2019 NFL Draft Dynasty Review: AFC North
The NFL Draft is a mystery bag that has the potential of delivering many valuable fantasy assets. We don’t know what the future will hold for a lot of these players, but we love speculating their long-term player values.
The AFC North is already stacked with talent but there’s always room for more. These teams are evolving and this year’s draft class could be the catalyst to a shift in tides in the division. With this in mind, let’s take a look at the AFC North’s draft picks through a fantasy perspective.
Baltimore Ravens
Marquise Brown, WR Oklahoma (Round 1, Pick 25)
Going into the draft, the Ravens had one of the worst wide receiver units in the league and with a young quarterback under center, which is a recipe for disaster. They noticed this and decided to draft Marquise Brown with their first-round selection. He will provide an instant boost to the offense and help Lamar Jackson take his game to the next level.
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Brown’s draft stock was stuck in purgatory during the draft season due to a Lisfranc injury that kept him from performing at the Scouting Combine and his pro day. Correspondingly, the injury is whether worrisome to his long-term viability and health is always important when we are talking about investing heavy draft capital in a prospect.
The overall collection of talent at wide receiver was nonexistent for the Ravens but with the addition of Brown, the passing game should be more dynamic compared to past seasons. Brown’s versatile skill set allows him to play in the slot and on the perimeter. He’s a superb route runner who can create separation with nuance. Not only that, but he can when on the outside with speed. His 166-pound frame is a concern considering there’s not a large sample of wide receivers who have been successful in the NFL with his size. While keeping that in mind, he’s a very talented wide receiver prospect who will develop into a very productive fantasy asset if utilized correctly.
Brown’s value in rookie drafts is currently all over the place. In some drafts, he’s going in the back half of the first round and in others he’s falling into the second round. There are question marks surrounding Baltimore’s passing game. We don’t fully know if Lamar Jackson can fuel a WR1 in fantasy. We suspect he has the potential, but we don’t fully know if that will come to fruition. There are some red flags here that can’t be ignored, but he does have the talent to be successful and he has the draft capital to back him. Considering the landscape in rookie drafts this year, I wouldn’t be upset with anyone using a late first-round pick on him.
Miles Boykin, WR Notre Dame (Round 3, Pick 93)
We didn’t entirely know the Ravens’ intentions when it came time for the third round, but once they selected Miles Boykin, we knew they were dedicated to improving the passing game. The more talent they acquire at the wide receiver position, the more impactful the offense as a whole will be in fantasy.
Boykin presents an interesting rookie profile. He wasn’t very productive during his four-year stay at Notre Dame, catching just 77 passes for 1,206 yards and 11 touchdowns during his collegiate career. Notre Dame’s passing offense has been stagnant at best and he had to share the field with Equanimeous St. Brown which diluted his chance at putting together any mega-productive seasons.
The most exciting factor about his rookie profile is his size-adjusted athleticism. At the combine, he measured in at 6-foot-3 and weighed in at 220 pounds while posting a 4.42-second 40-yard dash, 6.77 three-cone, and a 43.5-inch vertical jump, making him one of the most physically gifted wide receivers in this draft class.
He’s going to fall somewhere in the mid-second to the early third-round of rookie drafts. In DLF’s Rookie Mock Draft he fell to pick 2.12. He’s going to routinely fall into this range throughout the summer in rookie drafts. Boykin does present some upside because he’s a big-bodied receiver who can make plays downfield. He’s also paired with a young quarterback who is still developing his game so things should only get better. At his current price point, there’s little to no risk in acquiring him.
Justice Hill, RB Oklahoma State (Round 4, Pick 113)
Even with the addition of Mark Ingram earlier this off-season, the running back corps didn’t seem fully complete for the Ravens. The team needed some fresh blood and some talent turnover at the position to improve the run game.
Enter Justice Hill, the 198-pound running back from Oklahoma State. Hill provides a solid blend of speed and short area quickness. He’s slippery in space but is not afraid to lower his shoulder to pick up extra yardage. He makes a perfect compliment to Mark Ingram and has the potential to develop into a larger role within the offense.
Lamar Jackson’s rushing ability opens things up in the run game. Even though there are size concerns with Hill, Baltimore’s scheme could allow Hill to develop into a functional fantasy asset. He’s currently falling to the second-round in rookie drafts making him a very safe selection in that range. When you take everything into account, he might be one of the few steals in this year’s rookie drafts.
Trace McSorley, QB Penn State (Round 6, Pick 197)
McSorley was drafted to be as a developmental prospect with the hopes that he could become the backup to Jackson. He’s an athletic passer who can make throws on the run and he has a similar skill set to the starter. This allows the Ravens to maintain the same offensive scheme if they would for whatever reason need to make a quarterback change.
He’s worth a flier in deep 2QB leagues, but he’s not worth drafting in traditional 1QB dynasty leagues. There’s more upside at other positions and you could easily snag him off waivers if he appears that he’s going to receive some playing time.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Diontae Johnson, WR Toledo (Round 3, Pick 66)
Antonio Brown’s departure created a void in Pittsburgh’s wide receiver corps. They attempted to patch things up with Donte Moncrief, but evidently, they still felt like they needed more talent on the roster when they drafted Diontae Johnson in the third round.
Johnson is a technical route runner who projects as your prototypical slot receiver. His short area quickness allows him to create separation from defenders and his nuanced route running could make him one of Ben Roethlisberger’s best friends. There’s a lot of volume in Pittsburgh’s passing offense and Johnson could be productive if he can establish a full-time role within the offense.
The Steelers reached for Johnson here. They might have been able to get him later in the draft or at least been able to select a comparable player. Draft capital matters and Johnson should at least receive a fair shot at playing sometime during his career. He’s not a premium player in rookie drafts, so it’s best to fade him in drafts until all of the premier players at other positions are off the board before you look his way.
Benny Snell, RB Kentucky (Round 4, Pick 122)
Snell was very productive at Kentucky, rushing for 3,873 yards and 48 touchdowns in three seasons. Like any other power back, he will make his money grinding out the tough yards between the tackles. This seems like the perfect fit for Snell, he’s a lunch pail back who’s not afraid to lower his shoulders to pick up the extra yardage. The Steelers love players like this and he should fit immediately in the offensive system.
Speaking about his fit with the team, there is one problem about his landing spot and that’s the log jam of talent at the running back position. James Conner and Jaylen Samuels are both ahead of him on the depth chart and proved to be very effective last season. Snell is a good running back, but he doesn’t possess any intangibles that would make him a clear-cut favorite to beat out the incumbent starters in training camp.
He’s going to fall anywhere between the third and fourth rounds of rookie drafts which is a very palatable price point to pay considering he was rendered as one of the top running backs in this year’s draft class a few months ago. It’s tough to forecast his future given the running back depth chart is road blocking his potential impact. Given the nature of Pittsburgh’s offense, if there ever comes a time where he receives a large market share of the workload out of the backfield, then he will become a fantasy relevant asset.
Zach Gentry, TE Michigan (Round 5, Pick 141)
Gentry is a developmental tight end prospect. At 6-foot-8 and 265 pounds, he has the size to hold his own in the trenches. He was a former quarterback in high school and is still learning the position. Route running and making contested catches are things he needs to work on. He also needs to improve his blocking if he wants more playing time. Overall, he’s a very intriguing prospect, but he’s a player that I recommend fading in rookie drafts.
Cleveland Browns
Austin Selbert, K Oklahoma (Round 5, Pick 170)
The Browns used the draft to improve their defense. I don’t suggest playing in leagues that force you to start kickers, but if you do, then Austin Selbert can be an option. Personally, I’m never going to waste a rookie pick on a kicker.
Cincinnati Bengals
Drew Sample, TE Washington (Round 2, Pick 52)
The Bengals spent their second-round pick on Washington tight end Drew Sample. Run blocking is his strong suit. He can also run routes, but his receiving production is limited and needs to develop his technique to become a more polished receiver. He’s a player to avoid in dynasty because the receiving production is never going to be there to make him fantasy relevant on a consistent basis.
Sample will help Joe Mixon in the run game. The team wants to improve their rushing attack by building quality depth in their backfield and drafting solid run blockers. The team also invested their first round pick on Jonah Williams who can play either guard or tackle at the next level to obviously help the offensive line. If anything, the Bengals showed their hand, indicating they want to be more effective at running the ball.
Ryan Finley, QB North Carolina State (Round 4, Pick 104)
Andy Dalton is on the hot seat and the team might be looking to hand the keys to the car over to a different signal caller. The Bengals had the opportunity to draft Dwayne Haskins but decided not to. Instead, they drafted Finley in the fourth round, a developmental quarterback who projects as a backup at the next level. He serves as an insurance policy if Dalton gets injured or becomes ineffective. His development will be key to whether or not he becomes a full-time NFL starter. If he takes a major step forward, then he could be the team’s starting quarterback somewhere down the line. If not, then he’s more than likely going to be a second-string quarterback at best.
He’s worth a flier in deeper 2QB leagues due to the value of the position. However, in your traditional 1QB leagues, Finley is best left on the waiver wire. If they are serious about moving on from Dalton, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Bengals draft their franchise quarterback next year or the year after.
Trayveon Williams, RB Texas A&M (Round 6, Pick 182)
With Giovani Bernard set to be a free agent at the end of the year, the Bengals wanted to make sure they had their ducks in a row before they have to fill a void at running back. With that being said, they drafted Trayveon Williams a running back who has some similar characteristics to Bernard in the sixth round. Williams isn’t a lock to be Bernard’s successor nor is it 100 percent guaranteed that Bernard will be with another team come 2020, but it does tell us that the Bengals are interested in adding depth to the run game.
Williams will be a trendy pick in the mid-to-late rounds of rookie drafts. He rushed for 3,615 yards and 34 touchdowns while also catching 66 passes during his three-year collegiate career. There’s plenty of upside and potential opportunity with Williams. I wouldn’t be surprised if he outperforms his ADP in the next few years.
Rodney Anderson, RB Oklahoma (Round 6, Pick 211)
Injuries prevented Anderson from reaching his true potential in college. During his sophomore season, he rushed for 1,161 yards and 16 touchdowns, giving us a taste of what he could potentially do if he could remain on the field. He appeared in just two games last season before he tore his ACL which abruptly ended his 20118 campaign. In the games he did play, he showcased immense talent, providing the notion that there’s a possibility that he could develop into a three-down feature back at the next level.
This pick was a steal for the Bengals. If it wasn’t for the injury concerns, Anderson would have easily been a mid-round selection in this draft. His dynasty value is currently in purgatory. Joe Mixon is the lead back and he should be the team’s workhorse for the foreseeable future. It’s a tough spot for any running back, let alone Anderson because it’s going to be hard to get Mixon to relinquish the reins of the starting job. There comes a point in rookie drafts where you just have to draft the best talent available. Anderson is a good flier in the later rounds, just keep expectations to a minimum because Mixon might prevent him from ever breaking out.
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