Fantasy Football Rankings 2018: Top 10 Most Relevant Rookies Part 1
The end of the NFL Draft means the beginning of fantasy football prep in earnest. It's always fun to speculate on the prospects of the newest NFL players, and it's essential for those playing in dynasty leagues. I pored over the rookies in this class, and I'm ready to present the 10 most likely to be fantasy relevant in 2018. Here is Part I of the 2018 rookie class.
10. Sam Darnold, QB, Jets
Despite falling to No. 3 overall, Darnold was widely considered the safest pick in the draft, and the best QB in this class. It’s unclear if Darnold will start Week 1 – Josh McCown was reportedly promised the starting job when he re-signed this offseason – but it’s hard to envision him failing to beat out a 39-year-old journeyman. There isn’t a throw in the game Darnold can’t make, and he’s known for turning broken plays into gold, which will come in handy behind a questionable offensive line.
Darnold won’t have the best weapons to work with in this offense, but WR Robby Anderson looked like a No. 1 receiver last season, and they added high-upside receiver Terrelle Pryor as well. These aren’t sure things, especially since Anderson keeps having run-ins with police officers, but they’re not nothing. If he plays, Darnold should be a solid streaming option at worst.
9. Michael Gallup, WR, Cowboys
Gallup doesn’t have much hype, but he was a super productive receiver for two years at Colorado State. Last season Gallup totaled 100 receptions in just 12 games, for 1,418 yards and seven touchdowns. He caught 21 touchdowns over his two seasons with Colorado State, and now he is entering an offense that has released longtime receiver Dez Bryant, and is likely to lose TE Jason Witten to retirement. Allen Hurns signed in the offseason, and his main competition for catches will be Cole Beasley, Tavon Austin and Terrance Wiliams. In other words, the path is clear for Gallup to be an impact player right away; as a second round pick, Dallas clearly has him in their plans.
8. Baker Mayfield, QB, Browns
Mayfield is a polarizing prospect, but in terms of pure numbers, no other QB in this draft class was close. This guy threw for more than 4,000 yards, passed for 43 touchdowns, and was picked just six times. He also completed 70.5 percent of his passes, and all of these figures are head and shoulders better than the more “NFL-ready” prospects. Maturity is a big question mark, as is his size, but at the college level he proved he puts up stats.
Mayfield is also a fairly prolific running QB, rushing for 311 yards and five touchdowns last season. That alone makes him the best fantasy rookie QB this year. And while you might want to puke at the thought of drafting a rookie Browns QB, just know that he has legitimate weapons. WR Josh Gordon is a top playmaker down the field, and offseason acquisition Jarvis Landry is arguably the best slot receiver in the NFL. He also has a strong RB in Carlos Hyde to balance the offense, and a top receiving back in Duke Johnson. The biggest obstacle for Mayfield is QB Tyrod Taylor, who is likely to open the season as the starter. If Mayfield can usurp him though, I’d expect pretty good statistical results.
7. Anthony Miller, WR, Bears
Miller doesn’t have size that jumps off the page, doesn’t come from a glamorous college program, and didn’t emerge from the pre-draft process with a ton of hype. All Miller did was put up monster numbers for Memphis. Miller had nearly identical campaigns in back-to-back seasons for the Tigers; as a junior he caught 96 passes for 1,462 yards and 18 touchdowns while averaging 15.2 yards per catch. He totaled 32 touchdowns despite his smallish frame, and is proficient creating space as well as running routes downfield. In other words, he projects to be a potent big-play threat. Of course, this all means nothing without opportunity, which he should have with the Bears.
Mitchell Trubisky is a definite question mark at QB, but there is a clear path to relevant playing time for Miller. Offseason signing Allen Robinson will be the clear WR1 for Trubisky, but Miller’s main competition will be journeyman Taylor Gabriel. Former Top 10 pick Kevin White’s fifth-year option was declined this week, so even his upside poses much less threat to Miller than it could have. The skills are present, so Miller’s relevance will really depend on Trubisky’s development.
6. Courtland Sutton, WR, Broncos
Sutton, unlike Miller, is a physical specimen. At 6'4, 215 lbs. there will be no catching defenses off guard if he starts racking up stats, and especially when he's on the field in the red zone.
His path to playing time is murkier than Miller's, as he will try to break into an offense with established veteran pass catchers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders. Sutton, however, does look like the type of player who was brought in to eventually replace Thomas; he will also benefit from having a competent QB under center in Case Keenum, which Thomas and Sanders didn't have last year. Even though the veterans have been here forever, they're all new to Keenum, so he won't start at as large a disadvantage.
Statistically, Sutton shines. He averaged 16 yards per reception, and scored 12 touchdowns as a senior at SMU. He amassed 31 touchdowns in his four seasons there, and he spent his first season as a defensive back. This guy is a player; he is unlikely to be a must-start as a rookie, but he is very promising for dynasty leaguers, and could be a useful DraftKings option at times.