Andy Richardson
If you're in a dynasty league, or you've got a very early draft coming up, you may be wondering what to do about all the rookies out there. At this point, the only things you have to go by are college YouTube highlights and the reports from organized team activities -- non-mandatory training sessions where players aren't wearing pads or making contact with one another -- which are usually ridiculously favorable. "Thus far, he's been exactly what the team was hoping for when they used their sixth-round pick on him....."
In my dynasty league,all of the most prominent rookies were drafted in the three-round rookie draft. The waiver wires are open, and people are spending roster spots adding guys like Greg Jones, Kellen Clemens, Lorenzo Booker and Dwayne Jarrett -- familiar names, veterans, who may potentially break out this season....but probably won't. Somebody in my league is committing three roster spots to Tampa Bay quarterbacks, which is just crazy. How good could Luke McCown and his 1-in-3 odds of starting really be?
Instead of those players, now's the time to look at these ones. Here's five mid- to late-round rookies who I'd rather use a roster spot on than the above-named players.
Bernard Scott, Bengals: Scott was arrested several times in college, and he was kicked off one team for hitting a coach. Perfect guy for the Bengals to use a sixth-rounder on, right? Anyway, in terms of talent he's definitely got potential, and there aren't a lot of franchise-type backs on the roster ahead of him.
Chris Ogbonnoya, Rams: I'm trying to figure out how to open a roster spot to take a flier on this guy. Likely Steven Jackson backups Antonio Pittman and Kenneth Darby are taken, but St. Louis' seventh-rounder can also be considered a candidate, given the less-than-inspiring potential of those other players.
Mike Goodson, Panthers: Considering every other running back drafted in the first four rounds is taken in my league, it's a little surprising that this guy is out there. But of course, the Panthers have two young and very talented runners ahead of him, so his best-case scenario is third-string. Still, Carolina's two-back tandem gives both those guys a lot of reps. If one of them gets hurt, who's to say the other will suddenly take on a featured role? Maybe the system will just incorporate a different second player, Goodson. If you're scouring for other teams' No. 2 backs, you're getting something pretty similar with Carolina's No. 3.
Deon Butler, Seahawks: If you're not a believer in Nate Burleson or Deion Branch, there's no reason not to take a shot on the player next in line, the speedy late third-rounder Butler. Granted, he could be just a little guy running fly patterns as the team's No. 4 and returning kicks. But again, Branch and Burleson get hurt all the time. Butler belongs on a dynasty roster. Another possibility: Jacksonville fourth-rounder Mike Thomas.
Jared Cook, Titans: This guy was snatched up the first minute of waivers in my league, with good reason. He's talented and he's probably going to be the No. 2 in Tennessee, playing behind Bo Scaife (who's on a one-year deal). If he's gone in your league, too, consider Buffalo's Shawn Nelson, the Giants' Travis Beckum, or possibly even Philadelphia's Cornelius Ingram. All of these players are better receivers than blockers.
Sure, there's not much to go on with a lot of these rookies. Most will be beating very long odds if they're able to slip past some marginal veterans for anything close to a significant role in 2009. A year ago the James Hardys and Early Doucets of the rookie world did zip.
Then again, somebody in your league rolled the dice on a little mid-round kick returner like Eddie Royal, or a late-round runner like Tim Hightower. Maybe this year it will be you.
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