X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

NFL Rookies to Watch in Week 1: Fantasy Football Dynasty and Redraft Leagues

Anthony Richardson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL News

NFL rookie outlooks for fantasy football Week 1 (2023). Hayden looks at promising fantasy rookies at QB, RB, and WR to identify potential sleepers and busts.

Regular season NFL football is back! The Detroit Lions opened the 2023 campaign with a statement victory against Kansas City, defeating the defending Super Bowl champions 21-20. Several notable rookies made their debuts for fantasy football managers as well. Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs gained 60 scrimmage yards, and his TE teammate Sam LaPorta made five catches for 39 yards. Additionally, Chiefs rookie wideout Rashee Rice managed to catch a touchdown in the losing effort.

With the first NFL Sunday of the year approaching, a whole new batch of first-year players will be making their debuts as professionals. It is certain that some of these players will make immediate impacts in the league for their franchises, but will they also make immediate impacts on your fantasy squads?

Whether you're a redraft manager or a dynasty manager, being ahead of the curve with rookie players is vital to your team's success. For more rookies like Gibbs, LaPorta, and Rice to watch this week, continue reading! This column will be split into two parts: one pertaining to players most relevant in redraft leagues, and the other for rookies particularly worth watching in dynasty formats.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

NFL Rookies to Watch in Fantasy Football Redraft Leagues

Anthony Richardson (QB, IND)

Anthony Richardson is not like the typical quarterbacks who get selected within the top five picks in the NFL Draft. He started only 13 games while with the Florida Gators, and his completion percentage last year was just 53.8 percent. Richardson's inconsistency and rawness were very evident. Yet, the Indianapolis Colts picked him with the fourth draft choice this year to be their quarterback of the future.

The reason for this is simple: there are more ways that Richardson stands out among other highly-touted prospects. For one, his athleticism is off the charts in every facet. He is 6'4" and 244 pounds, ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine, set a QB record in the vertical jump, and possesses elite arm strength. Moreover, his leadership skills are reportedly superb. Not only was he named the Colts' starter for Week 1, but he also was made a team captain.

Richardson was primarily drafted as a high-upside bench option in one-QB formats. This week will provide some clarity on whether he is likely to justify those picks or not. Richardson will have to face the Jacksonville Jaguars without injured and disgruntled running back Jonathan Taylor. However, he will still have some decent options to throw to, including Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, and fellow rookie Josh Downs. Make sure to tune in to see Richardson's much-anticipated debut.

Bijan Robinson (RB, ATL)

Bijan Robinson was a superstar for the Texas Longhorns, and his stats show it. Robinson gained 1,894 scrimmage yards and 20 total touchdowns in 2022, winning him the Doak Walker Award. He averaged a very efficient 6.3 yards per carry during his college career, and his 13.4 yards per reception also impressed. Robinson spent all of last season as the obvious top choice in 2023 rookie drafts, and he wound up being selected eighth overall in the NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.

The Falcons backfield already featured two competent running backs before Robinson's arrival. Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson will each get some work, but Robinson is still unquestionably the top dog in the RB room. Since 2015, only five other running backs have been drafted inside the top 10: Saquon Barkley, Leonard Fournette, Christian McCaffrey, Ezekiel Elliott, and Todd Gurley. Each of those backs found great fantasy success as a rookie.

Robinson was a first-round draft pick in most fantasy leagues this season. It is time for him to prove why that was the case. The Falcons will face the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, and Robinson should see a heavy workload right away. The Falcons ran the ball the most of any team in the league in 2022, and nothing significant should change on that front this season. The rookie is an elite fantasy option immediately, so watch his performance to assess his trade value moving forward.

Zach Charbonnet (RB, SEA)

Despite Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III having a great rookie season last year, Seattle elected to take another RB, Zach Charbonnet, in the second round this year. Charbonnet began his college career at Michigan but starred at UCLA. In two seasons with the Bruins, he gained 3,014 scrimmage yards and scored 27 touchdowns. Charbonnet's average of 6.3 yards per carry while in Westwood was also an impressive figure.

Charbonnet is a bigger back (6'0", 214 pounds) and has the requisite athleticism and receiving ability to be successful in the NFL. However, his status on the depth chart may prevent him from becoming a top fantasy option. Walker finished second in last year's Offensive Rookie of the Year voting for a reason. Notably, Charbonnet is also behind DeeJay Dallas on the team's official depth chart. Charbonnet should overtake Dallas soon, but this situation speaks to the obstacles he currently faces.

The early weeks of the season will be vital as Charbonnet attempts to earn a larger role in the offense. This endeavor will begin on Sunday versus the Los Angeles Rams. Watching how Charbonnet's workload compares to Walker's and Dallas's will be very important when evaluating his outlook moving forward. Also crucial is how efficient he is with the number of touches he does get, however large that figure may be.

 

NFL Rookies to Watch in Fantasy Football Dynasty Leagues

Evan Hull (RB, IND)

Evan Hull spent his entire college career with the Northwestern Wildcats. Hull was productive in his final two seasons in Evanston, compiling over 1,200 scrimmage yards in both 2021 and 2022. An effective receiving back, Hull caught 55 passes for 546 yards and two touchdowns in 2022. He also had a 97th-percentile college target share. Combine his output with his excellent athleticism (80th-percentile Speed Score, 82nd-percentile Agility Score) and you have a quality running back prospect.

Hull was taken in the fifth round by the Indianapolis Colts this offseason. Indianapolis probably did not anticipate Hull being a key contributor this early in his career, but that may just happen. With star tailback Jonathan Taylor both injured and unhappy with the franchise, a lot of touches are up for grabs. The Colts will be taking a committee approach to their RB room at the moment, and Hull is squarely in that rotation along with Deon Jackson and Zack Moss.

This week in particular is a great opportunity for Hull. That is because Moss is questionable to play as he recovers from a broken forearm. Hull could potentially be the team's number-one running back against the Jaguars. If he impresses, he can establish himself as a valuable asset to both the Colts and dynasty fantasy managers. Even if Taylor's circumstances are soon resolved, Hull could cement a receiving role with strong play.

Jake Bobo (WR, SEA)

Jake Bobo spent his first four years in college with the Duke Blue Devils. In his final season in Durham, Bobo led the squad with 74 receptions and 794 receiving yards. He then transferred to UCLA ahead of the 2022 season. There, Bobo instantly became a dependable option for quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. With 57 catches, 817 receiving yards, and seven receiving touchdowns, Bobo paced the team in all three categories.

Bobo is large at 6'4" and 216 pounds. Unfortunately, his 40-yard dash time at UCLA's pro day was not up to par. Running a 4.99 ended up dooming his chances of being drafted, as he went unselected across 259 picks. However, Bobo signed with the Seattle Seahawks as a UDFA and has not looked back since. He was a major standout in the preseason, and he drew a lot of praise for his efforts.

Bobo is only the fourth wideout on the Seahawks right now. DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are all ahead of him in the pecking order. Still, Bobo will get some opportunities and is on many dynasty leagues' waiver wires. Also, fellow receiver Dee Eskridge is suspended from the team for six games, making this opening stretch a pivotal time for Bobo to perform well. He will begin his career against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

Michael Wilson (WR, ARI)

Michael Wilson spent five years at Stanford, but his career statistics do not reflect this fact. Between multiple injuries and the pandemic shortening the 2020 season, Wilson has not played more than six games in a year since 2019. He was still fairly productive when he did play, though. Last season, Wilson caught 26 passes for 418 yards and four touchdowns in only six games. The Arizona Cardinals were intrigued enough by his profile to make him a third-round pick this past spring.

Wilson has good size, standing 6'1" and weighing 216 pounds. His 4.58-second 40-yard dash was mediocre, but he displays solid burst and is a downfield threat. Wilson also had a great week at the Senior Bowl during the pre-draft process. He now steps into an Arizona offense that has experienced some adversity and upheaval. Quarterback Kyler Murray is still recovering from a torn ACL, and wideout DeAndre Hopkins was released earlier this offseason.

While Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore figure to be Arizona's top two WRs, Wilson is currently their third option at the position. He will be highly involved early, including this weekend against the Washington Commanders. Even with the team's offense likely to be quite poor without Murray, dynasty managers should be eyeing Wilson to ascertain his value as a bench stash.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

New York Mets

Jonah Tong Promoted to Major Leagues
Spencer Rattler

Saints Name Spencer Rattler as Starting QB
MarShawn Lloyd

Packers Leaning Toward Placing MarShawn Lloyd on Injured Reserve
Tyjae Spears

to Begin the Season on Injured Reserve
Nikola Jović

Heat Have High Hopes for Nikola Jovic
Golden State Warriors

Cody Martin Drawing Interest From Warriors
Minnesota Timberwolves

Timberwolves Interested in Reunion With Bones Hyland
Kylor Kelley

Joins Lakers
Colin Castleton

Links Up With Magic
Brock Bowers

Pete Carroll Classifies Brock Bowers Among His Best Players Ever
De'Von Achane

Lingering Calf Injury Poses Concerns for De'Von Achane
Adam Thielen

Vikings and Panthers Struggling to Finalize Adam Thielen Trade
Malik Monk

Kings "Not Actively Engaged" in Trade Discussions Involving Malik Monk
P.J. Washington

Mavs Likely to Offer P.J. Washington a Contract Extension
Kenny Pickett

Raiders Acquire Kenny Pickett From Browns
Cincinnati Bengals

Bengals Give Trey Hendrickson a Raise
Amari Cooper

Signs One-Year Deal With Raiders
NHL

Jan Rutta Lands in Switzerland
Kirby Dach

Skates on Monday
COL

Tyson Barrie Retires From NHL
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Back in Toronto's Lineup
Joe Mixon

to Start Season on Non-Football Injury List
Jaylen Wright

Not Expected to Play in Week 1
Jakobi Meyers

Requests Trade
Jauan Jennings

Not Practicing on Monday, has Avoided IR for Now
Matthew Stafford

Taking 11-On-11 Reps on Monday
Zhang Mingyang

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Johnny Walker

Gets Back In The Win Column
Brian Ortega

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Aljamain Sterling

Proves Too Much For Brian Ortega
Chris Sale

Penciled in to Start on Saturday
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Suffers Unanimous-Decision Loss
Sergei Pavlovich

Wins Decision At UFC Shanghai
Terry McLaurin

Signs Three-Year Extension with Commanders
Kevin Borjas

Drops Decision At UFC Shanghai
Sumudaerji

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Kiefer Crosbie

Still Winless In The UFC
Taiyilake Nueraji

Gets His First UFC Win
Ryan Blaney

Earns his Second Daytona Cup Series Win
Tyler Reddick

Locks Into the 2025 Playoffs Despite Underwhelming Daytona Performance
Erik Jones

Misses the 2025 Playoffs Despite Top-Five Run at Daytona
Justin Haley

Best Performance of 2025 Falls Short of Victory at Daytona
Chase Burns

To Throw Bullpen on Tuesday
Kyle Larson

Enters Playoffs As Co-Points Leader
Alex Bowman

Advances to Playoffs Despite Crashing at Daytona
Cole Custer

Finally Shows Signs of Life at Daytona
Daniel Suarez

Lame-Duck Daniel Suarez Delivers Clutch Second-Place Finish
Logan Gilbert

Punches Out 13 in Victory
Randy Rodríguez

Randy Rodriguez Battling Arm Soreness
Marcus Semien

Out 4-6 Weeks, Could Miss Rest of Season
Ranger Suárez

Ranger Suarez Strikes Out 11 in Win
Cal Raleigh

Sets Catcher Home Run Record
Yordan Alvarez

Likely to Return on Tuesday
Jacob deGrom

to Start on Monday
Kyle Tucker

Homers Twice in Win
Chris Sale

Likely to Return Next Weekend
Brian Robinson Jr.

to be RB2
Najee Harris

to be Ready Week 1?
De'Von Achane

Making Good Progress
Jaylen Wright

Considered "Week-to-Week"
Marcus Semien

Placed on Injured List
Jackson Merrill

Heads to 10-Day Injured List
Jordan Love

Says He'll Play in Week 1
Brice Turang

Absent on Saturday, "Touch-and-Go" With Wrist Injury
Chase Elliott

Despite Being Winless at Daytona, Chase Elliott is Probably the Best DFS Option
Ryan Blaney

Will Likely Lead a Lot at Daytona
Kyle Larson

a Poor DFS Option at Daytona
Christopher Bell

Consistent Enough to Consider for DFS
Chris Buescher

Now Must Win His Way Into Playoffs
Ryan Preece

Being One of the Slowest-Starting Fords Makes Ryan Preece a Strong DFS Option
Ross Chastain

Leads a Lot on Drafting Tracks
Daniel Suarez

Now in Desperation Mode With his Career on the Line
Chase Briscoe

Tendency to Finish Better Than He Runs May Reap Dividends at Daytona
Lamar Jackson

Should Practice on Monday
Carson Hocevar

Hard to Forecast Since He's Rarely Given 100 Percent at Daytona
Michael McDowell

has a Solid Drafting Record
AJ Allmendinger

A.J. Allmendinger Arguably Starting Too Well for Place-Differential Points
Austin Dillon

Will Likely Be Too Conservative for DFS Consideration
Matt Chapman

Activated and Starting on Saturday
Moses Moody

Warriors Not Interested in Trading Moses Moody
Kevin Durant

Rockets Expected to Agree on New Contract
Trey Murphy III

Warriors, Spurs Interested in Trey Murphy III
Zack Wheeler

to Undergo Season-Ending Surgery
Yoán Moncada

Yoan Moncada Hits a Pair of Home Runs on Friday
Willy Adames

Belts Two Solo Home Runs on Friday
CAR

Luke Kunin Joins Panthers on One-Year Deal
Auston Matthews

Says His Health is "Good" Before Start of Season
Roope Hintz

"Feeling Good" Ahead of New Season
Matthew Tkachuk

Recovering From Surgery
Marco Rossi

Wild Re-Sign Marco Rossi to Three-Year Deal
Bubba Chandler

Records Four-Inning Save in Debut
NBA

Malik Beasley Now Drawing Interest from Teams
Zhang Mingyang

Set For UFC Shanghai Main Event
Johnny Walker

In Dire Need Of Victory
Brian Ortega

An Underdog At UFC Shanghai
Aljamain Sterling

Set For UFC Shanghai Co-Main Event
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Sergei Pavlovich

A Favorite At UFC Shanghai
Kevin Borjas

Set for UFC Shanghai Main-Card Bout
Sumudaerji

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kiefer Crosbie

Set To Open Up UFC Shanghai Main Card
Taiyilake Nueraji

Set For His UFC Debut
Connor Ingram

Clears Player Assistance Program
Frank Nazar

Inks Seven-Year Extension With Blackhawks
COL

Victor Olofsson Signs One-Year Deal With Avalanche
Dru Smith

Aims to Be Healthy for Training Camp
Jayson Tatum

Provides Injury Update
RJ Barrett

Considered a Trade Candidate
Golden State Warriors

Warriors "Remain Very Confident" About Signing Al Horford
Jahmir Young

Agrees to Deal With Heat