Photo: Joseph Cress, USA Today Sports

With less than a week to go, it’s time to stop speculating and start getting ready to absorb, react to, and act on everything that happens in Kansas City next Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. For a lot of us, a big part of that is our dynasty rookie drafts. For the 18th time, I’m bringing you my top 100 players for fantasy leagues (including IDPs!). As always, we'll be joined by Matt Waldman, Jason Wood, and a ton of guests to broadcast and react live to the first round on our YouTube channel, and I’ll be updating this for draft capital and destination by Tuesday after the draft.

The Bloom 100 is ranked with the following type of dynasty fantasy football league in mind:

• Full IDP lineups, including DT and CB
• PPR, start 3 WR
• Deep lineups and rosters

Quick Links

• The Bloom 100 Players - 1-20
• The Bloom 100 Players - 21-40
• The Bloom 100 Players - 41-60
• The Bloom 100 Players - 61-80
• The Bloom 100 Players - 81-100

21. Tyler Scott (WR-Cincinnati) - Scott is small, but he’s a burner with explosive leaping ability. He only started playing wideout in college, coming to Cincinnati with a running back background. His natural speed and quickness make him tough to stick with, and he is a true home run threat. He’s also only 5-foot-10 and 177 pounds, and NFL cornerbacks are going to give him a crash course on the need to be more physical to hang on Sundays. There’s a wide range of outcomes for Scott. The quarterback, organization, and offense he lands in will be important for projecting his value.

22. Marvin Mims (WR-Oklahoma) - Mims is yet another of a group of receivers in this class who are undersized by NFL standards but have the speed and explosiveness to become difference-makers. He could end up being only a vertical specialist if he doesn’t develop a physical edge and improve as a route runner.

23. Devon Achane (RB-Texas A&M) - Achane has a tremendous initial burst, with take it to the house long speed, and he can definitely contribute as a receiver. He’s also only 5-foot-8 and 188 pounds and doesn’t generate enough power to be taken seriously as an every-down back in the NFL. He could matter in fantasy leagues if his PPR boost and big play spike weeks balance out his limited role because of his size.

24. Darnell Washington (TE-Georgia) - Washington is a massive target with big-play speed and an astounding 4.08 short shuttle at 6-foot-6 and 264 pounds. He could be a victim of the same fantasy fate as all-time combine freak Vernon Davis, relegated to blocking more than receiving because of his domination of opponents, but he could also develop into an unstoppable red zone force who also can run past linebacker and safeties to punctuate fantasy lineups with long touchdowns.

TIER BREAK

25. Kendre Miller (RB-TCU) - Miller broke out after Zach Evans left and put himself squarely on the NFL’s radar as a strong draft prospect. His initial burst, yards after contact, balance, agility, and vision all look like a future NFL starter. Miller has room to improve as a receiver and blocker, but unless he goes a lot earlier than expected, he’ll be available outside of the top 20 picks in rookie drafts.

26. C.J. Stroud (QB-Ohio State) - Stroud isn’t likely to be the #1 pick, and he might not be the #2 pick. The top 10 is still likely, and Stroud is the safest prospect in the top four quarterbacks. That also means he has the lowest ceiling, or else he would have been the #1 pick over Bryce Young. Stroud did show some running ability late in his college career, but he’s unlikely to level off as a top-end fantasy quarterback, which makes him a more marginal addition in 1QB fantasy leagues and not worth a first- or even early-second-round pick. He’ll also be overdrafted in Superflex leagues, where he’s likely to go in the top three picks.

27. Will Levis (QB-Kentucky) - Levis is a polarizing prospect. He looked like a player who could become the #1 overall pick last year, but he struggled mightily in 2022. He lost his offensive coordinator, had to row upstream against poor offensive line play, and wasn’t healthy, but he also had a lot of bad habits that raise questions about his developmental potential. Dane Brugler compared him to Carson Wentz on my show, and he was generally positive about Levis’ outlook. I’d let someone else take the chance in Superflex drafts.

28. Hendon Hooker (QB-Tennessee) - Hooker certainly should have our attention as a running threat at quarterback who might get into the first round. His offense at Tennessee was very quarterback-friendly, and he’ll need to speed up his processor and improve recognition and reaction to pressure to fulfill his potential. He’s a boom/bust pick in both fantasy and NFL terms.

29. Tyree Wilson (EDGE-Texas Tech) - Wilson’s size, speed, and strength raise his ceiling higher than Anderson in the eyes of some, and that could include the Texans' decision makers. Lance Zierlein, who is very tuned into the team in his home market, put Wilson at #2 in his latest mock draft. Wilson is not a refined pass rusher and could be better against the run. He also missed the end of the season and draft workouts with a broken foot. Even though he could go ahead of Anderson in the NFL draft, he shouldn’t do so in your rookie draft.

30. Luke Musgrave (TE-Oregon State) - Musgrave is a bit of a projection since he missed all but two games last season due to a knee injury. He looked like an ascending two-way tight end before going down, with the athleticism and skill to be a downfield threat and ruggedness to be a force as a blocker.

31. Michael Mayer (TE - Notre Dame) - Mayer is the best bet to be the first tight end off of the board, but he probably shouldn’t be the first tight end taken in your rookie draft. His receiving upside is modest, as he won’t add value to his targets after the catch or make big plays downfield. He is an ultra-safe prospect, which will push him up NFL boards, but that doesn’t create sparks in fantasy leagues. Mayer will go well ahead of this ranking in rookie drafts, so consider this an avoid rating.

32. Luke Schoonmaker (TE-Michigan) - Schoonmaker’s production at Michigan was underwhelming, but he has the Matt Waldman stamp of approval. “Schoonmaker is the best all-around tight end in this class. He may also have the skills to be the best fantasy tight end in this class.” This is enough to consider waiting on Schoonmaker instead of taking one of the earlier-drafted tight ends earlier in your rookie draft.

33. Daiyan Henley (LB-Washington State) - This isn’t a great class of off-ball linebackers after the top three, with only Henley standing out as a high-upside player. He’s new to the linebacker position but plays with his hair on fire and rarely misses a tackle. He has the range to cover the entire field. With a wide receiver/safety background, he shows the potential to hang in coverage and become one of the increasingly rare true every-down linebackers.

34. Tucker Kraft (TE-South Dakota State) - Kraft could have transferred to Alabama but wanted to stay in South Dakota and ended up winning an FCS national championship. He’s got an NFL body and athleticism, and he projects as a two-way tight end, possibly joining former Jackrabbit Dallas Goedert as a second-round pick - the earliest-drafted player in school history. He’s good after the catch but will need to improve his route running.

35. Nathaniel “Tank” Dell (WR-Houston) - Dell is another pint-sized (5-foot-8, 165) receiver who fits better in the NFL now than he would have 10-20 years ago. He’ll add value in return yards leagues, and in the right offense, he can get fed targets to harness his run-after-catch prowess with quickness, acceleration, and creativity.

36. Jonathan Mingo (WR-Ole Miss) - Mingo is thickly built at 6-foot-2 and 220 with long speed and toughness after the catch. He’s not going to be the kind of receiver that masters the entire route tree, but Mingo is a big play threat and he’s more than physically formidable enough to fit in on Sundays.

37. Eric Gray (RB-Oklahoma) - Gray will have more value to his NFL team than fantasy teams as a good passing down back with the quickness, footwork, and vision to contribute as an early down runner. He doesn’t have the top-end power or speed to be a primary runner, and he’s not a talented enough route runner to be a top threat as a receiver. But he’ll be the kind of useful back every team likes to have on the roster and could eventually emerge as a starter.

38. Tank Bigsby (RB-Auburn) - Bigsby burst onto the scene as the freshman of the year in the SEC in 2020, but he didn’t really ascend from there even though he came out this year as a junior. He’s inconsistent and might have already peaked, but in a good offense with a good line, he can be good enough to matter in fantasy leagues, although it’s also possible that he won’t stand out as more than a committee back.

39. Sam LaPorta (TE-Iowa) - We try not to uniform scout. But it’s hard to bet against Iowa tight ends, and LaPorta is the all-time leading receiver among Hawkeye tight ends. LaPorta has the quickness, hands, route-running, and game-after-the-catch to matter for fantasy football, and his value will be more in the passing game than as a blocker.

40. Jalen Carter (DT-Georgia) - Carter might be the best overall prospect in this draft, but off-field concerns have cast a shadow over his draft outlook. It still appears that he’ll go in the Top 10 picks, which is a good sign that we should project him at his full value in IDP drafts. He doesn’t quite have Aaron Donald upside statistically, but he can definitely become one of the few difference-makers at his position, so be willing to move him up if your scoring system emphasizes defensive tackles.