The NFL Combine has been great so far and has a ton of implications for this 2025 dynasty rookie class. Being able to cover the event with media credentials has allowed me to get a feel for how other experts and beat reporters feel about said players. On top of that, getting to see them work up close allows for me to give a much better analysis on my thoughts.
On Friday, the only dynasty relevant skill positions that worked out was the tight end group. Hence the day one for dynasty fantasy football in the title. It’s worth noting that top prospects, Tyler Warren and Colston Loveland did not participate in the combine.
Risers
Terrance Ferguson
By having the fastest 40 yard dash time in this group, Terrance Ferguson automatically makes the list as a riser. Ferguson ended up with a time of 4.63 which mirrors what I saw during his play on the field. While Ferguson doesn’t have a ton of elite traits, he looked smooth when running his routes.
Being an athletic tight end is very helpful in your upside case and overall translatability to the NFL. With a Relative Athletic Score of 9.81, Ferguson put himself up there as one of the athletes in this class at tight end.
Mason Taylor
Mason Taylor decided not to run in the 40 or do any kind of athletic testing, which I thought was weird. Taylor looked really fluid and quick during the drills and I would have thought he would have a top 40 time.
If there were any other great performances, Taylor may not make the cut but besides Ferguson no one stood out to me in terms of testing. Taylor should really good hands, route running and movement skills, which are all important for him to get a role as a pass catcher in the NFL.
Fallers
Harold Fannin
I’m not going to be as down on Harold Fannin as most. When I watched Fannin at the Senior Bowl, it was clear to me that speed wasn’t his calling card. Still, I would have liked to see him run better than a 40 time of 4.71.
With Fannin only measuring in at 241 lbs, you would expect him to be a bit faster, but he wins by being a bigger slot receiver. Fannin ended up with an RAS score of 7.57, which isn’t terrible, but in a fairly weak Friday group, he could have elevated himself.
Gunnar Helm
Gunnar Helm is my one true loser from the event. The fantasy relevance for tight ends as slow as Helm just isn’t there. When watching the film, Helm didn’t look super fast, but I couldn’t tell he was this slow. Helm ran a 4.84 40 time, which is very poor for fantasy football.
You want someone who can be a great receiver and Helm just won’t give you that. With an RAS of 4.49, I struggle to see Helm ever being able to create much separation in the NFL.
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