Tue May 21st 2024

Grading My "Diehard" Rookie Draft

My Diehard league is my favorite dynasty league. I recruited the most active managers from a few of my other leagues to start this one, knowing that everyone would be active year-round, and they are. There are more trades in this league than in any of my other leagues. The managers are dynasty diehards, thus the league name.

Last season, I decided to go into full rebuild mode with my team.  There are clear haves and have-nots in this league, and I am among the have-nots.  I traded Josh Allen and Alvin Kamara shortly after Nick Chubb's injury when I knew I had no chance last season. I acquired C.J.  Stroud, Romeo Doubs, and several picks in those trades. I had two first-round and two second-round picks in this draft and acquired a 2025 first-round pick to help in my rebuild.

I am happy with what I was able to do in this draft. I added three receivers who can become their team's WR-1 and two backup running backs who could replace the starters ahead of them within the next few years. Best of all, I traded back and received a 2025 first-round pick in the trade, so I now have three first-round picks in 2025, when the running back class will be much stronger than this year's class.

Here is how this one-quarterback league rookie draft played out.

Round One 

1. Dopper (via DPO) - Marvin Harrison
2. Box Wine - Malik Nabers
3. DPO (via Dopper) - Brock Bowers
4. Saracens - Rome Odonze
5. Mobsters - Caleb Williams
6. DPO (via Razor Stubble) - Jonathan Brooks
7. Dopper (via Leg Day) - Xavier Worthy
8. DPO (via Jokerbills, Leg Day) - Ladd McConkey
9. DPO (via Meathead, Box Wine) - Jayden Daniels
10. Invincible (via Leg Day, Furious) - Brian Thomas
11. Big Dan - Keon Coleman
12. Leg Day (via Invincible) - Trey Benson

• This draft included a monster trade before the draft by a manager who traded up for the 1.1 to select Marvin Harrison.  He traded away two 2024 first-round picks and a 2025 first-round pick to get up to the 1.1. That's the price of business with a prospct like Harrison.
• I drafted Malik Nabers with the 1.2.  While I'm not thrilled with the quarterbacks in New York, I am confident that Nabers will be the Giants' top target immediately. He's a game-changer with the ball in his hands, and the Giants will scheme up touches for him. I'm also pleased to have him as the top wide receiver on my rebuilding team.
• At 1.9, I messaged our league to ask if anyone would give up a 2025 1st for that pick.  I found a taker and was able to add his 2.10 pick to the deal. I would have drafted Ladd McConkey if he fell to me, but he was drafted the pick ahead of me. I think there is a tier break at the receiver position after McConkey, so I was willing to trade the pick for a future first-round pick.  I am weakest at running back, and I want to give my team more first-round options next year to address that position. I was pleased with the deal I made and later used the 2.10 pick to trade up in the second round.  

Round Two 

1. DPO - Ricky Pearsall
2. Box Wine - Blake Corum
3. Box Wine (via Dopper, DPO) - Xavier Lagette
4. Saracens - Ben Sinnott
5. Dopper (via Mobsters) - Adonai Mitchell
6. DPO (via Razor Stubble, Box Wine) - Jaylen Wright
7. Dopper (via Leg Day) - J.J. McCarthy
8. Mobsters (via Jokerbills) - MarShawn Lloyd
9. Meathead - Ray Davis
10. DPO (via Furious, Leg Day, DPO, Box Wine) - Roman Wilson
11. Big Dan - Ja'Lynn Polk
12. Invincible - Drake Maye

• At 2.2, I selected Blake Corum. I had Lagette ranked ahead of him in my rankings by one spot, but I decided to address my position of need. I knew Corum would not fall to me at 2.6, especially since the guy picking at 2.5 is weak at running back and a Michigan alum. Corum will share the load with Kyren Williams this year and have every chance to surpass him in a few years. This year's running back class is filled with RB-2s, with the exception of Jonathan Brooks. Corum is my favorite of the rest.
• I messaged the manager with the 2.3 to ask if he'd be willing to trade the 2.3 for the 2.6 and 2.10. He said yes, so I sent him the offer so that I could add Xavier Lagette to my squad. In coach Canales, I trust. I'm banking on him to help Bryce Young and the Panthers' offense improve significantly, and I know he has great plans for Lagette, who he traded up to get in the first round of the NFL draft.  The Panthers traded Diontae Johnson, but he's in the last year of his contract. After next year, Lagette will have every chance to become the Panthers' WR-1. I am pleased to have him and Nabers on my team since they are two of this class's most explosive big-play rookies.
• The team that traded back with me selected Jaylen Wright and Roman Wilson with the picks he acquired from me.  Had I stuck with 2.6 and 2.10, I would have drafted Ray Davis and Javon Baker.  At least Baker fell to me in the third round.

Round Three 

1. DPO - Luke McCaffrey
2. Box Wine - Javon Baker
3. Leg Day (via Dopper) - Troy Franklin 
4. Saracens - Jalen McMillan
5. DPO (via Mobsters, Dopper) - Malachi Corley
6. Razor Stubble - Bo Nix
7. Leg Day - Jermaine Burton
8. Jokerbills - Kimani Vidal
9. Leg Day (via Meathead, Razor Stubble) -  Will Shipley
10. Furious - Ja'Tavion Sanders
11. Big Dan - Micahel Penix
12. Invincible - Bucky Irving

• I drafted Baker in the draft I reported last week and have written about him often this year. He's one of "my guys" in this class, so I'll draft him often. The wide receiver room in New England is wide open, and Baker will become their most productive receiver, even ahead of Ja'Lynn Polk, who was drafted ahead of him in the NFL draft and this rookie draft.
• The wildest thing that happened in this round was two trades for players who had already been drafted by other teams. Roman Wilson was drafted at 2.10 but was later traded for two third-round picks, one in 2024, which turned into Malachi Corley, and one in 2025. The manager Corley and Wilson close together in his rankings because he was willing to accept this trade and pick up a future third-round pick.
• The same thing happened with Jermaine Burton after he was drafted. A manager offered the new Burton manager a third and fourth-round pick in 2024 and a third-round pick in 2025 for Burton.  The other manager accepted the offer and drafted Will Shipley and Isaiah Davis with his two picks while he waits for 2025 to see what he can find in the third round of next year's draft. The new Burton manager must have had Burton as the last of a tier of players that interested him, so he was willing to give up most of the rest of his draft for the player he wanted most.

Round Four 

1. DPO - Rasheen Ali
2. Box Wine - Audric Estime
3. Meathead (via Dopper) - Tyrone Tracy
4. Saracens - Braelon Allen
5. Mobsters  - Isaac Guerendo
6. Leg Day (via Razor Stubble) - Isaiah Davis
7. Leg Day - Theo Johnson
8. Dopper (via Jokerbills) - Malik Washington
9. Meathead - Jacob Cowing
10. Furious - Brenden Rice
11. Big Dan - Devontez Walker
12. Leg Day (via Invincible) - Dylan Laube

• I drafted Audric Estime at the 4.2 spot.  I was very surprised to see him fall that far. I wrote about him last week, so I won't elaborate too much here. While the running back room in Denver is crowded, I believe Estime can do one thing better than any of the backs they have. He's their best short-yardage runner. I also listened to several of Sean Peyton's press conferences after the draft, and he really likes Estime and sees a role for him. Javonte Williams' contract expires at the end of this season, giving Estime a chance to become the team's cheaper future option. They will want to see what they have in Estime this season to help them decide whether or not to offer Williams a new contract. All signs point to Denver not doing that, which is why they drafted Estime.

Round Five 

1. DPO - Louis Rees-Zammit
2. Box Wine - Bub Means
3. Dopper - Erick All
4. Saracens - Johnny Wilson
5. Mobsters - Drew Lock
6. Razor Stubble - Jared Wiley
7. Leg Day - Ryan Flournoy
8. Dopper (via Jokerbills) - Jase McClellan
9. Meathead - Anias Smith
10. Furious - Frank Gore Jr.
11. Big Dan - Spencer Rattler
12. Invincible - Cade Stover

• Bub Means is a player I'll draft a lot in the fifth round. I just picked him up off waivers in a league where we only have a four-round rookie draft. The WR-2 role is available in New Orleans.  Rashid Shaheed has a very specific role as the Saints' downfield player. The Saints lack the Michael Thomas big-bodied possession receiver. Means and A.T. Perry can fight for that type of role this year, and one of them will win the battle. It's a thin depth chart, and the Saints spent fifth-round draft capital on Means, which "means" something. See what I did there?

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Team Assessment

I like what I did with this draft for my rebuilding team. It's not a one-year rebuild, so I am thrilled to have three first-round draft picks next year.

I'm a super solid quarterback. Kyler Murray might be my last tradable piece in my rebuilding efforts, so I hope he gets off to a great start this season.

• C.J. Stroud, Kyler Murray, and Daniel Jones.

I'm building a solid base of young receivers. I just need a few of them to become the alphas on their teams. If Nabers, Lagette, and Baker hit this year, I'll be on my way to a fast comeback at that position. If Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jahan Dotson get an increased workload and production on their teams, I'll be flying high.

• Malik Nabers, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Xavier Lagette, Jahan Dotson, Romeo Doubs, Javon Baker, Zay Jones, Demario Douglas, A.T. Perry, Bub Means, Van Jefferson, Justin Watson, and Jordan Whittington.

At running back, I need another year to improve. I'm banking on the 2025 rookie class and my three first-round picks to factor into my rebuild. If Corum or Estime surprises me this year, I'll be in better shape. If Nick Chubb can bounce back from his injury, I'll at least have two capable starters. Hopefully, Jaylen Warren will become Pittsburgh's future starter after this season.

• Jaylen Warren, Nick Chubb, Blake Corum, Audric Estime, Eric Gray, Chris Rodriguez, and Israel Abanikanda.

My tight end room is a mess, but there are players worth streaming, including one hopeful, surprise late-career breakout player with Colby Parkinson. The Raiders drafting Brock Bowers hurt me the most since I intended Michael Mayer to become my future starter. I have way more tight ends than I prefer to roster. I want one or two to become reliable so I can drop the others.

• Michael Mayer, Mike Gesicki, Colby Parkinson, Juwan Johnson, Jonnu Smith, Isaiah Likely, and Will Dissly.

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