With the NFL Draft now officially behind us, it’s time for the dynasty fantasy football community to start preparing for their 2025 rookie drafts. A ton of dynasty leagues will be drafting this weekend, giving managers about a week to analyze landing spots and formulate their strategies appropriately.
For superflex leagues (or leagues that have an extra flex spot that’s eligible for a running back, wide receiver, tight end or second quarterback), there’s an obvious expert consensus at the first overall selection, and that’s Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty. Even with Cam Ward going off the board first to the Tennessee Titans last weekend, Jeanty’s elite production at Boise State and perfect landing spot with Pete Carroll in Vegas makes him a slam-dunk for any manager currently holding pick No. 1.01 overall.
MORE: Saquon Barkley comparison sets Ashton Jeanty expectations even higher
But is Ward the slam-dunk selection at pick 1.02? That’s where things get debatable.
If your draft ends up going full chalk-mode, the top four picks will be Jeanty at No. 1, followed by some combination of Ward, Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton, and Carolina Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan. All of those players landed in ideal situations for fantasy production and would instantly improve any dynasty roster from Day 1.
But you could argue that Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter not only deserves a seat at the table, but has more upside than any of those players, outside of Jeanty.
How high should Travis Hunter go in superflex rookie drafts?
The uncertainty surrounding Hunter’s role in Jacksonville’s offense is the only reason why he’s not the consensus 1.02 pick among experts. The dynasty community isn’t yet sold that Hunter will be a full-time player on offense, and he’s thus falling to the 1.05 spot across most superflex formats. That makes Hunter arguably the biggest steal in dynasty rookie drafts, as his upside is off the charts if given a premier role in Liam Coen’s offense, as expected.
Marcus Mosher of 33rd Team recently mocked Hunter at pick 1.05 with this explanation:
The expectation was that Hunter would land with the Browns and be their de facto No. 1 receiver. But Cleveland moved that selection, and Hunter will now play in Jacksonville with Trevor Lawrence and Brian Thomas Jr. Hunter’s upside might be capped some playing with another bonafide No. 1 receiver. Still, the bump in quarterback play helps stabilize his value.
Hunter is worth a pick anytime after the top four selections, and you can make a strong argument that he should be picked at 1.04 ahead of Tetairoa McMillan. Hunter is riskier than most of the other first-round picks because he might end up being a full-time defensive player, but he is worth gambling on at this stage of the draft.
During Hunter’s introductory press conference, Coen announced that Hunter will start on offense while also handing a package of plays while learning the defense as a cornerback. If we’re taking that at face value — which we should, given how much draft capital the Jaguars gave up to land Hunter — there’s a case to be made that Hunter should be the pick at 1.02 in drafts, unless the team selecting there has a major need at quarterback.
📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
Jacksonville’s second selection in the draft was Tulane cornerback Caleb Ransaw (No. 88 overall). We also know the Jags like Jarrian Jones, a third-round pick by the previous regime last year, as he’s currently projected to kick outside opposite Tyson Campbell, with the recently signed Jourdan Lewis taking over the nickel spot.
Hunter should be able to help on defense, but all signs point toward a dynamic role in Coen’s offense. Hunter will be a play-caller’s dream, especially in the screen game, and you can bet that was in the back of Coen’s mind as Jacksonville finalized its blockbuster trade with the Browns. The team had glaring needs at the skill positions after parting ways with both Evan Engram and Christian Kirk, and that leaves plenty of potential targets for Hunter in what should be a great situation playing off Brian Thomas Jr. on the boundary.
Hunter should be a top-three pick in superflex rookie drafts. Anywhere outside of that range represents incredible value that managers should be thrilled to double-click into.
MORE: 3 bold predictions for Travis Hunter’s rookie year with Jaguars
Read the full article here
