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The NFL Draft is finally upon us, and TWSN has you covered with outstanding fantasy football analysis throughout the weekend. Dynasty rookie drafts are right around the corner too and there will be some major changes to consensus rookie rankings. There are players who are bound to take some big rises and falls depending on draft capital. Below are my favorite fantasy football rookie sleepers and prospects I see being outstanding values in upcoming dynasty drafts.
Sean Tucker – Running Back – Syracuse
Sean Tucker was suffering from an undisclosed injury and hasn’t participated in testing through this point. That all changed this past week as he has been medically cleared and will participate in his Pro Day on April 24. Tucker’s extremely athletic and if he runs between 4.30 through 4.40 he could vault up draft boards.
Over the last two years, he has accumulated 3,065 all-purpose yards as well as 56 receptions. A strong frame gives him the ability to shake off tacklers, and Tucker is fantastic at creating space between himself and defenders. He’s one of the few players I could see really surprising with earlier draft capital than expected.
Sam LaPorta – Tight End – Iowa
Sam LaPorta is one of my favorite prospects in the class, and unlike similarly ranked tight ends, he has a strong production profile. He’s extremely tough to tackle too, and recorded a 4.59 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. Furthermore, he’s garnered over a 21% target share three straight seasons with over 650 receiving yards back to back years.
The only thing holding LaPorta back is a smaller frame, and he likely won’t be involved much as a blocker. The slot position isn’t unfamiliar to him though, as he recorded over 112 snaps there last year as well. There’s a very good chance he is selected in the second round of the NFL Draft and would immediately slot in as a top 20 dynasty tight end.
DeWayne McBride – Running Back – UAB
A projected early day three pick, DeWayne McBride is an extremely physical runner capable of shouldering an NFL workload right away. His contact balance is elite and is extremely tough to bring down. McBride is a player that could factor into an early down role right away, which could give him immediate flex upside.
His lack of pass catching or blocking ability combined with ball control issues will be big concerns at the next level. McBride won’t ever get a full-time role as a result, which will cap his ultimate upside. Rather than take receivers in the third round of rookie drafts at a saturated position, though, I’ll be targeting McBride who could have a large role with an injury.
Zach Kuntz – Tight End – Old Dominion
A freakish athlete, Zach Kuntz stands 6’7 and weighs 255 pounds while being one of the most athletic tight ends to test at the NFL Combine. He was a huge part of the Old Dominion offense as well in 2021, accumulating 73 receptions for 692 yards and five touchdowns. Ultimately, injuries hampered his final year, cratering the whole offense as a result.
Despite obvious potential, Kuntz also made just 15 starts during his college career. Pass blocking isn’t a strength of his at his size either, and he has a lot to work on as a route runner to be a consistent receiving threat at the NFL level. He’s a project, but will be very intriguing in the third and fourth rounds of dynasty rookie drafts.
Chase Brown – Running Back – Illinois
A disastrous week at the Senior Bowl tanked the draft stock of Chase Brown, who was a hot name in dynasty circles prior to that. There is plenty of reason for this excitement as well, coming off an outstanding career at Illinois. Brown totaled nearly 1,900 scrimmage yards, 13 touchdowns, and 27 receptions in 2022.
Additionally, Brown was simply electric at the NFL Combine, shocking people with over 86th-percentile testing numbers in every category. Ball security issues clearly arose at the Senior Bowl though, and pass blocking will be an issue as well. Nonetheless, he is another running back with a physical build and a lot of athletic ability. Brown will be a player to watch come NFL Draft night and whether he gets drafted within the first five rounds or not.
Xavier Hutchinson – Wide Receiver – Iowa State
Xavier Hutchinson is one of the few wide receivers at the top of draft boards with prototypical size. He also received over a 24% target share in each of his three collegiate seasons and was a consistent focal point of the Iowa State offense. An outside receiver, Hutchinson projects as a traditional possession receiver at the NFL level.
On the other hand, he isn’t a strong athlete or pass catcher. His inability to create separation from defenders puts him in a lot of contested catch situations, too. Hutchinson still has a lot of room to grow though and should be a borderline top 10 rookie wide receiver.
