5 Dynasty Rookie Draft Sleepers (2024 Fantasy Football)

Blake Corum (RB – Michigan)

This year’s running back class is weaker than years past but there are a few diamonds in the rough. Rookie rankings are very inconsistent at this point in the process but it appears Blake Corum is going somewhat overlooked. Corum was ultra-productive at Michigan, racking up 58 career rushing TDs and rushing for over 2,700 yards in his final two seasons. He was a big part of the Wolverines winning the National Championship in 2023 and he showed himself to be a capable pass-catcher, reeling in 56 passes in his career. He was also twice named the Big Ten Running Back of the Year.

Corum’s athleticism doesn’t wow you and he is a bit on the small side (5-foot-8, 215 pounds) but he excels between the tackles and has an obvious nose for the end zone. He ran well enough at the combine, clocking a 4.53 40-yard dash but his short-area burst is where he excels. He will need to improve in pass protection if he wants to be more than an early-down back in the NFL but he is one of the few rookie running backs who could find himself in a 15-touch role in Week 1. I’ve seen him ranked as low as the RB8 in this class, which seems like a gross undersell of Corum’s fantasy potential.

Will Shipley (RB – Clemson) 

Like Corum, Will Shipley is flying under the radar but his skill set translates better at the next level than a lot of running backs dynasty owners will take before him. Shipley was a weapon in the passing game out of the backfield at Clemson, catching 69 passes in his last two seasons for the Tigers. He also burned up the combine, clocking a 4.42 40-yard dash and he checks in with a 90th-percentile speed score. He was also one of the nation’s best kick returners in college, which helped him become the first player in ACC history to be chosen as a First Team All-ACC honoree in three different categories: running back, all-purpose and specialist.

Shipley will be best used in space at the next level, which makes sense given his pass-catching ability. Shipley isn’t going to be a 25-touch running back but we’ve seen plenty of guys in his archetype carve out useful fantasy roles. In PPR leagues he should be pushed up a bit. On the right team, he could be a nice piece as a rotational/third-down back. A lot will depend on where he is drafted but the fact he was able to be used in so many ways in college will quickly endear him to an NFL staff.

Ricky Pearsall (WR – Florida) 

I don’t know if Ricky Pearsall will be a sleeper by the time the draft gets here but he is one receiver I’d want on all of my dynasty teams. He ran well at the combine (4.41 40) and had the third-highest vertical leap among WRs (42-inches). His 9.78 relative athletic score (RAS) is one of the best scores of all time. He also boasts a 98th-percentile burst score and a 99th-percentile catch radius score. From a pure athleticism perspective, Pearsall has so many traits NFL teams look for it is hard for me to believe he is being ranked outside of the top 10 at the position.

Where I believe he will thrive for fantasy is that he is a terrific route runner who can excel in the slot despite playing all over the formation. In other words, he is a ready-made NFL receiver from Day 1. He is a more complete player than most publications will give him credit for because he never eclipsed 1,000 yards in a college season. In the right system, Pearsall could catch 80 passes as a rookie and no one should be surprised by that. There is no chance he should get out of the top 20 picks of a rookie draft.

Cade Stover (TE – Ohio State)

The tight end class is Brock Bowers and everyone else but Cade Stover is an intriguing late-round rookie flier. Playing at Ohio State meant he was never better than the third option on a pass play but he still managed to catch 77 passes for 982 yards and 10 touchdowns in his last two seasons in Columbus. Stover is a more capable blocker than Bowers which should help him get on the field early in his career. Stover is a converted linebacker so he is still on a learning curve. There is a dearth of impact players at tight end in the NFL, which makes any speculative impact rookie tight end a potential value late in rookie drafts. Keep Stover in mind as a potential pick in the fifth round.

Jordan Travis (QB – Florida State) 

This year’s quarterback class looks to be filled with at least four first-round picks. That number could balloon to as many as six if Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. can convince a team to jump up and draft them. There is another quarterback I am interested in, however, in Jordan Travis. Before suffering a late-season ankle injury, Travis was on pace to throw for over 3,000 yards for the second season in a row for the Seminoles. He tossed 44 touchdowns in his final two college seasons (to just seven interceptions). What excites me is his ability to extend plays as that should give him the rushing upside we covet.

Had Travis not been injured, Florida State would have been in the playoffs and we might be talking about him being a tier ahead of Nix and Penix. Taking the injury discount on a quarterback is less risky than a receiver or running back. While Travis is unlikely to be an impact player as a rookie, he can sit for a year or two and potentially take the reigns of an offense in 2026.

More Dynasty Rookie Draft Advice

• DBro’s Dynasty Rookie Draft Primers
  • Quarterbacks
  • Running Backs
  • Wide Receivers
  • Tight Ends
• 7 Dynasty Rookie Draft Sleepers
• Dynasty Rookie Draft ADP Data Analysis
• 8 Dynasty Rookie Draft NFL Player Comps
• How to Prepare for Your Dynasty Rookie Draft: Feb
• 3 Overvalued Dynasty Rookie Draft Picks to Avoid
• 3 Undervalued Dynasty Rookie Draft Picks to Target
• Top 5 Dynasty Rookie Draft IDP Targets
• Comparing 2023 & 2024 NFL Draft Classes
• Erickson’s Top Dynasty Rookie Wide Receivers
• Erickson’s Top Dynasty Rookie Running Backs
• Dynasty Rookie Draft Rankings & Tiers: Wide Receivers

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio

Jason Kamlowsky is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Jason, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @JasonKamlowsky.