In this series for the Dynasty Nerds, the staff will take a rookie draft pick-by-pick and evaluate who they would select. Each pick will take into account other players on the board, how the team build can affect the pick and possibly change the pick, and also the trade value of the pick.
We are operating under the assumption that the league is a SuperFlex league with a tight-end premium scoring format.
The 1.05 Pick
With the SuperFlex format for this league, I have chosen to go with the safest pick and nabbed my next quarterback on the list, J.J. McCarthy. Heading into the NFL draft, McCarthy was seen as a major unknown. He brings an incredible resume yet has put very little on film from a statistical perspective.
Many will say that I should have gone with Drake Maye, but for me, it is hard to beat the situation Minnesota has put McCarthy in. He will inherit a talented squad from his predecessor Kirk Cousins. The Vikings have potentially the best receiver in the NFL with Justin Jefferson. He is complimented by talented sophomore Jordan Addison and one of the best tight ends in the game with T.J. Hockinson. Throw in a capable pass-catching running back with Aaron Jones, and you have a fantastic recipe for success.
Despite his youth and lack of big-time college numbers, McCarthy comes with the highest recommendations from former first round pick Jim Harbaugh. J.J. has operated an NFL system while at Michigan and should have a smooth transition to the league.
HOW ABOUT MINNESOTA!?!?
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) April 26, 2024
📺: @NFLNetwork pic.twitter.com/j7oND0A15N
Given his high-end talent and the amazing situation he was brought into, J.J. McCarthy has shot up my draft board, leap-frogging Maye, who we will discuss in a moment. McCarthy has top-end talent around him, an offensive-minded head coach, and an athletic profile that will allow him to chip in with some rushing yards to boot. He can offer long-term QB2 value, which is solid gold in dynasty drafts.
Who Else Should You Consider?
At this point in the draft, there are a number of really good prospects you have to choose from. We can begin with the obvious contenders, the other first-round quarterbacks. Most people, especially when considering a quarterback, would lean towards Maye. I have a hard time trusting the Patriots after seeing how they handled the Mac Jones situation. I know this is technically a new regime, but Mayo was a close disciple of his predecessor.
You could also go with the next in a series of talented WRs at this point in the draft. Whether your flavor is Ladd McConkey, Rome Odunze, or Brian Thomas, there are a number of high-end prospects who boast first-round NFL draft capital behind them. I personally lean towards the quarterback at this point in the draft because I feel that I will have a much easier time finding a talented WR in the second round.
Finally, even though it is still very early, you should give some consideration to the top RB and TE in this year’s class. Jonathan Brooks and Brock Bowers. Brooks has a clear path to the top of the Panthers depth chart. Dynasty managers are always in need of young starting RBs. Bowers, on the other hand, is an elite pass-catching prospect at the TE position. I couldn’t fault someone for going in one of these directions, but I would stick to my guns at the QB position due to its overall higher upside and safe situation as a Top-10 first-round NFL pick.
Should You Trade The 1.05?
This is a near-impossible question to answer without assessing the individual team looking to move the pick. If you are looking for an immediate boost at your QB2 spot with a chance to develop, I would be hard-pressed to move off of the 1.05. Sure, you could look to move back a couple of picks and still pick up Maye or Bo Nix. There could be something to be said for that strategy, however, if I wanted to gamble on a lesser supporting class I would have taken Maye in the first place.
If I am a contender and would like to find a better bet for immediate production, I would certainly consider moving the pick. Jared Goff stands out as a player we here at Dynasty Nerds have ranked behind McCarthy. Goff would be an immediate high-end QB2 with a dynamic supporting cast and a track record to stand on. Who knows, you might even get something thrown in on top of the deal.
The Final Word
Overall, I am pretty happy about this pick. Some will definitely see it as going out on a limb or attempting to be contrarian. However, as important as a quarterback is, he can only do so much without help from his teammates. I would argue that aside from Williams, no quarterback went to as good a spot as McCarthy.
The Vikings have assembled one of the best position groups in the entire NFL to help ease their new franchise signal caller into the saddle. I’m not sure if he will start immediately like Nix is slated to, but he will surely get some serious playing time at some point this year. McCarthy understands NFL concepts and boasts enticing athletic measurables to boot. This article series is all about attacking the draft. I believe in getting my guy no matter what the consensus. For my money, the Vikings landing spot is more than enough to vault the former National Champion Quarterback to my No.5 overall pick in the 2024 SuperFlex draft.
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One Response
I really wish there was at least some commentary on this spot in 1QB leagues. I realize this team’s focus is superflex and that’s fine, but given how tricky a spot this is for 1QB it would be helpful to give more perspective on this format.