2021 Rookie Drafts: Why you are the SFMOAT
It’s been over 9 weeks since the NFL draft. The majority of 2021 rookie drafts have wrapped up and I am here to tell you why you, the Swellest Fantasy Manager of All Time, made the best pick. I’m here to spin some narratives to put those post rookie draft jitters at ease and help make your most intimate football fantasies seem more reachable.
In case you just wanted to skip to your players and not read the others:
- Trevor Lawrence
- Trey Lance
- Najee Harris
- Ja’Marr Chase
- Kyle Pitts
- Travis Etienne
- Javonte Williams
- Devonta Smith
- Jaylen Waddle
- Justin Fields
- Zach Wilson
- Mac Jones
- Rashod Bateman
- Terrace Marshall
- Elijah Moore
- Trey Sermon
- Rondale Moore
- Michael Carter
- Amon-Ra St.Brown
- Amari Rodgers
- Dyami Brown
- Kadarius Toney
- Nico Collins
- D’Wayne Eskridge
- If you were drafting in a super-flex format, you probably took Trevor Lawrence at 1.01. Let me say this, not only is his game flawless but so is his hair. He’s nicknamed football Jesus for a reason. Trevor Lawrence is now the QB of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have surrounded their new franchise QB with offensive talents with little to no improvement on the defense. Trevor is going to be relied upon as the Jags will play from behind very often. Garbage time points for a non-garbage pick. GREAT PICK!
- If you were in super-flex but not at the 1.01 you might have taken Trey Lance who joined the 49ers. They also churn out fantasy productive options. Lance goes into a system with a great coaching staff and filled with talent on both sides. He’s a dual-threat QB which means……fantasy production! The team is already reporting injuries to their RB core, which just means more rushing attempts for Trey. The wide receiver core is also very talented. Another great pick dude!
- If you had an early first and had a need at running back, Najee Harris was probably your guy. Can anyone name a rookie RB that could see 300 opportunities his first year? I can’t. Harris went to the Steelers who clearly miss the Lev’ Bell days. Harris won’t come off the field, that offensive line did not improve and Harris will now only be out there for rushing attempts but to block to. Najee Harris was the first RB taken and will have 20+ touches a game as a rookie. Great pick my guy!
- Had an early first and needed that elite wide receiver to boost that core, you would be eyeing Ja’marr Chase. If he was a few inches taller we would be calling him the next Julio Jones. LSU’s 2019 season was historic in many ways and now he returns to his college QB. It’s another situation of a team with immense offensive talent but nothing on defense. That defense couldn’t figure out how to put a fitted sheet on a kingsize mattress let alone cover some receivers. Joe Burrow is already averaging 40+ attempts a game. Could Chase see a 25% target share in year 1?…..that would be 170 targets. You’re killing it stud!
- This next pick could honestly age the…wellest out all first-round picks. Elite TEs help win championships, they’re hard to find and have slow starts. You, the dynasty aficionado, are playing chess and used an early-mid first on Kyle Pitts. The highest-drafted TE of all time. He’s not the best blocker? Who cares? I don’t. We drafted him for fantasy, we want him catching tuddies. Julio is gone, leaving a massive hole that is perfect for Pitts to fill. Volume is king for TE production, and looking at trends, the most productive TEs come from systems without an established WR1 or WR2. You just drafted a better 20 year old version of Travis Kelce. I believe you dropped your crown, my king or queen!
- If you had that mid-first and needed that RB help, you probably picked Travis Etienne. Let me tell you what, it’s a** Etienne szn. Travis is the all-time leading rusher in the ACC, he runs in the 4.3s. Who is going to catch him? Worried about that UNDRAFTED RB on the roster, don’t be, he went literally undrafted. All 32 teams saw him and decided he wasn’t worth a 7th round pick. He’s got the first-round capital and went to the same team as his college QB. He is going to get plenty of looks. Another fire pick!
- You’re sitting in the mid-late first round of your draft, you are a contender. You see Javonte Williams still available, and I know you smashed the draft button so hard you needed to replace your phone with your future championship money. Javonte scored the highest college rushing score from PFF for a reason. He is also the youngest running back in this draft, he will have so much long-term value. You aren’t upset one bit you missed out on old man Najee. Your roster is probably already a contender and when Javonte takes over by mid-season you just reloaded ready to continue domination. I have 3rd degree burns on my eyes from seeing the great picks you’re making with sound judgment, and conviction!
- Need more WR help and you missed out on that top talents because you’re not a bottom of the league scrub. You need to look no further than your pick in the mid-late first of Devonta Smith. The Heisman winner. Are you kidding me, when was the last time a wide receiver won the Heisman? Who was president then? Yeah I can’t answer either of these questions without looking it up. He goes to an offense without a top receiver. You drafted a technician who will be the instant WR1 on his roster and maybe the WR1. Another absolute no-brainer pick!
- Need that WR helping the mid-first and you take Jaylen Waddle? Easy pick. He could have been the Heisman winner if he wasn’t injured during week 4. Commonly compared to Tyreek Hill for a reason. He reunited with his college QB with Will fuller only on a 1-year deal. This is literally wheels up because Jaylen Waddle has the jets to take off. Tua finally has a physically healthy, full-length off-season to learn the playbook. Jaylen will take a year to learn under Will Fuller who has a similar skill set. Will Fuller will leave, and Waddle will become the unquestionable WR1. Fantasy football is too easy for you!
- Middle of the first you need QB help, but don’t have the top pick? Don’t worry about it. There’s a strong history of the Quarterbacks going 1st overall and not panning out. You draft Justin Fields a little later. He has the rushing upside your roster needs to take it to the next level. Justin Fields goes to a team that already has elite talent in its wide receiver core. Andy Dalton, the red rocket, won’t be blasting off with this roster. Fields are already the most talented QB that team has ever seen. Nothing could go wrong, another solid grab!
- In super flex, you may have found Zach Wilson drop to the mid or late-first. His arm is about as hot as his mom. We have all been watching tape from the Jets OTAs to get a clearer picture of the WR situation. No one has been talking about who is throwing those perfect balls. It’s your boy Zach Wilson, who the Jets staff is so comfortable starting week 1 that they are declining to add any veteran players as a back-up or mentor role. The Jets are a new team with a revamped offense, and with new competent coaching staff. The Adam Gase effect is now initiated, so now that he is gone, all the players will perform exponentially better. This was a guy no one wanted early?!?! Clearly a great value, and a diamond in the rough, way to go sport!
- If you had a late first and Mac Jones was the last QB on the board, you sir, are a thief. The Cam Newton experiment will be over. It’s the return of the Mac. Have you seen his NFL combine pictures? He already has the goat build. Since Lamar Jackson hit the scene everyone is chasing dual-threat QBs, but you know they don’t last as long. Mac is going to be around a while, and he is going to play behind one of the best offensive lines in the game. He will have one of the greatest NFL coaching minds the world will ever see. Another excellent move Sir!!
- End of the first and you grabbed Rashod Bateman? Drown out the noise that the Lamar can’t throw and blah blah blah. This is a high scoring offense and will be for the next few years. Lamar has to throw to someone besides Mark Andrews. The Marquise Brown experiment is over Lamar needs a real man to throw to and that’s Rashod Bateman. Rashod has the perfect combination of size, speed, and ability to get open. This will be the best receiving core the Ravens had since before Joe “not so elite” Flacco. Realistically, Rashod can be the next red zone threat for the Ravens. Lamar is getting older so the team will want to protect those legs and let him sit back and throw the ole pigskin to their new 1st round weapon in Rashod Bateman. Each year Lamar gets older he will have to start to run less and throw more. That means more targets for a guy you got in the late first or early second! Another great selection, from the fantasy manager of the year.
- You might take a late first on Terrace Marshall. A player who rose up boards during his final season with LSU. He rejoins his college offensive coordinator. Hand-picked to continue being a stud in a team with a horrible defense. They have a new QB and will need to throw the ball to keep up with the competition. The Panthers will more DJ into the slot and Terrace and will easily overtake Robby Anderson in year 1. Hypothetically let’s say Terrace needs another year, that’s fine, Robby is a free agent next year. See ya Robby, have fun on the Raiders next year. Terrace Marshall is one of the few true alphas in this rookie class and he went to a team that will play from behind often. With top coverage focused on DJ Moore, we’re going to see Terrace take off the way we saw him take off at LSU. This pick was a no brainer, way to go, you dynasty guru!
- So you traded away your first for a better dynasty asset mid-season. Now you’re on the clock with your first pick in the second. You, the guy or girl that puts the nasty in dynasty, know you have a first-round talent in a guy available at the early second. You select Elijah Moore. My WR2 pre-draft, your WR2 pre-draft. You’re on Twitter and see the non-stop hype with Elijah Moore. I can’t stop chanting give me more of Elijah Moore. The ONLY flaw to his game is his height, so what. The NFL is seeing plenty of production out of the slot, and he will produce game 1. Denzel Mims? Playing with the second team guys. Jamison Crowder? Got asked to take a pay cut because they have Elijah now. Corey Davis? Everyone knows he’s never been able to operate as the WR1 on the roster, he will be locked up most of the time in every game. Elijah Moore? An unstoppable force in the middle, he has better feet than Michael Jackson and stickier hands than a kid coming out of a candy shop buffet. His rookie QB, Zach Wilson, had a Joe Burrow type of leap last year. You just secured yourself a player who will produce WR2 numbers for the next ten years.
- You’re an RB needy team in the early second, and the last possible workhorse has fallen to you, you snag Trey Sermon with confidence. If Raheem Mostert can be successful in this system anyone can. How many Teams has Raheem been on? Yeah, I’ve lost count too. Raheem is 29 now with only one successful season. He’s already hurt during OTAs, which we all saw coming. He’s a cut candidate with only 500k in dead money. Pocket change. Who’s next in line? Jeff Wilson….. already needs surgery and will miss the first 4-6 weeks of the season. It’s Trey Sermon szn and he put up monstrous numbers during the final stretch of the College season and it was against the top defenses in college. Don’t worry about Trey Lances’ rushing ability, he was rushing against far inferior completion on manufactured plays to draw defenses away from the middle. Trey Sermon is poised to produce early in the season and solidify his role on moving you the next champ of your league. Way to go champ!
- You have a thing for the little guys and you remember 2018, Purdue vs. Ohio State. You take your man Rondale Moore in the early-mid second. The guy squats 600lbs, that more than 100lb per foot. You’re not worried about health concerns, you have a fat bench for your dynasty league. Rondale Moore is more explosive than the opening of the Gulf War, the second one. The Cardinals picked him to manufacture touches for him. The Cardinals are the top team in running four wide receiver sets. They are also the top team in running screenplays. DeAndre will draw top corners and is getting up in age, Rondale Moore will pass Deandre as the top pass catcher in his rookie contract. Christian Kirk had his chance to shine, Andy Isabella is done. After two years of nagging injury and poor QB play in college. Height is just a number, ask Steve Smith. Another great pick, friend!
- The only running back left that perks any interest is Michael Carter, you take him with the mid-second. The Jets are an emerging team, we already talked about the hype for Elijah and Zach. Who is running behind this revamped line? Tevin Coleman hasn’t been relevant for years. Ty Johnson had one good game, La’Michel Perine saw the field a bit, but they still chose to start Frank “the tank” Gore over both of them. Michael Carter, who outrushed Javonte Williams at UNC, will be the starting running back on the New York Jets. He will have a first-year impact and you stole him in the middle of the second. Nioce!
- Some might call this a reach at the mid-second, but you and I know this wasn’t a reach enough. You picked Amon-Ra St. Brown. Named after the sun god, son of two time Mr. Universe, speaker of two languages. The NFL made the mistake of letting him split to the early fourth and now your league made the mistake of letting him slip to the mid-second. Who is his competition? Breshad Perriman, the journeyman wide receiver that can’t keep a job, or “Tyrell the gazelle” Williams who’s body is made of more glass than a church. Amon-Ra can lead this rookie class in targets, he can easily be a top 3 rookie receiver option out of volume alone. Jared Goff for his entire career has supported two top 24 options. The Lions have a new offensive line, same horrible defense, they need to throw to someone besides TJ Dropperson. Amon-Ra has one of the safest floors in this class, and the ceiling is somewhere between the sun and the universe. This is a greater theft than the Italian job, way to go, you Fantasy Bandit!
- It’s the late second now and the talent well is drying up, you set your eyes on a player that will be a steal if Aaron Rodgers comes back. That is Amari Rodgers. The perpetual expedition to find the Green Bay WR2 is over. You found him in the late second. We just witnessed a TE that was off everyone’s radar catch 11 touchdown. At least half of those touchdowns can go to Amari. No one is worried about MVS or Allen Lazard, there is finally no hype surrounding them, there never should have been. Davante Adams will take the top off and Amari will operate through the middle. Nice job tiger!
- In the late second you turn to the nerds of fantasy football analytics, they tell you the stars are lined up, your sign is a stage 4 asparagus, the numbers line up and you take Dyami Brown. The deep threat from UNC lands on a team with a QB that loves chucking it. Fitzmagic will create harry potter level sorcery with Dyami. Terry McLaurin is there but we’re not worried about Curtis Samuel, the last time he was paired with this coaching staff we were extremely underwhelmed. Dyami Brown landed in the perfect spot, and the numbers tell us he has a solid chance to be a stud. Gordon Ramsey couldn’t have cooked a better recipe, nice pick you dynasty chef!
- This guy has dropped far enough, you take Kadarius Toney with your late second. You remember Brandon Aiyuk, not many were excited about him coming out last year, not enough college production, and now he’s a top second-year player. You don’t want to miss out and you snagged Toney. He was fun to watch in college and he lands on a team that has demonstrated the knack for finding wide receiver talent. You, the genius that you are, are no longer worried about Kenny Golladay. Kenny G was injured all last year, you examined ADoT and notice Daniel Jones doesn’t really throw it deep. The three bears said that ADoT is just right for Kadarius Toney in the middle. If Toney can refine his route running you have yourself a dynasty asset for years to come. Let’s say Daniel Jones is a complete flop this year, they’ll have a new top-end rookie in there next year. A 1st round capital receiver that you drafted in the late second, COLLUSION. A solid selection, with a little risk baked in to make it fun!
- Who would want a part of the Texans? Ewdlijfebjkj iffuwjnfwlloqn Sorry, I had to wipe down my keyboard from throwing up a little. You’re playing chess not checkers. You pick Nico Collins in the late second. You know the Texans already secured the first overall pick for 2022. Brandin Cooks won’t be around for too long. You secured the X receiver for whatever future stud QB is picked next year. Thinking ahead is how to win. It’s a late second so you are already a contender, you see no issue letting him sit on the bench for a year. Bill Belichick could not have schemed better. Way to go dynasty mastermind!
- This is the last clear-cut producer in the draft class, you’re excited to get a guy attached to the chef Russell Wilson. You selected D’Wayne Eskridge in the late second, maybe the early third. Yeah, okay, he’s on the older side, but once he takes off you’ll have the option to flip him for capital or ride him out for his career. He has the top YPR in the class but he’ll be used for routes underneath in the middle. The Seahawks slowed down last year because the defense figured out they just need safety to sit up top and cover the deep pass. Eskridge has the speed to produce some nice YAC. He made splashes at the senior bowl, which indicates future success. Eskridge is a complete athlete playing three positions throughout his college career; recruited as an RB, played some wide receiver, and sprinkle in some defensive back until an injury derailed that season. Now in the NFL, he can focus his craft on wide receiver, and if we know the Seahawks, they can produce some phenomenal wide reliever talent.
The rest of the rookies need an awful plane crash to become relevant. Sorry, it is what it is, not even I can spin a narrative for them to work out. Look here my kings, queens, and SFMOATs don’t leave your fantasy rookie drafts with doubts. Go out there, grab your guy, and walk out knowing that you’re holding the bag. You picked your guys for a reason and when they pan out you get to tell everyone you told them so.
This industry is an “I told you so” type of place. Don’t be humble, be proud of yourself and let them know. Be bold. If you’re wrong, just cover it up like the rest of the world. No one is going to dig through years of tweets to tell you differently. If they do just hit them with the “oh my b, I forgot, sorry”. Boom, Back on top, looking forward, all set to go and ready for the next draft that you’re going to dominate just like this one. You are always winning, even when you’re losing you are winning.
