By In one week, training camps will begin around the NFL. With them, dynasty league rookie drafts will begin to pick up, so we thought this would be a good time to do a 2-round rookie draft, divided into four parts, to give dynasty owners an idea of what to expect when they draft this year’s crop of future stars.
1. Najee Harris (by Brandon Mintz)
With the first overall pick in our dynasty rookie mock draft, I select the top running back in the 2021 class, Najee Harris. Harris was taken with the 24th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
There are a few things that bode extremely well for Harris’ fantasy outlook in his rookie season. First, the high draft capital the Steelers were willing to use to get him, and the lack of competition in the Steelers running back room.
When you use a first-round pick on a running back that shows an extreme level of confidence in that player to be an integral part of your offense from the outset. The 23-year-old will be relied on heavily in a Steelers run game will need to step it up with an aging Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback.
Additionally, Harris is set to receive a bulk of the touches in a backfield that has no established presence behind him. Benny Snell Jr. is listed as the backup running back on the depth chart and he had just three games with double-digit carries in 2020.
Harris should be poised to make a fantasy impact right away in Pittsburgh. His volume and draft capital have an RB1 rookie campaign in the cards for the Steelers rookie bell cow.
2. Kyle Pitts (by David Owen)
There is not another TE in the history of the league that I would’ve recommended taking #2 overall in a dynasty rookie mock draft. Then, again, Pitts is the highest-drafted TE in the history of the NFL. Even better, his skill set allows him to play as an unglorified WR.
Given the fact that TE is the weakest fantasy position (by far), getting a player who can put up WR1 numbers, yet slot him in at TE is essentially cheating. Kelce and Waller owners know what I’m talking about. A top-tier TE gives the best advantage at a position relative to any other.
This pick is not without risk, however. TEs are notorious for starting their careers slowly, and many other highly drafted TEs have not lived up to expectations (Vernon Davis, Eric Ebron). Pitts should be relatively insulated from these factors, as his athletic profile is beyond elite, and he showed the ability to beat NFL-caliber corners, safeties and linebackers from out wide, in the slot, and the traditional inline spot.
While you have to give Ja’Marr Chase consideration here, the dearth of quality TE options (especially compared to WR) gives Pitts the slight edge.
3. Travis Etienne (by Anand Chundi)
With the third pick, I am taking Travis Etienne. Etienne is a special kind of playmaker. There are plenty of running backs you can comp him to, but one immediately jumps out to me: C.J. Spiller, another first-rounder out of Clemson. Spiller played a very limited role in his rookie season behind Fred Jackson, and you could argue Etienne may be in a similar situation behind 2020 breakout star James Robinson.
I’m not buying it. This is a team that went 1-15 last season, so they’ve got plenty of needs. Etienne’s ability to stay healthy through four years at Clemson is a good sign, but it’s possible the Jaguars will limit his exposure to try to keep him healthy. Robinson gives them that luxury. However, if and when Etienne emerges as the Jaguars lead back, he should be a must-start fantasy back, which is why I’m taking him with the third pick.
4. Ja’Marr Chase (by Brandon Mintz)
With the fourth pick in our dynasty rookie mock draft, I select the top wide receiver in the 2021 class, Ja’Marr Chase. Chase was taken with the fifth overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.
Chase is reuniting with his college quarterback Joe Burrow, who helped him torch opposing defenses in 2019 racking up 1,780 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns en route to a national championship at LSU. Having an established connection with his quarterback should certainly help him get acclimated to not only the Bengals offense but the NFL as a whole.
The 21-year-old wideout is joining a receiver room in Cincinnati that has some talent with Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd but also provides a clear path to the top. The organization’s commitment to using a top-five draft pick to get Chase, in addition to his rapport with Burrow leaves him with a massive ceiling.
It will be interesting to see how Chase looks out of the gate after sitting out the 2020 college football season, but he is a guy with WR1 upside in an offense with loads of potential.
5. Devonta Smith (by David Owen)
Javonte Williams seems to be the consensus pick here, but I am higher on Smith than most. I see him and Chase as 1A and 1B in this class of wideouts, whereas most think Smith is closer to Jaylen Waddle’s level as a dynasty prospect.
Devonta Smith’s production his final year at Alabama was nothing short of absurd (117-1856-23), culminating in being awarded the first Heisman Trophy for a WR in 20 years. He would be in consideration for a top-3 dynasty rookie draft choice if not for his weight — only 170 lbs.
However, this is a silly reason not to draft the Slim Reaper. He was dominant in the SEC, showcasing impressive body control, hands, and route-running.
If he can do this to the best CB in college football, I have zero concerns with his ability to produce in the NFL. While Jalen Hurts’ accuracy leaves something to be desired in Philadelphia, Smith will immediately become a target hog given the lack of competitive receiving options, and should immediately produce WR3 numbers as a rookie, with a WR1 ceiling in the near future.
6. Javonte Williams (by Anand Chundi)
With the 6th pick, I am taking Javonte Williams. Williams is unlikely to walk immediately into the immediate workhorse role due to the presence of Melvin Gordon, however, he has experience sharing the lead back role from his time at North Carolina where both he and Michael Carter split the lion’s share of carries. We saw a blueprint for rookie running backs last season, with the likes of J.K. Dobbins, D’Andre Swift, and Cam Akers surging late in the season.
While I can see a similar path for Williams, he should make an immediate impact. With Phillip Lindsay’s 10.7 rushing attempts per game up for grabs, I expect Williams to see that work immediately. Plus, Williams is a better pass catcher and blocker than Lindsay, so he’ll likely see more than the 1.3 targets per game Lindsay saw. Expect Williams to see at least 2-3 targets per contest.
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