The Devy 100: Top Tier

Rob Willette

chubb

Compiling even a modest list of devy talent can prove to be a fool’s errand. Ranking 100 is sheer lunacy. However, many members of Dynasty Scouts have never been known for their sound decision-making, and when devy is your game, failures are sure to pile up.

This grouping will undoubtedly look misguided in five years. However, that is the charm of the devy game. It is even more of an inexact science than traditional fantasy football. At the very least, it is fodder for anyone that cares to nerd out at the office water cooler.

Instead of a traditional ranking set, this is going to be broken down into tiers, with each tier representing players of similar value. This final set is the cream of the devy crop. For more extensive rankings, check out DLF’s rankings page within the Dynasty Scouts section.

Nick Chubb, RB Georgia Bulldogs

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Seldom do you lose your top running back – one that some are labeling the best running back prospect since Adrian Peterson – and not miss a beat. That is the luxury that the Georgia Bulldogs have, with SPARQ all-star Nick Chubb proving to be the nation’s most gifted runner in 2014. Already a tank of a human being, Chubb is a powerful runner that showcases dancer’s feet and outstanding wiggle for a man his size. There are very few holes in his game, and if he can replicate his freshman season, he will follow in the footsteps of Gurley as one of this generation’s better prospects at running back.

Ezekiel Elliott, RB Ohio State Buckeyes

Once the Buckeye machine got rolling in 2014, it was Ezekiel Elliott serving as the offensive catalyst; picking up yardage in chunks as Ohio State steamrolled all foes. Elliott’s explosion at the second level is special, and he makes angles of pursuit irrelevant as he knifes through openings as though there’s a DLF premium subscription on the other side. Perhaps most impressively, he has shown he can patiently wait for creases to appear prior to turning on the jets. A dominant season has put him in the conversation as the top devy player available, and many have a 1A/1B situation with he and Chubb at running back. He’s the automatic number one pick in points per inch of midriff exposed leagues.

Laquon Treadwell, WR Ole Miss Runnin’ Rebels

After a relatively quiet freshman season that saw Laquon Treadwell used almost exclusively in the short to intermediate game, he was given more responsibility in 2014 and responded well, emerging as one of the nation’s top receivers prior to suffering a gruesome leg injury in Ole Miss’ tilt with Auburn. Treadwell was close to having a NFL body out of high school, and it shows as he muscles off defenders, combining playing strength with an aggressive mentality. I’m not sold on him being the precocious prospect that some are dubbing him, but he is rock solid and has the tools to lead a receiving game.

Tyler Boyd, WR Pittsburgh Panthers

Boyd stands out on this list. He is not the physical specimen that the other five are. Stretching perhaps 6’1” and at under 200 pounds, he is not going to dominate anyone physically, nor is he a true burner. What he does possess is tremendous body control and a playmaker’s flair when the ball is in his vicinity. A smooth athlete that plays bigger than he is, Boyd is a tough as nails receiver that does work at every level of the field. He does not possess the upside of the others in this group but he may be the safest bet to produce at a high level.

Derrick Henry, RB Alabama Crimson Tide

Derrick Henry is a master of deception. He gravitates towards the line of scrimmage, then saunters right on through the hole before you even know he is gone. A mammoth running back, Henry uses his leggy frame to chew up acres at a time. It’s an atypical game, but one that has proven incredibly effective. Carrying most of the bulk in his upper half, he is not an elite lateral athlete, nor does he have the brute power you’d expect from someone his size; however, he has big-time long speed and surprisingly soft hands in the receiving game. Assuming the lead runner role following the departure of T.J. Yeldon, Henry is in line for the type of season that will make him the Tide’s best pure prospect at the position since Trent Richardson.

De’Runnya Wilson, WR Mississippi State Bulldogs

It is no secret that I am a card carrying member of the De’Runnya Wilson fan club. I’d wallpaper my cubicle and home with pictures of the Bulldog star were it socially acceptable. A lanky 6’5”, Wilson initially appears as though he might be an awkward athlete still growing into his frame, yet he is incredibly fluid both off the line of scrimmage and in space. Seldom do large receivers possess movement skills this good. He’s also a former basketball player that did not take up football until his senior year in high school, so you play up that narrative for days. If there’s one thing that Wilson lacks, it is physicality. At his size, a bit more aggression at both the catch point and in space could make him a dominant prospect that lands near the top of round one, a la Mike Evans. As is, he’s a very good prospect that is gaining an understanding of how good he can be.

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rob willette