Although the NFL Draft is still a few weeks out, mock draft season is in full swing.

Until these names are called by Roger Goodell, we are grinding the tape and combine results, but things can change following the NFL Draft. Landing spots are important, but even more important is the draft capital each player is tagged with. When the NFL tells us how they feel about a player, it’s generally wise to listen up. The odds of a player becoming fantasy relevant shrinks as they drop further down the draft board.

But for now, everybody has first round potential. Let’s get to it.

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• 2023 NFL Draft Scouting Reports & Prospect Profiles

Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft

1.01 Bijan Robinson (RB – Texas)

There hasn’t been a No. 1 pick this solidified since Saquon Barkley in 2018, and even then, that class was full of playmakers with first round draft capital on Barkley’s heels. That doesn’t exist in this class. At 215 pounds, Robinson can absolutely burn with the proof in a 4.46 40-yard dash. He broke 140 tackles last season, a college record, en route to 1,580 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. He caught 19 passes, which doesn’t stand out, but his 16.5 yards per catch average does. Outside of the high-end talent, what separates an elite fantasy player from a good one is the ability to catch passes and stay on the field for three downs. Robinson checks all the boxes.

1.02 Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR – Ohio State)

For all intents and purposes, this is where the draft truly begins. After Robinson, the running back concerns begin to stack up. JSN is nearing a consensus as the WR1 of this class, but he doesn’t come without concerns himself. He has just one year of college production and battled a hamstring injury throughout his junior season. He’s primarily a slot player with questions surrounding his ability to win on the outside. His route running and separation skills are pluses, as is his body control. Lacking true top-end speed and explosiveness, he will likely need some development to win on the outside. Ideally, he can win big in the slot early on and eventually move around the formation. I’m confident he can, the question is, how long will it take?

1.03 Jahmyr Gibbs (RB – Alabama)

As mentioned in making the case for Bijan Robinson, receiving pedigree at the running back position is valued at an all-time high. Jahmyr Gibbs is electric with the ball in his hands, no matter the route it takes to get to him. Gibbs tallied 103 receptions for 1,215 yards and eight touchdowns in his three collegiate seasons to compliment his 2,132 rushing yards. The only real question with Gibbs is his weight, as he came in at 199 at the combine. Anything below 200 is a cause for concern, but one pound is not going to make or break his career. RegardlessI suspect he will add weight prior to suiting up for an NFL team. He’s drawn many comparisons to Raheem Mostert and Elijah Mitchell, but I see his upside as a similar player to Dalvin Cook with more top-end speed. He will need to be more decisive on inside runs and gain more power through contact to get to that level, but he has the tools. The thing I love about Gibbs is that even if he falls short of his ceiling, his floor is an extremely dynamic rotational back who excels as a pass catcher and creates big plays.

1.04 Jordan Addison (WR – USC)

There are no sure things when it comes to the NFL Draft, but there are many signs that point toward success for Jordan Addison. With limitations attached to his size and athletic profile, Addison may not possess the alluring upside of a big X receiver, but he can be a great NFL player. The expectation is that he will play in the slot, but he has the ability to play the Z role in two wide receiver sets. Due to his weight of 173 pounds, he’s never relied on physicality but rather on his movement before the ball arrives. He’s a crafty route runner who doesn’t waste movement. He’s able to create separation and has reliable hands, displaying explosive playmaking after the catch. It also bodes well that Addison was productive in multiple offensive schemes, proving his ability to adjust and adapt to different offenses which will be valuable in his quest to make an immediate impact in the NFL. He’s somewhere in between Diontae Johnson and Elijah Moore, and in the right role, I believe Addison will be very productive as a rookie.

1.05 Quentin Johnston (WR – TCU)

If you built a prototypical WR1 in the lab, he would likely resemble Quentin Johnston. Standing at 6’3″ and weighing in at 208 pounds, Johnston displays the rare combination of size and speed that is coveted by NFL teams and fantasy managers alike. He shows shades of Brandon Marshall with his long arms and ability to make plays after snatching the ball out of the air. If you don’t watch his film, he is likely your WR1. However, the film does show some issues. He struggles against press coverage, much more than he should for somebody his size. His 40% contested catch rate is also a concern for his size while he relies too heavily on his athleticism. He’s not an overly precise route runner even as he’s slow off the line. Make no mistake, these are major red flags for somebody with aspirations of being a fast, big-bodied X WR. I love the prospect and his ceiling, but he needs some development.

1.06 Zay Flowers (WR – Boston College)

The knocks against Zay Flowers are easy to spot. He’s just 5’9″ and 182 pounds and he was not an early declare after returning to Boston College for his senior season last year. Although the four-year players are often downgraded, Flowers was a legitimate draft prospect a year ago. A mid-season QB injury slowed down a strong junior year, but the dynamic receiver was still likely to be an early-to-mid-round draft pick. Mostly known for his 4.42 speed, Flowers has a full bag of tricks that go beyond his straight-line speed. He works well in space with the ability to change directions in an instant and is incredibly slippery. Don’t make the mistake of typecasting him as a gadget player, however, as he is aggressive attacking the ball in the air. With the versatility to play inside or outside, he can be schemed up touches in space, track a deep ball behind the defense, or win a contested catch along the sideline. He’s long been one of my favorites in this draft class and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go above one or two of the receivers above.

1.07 Zach Charbonnet (RB – UCLA)

Zach Charbonnet spent two years at Michigan before transferring to UCLA and punishing PAC12 defenders for two years. Charbonnet has the size and power to be a tackle-breaker in the NFL but also shows the fluidity to make defenders miss with a cutback. He’s got soft enough hands to be utilized on third downs, but he lacks the top-end speed to be a real home run threat. The type of back who can wear a defense down, Charbonnet may get an opportunity to handle the bulk of the carries for an NFL offense. He gives off James Conner vibes, but with better instincts at the line of scrimmage.

1.08 Marvin Mims (WR – Oklahoma)

The biggest knock against Marvin Mims is his size, but outside of that, I’m not sure why his value is coming in below Jalin Hyatt, and even Josh Downs, who is even smaller. At 5’11” and 183 pounds, Mims plays like a bigger receiver. He may be a slot player early on, but he has the ability to move around the formation and stay on the field in two wide receiver sets, particularly if he expands his route tree. I’m not sure the same can be said of Josh Downs. He has track star speed with a 4.38 40-yard dash on his resume and can take the top off a defense. On top of that, he has a knack for making tricky grabs and adjusting to the ball in the air. He battles at the catch point in contested catch situations and offers an explosive YAC element. If he lands in a good offense, he could make an early impact and a big one at that.

1.09 Jalin Hyatt (WR -Tennessee)

The Tennessee Volunteer broke onto the scene in his junior year with 1,267 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. With his elite speed, Jalin Hyatt is known as a vertical threat who wins by blowing past defenders, which is true, but he also displays the shiftiness to make defenders miss in shorter areas. His soft hands and ability to track the ball and adjust mid-route will help him win at the next level. He’s got a thin frame at 176 pounds, and he hails from a spread offense that allowed him ample space to operate from. Those factors leave question marks surrounding his ability to beat any sort of press coverage or operate with a full route tree at his disposal. Will Fuller is the obvious comparison to make, but Hyatt has a bit more fluidity with the ball in his hands. Although he profiles as more of a co-star than the star, he will take off if he develops a full route tree and wins underneath.

1.10 Devon Achane (RB – Texas A&M)

At 188 pounds, it’s difficult to envision Devon Achane garnering a heavy workload in the NFL. With that being the case, he must make up for it with explosive playmaking ability. Spoiler alert: he checks that box with an emphatic check mark. The 2020 Gatorade Track & Field Athlete of the Year is a certified burner, scorching the combine with a 4.32 40-yard dash. The list of successful NFL running backs below 200 pounds is short, but sliding below 190 is an even shorter list. What separates Achane is his vision, patience, and contact balance. He’s not going to be fighting for extra yardage on every play but he’s not always reliant on his speed. He excels at setting up blocks with patience and vision, before shedding arm tackles and sprinting through the secondary. His size makes for a tricky evaluation, but he will have a sizeable role in an NFL offense and could become a PPR machine.

1.11 Tank Bigsby (RB – Auburn)

One of the best traits a running back prospect making the jump to the NFL can show is an ability to create yards after contact. Tank Bigsby shines in that capacity, posting 740 yards after contact on 976 rushing yards. That makes for an absurd 76% of his rushing yards coming after contact and 4.3 YAC per attempt. Although NFL players are stronger and more physical than college competition, this type of effort often translates to Sundays. Bigsby’s legs rarely stop churning but he’s far more than a power back. He shows good patience letting blocks develop before planting his foot and making a cut up-field with quick change of direction. He’s far from a speed back but has a second gear to hit the home run when he gets going. Although he didn’t see a whole lot of opportunities in the passing game, Bigsby is a capable pass catcher and blocker and can play on third downs at the next level. It’s important to look beyond the stats with Bigsby as he faced off against a loaded box at one of the higher rates in college football. He’s being valued too low right now, but that could change quickly after the NFL Draft if he has a path to a starting role.

1.12 Anthony Richardson (QB – Florida)

I generally don’t allocate many assets toward quarterbacks in a single-quarterback league, but the Anthony Richardson payoff could be a massive one. We’ve seen the type of upside that rushing quarterbacks can offer, and Richardson comes in as the most athletic quarterback prospect of all time. His 4.43 40-yard dash time places him in the top five all-time at the position, but his other metrics are off the charts. It’s clear that he needs some development as a passer, and in a superflex league I’d be more reluctant to take him above Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud, but Richardson can be one of the rare quarterbacks to be a true difference-maker in a single quarterback league. Draft capital will be telling, as it was with Malik Willis, but I expect Richardson to go early and the franchise that invests will have a plan for him. While there are still prospects on the board that I like, they all have major question marks so I’m willing to take on the risk attached to Richardson at this spot.

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