Rookies who WILL have a fantasy impact this year!
Tevin Coleman- RB (ATL)
The Falcons running back situation has been one to monitor throughout this offseason. With the departure of Steven Jackson and the addition of OC Kyle Shanahan, a big opportunity awaits for whomever can step up and become the Falcons top running back. As soon as Tevin Coleman got drafted by the Falcons, I immediately thought it would be him.
The former Indiana Hoosier ran for 2,036 yards in his senior season averaging an insane 7.5 yards per carry. You may think that he just boosted his stats against bad Big 10 teams, which to some extent is true, an example being 307 yard v Rutgers. But if you look at the game against the #6 overall rushing defense in the nation, Michigan State, Coleman still averaged 8.8 YPC for 132 yards. He also ran wild against a solid Ohio State defense averaging 8.4 YPC for 228 yards!
These video game-like numbers are obviously impossible to repeat in the NFL, but if he gets the carries and becomes the starter, posting solid RB2 numbers wouldn’t surprise me. The one obstacle to the starting job is Devonta Freeman. Freeman and Coleman should have a good competition for the starting job, but I think Coleman should take it by the beginning of the season. It is definitely a position battle to continue to watch throughout the pre-season.
Nelson Agholor- WR (PHI)
Desean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, now Nelson Agholor? Both Desean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin posted career years as the featured receiver in Chip Kelly’s offense and now it could be Agholor’s turn to make a huge impact With the departure of Maclin, 143 targets from last year are freed up. Agholor and Maclin also are the exact same weight and height, while their arm lengths and hand sizes are exactly the same. After I saw this creepy comparison it made sense that Agholor was clearly drafted as Maclin’s replacement.
Last year Chip Kelly claims to have had Odell Beckham as “#1 on his big board”. So can we expect an Odell type year from Agholor? First off, hindsight is 20:20 Chip. Any coach who drafted after the Giants can say that. Second, It is actually definitely possible for him to have an “Odell” type of year! If Agholor fully steps up into Maclins role and matures quickly he could definitely have an incredible rookie year. With Maclin gone and improvement at the QB position from Sanchez to Bradford Agholor could step in and have immediate fantasy value. My best bet would be on him getting at least 1,000 yards if he is in that starting role. After watching more film on him, the eagles did a fantastic job getting him. He fits perfectly into the role left open by Maclin’s departure. He is also quoted saying,
“I don't feel like I'm entitled to anything. ... Work like a peasant. That's the mind-set.”
If Agholor plans on “working like a peasant”, with this kind of opportunity and his skillset, You can make me the conductor of the Agholor fantasy bandwagon. He may be one of my favorite rookies this year especially for the value. The highly touted Amari Cooper and Todd Gurley may be taken as soon as the 4th round in redraft leagues, while you will be able to get Agholor a few rounds later.
Amari Cooper- WR (OAK)
Amari Cooper out of Alabama was highly coveted and it almost seemed like the Raiders had their pick ready as soon as he wasn’t drafted by the Jags. While Cooper definitely didn’t land in an ideal spot for fantasy purposes, he will still able to make an impact. He is the most pro-ready receiver in this class and hopefully can develop a rapport with Derek Carr. Usually the way a rookie makes an impact is through opportunity or talent. Well Cooper has plenty of talent, and without a bona fide WR1 in the Raiders O the spot is for the taking. This combination of talent and opportunity should result in a solid rookie year for him. I wouldn’t expect an Odell Beckham outing, but coming near 1000 yards isn’t out of the realm of possibility. I would expect WR3 or 4 numbers coming into the year, but if he becomes Carr’s go-to weapon and they develop some chemistry then he could potentially blow up. His average draft position (ADP) may be a little high for my liking and tough to get value out of but he will definitely make a fantasy impact.
Melvin Gordon- RB (SD)
The Chargers didn’t want to risk not getting “their guy” so they traded up two picks with the 49ers to #15 and selected who they hope to be their franchise running back. I know sounds kind of weird now-a-days right? Didn’t think running backs were drafted to be a face of the franchise or even in the first round for that matter. Jokes aside, Gordon fell into a perfect situation so that he can make an impact his rookie year.
The San Diego backfield was a big question mark this season and they knew they had to address it in the off-season. Reports said the Chargers see Brandon Oliver as a change-of-pace back so Gordon should have relatively no competition to be the bell-cow back for them. However, I do have some concerns about him. He played at University of Wisconsin and many Running backs who produce great seasons at Wisonsin seem to be a “bust” in the NFL. For example, Montee Ball and James White. When watching Gordon play in college it seemed as though he had gaping holes at times to run through. When he plays this upcoming season where defenses are a lot better and his O-line isn’t as dominant as it was in college it’ll be interesting to see how well he does. I still think he will have plenty of success and could be a dominant force for years to come.
Todd Gurley- RB (STL)
I was really expecting Gurley to fall to Miami, or someone to trade up and take him before 10. This move by the Rams was a huge shock and really pissed of Tre Mason dynasty holders (including myself). That being said, it isn’t a horrible spot for his fantasy value. Assuming he becomes the starter eventually he should be very successful. However, there are definitely a lot of question marks about him coming into this season.
Reports have said that he won’t be ready until around week 6 because of his torn ACL during his senior college season. He also has to win over the starting job from Tre Mason. Though last year the rams coaching staff was very open to making a change as Tre took over the job from Zac Stacy, and I expect a similar change to happen this year when Gurley comes back healthy. Many scouts have said he is the best prospect at running back since Adrian Peterson. Gurley could be a huge value in the late rounds of drafts because come week 6 or 7, you will have yourself a rookie ready to tear up the NFL and potentially put up huge numbers.
Kevin White- WR (CHI)
The departure of Brandon Marshall probably made Jay Cutler tear up a little bit. At times throughout their careers, it seemed like Cutty didn’t look at any other receivers on plays and had major tunnel vision for Marshall. Now that he’s gone Alshon should become Jay’s best friend. The #2 role in this offense is a huge opportunity for Kevin White to seize.
White was one of the most athletic receivers of the draft and could become the best receiver in the NFL someday if he polishes some of his skills. This athletic freak is 6’3 , 215 lbs and ran a 4.35 40 yard dash. He also has very good jump ball skills. White landed in a great place to become one of the NFL’s best because there isn’t much pressure on him to become great right away, and he has time to develop behind Alshon. While Cutler may not be able to lead the Bears to many victories he has a hell of an arm and can gun the ball downfield.
Also, the new offensive coordinator for the Bears (Adam Gase) was just at the Broncos where Emmanuel Sanders, the #2 in that offense, had a fantastic year. I know it is a bit crazy to compare Peyton Manning to Jay Cutler in that sense, but I think some of Sanders production may have been part of the scheme Gase ran. I don’t expect White to put up 1,400 yards but near 800 wouldn’t surprise me, making him worth a late round look in re-draft leagues.
Breshad Perriman- WR (BAL)
This is one of those times where opportunity creates fantasy value. This opportunity was created by two things happening this offseason. Torrey Smith leaving, and OC Marc Trestman coming in. Torrey smith was Baltimore’s #1 receiver, and while he didn’t have many great seasons, there are still many targets opening up with his departure. Trestmans system also made for a few top 10 finishes for his receivers in the past. There is a large difference between the Bears old receiving corp and what the Ravens will have this year, but there should be plenty of opportunities for the rookie Perriman to make an impact. Perriman is definitely talented but was also viewed as a fairly raw prospect.
Reports have from OTA's are that his hands look "solid" as well as OC Marc Trestman saying he "has an impressive knowledge of the game."
He could be a very good value pick this year and will definitely have some huge games as long as he becomes a starter. He could become a regular WR3 and maybe even higher in PPR leagues.
Honorable Mention: Devante parker WR (MIA), T.J. Yeldon RB (JAX), Dorial Green-Beckham WR (TEN), David Johnson RB (ARI), Jay Ajayi RB (MIA), Ameer Abdullah RB (DET)
Many of you may be wondering where Devante Parker, and some of the other big names are and why they weren’t featured. I am the most sure about the players featured in this article and that they will make a big impact. For example while Parker may end up making a fantasy impact this year, there are a lot of mouths to feed in Miami. Stills and Jennings both came in this offseason. Along with a new more dangerous TE in Jordan Cameron. Also don’t forget Jarvis Landry, their slot receiver. Parker has a lot blocking his way to stardom this year especially since it was just announced that he will be getting a screw inserted in his foot and will possibly be ready for the beggining of the season. It’s hard to confidently say he will have a great year. All the other players have reasoning as well.
Thanks for reading and comment below with your thoughts/opinions!
