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 1.10 Pick
Drafting in the ninth and tenth spots this year is unusually consistent. Typically, the top four quarterbacks are gone, along with the top three wide receivers and Brock Bowers. The order changes occasionally, but those eight are consistently taken in the top eight spots. After those eight, there’s another tier, and that’s where we’re at.
So what makes Worthy so great? It’s not just the record-setting 40-yard dash time. And while you might hear comps to top-speed players who ultimately busted in the NFL, he has something they don’t: a fantastic production profile.
Worthy broke out as a true freshman and continued through his three years at Texas. He did so alongside second-round wide receiver Adonai Mitchell and fourth-round tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders. And also with some questionable quarterback play. Worthy sometimes struggles against press coverage but is excellent against zone and is a big play in waiting.
Who Else Should I Consider?
Before the draft, Thomas was in a tier of his own for many, and some may still see him that way. I have him in a cluster alongside Worthy, Jonathon Brooks, and Bo Nix. Positional scarcity tempts me to go after the quarterback. That said, Nix will likely be relied upon as an on-time pocket passer in that Denver system, and that style of play isn’t great for fantasy.
Worthy would likely perform best playing off the line of scrimmage and being used in pre-snap motion, which Kansas City has done heavily with other receivers. Where he separates himself is in his deep ball game. Worthy has excellent ball tracking and the fine motor skills to adjust mid-run to get exactly where he needs to be for that ball to find him. KC has lacked that “could go anywhere” kind of receiver as of late but I think they’ve found their guy.
Michael Penix is an option, but as we get further away from the draft his stock has seemed to plummet. I like him, but it’s unlikely he will earn the starting spot over Kirk Cousins in the immediate future. There’s a solid chance of him dropping to me in the next round. Thomas is a fantastic option as an athletic marvel, but he was selected just before my pick. That narrows it down to Carolina running back Brooks and Kansas City wide receiver Worthy.
While we were expecting a bad RB class this year, it’s clear that the NFL didn’t totally feel the same. Brooks was selected by the Panthers in the second round and is likely to make a fantasy impact immediately. With Chuba Hubbard being his biggest competition, I could see Brooks taking over the backfield before the season even begins.
Worthy, on the other hand, is just a hair more enticing.
Should You Trade Away the 1.10?
As much as I like Worthy as a prospect, he is not a “must draft” guy. As I mentioned above, I have him in a tier alongside Brooks, Thomas, and Nix. If you’re just looking to drop back a few positions and you aren’t desperate at wide receiver, it’s not a bad spot to trade out of. Even in the next tier down, there are several viable wide receivers, and the trade value of the 1.10 is exceptional.
Currently, KeepTradeCut lists the 1.10 as having a value of 5051 in Superflex, TE premium formats.
As much as I like Worthy, I would be inclined to accept outright trades for most of the players listed above. It doesn’t make much sense to forgo proven assets for a rookie who’s going to be the second receiving option at best for the foreseeable future. That said, if someone is willing to pay the “shiny new toy” tax, I will gladly let them.
The Final Word
Over the past two years, the Kansas City Chiefs have been trying to find a replacement for Tyreek Hill. Even before his departure to Miami, the team struggled with finding a reliable third receiving option. They’ve picked up multiple vets in free agency and spent two second-round picks on receivers in both years since, with little luck.
This year, however, the Chiefs not only spent a first-round pick on a wide receiver but traded up to get their guy. Ricky Pearsall, Xavier Legette, Keon Coleman, and Ladd McConkey were all on the board at that time. While most of them would have made it to 32, they felt that he was such a step up from those others that he was worth trading up to 28. The actions of a front office speak volumes, and I’m all ears.
I’d like to take a moment to bring one extra little note. Mahomes gives his receivers inherent value for fantasy. That KC next to a player’s name improves their stock. Now, there’s always a chance that Worthy becomes a high-ceiling, low-floor weekly play, which isn’t ideal. The nice thing, though, is that if he shows signs of being a boom/bust player, there may be a way to get out before his value drops.
If he has a lot of up-and-down weeks but finishes rather high on the season due to touchdowns or a Rice suspension, etc, his value should increase. Any production is seen as good production when it’s tied to Patrick Mahomes. So, if you watch the type of production he provides next year, you can likely find a trade partner. One who will only see the end-of-year results and a Chiefs logo next to his name willing to pay a premium price. Again, this is not a major point, but it is a nice little safety net in case things don’t work out.
Get ready for your rookie draft with the DynastyGM!! Rankings, trade calculator, league analyzer, and much more. Just $4.99/month, or better yet, bundle with the Nerd Herd for just $6.99/month and get extra podcasts, the Dynasty Prospect Film Room, and more.
