Check out a few of my must-have dynasty rookies that I’m targeting in rookie drafts and beyond. And you can find all of my must-have dynasty rookies in this article.
- Dynasty Trade Value Chart
- Dynasty Rookie Primers: QB | RB | WR | TE
- Dynasty Rookie Draft Sleepers: QB | RB | WR | TE
- Dynasty Rookie Draft Simulator
Must-Have Dynasty Rookies
Here are the players I’m targeting at the end of the first round of rookie drafts and beyond:
Jonathan Mingo (WR – Panthers)
Mingo was an afterthought in the rookie mocks I did in the months leading up to the NFL Draft, typically available in the third or fourth round. His rookie-draft value took a rocket ride when the Panthers selected him early in the second round, with the 39th overall pick of the NFL Draft.
In a WR class heavy on smaller receivers, Mingo is a 6-foot-1, 226-pound bully who could thrive at the next level. Mingo’s physicality after the catch reminds me of Sterling Sharpe and Anquan Boldin, who were notoriously tough to bring down.
Mingo has 4.46 speed, which, at his size, gives him a 96th-percentile speed score, according to PlayerProfiler.com. He also had the second-biggest hands (10 3/8 inches) among the receivers at the NFL Scouting Combine. Mingo only had one season of noteworthy production in college, which seems to be throwing dynasty managers off the trail. The Panthers’ top veteran receivers are Adam Thielen, D.J. Chark and Terrace Marshall, so it shouldn’t be too difficult for Mingo to climb the depth chart.
Hendon Hooker (QB – Lions)
Hooker is a QB tier unto himself in this year’s rookie drafts, below the Stroud, Young, Richardson and Levis, but well ahead of everybody else.
Let’s get the bad stuff out of the way. Hooker tore his ACL in late November, which means he’s going to miss his first NFL training camp. With no training camp reps to help Hooker get acclimated to the speed of the NFL game, his rookie year might end up being a redshirt season. And at 25, Hooker is an overaged prospect. He also comes from an extremely QB-friendly offense choreographed by Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel.
However, Hooker’s selling points are pretty compelling. At 6-foot-4, 218 pounds, he has prototypical NFL size. In his two seasons with the Vols, Hooker had a 58/5 TD/INT ratio while averaging 9.6 yards per attempt. He isn’t in Richardson’s class as a runner, but Hooker has good mobility and will add fantasy value with his legs.
The Lions drafted Hooker early in the third round. If the team declines to make a long-term commitment to Jared Goff after the 2023, season, Hooker could be handed the keys to a Detroit offense with an above-average offensive line and some exciting talent at the skill positions.
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