Fantasy Football Prospects in the 2007 NFL Draft

Just as NFL Teams are preparing for the 2007 NFL Draft, the prudent fantasy football players are already preparing for their fantasy drafts. This year’s rookie class will have some excellent NFL prospects that should draw interest from fantasy football players, especially if they play in a keeper league, that allows them to keep the same players from year to year. Here is a look at some future NFL rookies that could score some serious points in the next few years.

1. WR Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech:
Fantasy Football lists usually start with quarterbacks and running backs, but a player with Johnson’s talent doesn’t come around very often. He will be a bigger, stronger and faster version of Randy Moss without the character problems. Johnson will start from day one, and be his team’s go-to receiver the moment he steps on the field. Too big and strong for a cornerback to cover, and way to fast for a safety, he will be an awesome target around the goal line at 6’ 5” tall, and will also be a deep threat with 4.38 speed.

2. RB Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma:
Peterson has similar all world talent as Calvin Johnson, the only question is his durability, he has missed significant time in his college career with injuries. Peterson has the size at 6’ 1” 217 pounds, and the speed (4.40) to be scoring threat from anywhere on the field. Like Calvin Johnson, he will drafted very early in the 2007 NFL Draft, and will immediately be his teams franchise back.

3. QB JaMarcus Russell, LSU
Probably drafted 1st over-all in the 2007 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders, Russell will probably start from day one and could have immediate success. He sees the field well standing at 6’ 6” 265 pounds and has a cannon for an arm, he will throw a lot of beautiful deep balls. Maybe not as a rookie, but should be an elite fantasy prospect for years to come.

4. RB Marshawn Lynch, California
Lynch might just be the best fantasy value in this draft, because he will probably be available in the middle (fantasy) rounds, but like the prospects mentioned above, Lynch will be drafted in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft and will be his teams featured, franchise back. Lynch measures in at 5’ 11” 214 pounds and runs a 4.46 second forty yard dash. The advantage he has over Adrian Peterson is he is such a great receiver coming out of the backfield he will rarely come off the field.

5. RB/FB Brian Leonard, Rutgers
I really like Leonard’s fantasy potential, most fantasy owners will over look this player, but Leonard should be an excellent scoring machine. He has the size to be a power back near the end zone, the hands to catch the ball in a lot of screens, and the speed to score at will. He was used at Rutgers almost exclusively as a fullback, but still managed to score 13 touchdowns in the last three years.

6. WR Robert Meachem, Tennessee
Another very under-rated prospect, only a junior as he enters the 2007 NFL Draft but he is seemingly getting better by leaps and bounds. Meachem will be a star in the NFL if he stays healthy, and should be an early first round draft pick. He could even be the second receiver off the board after all-world Calvin Johnson. Meachem has butter soft hands, runs great routes and has excellent size at 6’ 2” 214 pounds, did I mention he also runs a legitimate 4.43 second 40 yard dash.

6. RB Kenny Irons, Auburn
The talent level drops a little at this point, Irons will not be a first round draft pick, but he could be drafted early in the second round by an already good NFL team. Irons will probably not be his teams featured back as a rookie, but he will definitely see significant playing time and he has the talent to be productive in the NFL.