Roundtable: Stock Up in Early March

Photo: Imagn Images

Combine week is when the NFL draft process hits high gear. Here at Footballguys, we have wall-to-wall coverage of the event. Official size measurements and athletic testing help fill out the profile. The ultimate result is the release of Update 2.0 of The 2023 Rookie Draft Guide. Setting the stage, we gathered the staff for questions.

Who is a player whose stock is trending up for you going into the NFL Combine?

QB Anthony Richardson, Florida

Christian Williams - Richardson is the most straightforward answer here. While many have projected him in the late-first round for the last few months, it's more likely that he's gone in the Top 10. The NFL Combine will only help his case, as his elite size, speed, and arm strength will be on full display. Those traits give him the highest upside of any quarterback prospect in the draft and could be what propels him into the Top 5 by the time the NFL Draft rolls around.

Kevin Coleman - You must view Richardson as a player whose stock is trending up. There is a considerable amount of buzz about him as a prospect, and from a fantasy perspective, he offers a ton of upside at the position and is one of the best athletes in the draft class. His arm strength is also a strength of his, and he can throw the ball anywhere on the field. If he can go into the Combine and showcase his strengths, we could see him as the biggest riser in the quarterback class.

RB Devon Achane, Texas A&M

Jay Stein - Achane has a nearly perfect profile except for one thing, he is very light, only weighing 185 pounds. Typically, his weight would be a deal breaker for me, but I think the community is starting to come around. Especially if you remain grounded in what he can and cannot be. He will not be a three-down workhorse back, but if he goes to the right situation, a part of an effective committee, I can see Achane thriving in the NFL. He is a 21-year-old, early declare, that will likely get day two or better draft capital and will run a 40-time in the 4.3s or maybe even faster. Most in the fantasy community will be slightly lower on him because of his weight, but his stock is rising.

RB Kendre Miller, TCU

Kyle Yates - The running back from TCU, is a player that's being slept on by the majority of major networks out there. He's an incredibly well-rounded running back that has the size (220 lbs) to handle a massive workload in the NFL, and I believe he's going to test a lot better than people expect. Don't be shocked if he starts to rise up draft boards by the time the NFL Combine wraps up.

RB Roschon Johnson, Texas

Chad Parsons - For the general marketplace, Anthony Richardson is gaining steam, and that will not stop post-NFL Combine. His combination of size, movement, rushing upside, and arm strength is alluring for NFL teams and fantasy managers. My choice is more under the radar in Roschon Johnson, Texas, running back. Prototypically sized, Johnson should test well, and his lack of production is easily explained by living in the giant shadow of Bijan Robinson. Johnson currently has a Day 3 projection, but I would not be surprised if he ends up on Day 2 and possibly top-15 for rookie drafts with his size-movement combination.

RB Tyjae Spears, Tulane

Dan Hindery - Spears is a player I am getting increasingly excited about. He can fly, has great balance, and looks good as a receiver. There were a couple of reservations about him that were cleared up at the Senior Bowl. First, according to reports from people there, he stood out in pass protection drills. That's a key skill for a guy who you hope can at least earn third-down snaps in the NFL. Second, he weighed in at 204 pounds. While not an ideal weight for a lead back, it is big enough and 10 pounds heavier than his listed weight. He has the skills to be a guy who plays over half the snaps and takes the majority of the passing down work, which is the profile you have to pay the closest attention to if you are playing in PPR leagues. As someone who is already drafting a lot of best ball teams, I have been targeting Spears aggressively in the 12th round, and he is one of my most drafted players.

Chad and Christian mentioned Anthony Richardson, and if I could pick two, he would be on my list. He has an obvious fantasy upside even as a rookie and is another player who I have been targeting multiple rounds ahead of his ADP in early best ball drafts.

WR Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee

Ben Cummins - NFL passing offenses need speed to force the defense to cover the entire field and to increase their playmaking ability. Jalin Hyatt has tons of it and will be the talk of the town after he blows up the Combine. Hyatt has height (around 6-foot-0) to go with his blazing wheels and put five touchdowns on tape in one game against Alabama of all teams last season.

WR Josh Downs, North Carolina

Jason Wood - It's hard to say any player's stock is rising or falling before the NFL combine and campus pro days, but I am increasingly intrigued by Josh Downs, the uber-productive receiver from UNC. I don't have him in my Top 5 at the position right now, nor do any of the well-known draft pundits, but it's hard to ignore 195 catches in two seasons in one of the best conferences in the nation. If Downs, whose athleticism and measurables are still a question mark, shows well at the Combine and is faster than feared, he could squarely work his way into an early Day 2 position.

TE Dalton Kincaid, Utah

Alfredo Brown - Every fantasy player is looking for the next Travis Kelce or Rob Gronkowski - now, I'm not saying Kincaid is definitely that guy, but he's got the tools to make it happen. While a lot of attention has been on Michael Mayer, aka "Baby Gronk," Kincaid has been a recent riser. Kincaid, my TE1 in this class, led all the draft eligible in: receptions, receiving yards, & total yards after catch. When it comes to the tight end position in fantasy, athleticism, and yards after the catch matter a lot - think of Kelce, Andrews, Goedert, Hockenson, and any other top fantasy tight end. If you don't trust me, just listen to one of the biggest voices in the draft community. One of the NFL Draft's most plugged-in and respected analysts, Daniel Jeremiah, recently ranked Kincaid as his TE1 and ninth overall player. Jeremiah even went as far as to select Kincaid at pick 15 in his most recent mock draft.

EDGE Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech

Jeff Bell - NFL Network's Jeremiah made waves putting Wilson over Alabama edge Will Anderson in his Mock Draft 2.0. Jeremiah was an early mover on Travon Walker in 2022, and this placement deserves consideration. Wilson is a scheme-independent prototype edge at 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds. Wilson's versatility defines his game; he can hold the edge as a 3-4 linebacker or shift inside as a three-technique in pass-rushing packages. Wilson can position himself behind Jalen Carter as the second most valuable position player in the draft.

EDGE Myles Murphy, Clemson

Joseph Haggan - Defensive End Myles Murphy from Clemson is a guy who is really opening my eyes leading up to the draft. Murphy packs an NFL-ready frame at 6-foot-5 and 275 pounds, with athleticism for days. He may not have the eye-popping stats some other prospects have, but he can win with speed and power. Murphy is scheme versatile and would be a nightmare mark for an offensive lineman as a 275-pound outside linebacker in a base 4-3. Murphy could move into top 10 pick talk in the upcoming draft if he tests off the chart.

LB Daiyan Henley, Washington State

Kyle Bellefeuil- The incoming linebacker group isn't viewed as one of the strengths of this draft class, but Daiyan Henley, out of Washington State, is a player making some noise. A former wide receiver, Henley's athleticism is easy to see on tape, and there's an intriguing upside to his game. Although, as a position convert, Henley is still developing as a box defender. Henley helped his case with an impressive showing at the Senior Bowl, showcasing his range and excelling in coverage drills during practices in Mobile. If Henley tests as well as expected at the Combine, his draft stock should continue to rise.

LB Trenton Simpson, Clemson

Gary Davenport- Simpson is an athletic marvel—a 6-foot-3, 240-pounder who benches 375 pounds, has a 35" vertical, and reportedly runs the 40 in the high 4.3s with a 10-yard split of 1.5 seconds. Were it not for concerns about his ability to shed blocks, Simpson would already be a first-round prospect. Suppose he can back up those testing numbers in Indianapolis. In that case, it's not hard to imagine him working himself into the Round 1 conversation, especially with teams like the Eagles and Cowboys both picking at the back of the round with a clear need at linebacker. In the 21st century, the linebacker position in the NFL is all about range—and Simpson has that all day long.