Fantasy Football 2021: Where Should Trevor Lawrence, Top Rookies Be Drafted?

Trevor Lawrence enters the 2021 NFL season as the most notable rookie. But when it comes to fantasy football, he will not hold that crown.

A rookie quarterback coming into a one-win team from 2020 does not carry as much fantasy value as a running back or wide receiver entering a squad with an established offense in place.

Lawrence could still achieve success with the Jacksonville Jaguars, but at the start of the year, he will be valued much lower than Najee Harris, Ja'Marr Chase and others because of his situation.

Jacksonville has a lot of building to do around Lawrence in Urban Meyer's first season as head coach, and we may not see the full identity of the team until the middle of the season.

Harris may end up as the highest-drafted rookie because he should be the Pittsburgh Steelers' feature back. A case could be made for Chase and other wideouts to be chosen high as well given their expected roles.

Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville

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Jacksonville has put together a decent roster around Lawrence, but it is far from the best in the NFL.

Lawrence's Clemson teammate Travis Etienne was added to the running back room that includes James Robinson and Carlos Hyde.

At wide receiver, the Jags added Marvin Jones Jr. for more experience around DJ Chark Jr. and Laviska Shenault Jr. Jones is coming off his best receiving-yard total in three seasons. He acted as the Detroit Lions' No. 1 wideout after Kenny Golladay was injured, but there should be concerns that he can be the top guy in Jacksonville.

Jones has a single 1,000-yard season in his career. He could be more reliable as a scoring threat since he has nine touchdowns in each of the past two seasons.

Chark and Shenault combined for 1,306 receiving yards in 2020, and Robinson developed into a strong asset in the passing game with 344 yards on 49 receptions.

Lawrence's chemistry with Etienne should also help him in the passing game as the two get settled in the NFL.

While there is promise for Jacksonville to improve, Lawrence does not have a clear-cut No. 1 wide receiver, and he lacks the talent at tight end that other top quarterbacks have. Tyler Eifert only had 349 yards and two scores in 2020.

Lawrence should have mid-round fantasy draft value, but he should not be the first or second target when August rolls around. If you are willing to wait to choose Lawrence as your top guy, you need to make sure you have strong depth at running back and wide receiver in case he struggles early.

Until we see how Jacksonville's offense functions, Lawrence is a strong backup candidate with the potential to grow into the No. 1 guy on fantasy rosters by the time the season ends.

In 12-team leagues, Lawrence should go off the board between the eighth and 10th rounds, but there is always the potential of him going earlier if someone wants to bank on his potential.

Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh

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A strong argument will be made for Harris to be the first rookie off the board in most fantasy drafts.

Pittsburgh's first-round pick could have a similar impact as the Kansas City Chiefs' Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who was drafted in the 2020 first round and skyrocketed up fantasy value charts because of his role in the offense.

The Steelers lost James Conner in free agency and have an aging Ben Roethlisberger under center. That is the perfect formula for Harris to earn an abundance of carries.

In 2020, the Steelers ran the ball 373 times. Conner and Benny Snell Jr. both had more than 100 carries. Anthony McFarland Jr. chipped in with 33 touches.

Snell and McFarland should play secondary roles to Harris in the Pittsburgh offense, which is why the Alabama product should be thought of highly in fantasy rankings.

Harris may not warrant a first-round pick with Christian McCaffrey, Dalvin Cook and many other top running backs available, but he could be chosen in the second wave of players from that position.

A second-round choice is not out of question for Harris given how much the Steelers will likely run the ball because of Roethlisberger's limitations downfield in the passing game.

Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati

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Chase has an opportunity to flourish in Cincinnati because of his collegiate connection with Joe Burrow and the Bengals' propensity to throw the ball.

In 2020, Zac Taylor's team attempted 581 passes, with 404 of them coming from Burrow before he suffered his torn ACL. Burrow averaged a little more than 40 passes per game in his 10 starts. He produced 268.8 yards per game and 10.2 yards per completion.

Chase will face competition for passes from Tyler Boyd and Tee Higgins, but he should benefit from how often the Bengals put the ball in the air.

Any hesitancy in drafting Chase in the middle rounds is attached to Burrow's recovery from his torn ACL. If the second-year signal-caller is ready go to for Week 1, Chase's value could go up. If a backup starts the season or if Burrow needs a week or two to find a rhythm, Chase's value could suffer in September while DeVonta Smith, Jaylen Waddle and others potentially get off to fast starts.

When Burrow is healthy, Chase could see a high total of targets and receptions. Three Cincinnati receivers had more than 100 targets in 2020, and five earned 40 or more catches.

With that in mind, Chase carries solid value anywhere after the seventh or eighth round. His draft stock could rise or fall depending on Burrow's medical reports this summer.

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference.