The Top 5 Rookies For Re-Draft Leagues in 2015

            Determining how rookies will translate into the NFL is no easy task to take on. Deciding when to draft a rookie in a re-draft league presents an even tougher decision. Do you reach for a rookie so nobody else can steal him from you? Maybe you have done your research and believe a rookie will slide based on his ADP and you can wait for him in the later rounds of your draft. There are various dilemmas that fantasy owners face when it comes to rookies on draft day. Luckily, I am here to provide you with information on which rookies I believe will provide the greatest impact for the 2015 NFL season.

* Rankings assume a full-point PPR format*

1.)        Amari Cooper- WR, Oakland Raiders

Mr. Cooper is the real deal. As an Alabama product who caught 124 passes last season in college, Cooper is poised to make an immediate fantasy impact in Oakland. He owns a 4.42 40 and has the ability to be a playmaker all across the field. The only concern regarding Cooper is his QB, Derek Carr. If Carr fails to rebound from an ineffective 2014 season, Cooper will struggle to post consistent numbers. Still, Oakland will likely be playing from behind for a majority of the season, leaving Carr and Cooper with plenty of opportunities to build a rapport. Expect Cooper to flirt with WR 1 numbers right from the beginning.

2015 Projection: 80-1025-6

Target: Rounds 4-5

2.)        Melvin Gordon- RB, San Diego Chargers

Out of all the RB’s selected in this years NFL Draft, Melvin Gordon landed on the best team to contribute in fantasy. Gordon should become a focal point of a San Diego Chargers team that is in desperate need of a workhorse back. He boasts 4.52 speed and has unreal quickness upfield for having such a large body. However, Gordon does suffer from poor pass-blocking skills, which is something that will limit him to early-down work this season until he improves on that area of his game. Other than receiving-specialist Danny Woodhead and role-player Branden Oliver, Gordon has a clear path to playing time. Don’t be surprised if Gordon flirts with borderline RB 1 numbers this season in San Diego, especially since the Chargers will need to rely on his production early on with Antonio Gates’ latest suspension.

2015 Projection: 260-1164-5 (Rushing) ~ 22-215-2 (Receiving)

Target: Round 4

3.)        Nelson Agholor- WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Nelson Agholor enters the NFL scene as a highly touted prospect out of USC. In fact, Agholor caught 12 TD’s last season serving primarily out of the slot. It seems apparent that the Eagles and Chip Kelly view Agholor as a replacement to Jeremy Maclin as the “Z” receiver in their offense. Although he will have to battle rising superstar Jordan Matthews for targets, Agholor should post solid numbers as a rookie in a fantasy-friendly Eagles offense. In fact, it would not be a surprise to see Agholor compete with Amari Cooper and Kevin White as the most productive rookie WR this season in PPR scoring. The presence of both DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews does limit Agholor’s upside, but he should have enough touches to warrant WR 3/FLEX appeal.

2015 Projection: 60-785-6

Target: Rounds 5-7

4.)        TJ Yeldon- RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Often overlooked in the fantasy community prior to being drafted to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Yeldon offers enormous upside to an improving offensive team. Although fumbling issues plagued Yeldon in his career at Alabama, the 6-1’ prospect offers a unique combination of power and speed that will allow to him to be bombarded with touches out of the backfield as a rookie. His ability to pass-block should keep him on the field routinely, and present him with the opportunity to catch 30-40 balls. Similar to other recent Jaguar RB’s, Yeldon will need to rely on Blake Bortles to improve on his game in order to succeed. Fortunately, Bortles has plenty of weapons at his disposal with Allen Robinson and Julius Thomas, which should free Yeldon of defenses stacking the box against him.  A steady RB 2 with potential for sleeper PPR upside should make Yeldon one of the first rookies of the draft board this season in re-draft leagues.

2015 Projection: 225-977-7 (Rushing) ~ 35-200-3 (Receiving)

Target: Rounds 4-5

5.)        Kevin White- WR, Chicago Bears

The Bears traded Brandon Marshall away to the New York Jets this offseason, leaving many people in the fantasy world curious who would replace such a dominant WR opposite Alshon Jeffery. Enter Kevin White, a West Virginia product who possesses exceptional athletic ability and size for a WR. White should line-up opposite Alshon Jeffery and looks primed for a solid rookie season. Unfortunately, the Chicago Bears new head coach, John Fox, makes rookies earn playing time. Remember Cody Latimer in Denver last season? He never truly was given an opportunity to produce, as Fox didn’t seem to believe he earned any playing time. However, White does enter an offense that needs help at receiver. Outside of starter Alshon Jeffery, the Bears only other real offensive threats are Matt Forte, Martellus Bennett, Marquess Wilson, and Eddie Royal. John Fox will need to swallow his pride and rely on White’s athleticism to succeed this season. Anticipate White to produce steady WR 2/3 numbers in a revamped Chicago offense.

2015 Projection: 68-865-6

Target: Rounds 5-6

Rookies who should also be considered:

Todd Gurley- RB, St. Louis Rams

Gurley offers tremendous upside as a dynasty asset, and could possibly be the best RB prospect since Adrian Peterson to enter the NFL. Nevertheless, I anticipate Gurley to be placed on the PUP list to begin the season and miss the first six games, which hurts his re-draft value. Unless he is cleared ready for week 1, let someone else reach for Gurley in rounds 4-5. Tre Mason will surely slide and be given the opportunity to produce if Gurley should be placed on the PUP list to begin the season. However, if Gurley slides in your draft due to injury concerns, be sure to draft him at a bargain, as players such as Odell Beckham Jr. have demonstrated the reward of waiting on talent to recover from an injury.

Tevin Coleman- RB, Atlanta Falcons

A RB entering a Kyle Shanahan led offense? Sign me up. Coleman should beat out second year RB Devonta Freeman at some point this season and run away with the job. He was one of the nations best RB’s last season at Indiana University, demonstrating he can erupt at any point in time with his big-play ability. Coleman also has impressive speed with a 4.39 40, meaning he can beat defenders in the open field. Expect Coleman to produce RB 2 numbers with the potential for a higher ceiling if he beats out Freeman to start the season. Three-down work and RB 1 upside is not out of the question for Coleman entering his rookie season.

DeVante Parker- WR, Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins completely revamped their offense this offseason by acquiring Kenny Stills, Greg Jennings, and Jordan Cameron. Combine those acquisitions with an already productive Jarvis Landry and it appears that the Dolphins have a very crowded receiving arsenal for fantasy purposes, especially after drafting DeVante Parker in the first round of the NFL Draft. Nevertheless, Parker is a special talent out of Louisville who is arguably the most athletic WR on the Dolphin’s current roster. Parker likely will struggle to produce numbers similar to Cooper, White, and Agholor, but he still offers upside as a WR 3 or 4 late in drafts. In addition, the ascension of Ryan Tannehill at quarterback in Miami makes Parker a value pick on draft day.

Ameer Abdullah, RB- Detroit Lions

Often compared to smaller backs such as Giovanni Bernard, Abdullah projects to be an appealing PPR option this season. He will seemingly replace Reggie Bush in Detroit and might outperform journeyman and oft-injured Joique Bell for early-down work. Abdullah also obtains incredible agility, as his lateral quickness and acceleration is evident from his collegiate days at Nebraska. If Abdullah can improve his blocking skills, he will earn playing time and will be in the RB 2 mix. Until then, Abdullah is best viewed as a PPR FLEX option with high upside if he earns a larger role in Detroit’s offense.

Breshad Perriman- WR, Baltimore Ravens

After Torrey Smith was acquired by the San Francisco 49ers during the offseason, the Baltimore Ravens were forced to address the WR position during the NFL Draft. The Ravens ended up selecting Breshad Perriman out of UCF in the 1^st round. He owns a remarkable size/speed combination for his body frame and has an immediate chance to produce opposite Steve Smith this season. Perriman struggles with drops, as he was responsible for missing eight targets last year in college. The addition of Offensive Coordinator Marc Trestman should help Perriman contribute regularly in this offense, and makes the WR an intriguing dynasty pick. Expect Perriman to produce low-end WR 3 or high-end WR 4 numbers his rookie season as he adjusts to football at the NFL level.