Top Dynasty Rookie Wide Receivers (2023 Fantasy Football)

The NFL offseason is nearly upon us. While others (and myself in the coming weeks) focus on 2023 way-too-early fantasy football rankings, 2023 free agency, and NFL team needs, let’s take a look ahead to the 2023 NFL draft and what it has to offer in terms of dynasty fantasy football talent.

Throughout the draft season, I’ll be delivering prospect overviews at every fantasy position to keep tabs on the top dynasty prospects. For those looking to dig deeper, check out the highly-coveted FantasyPros NFL Draft Guide.

Let’s dig into the top incoming rookie wide receivers for dynasty fantasy football leagues in 2023 to get familiar with names we will be overly obsessing about over the next three months.

Note that I will be referring to a player’s dominator rating at length in this piece. It’s also included in the table below.

Dominator rating considers the number of touchdowns and receiving yards a particular player commands within his own offense. Breakout age is the age at which a receiver reaches a 20% dominator rating for the first time. Producing at a young age is a solid indication that a player will continue his stretch of production into the pros. After all, when a kid balls out at 19 years old against a bunch of 21- and 22-year-old defensive backs, how can you not be entertained?

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Expert Consensus 2023 Dynasty Superflex Rookie Draft Rankings: Top-50

Top Dynasty Rookie Wide Receivers

Check out all of our 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports & Prospect Profiles

Jordan Addison (USC)

Jordan Addison received the Biletnikoff Award with Pittsburgh in 2021 as the best wide receiver in college football. He posted a ridiculous 36% dominator rating in Kenny Pickett‘s last season at Pitt, hauling in 17 touchdowns (a league-leading 8 versus man coverage) and nearly 1,600 receiving yards on 100 receptions. But the elite sophomore campaign hardly was a surprise, considering Addison broke out as an 18-year-old freshman in 2020 with 59 catches for 875 receiving yards and 8 receiving TDs. The early-age production is a sign of an elite prospect, and it clearly foreshadowed Addison’s rise to one of the best college football had to offer among wide receivers. He transferred to USC for his junior year and led the Trojans with 59 catches for 875 yards and eight receiving TDs (79 targets). But more importantly, the 6-foot and 175-pound wide receiver proved that he could play more outside after spending the majority of his time in the slot at Pittsburgh. With shades of DeVonta Smith in his game, I expect Addison to hit the ground running at the next level with his route-running prowess.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Ohio State)

Jaxon Smith-Njigba led the nation in yards per route run (4.01) at 19 years old despite playing in an offense with two future first-round picks: Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson. The Ohio State Buckeye also finished third in the FBS in receiving yards (1,595) and ranked first in PFF receiving grade (91.9). Entering his junior season with Wilson and Olave set for the NFL, Smith-Njigba had a chance to cement himself as the top dog in the 2023 WR class. However, he was limited to just three games due to a hamstring injury. The down year undoubtedly took a toll on JSN’s draft stock, but his elite sophomore season cannot be undersold. The fact that he was able to post such elite numbers while competing for targets with two NFL first-round WRs – who balled out as rookies – showcases Smith-Njigba’s super high floor as a professional technician from the slot. The Ohio State product possesses an Amon-Ra St. Brown-like projection at the next level.

Quentin Johnston (TCU)

Quentin Johnston has been an absolute baller for the TCU Horned Frogs since he first stepped on campus. As a true freshman at 19 years old, Johnston broke out with a 21% dominator rating in 2020 as the team’s leading receiver averaging 22.1 yards per reception – 5th-best in the FBS. He followed up his early success with a 26% dominator rating in 2021, capped off by a stellar junior year with an identical 26% dominator rating, factoring in the games he missed due to injury. The 6-foot-4 and 215-pound behemoth totaled 1,067 receiving yards finishing fifth in his draft class with an elite 3.05 yards per route run. Johnston was a menace with the ball in his hands, finishing seventh in his draft class in yards after the catch per reception (8.9, 19 forced missed tackles). Although the future “X” receiver didn’t quite dominate production (23% college dominator rating) to the length that we see from consensus No. 1 overall-ranked wide receivers. Part of that can be attributed to his quarterback play, but it’s disheartening that he didn’t take another massive leap from his sophomore to junior season.

Zay Flowers (Boston College)

Zay Flowers spent four seasons at Boston College simply dominating as the team’s best wide receiver. He posted a career 33% dominator rating – the highest among all 30 prospects I sampled for this article – after a highly productive career as an Eagle. It all started with his initial breakout during the 2020 season, with Flowers catching 55 balls for 892 receiving yards and 9 receiving TDs en route to a 34% dominator rating in just his second season. His production profile would only increase in the following years to come, with back-to-back dominator ratings of 36% and 47%. His senior year was truly special as the 5-foot-11, 175-pound wideout racked up 78 receptions for 1,077 yards and 12 receiving TDs. The senior standout has already been turning heads at the East-West Shrine Bowl, cementing himself into the Round 1 conversation come April. He’s got explosiveness and burst that looks so similar to that of Antonio Brown. Not surprising for him to have “Brown-like tendencies” as he studied Brown exclusively as he developed his receiver skills. He also got the chance to work out with Brown during his offseason. Great company to associate with NFL standards.

Career College Dominator Rating

Jalin Hyatt (TEN)

Jalin Hyatt broke out in a massive way in 2022, catching 67 balls for 1,267 receiving yards and 15 receiving touchdowns en route to a 32% dominator rating. His elite junior season after an injury-plagued sophomore campaign earned him the Fred Biletnikoff Award and unanimous All-American honors. The 6-foot-1 and 185-pound Tennesse Volunteer played 87% of his snaps from the slot, finished sixth in yards per route run (3.27), and boasted the No. 1 passer rating (and almost perfect) when targeted at 156.5. Although it should be noted that Hyatt’s breakout may never have come to fruition had Tennessee’s No. 1 WR from the previous seasons (Cedric Tillman) not missed half the season due to an ankle injury. But his elite speed is too tough to ignore. As was his 207-yard and 5-TD eruption game versus Alabama. The guy can roast man coverage, and the quarterback knows it. He was targeted on nearly half of his snaps in single coverage (43%) and generated a near-perfect passer rating (146.7). Hyatt has everything at his disposal to be the next Will Fuller, and his draft stock will be high based on his traits alone.

Josh Downs (USC)

Josh Downs posted the No. 2-highest PFF receiving grade versus man coverage in 2022, as he tormented ACC defensive backs with his savant route running from the slot. The slippery-hipped wide receiver earned a 26% dominator rating for his efforts, catching 94 balls for 1,029 and a whopping 11 touchdowns in his final year as a Tarheel. But one could argue that his junior year wasn’t even his best showing. As a sophomore thrust into the starting lineup for the first time, Downs delivered massively with future Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell under center. He earned a 35% dominator rating as the team’s true No. 1 Dyami Brown off to the NFL. Downs caught 101 passes for 1,335 yards and 8 TDs. Worth noting that Downs had previously stepped up in Brown’s absence in North Carolina’s 2020 Bowl Game, catching four balls for 91 yards and two receiving TDs as a 19-year-old freshman. The 175-pound and 5-foot-10 wide receiver is going to be pigeonholed as a “slot-only” wide receiver at the next level with little experience playing outside, but that hardly means he won’t produce.

Kayshon Boutte (LSU)

Kayshon Boutte had the opportunity of a lifetime as a true freshman, stepping immediately into the WR1 chair for the Tigers in 2020, with Ja’Marr Chase opting out to prepare for the NFL Draft. Boutte led LSU with 76 targets, converting his volume into a 22% dominator rating at age 18. In his last game played, he caught 14 balls for 308 receiving yards and three TDs. Terrace Marshall Jr. would enter the NFL the following year, cementing Boutte’s status as the team’s alpha WR1 in 2021 when he posted another 22% dominator rating in just six games played. When you consider the games that Boutte was healthy in, his dominator rating skyrockets to 41%. But the ankle injury he suffered seriously took its toll on Boutte, who failed to show the same elite playmaking ability he did his first two seasons at LSU in 2022. Although he tied a bow on his college career strong against Georgia, commanding a season-high 11 targets for 107 yards and one touchdown. If Boutte is finally back to 100% health as an NFL rookie, he will undoubtedly be a steal in rookie drafts. The 6-foot and 205-pound wide receiver will not even be 21 years old by the time he is drafted.

Marvin Mims (Oklahoma)

Marvin Mims was a strong producer at the collegiate level, hanging a 23% dominator rating in three years as an Oklahoma Sooner. He burst onto the scene as an 18-year-old freshman with a 24% dominator rating, triggering an early-age breakout. Mims led the team with 37 catches for 610 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns. He also finished 5th in the nation in yards per route run (4.07) and 7th in PFF receiving grade (89.1). The 5-foot-11 and 184-pound wide receiver would cap off his college career strong with over 1,000 receiving yards as a junior, averaging 20 yards per reception for the 2nd straight season. Mims was a fiend with the ball in his hands, finishing 7th in his class in yards after the catch per reception (8.1) despite a high average depth of target (17.0). It’s rare to find a wide receiver like Mims who can make plays after the catch and win downfield. Mims finished third in the FBS in receiving yards and fifth in targets on 20-plus air-yard throws in 2022. He also offers ability as a punt returner. The one concern about his production profile is that the majority of it came against zone coverage looks. He only caught nine passes in man coverage. But in today’s NFL, the WRs that can find the soft spots in zone coverage tend to turn into PPR monsters.

Puka Nacua (BYU)

Puak Nacua started his college football career at Washington but dealt with injuries early on as a freshman. In 2020, he played in just three games because of Covid-19 and would enter the transfer portal shortly after the season concluded. It was in Nacua’s first season at BYU that he really got the chance to show out. He posted a 21% dominator rating – identical to his sophomore number – with 44 catches for 805 yards and six receiving touchdowns. The 6-foot-2 and 205-pound wideout ended 2021 sixth in yards per route run behind future NFL WRs like Treylon Burks, Wan’Dale Robinson, and Drake London. And like London, Nacua operated primarily on the outside with a 78% perimeter alignment. Nacua finished his BYU tenure strong as PFF’s second-highest-graded WR in the nation (90.1) due to his impressive efficiency on per route run basis. He was targeted on 38% of his routes in 2022.

Nathaniel “Tank” Dell (Houston)

Nathaniel Dell spent the first two years of his college career playing football at smaller programs at Alabama A&M University and Independence Community College before transferring to Houston in 2020. Dell dominated at the JUCO level posting a 45% dominator rating as a 20-year-old redshirt freshman in 2019. And that production carried over to stiffer competition in the Big 12 as “Tank” immediately broke out with a 20% dominator rating in his first year with the Cougars. But it was really his final two years that Dell put the NFL on notice hanging back-to-back dominator ratings of 36% and 38% as the team’s No. 1 wide receiver. In his final year, he led the nation with 1,399 receiving yards and 17 receiving TDs, bettering his impressive numbers from 2021(1,328 receiving yards and 12 TDs). The knocks on Dell are obvious. He will turn 24 years old during his rookie season, and he measures in at 5-foot-8 and 163 pounds. But his ability to separate from defenders and create space – 8th in PFF grade versus man coverage – will help him vacuum targets at the next level. But there’s no doubt his size, older age entering the league, and boosted slot usage create doubt about any truly elite ceiling.

Parker Washington (Penn State)

Parker Washington hit the ground running for the Nittany Lions from Day 1. As an 18-year-old true freshman, Washington broke out with a 28% dominator rating while competing with the likes of two highly-drafted NFL players in Jahan Dotson and Pat Freiermuth. He followed up his first year with a strong second season operating as the No. 2 to Dotson. Washington caught 64 balls for 820 yards and four touchdowns (20% dominator rating). 2022 looked like it was going to be Washington’s blow-up season with him firmly in the WR1 chair. Still, Western Kentucky transfer Mitchell Tinsley posted his fair share of production to the dismay of Washington enthusiasts. This resulted in an underwhelming final-season 17% dominator rating for the 5-foot-10 and 215-pound WR that ended with an injury. The early-age production works favorably in Washington’s favor, but his lack of a massive junior year will likely hurt his draft capital. There’s also the concern of him winning on the outside, with the majority of his production coming from the slot while at Penn State. At least he has a somewhat desirable size compared to the rest of the 2023 WR Draft Class. Envision him as a power slot wide receiver based on his thicker build.

Cedric Tillman (TEN)

Cedric Tillman operated as Tennessee’s No. 1 WR as a junior in 2021, posting a 32% dominator rating. The 21-year-old took over the WR1 chair formerly owned by future Chargers wide receiver Joshua Palmer and narrowly out-produced another future NFL player, Velus Jones Jr. Tillman totaled 1,081 receiving yards and caught 12 TDs but elected to forego the NFL and return to school in 2022. He was limited to six games after suffering an ankle injury and was out-shined by his teammate Jalin Hyatt who took home the Fred Biletnikoff Award. Tillman’s lack of early-age production and age entering the league (23) definitely raise eyebrows about what kind of ceiling he can offer.

Michael Wilson (WR – Stanford)

Michael Wilson turned heads at the Senior Bowl capping off an impressive week of practice with a standout performance in the all-star game. The 6-foot-2, 212-pound wide receiver caught four-of-six targets for 76 receiving yards and 1 receiving touchdown. It was the exact way that Wilson wanted to finish his college career after missing games due to a season-ending injury. The redshirt senior came back for a fifth year due to the COVID-19 pandemic to boost his draft stock after more missed games due to lower-body/foot injuries. He posted a 20% dominator rating in just six games. If you pro-rate his dominator rating removing his games missed, his dominator rating jumps to 34%. His 2022 season was easily his most productive since his sophomore year when he first broke out. In 2019, he caught 56 balls for 672 receiving yards and 5 receiving touchdowns. His age and injury concerns will definitely push him down draft boards, but his strong finish might get him into the Day 2 conversation.

Best Season/Final Season College Dominator Rating

Jayden Reed (WR – Michigan State)

Jayden Reed has been turning heads in Mobile, Alabama, as one of the most impressive senior WRs in the 2023 Draft Class. And it should come as no surprise that Reed has dominated the competition based on his decorated college pedigree. He broke out at an early age at 18 years old while playing alongside NFL talent at Western Michigan. He caught 56 passes for 797 yards and eight touchdowns (33% dominator rating, highest rating during a breakout year) while competing with an older future second-round pick and Seattle Seahawk D’Wayne Eskridge. Reed transferred to Michigan State following his impressive freshman season but was forced to sit out due to NCAA regulations. But the time off did little to stop Reed, who did all he could during a truncated 2020 season posting a 26% dominator rating while competing with future Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jalen Nailor. In 2021, Reed blew up as a junior with 1,026 yards and ten receiving touchdowns en route to a career-high 34% dominator rating. And although the 5-foot-11 and 191-pound wide receiver didn’t depart Michigan State on the highest note (22% dominator rating), his previous dominant seasons showcase a prospect with major sleeper appeal in rookie drafts. His 23-year-old age status isn’t ideal, but his experience might just help him hit the ground running sooner rather than later.

Rashee Rice (SMU)

SMU’s Rashee Rice had a record-breaking career at SMU. He broke Emmanuel Sanders’ single season yards record with 1,355 receiving yards – a mark that ranked third in the nation. He averaged 112.9 receiving yards per game, which led the FBS. His senior year success generated a 30% dominator rating, by far the best of his collegiate career. But Rice’s strong finish shouldn’t have come as too big of a surprise, considering he broke out as a sophomore at age 19 with a 22% dominator rating despite competing for targets with future NFL talent in Danny Gray and Kylen Granson. Rice measured in at the Senior Bowl at just over 6 feet and 200 pounds, which should help him stand out in a class filled with smaller slot receivers.

Zakhari Franklin (WR – UTSA) 

Hard to find a WR with a more dominant production profile than Zakhari Franklin. The UTSA Roadrunner posted a career 32% dominator rating in four years with video game-like numbers. He broke out at age 19 as a freshman with a 23% dominator rating catching 38 balls for 491 yards and three touchdowns. And from there on out, Franklin strung together three straight seasons fueled by 34%-plus dominator ratings. The 6-foot-1 and 185-pound wide receiver capped off his collegiate career with 1,128 receiving yards and 15 receiving TDs. He was a menace with the balls in his hands, finishing fourth in the class in forced missed tackles (20).

Trey Palmer (WR – Nebraska)

Trey Palmer started his college career at LSU from 2019-2021 but hardly ever sniffed the field on a roster absolutely littered with NFL talent. He transferred to Nebraska this past year and went to the MOON with a 46% dominator rating – the second-highest single-season mark in my sample – as the team’s No. 1 wide receiver. The 6-foot and 193-pound wideout flashed his blazing speed as a Cornhusker, finishing 2022 seventh overall in yards per route run (3.26) and 10th in receiving yards on deep targets. He cemented his status as one of the fastest WRs in the draft after registering the highest speed (21.15 mph) at the Senior Bowl.

Xavier Hutchinson (Iowa State)

Xavier Hutchinson hit the ground running in his first year at Iowa State, hauling 64 balls for 771 receiving yards and four TDs. The former JUCO star from Blinn College – where he played two seasons with future 49ers 3rd-rounder Danny Gray – was 20 years old in his first season as a Cyclone, so the expectation was that he would be ready for the increased competition. Hutchinson continued to deliver productive seasons for two more years with the Cyclones, posting dominator ratings of 26% and 34% to conclude his college career. The 6-foot-2 and 207-pound behemoth finished 2022 with 107 catches (third in the nation) while playing 70% of his snaps out wide. No player in the FBS saw more targets in 2022 than the 22-year-old Hutchinson (161). Hutchinson’s age (23) is definitely a concern as he looks to make the leap to the NFL. But his football experience and usage suggest if the talent is there, he can make an immediate impact.

Dontayvion Wicks (WR – Virginia)

Wicks didn’t start producing at Virginia until his junior year after missing his entire sophomore season in 2020 with an injury. He erupted for 1,201 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns (27% dominator rating). The 6-foot-1 and 212-pound WR was a big-play machine averaging 21.1 yards per reception (6th in the FBS). He ended the year ninth in yards per route run (3.25) with the 3rd-most downfield catches (18). However, Wicks did not finish his college career on a high note taking a major step backward as a senior with a 24% dominator rating with questionable quarterback play. Luckily he was able to right the ship at the Senior Bowl, showcasing his 2021 form as the American team’s Wide Receiver Practice Player-of-Week.

Jalen Moreno-Cropper (Fresno State)

Jalen Moreno-Cropper spent four years at Fresno State, cultivating a decorated collegiate career. He broke out at age 19 in a shortened season in 2020, catching 37 balls for 520 yards and five TDs in just six games. He followed up a strong sophomore campaign with back-to-back seasons with 26% dominator ratings as the Bulldogs’ No. 1 WR. Over those two seasons, JMC caught 168 passes for nearly 2,000 yards and 16 TDs. And he accomplished the feat in two completely different ways, shifting from the slot as a junior to the perimeter at 6 feet and 171 pounds. He finished 10th in his class in yards per route run versus man coverage (3.47).

A.T. Perry (WR – Wake Forest)

A.T. Perry didn’t truly blossom until his 22-year-old junior season at Wake Forest when he blew up to the tune of 71 catches for 1,296 receiving yards and 15 receiving TDs (34% dominator rating). The massive-sized wide receiver was a downfield weapon, catching 10 TDs on 20-plus air-yard throws. Perry would follow up his breakout campaign with a solid senior season – 26% dominator rating – but it did leave a little to be desired considering Perry was 23 at the time in 2022.

Andrei Iosivas (WR – Princeton)

Princeton’s Andrei Iosivas has dominated his team’s receiving production over the last two seasons with dominator ratings of 30% and 39% after his 2020 season was outright canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Iosivas caught 64 balls for 924 yards and seven receiving touchdowns as a senior, finishing the year as PFF’s 18th-highest graded receiver among the wide receivers from FBS and FCS schools. Iosivas is an athletic specimen – a heptathlete in track and field – and will undoubtedly turn more heads at the NFL Scouting Combine. Testing off the charts at 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds is going to put Iosivas high on the NFL radar.

Ronnie Bell (WR – Michigan)

Ronnie Bell was Michigan’s leading wide receiver in receptions, yards, and targets as a sophomore while competing for targets with future NFL wide receivers Nico Collins and Donovan Peoples-Jones. He operated as the No. 1 WR in 2020 but was injured as a true senior in 2021. He came back to school in 2022 and stepped into the WR1 chair with a career-high 23% dominator rating.

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