Rookie SWOT: Daniel Lasco

Editor’s Note: As our coverage of the 2016 NFL Draft and its impact on fantasy football continues, we bring you our 2016 Rookie SWOT series. These articles will feature video highlights, combine reviews, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, short-term expectations, long-term expectations and rookie draft advice for over 30 of the best dynasty league prospects from this year’s draft. We’ll follow that up with team-by-team draft reviews because, you know, that’s kind of what we live for.

Make sure you’re ready for your dynasty league rookie draft by staying up on all these articles, checking out our rookie draft guide, rookie rankings, rookie draft cheat sheet and mock draft rooms. There are simply no better resources out there for dynasty fantasy football enthusiasts.

Combine Review

• Height – 6’0” (68th percentile)
• Weight – 209 lbs (33rd percentile)
• Hands -9 ⅛ ” (37th percentile)
• Arm Length -32” (78th percentile)
• 40-yard dash – 4.46 (83rd percentile)
• 10-yard split – 1.54 (77th percentile)
• 3-cone drill – 7.22 (13th percentile)
• Vertical Jump – 41.5” (97th percentile)
• Broad Jump – 135” (100th percentile)

Video Clip

Strengths

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• Athleticism that shows when he hits the second level
• Fast enough at top speed to run away from most defenders
• Decent hands and receiving ability out of the backfield
• Strong 2014 season gives you hope that his lackluster 2015 was due to hip injury.

Weaknesses

• Doesn’t show much creativity as a runner
• Hesitant decision-making at the beginning and ends of runs
• Not instinctive between the tackles
• Takes too long to identify rushing lanes
• Seems like he slows down when a tackle is imminent rather than running through it
• Doesn’t consistently finish runs, routinely leaves yards on the field
• Impressive explosion and burst numbers don’t show up on film
• Relatively old for a rookie – 24 in October

Opportunities

Daniel Lasco goes to a decent situation in a good offense where he will compete to be the backup to Mark Ingram. Given that Ingram has only played a full 16 games once in his five-year career, it’s likely that Lasco will get a shot to show what he can do on the field. Lasco was also productive on special teams at Cal. If he can continue that at the NFL level, it will help ensure that he sticks on an NFL roster.

Threats

The Saints brought back Tim Hightower, who after being out of football for two years filled in nicely for the team in 2015 when Ingram was lost for the season with a rotator cuff injury. CJ Spiller also battled injuries throughout 2015 and was largely ineffective. Spiller is still the likely passing down back. Those two backs will be Lasco’s primary competition for touches behind Mark Ingram.

Short-term Expectations

Lasco is unlikely to get much work in 2016 unless both Ingram and Hightower miss games. His best case scenario is to be part of an early-down committee with Hightower. CJ Spiller’s role shouldn’t have any effect on Lasco’s touches in the offense.

Long-term Expectations

Mark Ingram is only 26 years old, and just signed a four-year contract last season. However, 2016 is the last year there is any guaranteed money, so there is certainly a scenario where Lasco enters 2017 in a good position to be the starter. I think the chance of that happening is pretty small if Ingram continues to play well this season. A more realistic scenario is that Lasco plays out his rookie contract as a backup and could go to a second team where he may have an opportunity for a larger role.

Projected Range for a Rookie Draft

Lasco has an average ADP of 40.43 in DLF’s June rookie mocks. You shouldn’t have to spend more than an early to mid fourth rounder to come away from your draft with Daniel Lasco.

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