Top 10 NFL Rookies to Draft; 2010 Fantasy Football Advice

#10. Sam Bradford, QB, St. Louis Rams (Overall 1st Pick)
Bradford will be the starter, but his impact on fantasy football will be minimal if any at all. St. Louis does not have the supporting cast needed to allow Bradford to have a fantasy worthy first year. He makes the top ten list, but barely.

#9. Mardy Gilyard, WR, St. Louis Rams (4th round pick)
There are not very many instances where a 4th round pick makes an instant impact, but this will be one of them. The Rams had nothing in terms of receivers last season besides running back Jackson, and Donnie Avery who failed to reach 600 yards receiving. Bradford is coming in and should be able to find Gilyard giving him a chance to make plays. Gilyard may even take some carries. Think of Gilyard as this years Percy Harvin.

#8. Jermaine Gresham, TE, Cincinnati Bengals (1st round pick)
Gresham was a great addition to the Bengals and could be a solid pickup for your tight end spot. He won't get much respect at the beginning of the year in fantasy leagues, but he should be a nice pick if you want to wait till the last couple of round to get a TE.

#7. C.J. Spiller, RB, Buffalo Bills (9th overall pick)
I honestly do not even want to have Spiller on this list. The Bills have a terrible offense and two starting running backs on their roster already. Selecting him 9th overall has to be a sign that they plan to use him right away (I would hope), and Spiller is a dynamic running back. Spiller might be worth picking up after you have a couple of injuries or if you have an empty spot on your bench to wait and see how he does.

#6. Jimmy Clausen, QB, Carolina Panthers (48th overall, 2nd round)
Clausen will show up big even in his rookie year with the Panthers. The Panthers have a very solid offense and is probably the best situation Clausen could have found himself in with the surrounding staff. Clausen will beat out Matt Moore and help the Panthers rebound from a very disappointing 2009 NFL season. I wouldn't take Clausen as a starter week one in fantasy by any means, but he will be a solid bye week or insurance policy on your team.

#5. Montario Hardesty, RB, Cleveland Browns (59th overall, 2nd round)
I am a fan of the Browns picking up Hardesty. He is an underrated running back who shows explosiveness and was very good in a tough SEC this past year behind a mediocre offensive line. I pick Hardesty to beat out Jerome Harrison for the starting position even after Harrison had a breakout year.

#4. Dez Bryant, WR, Dallas Cowboys (1st round pick)
Pressure will be on Bryant to produce in the first year, and Jerry Jones will want to see what this kid can do early in the season. Bryant has the skills but his work ethic may come into question. Bryant will still be a sleeper in terms of a fantasy pick, but he could pick up solid numbers if he quickly develops a relationship with Romo.

#3. Ryan Matthews, RB, San Diego Chargers (#12 overall pick)
The Chargers jumped high to get Matthews, and will most likely be starting him this season while sharing time with Sproles. Matthews is the more complete back and should get more carried than Sproles. Matthews comes in to a very good offense that should suit his growth as a running back very well and help him to get solid fantasy numbers for a rookie.

#2. Jahvid Best, RB, Detroit Lions (1st round pick, 30th overall)
Best will get a decent amount of carries and catches, but I question his first year production for several reasons. Not only is he recovering from several injuries, Best will have two other solid running backs to compete with (once Kevin Smith gets healthy). Best could break out, but I think his first year numbers will be around 700 yards rushing, 150 receiving with about 5 touchdowns.

#1. Golden Tate, WR, Seattle Seahawks (2nd round pick)
The Seahawks had an amazing draft and have significantly improved their team. Having Okung to take care of the left tackle spot will buy Hasselbeck (or anyone else who takes over) plenty of time to get the ball to their receivers. Rookie Golden Tate will cash in on the new and improved offensive line by getting a solid number of looks. Tate has sure hands and the ability to get down the field in a hurry. Look for the Seahawks to get the ball to Tate as much as possible, and for Tate to cash in on opportunities. Golden Tate will be the top rookie for NFL fantasy football in 2010.