Draft grades? Those matter little in the fantasy realm. We break down the fantasy impact of each team’s draft in this series.
– IDP analysis written by Kevin Greenstein.
Dallas Cowboys
Dallas must hope their offseason additions on the defensive side of the ball help offset a downturn offensively as the Cowboys did little to immediately replace contributors like Laurent Robinson , +5.4 and Martellus Bennett , +7.8.
Morris Claiborne, CB
When one looks back at the Cowboys’ most atrocious finishes in 2011, poor pass coverage was without question the biggest issue at play. It was no surprise then that the ‘Boys went aggressively after Brandon Carr, the best cover corner available in free agency. It was surprising to see them successfully trade up for LSU corner Morris Claiborne, without much debate the best cover corner in this year’s draft and arguably the draft’s finest defensive player, period. Carr was not an elite fantasy corner in K.C., making Claiborne the player to target in both redraft and dynasty.
Tyrone Crawford, DE
In Rob Ryan’s 3-4 defense, it’s critical that the defensive line be able to occupy blockers and push traffic north towards the quarterback. Crawford probably won’t develop into an elite-level pass-rusher, but he’s a terrific fit for the role he’ll play in the Cowboys’ system. A prototypical 3-4 DE, Crawford has the size , 6’4”, 275 pounds and the college productivity , 13 sacks in 25 games to suggest that he could certainly develop into a Shawn Ellis-like option for Ryan to deploy. Look for Crawford to battle his way into substantial playing time by midseason of his rookie season and possibly be worth a waiver pickup.
Kyle Wilber, OLB
With Anthony Spencer , franchise tagged quite possibly playing his final season in Dallas, some depth at OLB was critical, especially given the uncertainty regarding 2011 2nd round pick Bruce Carter’s future role. Enter Wilber, a raw but talented pass-rusher who should at the least provide Spencer with some competition for snaps. It’s unlikely that Wilber will take over the starting role across from DeMarcus Ware, but he should make an impact on special teams and could be a nice weapon for Ryan to deploy on obvious passing downs.
Matt Johnson, SS
More likely than not, Johnson will get his start on special teams, but it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that he could force his way into a starting role with a strong camp. Gerald Sensabaugh and Brodney Pool aren’t dynamic playmakers, and in a defense desperate for more big plays from its secondary, Johnson could well fit the bill. He tallied 17 interceptions as a 4-year starter for small-school Eastern Washington University, and is a good bet to catch Rob Ryan’s eye if he’s fully recovered from a biceps injury suffered in 2011. He's someone to put on your watch list.
Danny Coale, WR
The Danny Coale pick is inexplicable. He supposedly will compete immediately in the slot, but that’s where Dallas likes to use Miles Austin , 43% of snaps. In addition, Coale’s size/speed/production numbers all scream undrafted free agent. He's not fantasy relevant.
New York Giants
The Giants struggled mightily to pass block , -99.1 and run block , -75.3 last season, but they'll depend on the return of injured starters to deal with those deficiencies. Instead, they added weapons to create an even more potent offense.
David Wilson, RB
Wilson was the mildest of reaches with the 32nd overall pick. Prolific last season for the Hokies, his 4.49 in the 40 and 11.21 Agility Score were not elite times for a 206-pound back. Wilson projects as a committee back, and he should lighten the load on Ahmad Bradshaw. For smaller backs, both runners demonstrate a surprising willingness to seek out and deliver contact, but Wilson only scored 18 total collegiate touchdowns. Bradshaw is consistently among the elite in PFF’s Elusive Rating and should be the favorite for the all-important goal line carries.
Rueben Randle, WR
Rueben Randle, on the other hand, was a tremendous value pick at the end of Round 2. The Giants are already comparing him to Hakeem Nicks, and his siz (6’3”, 210), speed (4.55 40-yard dash) and production (41% of team’s passing offense) are fairly similar. With both Nicks and Victor Cruz locked in among the Top 20 receivers in fantasy, Randle probably has limited upside as a rookie, but his selection crushes the sleeper value of Jerrel Jernigan and Ramses Barden. Moreover, if Randle performs to expectations, the Giants suddenly have the best receiving corps in the NFL, and Manning should once again make a run at 5000 yards.
Jayron Hosley, CB
A terrific playmaking corner for Virginia Tech, Hosley is a good bet to compete for playing time in nickel packages, particularly if the injury bug again bites the Giants’ cornerback corps. In 2010, Aaron Ross was forced into heavy action because Terrell Thomas missed the entire season and Prince Amukamara , 2011 1st round pick played in only 203 snaps. Ross is gone now, and though Corey Webster should again play a substantial role, it’s clear that an opportunity exists for Hosley to make an impact right from the get-go.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles made it clear both early and often that defense was their priority in this year’s draft, using four of their first five picks to upgrade embattled DC Juan Castillo’s squad. , The criticism was probably unfair; PFF ranked Philadelphia 4th on defense in 2011.
Fletcher Cox, DT
Hulking defensive tackle Fletcher Cox is expected to start immediately. A very versatile lineman not unlike Bills 2011 first round pick Marcell Dareus, he should be able to wreak substantial havoc playing in the center of the Eagles’ aggressive Wide-9 front. The Eagles were lucky that he was still on the board at No. 12 overall; it wasn’t a huge surprise that they traded up , with the Seahawks to land him. He might be playable in your DT slot already in 2012.
Mychal Kendricks, ILB
With DeMeco Ryans in the fold, it’s quite possible that Kendricks will kick outside; given his skill at stopping the run, it’s a good bet that he’ll fill the WLB slot. A blazing-fast linebacker (4.47 40 at the combine), the Pac-12 defensive player of the year is short and stout, and could benefit immensely from playing behind the Eagles’ dangerous front , Trent Cole, Jason Babin, Cox, Mike Patterson. And of course, Ryans’ health is no certainty, so Kendricks could certainly find himself playing in the center of the Eagles’ defense sooner than expected. He's a depth play at LB in redraft leagues and a priority selection in dynasty.
Vinny Curry, DE
With Trent Cole, Jason Babin, and Brandon Graham in tow, defensive end was hardly a position of need for the Eagles. That they took Curry late in the 2nd round suggests that they think very highly of him, and that he could surpass Graham , the 13th overall pick in the 2010 draft this training camp. A potential force against both the pass and the run, the 6’3” 266-pound Curry has a non-stop motor and could start battling Babin for playing time by the second half of the 2012 season. He makes an intriguing dynasty selection.
Brandon Boykin, CB
A 5-foot-9, 181 pound corner, Boykin is a bit undersized to match up effectively against the likes of Hakeem Nicks and Dez Bryant. That said, the athletic Boykin could potentially battle Joselio Hanson for playing time as the slot corner now that Asante Samuel has moved on to Atlanta. A three-year starter for Georgia, the versatile Boykin could also potentially help out as a slot receiver and kick returner, giving the Eagles a very valuable, versatile weapon and a huge value as a late fourth round pick.
Marvin McNutt, WR
A late round steal, McNutt has good size at 6’2”, 216 and reasonable speed (4.54). He went off for 1,306 yards and 12 TDs last season, accounting for 46% of his team’s passing offense. McNutt was deservedly named the Big 10 Receiver of the Year and should have been the no worse than the second wideout drafted from that conference, behind A.J. Jenkins. While Philadelphia’s offense emphasizes smaller, speed receivers, their lack of height at the position has been a glaring negative on occasion. DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin lack durability, and Riley Cooper’s talent was exposed last season. If injuries strike, McNutt could have a similar fantasy impact to 2011 late round pick Denarius Moore.
Bryce Brown/Chris Polk, RB
Philadelphia added Bryce Brown and Chris Polk to their roster at RB. Polk is the bigger name, but 32 NFL teams agreed he wasn’t worth even a seventh round draft pick. Brown and Polk could be in-season waiver additions, but Dion Lewis is expected to spell LeSean McCoy to start the season.
Washington Redskins
The draft that will define a franchise. . .
Robert Griffin III, QB
RGIII merges transcendent athleticism with a final college season for the ages. Don’t worry about Donovan McNabb’s objections. The Shanahan’s will fit their offense to Griffin’s abilities. Washington will almost certainly run a pro version of the spread, and RGIII will benefit from having Garcon, Hankerson, Morgan, Moss, and Davis as options. While the receivers will cancel each other out more than fantasy owners would like, it would be an upset if Griffin doesn’t throw for 3,500 yards immediately. In dynasty leagues, consider following Washington's example and mortgaging the farm to make Griffin your centerpiece.
Keenan Robinson, LB
An athletic LB out of Texas, Robinson should be a solid special teams player. Although an outside linebacker in college, Washington has suggested they'll move him inside. Robinson was a nice value pick in round four and may eventually take over for London Fletcher, which would give him late round value in deep dynasty leagues.
Alfred Morris, RB
The choice of Florida Atlantic’s Alfred Morris – a back who was solid but not spectacular against the Sun Belt – was odd, but he may fit their scheme. His Agility Score of 11.2 is good for a back of his size (219 pounds). Stuck behind Tim Hightower and Evan Royster, he lacks fantasy value.
Richard Crawford/Jordan Bernstine, CB
After starters DeAngelo Hall and Josh Wilson, there is plenty of opportunity to earn playing time, and the athletic Crawford could immediately start competing for snaps as the nickel/slot corner. At 5’11” and 191 pounds, he’s got good size, and he ran a 4.52 40 at SMU’s pro day, so although not a blazer, he should have enough speed to play effectively in the slot. Drafted as a corner, Bernstine played strong safety for Iowa, and that versatility should help Bernstine stick with the ‘Skins as a special teamer and depth D-back. If he plays a lot at either safety or corner in 2012, it’ll likely be an indication that things have gone really wrong.
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