Sifting through the debris to find something of value in fantasy football.
Last year’s New England Patriots were the worst combination in pro sports: bad and boring. They ranked 30th in total offense, 28th in passing and tied for last in scoring. The result was a complete reset. Gone are long-time head coach Bill Belichick, and former first-round quarterback Mac Jones, who was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a late-round pick.
In their place are new head coach Jerod Mayo, who hired Alex Van Pelt as offensive coordinator, and the quarterback tandem of veteran Jacoby Brissett and No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye. Eliot Wolf took over the de facto GM role from Belichick, and he stated there’ll be “more reliance on playing young players” this season. So, what does that mean for passing game?
Which rookies have the most long-term fantasy football value?
Looking for fantasy football rookie rankings for your dynasty or partial-keeper league? We have you covered.
Of course, injuries and radical personnel changes cannot be forecasted with much certainty. Variations in league settings and scoring formats notwithstanding, here are snapshot rankings depicting how the top rookies stack up for the long haul.
Polk worked his way up to starting in the 2023 National Championship
Ja’Lynn Polk committed to Texas Tech as a freshman but was just a part of a revolving committee for wide receivers and transferred to Washington the next year. He injured his clavicle on his first play and missed nine games, while Rome Odunze (41-415-3) and Jalen McMillen (39-470-3) were the top receivers.
In 2022, Michael Penix Jr. took over as the starting quarterback and the Husky passing offense instantly flourished. While both Odunze and McMillen were still the top receivers, Polk started to exert his potential with 41 catches for 694 yards and six scores.
Polk finally came into his own as a senior, logging 69 catches for 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns. That was still second to Odunze (92-1,640-13), but Polk overtook McMillen as the No. 2 receiver in Washington’s high-powered passing offense that reached the National Championship.
Along with the rest of the Huskies’ passing offense, Polk enters the NFL draft and is expected to be a Day 2 selection.
Table: Ja’Lynn Polk NCAA stats (2020-23)
Year
School
Games
Catch
Yards
Avg.
TD
Rush
Yards
TD
2020
Texas Tech
10
28
264
9.4
2
0
0
0
2021
Washington
3
5
114
22.8
1
0
0
0
2022
Washington
13
41
694
16.9
6
1
15
0
2023
Washington
15
69
1159
16.8
9
4
32
1
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Pros
Versatile and equally effective in the slot or on the outside.
Big-play receiver with a 17.1 YPC on his 115 catches with the Huskies
Large catch radius along with top ball-tracking skills
Precise route runner who consistently tacks on extra yards after the catch
While slender in build, has the strength and size to compete for the ball and superior hands that will not drop or fumble
Cons
Occasional lapses in concentration
Needs more experience in expanding route tree and competing against press coverage after playing as one of several talented receivers in a pass-heavy offense
Marginal blocker
Fantasy Outlook
Polk is a natural receiver that has responded well when given a higher volume of targets. He can fit into any offense in any receiving role, and while he may not be truly elite in any single area so far, he’s very good in everything and has no real weaknesses. If he lands in a pass-heavy offense, he is at his best when facing man coverage.
He’s big enough to be a red-zone weapon, fast and strong enough to do damage from anywhere on the field. A lack of top-end speed may limit him from being a common deep threat but Polk is a solid target with burst and strength.
He’s like a Round 2 selection which means he’ll end up with a team looking to add him immediately into the receiving equation. He’s potentially linked to the Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Tennessee Titans, and New England Patriots. If the Cards skip on taking Marvin Harrison Jr. with their first-round pick, Polk is a likely option and would land him in an offense with an above-average quarterback.
Polk may never be a Top-10 fantasy wideout, but he brings plenty of talent and upside to any NFL team and should become a fantasy starter if only eventually.
