Marvin Harrison Jr. ... But Then What?
Chances are, you have an ongoing or upcoming dynasty rookie draft.
That's why we assembled the Draft Sharks staff to play out a dynasty rookie mock draft (1-QB).
So, how'd it all unfold behind Marvin Harrison Jr.?
Let's dig in ...
Editor's Note: A previous version of this article ran through a pre-NFL draft dynasty rookie mock draft. The Draft Sharks staff reconvened to draft all five rounds again in May.
Kevin English: No need to overthink the 1.01. Harrison is one of the cleanest prospects in recent memory and looks poised for 120+ targets in year one.
Alex Korff: Nabers broke out for 72-1,017-3 as a 19-year-old true sophomore. His game hit another level in 2023, when Nabers finished top-3 nationwide in receiving yards and TDs.
The Giants lack a long-term answer at QB, but that's no reason to pass on Nabers' electric talent.
Matt Schauf: We saw a large gap between the top 3 WRs and the rest of the class heading into the draft. And Round 1 played out exactly that way. Don't penalize Odunze for likely opening as the third WR in Chicago. Sure, that might limit his target share and keep him on your bench for most or all of this season. But our historical aging data also says that age 32 (Keenan Allen this year) has traditionally seen a significant decrease in WR production.
There's a chance Odunze simply pushes ahead of Allen in 2024. At worst, the vet's likely gone in 2025.
Draft With Data -- Not Feelings.
Shane Hallam: Bowers took a slight hit landing with the Raiders, but it might be a benefit that they have Michael Mayer already there. Mayer will likely play inline while Bowers sticks in the slot -- similar to what Dalton Kincaid did in Buffalo last year.
Add in a ton of screen passes and the occasional Jet Sweep run, and I'm betting on Bowers being a rookie hit at TE.
Jared Smola: Worthy has a strong college production profile, including a freshman-year breakout. He set the Combine record with a 4.21-second 40 time. And he got an ideal runout in the draft, going in the first round to the Chiefs.
Worthy's 165-pound frame is a legit concern. But if there's a duo to work around it, it's Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes.
Shane: A 99th percentile athlete at the WR position going to an offense full of top tier athletes is too tempting to pass up.
Christian Kirk will continue to earn his targets, but Thomas offers red zone and downfield upside with Trevor Lawrence’s arm and talent. Thomas could be the de facto red zone target and flirt with double digit TDs as a rookie.
Matt: Caleb Williams sits ahead of him in our rookie rankings. And you'll find guys from other positions higher in the 1-QB rankings. But I'm going Daniels here to emphasize how quickly he could pay off. Cam Newton finished QB4 as a rookie. Lamar Jackson posted one of the greatest fantasy seasons ever in his first full starting turn. Daniels brings 1,000-yard rushing potential. That vaults his ceiling and raises his fantasy floor.
I won't fight that Caleb Williams is the safer long-term bet. But Daniels could be a fantasy star within a year.
Kevin: Does it stink that he’s coming off an ACL tear? Sure. But Brooks' November injury might not keep him out of regular season action.
Carolina presents opportunity out of the gate, while new HC Dave Canales signaled big expectations in his post-draft presser.
Alex: The 1.09 is a tough spot in 1 QB leagues. Do you take a chance on the tier 3 WRs? Or maybe reach for the RB2, Benson? I did not love picking here, so I decided to zig a bit and select Williams.
He's a phenomenal prospect and is still projected to be valuable in 1-QB leagues. His balance of risk-reward pushes him just ahead of players like Benson, Ladd, or Coleman for me.
Kevin: Only 21, Coleman’s set for a significant 2024 role.
Buffalo’s current WR depth chart turns up:
Meh.
Despite some warts in Coleman’s dynasty profile, I’ll chase the perfect landing spot late in Round 1.
Jared: He's not Keenan Allen and probably never will be. But McConkey has a chance to play a similar high-volume role for Justin Herbert.
This is an NFL-ready WR with a shot to lead the Chargers in targets as a rookie.
Matt: I like Benson pretty comfortably ahead of the next set of WRs here. James Conner presents a big hurdle for this year, but Benson should get at least some work as the No. 2. And the contingent upside is obvious when you're running behind a RB who has never completed a full schedule.
A Conner injury this season could give Benson a shot to take over the job even beyond Conner's return.
TIP
Playing in a multi-QB dynasty league? View our updated dynasty superflex rookie mock draft.
Alex: Pearsall landed in a murky pass-catching room with Aiyuk, Deebo, Kittle, and CMC all demanding targets. But a lot can change in 2025 and maybe even 2024 if Aiyuk or Deebo get traded.
Pearsall projects as a slot receiver with great route running. He has the upside to be a PPR monster and might even help on return duty.
Shane: This is a hold-your-nose type of pick. Legette's early college profile (and film) are atrocious. But, he dominated in the SEC this year and has the athletic skillset to pull a DK Metcalf.
The Jonathan Mingo comparisons are a bit farfetched as Legette's best season blows Mingo's out of the water. I'll take the upside and risk drafting a complete 0 here.
Kevin: This feels like the right range to take a shot on a boom/bust profile.
Mitchell has everything you want physically and athletically. Plus, there’s opportunity for targets in a passing game that’s thin beyond Michael Pittman and Josh Downs.
We’ll see if the rookie meshes with Anthony Richardson, who still has plenty to prove as a passer.
Kevin: Polk brings a tough, old-school game to the Pats. Capable of playing multiple spots, he should develop into a trusty option for Drake Maye.
The Pats drafted another WR in Javon Baker, but note that he went 110th overall – well behind Polk (37th).
Jared: There are certainly safer WR picks in this range of rookie drafts -- but none with a higher ceiling than Burton. He projects as a big-play WR with TD upside and got a significant boost after landing with QB Joe Burrow.
WR Tee Higgins seems unlikely to be in Cincinnati beyond this season, giving Burton a clear path to the No. 2 WR job.
Kevin: Had Corum avoided a major knee injury in 2022, he likely would have been a Round 2 pick in the 2023 draft.
A step back in efficiency last fall led him to go 83rd overall, but it’s still fine draft capital. And the landing spot is solid considering the presence of Sean McVay.
While Kyren Williams sits atop the depth chart, Corum could push him for work in Year 1 if he can get regain that ‘22 form.
Matt: There seems to be lots of concern over Maye's landing spot -- too much, I'd say. Did you love Houston for C.J. Stroud this time last year? Jacksonville sported a 31-year-old Marvin Jones Jr. and Laviska Shenault as the top targets for Trevor Lawrence's rookie year.
Situations can change quickly.
New England also drafted a pair of wideouts in pursuit of changing theirs. We'll see how that evolution pans out. But in the meantime, I'll take a multi-year college starter who delivered strong TD-INT ratios and rushing production while showing nice improvisational skills when moving out of the pocket.
Alex: Corley is the 2024 Deebo. He's a menace with the ball in his hands, but an average route runner. He fell into a good situation and does have a Deebo-like ceiling as a potential outcome.
Corley is a good target in the middle/end of the 2nd.
Shane: McCarthy lands an ideal situation with Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and one of the best pass blocking OL in the league.
He may sit briefly, but the potential for him to be a QB1 in fantasy is there. He's worth a shot in the late 2nd.
Jared: This feels like the right time to take a shot on Franklin, who fell to Round 4 of the NFL Draft but still boasts an excellent college production profile.
Landing with his college QB in Denver doesn't hurt.
Kevin: Wilson brings vertical speed to an offense already featuring George Pickens.
He also projects as a versatile piece for new OC Arthur Smith.
“Hopefully he can continue to work… expand his game, and have a little inside-outside flex,” Smith said.
Pittsburgh lost 140 targets via offseason departures. Their additions (beyond Wilson): Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins.
If he’s able to pick up the playbook, Wilson could pop for several useful weeks as a rookie.
Matt: I wish Lloyd had landed somewhere with better immediate opportunity than a backfield that just gave Josh Jacobs a multi-year deal. That said, Jacobs is coming off the worst rushing efficiency of his career. And there's a potential out in his "four-year contract" if he doesn't rebound.
So I'll go ahead and bet on Lloyd's intriguing talent, which produced 7.1 yards per rush last year and 13.3 yards per catch for his college career.
TIP
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Shane: I'm a sucker for athletic RBs with big play ability. I'm even more of a sucker when they land in Mike McDaniel's offense. The Dolphins giving up a future third to take Wright is meaningful, and he is set up to be the heir apparent to 32-year old Raheem Mostert. As a De'Von Achane fan last year, I can see efficient co-existence between Wright and Achane for the next few years.
All four of Wright's rushing TDs last season went for 50+ yards. That big play ability is valued by the Dolphins.
Alex: Baker scored well in our model (62th percentile) and tested better on film, which is a flag I look for in later-round prospects.
The Patriot offense should be completely different from 2023 with an all new coaching staff and new personnel. I like taking a shot on Baker as a deep threat with Maye’s cannon arm.
Jared: This sixth-round RB might amount to nothing. Or he might lead a wide-open Chargers backfield in carries this season.
Vidal dominated at Troy over the past two seasons, racking up 2,793 rushing yards, 341 receiving yards, and 25 total TDs. The 5'8, 213-pounder then earned a strong 8.88 Relative Athletic Score at the Combine.
Shane: As a 97th percentile athlete in a position whose success correlates with athleticism, I'm in on Sinnott. He got Round 2 draft capital on a team looking for playmakers for their rookie QB.
Sinnott has the length to play inline as a blocker but also be dangerous as a receiver.
Matt: Tampa Bay is a sneaky-good landing spot for Irving. Rachaad White dominated work there last year. But a lot of that was (probably) a lack of worthwhile options. White has ranked among the league's least-efficient rushers in each of his two seasons. Irving, on the other hand, fared quite well at forcing missed tackles and compiling yards after contact in college. He could pull even or work past White as a rusher quickly.
We'll see about the receiving opportunities. Both RBs play well there.
Jared: Don't be surprised if McMillan winds up as the second best Washington WR in this class. He easily out-produced Ja'Lynn Polk in 2022 before struggling with a knee injury last year.
We comped McMillan to Chris Godwin, who he could replace when Godwin hits free agency next offseason.
Jared: Davis' advanced age (he'll turn 25 in November) is a concern for his long-term value. But he's an NFL-ready RB that landed with a Bills team in need of a tag-team partner for James Cook.
Davis could be a fantasy factor right away, which is all you can ask for from a third-round rookie pick.
Alex: Are we calling him LMC? Or does he have to earn that nickname?
It doesn’t matter -- he's a target for me in this range. He's a bigger slot WR who is still learning the position after transitioning from QB in college. Washington's offense could use more relevant pass-catchers, and there exists a world where LMC is better than Dotson. I like grabbing him here at the 3.08.
I'm surprised Matt didn’t take him at 3.05.
Kevin: We comped Walker to former Steeler standout Mike Wallace. The 23-year-old showcases deep speed and the ability to leverage it versus defenders. (His career yards per catch: nearly 17.0.)
I wouldn’t expect much in 2024. But there’s room for him to emerge as the team’s WR2 come 2025.
Matt: I feel no strong pull toward any particular guy here. So Sanders emerges as a sensible selection. Despite lasting until Round 4 of the NFL Draft, he still carries the highest Model Score of any remaining player. And landing in Carolina gives him a better shot at early production than he might find in many other places. He also gets better immediate opportunity than most other TEs in this class.
If Sanders does break through as a rookie, he'll become an asset either to my roster or on the trade market.
Alex: "[Tracy is] my favorite sleeper in this RB class." - Jared Smola
When you get the chance to take a leaguemate's favorite sleeper pick, you do it. Embrace the chaos.
On a serious note: Tracy is a converted WR who scored well in our rookie model 6.40 (65% percentile). His biggest issue was a lack of production, but his film scores carried his profile. Devin Singeltary doesn’t scare me and the Giants need help on offense.
Tracy is a super interesting dart throw in the 3rd.
Shane: Estime's film is rock solid as a between-the-tackles runner with aggressive power. Javonte Williams was supposed to be that for the Broncos, but he has never emerged as someone who handles a bulk of carries.
Estime could earn a role immediately and potentially push out Javonte in time.
Jared: If I'm gonna take an undersized, 23-year-old WR, it's gonna be in Round 4. Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel was pumped to land Washington, whose YAC skills make him a nice fit in the offense. He has a chance to win the No. 3 WR job this season.
Thinking longer term, WR Tyreek Hill has said that he'll retire after the 2025 season.
Shane: I don't love Bo Nix as a player, but he should be able to beat Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson to start from Day 1. Sean Payton has had success with QB projects in the past.
Nix's rushing ability gives him a fine fantasy floor with upside, even in a 1-QB league.
Alex: Johnson tested as an athletic freak at the NFL Combine and got dropped into a TE room that could lose Waller at any minute.
His film score (51st percentile) is concerning, which explains why he is still available in the 4th round of rookie drafts.
Matt: Cowing snared market share and delivered production across two college stops. He delivered as a deep threat across three seasons at UTEP (18.4 yards per catch) and then racked up large reception totals over two years as a shorter-range guy at Arizona (175 catches, 20 TDs in 25 games).
He joins a crowded 49ers WR corps, which could keep him buried for a while. But Round 4 of a rookie draft is more about long-term potential than immediate help. So I'm OK with patience at this stage.
Kevin: Guerendo exits college with only 231 carries across five seasons. But I’m grabbing him for his elite athleticism (9.89) and a landing spot alongside HC Kyle Shanahan.
Christian McCaffrey is signed for two more seasons – hardly ideal. Still, Guerendo could eventually earn handcuff status in the short term.
Matt: All stands 6'4 and averaged 14.2 yards per catch in his lone season at Iowa (after four at Michigan). If an ACL tear hadn't ended his 2023 early and canceled his athletic testing, we might well have seen him go earlier than Round 4 to the Bengals.
As it is, All couldn't have found a much better landing spot to maximize his upside. You'll probably need to wait until 2025 to start actually judging him, but that's fine at this point in your draft.
Alex: What if Kirk Cousins experiences issues coming back from his Achilles tear? Then, Penix in the 4th is a great bargain.
I don’t mind him here in a 1-QB league, especially if I am thin at the position.
Shane: The situation could not be any worse for Allen, who will be stuck behind Breece Hall. But investing a 4th round pick means the Jets see Allen as a backup who can step in if Hall gets hurt.
I'll take the young age in Allen and know he could be startable if Hall goes down with an injury. Plus, he isn't a bad stash if the Jets let Hall go after 2025.
Shane: Kelce's 2-year extension may indicate his last hurrah in football. If so, Wiley is set up to be the heir apparent as a high end athlete who produced for TCU.
Jared: Wilson fell to Round 6 and landed in a not-great spot in Philadelphia. But he boasts an exciting combination of size and athleticism and a solid college production profile. Worth a shot at this point.
Jared: Laube racked up 171 college catches, including 68 last year. He landed in a Raiders backfield without a strong pass-catching back, giving him a chance to carve out a role as a rookie.
Shane: Shipley is miscast with the Eagles offense, but if they finally decide to start throwing the ball to the RB, Shipley should emerge as the RB2 on the team.
The 22-year-old (in August) has plenty of talent and athleticism, so he's worth a flier.
Kevin: For the fifth straight year, Browns GM Andrew Berry drafted a WR. This time it was Thrash, a Round 5 pick and a Georgia State transfer who led Louisville in receiving last season (63-858-6 in 12 games).
There’s potential long-term opportunity here, particularly with Amari Cooper (30) signed for only this season.
Jared: TE Dalton Schultz is signed through 2026, but Houston can get out of his deal after the 2025 season. Stover has the potential to develop into QB C.J. Stroud's lead TE.
Matt: Ali didn't get much predraft hype, but he's got some sizzle.
The 5'11 206-pounder got workhorse use across his final three college seasons, including a 2022 cut short by a leg injury. He racked up 295 and 240 touches in the years sandwiching that and led the nation with 24 total TDs as a sophomore. He made Bruce Feldman's "Freaks List" because of a 36-inch vertical, 10-foot broad jump, and strong weight-lifting numbers (335-pound power clean; 500-pound squat). Ali also tallied a 93rd-percentile dominator rating and 81st percentile target share for his college career.
Now he hits a Baltimore backfield that Derrick Henry figures to dominate for at least 2024. But Keaton Mitchell's ACL recovery plus the departures of Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins leaves opportunity behind Henry.
Matt: Schrader went undrafted to a 49ers backfield with lots of guys in front of him. He might never see a regular-season roster in San Francisco or anywhere else. But we've also seen the Niners be plenty willing to ignore draft capital and roll with the top performers. Schrader just finished a workhorse final season at Mizzou and two years as a lead back in the SEC.
If he can beat out any of the incumbents or Guerendo to make the roster, then Schrader will be worth holding deep on dynasty rosters.
Alex: Rice is a bet on NFL bloodlines and target opportunity, The Chargers lost a majority of their 2023 targets in Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, and Austin Ekeler this offseason.
Rice was a 6th round pick, so the likelihood of him hitting is very low. But this is the type of profile I like to take dart throws at in the 5th round of rookie drafts.
Alex: DeVante Parker retired on 05/20/2024. There is some opportunity as the 3rd pass catcher for the Eagles this year, and Smith has a decent shot for some touches. He could get work as a slot receiver, return specialist, and/or gadget-type player.
Jared: And our second undrafted player is off the board!
Gore is more than just a name. His college production and underlying metrics were strong. He's a bit undersized and doesn't bring big-play pop. But I believe he'd prove to be a serviceable NFL RB if given an opportunity.
Buffalo is a solid landing spot, with only fellow rookie Ray Davis behind James Cook.
Shane: In the 5th round, I'll acquiesce to the draft capital and take a Top 100 pick at TE. Reiman is a high-end athlete who will block for the Cardinals.
If Trey McBride goes down with an injury, Reiman could show his pass catching chops and earn a role.
Kevin: Barner brings mismatch size at 6'6, 251 pounds – plus a wingspan in the 88th percentile.
He wasn't a productive college player, but I think there's plenty here to mold into a future fantasy contributor. Keep in mind: Noah Fant recently inked a two-year deal, but the Seahawks can maneuver out of it (with minimal financial impact) in 2025.
Kevin: Admittedly, this production profile looks ugly. Robinson exits school with only 121 career rushes; 35 career catches.
He gets the nod here after receiving better-than-expected draft capital (Round 5). Robinson also pairs solid athleticism with pass-catching ability. Plus, Jacksonville remains unsettled at the RB2 spot.
Alex: Have you ever auto-drafted in a rookie mock with your coworkers? That is what this pick felt like to me.
I liked Davis a fair amount pre-NFL draft and temporarily forgot he went to the Jets. (The Jets also drafted Braelon Allen in the 4th.)
So that's cool...
I would hold him through the preseason to see if Davis ended up as the backup.
Matt: Flournoy delivered a strong Combine performance that included an 81st-percentile speed score, 89th-percentile vertical, and 94th-percentile broad jump. That followed two years at SE Missouri State, where he averaged 15.4 yards per catch.
There's inside-out positional versatility here and potential opportunity in a Dallas WR corps that's shallow behind Ceedee Lamb.
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