By Rick “Snake” Arnold
We are so close to April I can almost smell the NFL draft! We’ve gone months without any real football action…I’ve faded from “I need a break” to “Sure wish football was here” to “PLEASE GIVE ME FOOTBALL!” As the NFL Draft approaches, those of us that participate in Dynasty Fantasy Football Leagues know it’s time to start looking at the rookie crop of players. Rookie drafts are just a month away! The Scouting combine is over and it’s time to seriously look at what we’re dealing with as far as impact rookie players.
Do you need to trade into the top 5 to get an impact guy? Top 7? Is the draft loaded at a position? Is there a OID (Once In Decade) player I need to trade for the 1.1 to get? Is this a deep draft full of sleepers where I can load up on 2nd round picks and make my team better? If you’re in an IDP (Individual Defensive Players) league will this year deliver any stud defensive players? How deep is it there? These are all questions zinging through your fantasy football brains these days. I mean really, you have like 3 weeks left to try and trade for some draft picks if you want them. Little secret…do NOT trade for draft picks the week before the draft! Everyone is so hyped that the draft is near that the price tag on those picks goes through the roof! Conversely, if you have rookie picks you’re looking to move…wait until just days before the draft. Guys will sell the shirt off their back to have a top pick on Draft Day! It’s a great balancing act. If you want to move into the top 3 picks, YOU BETTER DO IT NOW! If you wait until draft week you’ll be paying FAT prices. If you want to deal your 1.1 or 1.2 pick, wait until draft week and some poor bastard will pay through the nose for your pick.
All this being said…we here at Pigskin Addiction want you to know what you’re dealing with in the 2010 NFL Draft! We can’t have you running into trade talks like a box of rocks! We don’t want you looking like a complete dillhole on Rookie Draft Day! So let’s break it down! (Cheap plug…we will talk all things rookie drafts and NFL drafts on our upcoming radio show on 3 April! http://www.blogtalkradio.com/pigskinaddiction Should be an awesome hour…you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll feel it all.)
INSTANT IMPACT PLAYERS: These guys are going to boost your fantasy teams from Day 1! They aren’t projects, they don’t need the stars to align to help you…they are just THAT DAMN GOOD!
RB CJ Spiller- Clemson: It’s no secret after he blazed a 4.3 forty at the combine after an awesome 2009 college season. This guy can do it all! He’s lightening fast, has decent size, catches the ball like a receiver and returns kicks better than anyone has in a long time. Whatever team drafts him gets an instant shot of offense in the arm. He’ll be used on special teams and in the offense. He’s the ONE player in this draft that can score from anywhere on the field in the blink of an eye. He’s got Marshall Faulk type potential. I’m not going to say he’s a OID player but he’s this year’s top dog. If you’re hurting at RB you want this guy on your squad! Pay accordingly.
WR Dez Bryant- Oklahoma St.: Most WR’s take 2-3 years to develop but the growing trend these days is for NFL squads to incorporate their rookie WR’s in from day 1. Bryant will NOT need 2-3 years to be an impact WR. This guy is built like a brick house, has good speed, amazing hands and that special ability to go up at the highest point of the throw and come down with the ball. He’ll be a red zone monster and he’s no joke after the catch. Think Terrell Owens with maybe not quite TO’s speed but none of TO’s attitude either! He has no fear at all in the middle of the field. He’ll be a 1st round pick by a team in desperate need of WR help so he’s going to see the field from day 1. Draft accordingly!
RB Ryan Mathews- Fresno St.: Mathews brings a powerful running style with great vision and balance to the table. His speed is surprising for his size so defenders are always on bad angles. The Chargers are all over him and should he last until their pick you can chalk him up as 1000 yard rusher in 2010. Yeah, I said it! No matter where he lands he’s an NFL starter but San Diego would be ideal. If he lands there be prepared to spend the 1.2 pick on him. He may last until 1.3 if owner 1.2 needs WR badly but it will be hard to pass up a talent like Mathews in a playing position like San Diego.
THAT’S IT! Sorry folks, that’s your 3 money picks! I wish there was more, but we can’t just make them up can we? Relax…there are a bunch of guys that COULD be impact guys if they land in the right spot. The three above don’t need any help…they are money.
POTENTIAL STUDS IN THE RIGHT SPOT: These guys have the talent to be fantasy studs for years but they need to land in the right spots to get playing time and fit in an offense where their talents can be used.
RB Jahvid Best- California: The only question with Best is his durability. The guy is a Human Home Run on the football field. He needs a crack of daylight to explode the distance. He runs much tougher than his size allows so he gets dinged up often. Whoever drafts him is doing so to get him the rock in space. He’s going to be like a Darren Sproles change-of-pace guy in the NFL. I don’t think he can handle the full time beatdowns that RB’s get in the NFL. He’ll get the chance though. If he lands somewhere he can start or play often, he’s a stud.
RB/WR Dexter McCluster- Ole Miss: No, I’m not smoking crack. I realize this guy is smaller than your little brother and ran a piggish forty at the combine but it’s all about what he does on the field. Think DeSean Jackson. McCluster fits the Single Wing offense that is taking the NFL by storm perfectly. He can play RB or line up in the slot at WR. He’s a jitterbug in the whole that defenders just can’t get their hands on. He’s much quicker than he is fast. If you believe in what guys can do on the field as opposed to their 40 time, he’s your guy. He’ll slide in your drafts because he’s so small and his 40 sucked but on the right team with playing time opportunities he will make noise.
WR Golden Tate- Notre Dame: This guy flat out makes big plays. He’s got that “X” factor you just can’t label. He’s not the biggest or fastest but he makes plays. He’s built like a running back but has amazing hands. He’ll make the catch that has you yelling “DAMN! Did you see that?” as you jump off the couch. In the right offense he’ll be an instant playmaker. Think a more solid Steve Smith (Carolina) type WR with an awesome work ethic and attitude.
WR Demaryius Thomas- Georgia Tech: Don’t get him confused with Calvin Johnson just because he’s the same size…there’s only one Megatron. However, he’s not far off. His 40 time was good, he’s big and strong and has great hands. He’s still a little raw on his route running but he’ll be a deep ball/red zone monster. If he lands somewhere he can play right away he’ll put up nice numbers.
WR Arrelious Benn- Illinois: He’s built like TO, runs amazingly after the catch and can make big plays. He has the physical tools to be an NFL All Pro. His problem is he was stuck at Illinois with some of the crappiest QB’s to ever suit up. He did not develop his route running ability much. He pretty much just stagnated in the college game. Now is his time to shine. On the right team with some coaching, he’ll be a beast. He could even run the Wild Cat offense for an NFL squad. Pray his crappy college numbers cause the rest of your league to ignore him on draft day and hope he lands somewhere nice.
TE Jermaine Gresham- Oklahoma: There are a lot of question marks after he missed his entire last season of college ball. The year before he was virtually unstoppable and we’re all grading on that potential. He’s a matchup nightmare for NFL D’s. He’s too athletic and fast for OLB’s to cover him and too big and strong for safeties to cover him. If he lands on a team with good WR’s the middle of the field will be owned by him! Owned!
DE Jason Pierre-Paul- South Florida: Think Jevon Kearse part 2 here folks. An edge rusher that is far too quick and athletic for an offensive lineman to contain. He’ll require double teams from day 1. If he lands somewhere he’s a starter, he will rack up double-digit sacks for your IDP squad.
DT Gerald McCoy- Oklahoma: Think Warren Sapp all over again. This guy has a non-stop motor and silly athletic ability for an interior lineman. Most IDP leagues don’t score DT’s well enough for them to truly be studs but this guy will rise to the top of the DT world if your league gives enough points in that area. Sack heavy leagues probably won’t make a DT worth an early pick.
DT Ndamukong Suh- Nebraska: We all saw what this beast did to Texas last year…it was dominant. He can take a game over from inside. Again, if your league scores sack-heavy then DT’s don’t usually score well enough to consider early drafting. If your league finds a way to balance that and gives DT any value then he’s a BEAST for the next decade…draft accordingly.
ILB Rolando McClain- Alabama: He’s incredibly football smart, has great size and speed. This guy brings it all to the table and could be a force in the middle for the right defense. The announcement of Crone’s disease has slowed some NFL teams on drafting him, don’t let it do the same to you. He’s a stud ILB and those don’t grow on trees. Rare talent and football IQ make him a 1st round IDP pick.
OLB Sergio Kindle- Texas: Kindle is an animal off the edge. He is athletic enough to stand up and cover the flats but his specialty is the pass rush. Think smaller more athletic Shawn Merriman. He lives in the backfield. He’ll be picked to be a pass rusher and rack up the stats. If he plays DE his value goes up in the fantasy world but even as an OLB he’s money.
OLB Sean Weatherspoon- Missouri: He’s my dark horse of the draft! This guy is a leader, plays balls out sideline to sideline and has explosion. If he lands somewhere he can start right away he may end up being the top scoring LB of this year’s fantasy class. Think DJ Williams only bigger and stronger. He’s going to put up sacks, tackles, interceptions and fumble recoveries for you. A 4-tool OLB that is extremely underrated.
S Eric Berry- Tennessee: Here’s your playmaking safety that will shore up your defensive backfield. On the right defense he could be Ed Reed plus tackles (we all know how much Ed Reed hates to tackle). Berry is always around the ball and loves to come up and support the run with monster hits. He’s a future stud for the next decade.
S Taylor Mays- USC: This guy just plain loves to hit! He will be a run stuffer that racks up the tackles for your defense. He sucks at pass coverage, but you’re drafting a safety to rack up tackles right? He lands on a D like the Ravens and he’s a beast for years. He’s going to need to land somewhere that they don’t count on him to cover the pass much.
There ya have it folks! 17 players that should have an impact this year in IDP leagues. You hit on the right guys that land in the right places and you could pull 2 of these guys out of your draft! We’ll have our SLEEPER article soon to give you those diamonds in the rough to take in your later rounds. We’ll have the radio show, mock drafts, top 100 rankings and sleepers to give you all you need for your rookie drafts!
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