ASK THE EXPERTS appears weekly from training camp through the Super Bowl with answers to a new question being posted Thursday morning. How the guest experts responded when we asked them: Now that you've had a chance to see most of them, which 2019 rookie do you believe will have the best career?
JUSTIN ELEFF
Daniel Jones looks very good, and I hope it’s him because I can’t wait to hear the same draftniks who were killing the pick describe Dave Gettleman as some kind of visionary genius. But for fantasy purposes it probably isn’t a quarterback, and Jones himself probably falls short of the best Mahomes-era passers and won’t run for multiple touchdowns on a regular basis. So I’ll say there’s an excellent chance the fantasy star of the class hasn’t emerged yet. It could be that T.J. Hockenson eventually makes Week 1 look like his norm, or that David Montgomery or almost any other runner steps way up, or even that undrafted Preston Williams becomes a franchise receiver once the Dolphins have churned the roster around him. (Speaking of AFC East teams churning their rosters, watch it be Patriots wide receiver N’Keal Harry.) This was always sold as a deep draft that was light on early-round skill position talent. I’m not sure we’ve seen anything yet.
Eleff hosts the Fantasy Index Podcast, available in the iTunes Store now. He has worked for Fantasy Index off and on all century.
MIKE NAZAREK
This may be a bit of a homer pick, since the Giants are my team, but rookie quarterback Daniel Jones really impressed me in his debut. I think he has a real chance to be a star in this league!
Nazarek is the CEO of Fantasy Football Mastermind Inc. His company offers a preseason draft guide, customizable cheat sheets, a multi-use fantasy drafting program including auction values, weekly in-season fantasy newsletters, injury reports and free NFL news (updated daily) at its mobile-friendly web site. He has been playing fantasy football since 1988 and is a four-peat champion of the SI.com Experts Fantasy League, a nationally published writer in several fantasy magazines and a former columnist for SI.com. He's also won in excess of $20K in recent seasons of the FFPC High Stakes Main Event. www.ffmastermind.com. Nazarek can be reached via email at miken@ffmastermind.com.
DAVID DOREY
While the 2019 NFL draft served up several promising rookies, years from now we will still be talking about Kyler Murray who brings a dual threat to the quarterback position for the Cardinals. This year will be uneven on a rebuilding team and it’s tough being in the same division as the 49ers, Rams, and Seahawks. But Murray is building chemistry with Christian Kirk and making use of the ageless Larry Fitzgerald. There are many fine rookies this year, but long-term, Murray holds the greatest value.
Dorey has been dealing out all the rankings and projections for The Huddle since 1997 and wrote up a preview of every game for the last 21 years. His specialty is schedule strength and he’s been in countless magazines, podcasts, and radio shows. He is the author of Fantasy Football: The Next Level.
ALAN SATTERLEE
It feels like sort of a trap question, but after last week’s amazing game and what he did in pre-season I think I have to say Daniel Jones. T.J. Hockenson also looks like he could be a top tight end for years to come.
Satterlee is the Fantasy Football Insider for the Charlotte Observer and is syndicated in a few other newspapers in the southeast. Satterlee first started playing fantasy football in 1990.
MICHAEL NEASE
There are many impressive rookies thus far that we have seen to varying extents over the last three weeks. In over 60 years of watching many spectacular players, I think that Daniel Jones' come-from-behind, four touchdown game resulting in a 32-31 surprise win over the Buccaneers gives him an edge over other sensational rookies. I cannot recall any rookie quarterback winning over his own team and an angry, frustrated fan-base in such a spectacular manner with a clutch, first performance that was as good as it gets. The Giants played him in desperation and he delivered in a big way.
Nease is a member of the FSWA and has been playing the game since 1985, while also writing about it since 2001. He is a writer for Big Guy Fantasy Sports. Over the years he has sampled about all the playing scenarios that fantasy football offers, including re-drafter, keeper, dynasty, auction, IDP and salary cap leagues. You can contact Mike at mnease23@yahoo.com anytime and during the football season follow him @mike-insights.
ANDY RICHARDSON
I'm sold on Kyler Murray. He's taking too many sacks and there haven't been as many touchdowns as you want to see, but he looks poised and comfortable running that offense -- eventually, wins and team success will come. I've been going around picking up Zane Gonzalez and viable receivers wherever I can; looks like the offense is going to be putting up yards and points on a regular basis. Schedule hasn't even been particularly favorable yet, but it gets better. As for non-quarterbacks, it's hard to ignore what Terry McLaurin is doing. I threw a third-round pick at him in a rookie draft in my main dynasty league without having a lot of optimism, I just knew he had a chance to emerge as the No. 1 given that roster. And he certainly has.
Richardson has been a contributing writer and editor to the Fantasy Football Index magazine and www.fantasyindex.com since 2002. His responsibilities include team defense and IDP projections and various site features, and he has run the magazine's annual experts draft and auction leagues since their inception. He previews all the NFL games on Saturdays and writes a wrap-up column on Mondays during the NFL season.