Filling Voids – Day 2 possibilities

Earlier this month, I drew up ‘Unfilled Voids’, which examined 15 fantasy-relevant roster holes. Yesterday, I discussed possible Round 1 solutions for those voids and many were filled last evening. With Rounds 2 and 3 of the first set for tonight, let’s take a look at how the remaining roster voids could potentially be filled on Friday.

Voids filled on Thursday:

Buccaneers Quarterback – Jameis Winston (1.1)
Titans Quarterback – Marcus Mariota (1.2)
Bears No. 2 Wide Receiver – Kevin White (1.7)
Dolphins No. 3 Wide Receiver – DeVante Parker (1.14)
Chargers Lead Back – Melvin Gordon (1.15)
Eagles No. 2 Wide Receiver – Nelson Agholor (1.20)
Ravens No. 2 Wide Receiver – Breshad Perriman (1.26)

Day 2 Possibilities:

Jaguars Lead Back – Day 2 picks: 36, 67

The Pick: Ameer Abdullah (36^th) – It’s a deep running back class and only two (Gurley, Gordon) were selected on Thursday. The Jaguars have plenty of needs, but tailback is certainly one of them, and providing Blake Bortles with as many weapons as possible is and should be a priority. A bit on the lean side, but an exceptional runner and receiver, Abdullah would be the immediate favorite to start Week 1. If they pass on a back, it’s possible that one of Abdullah, Tevin Coleman, Jay Ayaji, Duke Johnson or TJ Yeldon makes it to them in the third round.

Jets Passing-down Back – Day 2 picks: 37, 70

The Pick: David Johnson (70^th) – With talented early-down backs Chris Ivory and Stevan Ridley in the mix, the Jets simply need to add an impact passing-down back to Chan Gailey’s spread attack. Johnson isn’t overly speedy (4.5 40), but he’s big (6’3/225), strong and arguably the top receiving back among rookies.  Abdullah, Johnson, Javorius Allen and Karlos Williams also stand out as pass-catchers.

Falcons Lead Back – Day 2 picks: 42, 73

The Pick: TJ Yeldon (42^nd) – This might be a bit early for Yeldon, but I think there’s enough hype that he won’t last long. After cutting Steven Jackson loose and moving on from Jacquizz Rodgers, Atlanta has a major need at the position. That’s especially the case with new OC Kyle Shanahan bringing a balanced offense to town. A big, slow (albeit elusive) downhill runner, Yeldon is an ideal complement to undersized, change-of-pace back Devonta Freeman. Atlanta also has a need at tight end and is the first team with a need at that position to pick tonight. Maxx Williams could be in play.

Browns Quarterback – Day 2 picks: 43, 77

The Pick: Bryce Petty (43^rd) – Josh McCown was great for Chicago in 2013 and, upon some in-depth analysis, not as bad as it initially appeared with Tampa Bay last year. Still, he turns 36 this year and shouldn’t be counted on as anything more than a seat warmer. Cleveland failed to land Mariota or Sam Bradford yesterday, and despite some hype that suggested otherwise, Petty made it out of Round 1. Of course, it’s possible a team trades up for Petty, but he figures to be on Cleveland’s radar if he’s on the board.

Saints No. 1 Tight End – Day 2 picks: 44, 75, 78

The Pick: Maxx Williams (44th) – There aren’t many strong, two-way tight ends in this draft, but Williams is clearly the top option available. New Orleans shipped Jimmy Graham to Seattle earlier in the offseason and figures to give Williams a long look if he’s still available at 2.12. As noted yesterday, Williams is unlikely to provide anything more than TE2 numbers a rookie. First-year tight ends almost always struggle to make a quick impact. Of course, with Drew Brees at the controls, New Orleans would be a nice short-term, dynasty landing spot.

Cardinals Lead Back – Day 2 picks: 55, 86

The Pick: Jay Ajayi (55^th) – If his knee wasn’t a concern, Ajayi probably wouldn’t make it to Arizona late in the first round. In fact, there’s no telling how concerned teams are. He could go early on tonight or drop several rounds similar to Chris Polk back in 2013. Regardless, Arizona is in major need of an early-down tailback and a healthy Ajayi is an ideal fit. The big man could handle a generous chunk of the carries and all goal line work, leaving Andre Ellington to do what he does best as a change-of-pace and passing-down back. Ajayi is not a good blocker and mediocre as a receiver, which makes him a perfect complement to Ellington.

Ravens No. 1 Tight End – Day 2 picks: 58, 90

The Pick: Clive Walford (58th)– It’s unlikely that Williams makes it to the end of the second round, leaving Baltimore to go elsewhere to fill their need at tight end. This, of course, is a need because Dennis Pitta’s (hip) career is in jeopardy. Walford isn’t as good a blocker as Williams, but is the same size, has similar speed and arguably the top receiving tight end in the draft. With H-Back Kyle Juszczyk and Crockett Gillmore handling the blocking, Walford would be able to focus on pass-catching as a rookie.

Cowboys Lead Back – Day 2 picks: 60, 91

The Pick: Tevin Coleman (60^th) – TJ Yeldon and Jay Ajayi also make a lot of sense here, but I already projected them as picked earlier on, leaving Dallas to pick from the likes of Tevin Coleman and Duke Johnson. There are some holes in Coleman’s game, specifically his receiving ability and underwhelming consistency as a rusher at Indiana. Still, he has exceptional speed (4.39) and elusiveness, and is arguably the most-explosive back in the draft. Often compared to ex-Cowboy DeMarco Murray and current Cowboy Darren McFadden, the fit makes sense. Behind Dallas’ dominant offensive line, the back selected by Dallas will make for an extremely intriguing RB2 option.

Other Outstanding Voids

Falcons WR, Ravens RB, Panthers RB, Cowboys WR, Lions RB, Chiefs WR, Saints WR, Jets QB, Steelers RB, Buccaneers WR, Titans WR, Redskins RB … Filled: Raiders WR (Amari Cooper)

Follow Mike Clay on Twitter: @MikeClayNFL