Fantasy Football 2021: Five NFL Rookies To Draft — And Five To Avoid
What better way to make a name for yourself in the NFL than doing fantasy numbers
A new NFL season means a group of new faces are eager to make a name for themselves, and one easy way to do that is by putting up big fantasy football numbers.
But from a fantasy owner’s perspective, investing in a rookie can be risky. Professional scouts and general managers get it wrong every year, after all.
Still, avoiding them entirely isn’t wise, as first-year players have emerged as value picks in the fantasy football universe. That’s why it’s all about picking the right ones.
Rookies to draft
Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Who better to help Joe Burrow get reacclimatized to playing NFL football than Chase, who Burrow played with at LSU? This young duo is already well-established, and it could benefit the young wideout in his first season.
Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons
After receiver Julio Jones was traded to the Tennessee Titans, the Falcons have big shoes to fill offensively. As highly regarded as Pitts is coming out of Florida, there’s (probably) no rookie in the world who can fill that void completely. But going into his first year as the Falcons’ No. 2 pass catcher, Atlanta will certainly try to get as much as they can out of him.
Mac Jones, QB, New England Patriots
Most years Patriots players should be avoided unless their name was Tom Brady just because that’s the only player you could count on to consistently produce. But after seeing how poised Jones has played in preseason, his accuracy could make him a great option — especially if Cam Newton’s time as the starter doesn’t last long.
Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Alabama product likely will serve as the team’s plug-in option to take on a volume of rushing and receiving touches from the jump. Steelers running backs have a track record of being fantasy machines, and Harris is poised to take the baton.
Michael Carter, RB, New York Jets
The Jets still need pieces around rookie quarterback Zach Wilson to help him acclimate to the NFL, and even then, who knows if the quarterback thrives. But since it isn’t guaranteed they complete passes at a high clip, Carter’s stock could get pumped up.
Rookies to avoid
Zach Wilson, QB, New York Jets
We almost feel bad about it, because a lot of things would suggest New York actually is trying to put Wilson into a good situation with talent in front and around him. But the Jets are the Jets until further notice, and his upside compared to other young signal-callers might not make it worth the risk.
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
Despite being a dynamic playmaker, Waddle is pretty undersized and unfortunately wasn’t a huge stat machine in college. Having played with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa would help his case in terms of targets, well, if we had a better idea of how Tagovailoa will bounce back in his sophomore season.
Justin Fields, QB, Chicago Bears
Similar to the situation with Wilson, this designation is more about the Bears than Fields’ potential. But the recent track history of the team who drafted him might mean it’s safer to watch from afar to see how the rookie season plays out.
Rashod Bateman, WR, Baltimore Ravens
Bateman is an athletic freak who had been productive at Minnesota, but the issue lies in the uncertainty about his fit in Baltimore. Unfortunately, the Ravens’ run-heavy offense may not bode well for Bateman’s targets.
Travis Etienne, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars used high draft capital to take Etienne, but it’s hard to predict how much he’ll contribute in Year 1 in a crowded backfield that is likely to see him competing with an established fantasy producer in James Robinson.
