2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Draft: Veteran Trade Edition, Round Two

With rookie drafts now underway, I came up with an idea I wanted to explore. Over the years, we’ve had tons of questions (literally tons if I was to print them all and weigh them) in regards to draft pick trade value. In fact, we got so many we decided to create the Dynasty Trade Analyzer to help you out. However, this still remains a relevant topic and I was curious about one thing myself this year – what would a rookie draft look like if every pick was traded for a veteran player. In other words, no rookies could actually be taken and every pick would have to be traded for an established player based on its perceived value.

With that in mind, I used our Dynasty Trade Analyzer to determine just what these draft picks may be worth and to give you an idea of what kind of veteran player you could expect to get with each pick. If you have one of these rookie picks, this is extremely valuable information to know as you can evaluate your risk tolerance and prepare accurately for your draft. With that in mind, here’s round one of our “Veteran Trade Edition Rookie Draft” designed to give you a clearer look at just what you may be able to get with each of the rookie picks you may have.

If you missed out on round one, make sure you catch it here.

2.01 = Terry McLaurin, WR WAS
Rookie options: Jayden Daniels, Adonai Mitchell, Xavier Legette
Other options: Zach Charbonnet, Amari Cooper

There’s some irony with this pick because a lot of it could revolve around what you really think about Jayden Daniels. This pick should be right in the range for you to get a receiver like McLaurin. However, if you believe McLaurin’s value is going to be stable (or even on the rise), that means you likely believe in Daniels, who you would also likely be able to snag in this range. If not, your rookie choices look like they are going to include some second tier wideouts like Mitchell and Legette. This is also the range where you could conceivably be trading a pick here for a future first – yet another thing to think about.

2.02 = Keenan Allen, WR CHI
Rookie options: Adaonai Mitchell, Xavier Legette, Roman Wilson
Other option: Rhamondre Stevenson

If you need a veteran option, Allen could be a nice get for this pick. However, if you’re sitting at the 2.02 with your own draft pick, that means you had a tough year and you’re likely more than one player away from competing. If you don’t spin this pick for a future #1 or a veteran, receivers like Mitchell, Legette or Roman Wilson are all likely options here. They each have a path to targets but none are sure things, either. This is a tough pick to have but you can take a chance on another receiver if you took a more elite-level prospect like Malik Nabers in this slot in round one.

2.03 = Derrick Henry, RB BAL
Rookie options: Xavier Legette, Roman Wilson, Ja’Lynn Polk
Other option: Christian Kirk

As you travel down the draft board, aging veterans are going to pop up all over the place as their values continue to dwindle as they get older. Here we find Henry, who is still one of the most effective runners in the league but also one clearly on the downswing of his career. Again, if you’re picking this highly, you’re likely not in contention, so one of the rookie receivers should be in play. If you want more of a sure thing who may not have the upside of one of the rookies, Christian Kirk could make for a viable target as well.

2.04 = Josh Downs, WR IND
Rookie options: Roman Wilson, Ja’Lynn Polk, Malachi Corley
Other option: Joe Mixon

Now it’s interesting. Downs had a solid rookie season with a 68/771/2 line but his value is taking a bit of a tumble now that Adonai Mitchell is in town. Still, we’ve seen him play well in stretches and we haven’t seen that from likely players on the board like Wilson, Polk or Corley. This is also a prime spot for another veteran running back like Henry or even Joe Mixon. The formula here is simple – if you’re drafting in the top few spots in the round, you need to figure out if you’re able to contend next season because the middle is the worst spot to be in.

2.05 = Jameson Williams, WR DET
Rookie options: Ja’Lynn Polk, Malachi Corley, Jaylen Wright
Other option: Jaylen Warren

The decisions keep coming and that’s why I really like this exercise. A year ago, it would have been next to impossible to get Williams at 2.05 but a disaster of a season has his stock dropping. This is also a range for two “Jaylen lottery tickets” as Jaylen Warren still has a lot of talent and Jaylen Wright could be a serious weapon if the Dolphins give him the chance. This is also a spot where you can get some receivers from the third tier like Polk or Corley. Second round picks don’t hit often, so the time for being safe is likely over – take a shot at the player you think has the highest upside here whether that’s a rookie or a younger veteran.

2.06 = Tua Tagovailoa, QB MIA
Rookie options: Malachi Corley, Jaylen Wright, Drake Maye
Other option: Brian Robinson

If you believe Tagovailoa is going to stay healthy, you also likely think he’s in a better spot to contribute than someone like Drake Maye since he has an elite supporting cast, so that’s a pretty easy decision here. The Commanders added Austin Ekeler but Robinson isn’t going to go away this season and could be acquired on the cheap as well. Corley or Polk could be available here and you’d need to jump on one of them here as the receiver run is likely about to dry up.

2.07 = Aaron Jones, RB MIN
Rookie options: Jaylen Wright, Drake Maye, Blake Corum
Other option: David Njoku

As we get deeper in the round, we’re likely looking at contending teams and that’s precisely why I chose some of the players I did as trade targets. You could go for Wright, Maye, or even someone like Blake Corum here but Jones could give you one or two more quality seasons at running back and he’s primed for a decent year. If you’re looking for a tight end, David Njoku is likely right in this range and we saw quite the run from him last year. Teams in this range could be one or two pieces away from truly contending, so trades authentically need to be considered before using rookie picks blindly.

2.08 = Dallas Goedert, TE PHI
Rookie options: Drake Maye, Blake Corum, MarShawn Lloyd
Other option: Evan Engram

Speaking of tight end additions, Goedert and Engram are good targets at the position if you have a pick right around #20. Both veterans are pretty easy “plug and play” options every week and could allow you to look elsewhere to fill out your roster. If not, you’re starting to look at some second tier running back prospects with upside like Corum or Lloyd.

2.09 = Dak Prescott, QB DAL
Rookie options: Blake Corum, MarShawn Lloyd, Jermaine Burton
Other option: Jahan Dotson

At this point, it’s going to be tough to pencil in Williams, Daniels or Maye as they’re all likely to be gone. If you’re looking for a quarterback and miss out on them, you could conceivably turn this pick into a veteran like Dak Prescott. If you want a receiver and missed out on the big run, someone like Dotson still has some potential.

2.10 = Courtland Sutton, WR DEN
Rookie options: MarShawn Lloyd, Jermaine Burton, JJ McCarthy
Other option: Roschon Johnson

This is the range of the draft where you start taking some real chances. Sutton hasn’t been great but it’s hard to imagine a rookie giving you 59/772/10 like he did last year. The Bears also brought in D’Andre Swift, sending the value of Roschon Johnson spiraling. However, he’s still young and could get a chance in the future at a starting job in Chicago or elsewhere. If you want a rookie, you’re looking in a tier with Lloyd, Burton or maybe even JJ McCarthy, who could make a fine pick for you if you wanted a young quarterback  who has been paired with an elite receiver.

2.11 = Kendre Miller, RB NO
Rookie options: Jermaine Burton, JJ McCarthy, Troy Franklin
Other option: Luke Musgrave

In my opinion, Miller looks like a pretty cheap buy in dynasty leagues at the moment. Alvin Kamara is aging and wasn’t nearly as effective last year. Jamaal Williams is hardly a long-term answer as well. If you don’t like Miller’s prospects, you’re looking at players like Lloyd, Burton, McCarthy and are likely in the range to take a shot on someone like Troy Franklin, who has some upside but dropped like a rock after a questionable NFL Draft Combine performance.

2.12 = Jerry Jeudy, WR CLE
Rookie options: JJ McCarthy, Troy Franklin, Devontez Walker
Other option: James Conner

The saga of Jeudy is well chronicled and the fact you could get him for a late second or early third is truly an indictment on his dynasty value. Still, I like his prospects long-term. Amari Cooper is aging and Elijah Moore is still unproven. If Deshaun Watson improves (and that’s a big if), Jeudy’s value could start to come around. If you’re not sold, Conner could have one or two more good years left in the desert as he attempts to hold off Trey Benson. If not, the rookie prospect who falls into this range to consider with the others is likely Walker, who had a strange path to the NFL Draft but also has a lot of talent.