The NFL Draft has grown into a major event over the years. What was once a formality that would garner little media attention has now become a huge topic of conversation for football fans and fantasy managers alike. Analysts across the industry are generating detailed scouting reports and career projections for each of these prospects.
All told, the level of NFL scouting and draft coverage has never been higher. Every player who hears their name called on draft weekend possesses the raw traits and physical talent to enjoy a fruitful NFL career.
- Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
- Dynasty Rookie Draft Simulator
- DBro’s Dynasty Rookie Draft Primers
Still, external factors will inevitably impact how a young player fares in the NFL. Many of these prospects will find themselves buried at the bottom of depth charts or stuck in schemes that aren’t catered to their abilities. These scenarios make an already steep rookie learning curve even harder.
With this in mind, fantasy managers should hope that the incoming class of running backs and wide receivers lands in beneficial settings. We want these players to have a realistic path towards earning consistent volume in offenses that maximize their skillsets. In what follows, I’ll highlight the players who had less-than-ideal landing spots in this year’s draft. You can also see who had the best landing spots.
Worst NFL Draft Landing Spots
Emeka Egbuka (WR – TB)
Heading into the draft, one would argue that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ biggest strength was their pass-catching depth. The wide receiver room is spearheaded by perennial superstar Mike Evans, who just compiled 1,000 receiving yards for the 11th consecutive season.
Chris Godwin has also been a consistent producer over the years, compiling a minimum of 80 receptions on four different occasions since 2018. The team seemed to have filled their No. 3 WR void with the selection of Jalen McMillan in the 2024 NFL Draft. The latter scored an impressive seven receiving touchdowns in the final five games of his rookie season.
For this reason, many eyebrows were raised when the team invested first-round draft capital in Emeka Egbuka. The concerns aren’t related to Egbuka’s talent. According to Pro Football Focus (PFF), Egbuka averaged 7.0 yards after catch per reception and 2.64 yards per route run throughout his decorated career at Ohio State. He maintained elite levels of production and efficiency despite often inheriting a secondary role to the likes of Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson and Jeremiah Smith.
There is a concerning level of overlap between the skillsets of Godwin, McMillan and Egbuka. Godwin has earned a reputation for being one of the most effective slot receivers in the NFL. In 2024, he ran 61.9% of his routes from the slot and was targeted an average of 5.6 yards downfield.
On the other hand, McMillan ran a remarkable 91.1% of his routes from the slot during his final season at the University of Washington. While he was forced to the boundary a bit more during his rookie season, there’s no questioning where the sophomore wideout is most comfortable. Egbuka, who, per PFF, had a slot route percentage of 80.9% in 2024, might find himself on the outside looking in.
The main silver lining about Egbuka’s fit in Tampa Bay is that both Evans and Godwin are approaching the tail end of their careers. Perhaps the Buccaneers are preparing for when their veteran wideouts start to show signs of age. At any rate, Egbuka doesn’t figure to be a prominent fantasy asset anytime soon.
Luther Burden III (WR – CHI)
Luther Burden III finds himself in a similar situation to Emeka Egbuka. The Chicago Bears, despite boasting an enticing receiving corps headlined by DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, selected Burden in the second round of the draft. They did so after selecting another tight end Colston Loveland with the 10th overall pick a round earlier.
Burden’s analytical profile is very interesting. In 2023, he emerged as one of the most explosive wide receivers in all of college football. He accumulated nearly 1,200 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns, earning a PFF receiving grade of 91.6 for his efforts.
Burden’s statistical output decreased strikingly in 2024, however. He managed a disappointing 676 receiving yards, averaging fewer yards per route run and fewer yards after the catch per reception, per PFF. Whether this decline in production was in part due to quarterback play and/or ineffective offensive play-calling, it’s certainly worth noting.
The aforementioned Moore and Odunze will both be firmly above Burden on the depth chart. Across a decorated seven-year NFL career, Moore has eclipsed 1,150 receiving yards on four different occasions. On the other hand, Odunze is an exciting talent the team invested first-round draft capital in a mere year ago.
Odunze’s 2024 contested catch percentage of 72.7%, per PFF, sheds light on the play-making ability he can offer. The team also figures to frequently use the tight end position in the passing game. Both Loveland and Cole Kmet have proven to be productive pass-catchers throughout their respective careers.
It’s nevertheless worth noting that this is Ben Johnson’s first offseason with the Chicago Bears. Perhaps he intends to acquire assets that fit his system better than the established veterans on the roster. It’s entirely plausible that the likes of Moore and Kmet will be moved on from a year from now. For the time being, Burden’s fit in Chicago is far from ideal for fantasy football managers.
TreVeyon Henderson (RB – NE)
TreVeyon Henderson is an explosive athlete. Among FBS running backs with at least 100 carries in 2024, he ranked eighth in yards per attempt, 15th in yards after contact per attempt and 11th in rushing grade. He’s also shown to be an excellent receiver out of the backfield. In his final collegiate season, he averaged an impressive 7.1 yards after catch per reception and caught 95.7% of the passes thrown his way, per PFF.
TREVEYON HENDERSON 75 YARDS TO THE HOUSE, WOW‼️
Ohio State immediately answers after Texas' TD. pic.twitter.com/a0OdS0eORK
— ESPN (@espn) January 11, 2025
The issue with Henderson’s landing spot is that New England, as currently constructed, doesn’t have the means to run the ball successfully. The Patriots ranked dead last in the NFL with a 45.6 PFF run-blocking grade in 2024. While the addition of LSU stalwart Will Campbell will certainly help, this offensive line unit isn’t where it needs to be.
Pro Football Focus also had the Patriots ranked as the 24th-best defense in the NFL in 2024. This team will likely continue to be a below-average roster in 2025, leading to negative game scripts that do not favour the run game.
Henderson can make up for this lack of rushing volume through the receiving game. However, the team recently invested in a lucrative four-year, $36 million contract in running back Rhamondre Stevenson. Stevenson’s calling card has always been his sure-handedness as a receiver. He’s earned a minimum of 39 targets in three consecutive seasons in New England. With this in mind, Henderson will likely need to share pass-catching duties with the established veteran.
Henderson is an extremely talented player whose talent is bound to translate to the NFL field eventually. That said, the offensive context in New England is unlikely to be conducive to consistent fantasy production at the beginning of Henderson’s career.
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