We’re near the halfway point of the dynasty offseason, which means it’s time to reevaluate these rookie rankings. Since the NFL Combine, there have been a ton of risers and fallers in my rankings. Keep in mind that these rankings are in a Superflex format.
This is my second wave of rankings, but there will be some changes after the NFL draft concludes. With that said, let’s dive into my updated Superflex rookie rankings.
Tier 1
1. Bijan Robinson, RB Texas
Nothing has changed regarding the 1.01. It’s still Robinson, who had an excellent combine, showing off his size, speed, and change of direction.
According to the NFL Mock draft database, he’s the projected 12th overall draft pick which would be fantastic draft capital. If you’re picking at the 1.01, you should add Robinson to your dynasty roster.
Tier 2
2. Bryce Young, QB Alabama
Despite not participating in the combine, Young is still my number one quarterback off the board. Young answered the questions about his size, weighing 5’10” and 204 pounds.
This was the same height and three pounds lighter than Kyler Murray. All in all, Young has an unbelieve floor and ceiling combination, which makes him my number two ranked 2023 rookie prospect.
3. C.J. Stroud, QB Ohio State
Stroud had a good combine and has the prototypical size for an NFL quarterback. After the Carolina Panthers gave up a haul for the number one pick, Stroud is the favorite to go number one overall. However, I am not too fond of this because Stroud is set up to fail with the Panthers.
This Panthers offense is horrible, and they have no other assets to improve it. I love Stroud, the player, but at the moment, the most significant help he’ll be able to get is a second-round wide receiver. Nevertheless, even though the Panthers likely won’t be able to help Stroud a ton, I’m investing in his talent for the long term.
The Panthers will be able to grab a few solid pieces in the next few years and should have the capital to get a top-tier wide receiver in year three. Even with this in mind, I still believe Stroud can be a good quarterback in his first few years, but he will unlikely break out immediately.
4. Anthony Richardson, QB Florida
The biggest benefactor from the NFL Combine was, by far, Richardson. After a freakish combine where he ran a 4.43 40 and broke the vertical and broad jump record for a quarterback, his odds of being the number one pick are the third-best at +450.
It seems that the Panthers are set on taking Stroud, but with all the quarterback-needy teams in this draft, Richardson is near a lock to go in the top 10. In addition, Richardson has the most rushing upside in this class.
This gives him a massive advantage over these other quarterbacks. Even if Richardson struggles at the NFL level, being a top-10 draft pick will almost guarantee him the starting job for 2-3 years.
Tier 3
5. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR Ohio State
Heading over to the third tier, I have my first wide receiver off the board in Smith-Njigba. It’s very close between Smith-Njigba and Will Levis in a Superflex format. However, Smith-Njigba had a phenomenal combine despite not running the 40, as he showed his elite-level agility in the three-cone and shuttle drills.
Smith-Njigba is the consensus 16th overall pick which is great draft capital. If Smith-Njigba gets this kind of draft capital as a primary slot receiver, he will dominate a team’s target share and be an elite-level fantasy asset.
6. Will Levis, QB Kentucky
Levis had a good Combine, but Anthony Richardson’s performance overshadowed it. Nevertheless, Levis showed off his fantastic size and arm strength at the combine. If Levis is a top ten NFL draft pick, he will get guaranteed job security which makes him very valuable.
At the moment, Levis is the consensus eighth overall pick, which is excellent draft capital. The only reason I have Levis lower than Smith-Njigba is that he is still very raw and doesn’t have the rushing upside of Richardson.
Tier 4
7. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB Alabama
Before the NFL Combine, the biggest question for Gibbs was his size. We finally got his official measurements, and Gibbs weighed in at 5’9″ and 199 pounds. This isn’t great; however, it’s good enough for a BMI of 29.4.
Unfortunately, this is 0.01 off the BMI you want in a three-down back. Nevertheless, I have Gibbs at seven due to his elite speed, burst, and pass-catching. Again, Gibbs’s BMI isn’t enough to significantly drop him down these rankings.
8. Quentin Johnston, WR TCU
Johnston is a player who has slid up the rankings not necessarily because of his performance but the horrible combine by the receiver ranked behind him. Despite measuring slightly smaller than listed at 6’3″ and 208 pounds, Johnston still had a good combine. Johnston only participated in the wide receiver, vertical, and broad jump drills during the combine.
One thing to note is that Johnston’s body catching seems blown out of proportion. He doesn’t do it often, and even when he does, it’s not nearly as ineffective as people are making it out to be.
There’s no denying that Johnston has one of the highest ceilings in the draft, even with the question marks surrounding him. Currently, Johnston is the consensus 12th overall pick to the Houston Texans. This would give him elite draft capital and allow him to be the WR1 on an improving offense.
Tier 5
9. Jordan Addison, WR USC
At number nine, we have our biggest faller due to the NFL Combine, Addison. He was a phenomenal player in college, winning the Biletnikoff as a sophomore. On the other hand, Addison had a terrible combine, with terrible size and speed testing numbers.
Addison measured in at 5’11” and 173 pounds, which is exceptionally light. Since the combine, Addison has dropped down eight slots to 20th overall in the draft. Previously, Addison was a surefire first-rounder, but now his elite draft capital is in question.
For fantasy purposes, since 2014, the only three wide receivers under 180 pounds to have a top 24 wide receiver season are DeSean Jackson, John Brown, and DeVonta Smith. This is a big concern for Addison, but you shouldn’t overlook his talent too much.
10. Zach Charbonnet, RB UCLA
There has been speculation about who the RB3 in this class will be all off-season. After the combine, it seems as if Charbonnet has taken over that spot. He has shown he is a great pass catcher in college, which makes him very appealing. On top of this, he showed good athleticism at the combine with an 8.63 RAS score.
With a BMI of 29 to accompany his receiving skill set, Charbonnet has a good chance of becoming a three-down back at the next level. Draft capital is significant at the running back position, and Charbonnet also checks that box, as he is a projected mid-second-round pick.
11. Zay Flowers, WR Boston College
Flowers has been one of the biggest risers this offseason, and the combine helped him even more. Being able to watch Flowers up close, he looked incredibly smooth catching the ball and showed great explosiveness. Flowers tested excellent at the combine, highlighted by a 4.42 40 time.
We all knew Flowers would be small, but measuring 5’9″ and 182 pounds is terrific because he checks the BMI threshold at 26.9. Flowers is still expected to get late first to early second-round draft capital, which would be phenomenal for his profile.
Tier 6
12. Josh Downs, WR North Carolina
Dropping down to the next tier, I have Downs as my 12th overall prospect. Beforehand, I had him as my wide receiver 16. However, after the combine and some general revelation on Downs, I have bumped him up in my rankings.
Even though Downs didn’t measure great at 5’9″ and 171 pounds, he still ran under a 4.5 40, which is good for a primary slot guy. Assuming Downs goes in the early second round like he is projected to, I like his value at the beginning of the second round in your rookie drafts.
13. Sean Tucker, RB Syracuse
Sean Tucker is a player who should be viewed as a combine winner. Despite only measuring, he checked the size box with a 31.08 BMI.
This is fantastic because, as mentioned before, it gives him the upside to be a three-down player. Tucker has some vision issues, but we know he has elite speed and has also shown good pass-catching ability.
Tier 7
14. Jalin Hyatt, WR Tennessee
While many people are very high on Hyatt, I don’t understand the hype. Even though he is excellent from a real-life standpoint, he looks to be strictly a deep threat. In addition, Hyatt didn’t prove he could be a versatile route runner at the combine.
While Hyatt will likely have outstanding draft capital, this is because he will be used to stretch NFL defenses. Many people have fallen into this same trap with other players like Tyquan Thornton and John Ross. This should be a fair price point because he has a high upside, but his floor is relatively low.
15. Roschon Johnson, RB Texas
Johnson was impressive at the combine, especially during interviews. He was able to share how much attention he’s been getting from different NFL teams. Johnson tested well with a BMI of 30.31.
Johnson’s hard to evaluate because his college production was skewed from playing behind Bijan Robinson. At the moment, Johnson is a projected fourth-round pick, which isn’t great, but I expect him to go a little higher. Overall, Johnson has the upside to be an outstanding three-down player, and he will shoot up my rankings if he gets good draft capital.
16. Dalton Kincaid, TE Utah
Kincaid is my TE1 in the class, surpassing Michael Mayer since my last mock draft. Kincaid is an excellent pass catcher who has seen an increase in hype at the NFL level. Right now, Kincaid is the projected 26th pick in the draft. Since it is tough for tight ends to gain value, it is fair to take a tight end near the middle of the second round.
Even so, Kincaid may not see the field as much early on due to his pass-blocking inefficiencies. On the other hand, Kincaid is a great pass catcher, and when he puts everything together, he should have the most upside of any tight end from this class.
17. Michael Mayer, TE Notre Dame
I have Mayer right behind Kincaid, as he is my TE2 in this class. With Mayer, he’s a better blocker than Kincaid at the moment, and this will help him see the field early on. Mayer edges out Kincaid in terms of draft capital as the projected 22nd overall pick.
I only have Mayer slightly lower because I don’t believe he has as much pass-catching upside as Kincaid. Nevertheless, the two are back-to-back in the same tier so that I can see the argument for either player.
18. Tyjae Spears, RB Tulane
To cap off the tier, I have Spears, who has been shooting up rookie rankings all off-season. This is for a good reason, as Spears is a great player with little exposure from playing at a small school.
One of the main reasons I have Spears so high is that he checked the size box by measuring in with a BMI of 29.85. Finally, Spears is a projected third-round pick which is solid draft capital.
Tier 8
19. Hendon Hooker, QB Tennessee
Starting the eighth tier, I have one of my favorite prospects in this draft, Hooker. He has seen his value dip significantly after his ACL injury in college. There are also many questions about his age, but neither of these will dramatically impact him at the next level.
Hooker was great in college and has a good shot at being a top 50 NFL Draft pick. If that’s the case, Hooker is of tremendous value in a Superflex league.
20. Devon Achane, RB Texas A&M
This tier is a bunch of guys with extremely high upside. Achane falls right under this category, as he has a ton of upside but a lot of red flags. Achane is extremely small, standing at 5′ 8 1/2″ and 188 pounds, with a BMI of 28.74.
At the same time, Achane will be a great NFL player due to his speed and pure running ability. Achane is a projected second-round NFL Draft pick, which could give him opportunities at the next level.
21. Tank Bigsby, RB Auburn
Bigsby is a player who is incredibly raw but has fantastic upside. Bigsby has the size to be a three-down back with a BMI of 29.47, but his 40 time was 4.56, which isn’t very good. No one knows what Bigsby will be, but if he keeps his projected third-round draft capital, he’s worth taking a shot on.
Tier 9
22. Cedric Tillman, WR Tennessee
Dropping down to our last tier, we have a few players who have dropped down rankings quite a bit but still have high upside. Tillman has been overshadowed by his teammate Hyatt this whole off-season. Tillman has a more balanced route tree and looked great his junior year.
However, there are a bunch of red flags, including that this was Tillman’s fifth year in college, and he’s only played 24 total games. Even so, he’s a projected third-round pick, and if the NFL thinks he can be a good player, he’s worth taking a shot on at this price.
23. Kendre Miller, RB TCU
Miller was a player that was way overhyped at the start of this offseason. At this point, his value has dropped, and I’m comfortable taking him in this range. Miller has the size you’re looking for, with a BMI of 30.49.
Even so, Miller didn’t test his speed at the combine and is a projected fourth-round NFL Draft pick. While Miller has the three-down build and solid tools, if he goes in the fourth round, this decreases his hit rate dramatically.
24. Kayshon Boutte, WR LSU
To end off this list, we have one of the biggest fallers from the NFL Combine, Boutte. He was a five-star receiver out of high school and showed out in a few games as a freshman. Since then, Boutte’s stats have worsened, and his combine workout was less than spectacular.
At the moment, Boutte is still a projected third-round pick which is the only reason he’s here. At this point, you have to roll with the draft capital and hope Boutte can become the player he showed flashes of being early on in his career.
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