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Tue Jan 14th 2025

Reranking The Rookie Class

One of the things I do at the end of each season is to rerank the rookie class and compare it with my rankings during rookie drafts. This process helps me evaluate what I got right and wrong and helps me evaluate rookies better the following season. Plus, it's just fun to take one last look at the rookie class before beginning to study the next class of rookies.

At the end of the 2024 season, this is how I rank the top 20 rookies in this class in superflex leagues.

1. Jayden Daniels

  • Daniels was ranked 3rd in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 1st.  He had an incredible rookie season, finishing as the 5th highest-scoring quarterback. I don't fear the C.J. Stroud dip in production next year or in the years to come. His production running the ball will always keep him productive for fantasy purposes, even if defenses figure out his tendencies in the passing game. Daniels is now my 2nd ranked quarterback overall, with only Josh Allen ahead of him.

2. Bo Nix

  • Nix was ranked 10th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 2nd. He finished his rookie season as the 7th highest scoring quarterback. He struggled at the beginning of the season but improved significantly as the season progressed. Coach Payton believed in Nix and now they have a franchise quarterback. Dynasty managers who believed in him are very pleased to have drafted him. Nix is now my 7th ranked dynasty quarterback.

3. Caleb Williams

  • Williams was ranked 1st in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 3rd. The future is bright for Williams even though he did not shine like Daniels and Nix did in his rookie season. His biggest flaw this season was holding onto the ball too long and taking sacks. Hopefully, the Bears' next coaching staff will get more out of him. He's still a fantastic prospect, but he's fallen behind Daniels and Nix in my rankings. He's my 15th-ranked rookie quarterback.

4. Malik Nabers

  • Nabers was ranked 4th in my rookie rankings in May, and I now rank him 4th again. He finished the season as the 7th highest scoring wide receiver even while having sub-par quarterback play and missing two games with an injury. Before the draft, many scouts believed he was the top wide receiver in this class ahead of Marvin Harrison Jr., and they were right. I never saw Nabers drafted ahead of Harrison in rookie drafts, but now dynasty managers wish they would have done so. Nabers is now my 6th ranked dynasty wide receiver.

5. Brian Thomas

  • Thomas was ranked 16th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 5th. He finished the season as the 4th highest-scoring wide receiver, even while playing with a backup quarterback for half the season. Thomas was one of my biggest misses in this year's class. I thought he was only a deep-threat receiver since that's what he did best at LSU, and he only did it for one season, but he proved to be better than that. Managers who believed in him more than me are thrilled to have drafted him. He's now my 7th ranked dynasty wide receiver.

6. Brock Bowers

  • Bowers was ranked 8th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 6th. He finished his rookie season as the highest-scoring tight end in the league, even while playing with below-average quarterbacks. He had the best rookie season of any tight end in history. After just one season, he has already risen to be my top-ranked tight end in dynasty. What more can be said of his fantastic rookie season?

7. Drake Maye

  • Maye was ranked 4th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 7th. He didn't impress like Daniels and Nix, but he showed enough to make clear the Patriots have the quarterback of their future. He was limited by poor coaching and having a below-average receiving corps. The Patriots' new coaching staff will help him improve, and the Patriots are sure to draft a top-tier wide receiver and/or sign a top free agent since they have the most salary cap money in the league. His future is still bright, and he's now my 16th-ranked quarterback.

8. Michael Penix

  • Penix was ranked 26th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 8th. Most dynasty managers had Penix ranked low because they assumed Kirk Cousins would have the starting role in Atlanta for the next two years or more. No one predicted that Cousins would fall off the cliff like he did. Penix looked like a competent quarterback in the three games he started, giving Falcon fans, who hated the Penix pick, hope that he's their starter next year. Given his small sample size, I've only moved Penix up to 24th in my quarterback rankings.

9. Marvin Harrison

  • Harrison was ranked 2nd in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 9th. He finished his disappointing rookie season as the 29th-highest-scoring wide receiver. He and Kyler Murray could not get on the same page. They've vowed to work on their chemistry during the offseason, and they must. Harrison is too talented to drop out of the top ten in this class, but Nabers and Thomas have passed him by a long shot. Harrison is 13th in my wide receiver rankings, but he needs to improve quickly next year, or he will fall quickly down my rankings.

10. Bucky Irving

  • Irving was ranked 42nd in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 10th. If Brian Thomas was not my biggest miss last year, it's Bucky Irving. He finished the season 14th in fantasy points for running backs, and that's after a really slow start to the season when he competed with Rachaad White for playing time. By the end of the season, he was not only the Buccaneers lead running back, but he was also a scoring machine. I mistakenly dinged him for his small frame and poor Combine performance. I wish I could take that back. At least I managed to draft him in one league. He's now my 9th-ranked running back in dynasty.

11. Ladd McConkey

  • McConkey was ranked 14th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 11th. He battled injuries throughout the season but mostly played through them. He became Justin Herberts' favorite target and finished the season as the 13th-highest-scoring wide receiver. He's an excellent route runner who always finds a way to get open, just as scouts predicted. I wish I would have been a little higher on McConkey than I was. He's now my 19th-ranked wide receiver.

12. Rome Odunze

  • Odunze was ranked 6th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 12th. He was never able to surpass D.J. Moore or Keenan Allen for targets. As a result, he finished the season as the 49th-highest-scoring wide receiver. He had a rough rookie season, but he's also the leading candidate to do what Jaxon Smith-Njigba did in his sophomore season. I'd still draft him high if we redrafted again today, even though he's fallen to 28th in my wide receiver rankings.

13. Xavier Worthy

  • Worthy was ranked 9th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 12th. Worthy had an excellent first game in the NFL but then was not used as often until the end of the season when his involvement picked up considerably. He became the Chiefs' WR-1 by the end of the season and finished as the 33rd highest-scoring wide receiver. Next year, Rashee Rice will be back healthy, so he will go back to a WR-2 role, but his future is still bright. He's my 29th-ranked wide receiver.

14. Tyrone Tracy

  • Tracy was ranked 37th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 14th. Tracy steadily crept up my rookie draft board throughout the offseason as rookie drafts neared. When the Giants drafted him, he moved up even more, but not high enough. Tracy quickly stole the starting role from Devin Singletary and finished the season as the 26th-highest-scoring running back. The Giants retained their coaching staff and general manager, giving Tracy a better opportunity to remain their starter. Tracy is now my 13th-ranked running back.

15. Jalen McMillan

  • McMillan was ranked 27th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 15th. I must have had him ranked higher than most dynasty managers because he was my most drafted rookie. It took an injury to Chris Godwin and some time to get on the same page with Baker Mayfield, but by the end of the season, he was red hot. He scored one or two touchdowns in each of the last five games of the season. If the Buccaneers move on from Godwin next season, McMillan's dynasty value will rise even higher. He's now my 37th-ranked wide receiver.

16. J.J. McCarthy

  • McCarthy was ranked 7th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 16th. His fall in my rankings is based solely on the fact that Sam Darnold played so well this season. His dynasty value hinges on the offseason decision the Vikings make as to whether they sign Darnold to a new contract or let him leave in free agency. He looked great in the preseason before tearing his ACL and missing the rest of the season. Is that enough for the Vikings to let Darnold walk? We'll soon see, and then we'll know whether McCarthy's dynasty value shoots up or falls. For the time being, he is my 23rd-ranked quarterback.

17. Jonathan Brooks

  • Brooks was ranked 11th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 17th. In one of the saddest stories of the season, Brooks tore the same ACL as he did in college, and he did it near the end of the season. I doubt dynasty managers will see him on the field until late next season, or maybe not at all. On top of that, Chuba Hubbard played great this season, and the Panthers signed him to a new contract. He's still one of the top running backs in this class, so I'd still draft him, just not nearly as high as I did in May. He's fallen to 21st in my running back rankings.

18. Ray Davis

  • Davis was ranked 20th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 18th. I thought for sure that Davis would become the Bills goal-line back, but that did not happen. James Cook had the best season of his career and held off Davis all season. Even so, when Davis did play, he looked terrific. He's earned the team's trust and will get more playing time in the years to come and would excel if Cook ever misses time. He's now my 32nd-ranked running back.

19. Blake Corum

  • Corum was ranked 15th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 19th. I expected Corum to cut significantly into Kyren Williams's playtime this season, but he did not. I still believe in his talent and in the Rams' offense, but I would not draft him as high as I did back in May. He seems settled into a permanent backup role, but he is still a great player to stash on a roster in case Williams ever gets hurt. He's fallen to 33rd in my running back rankings.

20. Xavier Legette

  • Legette was ranked 13th in my rookie rankings in May, but now I rank him 20th. He flashed a few times this season but was very inconsistent. He had every opportunity to earn a more significant role, as the Panthers' receivers were often injured, but he did not capitalize on his opportunity. Still, he has the draft capital to keep a starting role, and Byrce Young and the offense improved tremendously as the year went on. I was way higher on Legette than most dynasty managers, so I drafted him several times. I'd still do so today, just not as early as I did back in May. He's now my 47th-ranked wide receiver.

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