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Way Too Early Dynasty Rookie Rankings for 2023

Looking to the future, what is the real difference between the 1.01 and the 1.04? When's the latest you can get a quarterback that matters?
Dynasty Rookie Rankings

Sometimes it’s just not your year. Injuries, bad predictions, and absurd points against have ruined many dynasty managers years. A special shout out to Trey Lance, Allen Robinson, and James Cook for spiraling teams around the nation. Looking to the future, what is the real difference between the 1.01 and the 1.04? When’s the latest you can get a quarterback that matters? Look no further for some super, I mean WAY too early dynasty rookie rankings for superflex 2023.

Way Too Early Dynasty Rookie Rankings for 2023

1.01 Bijan Robinson RB1

This is the easiest pick. Do you want a 20-year-old Saquon Barkley with no knee injury and a projected first-round draft pedigree? This monster of a human being is currently averaging 6.1 yards per carry, has game-breaking speed, and is as close to a can’t-miss prospect since Ezekiel Elliot.  Robinson has the most rushing touchdowns in the Big 12 and profiles as a three-down back at the next level. The landing spot likely won’t be a factor, and unless something goes catastrophically wrong, Bijan Robinson 1.01 is a lock.

1.02 Bryce Young QB1

The 1.o2 slot this upcoming year is completely up in the air. There are two or three running backs that could steal this slot. Another quarterback could go here, or even a wide receiver if a manager falls in love with one. But Bryce Young has been that guy at Alabama his entire time there. A 74 to 12 touchdown interception ratio in his two years as a starter tells most of the picture. Despite a smaller frame for an NFL quarterback (listed at six foot, 194 pounds), Young has distributed the ball efficiently and made plays when they matter most. Young can move with the ball in his hands, read defenses at a top level, and is a potential franchise-changing quarterback.

1.03 C.J. Stroud QB2

All of the measurable qualities, 21 years old, and a Heisman finalist for two years in a row. If you are scared off by the height and weight of Young, C.J. Stroud is the first quarterback off the board. Six-foot-three, 215 pounds, and runs like a gazelle, there isn’t anything Stroud cannot handle on a football field. The argument against Stroud has been that he is surrounded by elite talent so he hasn’t had to be the focal point of the offense. Spoilers for 2024, Marvin Harrison Jr. is the top wide receiver I have seen in college. But Stroud has been able to get the ball to his playmakers and make the smart play when he has to. In Superflex, a quarterback of this caliber cannot fall for long.

1.04 Jahmyr Gibbs RB2

Picture Alvin Kamara, but faster. Looking around the league, Alabama running backs dominate backfields. Brian Robinson was the lowest-touted Tuscaloosa alumni in a while and he is still the number one option in Washington. Jahmyr Gibbs is a pass-catching specialist who also averages a casual 6.8 yards per carry. Gibbs dominated the backfield at Georgia Tech, transferred to Alabama, and improved his draft stock exponentially. If Gibbs goes in the top 50 picks, he could sneak into the top two picks in rookie drafts.

1.05 Sean Tucker RB3

Sean Tucker has an argument to be the number two running back in this class. Tucker has lined up all over the place, caught passes, and dominated the ACC. Solid contact balance, Tucker does not go down from arm tackles. At just a hair over 200 pounds, Tucker will need to put on ten to fifteen pounds to be a three-down back at the next level. Tucker profiles as a pass catcher but has elevated Syracuse’s offense to another level. Tucker is must-see TV, and made the Orange watchable again. For that reason alone, he’s a prospect on fantasy radars.

1.06 Jordan Addison WR1

Addison is the wide receiver that made Kenny Pickett a first-round quarterback. A smaller receiver at six foot, 175 pounds, the Biletnikoff award winner for 2021 can’t be guarded. For those looking to box score scout, Addison did not play much in USC’s blowouts this year and has let his numbers drop off. That speaks to the character of the young man, letting team success matter more than individual accolades. This is a wide receiver each franchise should want on their roster, and could be the first receiver off the board in 2023.

1.07 Will Levis QB3

This one is more about the noise than the prospect. Superflex means that quarterbacks are hard to come by, and if Levis does go in the first round, you can’t let him slide further than this. A more raw prospect than the earlier two quarterbacks, Levis is 6’4, 230 pounds, and has the arm to make any throw on the field. Watching a Kentucky game will leave scouts even more confused than when they started. He will make a 60-yard pass on the run, then miss a five-yard check down and take a sack. If you are a quarterback-hungry team, Levis could be the solution, or a land mine waiting to be stepped on.

1.08 Blake Corum RB 4

Corum has the same amount of rushing touchdowns as Bijan Robinson and didn’t even play in the most recent domination of Ohio State. Corum likely won’t amaze anyone at the combine, but his ability to read blocks, have patience, and hit the hole with determination is up there with the best of them. At 5’8, 210 pounds, Corum is dense enough to be a three-down back in the NFL, just don’t look for him to win any jump balls anytime soon. This running back class is deep and Corum could still find himself in the top two rounds of the NFL draft.

1.09 Jaxon Smith-Njigba WR2

A wide receiver room with Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave was headlined by this young man. Yes, he has not played for most of 2022. It shouldn’t matter. JSN set the college football stage on fire in 2021 with 95 receptions and over 1,600 yards. The injury and lack of production in 2022 may actually help his fantasy outlook, as he is likely to slide to the late first round rather than being a top-15 pick. Landing spot matters more for receivers than running backs, and if JSN lands in Kansas City, Los Angeles, or Dallas, expect him to shoot up draft boards.

1.10 Jalin Hyatt WR3

Just watch the Alabama-Tennessee game. There’s nothing else to say. If any receiver has six receptions for 207 yards and five touchdowns against Nick Saban ever again, I’ll take them 1.01. Hyatt is a big play machine that has catapulted himself into the conversation of the best receiver in the nation. It remains to be seen if this production is Hyatt or this next prospect.

1.11 Hendon Hooker QB4

Hooker is a prospect full of what-ifs. What if Hooker had stayed the starter at Virginia Tech. What if he had been the full-time starter at Tennessee? What if he hadn’t torn his ACL? Hooker has made Tennessee relevant and has rushing upside for days. An older prospect with a leg injury, it remains to be seen if an NFL team will take the plunge in the first round. If he goes in the first round of the NFL draft, he deserves to go in the first round of Superflex drafts. If not, landing spot will dictate.

1.12 Quentin Johnston WR4

The wide receivers in this draft are being slept on. As a rule, TCU receivers terrify me (see Jalen Reagor), but Johnston is terrifying to watch. He looks like a man among boys in the Big 12 and dominates the target share at TCU with over 20% of the throws headed his way. Another land mine of a prospect, Johnston’s measurables look like Megatron but his production profile looks more like a third-round pick.

Late First Early Second Names to Watch

Tank Bigsby (RB) could sneak into the second round and immediately jump the wide receiver on the list. Auburn goes as he goes, and has a name that is worth drafting. Bigsby will have had two, thousand-yard seasons under his belt and enough of a receiving profile to get by.

Israel Abanikanda (RB) leads the NCAA in touchdowns, has the measurables, and with a good combine could wind up replacing a journeyman running back. Google Pitt vs Virginia Tech and sit back and see what he can do for fantasy squads in 2023.

Kayshon Boutte (WR) has shown flashes but has not put together a full-season campaign that compares to the receivers above him. Boutte is the biggest question mark heading to the draft next year, as his profile could land him anywhere from the top 20 to the third round.

Michael Mayer (TE) is going to be great. He’s huge, strong, has great hands, and a mean streak when he blocks. If Kyle Pitts was a once in a generational tight end prospect, this has been a very short lifetime. Two very different profiles, Mayer moves more like Kittle while Pitts moves more like a wide receiver. Watching Mayer score touchdowns while watching NFL Redzone on DirecTV might be a part of every Sunday next year.

DJ Uigalelei (QB) could slide in the first round. He could also go in the fifth round. He could also go back to Clemson. If he gets that day one or early day two draft pedigree, he’s worth a swing anywhere in the top 16 picks.

 

Mike Kashuba, Manager

Mike Kashuba, Manager

Mike is a fantasy football expert who hosts the Fantasy Football RPG podcast and specializes in the NFL Draft, rankings, and film studies to find the best values in the league today.

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