6.02 TEN - QB Zach Mettenberger
Mettenberger generated some hype during the draft process as a big,
strong-armed quarterback that can make all the throws from the pocket.
Unfortunately, even though he made a very fast return from a late-season
ACL injury, he has a bit of a slow delivery, is every bit as slow
as a runner and has a history of questionable off-field choices.
Even with all those negatives working against him, Metttenberger
probably lands in the one spot where he can make a legitimate push
for a starting job by 2015 with the uncertain status of Jake Locker
heading into his contract year. Unless Locker does the somewhat
unthinkable and forces the Titans to offer him a long-term deal,
Mettenberger appears to be the odds-on favorite to be the Titans'
starter next season with a wealth of young weapons like Kendall
Wright, Justin Hunter and Bishop Sankey to play with long-term and
deserves a third-round rookie pick as a result.
6.10 WAS - RB Lache Seastrunk
Seastrunk is the type of player that looks like a first-rounder
when he runs because he is so explosive, but lacks much in the way
of passing-game chops, which is a problem for a 5-9, 200-pound back.
In short, he is a complementary back without a complementary-back
game. Because he is a big play waiting to happen, he's almost certainly
going to get a bit of run with Washington, although he faces long
odds of every grabbing a substantial role with Alfred Morris firmly
entrenched as the starter and Roy Helu easily the better all-purpose
back. As such, Seastrunk will probably be stuck in a special team
role for the foreseeable future.
6.25 SD - RB Marion Grice
Proving that three backs aren’t enough, San Diego brings in
Arizona State's all-purpose threat. Grice lacks explosiveness, but
is extremely versatile and has some potential upside as a long-term
NFL backup. However, he may struggle to make the Chargers' final
2014 roster behind Ryan Mathews, Danny Woodhead and free-agent signee
Donald Brown. Assuming he sticks (which he should), San Diego will
likely let either Mathews or Woodhead walk in 2015 (when both will
be free agents) and slide Grice into a third-back role. Where Grice
becomes a possibility is for dynasty leagues if Woodhead departs
because Grice could then become the pass-catching complement to
either Mathews or Brown in 2015.
6.28 CAR - RB Tyler Gaffney
Despite glaring holes at receiver and on the offensive line, Carolina
apparently still cannot help itself when it comes to drafting running
backs. Gaffney is a bigger back that showed well at the NFL Combine,
but he appeared to be little more than a grinder on a team that
will have to suffer a wealth of injuries ahead of him to even consider
making him active for game day this season. With DeAngelo Williams,
Jonathan Stewart and Mike Tolbert firmly entrenched in the first
three spots of the rotation, the Panthers wasted a pick on a player
that could have been at least moderately productive as a short-yardage/goal-line
option on another team.
6.37 NYJ - QB Tahj Boyd
Most of the third-day quarterback picks have been ideal or interesting
fits and this one qualifies as the latter. With Michael Vick coming
in to New York on a one-year contract, Boyd is the most Vick-like
quarterback left and essentially becomes Geno Smith's competition
in 2015. While it is possible the Jets may put in some kind of specialty
package in for Boyd as some point, it should be said that Boyd is
a better runner than quarterback at this point despite his gaudy
college numbers. Unless he is able to recapture some of his 2012
form and build from that (as opposed to some of his 2013 efforts),
Boyd doesn't belong on the redraft or dynasty radar despite the
fact that owners may trumpet his cause as a productive college quarterback.
7.07 JAX - RB Storm Johnson
One of my favorite remaining available backs, Johnson joins Central
Florida teammate Blake Bortles in Jacksonville. Johnson is no threat
to Toby Gerhart's starting job anytime soon, but he's a bigger back
with more elusiveness than he looks like he should have. Ball security
has been an issue, but Johnson - like Gerhart - contributes more
in the passing game than one might initially expect. Johnson has
more than enough talent to overtake Jordan Todman and probably even
Denard Robinson and has an outside shot at being a lead (or maybe
even a featured) back in Jacksonville down the road. He's off the
redraft radar, but offers significant dynasty value and warrants
a late-second round choice in rookie leagues.
7.21 GB - WR Jeff Janis
Unlike the first two receivers they drafted, the Packers go with
a size-speed project in Janis, marking the second straight year
Green Bay went the D-2/D-3 route with a seventh-round receiver in
hopes of discovering a hidden gem (Charles Johnson, Grand Valley
State). At 6-3, 220 with 4.4 speed, Janis will almost certainly
spend a year on the practice squad. Janis impressed some folks at
the Senior Bowl, so it isn't as if he was completely under the radar.
Stash Janis' name away for dynasty purposes as any receiver who
works his way into the top four receiver spots of Green Bay's offense
has fantasy upside, even if it may not be realized until 2015 or
2016.
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. |
