Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

Every so often a rookie comes out of nowhere to become a fantasy football stalwart by the end of the season. While we have covered the incoming rookies that will make the most impact in our tier one and tier two breakdown, there are still some very good players that may surprise you in year one. Obviously, a lot will depend on what team these guys get drafted by; however, keep these seven players in your back pocket as a cheat sheet of rookies when the time does come to fill out your watch list.

1. Joe McKnight, RB, USC: While in college McKnight drew comparisons to another scat back type, Reggie Bush. During his days at USC, McKnight never quite lived up to the expectations and heroics of Bush, but the speedster has shown his ability to make big plays and have a future in the NFL. Many teams in the league need a scat back who they can check down to quickly and make plays with the football. That is why McKnight may not be fantasy football worthy on a regular league but could be a valuable bench piece in PPR (point per reception) leagues. In 2009 McKnight ran for 1,014 yards and 8 touchdowns for USC. He will likely be drafted in Round 2 or Round 3 in the 2010 NFL Draft and only should be considered in fantasy football dynasty leagues.

2. Toby Gerhart, RB, Stanford: In the last tier we mentioned that Montario Hardesty is going to be a touchdown machine and if there was ever a second back that could claim that role on an NFL team, it is Gerhart. He is a bruising runner that does not go down after initial contact and has shown signs of being fantastic between the tackles. There is no doubt he will be counted on in the red zone and in short yardage plays. Gerhart’s numbers were impressive last season, running for 1,871 yards and a remarkable 27 touchdowns. The reason he does not go any higher though is due to his lack of speed, which is why he will be even more limited than a guy like Hardesty. Gerhart will likely be drafted in the Round 3 of the NFL Draft. 

3. Jordan Shipley, WR, Texas: The big question in our opinion is…why are scouts so down on Shipley and his ability to produce at the NFL level? He may not have the top end speed or magnificent height, but he resembles that of a solid slot receiver. Shipley could easily be the next Wes Welker or if not, he may have the kind of rookie impact that Austin Collie or, to a lesser extent, Julian Edelman had in their rookie season. Shipley makes tough catches in traffic, has solid hands, and good burst with the ball in his hands. He likely will not be drafted until Round 4, which will be considered a steal. Shipley had 1,485 yards and 13 touchdowns for Texas this past season. Unless drafting for the future, Shipley might not be worth drafting from day one; however, he should be on your radar at all times.

4. Rob Gronkowski, TE, Arizona: While Gronkowski may not be as polished of a receiving threat as Aaron Hernandez, he has displayed that he has soft hands with the ability to adjust to any thrown ball. What gives Gronkowski the one up on Hernandez, and will likely put him on the field earlier, is the way he can block on running plays. While Gronkowski does need to improve in this area, he has shown the willingness and skill to push people around. In 2009 he did not play due to a back injury, which should be cause for concern. However, Gronkowski is expected to fully recover from the injury and will likely be selected towards the end of Round 2. Look for both Gronkowski and Hernandez to be selected around the same time, but if Gronkowski stays healthy don’t be surprised if he outplays the former Florida tight end. 

5. Aaron Hernandez, TE, Florida: While Jermaine Gresham remains the top dog among the pass catching tight ends, Hernandez has soft hands and is a great route runner. His biggest problem though remains pass blocking. Hernandez will need to show he can seal off an edge before he will even be put on the field. However, if he works hard and improves in that area, you may have a guy who could put up decent numbers at the tight end position as a rookie. Last season Hernandez had 850 yards receiving and five touchdowns. You will likely see him come off the board in the middle to late Round 2 and fantasy football owners should snag him in their dynasty leagues.

6. Ben Tate, RB, Auburn: The easiest way to describe Tate is solid, yet unspectacular, and little know.  He is that guy in the NFL Draft that no one ever talks about but comes out of nowhere to be a fantasy football contributor from day one. There really is nothing to write home about in his game, as he is not very elusive or extremely fast, yet he is a strong downhill runner, hits the hole hard, and can even catch the ball out of the backfield. Tate will find his way onto the field as a rookie due to his versatility and if he lands on the right team he can contribute immediately. He likely won’t be drafted until late in Round 3 or Round 4, but consider him a guy that is worth monitoring throughout training camp and the preseason. Even if the impact isn’t this year, there is enough upside to stash him on your dynasty league roster.

7. Dorin Dickerson, TE, Pittsburgh: One might think that the solid showing at the NFL Scouting Combine suckered me into putting Dickerson on this list. But being from Pittsburgh, I got the opportunity to see this guy play throughout his college days and he is a gifted athlete that can make plays. His athletic ability is off the charts, think Vernon Davis and Jermichael Finley, and Dickerson should find his way onto the field instantly. Now some teams may move him from tight end to wide receiver or even possibly fullback, but that shouldn’t change is outlook as a rookie. He will likely have tight end eligibility his first season and is a guy you should target in a deep league. Considering his soft and reliable hands to go along with the speed and height, he is an athlete that will need to be played by whoever drafts him. Last season Dickerson had 529 yards and 10 touchdowns for Pittsburgh. He will likely be drafted towards the end of Round 3 or Round 4 and you will want to watch how the team who selects Dickerson uses him on the field. 

In tier three of our Impact Fantasy Rookies series you will see three total tight ends listed yet not one quarterback has been included. Although both positions struggle to make an impact, the tight ends in this class do have some nice pass catching abilities. The quarterbacks on the other hand are not very talented, will likely not start in Week 1, and outside of a game here and there you can’t rely on them to post yards in any one game Next week will will take a look at the fourth tier of our Impact Fantasy Rookies and in this section we will focus more on those players who could make for an excellent keeper or dynasty leagues selection. With that in mind make sure to check back with the Bruno Boys while you are preparing for the 2010 fantasy football season.

Remember to check back next Tuesday for Part 4 of our four-part series breaking down potential Impact Fantasy Football Rookies

Impact Fantasy Rookies:  Part 1  |  Part 2  |  Part 3  |  Part 4

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This article is written by Bruno Boys Greg. He can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)