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Fantasy Football: 5 NFL Rookies to stash in dynasty leagues

By Nicholas McGee

MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 25: Tight End Adam Trautman #84 from Dayton of the North Team during the 2020 Resse's Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 25, 2020 in Mobile, Alabama. The North Team defeated the South Team 34 to 17. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
MOBILE, AL - JANUARY 25: Tight End Adam Trautman #84 from Dayton of the North Team during the 2020 Resse's Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium on January 25, 2020 in Mobile, Alabama. The North Team defeated the South Team 34 to 17. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /
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WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – OCTOBER 12: Anthony McFarland Jr. #5 of the Maryland Terrapins rushes the ball against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium on October 12, 2019 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images)
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – OCTOBER 12: Anthony McFarland Jr. #5 of the Maryland Terrapins rushes the ball against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium on October 12, 2019 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by G Fiume/Maryland Terrapins/Getty Images) /

Anthony McFarland, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

James Conner is a free agent in 2021 and, through drafting a running back in 2018, 2019 and 2020, the Steelers have tipped their hand that re-signing him may not be in their plans.

That makes McFarland an intriguing proposition in dynasty leagues. His career has been beset by injuries since high school but the pay-off is potentially huge for a manager that bets on him to stay healthy if the Steelers eventually hand him a defined role in the offense.

A true home-run hitter, McFarland averaged 7.9 yards per carry for Maryland in 2018. That clip dipped to 5.4 yards last season, though his performances may have been impacted by a high-ankle sprain.

In a prospective post-Conner era in the Steelers’ backfield, Jaylen Samuels figures to see more of the receiving work. However, if healthy and given a consistent workload, it is McFarland who carries greater big-play upside than both Samuels and last year’s fourth-round pick Benny Snell.

Given his durability issues, selecting McFarland is a risk but, particularly for dynasty owners with plentiful depth at running back, the potential reward the former Terrapin could bring outweighs the gamble. Once the sure things are off the board, rookie drafts are about betting on upside, and in Pittsburgh McFarland is in an excellent situation to make the most of his in the pros.

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