First blush reactions to the first round

and my usual co host, Brian Johnson. Hello, and welcome back, like your charge. Good to be back. Yes, it finally happened to The draft started very exciting, I know, right, it's it's just it's such a fun time and there's so many implications and there's so much to talk about it, especially this year, Brian, because this is an offensive heavy first round and there's so many players that have fantasy relevancy to them, and so really, what I want to do for today, there's so many players I want to

zip through the first round. We're gonna skip the defensive players altogether. We don't I don't think we have time to do offensive lineman here. Let's concentrate on our position players. Quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and one tight end. The main takeaway from an offensive lineman perspective is Austin stock on the rise. Let's put it that way. You know what, as I was so high in Austin Ekeler last year,

obviously a last season. Uh most of it was a last season, I'm gonna be right back at the debt, right back again, trying to do you know, trying to find ways to get Austin Neckler again. Okay, let's go to Let's just start at the top of the draft. We'll go pick by pick. Trevor Lawrence goes to Jacksonville, as expected. Your thoughts on Lawrence here, both from a dynasty and redraft standpoint, No surprises and no surprises. Jacksonville took him first overall, goes into a pretty good spot.

Great weapons and d J Shark, Marvin Jones, Lavish, a Channault, James Robinson, and a brand new toy who will we'll talk about in a minute. But I don't know. I surprising move if that really is gonna bode well for Lawrence over a stud offensive lineman, which is very much needed in Jacksonville. But uh yeah, Trevor Lawrence. We we talked about him when we broke down quarterbacks a few weeks ago. Uh, pretty much a should be viewed as a backup in Redraft one quarterback leagues. As of right now,

he's going off the board in best ball leagues. And I went from like April one to now so more recent drafts. Uh, QB fifteen right after Joe Burrow. He's going before Matt Ryan, who will we'll discuss him and his his new toy that he's got uh in his arsenal, but uh, he's right and that fringe QB one level going before guys like I said, Matt Ryan, Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield, right after Joe Burrow. Deshaun Watson is a QB thirteen right now. So well for understandable reasons. But

that's a whole that's a whole other conversation. Um that seems appropriate in in dynasty you're in a new rookie draft for a dynasty or an Empire League. Trevor Lawrence for me, is not the first quarterback I would take in super flex to let's let's focus on super flex. But I'm just timeing a quarterback quarterbacks. It's not the first quarterback I would take, I think the first one. In a minute, you will see Trevor Lawrence as the first quarterback taken in most drafts. But I won't argue

if you take Trey Lance. That's coming up into two picks. So let's go to Zach Wilson from B y u uh. These two picks were pretty well known and I think, to the surprise of nobody, um, Zach Wilson has a special NFL caliber arm and he has just from an arm upside, the ability to be a top five passer in the NFL. Now, whether the Jets will get that

out of him organizationally, who knows. And I would love it if Zach Wilson and somehow have gone one step, one one spot farther and it ended up on the person have all the advantages that come with Kyle Shanahan and the rest of that organization. But what do you think is Zack Wilson is a Jet? Well, I was obviously way too excited to talk about Trey Lance. I wanted to gloss right over. You know, he's getting dragged on social media just for his appearance. Basically, he does

not look like a pro cornerback. He looks like a a pro prom king basically what he wins prom king for a living. But they're they're building something in New York put it that way. In New Jersey he's got some enticing receivers and Denzel Man's up and coming. Jameson Crowder is still there. But when it comes when it comes to redraft, uh, not draftable really at this point. He'll certainly go in the top five quarterbacks in Dynasty, but very much await and see for me with Wilson. Um, Yeah,

I don't have much more to say about. Okay, let's go. I'm very worried about. I'm worried for the Jets fans. It's just gonna be. It feels like another bust in the making. I don't know. I don't I don't want to stop my dormald. I think, well that you can make that you can absolutely make that case or both, right, have Wilson and Donald and just let the best man win. But nobody ever does that. But the offensive line that Wilson is going to get is ten times better than

what Donald is dealt with. They're building a very nice offensive line in front of the Wilson, so that should help him out. That should that should help out um At. The Jets ended up taking at pick fourteen, Elijah Vera Tucker so guards So that will that will give Zach Wilson some advantages and in some ways better receivers than Sam Donald had as well. Trey Lance goes third, and I'm fascinated by this pick. I don't know that Tray Lance will take a even one snap under center this year.

I think you will. But there are many people who think that he shouldn't, that Trey Lance should sit for a year. But in his fantasy upside is bonkers. If if Trey Lance fulfills everything he can become, he will be the highest scoring quarterback in fantasy football some years, because of the rushing, because of the passing, because of the weapons he's got in Kittle and Ayuk and Deebo Samuel, and because of Kyle Shanahan. You put all that together and it's a perfect storm for Tray Lance to be

a jaw dropping fantasy player. And if in my opinion, in redraft, in in dynasty leagues, in rookie dynasty drafts, I think Trey Lance is in play for the first pick overall, and particular, you're super flex done deal. Yeah, I couldn't argue that too much. His upside if he hits the ceiling, it'll be higher than Trevor Lawrence is ceiling. Lawrence is going to produce right out of the gates like Trey Lance. So I you know, if you're a super flex dynasty league and you're sort of competing in

quarterback needy, Trevor Lawrence might be your pick. But if you're in full on rebuild mode, yeah, I think I shoot for the tray Lands upside and just just just sit on that and wait for the breakout. Could be later this season, but likely could be. It could be Trey Lance is going to be fantastic um and just think the landing spot was great for him. And I'm so happy that forty nine went Trey Lance and didn't

go Mac Jones. It was something I've been lobbying for for a long time because Trey Lance has so much upside that I don't think Mac Jones has, and the fact that Jones slid to fifteen is evidence that other people felt the same way. So four straight picks, as it turned out, actually six straight picks for offense in this draft to open the draft, Kyle Pitts ends up going number four. This was a landing spot that was largely expected. Nobody thought he'd get past five. It was

either gonna be picked four or pick five. For Kyle Pitts, Hall of fame level, upside at tight end and ready to produce immediately something No tight ends never do this, but finds himself in a in a spot where with with defenses having to account for Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley, Kyle Pitts uh could find himself being an impact tight end even as a rookie. Yeah, I was a little worried about the landing spot just in terms of target share with Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley there there's not

a ton to go around. Like you said, defenses need to focus on those receivers. They gotta focus on pits too, but they're not gonna be able to solely focus on just one of these guys at this point. So this this bode's well for both best for Matt Ryan even though he looks pretty cooked. But yeah, Kyle Pitts in redraft, he's going as tight ends like four right now after the Big Threeeez, don't I don't know if I would, I wouldn't do that in redraft. To me, that's that's aggressive.

And keep in mind Hayden Hurst is still there, and Hayden Hurst is a pretty good tight end who they're paying like, you know, he's sitting on like a thirty million dollar contract. Yeah, he'll probably kick Hurst at the curb sooner. I wonder if they don't trade him. But um, and in in dynasty, if you're not taking a quarterback, you can easily argue as Pits being taken before any of the wide receivers are running backs. He seems like a guy you just locked into your tight end spot

for the next ten plus years. That's the beauty of it, right, um. If you're if you're in a tight end mandatory dynasty league, your draft Kyle Pits forget about that spot for a decade. That's how that is. As much he's as much of a sure thing as um as anybody. There hasn't been a tight end taken this high since nineteen sixty. In the NFL Draft nineteen sixty, that's when they were phoning in their their picks on pay phones. Pick five was

Jamaar Chase going to the Cincinnati Bengals. This was also an anticipated move as Chase gets reunited with Joe Burrow. This is a this is a fascinating move they get They now are three deep at wide receiver and Joe Burrow Stock to me, just went up a full echelon, a full tier, just went up. And I love the fact that Joe Burrow is going to have Chase to go into the arsenal and that's going to make it's

going to make him fascinating. Now, the downside is for Chase is he's got to share targets with Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd and that part makes it a little bit trickier at least early on. Yeah, like you said, reunited with Joe Burrow, who uh in his sophomore year in twenty nineteen, Jamar Chase opted out of COVID concerns um he set the SEC record for yardage and touchdowns Burrow, they are reuniting. This is the first of three reunions between SEC receivers and their quarterbacks on Day one of

the draft. We'll talk about the other two guys later, but one of them coming up right now. But overall, Chase had a great career outside of opting out last year over almost fifty of his career catches at LC went for fifteen plus yrds. Like you said, he goes into a very crowded receiver room. Uh, Joe burrow Stock certainly on the rise. He still needs some people to protect him. We don't want his legs bending uh further

any further backwards like they did last year. And h But right now Jamar Chase in best ball going uh wide receiver thirty four or was going. We'll see how that that this landing spot changes. He's going right after Odell Beckham, right in the Courtland Sutton Brandon Cook's range. So he's right in that wide receiver to range. I don't know if I'd be taking him over guys like Odell Beckham, even Brandon Redraft not in Redraft not, I don't.

I don't think. So there's like you said, Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd there so but in uh in dynasty easy easily dynasty first wide receiver off the board with a bullet. Next we move to another reunion of a college quarterback and a receiver to a tongue. Baaloa and Jalen Waddle end up together. Now in Miami. They can. They combined for eight hundred yards at Alabama, so obviously some familiarity there, and I think that helps Waddle hit the ground running.

Now They've already got Will Fuller, They've got Davante Parker. But Waddles really best used as a slot receiver, and that's where he's going to be on the field a lot in this offense. UM, and obviously as a punt returner. Incredibly lethal there as well. Um. Amazing lateral agility, amazing elusiveness, and so strong for a kid that's only five two pounds. One of the most explosive athletes in the entire draft at any position. Insane levels of acceleration and burst, both

at the line of scrimmage and mid route. But where Jalen Waddle kills you when he gets behind the coverage over it's you're just dead. You will never catch him. He's incredibly fast and um he averaged ten yards after the catch after for a first down after the catch, so um. Maybe not as polished to some of the other receivers here, only played snaps in college, but Waddle ends up in a in a position where he can

make a fairly fast impact. Although again three good receivers for Miami and Uh he's getting drafted UH as a borderline starter as a wide receiver. Three's wide receiver fifty currently right in the Mike Williams, Corey Davis, Marvin Jones range. So a lot of expectations for Jalen Waddle and a lot of Philly receivers have not. Oh no, I'm sorry, he's not on Filly. I just jump to our next guy. That's okay, we don't mind a bit. And speaking of that,

let's take this opportunity to take a break. The first six picks were all offense. Then there was a gap of several players before we get to our next fantasy relevant player, and that is a player for the Eagles and another Alabama receiver. We'll talk about DeVonta Smith in moments. Welcome back Fantasy Football Weekly, Paul Charchi and Brian Johnson with you. NFL Draft was yesterday if you're listening to

this end of the weekend. We re re record every Fantasy Football Weekly Friday afternoons, so we're reacting to at least first plush look at the landing spots in the first round for the fantasy relevant players and we're up to the tenth pick of the draft. DeVonta Smith from Alabama. Tell listeners a little bit about Smith. The Eagles needed to make this move even though they took a wide receiver in the first round last year. Jalen Reagor looks like he might be a bust and Smith brings some

really special and very different things to the table. DeVonta Smith reunited with Jalen Hurts. Even though Hurts played at Oklahoma his senior year, he played the first three years at Alabama. So these two history together. And uh earlier mentioned how Jamar Chase set the i SEC record for yards and touchdowns in Davonte Smith shattered that record last year and uh he just he won the Heisman Trophy. As a wide receiver, he was arguably the most electric

player in college football. The rub on him is the size hundred sixty six pounds is that's pretty small? Yeah, and uh so, and there is cause for concern there, but you know, football players as small have survived in the NFL before, so I'm gonna give him the benefit of the doubt there. But uh, Davonte Smith arguably the wide receiver one in Philly now unless unless raker turns out to be materially different than the guy we saw last year, and um, I'm pulling up his ADP real

quick and redraft. Excuse me. There are a lot of Smith's in the NFL. Are Smith he's going wide receiver forty four, so earlier than Jalen Waddle. He's going his wide receiver two among the rookies right in the Michael Pittman, Jarvis Landry, Michael Gallop, the Vaunta Parker range. That's you know, that's borderline wide receiver two. People are banking on uh Davante Smith. And this was before a landing spot. And I don't know if this is the ideal landing spot

from a redraft perspective. It's it's enticing from a dinost perspective, but uh, I think he'll struggle to put up wide receiver to wide receiver three numbers in his rookie year. What I like about Smith is he's the best receiver wide receiver on the team. He's the go to guy. And you know, the other receivers that have already gone are walking into situations, are already established successful veterans. Smith doesn't have that. Other than Zach Ertz. We don't have

a lot of UH. There are a lot, not necessarily a lot of Eagles that you that you feel great catching a pass, and h Smith has the opportunity to become the go to wide out for Jalen Hurts. I'm also worried that wide receiver room and feel Lee is just cursed too upon the Eagles as wide receiver, You're doomed. They got new coaches now, so maybe the curse followed their old coaching staff out the door. Let's go to

pick number eleven, Justin Fields goes to Chicago. They make a big move to trade up, and Fields now presumably could be the starter as early as week one over Andy Dalton. Yeah, great acquisition by the Bears. Fields like Trey Lance UH dual threat quarterback. He ran the fastest UH forty time by a quarterback on his pro day UH in in history, faster than Russell Wilson, Cam Newton, and uh the aforementioned Jalen Hurts. And he also proved

he was a very able thrower. Only eight point five percent of his passing yards came on run pass option plays. And to put that into perspective, Mac Jones twenty two and a half percent of his yards r p O s Zack Wilson twelve and a half percent, so Justin and Trevor Lawrence percent of his yards on r p O. So Justin Fields did most of it throw on the ball downfield. And like you said, the Bears are saying Dalton is the starter, but I think that might just

be until they the locker. I don't know. Well, you know, I don't know either, because I really think that Fields would be better suited to UM. It would would be better suited learning for a while on the bench. But you know, the NFL doesn't usually work that way, and more often than not they just throw kids out to the wolves, but not always. Look at Patrick Mahomes who spent a year on the bench and obviously was great. Aaron Rodgers spent time on the bench and then he

was great. I just you know, it's it's a luxury to be able to do that, and the Bears may end up taking their time, uh and let Andy Dalton

be the starter. It's gonna throw a wrench in best ball strategies because you don't want to have to draft two Bears quarterbacks and you're not really sure which one to go with at this point in terms of who's gonna get the most playing, you know, it's fields because of the running right and you know, I think my temptation would be to just take fields and and wait it out. Yeah, I'm not. I'm not targeting too heavily in redraft this year though, but very very excited for Field.

I would say he's wide receiver three off the board, quarterback three off the board when it comes to dynasty after I completely I completely agree with that. Uh. Then Mac Jones slides all the way to fifteen and Bill Belichick, this couldn't have worked out better And what a great person to have this happened to. Belichick deserves great things

to happen to him. And um, they've got Cam Newton there, of course, and they resigned him in the off season despite the fact that he was benched three or four times in season. Um, this feels like a very good offensive schematic fit for what Josh McDaniels wants to do. Yeah, Mac Jones didn't really get to play much at Alabama until his senior season, but he looks fantastic and Alabama they pretty much have a system in place there too,

just like New England. So um, probably the best landing spot for mac Jones, who, among all the draft eligible quarterbacks, had the highest passing grade against the Blitz last year I'm sorry, career grade and the highest career grade versus Power Five teams among all draft eligible quarterbacks. So it's not a ton of tape on mac Jones. But last year he looked really good and uh, probably in the best position for him to succeed. Yeah, Now, they still

need to have a lot of weapons. And the reason I think people at at this moment on you know, on Friday, that um, yeah, they would have been set with just John U John. That would have been enough. Uh, And we'll see what other weapons they end up adding around Matt Jones. I believe this is a team that's going to come out of the draft with a couple new wide receivers as well, and that would that would

certainly help Mac Jones is cause. But right now, of of the five quarterbacks, I think he's of the five quarterbacks taken in the first round, he's my least favorite. With you from a fantasy standpoint, All right, let's go to um, let's go to the next player, fantasy relevant player that was taken and in a fairly big surprise,

the Giants had picked twenty when Cadarius Tony. Uh. Most people had a great of Cadarius Tony at the very end of the first round or into the second round, in part because of the style of play that he has, and also just because there's a lot of really good established receivers now for people that aren't maybe it's familiar with Cardarius Tony. He is thin, just a hundred seventy seven pounds on a six foot frame. Um, but he's great in traffic and they love to throw to him

near the line of scrimmage. He made a ton of big plays, great after the catch and sometimes after the handoff. They do the jet sweep with Cadarius Tony a lot, super explosive. He breaks far more tackles than than a kid is a hundred seventy seven pounds should. And he reminds me a lot of Curtis Samuel, and I think they're gonna use him in a similar way that Curtis

Samuel got used for the Giants. What I don't love about Tony is it's it's a crowded offense with three other starters you know that are that are at wide receiver that he'll have to try to find find playing time against. And I don't know how quickly that's going to happen. In New York. Yeah, he'll be safe in the slot though. I think Tony will now own the slot. I think the Giants are essentially given up on Darius Slayton at this point and they'd then on the boundaries.

But yeah, it is a very crowded receiver room. And uh, Tony not a guy will be targeting in redraft this year at all, not in redraft. And I think you may have to you may have to wait a little bit to get the big payoff on on Tony, even in in Dynasty and Empire leagues. And we can't even tell you who's a quarterback is going to be next year in New York. And that's that's a concern as well. And there's no what is the wide receiver? He was

the fourth receiver taken, fourth receiver taken. Yeah, he's not going to be the fourth receiver taken in any of your rookie drafts this year. He will not be all right. So the next Fantasy relevant player to go was picked twenty four. Najie Harrison's up going to the Steelers. Steelers running attack was the first in the NFL last year, and Harris brings a special skill set to the table. Basically, he's good at everything. Uh. He can run, run through you,

run around you, uh, run right by you. He can catch the ball. Uh, most rushing touchdowns in college football last year and thirteen games. Uh. He was third in target share among all running backs that were eligible for the draft. So he is a full on bell cow. Uh. He should get bell cow usage in Pittsburgh. Um, he will for sure. There's nobody else to take a carry from him. But the concern is the line. The line, it's bad. And that's what I would have addressed first

if I was Pittsburgh. Per Sports Info Solutions, the Steelers led the league with a forty five point six per cent of their runs were hit at the line of scrimmage. They also led the league with a twenty four point four percent stuffed rate. Uh, they better get drafted at offensive line. But the volume will be there for nag Harris to Uh. He'll be going at the tail into

the first round, early second round most redraft leagues. And UH, well, I would say he's the numb definitely the first running back that should be taken in your in your rookie drafts. But well, where where do you think he is in the dynasty? Yeah, let's talk dynastic empire for Naji Harris among running among running backs, where do you go built perfectly for goal line use, he can catch the ball spot it's not perfect, it's not perfect, but the volume

will be there. He's not going to where we're gonna talk about Travis e t N in the second He didn't. You didn't end up in a situation like that. So I'm still lean and Harris as RB one for me, just because we're talking dynasty empire. Of course he's got he's old, quote unquote old for he's gonna be like twenty four twenty four this season, where guys like e t N just turned twenty two. But he looks like

he has all the makings of a bell cow. And the Steelers will address their line, maybe not immediately, but immediately showed him best they can. But they're not gonna get a stowed in the first round of obviously, But in my mind, this almost this entire draft for the Steelers should be offense, offensive line, and quarterback of the future UM in my opinion. All right, so that was picked twenty four Steelers, now g Harris, then pick twenty five, as you already alluded, Travis e t N goes to

Jackson Phil. This was a surprise move that unfortunately for James Robinson owners who thought they were pretty safe, this muddies the waters there and probably creates a time share. Don't forget about the Carlos hide to owners. They're calling they're going James Robinson and Hide the one to punch, and then E t N is the third down back.

So whatever. Yeah, yeah, we're not really talking hide, but uh yeah, it's kind of a nightmare situation for both Um et N will probably beat out Robinson in the long run, but going into this year, yeah, if you were drafting James Robinson early in Best Ball or making big deals for him in Dynasty, you're not feeling too good today and you should not. Uh, we're just gonna to see how this plays out. But we're looking at a probably really at least to start in favor of Robinson.

I would might be although Mike had more receptions and rush attempts this this season, it's possible. I just don't think Robinson is very special. He made a couple of good plays. Hurdle the dude. I just I just don't think. I don't think that Robinson's a special player. Travis e t N is a special player. And I think before long and before the end of the season e t N leaves Robinson in his dust. Just reminded me of m anchor man person reason. I mean, you know, Brick,

he killed the guy. Robinson due all right. The The final selection of Fantasy relevant players in the first round of the draft was I think an extraordinary value selection for the Ravens with Rashad Bateman, the University of Minnesota receiver UH. Bateman average twenty yards per catch. UH maybe the best route runner in the entire draft, and UM and has the ability to win contested catches. He's a

he's a ferocious competitor. He's physical, he's uber productive despite an inconsistent offense, which is probably a good sign for him. Very good after the catch. UM acts like he owns the ball when it's in the air. The only thing that really Bateman doesn't bring to the table is high end speed, and I think a very a fair comparable for him is Keenan Allen Kenyan. Allen was like that. It was great at at virtually everything didn't have high end speed. Ended up slumping to like early second round

when the Chargers ended up taking him. Uh. Here he goes into a Raven's offense that desperately needs really a number one receiver. They don't have a number one receiver. With all due respect everybody else that's currently on roster um, they don't have a number one receiver. And Bateman has a clear path to becoming the go to, the go to top receiver there on with you, and that could come as early as this year. As as a Golden

Gopher alumnus, I was thinking of the past. There's a there's a connection with the Ravens and the the Gophers. Uh Ron Johnson, there's a dominant big tennes thousands, Max Williams, both drafted by Baltimore. Now Richard Bateman. Yeah, he didn't work out from Max. They maybe they should learn a little something from that. Um. I think I think they've got a guy who can start immediately and make an

impact immediately. I think he will be instead of Marquis Brown, who gives you these all or nothing performances, Bateman feels like he's going to be a way safer producer over the course of over the course of his career. What do you think about Bateman in uh in Dynasty and Redraft um pulling up his a DP in Redraft really quick, he's going wide receiver sixty one. That's uh. We're talking

to Denzel Mims, Henry Ruggs, Christian Kirk range outside. I might like Mimes a little more than Bateman, but I like Bateman more than the Rugs and Christian Kirk's Nielsen Agilars, John Brown's of the world. That's kind of where he lumped in right now. So I think he's pretty uh undervalue there when it comes to Dynasty, I'm not gonna take him over Jamar Chase, No, mont DeVante Smith probably, but now it's the third wide receiver off the board. It depends on what I'm looking for on my team.

But you know, Bateman seems like he's gonna be a very solid PPR producer for for many years to come, with a somewhat of a pretty high ceiling. He does. And I think I like the fact that he's settled at the quarterback position with the Ravens and for you know, for for everything that Lamar Jackson does, you know, good and bad and and and the other factor you have to consider. It's just we know this is always gonna be a run first offense, and they're they're gonna run.

Their quarterbacks are gonna run the running backs, and that's always gonna be one of the issues you have to factor in with Rashod Bateman is no matter how good he is, there's gonna be times they only throw the ball twenty two times a game, and you know, there just isn't enough spirals in the air for Bateman to be a fantasy factor. I will certainly take him over to Darius Tony in Dynasty, like the Giants guys probably

should have done. And you know, they may have wanted a true slot receiver though they may have felt like they're just so much more settled outside. There's a couple of more's out there. There's there's a lot of those weapons. A lot of guys will be talking about next week, and that that will be the focus of next week's Fantasy Football Weekly. Will be the other notable players um that go rounds two and beyond. So this will be still several weeks of rock solid Draft talk coming to

Fantasy Football Weekly. Thank you for joining us for our quick hit reactions to the first round of the NFL Draft. Exciting times ahead for fantasy owners, and we're excited to talk to you about everything that happens in rounds two and beyond beginning next week. Bye bye, everybody. Fantasy Football Weekly is a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.