NFL Draft: Day 1 Fantasy Fallout

NFL Draft: Day 1 Fantasy Fallout

This article is part of our NFL Draft series.

Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma (5-foot-10 1/8, 207 pounds)

Selected No. 1 overall by the Arizona Cardinals

Say goodbye to the Josh Rosen era, we hardly knew you. Murray became the first athlete to be drafted in the first round of both the MLB and NFL Drafts with Thursday's selection, and also earned the ominous distinction of becoming only the third No. 1 overall pick to measure in under 5-foot-11. Murray's height will essentially be the only hold up regarding his prospect profile, as the Oklahoma QB amassed an eye-popping 4,361 passing yards, 1,001 rushing yards and 54 combined touchdowns en route to a well-deserved Heisman Trophy. It's unlikely Murray will follow in the footsteps of 2018 No. 1 overall pick and former Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield, at least when it comes to a fantasy perspective, if only because the Cardinals sorely lack the weapons capable of fielding a dynamic offense. Still, there's reason to believe new head coach Kliff Kingsbury's "Air Raid" offense could do wonders for a skill position group that would be generously listed as lacking, particularly for a player like Christian Kirk, who emerged as a solid prospect despite playing in the decrepit Mike McCoy offensive scheme for much of the season. Murray's fantasy value this season may very well rest on his legs, as the dual-threat QB figures to be active in the pocket with a less-than-stellar offensive line currently in tow, but that may leave him susceptible to jarring hits --- something Murray was aptly able to avoid in his lone season as the starter at Oklahoma. 

Daniel Jones QB, Duke (6-foot-5 1/8, 221 pounds)

Selected No. 6 overall by the New York Giants

You'd have a better chance at finding someone willing to say Hawkeye was their favorite Avengers member before suggesting Daniel Jones was the second best quarterback in this draft, much less worthy of the No. 6 overall selection. Topical cultural whims aside, it's hard to place much faith in the Giants' brass after an offseason in which the team traded away one of the best players in the league (Odell Beckham Jr.) while operating under the assumption Eli Manning had proven he had "a lot left in the tank". It's not a complete formality that Jones will wait behind the two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback until his contract expires following the 2019 campaign, but it might be in the best interest of general manager David Gettleman's job security for such a situation to occur, especially considering the Giants appeared poised to pick again in the top-10 next year. The fact that Jones only completed 59.9 percent of his passes at Duke despite averaging 6.4 yards per completion should be concerning enough for Giants fans, but his turnover-prone nature (29 interceptions) suggests the 21-year-old would be best served waiting in the wings, a la the Aaron Rodgers and Brett Favre situation. God bless Gettleman.

T.J. Hockenson TE, Iowa (6-foot-4 3/4, 251 pounds)

Selected No. 8 overall by the Detroit Lions

One of two Iowa tight ends to be selected in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Hockenson certainly possesses the necessary receiving skills to be a capable weapon, and a road-grader mentality which should keep him on the field even in obvious running situations. Even elite tight ends have historically struggled to make an impact in their rookie seasons, with the likes of Travis Kelce, Zach Ertz and George Kittle all standing out as recent noticeable examples, and Hockenson's lack of blazing speed (4.70 40-yard dash at the Combine) doesn't make him a similar type of matchup nightmare. True to the Patriots mold, it's clear the decision makers in Detroit view Hockenson as a TE capable of unlocking their offense, but the decision to sign Jesse James in the offseason likely poses at least some sort of threat to the 21-year-old's projected snaps -- something that should cause even the most optimistic Hockenson prognosticator to tread lightly when it comes to his inaugural campaign.

Dwayne Haskins, QB, Ohio State (6-foot-3 3/8, 231 pounds)

Selected No. 15 overall by the Washington Redskins 

The Redskins may have lucked their way into a franchise quarterback. Haskins will provide next to nothing when it comes to mobility, but the Ohio State product is a big prospect (6-foot-3, 231 pounds) with an even bigger arm. Unlike Jones, Haskins actually displayed some semblance of accuracy in college, completing 70 percent of his passes during his redshirt sophomore campaign while throwing for over 4,800 yards and 50 touchdowns. The Redskins did trade for Case Keenum during the offseason, but it's quite possible Haskins could start Week 1 should the lumbering gunslinger impress Jay Gruden and company during the preseason. It is worth noting, however, that the lack of immediate receiving threats could prove to be an issue should that situation occur. Eternal breakout candidate Josh Doctson and the ever-injured Jordan Reed would need to take substantial steps forward to make Haskins an enticing fantasy prospect this year, but Alex Smith's unfortunate injury (leg fracture) essentially leaves Haskins as the only desirable QB on the roster for the foreseeable future which might make him among the most enviable prospects in a dynasty league format.

Noah Fant, TE, Iowa (6-foot-4 1/8, 249 pounds)

Selected No. 20 overall by the Denver Broncos 

The Broncos traded out of the No. 10 pick and still wound up with Fant, who some (admittedly crazy) draft pundits mocked leading up to the Draft. A 4.50 40-yard dash and 39.5-inch vertical jump at the NFL Combine essentially cemented first-round status for Fant, but the Iowa tight end left some wanting more in his junior season after posting such a promising sophomore campaign highlighted by 11 touchdowns on 30 catches. Fant fanatics will suggest that's in large part due to the presence of his teammate, No. 8 overall pick T.J. Hockenson, who gobbled up the majority of the targets. That might be true, but Fant's rather glaring inability to block might render that debate a moot point particularly situated in an offense that figures to run the ball even more with Joe Flacco under center. Of course the former Ravens quarterback was famously infatuated with the TE position during his time in Baltimore, a fact that should benefit Fant considering nobody else in Denver truly appears poised to truly challenge for the No. 1 role.

Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama (5-foot-10, 220 pounds)

Selected No. 24 overall by the Oakland Raiders

The Raiders traded up to make Jacobs the first running back off the board, all but guaranteeing the Alabama product will step in for the now-retired Marshawn Lynch as the team's primary RB. Jacobs' bruising, throwback run style certainly seems to fit the mold of head coach John Gruden, but with 252 carries already under his belt it's fair to wonder what type of toll has already been exacted on Jacobs frame. Case in point, a groin injury kept Jacobs from working out at the Combine, and a pedestrian 4.62 40-yard dash at his pro day certainly didn't do him any favors. Still, it's hard to argue that Jacobs is not a substantial upgrade over Isaiah Crowell which should immediately position the 21-year-old as a Day 1 starter in Oakland, and as a result, a potential mid-round selection in standard fantasy leagues as we creep towards the preseason. 

Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma (5-foot-9 3/8, 166 pounds)

Selected No. 25 overall by the Baltimore Ravens

Arguably the most explosive player available in this draft this, Brown could have easily been taken higher if not for a Lisfranc foot injury that prevented him from participating at the combine. It's easy to compare Brown's skillset to someone like DeSean Jackson, and while it's probably a fair assessment, there's reason to believe "Hollywood" could even be a better route runner than the Eagles speedster, working in lockstep with a pair of Heisman Trophy winners in Baker Mayfield, and 2019 No. 1 overall pick Kyler Murray. That speed and route-running ability will mean nothing if Baltimore's offense resembles anything close to the 2018 iteration which saw Lamar Jackson imitate a pee wee quarterback as opposed to the natural passer coming out of Louisville. Jackson probably can't play any worse under new offensive coordinator Greg Roman, but for an offense that could be collectively described as "unimaginative" for years, it's possible Brown may be forced to act as a safety net underneath or a decoy over the top until he gains more trust from the coaching staff.

N'Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State (6-foot-2 3/8, 228 pounds)

Selected No. 32 overall by the New England Patriots

A three-year starter at Arizona State, Harry certainly isn't a burner, but what he lacks in speed he more than makes up for in size (6-foot-2, 228 pounds). Situated in a depth chart loaded with slot receivers, Harry figures to be split out wide, at least initially, with the recently-signed Demaryius Thomas presenting the only sort of competition for the role. While his body type might allow pundits to pigeonhole Harry into a red-zone threat, to do so would undercut the 21-year-old's ability to create space before and after the catch, relying on his size to muscle catches out of the air. Save for Julian Edelman and the now-retired Rob Gronkowski, the rest of the Patriots pass-catchers were noticeably unable to get themselves "open", something that should be of little issue for the No. 32 overall pick.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joe Bartel
Joe Bartel is RotoWire's Operations Specialist and football contributor among many other things. When not at the office, he's probably playing a variety of Gen 4 console games or rooting on his beloved Green Bay Packers.
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