Tue Jun 4th 2024
My Favorite Rebuilding Team's Rookie Draft
A friend from another dynasty league invited me into the "Keeper" league about six or seven years ago. Don't let the name deceive you. It's a dynasty league that started in 2005. They were early adapters! I took over an orphan that needed some work, but I made it into a competitive team and made the playoffs a few times. It's a ten-team league, and only four teams make the playoffs, so it's considerably harder to make the playoffs every year.
Last season, after I lost my RB-1 when Nick Chubb suffered his brutal injury, I decided it was in my best interest to go entirely into rebuild mode. I sold off as many pieces as I could, which netted me six of the first 21 picks in this year's draft. I also traded a lot of vets for younger players, making this the youngest dynasty team I have ever had. My bad season netted me the first pick of the draft, something I have only had once before in my dynasty career. In this ten-team league, I had picks 1, 6, 11, 16, 18, and 21.
Two years ago, we transitioned to a superflex league, so this draft loaded with quarterbacks helped me a lot since I already had three starting quarterbacks on my roster and decided to wait on quarterbacks in this draft. Running back is my biggest position of need, so you'll see I drafted a lot of running backs, especially after I drafted my 1st and 4th-ranked wide receivers in this class. I let the draft come to me and never made a trade, but drafted the players I thought could help me rebuild the quickest.
This draft was my favorite of the year. It gave me hope for a quick rebound and a foundation for years to come.
1.1 - Marvin Harrison Jr.
- I decided not to draft a quarterback with the first pick since I already had three starting quarterbacks on my rosters and all their backups. I was confident I could draft a second-tier quarterback later in the draft since I had so many early-round picks. Harrison is a can't miss prospect who will break out in year one. He'll be a starting wide receiver on my roster for the next decade. I love his landing spot in Arizona because he will immediately become the team's top target, and he has an excellent quarterback, Kyler Murray. I'm glad I got one share of Harrison in my dynasty leagues. This is my only one.
1.6 - Jonathan Brooks
- Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels went two and three, followed by Brock Bowers and Malik Nabers. The draft played out just as I hoped, allowing me to get the top wide receiver and running back in this draft. He'll take time to make an impact for my team as Carolina eases him into their offense and he fully recovers from his surgery. Still, he was drafted earlier than expected by a team with an open backfield and, best of all, by an innovative coach who was pumped to draft Brooks. He's an excellent runner and pass catcher, so I am confident he will be an every-down back. Plus, he's 20 years old and has little wear and tear on his body after only starting one season in college. So far, this draft was playing out just as I hoped.
2.1 - Xavier Worthy
- I was surprised to have another Longhorn fall to me at the 11th pick in the draft. He's my fourth-ranked rookie receiver, but Rome Odunze, Ladd McConkey, Brian Robinson, and J.J. McCarthy went ahead of him in this draft. I considered drafting a quarterback but was confident one of the remaining two, Drake Maye or Bo Nix, would fall to me at my next pick. As I wrote about last week, Worthy is at the end of the top tier in my rankings, so I had to select him here and let the tier-two guys fall to me later in this round. Like Marvin Harrison, Worthy was a top recruit who broke out immediately in college. The only ding on Worthy's profile is his size, but the NFL is changing, giving smaller receivers significant roles in offenses. Worthy can play with the big boys and has the best coach and quarterback in the league to unleash his talents.
2.6 - Bo Nix
- I was able to get a quarterback in this superflex league. I just waited until the last likely starter was available. Keon Coleman, Drake Maye, Trey Benson, and Ja'Lynn Polk were drafted between my first two second-round picks. In superflex leagues, I like to roster the backups of my starting quarterbacks. That way, if the starter goes down, I will still have a starter on my roster. I already had Jared Stidham and Zach Wilson on my roster, so adding Nix was an easy choice. Now I can watch the offseason and preseason to see who becomes the starter and the backup. Given his draft capital and coach Peyton's thoughts on Nix, it's his job to lose, and I'm sure he'll win the starting role. I came into this draft intending to wait on quarterback and succeeded. Even though this is a ten-team league, some teams are weak at quarterback. With four starting quarterbacks on my roster, I'm in a great position to trade a quarterback for a good price. That's another part of my rebuilding plan.
2.8 - Blake Corum
- Ricky Pearsall was drafted after Bo Nix, leaving my second-ranked ranked rookie running back to fall to me at 2.8. Corum is one of my most drafted players this year since I have him ranked considerably higher than most dynasty analysts and managers. Kyren Williams gets injured a lot, which will benefit Corum, who was drafted to lessen the load on Williams. He'll get a share of the touches right away and could become their short-yardage and red-zone back since he was such an efficient short-yardage runner in college. If sharing the load is not enough to keep Williams from getting injured, Corum could explode when given the starting role. I was thrilled to get him this late in the draft. My weakness in this league is at running back, so from this point in the draft, I kept drafting running backs, hoping one or more will surprise me.
3.1 - Ray Davis
- Ray Davis is a "my guy," so I have written about him enough already, but here he was again in the third round for me to pick like I have several times this year. He's a different kind of back than James Cook, a bigger-bodied back that the Bills continue to search for in free agency every year. This year, they decided to draft one. I've written a lot about my love for Davis, so suffice it to say I was pleased to select him in this league, too.
5.1 - Audric Estime
- I didn't consider Estime a "my guy" before rookie drafts started, but I guess he's become one because I drafted him again in this draft. It's my third share of Estime, so like Davis, I have written about him enough. I'm trusting in his elite college production profile and the excitement in Sean Peyton's press conferences when talking about Estime. He has as good of a chance of becoming Denver's future RB-1 as any player on their current roster.
6.1 - Dylan Laube
- This is the first time I have drafted Laube, but I was willing to pull the trigger on him in the sixth round. His college production was through the roof, even though he played at a smaller school. I'd like to see how he looks in the preseason to decide if he'll be among the players I keep or cut when we have our roster cutdown date before the season starts. He's got relatively unproven backs ahead of him in Zamir White and Alexander Mattison, and he's an excellent pass catcher, so he could earn a role with the Raiders. I'm happy to draft him this late to see what role he can earn.
Team Assessment
In a ten-team league, it's much easier to rebuild. While I improved my team significantly with this draft, I need next year's draft to improve my team at running back. I already have two first-round picks next year and hope to make some trades this season for more picks when the running back class will be better.
Still, if one or more of the running backs I drafted this year break out, my team may bounce back quickly because I am loaded at wide receiver and just fine at quarterback and tight end.
I definitely don't have two top-tier quarterbacks, but I have one who is moving in that direction. My quarterbacks are middle of the pack, but I don't think they hurt my team too much. In this league, Jordan Love was the fifth highest-scoring quarterback last season, and Baker Mayfield was 11th.
- Jordan Love, Baker Mayfield, Daniel Jones, Bo Nix, and all of their primary backups, Sean Clifford, Kyle Trask, Drew Lock, Jared Stidham, and Zach Wilson.
Running backs are my weakness, but if one or more of the five backs I drafted in this rookie draft break out, I'll be competitive. If Nick Chubb recovers like he did from his previous knee surgeries, my running back room will look a lot better. I plan to compile one or two more first-round draft picks to complete my running back rebuild. Many of these players will get cut when we finalize rosters before game one.
- Jonathan Brooks, Jerome Ford, Nick Chubb, Blake Corum, Ray Davis, Audric Estime, Dylan Laube, Khalil Herbert, Kareem Hunt, A.J. Dillon, and Miles Sanders.
Wide receivers are my strength, and they are the youngest players on my roster, giving them time to improve and the potential for ten years of production. Elijah Moore and Van Jefferson will likely not make the cut when we finalize rosters, but the rest are keepers.
- Marvin Harrison, Puka Nacua, Chris Olave, Xavier Worthy, Zay Flowers, Jordan Addison, Jayden Reed, Tyler Lockett, Jahan Dotson, Elijah Moore, and Van Jefferson.
I'm solid at tight end, too. I have a great mix of young and old players, including two who broke out last year and finished as tight ends six and seven.
- Trey McBride, David Njoku, Luke Musgrave, Michael Mayer
Round One
2. Beast Mode - Caleb Williams - QB
3. Insaniacs (va Smoke Monster) - Jayden Daniels - QB
4. Beast Mode (via Nyuk-Nyuk) - Brock Bowers - TE
5. Beast Mode (via Hired Gunz) - Malik Nabers - WR
6. Dog Drool (via DPO) - Jonathan Brooks - RB
7. Beast Mode (via Mobsters) - Rome Odunze - WR
8. Beast Mode (via Razor Stubble) - Ladd McConkey - WR
9. Fruit Loops - Brian Thomas - WR
10. Mobsters (via Insaniacs) - J.J. McCarthy - QB
Round Two
2. Nyuk-Nyuk (via Beast Mode) - Keon Coleman - WR
3. Smoke Monster - Drake Maye - QB
4. Nyuk-Nyuk - Trey Benson - RB
5. Hired Gunz - Ja’Lynn Polk - WR
6. Dog Drool (via DPO) - Bo Nix - QB
7. Fruit Loops (via Mobsters) - Ricky Pearsall - WR
8. Dog Drool (via Razor Stubble) - Blake Corum - RB
9. Fruit Loops - Xavier Legette - WR
10. Mobsters via (Beast Mode, via Insainiacs) - MarShawn Lloyd - RB
Round Three
1. Dog Drool - Ray Davis - RB
2. Beast Mode - Michael Penix - QB
3. Nyuk-Nyuk (via Smoke Monster) - Adonai Mitchell - WR
4. Nyuk-Nyuk - Jaylen Wright - RB
5. Hired Gunz - Malachi Corley - WR
6. DPO -Roman Wilson
7. Fruit Loops (via Mobsters) - Ben Sinnott - TE
8. Razor Stubble - Jermaine Burton - WR
9. Fruit Loops - Troy Franklin - WR
10. Smoke Monster (via Insaniacs) - Bucky Irving - RB
Round Four
2. Beast Mode - Tyrone Tracy - RB
3. Smoke Monster - Javon Baker - WR
4. Nyuk-Nyuk - Jalen McMillan - WR
5. Hired Gunz - Devontez Walker - WR
6. DPO - Luke McCaffery - WR
7. Mobsters - Isaac Guerendo - RB
8. Razor Stubble - Braelon Allen - RB
9. Fruit Loops - Malik Washington - WR
10. DPO (via Beast Mode, Insaniacs) - Will Shipley - RB
Round Five
1. Dog Drool - Audric Estime - RB
2. Beast Mode - Louis Rees-Zammit - RB
3. Smoke Monster - Rasheen Ali - RB
4. Nyuk-Nyuk - Spencer Rattler - QB
5. Hired Gunz - Isaiah Davis - RB
6. DPO - Ja’Tavion Sanders - TE
7. Mobsters - Bailey - RB
8. Razor Stubble - Johnny Wilson - WR
9. Fruit Loops - Casey Washington - WR
10. Mobsters (via Insainiacs) - Rondale Moore - WR
Round Six
1. Dog Drool - Dylan Laube - RB
2. Beast Mode - Cody Schrader - RB
3. Smoke Monster - Theo Johnson - TE
4. Nyuk-Nyuk - Cade Stover - TE
5. Hired Gunz - Eric All - TE
6. DPO - Brendan Rice - WR
7. Mobsters Michael Pratt - QB
8. Razor Stubble - Jared Wiley - TE
9. Fruit Loops - Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint - WR
10. Mobsters (via Insaniacs) - Jacob Cowing -WR
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