Early Fantasy Football Positional Rankings

Waaaaaaaaay Too Early Fantasy Rankings. It's hard to feel good about anything until after training camp and seeing some preseason action, but as of right now, here are my 2019 positional rankings for a redraft league with a PPR scoring format. 

QBs

RBs

WRs

TEs

Directly comparing the 2020 + 2014 WR Draft Classes

The 2019 Draft is long gone, and it's time to look forward to the NFL season right?

Wrong. 

I still have draft fever, and it's fueled by the amazing potential of this upcoming 2020 WR class. The more you watch the talent, the more you get a deja vu feeling. 5 years ago, there was what is widely regarded as one of the best WR draft classes ever. The 2014 Draft produced 12 pro bowls and some of the biggest stars in the game today. This fun piece will try to match each of the studs in next year's draft to one of the 2014 class prospects stylistically. Some make a lot more sense then others, but it's all in fun and a cool way to introduce the upcoming crop. I'll start with the best of the group.

Alabama WR Jerry Jeudy // Odell Beckham Jr. 

This comp has already been made by Matt Miller on the Stick to Football podcast, but it's because it's easy to see. Jeudy's combination of deep threat speed, stop on a dime quickness, and great route running technique make him nearly impossible to lock up man to man. He's elusive and slippery in the open field, using his instincts to make it as tough as possible for the D to get a clean grasp on him. He also has shown good concentration on tough deep pass contested man to man reps , sifting through the mess to come up with a catch. I haven't seen enough of his hands to compare that aspect of his game to Odell, but overall, they are both the dynamic playmakers you use high draft capital to go get. Jeudy will probably be a top 10-15 pick next year, just like Odell was.

Colorado WR Laviska Shenault Jr. // Sammy Watkins

I promise this comparison isn't just because they both had dreads in college. Laviska is a very dynamic offensive weapon. Colorado puts him everywhere from outside WR to an H back type, he even had some wildcat snaps. He isn't utilized this way because he's a "gadget" player, it's because he's a super impressive athlete. He has average height, but he has a thicker frame without sacrificing speed and agility. The strength with which he runs makes it hard to bring him down, a similar trait to Watkins. That strength combined with his ability to make a play on the ball on deep throws make him an exciting NFL prospect and one of college's best WRs in 2019. I doubt Shenault goes top 5 in the draft like Sammy did, but he should be a coveted talent. 

Texas WR Collin Johnson // Mike Evans

I may have stretched to make this matchup just for the sake of the piece, but their physical profiles check out. Johnson is a very tall, well built outside WR that doesn't lack short area quickness and burst for his size. He showed good speed off the line as well, and flashes of strong hands and contested catch ability. While Johnson may not have the freak athleticism that Evans showed as a prospect, he does show the same knack to go up and get a tough catch on the sideline or in just any tough situation. Johnson is a player that can have his stock rise with continued improvement in his athleticism and route running. He could end up one of the top players taken, just like Mike. 

TCU WR Jalen Reagor // Brandin Cooks

Jalen and Brandin aren't actually similar players stylistically, but they share two traits: their short stature and their blazing speed. In the short amount that I have seen of the TCU wideout, his gamebreaking speed pops out. He is shifty in open field, he runs like a return man when he has space. While Cooks is more of a deep threat burner and a more technical receiver, Reagor is a flashy playmaker that can leave you in the dust but also jump with you and take the ball. The comparison is solely for the sake of the piece.

Oklahoma WR CeeDee Lamb // Jarvis Landry

These two compare well because of their quick feet and short area quickness, while also lacking great straight away speed. CeeDee was overshadowed by Hollywood Brown last year, but some think he may be an even better overall WR. He's quick off the ball and hard to get a good press on, very slippery. He understands how to shift gears at the right times in his routes, and he has shown good plays of backshoulder timing and toe taps on the sideline. Replicating Jarvis' hands is obviously impossible, but Lamb has made some tough catches. CeeDee will explode onto the scene as the WR1 in that dynamic Oklahoma offense, and he'll surely be in the mix for that top shelf of receiving prospects in next year's class.

Clemson WR Tee Higgins // Allen Robinson

Tee has a lengthier and thinner frame than Robinson, but they both run crisp routes, have quick feet in breaks, and don't get pushed around. Higgins also has some burner speed, and can manufacture some yards after the catch with it. He shows good strength getting through press man and not letting it take him off his route. His jumpball ability is stronger than Robinson's because of his height and length, but neither of them are slackers in that department. Higgins has a good a chance as any of these prospects to become the top dog, and with him having possibly the best QB too, he may have the best opportunity to shine.

Michigan WR Donovan Peoples-Jones // Davante Adams

This is me stretching for a comparison, but Donovan Peoples-Jones has that good balance of size and athleticism at 6'2" that makes the match. The Michigan WR runs routes clean while also being able to be physical and grab a contested target. He has sneaky size because he doesn't look as big or strong as he plays. He's shown reliable hands, and an ability to shake off physical man coverage and continue on routes. Adams shows these same traits, and Donovan could have similar a career path and stardom if he's paired up with a great QB like Davante was.

Alabama WR Henry Ruggs III // Paul Richardson

This last comparison was a late addition, but after watching some of Ruggs, I had to fit him in here somehow. He looks springy, and can go up and get a jumpball in fashion. He has highlight reel one handed grabs and tough TD catches, while only standing at 6"0" and 185 pounds. He looks like an exciting playmaker, and along with Jeudy, Alabama may have two of the top WRs in next year's class on their team. The comparison to Richardson was almost too easy with the impossible grabs they both have on tape. 

The hype is real with the 2020 WR class. There will be plenty to choose from and be excited about. With the Tyreek situation up in the air and Sammy's contract coming up, it wouldn't be crazy to think one of these guys could be a Chief in a year. 

Chiefs Draft Recap

The 2019 Draft has come to a conclusion, and by now we've had enough time to see how the national and local media has reacted to the Chiefs draft class. I will be doing an in-depth piece on every draft pick as the summer moves along, but here are my initial thoughts and observations on everyone KC drafted, plus some UDFAs I think could make the 53 man roster.

2nd round picks: 

WR Mecole Hardman - Georgia

Hardman may have been a surprise pick to most Chiefs fans, but it has since been confirmed that Veach traded up because he knew teams like the Jets, Eagles and Cowboys were considering the same move. If you've been following all the latest Chiefs news, you'd understand why he was picked. The team is probably moving on from Tyreek Hill, and Mecole Hardman could be considered the closest thing to replicating Hill's abilities in this draft. He ran a 4.33 second 40 yard dash at the combine, but apparently was upset with that result because he claims he has been clocked as low as 4.24 seconds before. This speed pops out on the field. He was underutilized in Georgia's pro style, run heavy offense, but when they did get him the ball, he flashed with exciting breakaway speed. Mecole scored 13 touchdowns in the past 2 seasons, but did that on only 73 offensive touches. He was also Georgia's returner, and in 2018 was named to ESPN.com's 1st team All-America as a Kick Returner. He has a background as a CB, and it showed in his play. The Draft Network's WR analyst Brad Kelly wrote an article (link here) on Hardman on March 28th, and one of the more interesting parts of the article spoke to Mecole's ability to read and process coverages. It makes sense that a former defensive back would be able to understand what the defenders covering him are thinking. I was surprised with the pick at first, but the more I see Hardman play, the more I think he will be well worth the 2nd round value he was picked at. 

S Juan Thornhill - Virginia

Juan Thornhill was a name that could've been called in the top 32 and it wouldn't have surprised many. Veach claims they had a high 2nd round grade on him, and so to draft him 20-30 spots lower than you value him is a big win. His most notable attribute is his freak athleticism. Thornhill's wingspan is a few inches longer than what his height would suggest, and it's really noticeable on the field. He also ran a 4.42 second 40, and his 44" vertical was the best recorded at this year's combine. He also was a pretty good basketball player in high school. Thornhill moved to safety his last year in college, but before that he was a CB. This transition brought his ball hawking skills at CB to the S position where his range and athleticism can be utilized more. He was elected as a 1st team All-ACC Defensive Back by the Associated Press, and was an honorable mentioned All-American for College Football News in 2018.  Ryan Tracy, host of the Locked On Chiefs Podcast, made a fun and impressive comparison between Thornhill and another young talented Chiefs DB. Marcus Peters came out of Washington with 11 INTs and 16 PBUs, but Thornhill finished with 13 INTs and 26 PBUs! Both in 3 seasons. This is even more impressive when you consider that Thornhill played S for one of those years, while Peters played CB all 3 years, the spot that would allow for the most opportunities for INTs and PBUs. It sounds like Veach wants to slot Thornhill in at the deep safety, where he'll be facing Armani Watts as his toughest competition, but if all goes well, Juan should be starting in the Chiefs secondary come September.

3rd round pick:

IDL Khalen Saunders - Western Illinois

Khalen was the one of two guys from the Chiefs draft class I evaluated previously (him and Thornhill), and I liked him so much I declared him one of "my guys" heading into the draft, along with 6 other prospects. You could imagine my excitement when we made the pick. Saunders is just fun. The 6'0" 324 pound interior defensive lineman went to an FCS school, but played with so much explosion and athleticism that is was hard not to be impressed. He's a very gifted athlete, and has displayed it on the field his entire football career. The St. Louis native played as an offensive ball carrier in high school, where he was a significant enough contributor to be named with All-State honors as an "offensive weapon." He actually scored 2 TDs in college on the offensive side of the ball. If all that wasn't enough to convince you on his athleticism, he considers tumbling a hobby and does backflips for fun. All that is fun, but it doesn't make you a good football player. Saunders just happens to a be a good football player as well. He played snaps at every position among the DL, from a 1 tech all the way out to a wide 9 tech in a 2 point stance. He doesn't have as much of an anchor as you'd like from someone on the interior, he can get pushed off the line, but he makes up for it with a high motor and good hand technique. He has strength, but he is absolutely more of a finesse player than a powerful player. He should be an immediate contributor in the interior defensive line rotation and should give the Chiefs another pass rush threat from the middle along with Chris Jones. 

6th round picks:

CB Rashad Fenton - South Carolina

Arguably the biggest need for the Chiefs coming into the draft was CB, and they didn't care to address it until the 201st overall pick. That being said, Fenton was valued as a good pick anytime past the 5th round, so the value matched the need. There wasn't much excitement when his name was called, but Fenton has been talked up as an aggressive, physical CB that played in the SEC, the closest he could come to NFL competition at the college level. His 5'11" 193 pound physique gives him a good balance of athleticism and size, although his athleticism lacks more than you'd want. Rashad may be the least exciting pick in the entire draft, but he can change all of our minds with a good offseason, and hopefully he can serve a role on special teams or even the secondary. 

RB Darwin Thompson - Utah State

As time has passed since the draft, Thompson has increasingly become one of the hottest names out of this Chiefs draft class. Darwin is from Oklahoma, where he had no Division 1 offers and had to settle for enrolling at a junior college, and even had to redshirt his first year! After 3 years at , he was given an opportunity at Utah State, and he didn't disappoint. His short stature should not be mistaken for lack of strength. He is 5'8" 200+ pounds, and may not have a bad pound on his entire frame. His former coaches rave about his work ethic in the weight room, and his high school coach even went as far to say that he could be an Olympic body builder. While being strong is a prerequisite to playing in the NFL, it isn't the end all be all. The good news is, Darwin is a heck of a football player as well. His play style is reminiscent of a Darren Sproles or a Tarik Cohen. He doesn't have great straight ahead speed, but his short area change of direction never allows for defenders to get a clean hit on him, and he doesn't go down easily. He has impressive contact balance, a trait that Chiefs fans have grown used to seeing performed at an elite level by Kareem Hunt. With the way the RB position stacks up at this point, there's no reason to downplay the potential impact of Thompson. No one is guaranteed a spot, not even Damien Williams or Carlos Hyde. It will be a full on competition for reps at RB, and don't be surprised if Darwin becomes a key part of the 2019 offense. 

7th round pick:

IOL Nick Allegretti - Illinois

Usually a 7th round pick doesn't garner much discussion, but when it comes to interior OL, the Chiefs have made a living finding production this late in the draft. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, one of the highest paid OGs in the league and the Chiefs starting RG, was a 6th round pick originally. Austin Reiter was originally a 7th round pick, and earned a contract extension last year for his play while Mitch Morse was hurt. They've gotten production out of UDFAs like Andrew Wylie. All that to make the point that Allegretti should be taken more serious than the usual NFL 7th round pick, and has been so far by the Kansas City media. He is already being discussed as a legitimate contender for the starting Center spot, along with Austin Reiter. He played RG at Illinois, and has been described as a dominant run blocker. He was a team captain his last 2 seasons, and earned All-Big 10 2nd team honors, per PFF, both seasons. PFF also rated him as the #3 overall grade for OGs in the entire country in 2018. Maybe the most important statistic from his college years is that he ended his career with 36 consecutive starts, every game from 2016-2018. Watch out for Allegretti to become a key part to the Chiefs' interior offensive line rotation. 

Notable UDFAs:

RB James Williams - Washington State

James "Boobie" Williams will be a very intriguing player to follow this offseason. He played at pass heavy Washington State, where he rarely ran the ball, but caught 83 balls his last year there. He was projected to be drafted by most of the draft people I follow, and was well liked by some for the "James White on the Patriots" type of role, a mostly exclusive pass catching RB. We'll see more in training camp, but if he can be competent with pass blocking, he could force KC to part ways with Carlos Hyde to make room. 

CB Mark Fields - Clemson

With the Chiefs needing CB, this pick up was GREAT value for the risk and reward. Fields is a very talented CB that didn't jive well with the Clemson coaching staff, they reportedly were not shy about their feelings on his work ethic and attitude. Matt Miller, on his B/R podcast Stick to Football, observed a practice there last year and came away with the thought that Fields may be the best CB there (his teammate Trayvon Mullen went in the 3rd round). I'm excited to see if Fields' effort issues can be corrected inside our locker room, and if so, the Chiefs may have a 2nd consecutive year of finding a UDFA CB that will produce as a rookie, similar to Charvarius Ward last year. 

WR Cody Thompson - Toledo & WR Jamal Custis - Syracuse

I noted both of these UDFA WRs because it's entirely possible we keep more than 1 from the batch this year. With the Tyreek situation up in the air, they should use more chances at finding WR depth. Thompson has been regarded by some as the most talented NFL UDFA WR, and could be a special teams contributor as well; he had 3 blocked punts last year, including one he caught as he blocked and returned it for a TD. I don't know as much about Custis, but the Chiefs gave him a $100,000 guarantee, which is the most any team has paid for a UDFA the last 2 seasons according to Adam Schefter. 

Brett Veach seemed to draft for the future last season, but I interpret this draft as more of an immediate impact type of class. Hardman may be more of a long term project to turn into a legitimate NFL WR, but he will immediately contribute with help from Andy Reid's creativity. Thornhill is my bet to be the starting FS by Week 1. Saunders will give immediate pass rush potential from the interior rotation. Darwin can be a situational playmaker. Allegretti has the potential to be the starting C. If the Chiefs want to win the Super Bowl this year, they'll need help from this class right away.