2015 Fantasy Football: Rookies Making Immediate Impact in OTAs

All across the National Football League, organized team activities are underway.

Not only do those OTAs offer veteran players a chance to dip their toes back into the workout waters (well, those who show up), but it's also a valuable opportunity for incoming rookies to make a positive impression on NFL coaches.

Of course, it isn't just those coaching staffs who are closely watching how this year's rookie class performs on the practice field. With fantasy draft season about to get underway in earnest, fantasy owners are looking to glean every bit of information they can regarding what sorts of roles this year's rookie class might have in the inaugural season of their professional careers.

And while the voyage has only just started, early reports indicate that it's been smooth sailing for these youngsters so far.

Marcus Mariota, QB, Tennessee Titans

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There likely wasn't a player under more scrutiny in the days leading up to the 2015 NFL draft than Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. The 2014 Heisman Trophy winner was the subject of innumerable trade rumors.

Well, no trade came to pass, but that scrutiny has remained sky-high after the Tennessee Titans made Mariota the No. 2 overall pick.

However, with OTAs underway, Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean reported that Mariota has looked the part of an NFL quarterback so far:

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The first-round pick is drawing all the attention, of course. He has looked better than I thought he would out of the gate, with impressive arm strength and confidence running the offense. He's bound to have some disastrous days as he finds his way, but he's not yet come close to embarrassing himself.

"

Now, these positive reports need to be taken with a massive grain of salt. For starters, it's only the second week of June, and as Wyatt mentioned, while Mariota has looked good so far, there are going to be bad days as well.

Mariota's circumstances are vastly different from Jameis Winston's. Whereas Winston played in a pro-style offense at Florida State, Mariota played in the wacky quack attack in Eugene. There's going to be a steep learning curve as Mariota adjusts to the pro game.

Throw in a Tennessee offense that isn't exactly loaded for bear, and even in an absolute best-case scenario the odds of Mariota having any redraft fantasy value in 2015 just aren't good.

Still, every good report regarding Mariota's acclimation can only serve to boost the upside of players like wide receiver Kendall Wright and tight end Delanie Walker.

After all, someone has to throw them the ball.

Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

Mariota isn't the only rookie quarterback turning heads in OTAs.

As Roy Cummings of The Tampa Tribune reports, veteran wide receiver Vincent Jackson has been very impressed with the arm of former Florida State Seminole Jameis Winston, who was the first overall pick in the 2015 NFL draft:

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Yeah, he’s very dynamic. He can put touch on it when he needs to, but he can also sling it when he needs to. We’ve seen both — where he knows he has to put his foot in the ground and fire it through a tight window and when he has to (throw) it deep and soft and put it away from the defender.

He’s just a very sound quarterback, and he’s only going to continue to get better because you see his competitiveness. He doesn’t want to miss a throw. He comes out here each and every day and he works on his craft.

"

Make no mistake, if there's a first-year signal-caller who's going to make a substantial dent in fantasy leagues in 2015, Winston is easily the leading candidate. Barring an epic faceplant in camp, Winston will start from Day 1 for the Buccaneers. He also played in a pro-style offense in Tallahassee.

And with Jackson and second-year pro Mike Evans at his disposal, Winston has weapons in the passing game.

Still, as Bucky Brooks of NFL.com pointed out, it's far from a sure thing Winston will shine:

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Despite assembling a star-studded lineup on the perimeter, the Buccaneers could see their franchise quarterback get battered and bruised playing behind a leaky offensive line that's breaking in new starters at key positions. If Winston is knocked around early in the season, the former Heisman Trophy winner could struggle with turnovers and poor decision-making, as constant pressure rattles the young passer during his first season.

"

Brooks projected Winston for 3,100 passing yards, 22 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

That would equate to 226 fantasy points in NFL.com default fantasy scoring, which would have placed Winston 21st at the quarterback position last year.

Melvin Gordon, RB, San Diego Chargers

Gregory Bull/Associated Press

It's only natural that first-round picks would garner the most attention in OTAs. So when workouts got underway in sunny San Diego, running back Melvin Gordon was the center of attention.

As Ricky Henne of the team's website reported, the man who will be handing the ball to Gordon in 2015, quarterback Philip Rivers, liked what he saw:

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He looks good. As I said when we drafted him, there were a lot of Saturday nights sitting in the hotels on the road watching Wisconsin highlights and him run the ball. Now I get to see him up close. I saw a few clips from rookie minicamp, and you see spurts here and there of what you’ve seen on film and on Saturday evenings. He’s done a good job so far. He’s still learning, and there is a lot to learn, but he’s fit right in.

"

Many pundits have labeled Gordon this year's top rookie ball-carrier and a potential fantasy RB2 for the upcoming season, but Badgers backs don't exactly have a sterling track record when it comes to translating success in Madison to moving the chains at the professional level.

However, Brad Evans of Yahoo Sports expects Gordon to be the exception to that rule:

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He certainly isn't without flaws and will need to show improvement in certain areas to net 18-22 touches per game, but his game-breaking wheels and open-field elusiveness will likely gift him ample opportunities. Come midseason, he'll be a borderline RB1 no matter the landing spot, provided his fumble problems are in the past.

"

The problem then becomes whether or not the other owners in your fantasy league agree with Evans' assertion that Gordon has top-12 fantasy upside.

If they do, Gordon's draft-day price tag could climb to the point where you'll have to draft the youngster much closer to his fantasy ceiling than the floor.

And that is almost always a bad idea.

T.J. Yeldon, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

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Alabama running back T.J. Yeldon may not have been a first-round pick in this year's draft, but that doesn't mean that the Jacksonville Jaguars don't have big plans for the 6'1", 226-pounder.

When the Jaguars started workouts it was Yeldon, and not Denard Robinson, who ran with the first team at tailback. According to John Oehser of the team's website, the Jaguars are planning on Yeldon being their starting running back when they open the season against the Carolina Panthers.

Middle linebacker Paul Posluszny, one of the Jaguars' elder statesmen, believes Yeldon is up to the task: "He looks really good in short-area change of direction. He looks really, really good there. It’s, ‘How does a guy move in space? How athletic is he?’ That’s what stands out. With him, he definitely has it."

Dave Richard of CBS Sports wrote just after the NFL draft that he expects Yeldon to land in "flex" territory in fantasy football drafts this summer:

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I'd bank on Yeldon as a No. 3 Fantasy running back to begin the year. Backs like Jonathan Stewart and Isaiah Crowell have more appeal, but shaky backs like LeGarrette Blount or Theo Riddick aren't quite on Yeldon's level. Figure him to get snagged in Round 5 or 6 in standard leagues, maybe a round later in PPR (he can catch, but who knows how many passes he'll actually see thrown his way).

"

However, based on his current average draft position at Fantasy Pros, Yeldon has already moved into low-end RB2 territory. He's being taken as the 23rd back off draft boards, at the tail end of Round 5.

And if the positive reports keep rolling in, that sticker price is only going to keep climbing.

Jay Ajayi, RB, Miami Dolphins

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Thanks to concerns about the long-term viability of his surgically repaired knee, Boise State running back Jay Ajayi wasn't a first-round pick. Or a second-round pick. Or a third-round pick.

In fact, despite becoming the first player in FBS history to rush for over 1,800 yards while adding another 500 receiving yards last year, Ajayi slid all the way to the fifth round.

That's when the Miami Dolphins selected the 6'0", 221-pounder, and as head coach Joe Philbin told Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, Ajayi turned heads at the team's rookie minicamp last month:

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He’s a big guy. I like the size, No. 1, I like his production on tape. No. 2, He’s very enthusiastic. He seems very eager out here.

I thought he did some good things with special teams. The lead carrier in college, special teams goes a little bit by the wayside, but I think it’s going to be something that will be important for him. I like the way he practices.

"

Of course, special teams are of little concern to fantasy owners. All they want to know is how much Ajayi will eat into Lamar Miller's workload in 2015.

Granted, after Miller topped 1,000 yards on the ground last year and averaged over five yards a carry, the fourth-year pro would appear to have a firm grip on the lead-back role in South Beach.

However, Brad Evans of Yahoo Sports sees the potential for Ajayi to be a big-time value pick for fantasy owners in 2015:

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Expect him to start as a 10-15 touch per game contributor. However, one Miller miscue or misstep, and the rookie morphs into Jeremy Hill. In what should be a robust offense, he could threaten Todd Gurley, Melvin Gordon and Tevin Coleman for first-year RB superiority if the cards fall right.

"

Should those cards fall right, Ajayi (who carries a 12th-round ADP at Fantasy Pros at present) wouldn't just be one of the biggest steals in fantasy this year.

He'd be the sort of game-changing value that wins championships.

Ameer Abdullah, RB, Detroit Lions

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Given how well Joique Bell performed in tallying nearly 1,200 total yards for the Detroit Lions last year, many fantasy enthusiasts were a bit taken aback when Detroit used a second-round draft pick on Nebraska tailback Ameer Abdullah.

Well, that pick looks better and better with each passing day.

For starters, as Tim Twentyman of the team's website reports, Abdullah has wasted no time making a positive first impression on quarterback Matthew Stafford:

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I think as a runner he has great balance. He’s obviously a low-to-the-ground guy. He seems to hide pretty well behind there and he’s got good vision. Out of the backfield, catching the ball, he’s great. He’s got great hands. He has a good feel for route running.

"

Then there's the matter of Bell. Yes, the sixth-year veteran had a career year in 2014, but Bell will turn 29 in August and averaged less than four yards a carry each of the past two seasons. Bell has also been sidelined in OTAs while recovering from surgeries on his knee and Achilles.

Bell is expected to be ready for training camp, but every day he misses gives Abdullah an opportunity to impress. Every day Bell misses gives Abdullah a chance to earn a bigger piece of the backfield pie in the Motor City in 2015.

And every day Bell misses makes Abdullah's eighth-round ADP at Fantasy Pros look that much more appealing.

Tevin Coleman, RB, Atlanta Falcons

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The Atlanta Falcons had more than a few issues in 2014, among them the inability to run the ball effectively with any sort of consistency.

The team took steps to address that deficiency in the offseason, swapping out Steven Jackson's corpse for third-round pick Tevin Coleman, who topped 2,000 yards on the ground at Indiana in 2014.

ESPN.com's Vaughn McClure reported that the battle at running back between Coleman and second-year pro Devonta Freeman is one of the Falcons' most compelling storylines in OTAs:

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I anticipate a two-back system with equal reps as the Falcons make a concerted effort to bring more offensive balance with a stronger run game. And don’t count out the contribution of explosive Antone Smith, who could be back to his old self once he fully recovers from a broken leg.

"

As McClure's colleagues Sharon Katz and Hank Gargiulo pointed out, the door is wide-open for Coleman to get significant touches in his first NFL campaign:

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The Falcons return just 39 percent of their running back snaps from last year following the departures of Steven Jackson and Jacquizz Rodgers. Unlike the two teams that return a lower percentage of snaps -- the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles -- the Falcons did not sign a notable free agent to fill their need. Instead, Atlanta drafted Coleman in the third round to play alongside Devonta Freeman and Antone Smith.

"

The only foil to this plan? The fly in the ointment?

Everyone else believes it too.

Coleman is already creeping into the sixth round of fantasy drafts per the ADP info at Fantasy Pros. And unless we start hearing reports that Coleman is distancing himself from Freeman in the battle for the ball, his price tag in drafts looks to be on the high side.

Breshad Perriman, WR, Baltimore Ravens

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Last year at Central Florida, wide receiver Breshad Perriman showed the ability to run like a deer.

Unfortunately, Perriman also had bouts of catching like a deer—drops were a major issue for the 6'2", 212-pounder.

Well, CSN Baltimore's Clifton Brown has been watching Perriman closely in OTAs, and while Brown has seen plenty of things to like, there's one thing he hasn't witnessed.

A single dropped pass:

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So we’ve all talked about the drops, [but] we haven’t seen that in practice so far. That’s a good sign. The Ravens looked at this guy up and down before the draft and were convinced that dropping the football was not going to be a problem for him at the NFL level. If that’s the case, I think he’ll be a very good wide receiver.

"

Not only does Perriman have the ability to be a very good NFL receiver, but there's the potential for Perriman to also lead all rookie wideouts in fantasy points this season.

Torrey Smith is now in San Francisco. Tight end Owen Daniels is in Denver. Steve Smith is still in town, but he's 36 and tailed off badly over the second half of the 2014 season.

The targets will be there—if Perriman can take advantage of them.

Amari Cooper, WR, Oakland Raiders

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Amari Cooper of Alabama was the first wide receiver selected in the 2015 NFL draft. The Oakland Raiders took Cooper at No. 4 overall, hopeful that the 6'1", 203-pounder would pick up where he left off after tallying over 120 receptions and 1,700 receiving yards a year ago.

Well, so far so good.

According to ESPN.com's Adam Caplan, Cooper has been very much "the real deal" in practices. "Almost no mental errors. Runs great routes, consistent route-runner," Caplan tweeted.

Caplan's colleague Bill Williamson is on board, predicting recently that a long dry spell for Raiders wideouts could be coming to an end:

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Oakland hasn't had a 1,000-yard receiver since Randy Moss in 2005, so it is desperately looking for a receiver who can reach the milestone. If anyone in Oakland achieves the mark this season, I think it will be rookie Amari Cooper. The No. 4 overall pick will be Derek Carr's favorite target. This is a guy who caught 124 passes for 1,727 yards last year at Alabama. He is ready to breakout immediately.

"

The stars would appear to be aligned for Cooper. Quarterback Derek Carr showed flashes in his rookie season for the Raiders, but the youngster was hurting for a go-to guy. Cooper, who is easily the most polished of this year's top rookie receivers, should become that guy in short order.

The problem, as it often is with rookies, is that everyone loves the shiny new toy. Rookie are often overvalued in fantasy drafts, and this season the problem could be exacerbated by last year's rookie explosion at the position.

Cooper is already being taken as the 25th wide receiver off draft boards in PPR leagues, with an ADP of the first pick of Round 6.

By weight of comparison, last year's No. 25 PPR wideout, Philadelphia's Jordan Matthews of the Philadelphia Eagles, reeled in 67 catches for 872 yards and eight touchdowns.

Are those numbers reachable for Cooper? Yes.

Is expecting Cooper to significantly exceed them in an Oakland offense that ranked 26th in the NFL in passing last year reasonable?

Um, no.

DeVante Parker, WR, Miami Dolphins

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Sadly, not every impact being made by rookies in OTAs is a positive one.

In the case of DeVante Parker of the Miami Dolphins, far from it. In fact, Parker isn't making any impact at all—his absence is.

As Alex Marvez of Fox Sports reports, Parker, who averaged nearly 20 yards a catch at Louisville in 2014, will be sidelined up to eight weeks after undergoing surgery on his right foot:

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Parker, the No. 14 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, began feeling soreness in his foot -- the same one he had surgery on in college -- while running routes during Thursday's OTA session. Rather than take a conservative approach, Parker and the team felt that surgery was the best option for long-term health.

The Louisville product had a screw replaced during surgery. He should be able to return at some point during training camp, but the exact date is still up in the air. It's hopeful that he will play in the regular season opener.

"

It's that last part that's of particular interest to fantasy drafters.

It was bad enough that Parker was already battling for snaps and targets with a now-deep Miami receiving corps that includes Jarvis Landry, Kenny Stills, Greg Jennings and tight end Jordan Cameron.

Now, Parker could conceivably miss all of training camp. And possibly all of the preseason. David Chao, an orthopedic surgeon and former NFL team physician, told Andrew Abramson of the Palm Beach Post that the eight-week timetable for Parker's recovery might even be optimistic.

"Are they bone grafting him? If they are, that’s going to be longer than eight weeks," Chao explained. "If they’re just putting in a slightly bigger screw, you’ve got a chance at eight weeks, but I don’t know if it’s a guarantee."

And that's enough to all but drop Parker from consideration in redraft fantasy football leagues altogether.

Maxx Williams, TE, Baltimore Ravens

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It's a rarity for a rookie tight end to make a substantial fantasy dent. Last year's top rookie tight end in PPR formats, Jace Amaro of the New York Jets, finished the season 24th at his position.

Even Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots and Jimmy Graham of the Seattle Seahawks, easily this year's top two fantasy options at the position, were relatively quiet their first seasons in the NFL.

However, if there's a youngster who could buck that trend in 2015, it's likely Maxx Williams, who the Baltimore Ravens selected in the second round of this year's draft.

Quarterback Joe Flacco told Garrett Downing of the Ravens' website he's been impressed by what he's seen from Williams and fifth-rounder Nick Boyle in OTAs:

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The fact that we have a couple of young guys that we know can play and think can play – that’s going to be big. If everything works out the way we want to and expect it to, it’s going to give us a handful of years with it. I think they’re a huge part of the game.

They’re a huge outlet for me to be able to drop it to them and let them do their thing. Hopefully, they’ll prove to be huge.

"

The chips may be stacked against Williams making a big fantasy impact as a rookie, but consider this before writing him off completely.

Whether it was Todd Heap, Dennis Pitta or Owen Daniels, the tight end has always been a big part of a Flacco-led Ravens offense.

If Williams becomes one as well, his TE18 average draft position at Fantasy Pros is going to start looking awfully good in hindsight.

All fantasy scoring stats courtesy of FFToday.com unless otherwise stated.