April 2019 Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft: Round Two

Jacob Feldman

April has arrived! The snow is almost gone, the birds are returning, and the long winter is just about over (or just about the begin!!). This also means that the 2019 NFL Draft is very quickly approaching. The combine is over and the pro days are currently happening.

The pre-draft rankings for rookies are starting to solidify a little bit. The team these players land on will of course have some impact on their overall dynasty value, especially in the short term, but knowing where your favorites stack up now, especially if you are a believer in long term value, can give you an added edge in trade talks.

To help you out, I gathered some of DLF’s finest to do a run through of how the first three rounds might look.

The rules for this mock draft were pretty simple:

  1. Three rounds with 12 teams
  2. PPR scoring with standard lineups (not superflex, not TE premium, etc)
  3. Drafters were told to assume they had a balanced team with no glaring team needs
  4. No trades were allowed

If you missed the first round, take a moment to look back at it here.

Let’s take a look at the second.

2.01 – Kyler Murray, QB Oklahoma

Pete’s Thoughts – I’m a believer in Murray. With the draft capital, running ability, and college passing statistics on par with Baker Mayfield, I see Murray as one of the few ‘can’t miss’ prospects at this point in the draft. If it were TE premium (well, they would be gone) I would target Noah Fant or TJ Hockenson. If Rodney Anderson has high draft capital, I’ll go there. But give me Murray even in a 1QB.

My Thoughts – Quarterbacks are always interesting in rookie drafts, because you never know when they will go. As for Murray as a prospect, he is definitely a player pushing the envelope of NFL quarterbacks – both in terms of his size and his abilities. If you need a QB, taking a chance on him here isn’t a bad idea.

[am4show have=’g1;’ guest_error=’sub_message’ user_error=’sub_message’ ]

2.02 – Noah Fant, TE Iowa

Kyle’s Thoughts – I’m both surprised and happy Fant fell this far. He tested off the charts at the combine and seems like a near lock to be selected in the first round of the NFL draft. I’m not a fan of spending a mid first on a tight end like I’ve seen in other mocks but feel like he is slam dunk pick here in the beginning of the second.

My Thoughts – Fant falling this far might be a bit of an abnormality. I’ve seen him go as early as pick six with the norm being around pick nine or ten. The debate between him and his college teammate will continue to intensify as the draft approaches with landing spot likely deciding the final draft order. Fant is the more dynamic weapon though less complete tight end of the two, much like a few years ago with Evan Engram and OJ Howard.

2.03 – TJ Hockenson, TE Iowa

Jake’s Thoughts – I was hoping Fant fell here and here and Anderson was in strong contention here as well but I’m going with the most well-rounded TE in this class who should be a contributor right away. Hockenson is a great blocker who also displays plenty of athleticism to be a factor in the passing game.

He is not elite but a very solid route runner, high pointer and is very good at getting yards after the catch. Watch out for those hurdles. I was happy to get him here.

My Thoughts – He tested better at the combine than most people expected, which has him in a virtual tie with his college teammate in a lot of rankings. It doesn’t surprise me that they went back to back in the mock. He will likely fill a different role in the NFL than Fant, which might lead to a better NFL career, but potentially less fantasy production. It could all depend on his team.

2.04 – JJ Arcega-Whiteside, WR Stanford

Levi’s Thoughts – I was hoping Fant would fall this far, but Kyle swooped him up a couple of picks before. So I decided to go with the highest guy on my board. Whiteside is a big, physical wide receiver and uses that combination of height, weight, and play strength to his full advantage.

He is going a bit under the radar and I don’t think its only because no one wants to say his full name. He will most likely get picked in the second or third round of the NFL Draft and I think he could be a productive rookie receiver who plays on the outside.

My Thoughts – A high floor but slightly lower ceiling player, Whiteside has good hands and instincts to go with some pretty nice size. While he isn’t 6’4” or taller like some of the other receivers in this class, he carries the same amount of weight which gives him a nice strong frame to help him win at the point of the catch.

I don’t think he has the athletic ability to be the alpha on an NFL team, but he would make for a very nice complementary receiver for an NFL team with an alpha.

2.05 – Deebo Samuel, WR South Carolina

My Thoughts – Once we start getting to the middle of the second round, I start looking for something which makes a player stand out, something they have that a lot of the other players in this range don’t.

Like a few others, I almost went with Anderson but settled on Samuel. From everything you see or hear, he is one of the most competitive players you can find. Given that he is a bit undersized, I like that mentality as it will hopefully drive him to work twice as hard as everyone else to rise to the top.

In the plus column, you have nice hands, great run after the catch ability, aggressive play style, and the body of a running back. On the downside, he is a bit raw in some of his routes, often relying too much on bring stronger than the defenders. He also has a long list of injury issues which could be a problem.

2.06 – Irv Smith Jr., TE Alabama

Michael’s Thoughts – Smith is in the top tier of rookie tight ends and I’m thrilled to get him this late. With the flattening of the position when it comes to fantasy, I like taking a prospect that has as a good a chance to breakthrough as anybody.

My Thoughts – I was a little surprised by this pick, because I see a bit of a gap between Smith and the two Iowa prospects. Maybe I’m a bit too harsh on Smith, but I see an H-back who struggles to catch the ball and is a raw route runner. He has speed to stretch the seam and is good with contested catches, but I see someone who will struggle to be more than an average tight end.

2.07 – Devin Singletary, RB Florida Atlantic

Jeff’s Thoughts – Those who know my draft habits know this is a spot I’m well known for taking the top quarterback off the board. But with this group of quarterbacks, I figure I can wait another round and still get one of the top three.

Singletary falls into the middle of the second round after a poor Combine. Ultra-productive at Florida Atlantic, Singletary has a lot of mileage on his tires with over 700 carries for over 4,200 yards and 66 touchdowns. Size and long speed continue to dog his value though he possesses fantastic vision and the lateral agility and acceleration to use it.

In the right system, Singletary could be a volume-back with a good ceiling. There’s enough fire below the smoke to take the chance here in the second round.

My Thoughts – One of the most productive backs in college over the last few years, it will be interesting to see what the NFL does with him. The slower 40 time for Singletary doesn’t worry me much, because his vision, instincts, and acceleration always seem to have him a step ahead of everyone else.

I worry that sometimes he tries to create too much instead of taking what is there. This could turn four-yard gains in the NFL into two-yard losses. I also worry that he plays like a back who is significantly larger. At his size, this could be bad news in the NFL.

2.08 – Mike Weber, RB Ohio State

Kyle’s Thoughts – Overshadowed a bit in college by teammate JK Dobbins, Weber is being underrated in my opinion. He had decent production and showed well at the combine. I think he has a chance at being selected on day two of the NFL draft.

My Thoughts – With some of the players who are still on the board at this point, I just don’t see it with Weber. I think he lacks the burst to hit the hole in the NFL and isn’t going to make many defenders miss. I think he’s just an average talent, which likely means he is a backup or the minor part of a committee in the NFL.

2.09 – Marquise Brown, WR Oklahoma

Brian’s Thoughts – Absolutely love that Hollywood fell to me this late, and he did so thanks to a foot injury. Brown is a playmaker with a motor that doesn’t stop. He is a player NFL defenses will have to account for on every play. He’s small, but we’ve seen players like Tyreek Hill, Brandin Cooks, and his cousin Antonio Brown be studs in the league.

My Thoughts – The question with Brown is if his game can translate to the NFL. In college, he was a huge weapon, but there is a huge jump from playing receiver in the Big 12 to the NFL.

While he is electric like Hill and Cooks, he is also significantly smaller (20-25 pounds lighter). In fact, he is almost ten pounds smaller than Tavon Austin. Much like his college quarterback, Brown is really pushing the size limits in the NFL. We will see what becomes of it.

2.10 – KeeSean Johnson, WR Fresno State

Peter’s Thoughts – Broke out at age 19, fifth-highest dominator rating in the class, 2% above average in receiving yards for successful NFL players and in the “most likely” to break out category based on his production. I’m told he does well on film too!

While I think this is likely too high for him, this is somewhere I don’t have very firm opinions on running backs until I see the draft. So I’m happy to snap up one of my favorite WRs in this class in round two.

My Thoughts – I think this is way early for Johnson. Yes, he was productive and has okay size with nice hands, but I think his athletic profile is severely lacking. His combine numbers weren’t good, showing him to be lacking in straight line speed, change of direction abilities, and explosiveness.

Maybe dominator rating and everything else will win this one, but I think it just might be a product of playing against a lot of non-power 5 conference opponents. But if you love him, you can probably get him in the third.

2.11 – Justice Hill, RB Oklahoma State

Levi’s Thoughts – Hill showed out at the NFL combine. I like his vision and agility around the line of scrimmage. If a 6’0 215-lb RB would have put up the numbers Hill did, we would be salivating over him. Unfortunately, he is undersized and that is the main reason he fell this far.

At just under 200 lbs, durability will be a concern. I think he could carve out a nice role in the NFL as a change-of-pace back. I think he could become a poor man’s Phillip Lindsay.

My Thoughts – Hill is an interesting player because at times I think his body is moving way too fast for his brain to process everything. This means at times he over runs the hole, doesn’t wait for a play to develop, or even runs into his own teammates. Yet there are other times where he makes huge, dynamic plays that few others can do. I think he needs some good coaching and then he could develop into the lightning to someone else’s thunder.

2.12 – Rodney Anderson, RB Oklahoma

Michael’s Thoughts – Anderson is one of only a few running backs in this class who potentially profiles as a true three-down workhorse. Combining size, receiving ability, and elusiveness on tape, Anderson checks many of the boxes of what could be a high-end RB2 for years to come. Of course, no mention of Anderson is complete without injuries, as that’s absolutely the reason why he fell this far in this mock draft.

Ultimately, draft capital will be huge with Anderson as a sign of if teams believe he can stay on the field. I’m easily willing to take a chance at 2.12 and would have taken him six-eight picks higher without hesitation.

My Thoughts – Anderson was the bridesmaid of the second round with several drafters saying he was almost their choice. He is a very interesting player with a complete, though not overly spectacular, skill set.

In my eyes, he is a jack of all trades but master of none type of running back. When you mix in the injuries, he is a true wild card. Who drafts him and when they draft him will be very important pieces of information.

Round two is in the books and the third and final round is just around the corner! Check back soon for a look.

[/am4show]

jacob feldman