Debating on what rookies to bank on this fall? Don't worry - I've done enough rookie mock drafts (and read enough local coverage) to see who's getting used on the gridiron - and who's getting abused on the draft board. Let's take a look!
Bijan Robinson RB Atlanta Falcons We're one week into the preseason, and Bijan Robinson is already listed as RB1 for the Falcons. He's a talented runner, but he's got a great situation for Fantasy owners: he's young, and will get the ball a LOT. There's no reason to expect him to not be a top-5 rookie, unless he gets hurt. Time will tell, but he's going to be a RotY favorite.
Jahmyr Gibbs RB Detroit Lions Jahmyr is getting all kinds of reps with Detroit. Short passing game, hand off's, Pass Pro blocking, etc... He's going to be the feature back sooner than you know it. His speed takes his game to the next level, and will make it exceptionally difficult for anyone to defend him. Expect him to rack up 150+ Fantasy Points this year.
Jordan Addison WR Minnesota Vikings His off-field speeding ticket put his name in the headlines for the wrong reasons, but his hands on the field will keep his name in the headlines. Justin Jefferson will have tremendous upside if Addison pans out to be the player he's appearing to be in the preseason/training camp. He's got hands, and full control of his body while he's making plays. Now finding himself on a passing attack with Jettas and Hockenson, Addison should be one of the most utilized rookie WR's. The Vikings still need to address their backfield issue with Cook heading out of town, but their team is shaping up for a chance to run at the NFC North.
Jaxon Smith-Njgiba WR Seattle Seahawks JSN is out there having fun with Seattle, and his teammates are enjoying playing with him. Drew Lock mentioned after the Seattle/Vikings preseason game that having someone like JSN out there makes it much easier to throw to him - he's predictable, reliable, and he can find the open space. Some analysts are saying he plays similar to ARSB... let's not get ahead of ourselves, you've got to endure a lot to get to his level. Smith-Njigba has a very favorable trajectory - both career outlook and fantasy outlook. Expect him to be a threat for RotY.
Quinten Johnston WR Los Angeles Chargers Johnston has the best long-term upside of this rookie draft class. He's going to an established powerhouse with Justin Herbert, Mike Williams, Keenan Allen, and Austin Ekeler on his side. What makes it even better is that Williams and Allen may be out of town as early as next year - thrusting the rookie into the spotlight. Odds are they both won't leave, but when you have a guy like Johnston - maybe you take that chance. IMO, Johnston will be an elite WR2 for the Chargers, although there have been concerns over his catching style.
Zay Flowers WR Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are looking to throw the ball a bit more this season, and Zay Flowers can help them with that. He's replacing the speed and agility of Hollywood Brown, who was shipped over to Arizona last season. That doesn't mean he's WR1 though, he still has to battle the likes of Rashod Batemon and Devin Duvernay. With that in mind, Flowers could find a more prominent role than we originally anticipated - mostly because one of those two are typically appearing on the Injury Report. Still, Flowers should be on your radar for a big rookie year, and possibly a Top 30 WR finish.
Bryce Young QB Carolina Panthers Quarterbacks are typically your go-to MVP favorite. They score a lot of points, and they touch the ball on literally every play. So why so far down the list? Well, we haven't seen too many Rookie QB's walk into the league and light it on fire the way we see skill positions. So while these guys hold substantial value, there's a lot of things that need to go right for a QB to get RotY. That's why Bryce Young fits in first of all the drafted QB's this year. He's on the Panthers, so their offense needed some revamping to begin with. They shipped out CMC and DJ Moore for a haul of picks and grabbed Young, before signing Adam Theielen and DJ Chark in the offseason. Couple that with the speedy Miles Sanders and Young has a pretty good start compared to the team the Panthers fielded last season. He got rocked in their first preseason game against the Jets... his final line reads 4-6 for 21yds, and was hit three times in the pocket. Growing pains for sure, but this offensive line will grow with him over the season.
Anthony Richardson QB Indianapolis Colts I've been critical of Anthony Richardson since he was drafted. The guy played one season of college football and was drafted as a Starting QB? How does that work? What's even crazier - is the GM of Indy has doubled down on their selection, saying the only way he gets better is if he gets thrown to the wolves. How would you like it if your boss said 'Yeah, this guy sucks. But he's only going to get better the more he struggles. Sink or float.' Despite the slap in the face, Richardson has looked ok so far through camp and preseason. Nothing spectacular, but he's going through is progressions and playing smart football. Can this translate to Sundays in a couple of weeks? We will see. I don't have much faith in this Indianapolis team to begin with, so I'd be surprised to see Richardson near the top of this board because of passing.
CJ Stroud QB Houston Texans CJ Stroud may be more critical of himself than coaches and other analysts, but at least he's honest about it. He was the first to admit his struggles against New England during their Preseason opener, saying he needs to be better in a multitude of categories. That being said - there were some good takeaways for the rookie signal caller. There were a lot of critical mistakes in his two drives though, and that's the focus of Stroud and company. He went 2-4 for 13yds and an INT. His best WR is also Nico Collins, so keep that in mind too. Like Richardson and Young, there will be some growing pains for the Texans. We'll see how they come out of it on the other side, but there's a reason I'm predicting an 0-17 season.
Zach Charbonnet RB Seattle Seahawks Zach Charbonnet makes this list because of the expected use from him. My next pick would have been De'Von Achane, but Charbs fits in better due to his versatility. He's got hands to be a passing back, he's got the speed to be a lead back, and he's got the power to be a fullback. What's not to like about the guy?... other than the fact he's listed at RB2 behind Kenneth Walker III. The two will split time and run it as a committee, like most teams have been in the last few seasons. But these two have a chance to be a top-RB duo in the league. Don't sleep on Charbs.
Honorable Mentions: Dalton Kincaid TE Buffalo Bills; De'Von Achane RB Miami Dolphins; Tyjae Spears RB Tennessee Titans
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