Fantasy Football Rankings 2018: Top 10 Most Relevant Rookies Part 2

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 2 of the 2018 rookie class.

For rookies 10-6, click here.

Royce Freeman, RB, Broncos

Running backs abounded in this draft, and Freeman has the look of an impact rookie. Statistically, he has everything you’re looking for. He rushed for 1,475 yards last season for Oregon, and averaged six yards per rush on 244 attempts, burnishing his credentials to be a workhorse back. Freeman has been a monster for his entire college career, scoring 18 touchdowns as a freshman for the Ducks, and notching double-digit touchdowns in three of his four collegiate seasons. A lack of dominant receiving stats is holding me back from a full-on man crush, but with C.J. Anderson out of the picture in Denver, Freeman only has to worry about the underwhelming Devontae Booker on the depth chart for early-down and goal line work.

Derrius Guice, RB, Redskins

Guice, like Freeman, looks like a frightening early-down back with high-end touchdown potential if he can wrest the lion’s share of work out of the gate. Guice’s path to those first and second down carries is even easier than Freeman’s, with only plodders Samaje Perine and Rob Kelley in his way. The problem, though, is that Guice has no chance to play on passing downs while he’s sharing a backfield with electric receiving back Chris Thompson. Guice is not going to see quite as much action as other rookies in this draft class even if he does secure a starting role, but he should see plenty of short-yardage touchdown chances. The only knocks on him are some injury issues and a lack of pure, burner speed, but he could be a Jordan Howard-type impact immediately.

Ronald Jones, RB, Buccaneers

As you can see, I’m emphasizing opportunity when judging this extremely deep pool of rookie running backs. Jones, like Freeman and Guice, has a nice combination of gaudy college stats and bowling pins ahead of him on the depth chart. While Peyton Barber was useful last season in spurts, he only averaged 3.9 yards per carry in 2017 and failed to separate himself from Jacquizz Rodgers and Charles Sims. That’s appetizing on draft day, when you can fire up Jones, who ran roughshod over the Pac-12 at USC to the tune of 19 touchdowns. Ideally, we’d have seen more in the way of receiving from Jones; if he doesn’t have passing game chops he’s bound to cede work to someone else in the backfield and limit his upside. That said, he should see tons of work in a high-scoring offense.

Rashaad Penny, RB, Seahawks

We’ll keep it moving with Penny, who was a MONSTER at San Diego State. While Chris Carson was impressive last season before getting hurt, the Seahawks drafted him in the first round. He’s their guy. Penny, listed at 5’11, 220 lbs., is built like a bowling ball but ran a blazing 4.46 40-yard-dash at the Combine. He ripped apart defenses last year, rushing for an absurd 2,248 yards and 23 touchdowns. 23!!!!

Like the rest of these backs, Penny wasn’t used much in the passing game, so it’s unclear whether or not the Seahawks will utilize him there or piece it together on passing downs with C.J. Prosise and J.D. McKissic. Even though Carson is better than most of the incumbents on these other rosters, none of those teams made this heavy of an investment in their rookie rusher. Penny is going to be given every chance to succeed, and with a running QB like Russell Wilson at the helm, there will be lanes for big plays.

Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants

No surprise here. I’m not getting cute here, I’m trying to give you the best advice possible. Saquon Barkley is one of the most freakish running back prospects ever. He has it all. Barkley has all the physical attributes of a star, he’s basically guaranteed to be a three-down back out of the gate, and he was a fairly prolific pass catcher out of the backfield at Penn State. Last season Barkley totaled 1,903 yards from scrimmage along with 21 total touchdowns. He caught 54 passes for 632 yards; that kind of ability is what takes a player from the Jordan Howard level to Todd Gurley class. Oh, and he was taken No. 2 overall, so believe the Giants are going to run him into the ground if need be.

Barkley ran a 4.4 40-yard-dash, posted a ridiculous 41-inch vertical jump, and performed 29 bench press reps. He will be an absolute star, and you can justify drafting him in Round 1.