It’s that time again. Dynasty rookie fever SZN is here! The NFL Draft will come and go before we know it and rookie drafts will start flying daily. Before you dive head first into our Draft Simulator and run 3,000 rookie drafts in preparation, please read up on this talented prospect class as I roll through my quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end positional primers. Motrin and Tylenol can’t quell this fever. The only medicine is more dynasty rookie mock drafts. Let’s dive into a few notable dynasty rookie draft picks to consider.

• 2024 Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit
• How to Prepare for Your Dynasty Rookie Draft
• 2024 NFL Draft Guide
• 2024 Draft Scouting Reports

2024 Dynasty Rookie Draft Advice

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

Roman Wilson (Michigan) 

Stats:

• 2023 (minimum 50 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 29th
  • PFF receiving grade: 22nd
  • YAC per reception: 178th

• Career
  • In four years at Michigan, he didn’t earn more than 39 targets or finish with higher than 2.3 YPRR until 2023.
  • 59.9% collegiate slot rate

Scouting Report:

• Wilson can rip zone coverage with hot, nasty speed and fluid hips. He can slice through off coverage as a steady target (2.0% drop rate in 2023).
• Wilson has a quick first step and speed, which allows him to gain separation on shallow crossers and stop routes. He can stretch a defense vertically but he’s not a YAC threat or a wondrous tackle breaker. Wilson had only nine missed tackles forced and 5.4 yards after the catch per reception in college. He can make plays with the ball in his hands but it’s reliant upon his speed.
• Wilson needs to continue to hone his releases. Wilson can beat zone coverage but the instances he has faced press coverage have given him fits. He hasn’t exhibited the necessary release package or upper body strength to beat press coverage. Once a corner gets their hands on him, it is game over. Wilson struggles to play through contact during his routes. He should continue to operate as a slot receiver in the NFL.

Player Comp: Devery Henderson

Luke McCaffrey (Rice) 

Stats:

• 2023 (minimum 50 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 95th
  • PFF receiving grade: 26th
  • YAC per reception: 84th
• 2022 (minimum 50 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 77th
  • PFF receiving grade: 58th
  • YAC per reception: 179th

Scouting Report:

• A savvy player who could carve out a long career in the NFL, McCaffrey’s background as a quarterback serves him well as a receiver. He has good situational awareness in the red zone, making catches near the boundary and finding soft spots in zone coverage.
• McCaffrey has a slender build with easy speed and a fluid change of direction. He will be a quarterback’s best friend in the NFL with his strong hands. He had only a 4.1% drop rate last year and came down with plenty of tough catches in traffic while taking huge hits. He has a nice catch radius with the ability to adjust to targets over his head, as well as ankle biters in the red zone.
• McCaffrey isn’t a burner but he can be utilized downfield. He has strong ball tracking and displays late hands consistently.

Player Comp: Jakobi Meyers

Brenden Rice (USC)

Stats:

• 2023 (minimum 50 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 25th
  • PFF receiving grade: 39th
  • YAC per reception: 127th
• 2022 (minimum 50 targets)
  • Yards per route run: 143rd
  • PFF receiving grade: 123rd
  • YAC per reception: 74th

Scouting Report:

• Average burst off the line. Rice needs to continue to add to his release package. He doesn’t have the raw speed to rely only on his wheels as he doesn’t have the raw juice to run by corners.
• Rice can get pushed off his routes by physical corners or jammed up mid-route. He doesn’t flash the speed or route running/release chops to get behind corners deep consistently. He’s not a fluid mover, as he looks lumbering at times to get up to top speed. His change of direction can get clunky.
• Rice is a decent underneath target with ok hands. He has issues at the catch point with physical corners — 48.6% career contest catch rate. His lack of play strength shows up here. Many times, 50/50 balls for Rice are 35/65 balls. Drops have not been a huge issue, though.

Player Comp: Nick Westbrook-Ikhine

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