~~Changeover is tradition in the NFL. As familiar faces fade away into their lives after football, new faces take the place of legends and lummoxes alike. Rookies help the game grow, providing innovation and youthful energy into a tired environment. In recent years rookies have been more instrumental in their team’s success than ever, as players like Indianapolis’ Andrew Luck or Cincinnati’s Giovani Bernard have taken leadership roles in their first seasons. So who will be this season’s Luck or Bernard and help win a fantasy football title? Look no further:
20. Eric Ebron, Tight End, Detroit Lions
Ebron’s size, athleticism, and pass-catching ability separated him from the likes of Jace Amaro or Austin Sefarin-Jenkins prior to April’s draft. Now just one small cog in the massive machine that is the Detroit Lions’ offense, Ebron will be a role player in 2014.
Good for some production but no one to lean on in week to week scenario, Ebron simply has too much talent around him to be the focal point of an offense at this early stage.
19. James White, Running Back, New England Patriots
Optimism is key here as White is buried on a depth chart with the versatile Shane Vereen and expected starter Stevan Ridley. That being said, if Bill Belichick could turn LeGarrette Blount into a star why not a more talented player like White? Furthermore, with Ridley’s fumble concerns and Vereen’s injury woes and both players heading into free agency after the season, White should get his fair share of snaps in an offense that leans more heavily on the run with every year Tom Brady ages.
18. Marqise Lee, Wide Receiver, Jacksonville Jaguars
Several factors limit Lee’s upside, with the most pertinent being Chad Henne will be throwing him passes as Blake Bortles will sit out his entire rookie campaign. Secondly, the talent in the Jaguars receiving corps will cut into Lee’s targets as well, as both Cecil Shorts and fellow-rookie Allen Robinson will eat into the former USC Trojan’s looks.
17. Cody Latimer, Wide Receiver, Denver Broncos
While being a part of Peyton Manning’s offense typically increases a player’s value, it may actual hurt this rookie. At best the fifth option in the passing game after Julius Thomas and third-string wide out Emmanuel Sanders, Latimer will have to battle both a learning curve and a talented depth chart to find his reps on the field.
16. Odell Beckham Jr, Wide Reciever, New York Giants
The third-best receiving prospect entering the draft, Beckham has been dogged all spring and now into the summer by a soft-tissue injury to his hamstring.
Beckham will be the Giants’ slot receiver should he return to camp in time to learn his route-tree and find a rapport with quarterback Eli Manning, but as of now the time missed in both OTA’s and training camp matched by a nagging injury provides too many red flags to encourage confidence in the former LSU Tiger.
15. Teddy Bridgewater, Quarterback, Minnesota Vikings
Considered by many to be the best quarterback in his class, Bridgewater has struggled in training camp thus far, and will start the season as the second string behind Matt Cassel barring an injury to the latter.
Minnesota’s offense is a unit ripe with talent, so the stage is set for a successful rookie campaign should the former Louisville Cardinal find the field, but that date remains unknown at this stage.
14. Davante Adams, Wide Receiver, Green Bay Packers
Much like Manning’s Broncos’ Aaron Rodgers’s Packers are an offensive unit with a wide variety of fantasy options. While Adams is competing for time with another slot receiver Jarrett Boykin, Adams would flourish as a late-round value in the Packers’ offense.
Available deep in most fantasy formats, Adams could be a steal later in your league’s draft as recent reports from training camp have indicated that Adams is narrowing the gap between he and Boykin.
13. Sammy Watkins, Wide Receiver, Buffalo Bills
The most talented pass-catcher in this year’s crop, Watkins’ fantasy fortunes will come down to the ability of Ej Manuel to get him the football. This may be easier said than done as Manuel has looked shaky thus far in his short career, and continues to telegraph his passes at the line of scrimmage. Watkins has the potential for success, but is currently a player to avoid due to his current situation.
12. Ka'Deem Carey, Running Back, Chicago Bears
Not every rookie will receive playing time in his first campaign, and that is the story regarding Chicago Bears’ rusher Ka'Deem Carey. Carey will spend at least his first season riding the pine and learning from one of the league’s premier backs, Matt Forte.
While Chicago’s offense is one of the best in football, Carey will not factor into it much barring an injury to a contributing starter.
11. Allen Robinson, Wide Receiver, Jacksonville Jaguars
A big-player receiver from Penn State, Robinson was an undervalued player on most draft boards. Already penciled in as a starter for the Jaguars when the 2014 season begins, Robinson and Cecil Shorts III will compete for the affections of Chad Henne. Robinson’s hands and ability to run every route on the professional route tree sets him ahead of fellow-rookie Marqise Lee as far as viability for fantasy football is concerned.
10. Andre Williams, Running Back, New York Giants
Though many doubt the former Boston College back’s ability to carry a full load, and the Giants’ running back depth chart is a quagmire of inadequacy, Andre Williams’ is the most likely diamond to emerge out of Big Blue’s rough. Williams showed great burst in the team’s first preseason game against the Bills, and will see the majority of the goal line carries throughout the year.
With David Wilson headed for retirement and only career-journeyman Rashad Jennings ahead of him on the depth chart, Williams is set to provide great value based on his late ADP.
9. Tre Mason, Running Back, St. Louis Rams
Though Zac Stacy impressed in his rookie campaign and is a virtual lock to start the season at running back for the Rams, Jeff Fischer is not one to waste a third-round draft pick on a player that he would never play. Mason is too talented and has too much upside to waste a year on the bench. In a run-heavy scheme, expect Mason to start the year as the change of pace back, with potential to see half of his team’s carries as the year goes on.
8. Terrance West, Running Back, Cleveland Browns
Ben Tate has never been the feature back on a team, so why should this year be any different? Though the former Texan will surely see his fair share of carries, there is a large shadow peering over his shoulder.
West is a nearly six-foot monster of a back weighing 223 pounds with tremendous burst speed. Though he played for D-II Towson, West has the skill set to excel as a professional, and should flourish in Cleveland’s smash-mouth offense that will pound the ball week after week.
7. Carlos Hyde, Running Back, San Francisco 49ers
The top back coming out of college this season could not have landed in a better situation than behind one of the league’s top run-blocking units. Though he will give the starting duties up to the ageless wonder Frank Gore, Hyde will have significant playing time as the change of pace back with Kendall Hunter out for the season and LaMichael James down for the count as well.
6. Jordan Matthews, Wide Receiver, Philadelphia Eagles
Already a training camp Phenom and a lock to start in the slot for Philadelphia, the SEC all-time leader in receiving is ready to take his game to the next level as a focal point of Chip Kelly’s offense. Someone will have to fill the void left by DeSean Jackson’s departure, why not the greatest receiver in the history of the best conference in college football?
5. Jeremy Hill, Running Back, Cincinnati Bengals
The man expected to be the thunder to Gio Bernard’s lightening is a 6’2” brusiser of a rusher out of LSU. Hill has a physical running style that overwhelms defenders because he runs to contact.
While Bernard will get the majority of the looks on passing downs, Hill will handle short-yardage duties and perhaps more as he was drafted in the second round. While Bernard is certainly the work horse in Cincinnati, Marvin Lewis’ run-heavy offense has set the table for two to succeed in the fantasy spectrum.
4. Devonta Freeman, Running Back, Atlanta Falcons
Freeman’s situation in Atlanta is more of a “if not him then who?” scenario. With Steven Jackson already nursing a hamstring injury, a similar injury limited him to only 543 carries in 2013, and no real threat for playing time from career backup Jacquizz Rodgers, there really is no downside to nabbing Freeman late in your fantasy league.
3. Mike Evans, Wide Receiver, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Johnny Manziel’s favorite target in college has landed in as good a situation as any to start his career. What is not to like about playing across from Vincent Jackson? Evans is a nearly perfect complement to Jackson, and will provide a tremendous number two target for Josh McCown in Lovie Smith’s offense.
While the Buccaneers will run the ball plenty, expect Evans to get his fair share of catches as all of the attention to start the season will be on Jackson.
2. Brandin Cooks, Wide Receiver, New Orleans Saints
Outside of Jimmy Graham, there is no bona fide all pro in the Saints receiving corps. Enter Brandin Cooks, who has stolen the show at training camp thus far with his aerial abilities. Like Drew Brees needed another weapon anyway, regardless Cooks will be a favorite target of the former-Boilermaker all season long.
1. Bishop Sankey, Running Back, Tennessee Titans
A rookie rusher in a run-heavy offense with little to no other options tops this list due to the opportunity that has fallen right in his lap. Expected to start the season as the feature back for the Titans, Sankey’s stock is rising as fast as his ADP. Based solely on volume of opportunity, Sankey will contribute the most of any rookie this season while providing tremendous value to his fantasy football owners.