The Panthers went all-in on the Golden Boy, Bryce Young. His college production was off-the-charts in the SEC and perhaps even more awe-inspiring on film was his improvisation and decision-making under duress. He’ll face a lot of challenges as a rookie adjusting to the NFL speed and throwing to a bottom-5 group of pass-catchers in Carolina. Since 2010, we’ve had only four rookie QBs surpass 4,000 passing yards and only three with more than 25 passing TDs. Those are the type of QB1 thresholds we look for fantasy. Could he have some streamable weeks at some point in this season? Sure. We’ll take a wait-and-see approach in 1QB leagues and let someone else overdraft him in SuperFlex based on the excitement.

The Ohio State QB was selected 2nd overall by the Texans after an emotional pre-draft process. He did nothing but slay in college with 85 passing TDs over his two years as the starter. The weapons in Houston are serviceable with veteran Robert Woods and TE Dalton Schultz providing some dependability along with John Metchie III debuting. The Texans have been in the Deshaun Watson doldrums winning just 11 total games over the last three years. Stroud is a field general with the ability to pick apart opposing zone schemes but as a rookie, it’s hard seeing him fully unleashed. A rookie QB on a bad team is not a recipe for fantasy success. We’re rooting for him but for 2023, we’ll place our bets elsewhere at QB.

Did any prospect improve their NFL Draft stock more from the end of the college football season than Anthony Richardson? He put on a show at the NFL Combine and finds himself on an Indianapolis Colts squad in desperate need of his playmaking ability. Head coach Shane Steichen is a QB whisperer coordinating Justin Herbert's record-setting rookie season and Jalen Hurts' breakout campaign. Management has also hinted at Richardson getting experience as the starter sooner than later. Keep in mind that every rookie QB over the last 20 years that crossed 80 total rushing attempts maintained a top-10 QB per game pace. That’s roughly 4.7 carries per game, a number Richardson can achieve even in Year 1. As a thrower, he’s going to be a work in progress likely with low total passing volume so it’s unlikely he’s a game-breaker right away.

Most of us peaked in high school in terms of our athletic prowess. Some of us couldn’t run the mile or complete the President’s fitness test. Most of us are mere mortals and others, well, they were just born to play football. One of the most talented (and happiest) RBs to come into the NFL in a while, Bijan is all the rage in fantasy football this year. His production at Texas was off-the-charts and the draft capital spent by the Falcons (8th overall) says he will be given every opportunity to be a high usage RB on a run-first team. It’s the stuff fantasy football dreams were made of. He’s worthy of a late 1st round pick and the hype is worth it.

Gibbs is a different type of running back than what we normally see from an Alabama first-round prospect. At 5'9", 199 lbs, he'll never average 20+ touches per game, but what he lacks in size, he makes up for everywhere else. He's lightning fast, explosive, and has incredible hands. Oh, and the Lions decided to jump the shark and draft him 12th overall. When you mix in the draft capital and pass-catching talent, he slots in as a fantasy weapon right away. He’s an RB2 with upside in PPR leagues despite David Montgomery being present to take some goal-line TDs.

Smith-Njigba is likely to start the season as Seattle’s slot WR with Metcalf and Lockett on the perimeter. If that’s the case, he’ll be tough to rely on week in and week out for fantasy. We know rookies tend to come on later in the season, so perhaps he can carve out a role later in the year. In any event, he would be a priority waiver wire add should Metcalf or Lockett miss any time due to injury.

The Chargers recognized they need a WR to compliment Mike Williams and Keenan Allen. Johnston fits the bill thanks to his explosiveness and ability to make plays down the field. In college, he was a YAC machine and profiles as a dangerous playmaker with the ball in his hands. In Year 1, however, it might take some time for Johnston to earn a role with Williams, Keenan and Austin Ekeler getting volume out of the backfield. He is a candidate to earn a role as the season goes on and of course, Big Mike and Allen have been known to miss a game or two…or ten. If either of those two guys end up missing time, Johnston would see a spike in usage. Take flier in drafts or as a late stacking partner with Herbert.

Flowers joins a loaded Ravens pass-catching group after being taken in Round 1 of the NFL Draft, so his role in the offense remains to be seen. Fortunately, he played all over the field during his final season in college, logging a 33% slot snap rate. We expect him to carve out a role at some point in the season, but we need to remember that Mark Andrews is very likely to lead the team in targets, Rashod Bateman is back from injury, and OBJ was signed to an $18 million contract. It might take an injury for one of these guys to really step, and be a consistent fantasy contributor.

Minnesota ranked in the top five in pass rate last season so there is plenty of opportunity for Addison to produce as a rookie, even with Justin Jefferson on the other side of the field. With NFL defensive coordinators losing sleep at night trying to figure out how to slow down JJetts, Addison should see plenty of one-on-one looks as a rookie. Adam Thielen vacates 107 targets and we think Addison will soak up a majority of those. Consider him a FLEX play with room to grow as the year progresses.

We know the hit rate on rookie TEs in fantasy is quite poor, but fortunately for Kincaid, he’s not really a TE. We expect Kincaid to compete for slot snaps with Dawson Knox assuming the “traditional” TE role in 2023. Gabe Davis was a disappointment last year so there is opportunity for Bills pass catcher to step up as the second option behind Stefon Diggs. If his ADP gets steamed up near draft time, we’ll let others jump in.

If you are a fan of a high-T approach and the “prove ‘em all wrong” motivational tactic, Levis should be your QB1. Heck, if his methods for eating bananas are your cup of tea, induct him in the Hall of Fame. Jokes aside, Levis should be given some run ahead of Ryan Tannehill if the Titans fall out of contention at some point. His strong arm and ultra-aggressiveness as a runner is a strong formula for future fantasy goodness. We caution against expecting much in Year 1 especially on a team with perhaps the worst group of pass-catchers in the NFL. For real, name the Titans WR2.

Since 2017, rookie TEs who have been selected in the first two rounds averaged just shy of 400 receiving yards in Year 1. We’re not bullish on LaPorta for redraft league given the low hit rate on rookie TEs in their first pro season, but outside of Amon-Ra St. Brown, this team doesn’t have any proven pass-catching options. Maybe LaPorta can break the mold but expect a slow burn as a rookie.

Out in Las Vegas, it’s Davante’s world and we’re just living in it. We know he’ll command the targets there, and with capable pass catchers in Jakobi Meyers and Hunter Renfrow also likely to operate over the middle of the field, Mayer’s production probably won’t be reliable on a weekly basis. Fortunately, his only competition for playing time is Austin Hooper. He’s a guy to monitor throughout the season but not draftable in most leagues.

Carolina took Mingo way higher than a lot of people expected in the NFL Draft so the Panthers clearly like him and expect him to be a part of their future. He was one of the few true “X” receivers in this itty bitty WR rookie class. However, this isn’t a passing attack we’re particularly excited about this season with a rookie QB. Mingo is a fine late-round pick to see how that WR depth chart shakes out, but don’t be afraid to abandon ship if you need the bench spots for an early-season waiver wire pickup.

Musgrave has a chance to work his way into 2TE sets with Deguara right out of the gate. That doesn’t mean he’s a guy we should be taking in drafts. If Musgrave can beat out Deguara for the starting job, there’s a small chance he turns into a weekly streaming candidate but that’s probably best-case scenario in Year 1. Musgrave isn’t draftable.

The Packers surprised a lot of people when they drafted Reed in Round 2 of the NFL Draft, but that sort of move means you have to pay attention. The Michigan State WR broke out early in college and his special teams chops usually is a skill that translates to WR success at the next level. There’s a good chance Reed starts the year as the Packers’ slot WR with the ghost of Randall Cobb following Rodgers to New York. If he can consistently earn targets, Reed has the potential to be a sleeper in the second half of the year.

Charbonnet checked every box you wanted coming out of college. He has the size and pass catching ability that got us all hot and bothered before the NFL Draft. Unfortunately, he likely won't reach his fantasy ceiling without a Kenneth Walker injury, but it's possible the Seahawks use these backs in a 50/50 timeshare. Charbonnet is one of the more intriguing insurance backs with upside to handle a full workload if needed. Think a way better version of AJ Dillon with Aaron Jones. He has standalone value but whoa mama… if he’s the lone man, you can lock him in as a weekly RB1 start. Until then, you just get to dream about him sitting on your bench in redraft leagues.

One thing we know: Patrick Mahomes is going to throw for 5,000 yards. One thing we don’t know: who is catching passes behind Travis Kelce? We don’t mind taking a shot late in drafts on Rice to see how that depth chart shakes out in KC, but this WR room is a hot mess when it comes to projections. Rice had a massive final year at SMU but some scouts viewed him as a reach. Kadarius Toney is talented but is often banged up, MVS is being paid to play as an every-down WR, and Skyy Moore is entering year two. Maybe Rice is the guy you want? Or maybe he’s just a part-time player in Year 1.

This guy’s last name is fun to say. Oh, you wanted a fantasy take? We’re not big on drafting rookie TEs in redraft leagues so despite Dallas using a second-round pick on him, he’s not on our radar for drafts. This TE rotation is likely to be a three-way committee with Schoonmaker, Ferguson, and Hendershot all getting some snaps. Yuck.

The Jaguars strangely took the Penn State TE in the 2nd round, way ahead of most draft prognosticators’ boards. Maybe they know something we don’t but for Year 1, he is competing for targets with Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, Evan Engram, and Travis Etienne. No thanks!

Mims is an undersized, deep-threat WR out of Oklahoma who was selected in Round 2 of the NFL Draft. As it stands, there are a ton of names on this depth chart making the path to playing time unclear. Maybe Mims can carve out a role as the year goes on, but he’s a late-round dart throw at best for redraft in 2023.

The Lions took a 3rd round flier on Hooker who put together two final impressive seasons at Tennessee in the SEC. He has a smooth release and great decision making but some detractors label those college offenses as nothing more than a gimmick. Hooker is still recovering from an ACL injury so it is likely he sits all of 2023 behind Jared Goff on a team with playoff aspirations.

His nickname is Tank, but he is certainly not built like one. Dell is only 165 pounds, which means if he hits for fantasy, especially as a third round rookie, he’ll be an outlier. His production at the University of Houston was off-the-charts in a pass-happy scheme so the hometown selection is intriguing if you like strolling down narrative street.

Miller is a bit of a sleeper in this rookie RB class after not getting a ton of buzz during the pre-draft process. He injured his MCL late in the year at TCU, so he couldn't workout at the combine or his pro day. However, the tape is awesome, and the Saints took him in the 3rd round as the 4th RB selected in the draft. He’s super young (21) which is an encouraging sign when you mix in his production and an impressive 6.7 yards per carry in college. Alvin Kamara’s legal situation is a giant question mark and while free agent signee Jamaal Williams certainly should inherit a goal-line role, he just turned 28 so the clock is ticking. Miller can be a solid bench stash to start the year and wait for the backfield opportunities to be cleared up.

Hyatt is probably going to add more value to the Giants in 2023 than he will to your fantasy team in 2023. His 4.4-speed and the ability to take the top off the defense as a field stretcher is intriguing; on the other hand, he is a bit of a raw prospect going to a crowded WR room that includes Darren Waller. You might think of Hyatt as a classic perimeter WR thanks to his size and speed, but he played just over 87% of his snaps in the slot last season at Tennessee. Given how many slot WRs are on this roster, Hyatt will probably have to learn how to play on the perimeter in the NFL…that could take some time.

Tillman lands on a somewhat crowded depth chart for 2023 with Amari Cooper there as the WR1, Elijah Moore probably playing the slot and Donovan Peoples-Jones playing on the perimeter. It'd be surprising if he does much in year one, but if DPJ or Cooper miss any time, Tillman is a name to remember. He's 6'3" and 213 lbs., which means he'd probably be given the shot to play on the perimeter if the opportunity presented itself.

This TE room is a complete unknown, so it may be exciting to take shots on these GB tight ends in drafts. It’s important to remind the FootClan that two of these guys are rookies, and we still have no idea if Jordan Love can be the dude. No need to get cute here.

Rookie QBs generally struggle to support top notch fantasy WRs, and the fact that Downs will be playing almost exclusively as a slot WR doesn’t help his 2023 outlook. We also need to remember that despite Anthony Richardson’s exciting athletic profile, historical data tells us that rushing QBs tend to take away production from their pass catchers. Downs is nothing more than a possible waiver wire pickup as a rookie.

The Titans selected Spears in the third round despite some medical issues raised about his knee. His college film at Tulane was stellar as he played bigger than his size (5’11”, 196 lbs.) with solid yards after contact numbers. He still has a ton to prove and the Titans offensive line was among the worst units in the league in 2022. Unless Derrick Henry leaves town or is injured, Spears is best viewed as a low priority insurance back.

Some people live their lives a quarter mile at a time and others are gone in 60 seconds. Too bad Devon Achane wasn’t born yet when either of those movies came out but a 4.32 40-time says he’s too fast to care! The Miami Dolphins 3rd round pick led the nation in yards per carry (7.0) in 2021 and showcased true game-breaking speed in the SEC. It’s the perfect landing spot in Mike McDaniel’s scheme although don’t expect Achane to handle more than 10-12 touches per game. He’s on the smaller side (5’8”, 188) and will be mixed in alongside veterans Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr.

Bigsby looks to be the peanut butter to Travis Etienne’s jelly after the Jaguars took him in the third round of the NFL Draft. He has an NFL-ready frame (6’0”, 216 lbs.) and was battle-tested in the SEC. Doug Pederson clearly wants to avoid running Etienne into the ground, and Tank will be the recipient of some high-value carries. Nevertheless for redraft purposes, he’s nothing more than an insurance policy in year one.

Gigantor 2.0?! Darnell Washington is a mountain of a man at 6’7” and 264 lbs. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be a good fantasy football player. Outside of a Pat Freiermuth injury, Washington isn’t on our radar as a fantasy option in year one. But if you want to stare at him in your app just to feel fear, his overwhelming presence as a real-life Monstar is worth the price of the UDK by itself.

Wilson was taken in the 3rd round of this year’s NFL Draft out of Stanford. As a five year college player, he never really had a true breakout so the overall profile is not pretty. With DeAndre Hopkins now off roster, 3WR sets will likely feature Wilson outside alongside Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore in the slot. Before you get too excited about labeling Wilson a late round sleeper, keep in mind we don’t even know who will be playing QB in Week 1. No thanks, Mr. Wilson.

If you’ve never heard of Tre Tucker, we don’t blame you. He is a 3rd round rookie out of Cincinnati who played four years in college and never posted more than 672 receiving yards in a season. Let’s just say we’re not necessarily thrilled to draft him in redraft leagues.

There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Cameron Latu. There’s also a good chance you score more fantasy points than him in 2023. Latu is a 3rd round rookie out of Alabama who’s stuck on the depth chart behind George Kittle. Move along!

We never got to see how productive Johnson could have been thanks to Bijan manhandling the Texas backfield, but we may get a chance to see what he can do in the NFL. The Bears used an early Day 3 pick on Johnson, but he’ll be competing with Khalil Herbert and D’Onta Foreman for backfield opportunities. Over the last decade, 4th round rookie RBs averaged just 78 total carries and none have finished higher than RB24. He’s a name to monitor but at draft time, we recommend a wait-and-see approach.