Dynasty Rookie Draft Advice: Troy Franklin, Xavier Worthy, Javon Baker (Fantasy Football)

The fantasy football season has come to an end, but that doesn’t mean the NFL stops. It’s time to start getting excited for the 2024 NFL Draft. Dynasty fantasy football managers and redraft players alike can dive into the upcoming class of fantasy football rookies to prepare for the 2024 NFL season. We’ll take a look at players to know from the 2024 NFL Draft class.

Dynasty Rookie Draft Prospects

Troy Franklin (Oregon)

Stats:

2023 (among all FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 6th
- PFF receiving grade: 15th
- YAC per reception: 58th
2022 (among all FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 59th
- PFF receiving grade: 80th
- YAC per reception: 193rd

Scouting Report:

Franklin is a double-move demon. He has no issues snatching a corner’s soul with a double move and then pressing the accelerator to the metal as he blows past them for a long gain. His easy and immediate ability to hit the gas shows up all over his film in his routes and after the catch. He transitions from receiver to rusher, seamlessly dodging defenders immediately after the ball is in his hands.
He has a fluid change of direction ability, which shows up on his short area routes as he can cut on a dime on stop routes and comebacks. His special burst allows him to deploy a varied release package. He’ll offer corners a change up at times, with his first step or two being exaggerated before exploding into his route.
Franklin was utilized in line at times and caught his fair share of screens with some gimmicky usage but don’t let his route-running prowess get lost in that Oregon sauce. He has a route tree with plenty of branches. He has “teach tape” skills when it comes to stacking corners on deep routes. Franklin’s upper body strength and hand fighting serve him well against physical corners.
Concerns with Franklin’s drop issues are warranted but will likely be overstated in the process. His nine drops in 2023 are nothing to ignore but some of those were on poorly thrown balls by Bo Nix or in highly contested situations. He does have a few costly drops related to ball tracking and technique that can’t be overlooked but he also has some tough grabs made in the end zone and in traffic that lead me to believe this is a correctable issue at the next level.

Player Comp: Robbie Chosen with route running chops

The first thing people will talk about with…

Xavier Worthy is his speed when it should be his route running. If you watch only one game…2023 vs. TCU

He put on a clinic.

— Derek Brown (@DBro_FFB) February 20, 2024

Xavier Worthy (Texas)

Stats:

2023 (among all FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 89th
- PFF receiving grade: 125th
- YAC per reception: 27th
2022 (among all FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 135th
- PFF receiving grade: 146th
- YAC per reception: 123rd
2021 (among all FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 41st
- PFF receiving grade: 48th
- YAC per reception: 8th
89th percentile collegiate target share
97th percentile collegiate breakout age

Scouting Report:

Worthy is a speed merchant who can win at all three levels. He has some textbook reps on film of stacking corners on go balls with good deep ball tracking. If he had better quarterback play in 2023 with the deep ball, his full-season stat line would have been beefier. There are plenty of reps where he burnt a corner deep only to get underthrown by his quarterback. Many of these resulted in incompletions or would be walk-in touchdowns only counting as long gains in the box score.
His speed will steal the show when the real conversation starter for Worthy is his route running. Worthy has crisp gear downs on a dime on comebacks while also flashing easy change of direction on slants and outs. He varies his pacing in routes while also tossing in jab steps mid-route to invite indecision into a corner’s skull. He has a good understanding of leverage. His short-area quickness shows up in conjunction with his blinding straight-line speed. It makes him tough to guard in close quarters as he’ll break off a whip route and leave a corner looking silly.
Worthy’s size shows up at times, as corners can give him issues at the catch point. He can be pushed off his routes at times but it’s not consistent as corners have to hang with him to do so.

Player Comp: DeSean Jackson

Javon Baker can play.

Big catch radius. Dude can make a back shoulder high point look easy.

Strong hands. Savvy route runner.

2023 among 285 qual WRs (per PFF)

YPRR: 8th 👀
YAC/rec: 35th 🤘

Among 98 WRs with at least 15 contested targets: 20th in contested catch % pic.twitter.com/M8ReZvbRIW

— Derek Brown (@DBro_FFB) January 23, 2024

Javon Baker (Central Florida)

Stats:

2023 (among all FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 8th
- PFF receiving grade: 24th
- YAC per reception: 35th

Scouting Report:

Baker is a well-rounded receiver. Quick feet eat, and Baker has them. Lightning fast in and out of breaks with crisp change of direction. Baker is a strong route runner with a blazing first step who deploys head fakes, subtle changes of direction and jab steps to earn separation.
He has good long speed, but it’s not elite speed. On go routes, there are some corners he can run by, but in many instances, he has to earn space with those routes with his savvy, which he does regularly. Since 2022, he has ranked 18th among all FBS wide receivers in explosive plays.
He offers some YAC ability with a combination of shifty feet, play strength, and good vision in traffic. Baker offers a nice pairing of quick twitch and toughness.
Baker’s strong hands and impressive body control equal a large catch radius. He has plenty of back-shoulder catches made in the air on tape while also sporting some shoestring grabs as well. Last season, among 98 qualifying receivers, he was 20th in contested catch rate. Baker can develop into a high-volume receiver at the next level. He could walk into an NFL offense as the immediate WR2.

Player Comp: Chris Godwin