2015 Fantasy Football: The All-Rookie Team
Now that the draft is over, I can reveal my 2015 All-Rookie Team. It consists of a QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE and a Flex option (RB, WR, TE). These are the guys you may be able to steal for great value that can help you win a championship. Rookies are producing quicker than ever, so make sure you keep all these guys on your radar.
QB – Jameis Winston, TB
Winston is really the only option in my eyes. It’s him or Marcus Mariota and Winston is far-and-away the better quarterback. Especially when you factor in how much more NFL ready he is. This choice is almost by default. Winston is going to be a great QB, any other quarterback in this draft will be lucky just to be good.
RB1 – Melvin Gordon, SD
I’m not 100 percent sold on Gordon. With that said, the situation is ideal. He’ll have little to no competition for feature-back touches in San Diego. He should put up big numbers even if it’s on quantity alone much like Trent Richardson did as a rookie. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t be so disrespectful to compare Gordon to Richardson. I was merely comparing the situation. Gordon has massive upside in a great situation. He should be the first rookie selected in redrafts this season.
RB2 – T.J. Yeldon, JAX
Yeldon’s situation is nearly as good as Gordon’s. To be completely honest, I’m not so sure there is a huge gap in talent either. Yeldon will likely go quite a few rounds later than Gordon and may hold better value. It would not be all that shocking if he emerges as the top rookie RB. This is a talented kid on a vastly improved offense from what it was in 2013 and prior. He’ll be surrounded by a ton of young talent and if he can get the running game going, the Jags could surprise some people. Don’t sleep on Yeldon, he may even be worth a bit of a reach.
WR1 – DeVante Parker, MIA
Parker is my top fantasy rookie wideout this year. He is a perfect fit in Miami and is complemented very well by Jarvis Landry and Kenny Stills. The Dolphins have a solid running game and I just love Parker’s talent. What gives him the edge over Amari Cooper is his quarterback. Right now Ryan Tannehill is just a much better QB than an inexperienced Derek Carr. Parker also has the perfect skill set to coincide with Tannehill’s skill set. Heading into the draft I had Parker and Cooper in nearly a dead heat for the top wideout in the draft. Parker just landed in a better spot for the immediate future.
WR2 – Amari Cooper, OAK
Cooper is a tremendous talent and the Raiders actually appear to finally be heading in the right direction. Carr is a talented kid and these two could form quite the duo for years to come. Cooper was the safest pick in the entire draft and a safe pick was exactly what a team that couldn’t afford another bust needed. He does everything well and will be a huge help for Carr, who had very little assistance as a rookie. Just like in the real draft, Cooper is a very safe pick thanks to his relatively high floor.
WR3 – Devin Funchess, CAR
Funchess is a big target that will be one member of the “Twin Towers” opposite Kelvin Benjamin. He’s another guy that fits perfectly with his quarterback. Throws tend to sail on Cam Newton sometimes, and a 6-foot-4 target will suit him just fine. Funchess is a TE/WR hybrid that can cause matchup nightmares. I graded Funchess as a first round talent, however, a poor combine torpedoed his draft stock. While he is a bit raw, his talent is undeniable. Funchess is a perfect fit in Carolina and is going to have a big year.
TE – Clive Walford, OAK
Walford is by far the best tight end in this draft. He is an excellent pass-catcher but that’s not what separates him from the pack. He’s also a very strong blocker. No TE in this draft is close to as well-rounded as Walford. He broke every major receiving record for TEs at Miami. These aren’t slouches he was beating out. Miami has produced tight ends like Jimmy Graham, Greg Olsen, Kellen Winslow and Jeremy Shockey, just to name a few. Walford will win the starting job from Mychal Rivera and will be the top rookie tight end.
Flex – Todd Gurley, STL
Gurley is only the flex due to health concerns, otherwise, he’d be the RB1. He’s expected to be ready for Week 1, nevertheless, he could start the season on the PUP list thanks to a torn ACL last season at Georgia. In dynasty leagues Gurley should be the first rookie drafted by a mile. He’ll be an elite back for the next decade. Nonetheless, in redrafts, he’s a bit of a risky proposition. I wasn’t even sure if he should be the flex on this team but his talent is just too great to ignore. Tre Mason will likely start the season as the RB1 in St. Louis. Odds are he won’t end the season that way. Gurley is the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson, and so he had to make the team.