and tied for the fastest combine time among wide receivers. With Arizona having drafted 3 wideouts and still having Christian Kirk (and Larry Fitzgerald, for that matter) hard to get too high on any one player.
2.06 J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Phil. Didn't get as much pre-draft love as some other players, but the Eagles know what they're doing. No one should be stunned if he emerges as one of the best wideouts in this class. Big and a good route-runner with better ball awareness than shows up on the stat sheet. Kind of wanted to trade up for him but didn't have the ammunition.
2.07 Hakeem Butler, Ariz. Another Cardinals wideout. His falling to the fourth round surprised a lot of people. Supposedly due to questionable hands, but I don't know. Not overly polished as a route-runner, either. Fantasy-wise, there's a lot of competition in Arizona, but he could still wind up as their best young wideout.
2.08 Jace Sternberger, G.B. Ideally, he takes over for Jimmy Graham as pass-catching tight end a year or two down the road. But I'm not sure how much faith I have in Green Bay's GM, and he had one good college season (though it was very good: 832 yards and 10 TDs).
2.09 Miles Boykin, Balt. Again, you're tied to the development of Lamar Jackson as a passer if you make this pick.
2.10 Devin Singletary, Buff.
2.11 Justice Hill, Balt.
Are we looking at the starting running backs for these teams in 2020? I was hoping to take one of them at 2.12, but alas, no. Hill is small but has heavily-muscled legs, ran the fastest 40 among running backs, and can catch. Singletary is a good-looking back who joins a running back room crowded with players who will be out of the league a year or two from now, tops. Sad not to get one of these guys. I'll have Hill on some teams this year, definitely.
2.12 Josh Oliver, Jac.
3.01 Diontae Johnson, Pitt.
3.02 Ryquell Armstead, Jac.
Oliver is a capable receiver and goes to a team that desperately needs one of those guys at tight end. Could be a popular target for Nick Foles. Johnson was drafted by the Steelers, who have been way better than every other team at scouting wideouts for the last dozen years. Armstead is the last running back I was interested in, selected by Jacksonville. Leonard Fournette's next injury/suspension/release is always just around the corner.
3.03 Jalen Hurd, S.F.
3.04 Dwayne Haskins, Wash.
3.05 Kelvin Harmon, Wash.
3.06 Terry McLaurin, Wash.
Hurd is a weird kind of hybrid who I think might be a better NFL player than a fantasy one -- a gadget who could line up at wideout, tight end (he's huge), or H-back. San Francisco will probably put him on the field every so often to show how clever they are before giving up. Three straight Washington players went next, testament as to just how awful this team's offense looked at the end of last season, and how in need they are of playmakers. Haskins needs some development and we'll see how he fares in an offense that's more conventional than his Ohio State one. At least adding one of his better targets, McLaurin, could help. Harmon was a favorite of draftniks but clearly the NFL didn't think much of him; he was just a sixth-round pick.
3.07 Alexander Mattison, Minn.
3.08 Darwin Thompson, K.C.
3.09 Rodney Anderson, Cin.
3.10 Daniel Jones, NYG
3.11 Bryce Love, Wash.
3.12 Kahale Warring, Hou.
I'm not sure Mattison is better than Minnesota's other young running backs behind Dalvin Cook, third-rounder or no. Thompson is intriguing in Kansas City; they'll use him (but again, sixth-round pick). Anderson has an alarming injury history, Jones calls to mind Blaine Gabbert (that's not a compliment), Love tore his ACL in December, so he's eating up a roster spot in 2019. Warring joins an unappealing tight end room in Houston.
And that's the draft. Let me know where you think we all went wrong.