Rookie Report Card: D’Andre Swift and Cole Kmet
Each week throughout the season, I’ll cover at least two rookies in the Rookie Report Card and try to always include the biggest performers from that particular week. On top of reviewing my expectations for each player coming into the league and how well he’s lived up to those expectations at the NFL level to this point, I’ll grade the player in three categories. Those categories are performance to date, rookie season potential and long term upside.
The series continues in week six with a look at D’Andre Swift and Cole Kmet.
D’Andre Swift, RB DET
Week Six Stats: 14 carries, 116 yards, two touchdowns, three receptions, seven yards (four targets)
In the months leading up to the NFL draft, Swift was my top-rated rookie running back.
Coming out of Georgia – where totaled more than 2,700 yards from scrimmage and 21 touchdowns in his two seasons as a starter – Swift entered the draft process as the best all-around prospect at the position.
Known for his quick decision-making and lightning-fast burst through running lanes between the tackles, his vision and ability to set up linebackers to take bad angles at the point of attack makes him an elite interior runner. That speed (4.48-second 40-yard dash) and elusiveness – along with his patience to set up blocks and wait for the opportune moment – is equally as effective on the perimeter on pitches and stretch runs.
Also known as a very strong pass-catcher, Swift entered the league as a three-down prospect. The quickness he shows as a runner transfers beautifully into his route running. Far too shifty for linebackers to cover, he gets instant separation in man coverage and his run-after-catch ability is as solid as any running back to enter the league in recent years.
When the Lions made Swift the second running back off the board with the third pick in the second round, many saw the landing spot as a great one but I was hesitant to be as optimistic considering the struggles of the Detroit running game over the past two decades. Nevertheless, he was ranked as a top-five player on rookie draft boards by nearly every dynasty manager, myself included.
After receiving rave reviews at the beginning of training camp, a leg injury kept Swift out of practice for nearly two weeks and Detroit signed veteran Adrian Peterson which limited the rookie’s playing time early in the season. Carrying just 12 times in the first four games for 42 yards (3.5 YPC) and one touchdown while catching 13 passes for 124 yards and another score, he showed flashes of the playmaking skills he showed in college but didn’t get consistent opportunities until Sunday against the Jaguars.
Splitting time with Peterson (who churned out just 40 yards on 15 carries), Swift got into the action early with a 54-yard blast up the middle in the first quarter which showed exactly how explosive he is between the tackles. After finishing that drive with a one-yard touchdown run, he continued to dominate in the middle. There was a powerful nine-yard run for a first down in the third quarter where he lowered his shoulder for extra yardage, a slick hesitation and cut on a six-yard downhill run for his second score, and a brilliant run up the middle where he couldn’t find any running room on the interior before bouncing outside and racing for a 19-yard gain.
With Peterson banged up, Swift showed exactly how explosive he can be as well as how much more productive than the veteran he can be. Averaging 8.3 yards per carry compared to just 2.7 for Peterson, dynasty managers everywhere are hoping they’re about to see a changing of the guard for the Lions.
At this point, it’s unknown if Swift will overtake Peterson as the leader of the backfield by committee in Detroit but it’s clear he’s the most talented tailback in Motown. If Matt Patricia and the Lions’ coaching staff commits to the rookie, he could make a push for the RB1 upside he entered the league with as soon as this season.
Cole Kmet, TE CHI
Week Six Stats: Two receptions, 20 yards, one touchdown (two targets)
A raw prospect coming out of college, Kmet caught just 17 passes in his first two seasons at Notre Dame before hauling in 43 passes for 691 yards and six touchdowns in 2019. Tall (6’6”, 260 pounds) and athletic (4.7-second 40-yard dash, 37” vertical) he profiles as a seam stretcher with the potential to be a threat in the red zone.
While at Notre Dame, Kmet proved to be savvy with his hands as the ball approaches, subtly pushing off defenders to create space to make the grab. His height and leaping ability also create a large catch radius, and his strong, sticky hands allow him to make off-balance catches even in traffic. After the catch, he’s a strong runner with a good stiff arm and balance to break tackles.
Although he was used primarily as an in-line tight end in college, many saw Kmet as a candidate to move around the formation in the NFL in order to get him matched up against slower linebackers or much smaller defensive backs.
Drafted as the first tight end off the board to the Bears in the second round, Kmet was seen by most dynasty managers as a developmental tight end worthy of a third-round rookie pick, but unlikely to make an impact in his first year or two in the NFL.
Although he’d been targeted just three times in the Bears’ first five games, catching just one pass, Kmet made an impact in week six against the Panthers when he uncovered in the end zone for a nine-yard touchdown in heavy traffic. The play was a good representation of his potential as a seam stretcher (he beat bracket coverage splitting a pair of Carolina defensive backs) and red zone threat.
Currently third in playing time behind Jimmy Graham and Demetrius Harris, playing just over 30% of snaps, Kmet needs to continue to improve as a blocker and route runner to earn more playing time and find his way into dynasty managers’ starting lineups.
With upside similar to that of Jared Cook or Jonnu Smith as a big, speedy threat in the middle of the field, Kmet is a solid developmental tight end. Unfortunately however, much like Cook and Smith, it will likely take years before he can be as productive as those two playmaking veterans.
- League Tycoon: Dynasty Salary Cap Fantasy Football - December 15, 2023
- Final Dynasty Rookie Report Card: Wide Receivers, Part Two - March 22, 2023
- 2023 NFL Scouting Combine: Offensive Player Dynasty Review - March 10, 2023
