2014 Rookie Draft Review: Industry League, Round Three

Jeff Haverlack

bryant

We’re onto the third round in our industry league draft.  With 24 picks in the book, we now enter the phase of the draft where coaches will be selecting value players that have fallen further than expected, individual defensive players or sleepers.

In a league with so many mainstream fantasy sites, sleepers will often be selected earlier than would be expected due to the fact that these coaches are more “in the know” than standard league coaches. It’s not uncommon to see ‘reaches’ beginning in this round because of the fear that a player will be ‘sniped’.  The term reach is also very much in the eye of the beholder.

This league can be found here.

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3.01  Fulltime Fantasy – Teddy Bridgewater, QB MIN

Say what you will about Bridgewater, but after watching a lot of tape on this year’s quarterback class, I believe the criticisms about him, with the exception of his frame, are overblown.  Even with that thin frame, Bridgewater should be able to fill out and reach 220 lbs.  His arm strength is more than passable and while he doesn’t drive the ball with the velocity I would like, he makes up for it with NFL touch, accuracy and leadership.  He’s a great value with the 25th pick.  Should I mention again that Tom Brady entered the NFL at 6’3 1/2 and 211 lbs.?  Here’s a good read about quarterback size from Jason Kirk at SB Nation.

3.02  Rotoviz – Colt Lyerla, TE GB

Now here’s a stab with boom or bust written all over it.  Lyerla is flush with character flags coming out of Oregon and caught on with Green Bay as an UDFA.  He’s a high upside player in an offense that could make him an every-week name.  But the Green Bay tight end position is wide open, there’s a good chance that Jermichael Finley could be resigned when cleared and I have to believe that Lyerla would be available a round from now.

3.03 Fulltime Fantasy – Jarvis Landry, WR MIA

Landry’s stock took a nose-dive following a poor Combine performance, specifically in the timed speed drills.  On tape he’s a gritty receiver with toughness and NFL-ready route skills.  It’s a good value selection by Rotoviz here on a player who could be on the field very early.

3.04  Pigskin Addiction – Blake Bortles, QB JAX

Many have been down on this year’s quarterback class.  So much so that here we have Bortles, the first quarterback off the board in the NFL Draft at 1.02, falling to the third round in fantasy.  That’s too much of a drop for a player who could have a 15-year career.  He also possesses prototypical size and arm strength in addition to a young receiving corps.  He won’t likely light it up out of the gate but he’s a major value selection in the third round.

3.05  Fantasy Sharks – Andre Williams, RB NYG

Williams is a between-the-tackles thumper who fits the Giants’ system well, especially within the red zone.  Rashad Jennings will likely handle most of this role for 2014, but Williams has a chance.  His value is about right here at this selection.

3.06  Football Guys – Martavis Bryant, WR PIT

I like the selection of Bryant here and we were hoping that he would fall to us later in this round.  Bryant enters a somewhat unsettled receiver situation in Pittsburgh and his dynamic skill set and upside provides an opportunity for him to see the field early in his career.  He’ll need time to develop but he has the athleticism and size to be a difference maker.

3.07  Draft Buddy – Ka’Deem Carey, RB CHI

Carey’s draft stock took a tumble when his slow 40 time scared away coaches, both in the NFL and fantasy leagues.  Put on the tape, however, and you find a back with natural running back instincts, a feel for seams and lanes and the toughness to run through them.  He’s not a back who will run away from pursuit at the second level, but his natural vision and power should provide for a high-upside player in an offense where’s there’s a need and a fit.

3.08  Dynasty League Football – Khalil Mack, LB OAK

If there’s one place that DLF is weak in this league, it’s at the LB position.  We’ve been able to get by and we always like our chances of landing impact players during the year, but late in the third round when most offensive prospects have been plucked away, we can’t pass up Mack.  We believe he’s an every-down talent who should score in multiple categories.

3.09  Rotoviz – Jeff Janis, WR GB

The Packers drafted a fair number of receivers during the draft to prepare for the impending free agency Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb.  Which one emerges is anyone’s guess.  Janis is as good a choice as any and I think he has the best upside of the bunch.

3.10  Fantasy Football Xtreme – Ryan Shazier, PIT LB

As expected, the IDP players continue to come off the board.  Shazier is a smart player that we had hoped would fall to DLF’s next selection, one pick from here.  It was not to be.  Shazier should immediately slide into the Steelers 3-4 scheme and have an opportunity for production immediately.

3.11  Dynasty League Football – James White, RB NE

When Belichick picks, people listen.  Or at least they should.  It’s a good bet that Stevan Ridley will be allowed to walk in free agency in 2015, leaving the door open for White to assume his role.  He’s a bit undersized and Shane Vereen may have the ability to carry more of the load if he’s healthy, but White will provide a lot of Vereen-like touches to the Patriot offense.  The 45 touchdowns at Wisconsin show White is a player to keep tabs on.

3.12  Fantasy Sharks – C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE HOU

The Houston tight end position is unsettled and wide open.  Ryan Griffin and Garrett Graham are the odds on favorites to see field time but Fiedorowicz will be waiting in the wings. He’s not particularly agile or dynamic and I don’t see much upside in his game. Some do, however.

Biggest Reach

The Rotoviz selection of Colt Lyerla is a bit of a head-scratcher to me, but these are the type of picks that vault a team forward if they hit.  Lyerla would have been available a full round later in all likelihood, so he’s a surprising selection with other value names st ill on the board.  If Lyerla “hits,” I give full license for Rotoviz to throw this back in my face.

Best Value

I have two in mind and neither will be popular with the fantasy community.  I believe Teddy Bridgewater at pick 25 (3.01) is a great value, slightly moreso than the Blake Bortles selection at pick 28 (3.04).  It is extremely difficult to win without a good quarterback and while you can only start one (in most leagues), you must have a stable to play from and for development.  In the third round, the fantasy bust rate is huge and at any time you can get a highly selected quarterback with a pick in that area, it’s always a good risk-reward play.

Summary

That wraps up our three round review of our industry league dynasty rookie draft.  I hope you’ve enjoyed a glimpse at what the major fantasy sites are doing in a live rookie draft format.

Follow me on Twitter:  @DLFJeff

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jeff haverlack