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Countless hours of research, number crunching and film grinding go into optimizing our fantasy teams and lineups. Yet players such as Darius Slayton continue to rise from relative obscurity to post fantasy-relevant rookie seasons. Though these players should be celebrated, the focus immediately shifts finding the “next” of these preexisting archetypes that now exist. While Quez Watkins is a candidate to be this year’s Day 3, Slayton-level dark horse, John Hightower belongs in the conversation.

It goes without question that Hightower has a long, uphill climb towards Day 3 draft pick status and subsequent fantasy football relevancy. Though he never recorded the aesthetically-pleasing 1,000-yard receiving season, he acquitted himself admirably given his circumstances. Still, the elite-level speed and special teams skills he’s shown us to this point are translatable at the next level. He’s a locked-in Top 25 receiver prospect, and a potential late-round rookie draft steal.

If there is one position in the NFL for which a lack of production at the college level does not immediately send out danger signs, it would be the tight end spot. There have been many instances over the years of players who played hardly a down of college football, or not a single one in some cases, that have gone on to be dominant performers at the NFL level. The fact that Stephen Sullivan did not put up gaudy numbers at LSU should not immediately mark him as one set to fail at the next level. Especially when one considers his stellar athletic profile.

It is more likely than not that Sullivan will have to wait to be drafted in the NFL Draft. He is certainly more athletic than some of the other leading members of this draft class, but he has played tight end for one year and was hardly a full-time player in that year. There is much he still has to learn about the position. As such, he’s not a player that I would advise aggressively targeting in rookie drafts.

After weighing in at 6-4, 223-pounds at the NFL Combine, Antonio Gandy-Golden ran a 4.60 (30th-percentile among qualified wide receivers) 40-yard dash, translating to a 103.7 (80th-percentile) Speed Score. He recorded a 124.7 (70th-percentile) Burst Score with jumps of 36-inches and 127-inches in the Vertical and Broad jumps, respectively. His less impressive performance in the agility drills resulted in a poor 11.88 (4th-percentile) Agility Score.

From a route running and nuances of the position perspective, Gandy-Golden is still a work in progress. His production profile, including a 40.5-percent (82nd-percentile) College Dominator Rating, is promising, but we have to account for the fact that he did it playing at Liberty. AGG will be a complimentary player with limited upside as a red zone/contested catch specialist at the next level. With likely Day 3 draft capital, he is a low ceiling-low floor third-round pick in dynasty rookie drafts.

Cole Kmet is among the more highly-rated tight end prospects, exhibiting plus athleticism and having produced in a relevant college program at Notre Dame. His size brings up NFL comparisons such as Vance McDonald and Rob Gronkowski. At 6-4, 262-pounds, he has a clear path to a role as a blocking and receiving hybrid. Earning snaps at every juncture of the game is how tight ends break out. While his run-blocking isn’t pristine yet, the tight end learning curve is well-documented. That’s not something to knock him for too harshly.

While Kmet is not yet a complete blocker, his pass-catching ability should catch the eyes of NFL teams early. He has body control and a 10.08 (66th-percentile among qualified tight ends) Catch Radius. Kmet’s contested catch ability and potential as an every down player are his top marks, and he’s currently the odds-on favorite to be the first tight end drafted. We love draft capital. He makes perfect sense as a third round pick in dynasty rookie drafts.

Joshua Kelley had a strong showing at the Senior Bowl and did not disappoint at the 2020 NFL Combine. He ran a 4.49 40-Yard Dash which is in the 80th-percentile among qualified running backs. At 5-11 and 212-pounds, he has the ideal running back frame for today’s game. He’s agile and strong. The only metric in which he scored below average was his 113.2 (23rd-percentile) Burst Score. This is a slight concern because there are only a handful of running backs who are not bursty and have found success in the NFL.

Kelley’s production yields a 33.2-percent (77th-percentile) College Dominator Rating, In addition, he has a 9.2-percent (69th-percentile) College Target Share. His most comparable player is Sony Michel. This may seem disappointing, but remember that Michel was a second-round talent drafted in the late first-round. Kelley needs to find a team that treats him like an every-down back because, like Michel, he has the size, production and versatility to be used in all phases.

Marquise Brown finds himself receiving wary glances from many in the dynasty community. This despite boasting an impressive 5.08 (No. 4 among qualified wide receivers) yards of Cushion, a 123.2 (No. 6) QB rating when targeted, and 2.25 (No. 25) yards per pass route (one of the most predictive metrics around). Even his +14.0 (No. 21) Production Premium is dismissed. Injuries sustained before the Combine and during the 2019 season have most turning on the diminutive deep threat.

Last season, he compiled his counting stats on a 59.0-percent (No. 102) Snap Share. He actually ran a route on only 67.2-percent of Baltimore’s total passing plays, outside the Top 70. The assumption that Baltimore heavily managed his snaps due to injury in his first season is built on solid ground. A year removed from his debut campaign, both Jim Harbaugh and Lamar Jackson admitted that their star wideout was nowhere near 100-percent last season. That will likely change in 2020. Pathways to increased volume are endless.

The most impressive part of Eno Benjamin’ profile is his college production. He was a bellcow as a true sophomore, breaking out for over 1,900 yards from scrimmage and 18 touchdowns. While he failed to meet that production in 2019, he remained a focal point of the offense. He amassed a 37.4-percent (85th-percentile among qualified running backs) College Dominator, including a 14.4-percent (92nd-percentile) College Target Share.

With a bellcow resume on his profile, Benjamin is a satellite back-plus fantasy running back that can provide sneaky fantasy value. Add in his freshman season special teams contributions, and we have a versatile college producer who has proven that he can do it all on the field. With comparable players such as Duke Johnson and Aaron Jones, he will just need opportunity to see the field. Once he gets that chance, he will excel as a pass-catching threat out of the backfield.

Jauan Jennings has many key traits we look for in NFL prospects. At 6-3 and 215-pounds, he has the ideal size for a primary receiver at the NFL level. He had a solid 37.9-percent College Dominator Rating, ranking in the 76th-percentile among qualified wide receivers. His profile looked great across the board until his athleticism testing came back from the Combine. If he is to succeed and become a fantasy asset, he will have to do so despite his subpar athleticism.

Jennings is nowhere near a lock, but he at least has a chance given his good college production at a high competition level and 19.2 (87th-percentile) Breakout Age. He is an over-sized possession receiver that should work from the slot. The absolute best-case scenario is that he can soak up targets in that role similarly to Keenan Allen. Due to his archetype’s reliance on volume, draft capital will be a key checkpoint of his early fantasy value.

Based on speed alone, Henry Ruggs has the potential to be a weapon for an NFL offense in the years to come. With that said, he should be viewed as more of an NFL talent than a dynasty asset. He projects to be a field stretcher with low volume and unpredictable week to week production. Going at the 1.10 (WR5) in rookie drafts, he’s a must fade at his current ADP with alternatives such as Denzel Mims, Jalen Reagor, and Justin Jefferson all going around this same spot.

Zack Moss has been praised as the next Kareem Hunt or Le’Veon Bell. PlayerProfiler’s more realistic comparisons include the likes of Montee Ball, David Montgomery, and Benny Snell. None of these players fit the profile of a top-24 back in dynasty. Moss is currently going at the 2.02 in rookie drafts and should move up in ADP if Day 2 draft capital is spent on him. He’s an easy fade given the high-upside options available in the late-first.

Isaiah Hodgins sports the build of a prototypical NFL receiver. He boasts a 10.23 (88th-percentile among qualified wide receivers) Catch Radius, 9 7/8-inch (83rd-percentile) hands and a 124.1 (66th-percentile) Burst Score, giving him an edge in catching balls outside his body. Despite his lack of elite speed, he still has the physical tools to beat defensive backs. His 104.9 Athleticism Score ranks sixth among qualified rookie receivers. He can use his big frame to bully defensive backs, and his elite Catch Radius allows him to win 50-50 balls and use high-pointing to his advantage.

Hodgins faces an uphill battle to NFL and fantasy football relevancy, but he has the tools to get there. Playing for a terrible Oregon State team in a perennially weak Pac-12, he never garnered much national attention. He ran a 4.61 (25th-percentile) 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. His shortcomings are amplified by the depth of this rookie class, but that can’t hide the fact that he’s a well-rounded prospect who will find success at the next level.