4.03 ATL - RB Devonta Freeman
An interesting pick by a team that needs to think about the future
beyond Steven Jackson. Judging him just by a height-weight standpoint,
Freeman would seem to be a bit too small to be anything more than
a scatback, but he is a pretty compact runner with an all-around
game in the Shane Vereen mold. It is unlikely he will ever be asked
to carry the load simply because Florida State did not ask him to
do so either, but his game is good enough to kick Jacquizz Rodgers
out of the second spot in the Falcons' RB depth chart. He should
emerge fairly quickly as Jackson's handcuff and needs to be considered
as mid-to-late second-round rookie pick in dynasty leagues.
4.13 NYG - RB Andre Williams
A 2,000-yard rusher that is a bit of a walking dichotomy in that
he has natural running skills, but is far from natural as a receiver
out of the backfield (zero catches in 2013). In other words, he
is the embodiment of a two-down back at this stage. With that said,
Williams is a very good runner for a Giants team that desperately
wants to get back to being more of a balanced offense. Along with
Rashad Jennings, New York is adding bodies to the backfield one
year after being forced to start Peyton Hillis for a short spell.
Williams is off the redraft radar for now, but could eventually
emerge as a starter if David Wilson were to suffer a setback from
his neck injury or Jennings begins to show his age, meaning he has
a shot at late-second round value in rookie drafts.
4.15 NYJ - WR Shaq Evans
Eleven picks after taking the leap on a slot receiver/returner in
Jalen Saunders that has no shot at becoming a long-term starter
opposite Eric Decker, the Jets take the player they hope will put
some heat on the disappointing Stephen Hill. The problem is, Evans
is mostly a possession receiver that doesn't really give New York
a much different dimension than Decker. At this point, it looks
as if Decker, Hill and Jeremy Kerley will remain atop the depth
chart for 2014, meaning Evans is probably no more than a fourth-round
rookie draft pick in dynasty leagues.
4.17 CHI - RB Ka'Deem Carey
While Carey is not exactly a Matt Forte clone, he is in a lot of
ways the perfect backup to Chicago's entrenched starting running
back. Carey lacks great speed and dropped in the draft in part because
he doesn't do anything exceptionally well, but has a great deal
of production on his resume. The nation's leading rusher in 2012
should become Forte's handcuff immediately - making him a solid
late-round choice in redraft leagues - and probably warrants a late-first
round/early-second round pick in rookie drafts based on the likelihood
that he will become the starter when Forte begins to slow down -
likely in 2-3 years.
4.18 PIT - WR Martavis Bryant
While the Jets are selecting receivers that are unlikely to challenge
for starting spots anytime soon or give them something different
than what they have, the Steelers get a player in Bryant that is
a first- or second-round field-stretching talent in the fourth round.
He is only available because of immaturity issues, the fear that
he is a one-year wonder and has somewhat inconsistent hands. Bryant
has a lot of growing up to do - on and off the field - but he should
immediately contribute as a downfield threat and might give the
Steelers a bigger red-zone threat (6-4, 210) at receiver, which
has a pair of smaller players in Antonio Brown and Markus Wheaton
as the likely starters at the moment. In redraft leagues, Bryant's
upside is in Jerricho Cotchery's 2013 old role. Regarding his dynasty
value, the Clemson alum warrants consideration in the late-second
or early-third round of rookie drafts.
4.20 ARI - QB Logan Thomas
Perhaps the most athletically gifted quarterback in this draft class,
Thomas offers prototypical size and a big arm to a team and coach
in Bruce Arians that loves to go downfield. The problem is that
several teams have openly questioned whether or not he should try
to move to tight end because he has put together so much bad tape
after tearing Michigan apart as a sophomore. Thomas is going to
get at least one year (and maybe two) to develop under Carson Palmer
and will have a noted quarterback guru in Arians molding him, so
there is significant long-term upside with him. He offers no redraft
value because he is not close to being ready to start for a NFL
team, but he warrants consideration in the third round of rookie
drafts as a poor man's Cam Newton when Palmer begins to show serious
signs of decline - likely in 2015 or 2016. The big positive here
is that Thomas probably landed in the best possible spot for his
long-term prospects.
4.35 HOU - QB Tom Savage
Perhaps the most interesting pick of this round, Savage joins a
team in Houston that has a glaring need at quarterback and was really
fortunate to have a moldable player like the Pittsburgh signal-caller
still available. The interesting part of this selection is the incredible
buzz that Savage generated as a player that was creeping into first-round
consideration by the end of the process, the amount of surrounding
talent he will have at his disposal and a coach renowned for his
ability to develop quarterbacks in Bill O'Brien. Savage spent time
at three colleges during his career before impressing NFL brass
with his size, maturity, intelligence and ability to consistently
make NFL throws despite lackluster play from his tackles for most
of his final college season. Savage will probably spend most of
2014 behind Ryan Fitzpatrick, although he has enough talent to overtake
the bearded gunslinger before the end of the season if he takes
quickly to O'Brien's teaching. In dynasty, Savage probably slots
in as the second- or third-ranked quarterback option behind Johnny
Manziel and Teddy Bridgewater.
Suggestions, comments, about the article
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Doug Orth has written for FF Today since 2006 and appeared in
USA Today’s Fantasy Football Preview magazine in 2010 and
2011. He is also the host of USA Today’s hour-long, pre-kickoff
fantasy football internet chat every Sunday. Doug regularly appears
as a fantasy football analyst on Sirius XM’s “Fantasy
Drive” and for 106.7 The Fan (WJFK – Washington, D.C).
He is also a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. |
