Fantasy managers should watch out for these prospects

As discussed on a recent episode of You Pod to Win the Game, the combine makes big bucks for the league. So while traditionalists lament the extinction of the Wonderlic Test and social media debates the validity of the bench press, professional football continues to churn out money-making content at their own “mini-Olympics.”

Whatever you think of the combine … it’s not going away.

If anything, it’s only getting bigger. And the testing numbers that rookies post will only be more scrutinized. That makes this “offseason” event all the more crucial for fantasy football heads.

I wrote up 10 players that fantasy managers should track at the NFL combine last week. Now that all of the hands have been measured and the stopwatches have been reshelved, it’s time to reflect on which rookies took full advantage of their opportunities at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Here are the biggest winners from the 2022 NFL combine.

Desmond Ridder, QB, University of Cincinnati

Malik Willis — who is the odds-on favorite (+110) to be the first QB to come off the board next month — wowed in throwing drills and endeared himself to the masses. Yet, it was Desmond Ridder who made up the most ground, likely sneaking into the first round due in large part to his performance at the combine.

He may not have big-school buzz, but the former Bearcat showcased quality intangibles and sky-high athleticism in Indianapolis. Ridder formally met with 17 teams last Monday to open the combine. By EOD on Thursday, the 22-year-old had crushed numerous drills (most notably the 40-yard dash, where his 4.5 time bested numbers previously posted by Russell Wilson and Patrick Mahomes), earning a score of 82 for overall athleticism via Next Gen Stats.

Ridder was the biggest winner at the position and figures to be the third QB selected on April 28.

Alec Pierce, WR, University of Cincinnati

The Bearcats repped fly-over country with ferocity!

My Alec Pierce blurb from last week was met with … shall we say……