2023 NFL Draft: The Dynasty Impact For Each Fantasy Relevant Player

2023 NFL Draft: What It Means For Dynasty Fantasy Football

The 2023 NFL Draft is in the books. Now it’s time to figure out what all the draft capital and landing spots mean for dynasty fantasy football and our rookie drafts.

We want to hear your opinions on these landing spots, so join us on Discord and let’s discuss!

1.01 Bryce Young (QB) – Panthers

The Panthers got their guy. After it appeared C.J. Stroud would be the pick for a while, the last two weeks leading into the draft made it clear that Bryce Young was going No. 1. It’s all but certain he will be the Week 1 starter, even with veteran Andy Dalton on the roster. He’s set up with a quality offensive coaching staff and supported by an ascending defense. However, the Panthers offense is void of receiving talent. That could make things difficult for Young in year one. 

1.02 C.J. Stroud (QB) – Texans

With Bryce Young off the board at 1, the Panthers settled for Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud with the second overall pick. Stroud enters a quarterback room that presents Davis Mills as its best competition. That means, it’s likely we see Stroud early on, perhaps even starting Week 1. Stroud is thought of as the safest quarterback in the 2023 class. He has all the tools to be a quality starter in the NFL. He’s got the requisite size, arm strength, and is incredibly accurate. He also has some athleticism which we may get to see him utilize more than he did at Ohio State.

Unfortunately for Stroud, though, the Texans are looking pretty ugly as far as weapons for their new quarterback. Nico Collins is tracking as the top wideout. But with some added pieces around him, Stroud can become the franchise quarterback that Houston has been longing for since its inception. 

1.04 Anthony Richardson (QB) – Colts

After burning down Lucas Oil Stadium at the NFL Combine, the Colts called up Anthony Richardson to bring him back to Indy as the No. 4 pick. Richardson is quite literally the most athletic quarterback to ever enter the NFL. He is a playmaker with his legs who has massive rushing yardage and touchdown upside. He also has the arm to make big time throws down the field or in tight windows. His accuracy is inconsistent, but a lot of that can be attributed to poor mechanics and footwork. With some coaching, those issues can be cleaned up considerably. Richardson’s pocket presence is underrated and could be a strength at the next level. Richardson is far from a sure-fire prospect, but he has the highest ceiling of any quarterback in the 2023 class.

He also has the best supporting cast around him with Michael Pittman out wide and Jonathan Taylor in the backfield. Richardson will lean a lot on the run game early in his career, both by handing the ball to JT and utilizing his own legs. That will give him time to work out the kinks in his passing game. Once that happens, look out. 

1.08 Bijan Robinson (RB) – Falcons

Right when we thought the NFL was realizing that drafting a running back this early was suboptimal, the Falcons come out and take Bijan Robinson in the top-10. While it was a horrible pick from a real life team-building perspective, it doesn’t take away anything from Robinson for our purposes. He is going to be an absolute stud in fantasy football. He got incredible draft capital to an ascending offense on a run-first team.

When a team takes a running back this early, they do it because they believe he is special. They have a plan for him. The Falcons will utilize Bijan in an all-purpose role, giving him a ton of carries and plenty of targets. As a rookie, he will have to deal with last year’s breakout running back Tyler Allgeier taking a few carries and we’ll likely see Cordarrelle Patterson still involved as a pass-catching specialist out of the backfield. It’s safe to project Robinson for upwards of 1,000 rushing yards and close to 50 receptions in his first season.

1.12 Jahmyr Gibbs (RB) – Lions

The Lions shocked the world when they took Jahmyr Gibbs with the 12th pick. They had the worst draft from a real life perspective. For fantasy football purposes, however, we have to love this for Jahmyr Gibbs. Coming off the board this high ensures a significant role from day one in Detroit. The team clearly has a plan for him. The fears with Gibbs coming into the draft were that teams may not view him as an all-purpose running back, instead locking him into more of a specialist role. That went out the window when he was drafted this early.

We can anticipate heavy usage in the Lions backfield. He will certainly take the “lion’s share” of the receiving work, while splitting carries with free agent signee David Montgomery. Remember, this Lions offense was one of the best fantasy producing units in the league in 2022. We should only expect that to go up from here. There is now a much stronger argument to be made that Gibbs is the 1.02 in single quarterback dynasty rookie drafts than there was before the draft. He got the draft capital. He got the role. And he got the offense. Wheels up.

1.20 Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR) – Seahawks 

We all knew going into the draft that Jaxon Smith-Njigba was the best wide receiver in the 2023 class. The Seahawks agreed and made him the first wideout off the board. The pick makes a ton of sense for Seattle. If they’re going to commit to building around Geno Smith—even for the short-term—they might as well set him up for success. Adding another weapon like JSN will surely help the cause. JSN joins a talented receiving corps that already includes D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Metcalf will continue to be the outside x-receiver while Lockett is the versatile inside-outside playmaker who can threaten defenses deep and after the catch. Where Smith-Njigba fits in, will be a mix of slot and flanker. He will man the middle of the field, operating mostly in the short and intermediate areas.

It’s difficult to project a huge target share for his rookie season given the two veteran studs that are already there and the run-friendly nature of the Seattle offense, but the long-term outlook is excellent. This is a team that routinely targets their top-two receivers at a high volume. Eventually, the path will clear for him to take full advantage. He will develop into a Keenan Allen/Amon-Ra St. Brown-like target magnet.

1.21 Zay Flowers (WR) – Ravens 

Zay Flowers was the second wide receiver off the board on draft night. On the day the Ravens (finally) paid Lamar Jackson, they also gave him a new playmaker. Jackson is getting a versatile weapon who can play both outside and in the slot despite his undersized frame. Flowers will be the chess piece that this offense has been in need of for a long time. The Ravens are now tee’d up with a receiver room of Odell Beckham Jr., Rashod Bateman, and Flowers, not to mention one of the league’s best tight ends. While that’s exciting for fans of the team, it could mean we have to be patient with Flowers early on. He will certainly be behind Mark Andrews in targets and will have to compete with both Bateman and OBJ for next in line.

The good news is, everything the Ravens have done this offseason indicates they are moving away from their old run-first, conservative approach on offense. They brought in a new, more modern minded offensive coordinator and have now added two stud pass catchers, on top of locking in their quarterback for the next five years. So while the target competition will be fierce, there will be more passes to go around. That opens the door for Flowers to have an Elijah Moore-like rookie season.

1.22 Quentin Johnston (WR) – Chargers

One of the best prospective landing spots for a wide receiver in this year’s draft was the Chargers. The lucky selection to be paired with Justin Herbert is TCU’s Quentin Johnston. While some fantasy gamers are worried he could be the next failed TCU wide receiver, he is certainly set up for the best chance at success.

Johnston joins a receiver room that already consists of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. However, both have struggled with injuries in recent seasons and likely won’t be with the team beyond 2024. That means Johnston is the chosen one to be the next top weapon for Herbert. He is a big-bodied wide receiver who dominates after the catch with impressive agility and acceleration. He gives the Chargers a weapon along the boundary opposite Williams. The draft stock and landing spot ensure Johnston as a worthy first round pick in dynasty rookie drafts. 

1.23 Jordan Addison (WR) – Vikings

There was some talk early in the process that Jordan Addison could be the first wide receiver drafted. But after a disappointing NFL Combine and weighing in at 173 lbs, Addison winds up as the No. 4 receiver off the board. However, the consolation prize of landing in the Minnesota offense is quite exciting. Sure, he will never be the alpha in that offense, but Addison wasn’t going to be that guy no matter where he went. Instead, he’s the perfect second option opposite a stud like Justin Jefferson.

One of the things we love most about the Vikings offense from a fantasy football standpoint, is that their target shares are routinely consolidated and predictable. It’s Jefferson, it’s Addison, and it’s Hockenson. That’s it. For that reason, Addison could have the biggest impact as a rookie among the first round wide receivers. 

1.25 Dalton Kincaid (TE) – Bills

Many had Dalton Kincaid as the best tight end in the class coming into draft night. It turned out that Kincaid was the only one at the position to find first round capital. Not only that, but he landed in a dream offense with Josh Allen and the Bills. The theme of the offseason for Buffalo is that the team desperately needed to add pass-catchers to complement Stefon Diggs and give Allen another weapon to work with. While most thought it would be a wide receiver, Kincaid will do the trick.

With that said, we have to be cautious about taking him too early in our rookie drafts. He’s still a tight end and we know historically tight ends take some time to get acclimated to the NFL before breaking out. Let’s not forget, the Bills still have a quality player at the position in Dawson Knox who isn’t just going to slide over and let the rookie take his job. So while this is a great long-term addition for the Bills and absolutely locks Kincaid in as the TE1 of the class, we still have to keep our short-term expectations in check. 

2.02 Will Levis (QB) – Titans

After it looked like Will Levis was a lock to go in the top-10, he wound up falling out of the first round all the way to the 2.02 where the Titans made the move up to select him. The difference put a major dent in his dynasty value. Levis will begin his career as the backup to Ryan Tannehill, assuming he can beat out last year’s notorious free-falling quarterback Malik Willis. He will have a shot to eventually take the job from Tannehill, but that’s unlikely to happen in 2023. 

2.03 Sam LaPorta (TE) – Lions

The Lions attempt to replace TJ Hockenson with a lesser version of TJ Hockenson. On one hand, it’s exciting to see Sam LaPorta land in a high-scoring offense. On the other hand, it’s worrisome that they weren’t able to maximize Hockenson’s skill set. So why should we believe they’ll be able to do it with LaPorta? We weren’t high on LaPorta to begin with. Nothing has changed that.

2.04 Michael Mayer (TE) – Raiders

The Raiders went with the chalk pick and chose Notre Dame’s Michael Mayer to replace the recently traded Darren Waller. Mayer is the most well-rounded tight end in the class and could have the most early-career production of the group. He only has washed-up veteran Austin Hooper and former first round bust OJ Howard to contend with. Mayer is in a similar mold to Hooper—a quality receiver who is an excellent blocker, so the Raiders are clearly looking for “a type.” Once they deem Mayer ready to take over, Hooper will be tossed aside in favor of the rookie.

2.08 Jonathan Mingo (WR) – Panthers

After choosing Bryce Young as the new face of the franchise with the first overall pick, the Panthers opted to give their quarterback a big target to work with. Jonathan Mingo steps into a wide receiver room of Adam Thielen, DJ Chark, Terrace Marshall, Laviska Shenault, and Shi Smith. While it sounds like a crowded room, Mingo realistically has a chance to play a significant role in his rookie season. None of the aforementioned receivers pose a major hurdle for the rookie to get over for playing time. His size, physical play style, and alignment versatility will only help.

The Panthers could choose to use the former Ole Miss wide receiver out wide, where he’s competing for snaps with Marshall. They could also view him as more of a big slot and use him over the all but dusted Thielen. Either way, there is an opportunity for Mingo to seize an early target share despite the underwhelming college resume.

2.11 Luke Musgrave (TE) – Packers

The Packers loaded up on weapons for new starting quarterback Jordan Love. One of those was the ultra-athletic Luke Musgrave. Musgrave is a big, fast, explosive athlete who runs quality routes and can line up all over the field. With Robert Tonyan out of the picture, Musgrave has a shot to seize the starting tight end job from day one. He only has fellow rookie Tucker Kraft and the incumbent backup Josiah Deguara in his way.

As the new starting quarterback, Love doesn’t have any established connections with the current pass catchers which will only open up a greater likelihood of a rookie like Musgrave to be able to establish an early rapport. Musgrave has the highest upside of any of the rookie tight ends and is set up with a great opportunity to reach that ceiling. 

2.19 Jayden Reed (WR) – Packers

We couldn’t have asked for a better landing spot for Jayden Reed. He can step in and be the team’s WR2 from day one. Reed will make an impact as a versatile weapon who can line up anywhere on the field and even take some rush attempts or add value as a returner. He will play from the slot in 11-personnel with a chance to overtake Romeo Doubs in two-wide receiver sets. Reed can be more of the volume guy in the Packers offense while Christian Watson specializes in splash plays. Jordan Love should be thrilled with this pick.

2.21 Zach Charbonnet (RB) – Seahawks 

The Seahawks baffled us all when they selected Zach Charbonnet in the second round just one year after doing the same with Kenneth Walker. It’s maddening to see both Walker and Charbonnet’s dynasty values take a hit in one swing. We can expect a split backfield but it’s impossible to project how much work goes to each back. Walker will get the majority of the touches, but will it be a 65/45 split or something closer to a true 50/50? We can predict Charbonnet to get more of the receiving work based on their respective resumes, but even that’s far from a lock. It’s possible that we see Charbonnet with more goal line touches considering he’s the better short yardage guy while Walker is more of a breakaway threat. But, again, we really don’t know.

My prediction is this is something of a 60/40 split between the twenties with Charbonnet getting a slight edge in receiving and short yardage work. Also known as a complete headache for fantasy. I’m still drafting Charbonnet in the first round of rookie drafts but it’s closer to the back half as opposed to where it was pre-draft. Thanks Pete.

2.24 Rashee Rice (WR) – Chiefs 

We were all waiting for this pick. Which wide receiver was going to land in Kansas City? The Chiefs have already compared Rashee Rices’s projected role to what Juju Smith-Schuster did for them last season. That’s exciting considering Juju led all Chiefs wide receivers in receptions and receiving yards. Rice will be a versatile weapon for Patrick Mahomes. He has good size, excellent ball skills and body control, with enough speed to add a vertical element. He will also add a run-after-catch threat that the offense has been missing.

All that is in his way of becoming a favorite target of Mahomes’, is Kadarius Toney, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Skyy Moore. It’s easy to see a world where Rice ends the season with similar numbers to Juju’s 2022 campaign—101 targets, 78 receptions, 933 yards, and three touchdowns. That would count as a very successful first NFL season for the former SMU star.

2.27 Luke Schoonmaker (TE) – Cowboys

The Cowboys reached to fill their need at tight end here after letting Dalton Schultz depart in free agency. Schoonmaker wasn’t really on the fantasy radar prior to getting second round draft capital. He wasn’t very productive in college but he has excellent size and is hyper-athletic across the board. That’s really all we look for from these tight ends coming out of college. Add that with the second round draft capital and we’ve got ourselves an intriguing sleeper. Schoonmaker fits into the Dawson Knox archetype. He’s going to take some time to develop and will need to navigate past Peyton Hendershot and Jake Ferguson, but Schoonmaker has a shot to be a productive fantasy tight end somewhere down the line.

2.32 Marvin Mims (WR) – Broncos 

Sean Payton’s first draft pick as head coach of the Broncos was Marvin Mims. Payton is adding an explosive element that the offense was lacking in 2022. Mims was a big play threat at Oklahoma, using his 4.38 wheels to average nearly 20 yards per reception. He’ll be that playmaker from the slot that KJ Hamler was never able to become. It will be a perfect fit with the big outside x-receiver Courtland Sutton, and the smooth possession Jerry Jeudy. He won’t necessarily see a high volume of targets, but his splash play ability will provide value in 2023 best ball leagues with a chance for that role to grow in future seasons.

3.05 Hendon Hooker (QB) – Lions

This is a perfect landing spot for both sides. Hendon Hooker gets to take his time to get healthy while learning for a year behind Jared Goff. The Lions get a low-cost shot at developing their next starting quarterback. If that happens, Hooker will be set up nicely with weapons like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta, and Jahmyr Gibbs. Of course, Hooker may not end up usurping Goff. Instead, becoming a quality backup on a team with playoff aspirations. Either way, it’s not costing the Lions much to find out.

Listen: Landing Spot Reaction 

3.06 Tank Dell (WR) – Texans

We know about the size concerns for Tank Dell. He is set up nicely to have an opportunity to put the size talk aside and actually produce in Houston. The Texans wide receiver depth chart is as weak as it gets in the NFL. That opens the door for Dell to come in and use his lateral agility, overall athleticism, and proficient route running to establish himself as the team’s starting slot receiver. 

3.08 Kendre Miller (RB) – Saints

The Saints were comfortable enough with Kendre Miller’s medicals and lack of athletic testing to select him early in the third round. He steps into a running back room already consisting of Alvin Kamara and Jamaal Williams. But with Kamara facing an early season suspension, the door is open for Miller to establish himself in a significant role from the start. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him overtake Williams by the middle of the season either. Sure, Williams scored a bunch of touchdowns last season but his overall efficiency wasn’t great. By the fantasy playoffs, this could be a Kamara/Mark Ingram type of backfield split with Miller playing the Ingram role. 

3.10 Jalin Hyatt (WR) – Giants

Early on in the pre-draft process, Jalin Hyatt was looking like a first round pick. Instead, he fell all the way to the third round. This tells us teams didn’t value his one-dimensional skill set as much as they have with other wide receivers in the past. Still, Hyatt steps into a Giants wide receiver room void of talent and desperate for a downfield playmaker. Hyatt can be that guy for Daniel Jones. He may not be a high volume target, but Hyatt will be a threat from the slot, adding a presence that this offense was missing in 2022. His biggest competition will be Darius Slayton.

3.11 Cedric Tillman (WR) – Browns

Cedric Tillman’s year one competition is Donovan Peoples-Jones. Both are vying for that outside spot opposite Amari Cooper. It’s unlikely we’ll see both on the field at the same time often considering the offseason addition of Elijah Moore who will man the slot and start in two-wide receiver sets. So while it may be tough to carve out a consistent enough role for fantasy relevance as a rookie, Tillman could see more opportunities in 2024 if Peoples-Jones is not re-signed. 

3.15 Tucker Kraft (TE) – Packers

Tucker Kraft is competing with fellow rookie Luke Musgrave for the starting tight end job in Green Bay. Unfortunately for Kraft, the Packers took Musgrave a full round ahead of him. But that doesn’t mean Kraft doesn’t have a shot. We’ve seen examples in the past like the Ravens drafting Hayden Hurst ahead of Mark Andrews in the same draft several years back. Or Washington drafting RGIII second overall before taking Kirk Cousins a few rounds later. So it’s possible. Both Kraft and Musgrave are big-bodied guys with a ton of athleticism and good receiving skills. Both are in that Dallas Goedert mold. It will be fun to see how this competition plays out. 

3.16 Josh Downs (RB) – Colts

Josh Downs slipped behind a few wide receivers that he was expected to be drafted ahead of. But he still lands in a quality spot. The Colts have opportunities on their wide receiver depth chart for a guy like Downs to come in and take immediately. Parris Campbell’s departure in free agency left an opening at slot. The team signed Isaiah McKenzie to fill the role, but he was unable to hold that down in Buffalo last season.

McKenzie does not present a major hurdle for Downs to get over, but it could be several weeks into the season before he gets a full grasp of the starting job. Even then, it could be a slot receiver by committee situation as the team takes its time fading out the veteran. On top of that, the team will be relying on a combination of Gardner Minshew and rookie Anthony Richardson at quarterback. It could be a slow start to Downs’ career, but the outlook is much better for 2024 and beyond. 

3.18 Tyjae Spears (RB) – Titans 

Maybe he didn’t land a starting job, but this is a low key good landing spot for Tyjae Spears. He’s immediately thrust up the depth chart to the RB2 spot behind Derrick Henry, who is 29 years old. Even without a Henry injury, Spears will have some relevance as the team’s primary third down/receiving back. The NFL wasn’t concerned about his knees enough to let him slide out of day two and you shouldn’t be either. We play dynasty in a three-year window anyway (especially with running backs). Get Spears and enjoy the next few seasons.

3.21 Devon Achane (RB) –  Dolphins 

Devon Achane got the money landing spot. Miami’s outside zone scheme is perfect for a back like Achane. We’ve seen fast undersized backs thrive in this scheme for years. Raheem Mostert, Matt Breida, and Elijah Mitchell are just a few examples. Achane is faster and a more talented back than all of them. But it’s not just the scheme. Achane’s only real competition for touches are Jeff Wilson and the 31-year old Mostert, both of whom have battled numerous injuries in recent seasons. That leaves Achane in line to be the top touch-getter in one of the league’s most explosive offenses. How are defenses supposed to account for Achane’s speed when they have to worry about Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle?

3.25 Tank Bigsby (RB) – Jaguars 

Tank Bigsby joins Travis Etienne in the ascending Jaguars offense. He’s a bigger, more straight-line runner compared to Etienne. He’ll fit nicely into the old James Robinson role while Etienne continues to lead the backfield and be the explosive element. 

3.30 Darnell Washington (TE) – Steelers

This landing spot was disappointing for Darnell Washington enthusiasts. He’s stuck behind established starter Pat Freiermuth for the foreseeable future. Washington will get on the field in two tight end sets, obvious rushing situations, and in the red zone. Because of his size, he could wind up with an inordinate number of touchdowns based on the low target share he’s expected to see. It will be impossible to predict when those will come, though, making him a very difficult stream. 

3.31 Michael Wilson (WR) – Cardinals

Michael Wilson is stepping into a depth role in Arizona to begin his career. He will play special teams as well as back up DeAndre Hopkins, Rondale Moore, and Marquise Brown. That will give him enough time to develop his game and compete for a starting job in 2024 when Hopkins may no longer be on the team. It’s also possible we see more of Wilson late in his rookie season if the team is out of contention and want to give their young players more run. 

3.37 Tre Tucker (RB) – Raiders 

The Raiders surprised us all with this pick. Not only was it odd to take a receiver in the third round who didn’t produce much in college, but his far more productive and talented teammate at Cincinnati (Tyler Scott) was still on the board. Tucker projects as more of a depth receiver and special teams guy than a player we can rely on for fantasy production. If you choose him at the end of your rookie drafts, you’re betting purely on his athleticism with the hopes that he can do more in the NFL than he did at the college level.

4.13 Roschon Johnson (RB) – Bears

Roschon Johnson didn’t get the day two draft capital that we were hoping for, but it wasn’t long into the fourth round before he was drafted to the Bears. While it was a bit later than we wanted, we couldn’t ask for a better landing spot. The Bears lost David Montgomery to the Lions in free agency and only replaced him with D’Onta Foreman. Of course, Khalil Herbert is still there and he has done well when given opportunities over his first two seasons.

But Herbert and Foreman are hardly locked into a particular spot on the depth chart. That opens the door for Johnson to not only carve out a role, but to force the Bears into giving him the most touches. Johnson surely has the skill set to do it. He’s a big-bodied back with good athleticism and efficiency between the tackles. The reality is, that could also describe Herbert and Foreman. These are three similarly built and similarly talented runners. Where Johnson gets the edge, though, is in the receiving game. That could be what gets him on the field early and become the guy we want for fantasy purposes. 

Then we have this incredible quote from a Bears scout: “This human being is wired differently,” 

“The more time you spend around him, the more you realize that you are probably the one who has things you need to work on, not him…

“He’s someone we really feel compelled can become a pillar of this organization for a really long time.”

4.23 Derius Davis (WR) – Chargers

Derius Davis provides some much needed speed to the Chargers offense. It will be difficult for him to crack the lineup, though, as anything more than a situational field-stretcher with the presence of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams, Quentin Johnston, and Josh Palmer. And even then, he still has to overtake John Hightower and Jalen Guyton who are vying for the same role.

4.29 Charlie Jones (WR) – Bengals 

Charlie Jones may be the most overrated day three wide receiver among the dynasty community. He’s not going to have a role on offense in his rookie season. His only path to becoming fantasy relevant is he somehow develops his game at age 25 and can take over for Tyler Boyd in 2024. That seems unlikely. 

4.31 Tyler Scott (WR) – Bears

After whiffing on Velus Jones in 2022 (we all saw that coming, right?), the Bears go back to the well with Tyler Scott in their quest to add more speed to the offense. Scott actually profiles similarly to Darnell Mooney who is not under contract beyond the 2023 season. Whether the team sees Scott as a potential Mooney replacement or, at worst, insurance, is not yet known. But what we do know, is that Scott is likely competing with Equanimeous St. Brown as the team’s WR4 this season. 

5.08 Israel Abanikanda (RB) –  Jets

The good news is, Israel Abanikanda’s skill set is a perfect fit for the Jets outside zone rushing scheme. The bad news is he is stuck behind Breece Hall for the next three years. That’s unfortunate for those of us who loved his profile coming into the draft. He will also need to compete for touches with Michael Carter and Zonovan Knight. It’s looking like a tough road to fantasy relevance, at least in the short term. However, if Abanikanda impresses the coaches enough to earn the immediate backup job to Hall, he would become one of the more intriguing running back handcuffs in fantasy football. 

5.15 Justin Shorter (WR) – Bills

Justin Shorter provides Josh Allen with a big-bodied contested catch weapon. Unfortunately, that’s about all he brings to the table. 

5.24 Dontayvion Wicks (WR) – Packers

Dontayvion Wicks is going to have a tough climb to a fantasy relevant role. He will begin his career behind Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Romeo Doubs. He will also have to compete for playing time (and a roster spot) with second year receivers Samori Toure and Bo Melton and fellow rookie Grant Dubose.

5.28 Chase Brown (RB) – Bengals

Chase Brown was a Yards Per Fantasy favorite heading into the NFL Draft. He didn’t quite get the draft capital we’d hoped, but the landing spot to the Bengals in round five is chef’s kiss. We had the Bengals circled as an ideal place for a rookie running back. Joe Mixon is coming off one of his least efficient seasons in the NFL and there has been talk for months that the team could release him altogether. While that doesn’t seem likely at this point, Mixon has dealt with multiple off the field issues since the end of the 2022 season which only complicates his status further.

With Samaje Perine out the door and neither Trayveon Williams nor Chris Evans proving to be anything but a “JAG,” the opportunity is ripe for Chase Brown to make a major impact in year one. Brown proved at Syracuse that he can handle a heavy workload if called upon, and he has the receiving chops to make a difference on third downs as well. Even with Mixon still in the picture, we can see a path to fantasy football relevance with Brown as the change-of-pace and third down back in one of the league’s best offenses. Brown is a major riser post-NFL Draft.

5.37 Eric Gray (RB) – Giants

Eric Gray will need a Saquon Barkley injury to find any sort of meaningful role in his rookie season. Even then, he’s likely behind Matt Breida and will have to overtake the other running backs on the roster. Things could clear in 2024, though, if Barkley doesn’t sign a long-term extension. Even then, it’s hard to imagine the Giants view Gray as their future RB1 in waiting. 

5.41 Evan Hull (RB) –  Colts

Evan Hull in the fifth round to the Colts was one of the better day three running back landing spots. Sure, he’s behind one of the better starting running backs in the league, but we never expected Hull to land in an RB1 job anyway. Instead, we were hoping he would find a place where he could earn a specialist role as a team’s receiving back. After trading Nyheim Hines at the deadline last season, the Colts fit that criteria. He will have to beat out Deon Jackson, but Hull has a clear path to filling that Hines role in Indy. On top of that, Zack Moss isn’t exactly the toughest hurdle to get over for the primary backup to Taylor, either. 

5.42 Puka Nacua (WR) – Rams

Puka Nacua will begin his career as the (at best) WR4 in LA behind Cooper Kupp, Van Jefferson, and Ben Skowronek. He probably won’t ever get much higher than that.

6.10 Kayshon Boutte (WR) – Patriots 

Oh how the mighty have fallen. It wasn’t long ago that Boutte was viewed as one of the top wide receivers in this class. A brutal junior season and an equally poor pre-draft process knocked him down to sixth round afterthought. Boutte will have to fight for a roster spot during training camp with the Patriots. It’s hard to imagine he finds much of a role as a rookie if he makes the team. Boutte is still worth a late-round flier in rookie drafts, though, in the hopes that he resurrects his career in New England. But the most likely outcome is he’s just a cheap N’Keal Harry.

6.14 Trey Palmer (WR) – Buccaneers 

Trey Palmer will likely begin his career as the WR4 in Tampa. His return skills will help him make the team and get on the field early in his career. Perhaps that buys him enough time to ascend the depth chart in future seasons.

6.28 Xavier Hutchinson (WR) – Texans

Landing in the sixth round isn’t ideal for Xavier Hutchinson. However, if you’re going to go in the sixth, you might as well go to the team with the worst wide receiver depth chart in the NFL. The Texans present a real opportunity for a guy like Hutchinson to earn a role in his rookie season. The odds are against him, but the opportunity is there. 

6.29 Andrei Iosivas (WR) – Bengals

Playing with Joe Burrow will give any wide receiver a boost in value, even if it means they’re stuck behind Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd. Coming from an Ivy League school, Iosivas will likely need some time to acclimate to the NFL. In the meantime, he’ll have to make his way on special teams. 

6.35 Deuce Vaughn (RB) – Cowboys

Deuce Vaughn lands on a thin Cowboys depth chart. He’s not a guy who’s going to carry the load, but he could find a role in Dallas behind Tony Pollard. 

6.38 Zach Evans (RB) – Rams 

As a guy who couldn’t hold a starting job in college and couldn’t convince the NFL to invest any significant capital into drafting him, Zach Evans is zero threat to Cam Akers’ spot atop the Rams running back depth chart. However, Evans could climb as high as LA’s RB2 ahead of Kyren Williams and Ronnie Rivers. For that reason, he will have some value in rookie drafts.

7.03 Zack Kuntz (TE) – Jets

Zack Kuntz received some hype during the pre-draft process, but it was all for not as he fell all the way to the seventh round. The Jets already have established veterans Tyler Conklin and C.J. Uzomah at tight end. It’s going to be a long road to relevance for Kuntz.

7.05 DeWayne McBride (RB) – Vikings 

DeWayne McBride is at best third on the Vikings depth chart behind Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison. That’s if he even makes the team.

7.20 Kenny McIntosh (RB) – Seahawks

The Seahawks shocked us all when they drafted Zach Charbonnet in the second round. They weren’t done at the position, though, and doubled up with Kenny McIntosh in the seventh. McIntosh is a slow receiving specialist. That’s not an appealing profile for fantasy purposes especially when he’s buried on the depth chart and comes with seventh round draft capital.

UDFAs To Know

Tiyon Evans (RB) – Rams

Mohamed Ibrahim (RB) – Lions

Keaton Mitchell (RB) – Ravens

Camerun Peoples (RB) – Panthers

Sean Tucker (RB) – Buccaneers 

Bryce Ford-Wheaton (WR) – Giants

Jadon Haselwood (WR) – Eagles

Rakim Jarrett (WR) – Buccaneers 

Jalen Moreno-Cropper (WR) – Cowboys