Dynasty Deep Dive - Five more players to consider in your rookie draft!

As I tweeted out right after I published my 4th round article, I still had a number of dynasty prospects that intrigued me. My drafts may only be 48 to 49 picks (depending on a toilet bowl bonus pick!) but there are still players out there that I wanted to highlight. In fact even after this article I may have a few more I want to bring up! Anyway, these players are not too far off from my 4th rounders and could be taken in the 40s without issue from me.

WR Ishmael Zamora, Oakland Raiders

If you’re reading this article you are probably enough of a dynasty nut to know why Zamora did not get drafted. Despite size (6’4” 224 lbs) that offensive coordinators would drool over and above average athleticism, no team wanted to risk the backlash of drafting Zamora. His offence: disciplining his dog by whipping his rottweiler with a belt. There is video of it but frankly I couldn’t bring myself to watch it. Zamora had a 63-809-8 line in 10 games and definitely flashed star potential. He was inconsistent though and after leaving college with just one year as a starter, he will likely have a harder time adjusting to the NFL. I don’t see myself taking him in my rookie draft but I would have to consider adding him if he was available on waivers afterward.

RB T.J. Logan, Arizona Cardinals

If you own David Johnson, it is an absolute must that you find a way to get your hands on this speedster. With very little competition to speak of, Logan is almost guaranteed the handcuff role to DJ. On his own merit, he is an intriguing dynasty flier as well. He was the fastest RB at the combine at a 4.37. He caught 76 passes in college. Should anything happen to David Johnson (though I certainly hope that isn’t the case!) you can expect Logan would fill some of that void in the passing game along with picking up carries. The biggest issue with Logan is that he never had a feature role in college. He led the RBs in touches at UNC in 2014 but it was just 119 carries as the offense centered around QB Marquise Williams who had 193 carries. In 2015 and 16 he was the lesser half of a decent but not great RB duo with Elijah Hood. However, thanks to a strong combine and landing spot, Logan is the one to own in dynasty. Let me reiterate though that if you own David Johnson, Logan is an absolute must grab. Make sure you have a 4th round pick to spend on him.

WR Jehu Chesson, Kansas City Chiefs

Going into the 2016 season I think Chesson and his fellow Wolverine Amara Darboh were about equal as NFL prospects. Coming out of the season Darboh had clearly set himself apart. Chesson was slightly more productive in 2015 but for whatever reason, QB Wilton Speight heavily preferred Darboh and even TE Jake Butt as Chesson slid from a line of 50-764-9 to 35-500-2. Yikes. Chesson recouped some value with a fantastic combine where he ranked as the 14th best WR in SPARQ (Darboh was 18th). Chesson ran a 4.47 in the 40 which was excellent for his size (6’3” 204 lbs). He also ranked above average in every other drill outside of the bench press. His value hinged on the outcome of the NFL draft and going at the end of the 4th to the Chiefs was just okay at best. He gives future starter Patrick Mahomes another fast and big target to go along with Chris Conley. For 2017 don’t expect much of an impact if any as Jeremy Maclin, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce will be the main weapons in the passing game.

RB Tarik Cohen, Chicago Bears

I love me some Tarik Cohen. He was insanely productive at FCS North Carolina A&T. He was a four year starter with a final season of 1927 YFS and 19 TDs. Those numbers came with a 7.5 YPC and 37 receptions. He is also fast - he ran a 4.42 at the combine. According to mockdraftable, he has massive hands at 10 and an eighth inches, 95th percentile. That’s great for the pass-catching back he profiles as. What kept him off my top 48? Well he’s tiny. 5’6” 179 lbs. He’s not strong either with a 2nd percentile bench press. He reminds me of the faster but similar sized Dri Archer. Archer was drafted in the 3rd round by the Steelers and ended up being a zero in the NFL. What may separate Cohen from Archer is that Tarik was far more productive in college with a much bigger sample size as well. Cohen is never going to be a feature back so I don’t really factor Jordan Howard into his value. Cohen’s best bet at relevance will be a third down back and his speed and hand size give him a lot of potential in that role. Watch the vid below, ‘nuff said.

TE Bucky Hodges, Vikings

This is a very deep class for TEs and Bucky Hodges continues the trend. Hodges is extremely athletic, and ranks 3rd in SPARQ score among TEs. He was also a three year starter with nice numbers. He was originally recruited to Virginia Tech as a quarterback but quickly moved to tight end. The fact that he was able to make an impact as a redshirt freshman with very little experience really was amazing. Many draft analysts had Hodges as a 2nd or 3rd round draft pick. For whatever reason he fell all the way to the Vikings in the 6th round, 201st overall. The most likely reason for his draft day fall was that he still has a ways to go as a receiver. ProFootballFocus compared him to Jimmy Graham but also cited a very high drop rate as a concern. He will likely need a year or two to adapt to the NFL and continue honing his skills as a pass catcher but Hodges has a very high ceiling and is well worth considering in the 4th round of your draft.