Fantasy Football 2023: Ranking top rookie WRs for dynasty and redraft leagues
There's really no way to capture just how cool the recent rookie wide receiver classes have been. The target rates that Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Drake London commanded as rookies put them on a potential superstar trajectory. And don't even get me started on Christian Watson's absurd per-route efficiency.
Of course, the WR classes that came before the 2022 group were also epic. The wide receiver position is my favorite in sports, and I feel blessed beyond belief with the amount of exciting young talent that currently exists at the WR position.
The 2023 wide receiver class has its work cut out for it if it is to measure up to the classes that preceded it. My evaluation of the most recent class of wide receiver prospects is that 2023's group doesn't have nearly as many top-flight profiles as any of the recent previous classes, but there are still some intriguing rookie wide receiver prospects who are positioned for potential Fantasy success.
Defenses won't be able to focus much attention on Jordan Addison in Minnesota, and the Vikings should again produce as one of the league's highest-volume passing offenses. Carolina's early Round 2 investment in Jonathan Mingo should not go overlooked. If Adam Thielen and D.J. Chark continue to struggle -- with their health or their down-trending target rates -- Mingo could work as the top weapon in an offense led by the top overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
With Rashod Bateman missing valuable practice time, Zay Flowers could emerge as the top complementary weapon in a Lamar Jackson-Mark Andrews-led passing attack that is expected to throw the ball at a significantly higher rate in 2023. Heck, even players like Jayden Reed and Tank Dell have it sneakily within their range of outcomes to lead their offenses in targets in 2023.
There is certainly potential for Fantasy goodness to be found in this class. I classified 12 incoming rookie receivers as having a realistic chance of contributing to Fantasy outcomes in 2023 and wrote about each. I also provided my top-22 rookie wide receivers for Dynasty purposes. And if you are curious about my thoughts on the rookie running backs and quarterbacks, you can find my thoughts on those positions too!
Which rookie WRs should you be prioritizing in season-long and dynasty drafts? And which one is already a top-30 Fantasy wideout? ... Join SportsLine right now to see Jacob Gibbs' top rookie WRs, plus get the entire 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Bible, all from an analytics-driven expert!
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