The fantasy football season is here and rookie rankings are a great way to find sleeper picks and in 2014, names like Terrance West, Sammy Watkins, Brandin Cooks, Carlos Hyde, Devonta Freeman, Eric Ebron, Odell Beckham, Mike Evans and Jeremy Hill all could be solid draft picks and there are also players like Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles and Teddy Bridgewater that could be late season additions if they get starts.
The top part of the draft this year saw some big names that could make an impact, including Sammy Watkins and Mike Evans, as those players were taken in the top 10 and should end up as starting players. Kelvin Benjamin is also a name to keep an eye on at the WR position, while Brandin Cooks could end up as a huge sleeper this season. Watkins and his numbers may depend on how EJ Manuel plays, but his skills and speed are second to none in this draft class and he should be a strong draft option.
Terrance West has the chance to make an impact after a strong career at Towson and he could be one of the best fantasy picks as a rookie. Last season he had 2500 yards and a whopping 41 touchdowns and now he could translate into a sleeper back behind Ben Tate with the Browns. West has been wildly productive in his college career and now he has the chance to do it in the NFL in Cleveland.
Cooks could end up being the best pick of the entire first draft based on fit and system, as the explosive receiver from Oregon State is now with the Saints. Drew Brees now has another very fast player to run around on the turf in NO and Cooks comes in after making over 120 catches last season for 1,800 yards with the Beavers. Mike Evans and Sammy Watkins will be impact players this year as well and their seasons may depend on how well the quarterbacks they play with perform. Evans could put up huge numbers alongside Vincent Jackson in Tampa, while Watkins now is the big man in Buffalo after Mike Williams was traded.
Eric Ebron is a strong sleeper option, as he put up some great numbers last year and is as athletic as any tight end in the league. Freeman is a name that has continued to come up and he could be in the mix if the Falcons deal with injuries, as he had over 1,000 yards last season and also had 14 touchdowns on the year and he looks like he will be in the mix as a backup. Hyde is another back to look at, as the Niners have been looking for someone to lighten the load for Frank Gore. Last season Hyde had over 1500 yards with Ohio State and in the last two seasons he has scored 31 touchdowns.
Odell Beckham could be a game changer for the Giants, as Eli Manning needs to bounce back from a terrible 2013 campaign and Beckham could be a great addition after making 143 receptions for 2,340 yards and 12 touchdowns while in college.