The Super Bowl is old news, nearly as far behind us already as the NFL combine is ahead of us. Although it's a little early for most fantasy owners to be thinking too much about these incoming rookies, it's never too soon to familiarize yourself with some of the big names.
This article at NFL.com highlights some of the potential difference-making talents among the incoming rookies, who should show off their abilities at Indianapolis beginning on February 17th. The next Josh Gordon? (Uh, in a good way.) Those players might be on this list.
One of the biggest names (and skill position players, for that matter) is 6-foot-6, 225-pounder Dorial Green-Beckham out of Oklahoma. Sort of out of Oklahoma; he played at Missouri, was kicked off the team last April after marijuana and burglary-related offenses, and wound up at Oklahoma, though he didn't play in the 2014 season. Makes more sense to look at his Missouri numbers (17 TDs as a freshman and sophomore in 2012-2013. The off-field issues are obviously huge concerns and will affect his draft stock, but it only takes one team to look past that stuff at his size and talent.
Miami running back Duke Johnson, sometimes compared to C.J. Spiller, is another intriguing player, one of several running backs (Melvin Gordon, Todd Gurley) certain to go early in dynasty league rookie drafts. And then there's the quarterbacks (Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston), the probable top tight end (Maxx Williams), and wide receivers without the off-field issues of Green-Beckham.
The full list of combine participants can be seen at this link.
The combine gets underway just 10 days from now, after which it will be a little bit clearer -- probably -- which players will be among the draft's top players. Maybe some people don't think much about the incoming rookies until July? For those in dynasty leagues, though, the draft can't come soon enough.