Which rookies might not have the best future outlooks? Which ones might have good short-term value, or possibly not any appealing value, and thus aren’t necessarily great dynasty plays?
Let’s take a look at 7 rookies you should sell this season in dynasty leagues.
Xavier Worthy, WR/Kansas City Chiefs
Admittedly, I’m against the general consensus here. I understand that speed kills, but a receiver has to have more to his game than that. Yeah, Worthy will have his splash plays and spike weeks due to his catch-and-run ability. And playing with perhaps the greatest quarterback of all time is only going to up his outlook. But we’ve seen this story from the Chiefs before with speedy wide receivers not named Tyreek Hill. Every fantasy owner wants to crown each new Chiefs speedster as the next Hill. Let’s slow our roll on that. I don’t like Worthy’s skill set outside his blazing speed. And speed needs to be a complementary trait; not a guy’s primary one. If he slides far enough in rookie drafts, I’ll take a stab at him. But I’m not buying at current cost.
J.J. McCarthy, QB/Minnesota Vikings
I don’t get the hype. Everyone wants to crown him because of how he managed the NCAA champions this past season. But what I saw was a subpar passer who made good enough throws to be a leader and to move the offense, but not exactly one who is going to light up fantasy football games. Now, I will say that his one saving grace is landing with an offense loaded with playmakers, which could make him a serviceable QB2. But if he comes out and wets the bed and his game doesn’t translate to the NFL level, he’ll have a short leash.
Xavier Legette, WR/Carolina Panthers
Legette only had one big year in college and of course that screams red flag for me. He’s a tight-hipped runner who needs to work on his route running, which means he’s going to be extremely limited with what he can do on the field, relying on patterns that get the ball into his hands quickly so he can try to run away from defenders in a foot race. He’s behind veterans Diontae Johnson and Adam Thielen to open his career. And when you throw in the fact that the Panthers are still trying to rebuild their way out of obscurity, I don’t like this pick at all.
Drake Maye, QB/New England Patriots
I’ve been on an emotional rollercoaster with Maye since the middle of last football season. First, I didn’t like him because I don’t think he faced enough big-time college football programs. Then, I liked his moxie and intangibles and felt there was a path to success for him. Then, he gets drafted by a rebuilding New England Patriots team that leaves me with very little confidence we’ll see anything of substance from him for the foreseeable future. If he somehow falls late in third rounds in rookie drafts, I guess you could take a flyer on him. Those picks rarely work out anyway. But this is not a guy with a landing spot that screams value at all.
Adonai Mitchell, WR/Indianapolis Colts
Michael Pittman Jr. just signed a contract extension and Josh Downs looks like a promising slot receiver. That leaves me with lukewarm feelings about Mitchell’s landing spot, even though I really like him as a prospect. I’m not sure Anthony Richardson can support the fantasy production of three wide receivers plus accumulate all his rushing statistics, so either Mitchell or Downs will take a hit. I like Mitchell better than Downs, but I think the second-year quarterback will find Downs more often. Mitchell is worth a flyer if he slides in rookie drafts, but I’m avoiding him at cost.
Roman Wilson, WR/Pittsburgh Steelers
An absence of competition doesn’t always make a prospect better. Just because the Steelers have George Pickens and very little else at wide receiver, that doesn’t automatically mean the 5’11, 185-pound Wilson will suddenly step up and become this vaunted fantasy player. Let’s say hypothetically that Wilson catches a fair number of passes in his rookie season because there is not a lot of target competition. Do you think it will remain that way next year and beyond? Not if the Steelers want to win. They are going to bring in more bodies at receiver, severely dimming Wilson’s dynasty value.
Troy Franklin, WR/Denver Broncos
I know that fans are making the connection between Franklin and fellow rookie and former college teammate Bo Nix. But what Franklin will be in the NFL is an insurance policy, not the featured target. Courtland Sutton is still the WR1 for that team and second-year wideout Marvin Mims could have a bigger role in the offense this year. How long Sutton remains in town and whether Mims ever amounts to anything more than a returner and part-time receiver remain the two big questions there. But I’m not sold on Franklin as an NFL wideout and the best you can hope for is a PPR FLEX contributor.
