Drafting rookies in Fantasy Football is always tricky.
Take last year for example. The highest-picked offensive player from the 2022 NFL Draft was Drake London, a USC wide receiver who scored just four touchdowns for the Atlanta Falcons. He didn’t really move the needle fantasy wise.
But every year, there are a few rookies who really make an impact and – under the right circumstances – can change the shapes of leagues. Like in 2015 when Todd Gurley rushed for 10 scores and 1,106 yards as a rookie for the Rams. Or in 2020, when Justin Herbert was forced into a starting role for the Chargers and threw 31 touchdowns. Or last year, when Kenneth Walker III – drafted 41st overall – rushed for nine touchdowns and more than 1,000 yards.
Rookies can absolutely help your fantasy team. But, if you miss on one with a too high of a pick, they can hurt your team too.
Here are some rookies to consider this season.
More Rankings:
Rookie of the Year Tier
Brent Skeen-USA TODAY
1. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
2. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions
3. Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens
Yes, Odell Beckham Jr. is part of Baltimore’s receiving corps now, but that doesn’t mean he’s WR1. Flowers – selected 22nd overall by the Ravens in the 2023 draft – is the one who has the potential to become Lamar Jackson’s top pass-catcher under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken. While playing for a legitimately terrible Boston College team last season, Flowers still shined, piling up 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns on 78 catches.
Get used to seeing this 🔥@Lj_era8 ➡️ @ZayFlowers | @Hyundai pic.twitter.com/HwqqpYTGdd
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 1, 2023
Breakout Potential Tier
(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
4. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks
5. Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts
6. Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers
It remains to be seen which quarterback from this class will have the best career, or who the Panthers really should have taken first overall, but Richardson’s athleticism gives him the chance to make the biggest impact fantasy-wise this season. In addition to his passing totals, Richardson rushed for 654 yards and nine touchdowns during his final season at Florida. Richardson might not start right away, but when he takes over, he has the potential to post wildly large scoring totals in fantasy. The 6-foot-4 Richardson had a 4.43 40-yard dash time and could be one of the best runners at the position right away.
Should See A Lot Of Playing Time Tier
(Carlos Gonzalez/Star Tribune via AP)
6. Jordan Addison, WR, Minnesota Vikings
7. CJ Stroud, QB, Houston Texans
8. Quentin Johnston, WR, Los Angels Chargers
9. Devon Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins
10. Dalton Kincaid, TE, Buffalo Bills
Adam Thielen is gone and with him went 107 targets from Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins last season. Those targets have to go somewhere else now, and Addison – the former winner of the Biletnikoff Award – might be the one who benefits. While Addison caught only 59 passes for 875 yards in his final season of college ball at USC, he’s accustomed to being a high-usage wideout; in 2021 at Pitt, he hauled in 100 passes from Kenny Pickett for 17 scores.
Draft-And-Stash Tier
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta catches a pass during training camp Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
11. Jonathan Mingo, WR, Carolina Panthers
12. Jalin Hyatt, WR, New York Giants
13. Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions
14. Tyjae Spears, RB, Tennessee Titans
15. Tank Bigsby, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
A second-round pick out of Iowa, LaPorta is a freak athlete who could quickly become a starter in Detroit. And while Jameson Williams is serving his suspension, LaPorta could see extra targets early on. Last year, Jared Goff targeted a hodgepodge of tight ends 93 times.
Also...
Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
16. Chad Ryland, K, New England Patriots
Ryland was not the first kicker off the board in the 2023 NFL Draft. That was Michigan’s Jake Moody, selected by the 49ers with the 99th overall pick. Drafting kickers can sometimes be a crapshoot, but it feels like Bill Belichick is just nerdy and weird enough to be able to separate the great ones from the busts. Consider this: In five seasons of football at Eastern Michigan and Maryland, Ryland was 97.3 percent accurate on extra points. In his senior campaign for the Terps, he was 19-of-23 on field goals with a longest-made kick of 53 yards. If you get to the last round of your draft and notice you haven’t selected a kicker yet, it might not be a bad idea to give Ryman a shot.
