The 2024 NFL Draft has come and gone. While the real NFL draft is over, the fantasy football drafts are just beginning! That’s especially true when it comes to dynasty rookie drafts. NFL Draft landing spots allow us to start to zero in on fantasy football and dynasty rookie draft pick values. Let’s dive into our dynasty rookie draft outlook and advice for a few rookies.
- 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Dynasty Rookie Draft Simulator
- DBro’s Dynasty Rookie Draft Primers
- 2024 NFL Draft Guide
Fantasy Football Rookie Draft Outlook
Here’s what Fitz expects for a few rookies selected during the 2024 NFL Draft.
Giants Draft Theo Johnson
The New York Giants have selected Theo Johnson of Penn State with the seventh pick of the fourth round.
Johnson put on a show at the NFL Scouting Combine, clocking a 4.57 in the 40-yard dash at 6-6, 259 pounds. He also had a 39 ½-inch vertical jump and posted a Relative Athletic Score of 9.93, ninth-best of 1,141 tight ends to have recorded a RAS since 1987, according to RAS pioneer Kent Lee Platte. The 23-year-old Johnson has nearly ideal size for an NFL tight end, and his athleticism gives him immense potential.
Despite that dreamy combination of size and athleticism, Johnson’s college numbers were pedestrian. He topped out at 34 catches for 341 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games last year. He hasn’t shown much as a route-runner, and he’s not a particularly effective blocker.
Giants TE Darren Waller is reportedly contemplating retirement. If Waller does indeed decide to call it quits, Johnson could help tag-team the TE position for the Giants along with third-year man Daniel Bellinger. It would be overly aggressive to project Johnson as a starter, and it’s hard to see him being fantasy-relevant as a rookie in light of his modest statistical output at Penn State.
In dynasty, I have Johnson ranked TE6 among rookies and TE30 overall. He’s likely to come off the board somewhere in the latter part of the third round of 1QB rookie drafts and in the fourth round of superflex rookie drafts.
Johnson’s predraft FantasyPros Expert Consensus ranking was TE51 in half-point PPR formats, and he had a predraft Underdog best-ball ADP of TE38. I have Johnson ranked TE47 for redraft.
Check out his full dynasty rookie draft profile
Patriots Draft Javon Baker
The New England Patriots have drafted Javon Baker of UCF with the 10th pick of the fourth round.
Baker had two strong seasons for UCF to close out his college career after being roadblocked at Alabama as a freshman and sophomore. He had 56 catches for 796 yards and five touchdowns in 2022, then exploded for 52 catches, 1,139 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023, averaging 21.9 yards per catch with an average depth of target of 17.1 yards. Baker was a ruthlessly effective downfield weapon.
The 6-1, 202-pound Baker has good size and isn’t afraid to use it. He’s a physical receiver who comes down with more than his fair share of contested catches and isn’t afraid to mix it up with physical cornerbacks. Baker has good contact balances, making him dangerous after the catch.
Baker doesn’t have exceptional timed speed (4.54), and his route-running could use some polish. He’s also somewhat drop-prone, with 14 drops over his two seasons at UCF.
Baker can almost be too competitive at times, like when he drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for blowing a kiss at the Oklahoma sideline during an 86-yard touchdown catch against the Sooners. But Baker was terrific that day, with five catches for 134 yards and two touchdowns.
Baker joins fellow rookie Ja’Lynn Polk, a third-round selection, in a revamped Patriots WR room. Polk and Baker should both have an immediate opportunity to climb a sparse WR depth chart that includes Demario Douglas, K.J. Osborn, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Kendrick Bourne. But the New England passing game could be among the least productive in the league this year as the Pats break in a new quarterback, rookie Drake Maye, the No. 3 overall pick.
In dynasty, I have Baker ranked WR17 among rookies and WR65 overall. Expect him to come off the board in the late second round or early third round of 1QB rookie drafts, or in the mid-to-late third round of superflex drafts.
Baker’s predraft FantasyPros Expert Consensus ranking was WR127 in half-point PPR formats, and he had a predraft Underdog best-ball ADP of WR87. I have Baker ranked WR80 for redraft.
Check out his full dynasty rookie draft profile
Ravens Draft Devontez Walker
The Baltimore Ravens have selected North Carolina’s Devontez “Tez” Walker with the 13th pick of the fourth round.
Walker transferred from Kent State to North Carolina after catching 58 passes for 921 yards and 11 touchdowns for KSU in 2022. Walker wasn’t immediately eligible at North Carolina and only played eight games for the Tar Heels last year, but he was productive when he finally got on the field, with 41 catches for 699 yards and seven touchdowns.
The 6-1½, 193-pound Walker is an intriguing vertical receiver with 4.36 speed, a 40½-inch vertical jump and a 9.87 Relative Athletic Score. In addition to possessing dangerous speed, Walker is good at tracking the ball, he can elevate to make tough contested catches, and he seems to have a knack for working the boundary à la former Green Bay Packer Jordy Nelson.
Walker is still raw, having run a limited route tree in college. He’s played only 28 games of FBS football, and he played only eight of those games for a Power 5 team. He’s more of a developmental prospect than a ready-made NFL receiver.
Although Walker is a raw developmental prospect, he could potentially ascend the Ravens’ WR depth chart quickly. Walker’s game should complement that of No. 1 WR Zay Flowers nicely, and the other receivers at the top of the depth chart are Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor, who aren’t exactly stars.
In dynasty, I have Walker ranked WR19 among rookies and WR76 overall. He’s likely to come off the board in the early-to-mid third round of 1QB rookie drafts, and in the late third round or early fourth round of superflex rookie drafts.
Walker’s predraft FantasyPros Expert Consensus ranking was WR88 in half-point PPR formats, and he had a predraft Underdog best-ball ADP of 81. Given that Walker is a raw developmental prospect, I have little interest in him for redraft in 2024 and have him ranked WR101.
Check out his full dynasty rookie draft profile
Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings
Our analysts provide their latest rookie draft rankings below. And also check out our expert consensus dynasty rookie draft rankings!
More Dynasty Rookie Draft Advice
- DBro’s Dynasty Rookie Draft Primers
- DBro’s Top 50 Rankings & Player Notes
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