The long wait is over. After four months of free agency, way too early rankings and buy low windows the rookie draft season is here. With that in mind, who tops the 2023 Fantasy Football Dynasty Superflex Rookie Rankings now that landing spots are finalized? This is broken down into tiers, so savvy managers can trade back within the same tier or up into the next tier up to try and maximize on value draft day.
2023 Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Dynasty Superflex Format
The Chosen One
1. Bijan Robinson
It’s getting a little boring to write about Bijan at this point, so this won’t take long. He has the measurables of Marshawn Lynch, the fluidity of Brian Westbrook and the receiving ability of Alvin Kamara. Top ten draft capital and a solid landing spot bode well for Bijan.
Only Competition for 1.01
2. Anthony Richardson
If Richardson played running back, he might still be the 1.02. His rushing ability is better than some running backs in this loaded class, and pairs that with an absolute rocket of an arm. The risk isn’t as high as the haters make it seem, and Richardson is the only quarterback in this draft that can sniff Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen or Jalen Hurts in two years. The Indianapolis Colts are the perfect place to grow for Richardson.
Quarterbacks and Sure Fire Starters
3. Bryce Young
4. C.J. Stroud
5. Jahmyr Gibbs
6. Jaxon Smith-Njigba
7. Kendre Miller
The number one overall pick has job security. If Bryce Young is absolutely awful, he will still get chances for five years. If he is even an average starter, the Carolina Panthers traded so much that he can’t get replaced for the foreseeable future. His ceiling in fantasy in the QB9-14 range but that is gold in superflex. It is really unfortunate C.J. Stroud went to the Houston Texans. They are doing their best to build around him, giving him another wide receiver (albeit a tiny one) but the organization is still a couple years away. If any quarterback flames out quickly, it could be Stroud from no fault of his own.
Admittedly, Gibbs was lower on the 2o23 running back rankings than he should have been. Top 12 draft capital means something, and despite a crowded running back room in Detroit Gibbs now has to get 200 or more touches a year to justify the Lions drafting him. Jaxon Smith-Njigba tops the 2023 rookie wide receiver rankings. He was the best wide receiver at Ohio State, which has had the best wide receiver room in the NCAA for a few years now. There’s not much more to say, and if any prospect can reach Justin Jefferson or Jamar Chase, it’s JSN.
A look in at the New Orleans running back room shows two aging running backs, one with off the field issues. Kendre is going to get opportunities early, often, and should be the starter in 2024 at the very worst.
Wait a Year, or Risk It for the Biscuit
8. Zay Flowers
9. Quentin Johnston
10. Dalton Kincaid
11. Will Levis
The Baltimore Ravens were a bad landing spot in the fantasy football rookie rankings before the draft. But then they sealed the deal with Lamar Jackson, clearly committed to him and now Flowers has a chance to be the WR1 with an MVP for five years. All of the top 15 buzz died around Quentin Johnston, and now the Josh Doctson comparisons are scaring off some people. He’s a first round pick, going to one of the best landing spots in the Los Angeles Chargers. Josh Palmer has stuck around dynasty rosters just by virtue of being tied to Justin Herbert, so Johnston’s floor is a spike week capable WR3.
Dalton Kincaid was already considered the best pass catching tight end in the class. Now he went in the first round to the offense run by Josh Allen. If he is the second target in this offense, watch out. An early second-round quarterback is valuable. The Tennessee Titans are clearly looking for the Ryan Tannehill replacement, and Will Levis will get an opportunity at least. Everyone is fading him so he could fall in rookie drafts, but quarterbacks with a shot don’t grow on trees.
Patience is a Virtue, Landing Spots or Talent Not Ideal
12. Jordan Addison
13. Tank Bigsby
14. Zach Charbonnet
15. Tyjae Spears
16. Hendon Hooker
A year removed from Minnesota’s offense being Justin Jefferson and everyone else, now there might be too many mouths to feed. Jordan Addison could be the Devonta Smith to Justin Jefferson’s A.J. Brown. Travis Etienne was drafted during the Urban Meyer period. They still have the same GM, but this smoke should worry some Etienne owners. Tank Bigsby is talented and can steal some serious touches in Jacksonville.
My heart goes out to Zach Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker owners. Two dynasty darlings, wrapped together by fate and a Seattle front office who hates fantasy managers. This is now the best backfield in the country, but neither will explode for fantasy for the foreseeable future. Derrick Henry is the undisputed owner of the Titans backfield. But the high draft capital on Spears mixed with Henry’s age should give him a serious chance as a change of pace back, elite handcuff and 2024 starting potential.
The Lions confused the heck out of everyone during draft week. They overdrafted a running back and middle linebacker, but Hendon Hooker is a sneaky add in the third. A taxi stash for 2024 that could turn into a starting quarterback.
Tight Ends, Wide Receiver Swings and Running Backs with a Chance
17. Jonathan Mingo
18. Rashee Rice
19. Devon Achane
20. Luke Musgrave
21. Michael Mayer
22. Sam Laporta
23. Chase Brown
24. Zach Evans
Jonathan Mingo is the wide receiver not taken in the first round that is most likely to become the number one in his offense. Being tied to Bryce Young is a nice little bonus for the Ole Miss grad. Rashee Rice got a huge bump in the draft. The Chiefs traded up for him, and their wide receiver room is wide open. Dynasty managers were hurt by Skyy Moore last year, but this small school receiver in the second round has to work out… Right? The Mike McDaniels offense needs speed, speed and more speed. Devon Achane has olympic level speed and performed in the SEC. Size is a concern, but why not take a swing?
The second round tight ends are all over the place. All of them have serious upside, the Green Bay landing spot is just slightly better than the others with a lack of weapons on the team. Once touted as the top tight end in the class, Michael Mayer somehow went third in the draft. He will immediately slot into the tight end one role in the Josh McDaniels’ offense, which worked pretty well for some tight ends in the past. Again, what are the Lions doing? Sam Laporta will probably never be the number one option in Detroit, but he could slide into the second or third option on a high flying offense in 2023 and beyond.
If Joe Mixon is on the move, Chase Brown is on the move up. Keep an eye out for Sydney Brown‘s brother. The Los Angeles Rams got themselves a gold mine. Zach Evans was at one time the number one overall recruit in the nation.
The Third Round Gold Mine
25. Jalin Hyatt
26. Cedric Thomas
27. Jayden Reed
28. Marvin Mims
29. Luke Schoonmaker
30. Israel Abanikanda
31. Josh Downs
32. Michael Wilson
Jalin Hyatt is a blazing fast wide receiver in a perfect landing spot. Low draft capital, high expectations. Cedric Tillman, meanwhile, is another Tennessee wide receiver with a lovely landing spot in Cleveland. The wide receiver room in Green Bay is up for grabs, and the team invested a top 50 pick (exactly 50) on Jayden Reed. Marvin Mims is a name to watch if Denver trades a wide receiver. Otherwise, he’s stuck.
The Dallas offense had managers excited about Peyton Hendershot. Luke Schoonmaker is an upgrade and has a chance to produce early. Israel Abanikanda: Certified good football player. He is explosive, difficult to bring down and a little underrated in the draft now. It’s strange to see a 20-year-old running back with elite athletic traits and who led the country in touchdowns be as low as he is.
Some analysts I really respect have Josh Downs in their top four wide receivers. I can’t get that far, but having Anthony Richardson to throw him the ball is exciting. With rumors swirling of DeAndre Hopkins being on the move, Michael Wilson could sneakily be the WR2 in Arizona.
Take Them in the Fourth, I Guess
33. Darnell Washington
34. Sean Tucker
35. DeWayne McBride
36. Roschon Johnson
37. Eric Gray
38. A.T. Perry
39. Bryce Ford-Wheaton
40. Evan Hull
41. Tyler Scott
42. Deuce Vaughn
43. Xazavian Valladay
44. Malik Cunningham
45. Dorian Thompson-Robinson
46. Max Duggan
47. Chris Rodriguez
48. Mohamed Ibrahim
49. Keaton Mitchell
50. Lew Nichols
And thus concludes the fantasy football rookie rankings. For full NFL Draft profiles on most of these players, and for more draft content, check out the NFL Draft hub.
