Man, it has been a hot minute since I’ve written about fantasy football here on the SoBros Network dot com! With the 2023 NFL Draft in the books, and all the dust has settled on the ever-so-important draft grades, it’s time to shift gears and start looking ahead – how is the draft going to impact the 2023 fantasy football season? Fret not – I’ve got my preliminary list in order. What follows is a list of nine rookies drafted in the first three rounds that should be on your radar. Dare I say, if you’re in a dynasty league like me, these are guys I like early in your rookie drafts. Let’s get to work.
Fantasy Football: Rookies to Watch in 2023
Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons – Let’s go ahead and get the obvious one out of the way. If you’re in a dynasty league doing rookie drafts, there’s absolutely no excuse for anyone other than Robinson being the pick…plain and simple. Need I say more?
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks – It’s easy to love it when anyone gets the highest ranked receiver in the draft class, but this one is specifically about the fit for me. There’s talent around JSN, so he won’t get all the attention in that offense. Geno Smith is coming off of a career year. This guy is going to assassinate slot corners.
Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens – The Ravens needed a young lightning rod in that receiving room, and they got it with Flowers, who was my WR2 in this draft class. I love his ability to do a little bit of everything, but most of all, I love his ability to separate. He’s going to be a consistent big play threat for the Ravens, who can use him in a myriad of ways.
Jonathan Mingo, Carolina Panthers – I needed someone to take my phone away from me before I tweeted out ‘Jonathan Mingo WR1’ not too long ago. I am that high on him – he was under-appreciated at Ole Miss. He can block. He can separate. He can find the soft spot against zone coverage. The Panthers have a crowded wide receiver room, but they’re in need of a #1, and there’s no reason to think that can’t be Mingo.
Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs – Rice has a bit of Treylon Burks to his game. He can line up anywhere, block his ass off, and make men miss in space. He’s going to be an electric factory in that Chiefs offense with Patrick Mahomes slingin’ it to him on those wild off-script plays.
Kendre Miller, New Orleans Saints – He’s technically third on the depth chart at the moment, but I’m a believer in Miller’s overall skill set, and while his floor is solid Alvin Kamara insurance, I think his ceiling could be ‘surprise RB2/FLEX candidate.’
Tyjae Spears, Tennessee Titans – An urgent need? No…at least right now! That could change if the Titans do end up trading Derrick Henry. But, even if he stays, I’m not worried about touches for Spears given the philosophy of this Titans team and how it likes to run the ball. Not to mention, Spears can be a spark plug in the passing game and get some of that PPR action as well.
Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals – Wilson is built to be a WR1, and there’s a smoothness to his game that makes me think he’ll be up to speed quickly at the next level. I don’t love that he’s dependent upon Kyler Murray for value, but assuming the Cardinals are able to move on from DeAndre Hopkins, Wilson is going to be the beneficiary. I think he’s pro-ready, and he’ll have the volume opportunity to post numbers.
Tre Tucker, Las Vegas Raiders – The Raiders and speed…a tale as old as time. I wrote extensively about all the reasons I found Tucker to be underrated throughout the draft process. So, I was jacked out of my mind when the Raiders made this pick. It might seem like an overdraft to some, but that’s irrelevant now. All that matters is how the Raiders are going to use Tucker, and I think that’ll be ‘everywhere and everything.’ He can return kicks, return punts, and be the gadgety jack-of-all-trades speedy wide receiver in that offense. I would not be surprised to see him used as a volume guy right out of the gate.
Who did you like from the first three rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft? Let me know in the comments section below!
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Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley.
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