Fantasy Football Rankings: NFL Draft Bonanza

Every keeper league is different. Some owners might have a cap on how long they can keep a guy, while other leagues might have an unlimited time for keeping players. The latter type will mean that rookies that could bust out in 2013 or 2014 might have some intriguing draft-day value. So with that idea in mind, I put together a list of every single player that was drafted this weekend based on how I see them going in keeper leagues. While opportunity trumps talent in redraft leagues, it's more important to grab a talented guy with earlier keeper picks. For example, Justin Blackmon is a stud and he'll improve once he gets a better QB. If the Jaguars gave Matt Barkley next year, the Blackmon-Barkley connection could be one of the best in the league.

The undrafted free agents are not in this list either. That'll be another column for another day. Alright, here we go:

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The following is a list of all the players drafted and they're ranked according to their potential keeper value. Of course, these ranks are subject to change. Hopefully it'll provide some food for thought. Enjoy:

Notes on the backs

Quick note: Backs get a little bit of favoritism in these ranks since they can really come out of the blue and become studs. Arian Foster? What?

Isaiah Pead- Fantasy owners weren’t quite sure who would be the handcuff for Steven Jackson last year, but it looks like we may have an answer to that question this year. The Rams grabbed the Bearcat w ith the 50th pick and he figures to be the favorite for the backup role. S-Jax also reportedly asked to restructure his contract or he could request a trade (those rumors were shot down), so that would make Pead an even more appealing during drafts that take place before August. The Rams have so many holes on their team that it’s unlikely that they’d be willing to spend another early pick on a back. Pead is likely going to be the main ball carrier post S-Jax even though he might not be a featured guy.

Ronnie Hillman- Hillman was discussed on Sunday, but he certainly won’t be the fifth back for redraft leagues. He’s ranked high for keeper leagues for the upside. The Broncos stated that they were looking for another back to complement Willis and they opted to go with Hillman. Willis is under contract for three more years after signing an extension at just $9.5 million over the total four years. The relatively cheap contract gives Denver the option to have Willis as the backup. If Hillman can have a big impact, Willis could back become the backup he was for Ray Rice in Baltimore. Denver will score points and if the San Diego State product can become the lead back, he’d likely be a top-25 back for 2013.

LaMichael James- If there’s one that we learned from watching James play at Oregon, it’s that he can make plays. He’s way undersized and hasn’t been very durable, which explains why he went in the second round to San Fran. James is going to have a really tough time getting snaps behind Pro-Bowl RB Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter, a back that proved he is a more than capable backup. James is an interesting player because of his play-making ability and he will draw the obvious comparisons to Darren Sproles.

Lamar Miller- Miller is currently behind Reggie Bush and Daniel Thomas for carries at the tailback spot. While Bush had a career year, Thomas fell on his face after looking like the future workhorse to start the year. Thomas averaged a putrid 2.4 YPC in his last four games while Reggie Bush was tearing it up to the tune of 6.25 YPC in his last four games in 2011. Miller was always viewed as a talented guy, but the shoulder injury he suffered caused him to slip a little bit in the draft.

Chris Rainey- Rashard Mendenhall’s torn ACL gives Rainey a decent chance to produce for the 2012 season. Rainey will be the understudy to Isaac Redman off the bat and he’ll have a chance to usurp the starting duties. Rainey ran a 4.45 40-yard time and seems like his floor is to be third-down back since Mewelde Moore remains a free agent.

Terrence Ganaway- The Jets needed a running back desperately and it was somewhat surprising that they waited until the sixth round to pounce. They decided on the 240-pound bruiser from Baylor and he’ll be in a favorable spot in training camp. Shonn Greene is far from safe by struggling to pick up the tough yards all year and looking much weaker in the second halves of games. The Jets have not made it a secret that they’ll be trying to wear down their opponents with the ground game and one would think that Ganaway could do a better job of that than the 225-pound Greene. Ganaway will need a strong camp, but it’s not a huge stretch to think he might be the top back by December or for 2013.

Thanks for reading! We'll do notes on he wide receivers next.