Digging into This Year’s Rookie Class
Alright, fired up the laptop one rainy Tuesday after the draft hype finally died down. Coffee steaming, notebook ready. Needed to lock down my fantasy rookies, like, now. Teams already drafted, tape everywhere. My gut said Stroud looked solid, but my fantasy league last year? Total mess. Learned the hard way – gotta crunch numbers AND watch the tape.
The Slog Through Game Tape
First thing? Watched games. Like, a ton of games. Mostly Saturdays, spread out for weeks. Not gonna lie, it burned my eyes staring at that screen. Hunting for stuff the highlights miss. Can this receiver get open when the coverage is tight? Does that running back actually finish runs hard, or does he tap out early? Key stuff you only see if you watch every down.
Saw Stroud throwin’ lasers in crunch time, super calm. Bijan Robinson? Yeah, that dude cuts on a dime, made defenders look silly. Both popped immediately. Felt good about them. Added ’em straight to my shortlist.
Hitting the Combine Stats
Flipped open the combine results next. Needed to see how these guys actually move. Pulled up my spreadsheet – height, weight, 40 time, all that junk. Anthony Richardson? Freak show numbers. Dude jumped out the gym, ran like a receiver. But… watching his game? Inconsistent as hell. Raw. Knew he was risky, but that ceiling? Crazy high. Threw his name down. Needed at least one big swing.
Scouting Reports & The Noise
Got online, deep into scouting reports. Everyone shouting hot takes. Some loved Addison, others hated him. Saw people calling Levis overrated, or maybe a steal? Honestly, started getting dizzy. Filtered through the noise looking for real weaknesses, not just opinions. Found the common threads people actually agreed on.
Decided:
- C.J. Stroud: Felt like a safe bet. Smooth thrower.
- Bijan Robinson: Saw that elite vision myself. Every-down back.
- Anthony Richardson: Rolled the dice. That upside kept me awake.
- Jordan Addison: Route-running looked sharp. Sneaky good hands.
- Will Levis: Arm talent undeniable. Boom or bust backup plan.
Locking It Down & Lessons Learned
Finally shut the laptop. Took weeks of grinding tape, arguing online, double-checking stats. Was it perfect? Nah. Rookies are always a gamble. Maybe Addison gets lost on a depth chart, maybe Levis rides the bench. But seeing Stroud already slinging it week one? Made the long nights feel worth it.
Biggest takeaway? Gotta trust your own eyes first. Numbers matter, hype sucks, and watching the damn games beats everything. This list? Built it one snap, one stat, one deep dive at a time.
