3-Point Stance: Addressing Elliott, WRs and Goff/Wentz debate

Leading up to the NFL Draft April 28, Brad Evans and Liz Loza will crouch down, explode off the snap and tackle pressing questions about some of this year's most prominent prospects. Wednesday's topic: Everyone in the pool...

Imagine you're in LA Rams' GM Les Snead's shoes. You've just mortgaged your NFL Draft future for, presumably, a quarterback set to be the face of the franchise for the next decade. No pressure. Who are you casting a vote for: Jared Goff or Carson Wentz. Whoever you pick, what fantasy expectations are realistic in Year 1?

Liz – JARED GOFF. Carson Wentz may look the part, but Goff has had the better audition. A three-year starter at Cal, he's the more polished prospect. From his accuracy to his decision-making skills, Goff is the more pro-ready option. His lack of weapons and the Rams’ run-heavy approach, however, will keep the Cali kid from making an immediate fantasy impact in redraft leagues. He could be worth a look in DFS come mid-season, after the team’s Week 8 bye.

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Brad – GOFF. The Goff vs. Wentz debate is a classic example of polish vs. potential. The former is more NFL ready. The latter, a developmental prospect. The Cal product stands tall in the pocket, possesses a strong downfield arm (43.8 deep-ball completion percentage in '15) and owns more touch on intermediate passes. He's also tremendously intelligent, mobile and is a prototype NFL passer in terms of size. Goff, taking most of his snaps from shotgun or pistol formations, didn't come from a pro-styled system like Wentz. His comfort level under center will be paramount for him to start quickly. Still, the Rams, outside Tavon Austin, are woefully untalented at catching the football and the offensive line, which ranked in the bottom third of the league in pass-blocking last year, must improve. With Todd Gurley expected to be the team's offensive centerpiece and given the general learning curve for first-year QBs, final numbers around 3,700 pass yards and 21 TDs are likely for Goff.

Dalton – GOFF but it's not a no-brainer. I don't watch a ton of college football to be fair, but he certainly seems to be the safer bet. There should be very little fantasy expectations as a rookie for either quarterback, although Goff certainly seems readier to contribute right away. Goff will benefit from having the best running back in football on his side, but weapons are few and far between otherwise on the Rams.

Scott – GOFF obviously played against better competition, and I like the linear progression of his statistics. The lack of work under center doesn't bother me; shotgun is a way of life in the NFL, and plenty of college-shotgun quarterbacks have adjusted to the NFL quickly.

Andy – GOFF would be my choice, if forced to pick a quarterback. (Ramsey, Tunsil, Jack, Elliott and others would be higher on my board, but I'm not running the Rams. Which is probably for the best.) I don't actually think this should be a debate. Nothing in Wentz's numbers and very little in his film suggest he's going to be an elite pro anytime soon. To me, it seems realistic for Goff to start in year one; no way should Wentz get meaningful snaps in 2016 for a team that expects to win games. Unfortunately, whoever is behind center for L.A. will be throwing to one of the league's worst receiver groups. I don't think there's much chance any Rams passer can top, say, 20-22 TD passes.

Brandon – CARSON WENTZ - If I'm the Rams, I could care less about Day 1 - they have a great defense, but this isn't going to be a Super Bowl team this season. There's just too much on offense that needs work. Therefore, I'd draft for ceiling, and in that case I favor Wentz. He's got prototypical size and is lauded for his intelligence. And I like that he comes from a pro system, that he's mobile and can be a threat on the move and that he can strong and accurately deliver in the mid-range passing game - he's arguably better than Goff in that aspect, and I value mid-range ability over deep-throw ability because you live in the intermediate range much more than the long range as an NFL QB. But no matter who the Rams pick, I agree with Andy that you are talking about a QB that is unlikely to deliver much more than low 20s in TD passes this season.

[Expert preseason Fantasy Football rankings]

Ezekiel Elliott is unquestionably the best RB prospect in a generally weak 2016 class. Most believe he's a three-down hoss who might be the most balanced youngster to enter the league in several years. Assuming he lands with a team willing to make him its bellcow immediately, where would you feel comfortable drafting him in a 12-teamer? Give me your 16-game projection for Elliott this fall.

Liz – END OF ROUND 1. A do-it-all skill set, giant pass-catching mitts, and fresh legs? Yeah, I’m in. With so few bellcow backs in the mix, I have no problem taking Zeke in the back third of the first round. Potentially carrying the rock 15-20 times per game, it wouldn’t surprise me to see him close out 2016 with 1,300 combined yards and 10 total TDs.

Brad – EARLY ROUND 2. Employer is critical for any player, but whichever franchise sinks a top pick into Elliott knows it's investing in its RB of the present. The man is a three-down throwback akin to a Marshawn Lynch, Clinton Portis or Ricky Williams. He's highly effective inside, off-tackle, in the pass game and, most importantly, as a pass-blocker. Last year playing for the Buckeyes, he forced a missed tackle over 15 percent of the time and gained 57.4 percent of his yards after initial contact according to Pro Football Focus. Whether thrust into a power or zone-oriented scheme, he'll churn out top-10 RB numbers. Regardless where he lands – Dallas and Miami are his most likely suitors – bank on at least 1200-1300 yards with 8-10 TDs.

Dalton – LATE ROUND 1. This obviously depends on context and where he lands, but I have no problem taking a rookie running back in the first round, especially one with this kind of talent. Check out the rest of the RB landscape these days - it's not good, so this isn't exactly going out on a limb. Elliott will be a consensus top-15 pick come August I guarantee it.

Scott – He's a perfect target for the back end wheel, a late-first or early-second round pick. The tape is absurd, and Elliott is going to play on all three downs. And whoever takes him in the first round of the actual NFL draft should do so expecting to feature him heavily, right away.

Andy – It has to be the right landing spot, but I wouldn't rule out drafting him in the BACK HALF OF ROUND 1. He's pretty clearly an every-down back with a full skill set. He's not Gurley, in my view, but he's very, very good. Zeke is arguably this draft's most talented player, regardless of position. He's topped 2,000 scrimmage yards in back-to-back years, averaging well over 6.0 yards per tote. If he lands with Dallas (the dream scenario), Baltimore, the Giants, Chicago or Miami, we'll be ranking him as a first round fantasy asset.

Brandon – LATE ROUND 1. This would be in the best-case scenario landing spot - i.e. Dallas, Miami. But all I'm interested in at RB is a combo of talent and opportunity. Give me a physically gifted player in line to get 20-plus touches a week and you'll have my attention. Running back is one of the easiest positions for a player to quickly assimilate to the NFL, and I wouldn't hesitate to use a at-the-turn pick on Elliott if he ends up checking those requirement boxes I listed above.

Many Draftniks are split on who the top wide receiver out of this year's group. Who tops the charts on your big board?

Liz – LAQUON TREADWELL. Josh Doctson has got some hops, making him a close number two. But Megaquon’s physical playing style, ball tracking skills, and advanced technique are impossible to discount. At 6-foot-2 and 221 pounds, Treadwell has good size and can win 50/50’s, particularly in the end zone. He’s not fast and his hands could be stickier, but if he lands in New Orleans, he could very well put up a 60-800-6 stat line by the season’s end.

Brad – JOSH DOCTSON. The long, lean TCU standout has the skills to pay the fantasy bills. At 6-foot-2, 202 pounds he should always go for thirds at the Golden Corral, but ignoring his meatless frame, Doctson possesses remarkable, secondary-gashing talents. His ball-adjustment acrobatics, leaping ability, reliable hands, reasonable speed (4.5 40-yard dash) and noteworthy production on slant routes are plus attributes. Likely to land in either Houston or Cincinnati, he could deliver a 65-875-6 line out of the gate working opposite DeAndre Hopkins or A.J. Green. And that's a conservative estimate. 

Dalton – LAQUON TREADWELL for me. Not super fast but seems to have the overall skill set that should translate well to the NFL. But where he lands will be crucial to his fantasy value. Will Fuller also has the potential to be a monster.

Scott – I've been on the LAQUON TREADWELL train for a while. Smart, competitive, makes contested catches, wants to be great, already has a deep understanding of the route tree. 

Andy – COREY COLEMAN. It isn't hard to find flaws with all the presumptive early-round receivers, and Coleman is no exception. He doesn't have ideal size, he dropped a few catchable balls, and converting Baylor stats to the NFL is no simple exercise. But he's a burner with sub-4.4 speed, terrific leaping ability and body control, plus his production was exceptional at the college level. If he finds the right landing spot (please, not Minnesota, pleasepleaseplease), then he's going to be great in his first pro season.

Bottom line, there's no Julio Jones in this draft. I can easily imagine Coleman, Doctson or Treadwell finishing as this year's top rookie receiver. It all comes down to environment. 

Brandon – LAQUON TREADWELL. Size, strength, physicality, hands, route running ... Treadwell does it all, just not at an elite rate of speed. His biggest (only?) knock is that he's not very fast. But, as Yahoo's Eric Edholm pointed out, there have been plenty of WRs with similar speed that have gone on to great things in the NFL (Dez Bryant, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, to name a few).

Harass Brad on Twitter @YahooNoise. And come hang with him and the Yahoo Fantasy crew at Ditka's in downtown Chicago for the NFL Draft April 28-29.