2008 Sports Outlaw Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft So your rookie draft for your dynasty is quickly
approaching and you’re starting to put your game plan together. Trying to
find that breakout rookie that will give you an advantage for years to come?
Well here at Sports Outlaw we put together 6 dynasty draft veterans together
and each took 2 spots to assemble a 12-team draft. This gives you a look at
what you may come across in your rookie drafts this year. Besides each pick,
the owners give a quick explanation of why they made the selection they did.
And this isn’t just a quick one round mock, our vets mocked three rounds to
give some insights into possible sleepers as well. At the end of each round
I have even taken some of the best comments made by the other members about
picks that they disagreed with. Here is your 2008 Sports Outlaw Dynasty
Rookie Mock Draft: Round One 1.01 Da Bomb - Darren McFadden, RB OAK
Absolute no brainer, easiest pick in the draft. Run DMC is the #1 rookie
pick in any scoring system, ppr or not, 6 point TDs or not, start 2 QBs or
not. None of it matters. He is better coming out of college than Adrian
Peterson was last year. Yes, Big Al wants to keep Justin Fargas getting
carries, but Minnesota wanted to let Taylor start all year last season too.
Sheer talent will win out soon enough, and DMC is the most talented player
in the draft by far. Fargas actually helps here because it keeps McFadden a
little fresher and healthier. Rest assured that he can do in 15 touches a
game what many other starters can do in 20 or 25. No further questions. 1.02 Phicinfan - Kevin Smith, RB DET
Not an easy pick, but I am going by a few matters here. First the Lions have
an established Qb, and passing game. Second, with the new OC, and new
additions to the Off. Line there will be a much greater commitment to the
running game. But most importantly, the only competition in Detroit is Tatum
Bell and or Pinner. To me this is a no brainer on value alone. He will get
most of the carries, as well as the red zone touches. I am sure Bell if
still on the team might get some 3rd down stuff...but most of the production
will be through Smith. 1.03 Orgazmo - Jonathan Stewart, RB CAR
The size/speed ratio of Stewart is unfair to a division that's been
struggling to defend the run and Carolina is team that sold their future to
help the line do just that - run right down their throats. With Delhomme and
Smith to keep teams from cheating up, Stewart has the chance to be rookie of
the year regardless of the camp time he'll miss recovering from surgery. The
future only looks brighter for Stewart as the team's off-season additions to
the line continue to gel. 1.04 MOJO - Chris Johnson, RB TEN
I can't help but get excited, thinking of the ways that Jeff Fisher and Mike
Heimerdinger will be creating offensive mismatches. Johnson will be an
impact on the offense from week one at the running back and wide receiver
position. He is often being compared to Reggie Bush, but unlike Bush, this
guy has a much better ability to run between the tackles, and the power to
break tackles. Chris Johnson brings skills to the NFL that people "thought"
Reggie Bush would bring. 1.05 Miller_time - Rashard Mendenhall, RB PIT
Mendenhall is a big, fast, dynamic runner who will be a Pittsburgh ICON for
many years. In my opinion, Mendenhall is clearly the second best running
back in this draft and when his career is over, will have a chance to be the
most successful back of the 2008 draft. Forget the perfect starting
situations right off the bat and take the best talent is the perfect place
for long term success. Mendenhall will have an impact early on and will only
get better from there. How he lasted until number five is a mystery to me. 1.06 JScott - Felix Jones, RB DAL
Physical talent and a perfect situation. Explosive runner and kick returner.
Not a power back, but doesn't need to be in DAL (see Barber, Marion). He has
the quicks to get outside and turn the corner. Comes from a situation in
Arkansas where he split carries with McFadden all 3 years and will do the
same in DAL, so he doesn't come into the NFL with as much wear as others,
and is already familiar with this type of situation. Even with the RBBC
situation he still averaged just under 1000yds and 9tds per season. Jones
will be the "change of pace" back, but not just a 3rd down back. With all
the other offensive weapons in DAL, he may take a season or two to fully
showcase his talent but he is a threat to score from anywhere on the field
right off the bat. 1.07 Da Bomb2 - Matt Forte, RB CHI
Well, I thought there was going to be a definite drop-off at #6, but then
Chris Johnson surprised me and left the drop at 7... until Felix Jones
surprised me too. So now I get a guy who I thought was surely gone in the
top 5, and who I wouldn't have been too shocked to see as high as #2. No,
Matt Forte is clearly not as talented as some of the other backs ahead of
him, or at least he can time quite as fast in the 40. But he's a good all
around talent with solid receiving and blocking skills, and the key word
here is OPPORTUNITY. Everyone knows what's going down with Cedric Benson.
Even before the legal issues that just came up, Forte looked like a good
flyer. Now he's a potential starter. There's one other back available that I
like more as a player, but the opportunity to make a difference immediately
is too much to pass up here. 1.08 Phicinfan2 - Ray Rice, RB BAL
Now comes the time for you to decide how important now vs. later is. So far
it has been all RB’s with no real move to WR or QB. For me this was not a
concern at all. The best RB still on the board, and a solid option is Ray
Rice. He is on a team that will focus on the running game, and he will be
the main back up to McGahee. While McGahee has been relatively able to stay
healthy, he in my opinion is on his way down. Perfect situation this late in
this round to get the RB of the future for a team coming with a young QB and
will have to run a lot to protect him. 1.09 Orgazmo2 - James Hardy, WR BUF
I might normally hold off on receiver, but there's a lot to like here. First
he's tall, and that could garner him red zone packages right out of the box.
Next, he has little competition in the form of Josh Reed. And if that was
not enough, he has an established burner in Lee Evans to keep those slants
and underneath routes open. But I think my favorite aspect of Hardy is his
basketball background. I love prospects that were accomplished basketball
players because they know how to fight for a pass and how to use their body
to shield off defenders. 1.10 MOJO2 - Matt Ryan, QB ATL
I had a couple other guys in mind for this pick, but the quarterback
position is very valuable in a dynasty league. With Ryan being as close to a
lock as a franchise quarterback as you can get in this year's draft, I felt
I couldn't go wrong with the pick. I don't expect big numbers in the first
year of course, but Matt Ryan has the tools to put up great fantasy numbers
as the Falcons build an offense around him. 1.11 Miller_time2 - Devin Thomas, WR WAS
This was a tough pick and in a real draft I could be very happy trading down
1/2 a round and picking up additional value. But given the situation, Devin
Thomas would be my pick. In a dynasty league I am less worried about
immediate impact from my rookie picks, and more interested in long-term
success and value. In Washington he will have the opportunity to develop and
his combination of size and speed give him a chance to be a solid WR in the
years to come. 1.12 JScott2 - Jamaal Charles, RB KCC
With LJ still there Charles won't be in charge for a few seasons, but the
incumbent has been disgruntled and banged up lately so JC should see action
right away. He's a little smaller than some of the other RB prospects, which
is why he fell here, but he is a great open field runner with the ability to
make tacklers miss. He's not a "short yardage back" that will push the pile,
but he's certainly not a "change of pace back" either. Charles can catch the
ball out of the backfield, which if utilized correctly will get him out into
open space where he'll be most effective. Round One Feedback: - Da Bomb on Chris Johnson:
Wow, that Chris Johnson pick was completely out of left field for me.
I would've never seen that coming even at all. I thought he was a stretch
of a day one pick, which made for an absolute joke of a round one pick.
This is three years in a row now that Tennessee has spent a top 50 pick on
a RB, and four if you count Vince "21 pass TDs in 28 games" Young. I have
no confidence in anyone in that offense having much value, at least not
consistently. I can honestly say that with my 1.7 looming, Johnson would
not have even been on my list of people to consider. - MOJO on Kevin Smith:
I personally wouldn't have taken Kevin Smith unless it was in the bottom
half of a typical 1st round draft, and I would have to think seriously
about it before even taking him then. Not a good blocker, and poor vision
(can't find running lanes). Put up some good yards in conference USA, but
was also tackled for no gain, or a loss almost 100 times last year alone.
If he manages to get past the defensive line, a linebacker is gonna knock
him on his backside in the NFL - JScott on Matt Forte vs Felix Jones:
It was between Jones and Forte for me. But Forte's situation is the suck.
Yes, Benson is a disappointment and Forte will get an opportunity to be
the full-time back (where Jones won't) but Benson had that same
opportunity not too long ago and he came out of college with much higher
expectations than Forte. How did that turn out? Chicago has no passing
game to take pressure off the run and shows no signs of changing anytime
soon. Defenses consistently fill the box. So IMO Jones' 12-15 touches per
game will be more productive than Forte's 20-25. - Miller_time on Jamaal Charles:
Don't care for it at all, but with all rookie drafts these lotto ticket
RB's always get taken at this time. I'm not wild about him as I think he's
simply too small to carry any real workload at the NFL level and his
fumbling problems concern me as well. Round Two 2.01 Da Bomb - Limas Sweed, WR PIT
Sweed is my top WR long term in this scoring format, with no PPR or anything
like that. He along with Thomas and Hardy were my top 3 WR grades in this
draft. I think Sweed goes to the best, most stable team, with a good QB
situation, and a chance to make an impact right away. Pittsburgh uses 3 and
4 WR spreads a lot, and Big Ben has a good history tossing the rock to a big
lengthy WR (think Plaxico) and was openly clamoring for a guy with bigger
size. He may not do a ton this year... think 500 yards and 6 TDs as a likely
ceiling... but without PPR, I think he'd be my top WR long term out of this
weak rookie class. 2.02 Phicinfan - Jerome Simpson WR CIN
Now hold on, this is not a homer pick. Here is what we know: Chris Henry is
gone. Chad is threatening hold out. T.J. is on the last year of his
contract, and renegotiations have not gone well. In fact Lewis let it slip
just this week that they drafted 3 WR’s this year due to all these facts.
Like him or not, this kid has speed, and hands...and in an offense with a
stud QB, and a healthy and solid offensive line, I love the potential for
long scores this kid can give you. 2.03 Orgazmo - Donnie Avery, WR STL
I reached quite a fork in the road here, and so went for the first receiver
drafted this year into the NFL. Before the draft all I knew about Avery was
his speed and good hands. Since then I've read positive things about his
route running. I'm guessing he was a gift to Al Saunders and I can't think
of too many coordinators I'd rather have using a shifty receiver. As a
bonus, only Drew Bennett is ahead of him and he's just yet another injury
away from the bench. 2.04 MOJO - Malcolm Kelly, WR WAS
Before the NFL draft, I felt like Malcolm Kelly might be the best receiver
in the draft, and after the draft, I feel like he is the best receiver that
the Redskins drafted. While he may not be the fastest receiver in the draft,
he is fast enough, and may have the best hands of any receiver in the draft.
He will be a great deep threat, and in all honesty, I feel he will be the #1
in Washington very soon. 2.05 Miller_time - Jordy Nelson, WR GB
Nelson is another WR selected in the second round that has some knocks, but
also has a lot going for him as well. Quick and tough with excellent hands,
Nelson will fit into the GB passing attack very well and could develop over
time. Driver is not getting any younger, and James Jones did not impress me
much last year. 2.06 JScott - Joe Flacco, QB BAL
Big QB, with big arm. Didn't play at the highest collegian level but I
believe he took Delaware the sub-division championship. BAL is a run first
team, so there won't be pressure on Flacco to win the game for them with his
arm early on. They may decide to go with Boller/T.Smith to start the season,
but Flacco will be the QB in '09 if not sooner. The downside of being on a
run first team is that his stats might suffer but like PIT, the Ravens will
soon realize that the NFL has become a passing league. With Clayton and
Demetrius Williams coming up at the WR corp and Willis and Rice at RB Flacco
is surrounded with a good young cast. 2.07 Da Bomb2 - Ryan Torain, RB DEN
Suffice it to say that I don't have a lot of confidence in Travis Henry
keeping his head on straight and/or Selvin Young being worth a crap. I don't
really like Torain that much as a runner. He is injury prone, he does not
pound the ball well, and he has fumble problems. I didn't think he would get
drafted at all. But he did, and by the Evil Genius Mike Shanahan. That makes
him worth a lottery ticket at this point over the other options available. 2.08 Phicinfan2 - Brian Brohm, QB GBP
Say hello to the future replacement of Brett Favre. Don't let Rodgers scare
you, cause he won't stay healthy enough long enough to stay the starter. I
love this kid, great size, very accurate thrower, able to make all the
throws, in an offense with real tools and real O-line. I personally think he
is the best QB in this draft. I might have been able to get him later...but
didn't want to risk it. 2.09 Orgazmo2 - Early Doucet, WR ARI
This is a very sound accomplished receiver. All he's missing is the pure
speed, but so is the guy he'll replace one day. At some point in the near
future Boldin will get too expensive to keep and Early will be playing
opposite Fitz. In the meantime, third receiver on a not-too-conservative
Arizona team will do... and AND I bet he doesn't drop the damn ball in the
end zone like Bryant did. But that's another story. 2.10 MOJO2 - Dustin Keller, TE NYJ
I could continue reaching for future #3 wide receivers, take a risk with a
long shot running back or quarterback, but instead I go with top rated tight
end in this years draft. The Jets were looking for, and in great need of an
h-back type to give them a legitimate presence in the seem, and Keller
should fit that spot perfectly. Getting good fantasy production from the
tight end spot isn't always easy, but this rookie gives you a good shot at
filling that position with long-term production. 2.11 Miller_time2 - Andre Caldwell, WR CIN
All the hype in Cincinnati has gone to second round pick, Jerome Simpson.
However, with a glaring opening at WR3, and possibly even a bigger opening
pending Chadgate, Caldwell could be more NFL ready right now. Caldwell is a
burner who can stretch the field vertically and has the strength to get off
the line. He was very productive at a big time program in College and should
be able to make the transition to the pro game. He could be a nice sleeper
for above average production as a rookie. 2.12 JScott2 - JScott DeSean Jackson, WR PHI
The first and most talented of the "smurf" WRs in this class, DJ will not be
a red-zone target, but will have big RAC numbers. He has great speed and can
run away from defenders. He's another guy who's a threat to take it all the
way after a short pass. His size makes him vulnerable to get knocked off
routes so he'll be a great slot WR where he can be in motion at the snap of
the ball. There isn't a whole lot of WR completion in PHI and with K.Curtis
stretching the field, plus defenses having to worry about Westy, I can see
DJ in a Wes Welker type of role. Round Two Feedback: - Da_Bomb on the Parity of this year’s WR class:
I dunno, it's clearly the WR flyer time. Everyone is going to get someone
they like, because everyone likes someone different. I'm quite happy to
see Avery, Simpson, Kelly, and now Nelson go off the board. I don't really
care for any of them, and guys I like more are falling. I'm sure that's
true for everyone. Hooray crapshoot lottery tickets! - Miller_time on Ryan Torain:
Reach, but so is everyone at this point. I think this pick is a waste, but
you never know with Shanny. For all we know he could be cut in training
camp, or go on to rush for 1200 yds. - Orgazmo on Limas Sweed:
I don't get the Sweed love. His athletic ability is mediocre, and there
still talk of him not being recovered from wrist surgery. - Phicinfan on Andre Caldwell:
I was going to say this when the discussion came up for Simpson, but knew
this pick would come. I have two mantras now in Fantasy dynasty rookie
drafts. The one that applies here is NEVER pick a USC or Florida WR.
NEVER. At least not now. They simply don't pan out. I have heard a lot of
hype on Caldwell, but I am betting he ends up like the other Caldwell in
the NFL. - JScott on Flacco v. Brohm:
It was a close decision between the two. Flacco gets the edge in physical
talent, but Brohm is more polished. What gave Flacco the slight edge IMO
was the situation. I'm not as confident as Phic that Rodgers won't be in
the way in GB, but Boller couldn't beat out McNair and Troy Smith is not
an NFL QB. The door's wide open for Flacco. Round Three 3.01 Da Bomb - Chad Henne, QB MIA
At this point I don't see much of anything I care about on the board other
than some lottery ticket WRs. There's a couple of them I like, but I would
prefer to take a guy who looks sure to have a shot at a starting job within
a season or so, maybe even immediately. I saw a lot of Henne games over the
last 4 years, and I don't really believe in him as a player or as the QB
Miami has been waiting so many years for. But there are only 32 starters in
the league, and that will be valuable to someone, plus I may be wrong. Best
bang for my buck here. 3.02 Phicinfan - Jacob Hester RB SD
At this point, I am looking for lightning in a bottle. This was the guy
specifically targeted by SD to replace Turner and be a fill in for LT2. It
is a great situation, and with LT2 getting on in years, and potentially up
for injury issues due to use with wanting to protect the QB and all, I like
this risk this late in a draft. 3.03 Orgazmo - John Carlson, TE SEA
The most complete TE in the draft, though not athletically superior to
others. Seattle has a dire need at the position, and do try to utilize the
TE in the passing game, and this is the guy they chose. With little more
than "Journeyman" Jeb Putzier for competition, Carlson should be seeing
action sooner than later... always a nice bonus. I can see Alge Crumpler
upside with this pick. 3.04 MOJO - Mario Manningham, WR NYG
As the talent really begins to thin out in this fantasy draft, I went for a
guy who many thought would be drafted higher until a poor showing at the
combine. Manningham played very well in college and looked to be a good
prospect for the NFL while playing in actual games, not the overrated
playground we call the Combine. The Giants have several young receivers to
compete for position, and Manningham has a good chance to secure a solid
spot in the offense. 3.05 Miller_time - John David Booty, QB MIN
I was surprised how little buzz Booty received coming out. He was a guy I
was keeping my eye on to see where he landed; well he landed in a heck of a
spot! An excellent offensive line, an All-Pro running back, and a top-flight
defense. This is all great news to a young QB, now all he needs is a chance.
Well, with Tavaris Jackson ahead of him, my gut says he'll get a chance
sooner rather then later, and when he does I think he will take advantage of
it. 3.06 JScott - Earl Bennett, WR CHI
Nothing flashy here. Solid WR with good, not great size. Goes into a tough
offensive situation where the Bears are pretty much in shambles BUT with the
departure of Berrian, his toughest competition will be who... Marty Booker.
EB should see action right away and if the Bears ever get a QB he could see
nice numbers. 3.07 Da_Bomb2 - Davone Bess, WR MIA
I'm going off the board for my final pick. I legitimately thinking Bess is
going to make it in the NFL, undrafted and all. He's a perfect fit as a slot
WR and has great hands and adequate speed. He may be the next Wes Welker out
in Miami. So why not? 3.08 Phicinfan2 - Mike Hart, RB IND
Addai will need a solid back up. Keith had dropsies at the end of the
season, and now a DUI bust. They just signed Rhodes, but only a one-year
deal. This kid has some talent, and in a high-powered offense, this is a low
risk high reward type pick. 3.09 Orgazmo2 - Steve Slaton, RB HOU
Hard to get too excited about Slaton, but he was drafted in the third so you
have to figure Houston has him in their plans as more than a camp body to
push the likes of Chris Brown. But what that plan is... I dunno. A very
accomplished runner, Slaton is rather small and while he has very good
speed, it isn't great. When he added weight in college, his game suffered so
I'm not sure him building himself into feature back size is going to work. I
guess long shot upside is that of Westbrook, but more than likely I would
hope for a Quentin Griffen type big game and then trade him off. 3.10 MOJO2 - Tashard Choice, RB DAL
With my late 3rd round pick I am taking a flyer on this year's 4th round
selection by the Dallas Cowboys. Assuming Dallas winds up happy with Felix
Jones, they will be faced with either paying both Jones and Barber big money
as their cap rises, or moving one of them. The odd man out will be Barber,
whom many teams will still want as a possible starter. Dallas will need a
true power/goal line back for their two back system, and Choice is the guy
the Cowboys feel can be that guy, possibly in the very near future. 3.11 Miller_time2 - Lavelle Hawkins, WR TEN
Explosive WR who is a more polished WR then ex-teammate DeSean Jackson
coming into the NFL. Hawkins size may limit his upside some, but in
Tennessee where they are in dire need of someone to step up as Young's go to
receiver, Hawkins may have some value to him. A nice sleeper pick for late
in the draft. 3.12 JScott2 - Eddie Royal, WR DEN
There are a few others available that I think have better long term upside,
but Royal comes into a situation where he can step right in opposite
Marshall or at least into the slot if Parker or another FA acquisition takes
the WR2 spot. He's another smallish WR with speed, but as I said before I
think there is a trend developing to get these types of WRs on rosters. Scoring Used:
(basic scoring, no PPR) Passing
1pt/25yds
4pts/TD
2pts/2pt PAT
Rushing
1pt/10yds
6pts/TD
2pts/2pt PAT
Receiving
1pt/10yds
6pts/TD
2pts/2pt PAT
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