My early Post-Draft Draft Board (Dynasty PPR):
1.01 Najee Harris RB1 (Tier 1) 6-2 229 Pittsburgh Steelers (Round 1, Pick 24)
Harris retains the top spot in rookie dynasty drafts. The Steelers have long been a blue collar team which takes pride in a rugged ground game. However, the Pittsburgh O-line has struggled recently, and we will see a lot of new faces up front this season. How quickly this line comes together will be the key to success for Harris.
1.02 JaMarr Chase WR1 (Tier 1) 6-0 207 Cincinnati Bengals (Round 1, Pick 5)
Teaming Chase up with his former LSU QB should shorten the learning curve for the talented receiver. Chase is a clear top-3 dynasty pick, and arguably the safest of the top dynasty picks.
1.03 Travis Etienne RB2 (Tier 1) 5-10 205 Jacksonville Jaguars (Round 1, Pick 25)
It was a bit surprising to see the Jaguars draft Etienne, but, like Chase, Etienne is paired with his college QB. James Robinson still looms as a threat to Etienne’s workload, but Etienne should get enough work to justify a top 3-5 dynasty pick. The young Jaguars offense could quickly become one of the more exciting units in the league.
1.04 Javonte Williams RB3 (Tier 1) 5-10 220 Denver Broncos (Round 2, Pick 35)
Melvin Gordon will still command his share of touches in the short term, but for dynasty purposes, this is one of the best destinations Williams could have asked for. The Broncos are a QB away from being an elite offense, and Gordon is not going to hold off Williams for long.
1.05 Kyle Pitts TE1 (Tier 1) 6-6 240 Atlanta Falcons (Round 1, Pick 4)
The Falcons will not wait long to get Pitts heavily involved. Atlanta is playing to win now. If you are investing in Pitts for your dynasty team, this should be music to your ears. If there is a concern, it is with who will be quarterbacking this team in the future once Matt Ryan hangs it up.
1.06 Trevor Lawrence QB1 (Tier 1) 6-6 220 Jacksonville Jaguars (Round 1, Pick 1)
There is plenty of reason to be excited about what they are doing in Jacksonville, and Trevor Lawrence as at the center of it all.
1.07 Jaylen Waddle WR2 (Tier 2) 5-10 183 Mimi Dolphins (Round 1, Pick 6)
Waddle should quickly become the centerpiece of the Miami offense. Rumors of Tua’s demise in Miami are greatly exaggerated. He spent his rookie season working his way back from injury. Continuing the theme of reuniting young QBs with their college weapons, Tua gets his former teammate to go along with the off-season addition of Will Fuller.
1.08 DeVonta Smith WR3 (Tier 2) 6-1 174 Philadelphia Eagles (Round 1, Pick 10)
The Heisman Trophy winner should quickly endear himself to Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles. I am not completely sold on Hurts as a passer, but he was also working with a receiving corps last season that could be bested on most schoolyard playgrounds. Smith and Reagor give Hurts two young first-round receivers. Look for Smith to quickly establish himself as the alpha dog in Philly.
1.09 Rashod Bateman WR4 (Tier 3) 6-2 209 Baltimore Ravens (Round 1, Pick 27)
Bateman gets a slight bump down going to Baltimore, but there is still reason to remain excited about his future. Bateman could quickly step in as the top wideout in Baltimore. Lamar Jackson is not known for being an accurate downfield passer, but Bateman is known for his ability to fight for the ball, and he should quickly endear himself to the Ravens.
1.10 Elijah Moore WR5 (Tier 3) 5-9 185 New York Jets (Round 2, Pick 34)
I love the direction the Jets are going with their offense. The one established WR the Jets have is Jamison Crowder, who plays out of the slot, so it will be interesting to see how the team uses Elijah Moore, who worked almost exclusively out of the slot in college.
1.11 Rondale Moore WR6 (Tier 3) 5-7 181 Arizona Cardinals (Round 2, Pick 49)
Moore is a big play injury waiting to happen. Moore fits perfectly in Coach Kliff Kingsbury’s Air Raid offense he deployed at Texas Tech. Small, quick receivers Jakeem Grant and Keke Coutee thrived in the Kingsbury’s quick-strike offense. The Cardinals hope Rondale Moore can excel where Andy Isabella has failed to establish himself. The receiver room is crowded in Arizona. A.J. Green is expected to man the outside opposite DeAndre Hopkins. Moore will compete for touches with Christian Kirk, but as long as he can stay healthy, Moore has a chance to inject some excitement into the Arizona offense.
1.12 Trey Sermon RB4 (Tier 2) 6-0 221 San Francisco 49ers (Round 3, Pick 88)
San Francisco has typically deployed a RBBC under Kyle Shanahan, but the Niners traded up to grab Sermon, who could prove to be a workhorse-type back for the 49ers. There could be some growing pains for the Niner’s offense as they try to develop Trey Lance, and you have to account for the eventuality of Lance stealing a share of the goal line carries. Sermon’s star was already on the rise prior to the NFL Draft, but he has now emerged as the clear RB4 in this class, IMO.
2.01 Michael Carter RB5 (Tier 2) 5-8 201 New York Jets (Round 4, Pick 107)
You really could not ask for a better destination for Carter. Carter does not profile as a workhorse back, but he could quickly emerge as the primary back in what promises to be an improved offense.
2.02 Justin Fields QB2 (Tier 2) 6-3 228 Chicago Bears (Round 1, Pick 11)
The Bears have longed for a franchise QB for generations. Hopefully, Fields can finally fill that void. Hope has been restored in the Windy City! Allen Robinson remains the linchpin for this offense, but Fields has added fantasy value with his running ability.
2.03 Terrace Marshall WR7 (Tier 4) 6-3 201 Carolina Panthers (Round 2, Pick 59)
Marshall moves down a few spots with his arrival in Carolina, but he is still an excellent dynasty WR to target.
2.04 Kadarius Toney WR8 (Tier 4) 5-11 194 New York Giants (Round 1, Pick 20)
Toney could be fed a healthy diet of passes. I am not completely sold on Toney, but his draft capital means he will get the opportunity to shine.
2.05 Trey Lance QB3 (Tier 2) 6-4 224 San Francisco 49ers (Round 1, Pick 3)
Lance gets a bump up going to San Francisco. He may begin the season behind Jimmy G, but he is the future for the Niners.
2.06 Zach Wilson QB4 (Tier 2) 6-3 209 New York Jets (Round 1, Pick 2)
Potential elite QB. Wilson does not bring elite running ability, but the Jets are surrounding him with some talent.
2.07 Amon-Ra St. Brown WR9 (Tier 4) 6-1 195 Detroit Lions (Round 4, Pick 112)
Amon-Ra St. Brown lasted longer in the draft than I expected, but he finds himself with a very good opportunity in Detroit. St. Brown will look to become QB Jared Goff’s new Cooper Kupp.
2.08 Pat Freiermuth TE2 (Tier 2) 6-5 260 Pittsburgh Steelers (Round 2, Pick 55)
Pat Freiermuth is a Steelers kind of player. I could not be happier with this destination for the talented Tight End. As is usually the case with rookie Tight Ends, it may take some time for Freiermuth to establish himself. He is not going to supplant Eric Ebron on the depth chart this season, but he could be a viable fantasy option for 2022.
2.09 Josh Palmer WR10 (Tier 4) 6-1 210 Los Angeles Chargers (Round 3, Pick 77)
Palmer could spend a good part of 2021 playing behind Mike Williams, but with Williams a pending free agent next off-season and Keenan Allen now 29 years old, Palmer is an excellent long-range target for your dynasty team. He looks to pair up with Justin Herbert in what could be a deadly duo for many seasons to come.
2.10 Dyami Brown WR11 (Tier 4) 6-0 185 Washington Football Team (Round 3, Pick 82)
Washington has been seeking a legitimate threat opposite Terry McLaurin. They brought in Curtis Samuel and drafted the speedy Dyami Brown. Fitzpatrick should enjoy the riches this season, but there is still a need to address the QB position long term.
2.11 Nico Collins WR12 (Tier 4) 6-4 218 Houston Texans (Round 3, Pick 89)
Houston had a glaring need for receiver help, and Collins helps to fill that void. The question is who will be throwing the ball to him.
2.12 Kenneth Gainwell RB6 (Tier 3) 5-11 201 Philadelphia Eagles (Round 5, Pick 150)
It is a bit disappointing to see Gainwell drafted behind a young, talented back in Miles Sanders, but Gainwell could quickly ascend the depth chart to become Sanders’ primary backup.
3.01 Chuba Hubbard RB7 (Tier 3) 6-0 208 Carolina Panthers (Round 4, Pick 126)
You may need to exercise some patience with Hubbard, but we have seen Christian McCaffrey’s backups get their turn at reps in Carolina. Hubbard could be vastly underrated in dynasty. He is an excellent CMC insurance policy, but he could carve out a reserve role even behind a healthy McCaffrey.
3.02 D’Wayne Eskridge WR13 (Tier 5) 5-9 190 Seattle Seahawks (Round 2, Pick 56)
Probably a bit overdrafted by Seattle, considering they already have Tyler Lockett, and they lacked picks, but you have to love the potential with Russ Wilson.
3.03 Amari Rodgers WR14 (Tier 5) 5-10 210 Green Bay Packers (Round 3, Pick 85)
I was a little surprised the Packers took Amari over Amon-Ra, but I like the potential. If Aaron Rodgers departs, I like the situation a lot less, however.
3.04 Mac Jones QB5 (Tier 3) 6-3 214 New England Patriots (Round 1, Pick 15)
Jones faced much criticism, mostly unfairly, when he was being discussed as the target for the Forty Niners at pick 1.03. Jones finds himself in a very favorable situation playing for Bill Belichick behind an aging starter. He won’t be an elite fantasy QB, but he can be a valuable starter.
3.05 Tylan Wallace WR15 (Tier 5) 6-0 190 Baltimore Ravens (Round 4, Pick 131)
Tylan Wallace plays bigger than his size, and he really understands how to work the boundaries. He finds himself in what could be as a disappointing situation in Baltimore, however. He gets a bump down with the destination, but he presents good upside at this point in your draft.
3.06 Khalil Herbert RB8 (Tier 4) 5-9 205 Chicago Bears (Round 6, Pick 217)
Chicago would be a more appealing draft destination had the Bears not gone out and signed Damien Williams. After missing a season for COVID and moving on from KC, the 29-year old Williams may not be quite the back we last saw winning a Super Bowl. It does not take a lot of imagination to envision Herbert as the primary backup to David Montgomery.
3.07 Rhamondre Stevenson RB9 (Tier 4) 6-0 232 New England Patriots (Round 4, Pick 120)
Stevenson has an intriguing skillset. I compared him earlier to LeGarrette Blount, so it is interesting that he finds himself in New England. Now, there is even talk that Sony Michel could be displaced. New England is the ultimate RBBC destination, but Bill Belichick loves role-playing RBs, and Stevenson fits that mold. It is a crowded mess at RB, but you could do worse with a roll of the dice than drafting Stevenson to your fantasy squad.
3.08 Jermar Jefferson RB10 (Tier 4) 5-10 210 Detroit Lions (Round 7, Pick 257)
It was a disappointing drop for Jefferson, and he finds himself behind D’Andre Swift in Detroit, but keep in mind that Swift was not exactly a picture of durability during his rookie campaign. Jefferson could get his opportunities in this offense, especially now with Kerryon carrying on elsewhere, but Jamaal Williams is going to factor into the rotation.
3.09 Brevin Jordan TE3 (Tier 3) 6-3 235 Houston Texans (Round 5, Pick 147)
Houston is a hot mess right now, but there is an opportunity at TE for Brevin Jordan. The team added another big-bodied pass catcher in Nico Collins, and Jordan gives Houston a pair of big targets. The question is: who is going to be guiding the team under center?
3.10 Ihmir Smith-Marsette WR16 (Tier 5) 6-2 186 Minnesota Vikings (Round 5, Pick 157)
There is not a lot of room for Smith-Marsette in the WR rotation, but he has the skillset to develop into a real threat.
3.11 Elijah Mitchell RB11 (Tier 5) 5-11 217 San Francisco 49ers (Round 6, Pick 194)
The Shanahan system famously turns under-the-radar backs into stars, and Elijah Mitchell hopes to add to that legend. However, the Niners also moved up in the draft to grab Trey Sermon, and they still have Mostert and Wilson. Injuries can change the RB landscape quickly, but I am not expecting Mitchell to emerge year one in San Francisco. Looking beyond 2021, you can see a path to a more prominent role in the offense, but I am not investing too heavily in what could fairly be described as speculative value.
3.12 Chatarius “Tutu” Atwell WR17 (Tier 6) 5-9 155 Los Angeles Rams (Round 2, Pick 57)
It is hard to imagine Atwell being more than a gimmick player on offense, but you cannot ignore the draft capital.
4.01 Davis Mills QB6 (Tier 4) 6-4 225 Houston Texans (Round 3, Pick 67)
Mills is still raw, but he has the talent to be a starter. Houston may need some QB help, depending on what happens with Watson.
4.02 Anthony Schwartz WR18 (Tier 6) 6-0 180 Cleveland Browns (Round 3, Pick 91)
Schwartz brings incredible speed to the Browns, but he may be more decoy than productive WR.
4.03 Desmond “Dez” Fitzpatrick WR19 (Tier 6) 6-2 210 Tennessee Titans (Round 4, Pick 109)
Tennessee needed to fill the void left by Corey Davis, but Fitzpatrick will have to compete with fellow rookie Racey McMath for touches.
4.04 Cornell Powell WR20 (Tier 6) Kansas City Chiefs (Round 5, Pick 181)
The Chiefs needed help at the WR position, but I don’t know that Powell is ready to step up and fill that need. Powell will have to challenge Mecole Hardman and Demarcus Robinson for turns in the offense, but if he can carve out a role, you have to love the destination.
4.05 Jalen Camp WR21 (Tier 7) 6-2 220 Jacksonville Jaguars (Round 6, Pick 209)
Camp needs a good camp to earn reps in this emerging offense
4.06 Seth Williams WR22 (Tier 7) 6-3 224 Denver Broncos (Round 6, Pick 219)
Is Williams insurance behind Courtland Sutton, or can he break a talented lineup?
4.07 Marquez Stevenson WR23 (Tier 7) 5-10 182 Buffalo Bills (Round 6, Pick 203)
Speedy receiver to replace John Brown?
4.08 Kylin Hill RB12 (Tier 5) 5-11 215 Green Bay Packers (Round 7, Pick 256)
Kylin Hill becomes Green Bay’s new Jamaal Williams, but AJ Dillon’s emergence late last season is part of what made Williams expendable. Hill’s strengths do not necessarily overlap those of Dillon, so Hill could carve out a receiving role behind Aaron Jones, but I don’t expect Hill will be more than a potential bye week desperation play without a significant shakeup ahead of him.
4.09 Demetric Felton RB13 (Tier 5) 5-10 189 Cleveland Browns (Round 6, Pick 211)
I was pretty excited about Felton leading up to the draft, but my enthusiasm was quickly doused when Felton was drafted by Cleveland. Felton was never going to challenge for a lead RB role, but Cleveland’s RB rotation of Chubb and Hunt, plus D’Ernest Johnson as a versatile reserve, leaves little room for Felton to excel. Things obviously change quickly in the NFL, and the Browns could find a role for the skilled Felton, but I am not investing much to acquire him at this point.
4.10 Sage Surratt WR24 (Tier 7) 6-3 215 Detroit Lions (UDFA)
Surratt is very similar to fellow Lion Quintez Cephus, but he has some talent. Surprising he was not drafted, but a slow 40 time may have doomed him.
4.11 Tamorrion Terry WR25 (Tier 7) 6-3 207 Seattle Seahawks (UDFA)
Terry has intriguing skillset, but he needs to prove he is dedicated to football.
4.12 Larry Rountree III RB14 (Tier 5) 5-10 210 Los Angeles Chargers (Round 6, Pick 198)
Rountree finds himself in a good situation in Los Angeles. There is not a clearly-established depth chart at RB, and the undersized Ekeler has shown some durability issues. Rountree has few weaknesses, but also few outstanding traits. He is never going to be a long-term starter, but he could string together a few start-worthy games if called upon. Invest accordingly.
5.01 Simi Fehoko WR26 (Tier 7) 6-4 220 Dallas Cowboys (Round 5, Pick 179)
It is a crowded house in the receiver room in Dallas, but I love what Fehoko brings in terms of raw talent.
5.02 Hunter Long TE4 (Tier 3) 6-5 240 Miami Dolphins (Round 3, Pick 81)
It is curious that the Dolphins drafted Long with Mike Gesicki already providing solid value at the TE position. Long is talented enough to push Gesicki.
5.03 Tre’ McKitty TE5 (Tier 3) 6-4 246 Los Angeles Chargers (Round 3, Pick 97)
The Chargers brought Jared Cook in to fill the void left by Hunter Henry’s departure, but the 34-year old Cook is merely a gap filler for the Chargers. McKitty could change that with a strong camp.
5.04 Jaelon Darden WR27 (Tier 7) 5-9 170 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Round 4, Pick 129)
Crowded depth chart, but I love the talent.
5.05 Javian Hawkins RB15 (Tier 6) 5-9 182 Atlanta Falcons (UDFA)
There is a serious need for talented backs in Atlanta. Hawkins is a PPR special.
5.06 Pooka Williams Jr. RB16 (Tier 6) 5-8 175 Cincinnati Bengals (UDFA)
Gone is Gio Bernard and his receiving ability from the RB position. The Bengals are saying those extra reps will go to Joe Mixon, but Pooka could challenge for those touches. He is a jitterbug who could present a Tarik Cohen type of weapon for Cincinnati.
5.07 Jacob Harris TE6 (Tier 4) 6-5 219 Los Angeles Rams (Round 4, Pick 141)
Harris is likely listed in most fantasy leagues as a WR, but he was selected and announced as a TE. That is where his real value lies. Harris will have to cut his teeth initially on special teams, but he has a freakish combination of size and speed. He is still very raw, but if the Rams can develop him, he could emerge as a legitimate weapon. This is your classic swing-for-the-fences type of pick, and he may go Rico Gathers on us, but he is worth a gamble late in your dynasty drafts. It is worth noting that Harris gives Stafford a vertical, jump-ball weapon, which is a player type he seemed to favor in Detroit (Calvin Johnson, Marvin Jones, Kenny Golladay).
5.08 Kene Nwangwu RB17 (Tier 6) 6-1 210 Minnesota Vikings (Round 4, Pick 119)
Probably more of a reserve-type player, but he has some intrigue as a backup to Dalvin Cook.
5.09 Josh Imatorbhebhe WR28 (Tier 7) 6-2 220 Jacksonville Jaguars
Crowded receivers' room, but an intriguing addition.
5.10 Jonathan Adams Jr. WR29 (Tier 7) 6-2 210 Detroit Lions (UDFA)
I love this addition by the Lions.
5.11 Chris Evans RB18 (Tier 6) 5-11 216 Cincinnati Bengals (Round 6, Pick 202)
Evans could be a nice end-of-your-draft selection. He has the talent to emerge as Mixon’s primary reserve, but he could just as easily be out of the league by September.
5.12 Racey McMath WR30 (Tier 7) 6-2 211 Tennessee Titans (Round 6, Pick 205)
The Titans have a void to fill.