Top 100: RSO Rookie Rankings
To answer the question right at the top… Yes, I still have Leonard Fournette as my 1.01. I’m sure we’ll spill much digital ink over the coming months debating the pick but I think he will be dominant and with so much draft capital invested, the Jaguars will have to stay dedicated.
The lifeblood of every dynasty team are it’s incoming rookies, like Fournette. The only problem is that few rookies are as well-known as Fournette and so many owners don’t have the time to devote to doing research on who the rookies are and how their landing spot impacts their RSO outlook. Throughout the last three months, I have done the research for you and have come up with what you will see below: RSO’s top 100 rookies.
This was a fascinating exercise for me because after I started, I realized there were still a number of players even I needed to do more research on. For example, at one point I realized I was getting the two RB Elijahs mixed up (Hood: UNC and McGuire: LA-Lafayette) despite having opposite skill sets because I had them listed consecutively on my RB ranking (for the record: even though I prefer Hood for his bigger frame and the way he always fights forward, I pushed McGuire above him because of his fit with the Jets and path to touches). I first started making rankings for each position so I could easily compare players and develop tiers within each position. Next, I decided how I would value positions based on my league assumptions (see below). Then, I massaged the positional rankings together using my tiers and positional values to help determine the overall rankings. Finally, I fine tuned throughout the draft to adjust positional and overall rankings based on team fit. It was a time consuming exercise for sure, but one I would recommend for RSO owners, just on a smaller scale (I would suggest however many rookie picks your league has + 5).
Before we get to the rankings, a few notes:
- I created these rankings assuming the following starting lineup in a 10-12 team league: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, OFLEX, DL, LB, DB, DFLEX.
- I assumed 0.5PPR but otherwise standard scoring (i.e. a slight bump to WR and pass catching RBs). IDP scoring can vary quite significantly in my experience but I assumed the typical key stats of tackles, sacks and INTs.
- If you are in a Superflex or 2QB league, I would recommend moving the QBs up about 10-15 spots.
- If your IDP league uses more starters (meaning more will be drafted) you should move IDP players up about 5 spots as the value of the best IDP players will increase.
- I ranked at least 10 QB, TE, DL, LB and DB and at least 20 RB and WR. I figured all but the deepest of leagues would need to go deeper than that at each position. Determining how some DE/OLB will be listed is tough at this point but when in doubt I used NFL.com’s listed position.
- As you go down the list, the amount of research done on a given player admittedly decreases, so to do the strong opinions. I feel much more strongly about Mixon over Cook than I do about Clement over Pumphrey.
- Keep in mind that these rankings are being finalized on Saturday, April 29. Much can, and will, change before you draft.
| Rank | First Name | Last Name | Position | Pos Rank |
| 1 | Leonard | Fournette | RB | RB1 |
| 2 | Corey | Davis | WR | WR1 |
| 3 | Christian | McCaffrey | RB | RB2 |
| 4 | Joe | Mixon | RB | RB3 |
| 5 | Mike | Williams | WR | WR2 |
| 6 | John | Ross | WR | WR3 |
| 7 | OJ | Howard | TE | TE1 |
| 8 | Chris | Godwin | WR | WR4 |
| 9 | Dalvin | Cook | RB | RB4 |
| 10 | Zay | Jones | WR | WR5 |
| 11 | Kareem | Hunt | RB | RB5 |
| 12 | David | Njoku | TE | TE2 |
| 13 | Marlon | Mack | RB | RB6 |
| 14 | Curtis | Samuel | RB | RB7 |
| 15 | D’onta | Foreman | RB | RB8 |
| 16 | Taywan | Taylor | WR | WR6 |
| 17 | JuJu | Smith-Schuster | WR | WR7 |
| 18 | Evan | Engram | TE | TE3 |
| 19 | Carlos | Henderson | WR | WR8 |
| 20 | Cooper | Kupp | WR | WR9 |
| 21 | Jeremy | McNichols | RB | RB9 |
| 22 | Samaje | Perine | RB | RB10 |
| 23 | Mitch | Trubisky | QB | QB1 |
| 24 | Myles | Garrett | DL | DL1 |
| 25 | Wayne | Gallman | RB | RB11 |
| 26 | Pat | Mahomes | QB | QB2 |
| 27 | Jake | Butt | TE | TE4 |
| 28 | Alvin | Kamara | RB | RB12 |
| 29 | Solomon | Thomas | DL | DL2 |
| 30 | KD | Cannon | WR | WR10 |
| 31 | Malik | Hooker | DB | DB1 |
| 32 | Deshaun | Watson | QB | QB3 |
| 33 | Zach | Cunningham | LB | LB1 |
| 34 | Josh | Malone | WR | WR11 |
| 35 | Taco | Charlton | DL | DL3 |
| 36 | Jonathan | Allen | DL | DL4 |
| 37 | Jonnu | Smith | TE | TE5 |
| 38 | Haason | Reddick | LB | LB2 |
| 39 | Jamal | Adams | DB | DB2 |
| 40 | Jabrill | Peppers | DB | DB3 |
| 41 | Josh | Reynolds | WR | WR12 |
| 42 | Amara | Darboh | WR | WR13 |
| 43 | Jamaal | Williams | RB | RB13 |
| 44 | James | Conner | RB | RB14 |
| 45 | Josh | Dobbs | QB | QB4 |
| 46 | Tim | Williams | LB | LB3 |
| 47 | Takkarist | McKinley | DL | DL5 |
| 48 | Malachi | Dupre | WR | WR14 |
| 49 | Reuben | Foster | LB | LB4 |
| 50 | Ardarius | Stewart | WR | WR15 |
| 51 | Charles | Harris | DL | DL6 |
| 52 | Deshone | Kizer | QB | QB5 |
| 53 | Nate | Peterman | QB | QB6 |
| 54 | Joe | Williams | RB | RB15 |
| 55 | Elijah | McGuire | RB | RB16 |
| 56 | TJ | Watt | LB | LB5 |
| 57 | Marshon | Lattimore | DB | DB4 |
| 58 | Raekwon | McMillan | LB | LB6 |
| 59 | Gerald | Everett | TE | TE6 |
| 60 | Derek | Rivers | DL | DL7 |
| 61 | Isaiah | Ford | WR | WR16 |
| 62 | Bucky | Hodges | TE | TE7 |
| 63 | Chad | Hansen | WR | WR17 |
| 64 | Obi | Melifonwu | DB | DB5 |
| 65 | Elijah | Hood | RB | RB17 |
| 66 | Derek | Barnett | DL | DL8 |
| 67 | Jarrad | Davis | LB | LB7 |
| 68 | Brad | Kaaya | QB | QB7 |
| 69 | Brian | Hill | RB | RB18 |
| 70 | Davis | Webb | QB | QB8 |
| 71 | Ryan | Anderson | LB | LB8 |
| 72 | Tyus | Bowser | LB | LB9 |
| 73 | Marlon | Humphrey | DB | DB6 |
| 74 | Adam | Shaheen | TE | TE8 |
| 75 | Jalen | Robinette | WR | WR18 |
| 76 | Donnel | Pumphrey | RB | RB19 |
| 77 | Jordan | Leggett | TE | TE9 |
| 78 | Corey | Clement | RB | RB20 |
| 79 | Duke | Riley | LB | LB10 |
| 80 | Dede | Westbrook | WR | WR19 |
| 81 | Seth | Russell | QB | QB9 |
| 82 | Aaron | Jones | RB | RB21 |
| 83 | C.J. | Beathard | QB | QB10 |
| 84 | Malik | McDowell | DL | DL9 |
| 85 | Budda | Baker | DB | DB7 |
| 86 | Carl | Lawson | DL | DL10 |
| 87 | Marcus | Maye | DB | DB8 |
| 88 | Jeremy | Sprinkle | TE | TE10 |
| 89 | Adoree’ | Jackson | DB | DB9 |
| 90 | Kevin | King | DB | DB10 |
| 91 | Gareon | Conley | DB | DB11 |
| 92 | Mack | Hollins | WR | WR20 |
| 93 | Tarik | Cohen | RB | RB22 |
| 94 | Chad | Williams | WR | WR21 |
| 95 | Jordan | Willis | DL | DL11 |
| 96 | Chad | Kelly | QB | QB11 |
| 97 | Amba | Etta-Tawo | WR | WR22 |
| 98 | Chidobee | Awuzie | DB | DB12 |
| 99 | Kenny | Galloday | WR | WR23 |
| 100 | George | Kittle | TE | TE11 |
