I was challenged to conduct a Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft in a 12-team, one-quarterback, and half-PPR league. The timing could not be better with the NFL Draft just completed this past weekend. We can now see the roles of the playmakers and assess their values and projections more accurately.

I tasked myself with the ninth pick in this linear draft. I conducted this draft using the Mock Draft Simulator. Let’s check out how the rookie draft unfolded.

Round 1

• 1.01-Breece Hall (RB-NYJ)
• 1.02-Garrett Wilson (WR-NYJ)
• 1.03-Treylon Burks (WR-TEN)
• 1.04-Drake London (WR-ATL)
• 1.05-Kenneth Walker III (RB-SEA)
• 1.06-Kyren Williams (RB-LAR)
• 1.07-Chris Olave (WR-NO)
• 1.08-Jameson Williams (WR-DET)
• 1.09-Skyy Moore (WR-KC)
• 1.10-Jalen Wydermyer (TE-BUF)
• 1.11-George Pickens (WR-PIT)
• 1.12-Isaiah Spiller (RB-LAC)

The hope was that Chris Olave fell to me. Unfortunately, it was more of a pipe dream. Nonetheless, Olave was one of my targets with his potential role in the New Orleans Saints’ offense beside Michael Thomas (hopefully?!?).

With Olave off the board, I pivoted to another wide receiver who enters an offense that has retooled this offseason in the Kansas City Chiefs. I selected Western Michigan’s wide receiver, Skyy Moore. In the second round, the Chiefs traded back four spots and selected Moore with the 54th overall pick. Moore caught 95 passes for 1,292 yards with 10 touchdowns last season with the Broncos. The 21-year-old wideout is added to a wide receiver depth chart that includes veterans JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and holdover Mecole Hardman.

The Chiefs still had a clear need at wide receiver with the trade of wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins. Moore is widely considered one of the top big-play receivers of this class, whose 5-foot-10 build, 4.41 time in the 40-yard dash, and burst off the line will remind some fantasy managers of Hill. In addition, he possesses the versatility to play from the slot and on the outside and thrives as a route runner.

The former Bronco offers the ability to make things happen after the catch and should be a difference-maker almost immediately in the Chiefs’ offense. Moore has the potential to be explosive and could feasibly start from Day 1.

Round 2

• 2.01-Malik Willis (QB-TEN)
• 2.02-Jahan Dotson (WR-WAS)
• 2.03-Justyn Ross (WR-KC)
• 2.04-Kenny Pickett (QB-PIT)
• 2.05-Christian Watson (WR-GB)
• 2.06-Jerome Ford (RB-CLE)
• 2.07-Rachaad White (RB-TB)
• 2.08-James Cook (RB-BUF)
• 2.09-John Metchie III (WR-HOU)
• 2.10-Romeo Doubs (WR-GB)
• 2.11-David Bell (WR-CLE)
• 2.12-Dameon Pierce (RB-HOU)

I planned on going for one of the running backs with this pick, but missed out on both of my preferred targets in Rachaad White and James Cook. I also considered Dameon Pierce but ultimately decided to go with the wide receiver with the best opportunity to pass-game volume. I selected Houston Texans wide receiver John Metchie III. In the second round, the Texans moved up to choose the former Crimson Tide wideout, who will join a receiving corps including Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins.

Metchie led Alabama with 96 catches for a career-best 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns but tore his ACL in the SEC Championship game. Metchie says he is recovering well and should be ready for training camp. He is an excellent route runner who is a threat all over the field.

Metchie will compete for a starting position against an underwhelming receiving corps. Unfortunately, his lack of breakaway speed could limit him. Still, he will have the opportunity to be a reliable option for quarterback Davis Mills and a valuable fantasy asset for fantasy managers.

Round 3

• 3.01-Desmond Ridder (QB-ATL)
• 3.02-Trey McBride (TE-ARI)
• 3.03-Brian Robinson (RB-WAS)
• 3.04-Matt Corral (QB-CAR)
• 3.05-Alec Pierce (WR-IND)
• 3.06-Zamir White (RB-LV)
• 3.07-Wan’Dale Robinson (WR-NYG)
• 3.08-Jalen Tolbert (WR-DAL)
• 3.09-Khalil Shakir (WR-BUF)
• 3.10-Zonovan Knight (RB-NYJ)
• 3.11-Sam Howell (QB-WAS)
• 3.12-Tyler Allgeier (RB-ATL)

I was thrilled that new Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakur was available for this selection. The Bills moved up 20 spots in the fifth round to pick the Boise State wideout, who Pro Football Focus has a 92.0 grade on for his career with the Broncos. That’s the highest mark for any receiver in the 2022 NFL Draft. Shakir is one of the best steals of the draft and joins a Bills team among the favorites for the Super Bowl.

Shakir was a first-team All-Mountain West Conference selection as a junior and senior at Boise State and was among the finalists for the Biletnikoff Award. Shakir lined up out wide, in the slot, and even in the backfield for the Broncos. He is an exceptional route runner, and his versatility will allow Shakir to be another security blanket for quarterback Josh Allen.

It’s never a terrible idea to grab a piece of the fantasy pie from a high-powered offense. Shakir is projected to be an immediate contributor as a slot receiver to help soften the blow of losing slot wideout Cole Beasley. The Bills signed Jamison Crowder this offseason after three seasons with the division-rival New York Jets to fill that role, but Shakir should take over that role in the following seasons.

Round 4

• 4.01-Tyler Badie (RB-BAL)
• 4.02-Pierre Strong Jr. (RB-NE)
• 4.03-Jerrion Ealy (RB-KC)
• 4.04-Jelani Woods (TE-IND)
• 4.05-Hassan Haskins (RB-TEN)
• 4.06-Kyle Phillips (WR-TEN)
• 4.07-Calvin Austin III (WR-PIT)
• 4.08-Keaontay Ingram (RB-ARI)
• 4.09-Tyquan Thornton (WR-NE)
• 4.10-Carson Strong (QB-PHI)
• 4.11-Greg Dulcich (TE-DEN)
• 4.12-Sincere McCormick (RB-LV)

I’m a little disappointed that Keontay Ingram didn’t fall, because there is James Connor and a group of JAGS in the Cardinals’ backfield. There is a path for Ingram to make a fantasy impact as a third-down back in the Cardinals’ offense. But then I pivoted to my next rookie sleeper, New England Patriots wide receiver Tyquan Thornton.

The Patriots traded up to pick No. 50 and bypassed Skyy Moore and George Pickens to add the Baylor wide receiver to a WR depth chart that consists of Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, and N’Keal Harry. Thornton led the Bears with 62 catches and 10 touchdowns and has superior speed; his 4.28 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine ranked first among wide receivers.

Thornton is very thin at 6-foot-2 and 181 pounds and has immense upside, but head coach Bill Belichick may have reached for the wideout whose draft projections were much later than his second-round selection by the Patriots. However, the shaky track record of drafting wide receivers didn’t deter me from selecting the speedy wideout to be a big-play receiver for quarterback Mac Jones.

Round 5

• 5.01-Kevin Austin (WR-JAC)
• 5.02-Cade Otton (TE-TB)
• 5.03-Kennedy Brooks (RB-PHI)
• 5.04-Bailey Zappe (QB-NE)
• 5.05-Tyler Goodson (RB-GB)
• 5.06-Kevin Harris (RB-NE)
• 5.07-Jeremy Ruckert (TE-NYJ)
• 5.08-Velus Jones Jr. (WR-CHI)
• 5.09-Tyrion Davis-Price (RB-SF)
• 5.10-Isaiah Likely (TE-BAL)
• 5.11-Ty Chandler (RB-MIN)
• 5.12-Bo Melton (WR-SEA)

Fantasy managers pride themselves on finding the diamond in the rough, and the fifth round is precisely the place to find it. Hard work is rewarded after extensive research by watching that player explode on the fantasy scene.

In the third round, the San Francisco 49ers surprised many by selecting LSU running back Tyrion Davis-Price. The 49ers have a running back room consisting of Elijah Mitchell, Jeff Wilson Jr., Trey Sermon, and JaMycal Hasty, so this selection seems puzzling considering other pressing needs. Nevertheless, the Niners liked the value, and they demonstrated continuously that they can scheme a running game regardless of who is in the backfield.

Davis-Price led the LSU Tigers in carries with 211 and finished with 1,003 rushing yards and six scores last season. However, he lacks explosiveness and pass-catching ability, so his potential role is limited. Still, his stout build leads me to believe that he will be utilized in an RB committee and might signal the end for Hasty or even Sermon. Additionally, this selection might also prove that the team will attempt to limit the running back usage for Deebo Samuel to appease him.

Final Takeaways

• 1.09-Skyy Moore (WR-KC)
• 2.09-John Metchie III (WR-HOU)
• 3.09-Khalil Shakir (WR-BUF)
• 4.09-Tyquan Thornton (WR-NE)
• 5.09-Tyrion Davis-Price (RB-SF)

There were players that I wished would have fallen to me, but overall I think I have players that will make a difference on my fantasy roster. Moore and Shakir are involved in high-powered offenses that should yield big plays and fantasy production. Metchie should be PPR gold in a Texans offense with zero running game and a defense that surrenders plenty of points. Thornton has the opportunity to thrive on splash plays in a Patriots offense that has no receivers that scare opposing defenses. Davis-Price enters a crowded 49er running back room, but we all know Kyle Shanahan loves to show off his ability to make every running back shine, so Davis-Price could surprise fantasy managers.

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Dennis Sosic is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Dennis, check out his archive and follow him @CALL_ME_SOS.