Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft: PPR, 12-Team (2023 Fantasy Football)

The 2023 NFL Draft is quickly approaching. With the NFL Draft comes dynasty rookie draft season! We have you covered with our early dynasty rookie draft coverage, and of course, you can complete fast and FREE dynasty rookie mock drafts using our mock draft simulator. While you take that simulator for a spin to prepare for your dynasty rookie mock drafts, check out our latest dynasty rookie mock and analysis from Derek Brown.

Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft

Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft Picks

1.04: Jahmyr Gibbs (RB)

Jahmyr Gibbs is a slasher back that has zero-to-60 speed. He wins with foot quickness and raw speed that can string together lightning-fast lateral movements. Gibbs can take any touch to the house with a small crease in the second level. He has average contact balance. Gibbs will never be a pile-pushing running back. This could leave his red zone usage more in the form of pass-game targets than two-yard goal-line dives.

Gibbs has been an elite receiving option out of the backfield for the last three seasons. Since 2020, he’s never ranked lower than ninth in yards per route run or sixth in PFF receiving grade among running backs (minimum 20 targets). He’s an angle route master that will destroy the soft underbelly of zone coverage. In limited pass pro reps seen on film, Gibbs has the ability to turn into a solid pass protector. His first punch is solid, and he had the leg drive to stand up defenders. Gibbs has a high motor. He’s sprinting out in front of his scrambling quarterback to try and set a block or fighting for extra yards at every turn. Coaches will love his energy.

2.04: Dalton Kincaid (TE)

Dalton Kincaid has special movement skills. He looks fluid through his routes with a quick snap at the top of his stem. Kincaid has excellent body control with above-the-rim skills. He is exceptional at high-pointing the ball, which will serve him well in the red zone in the NFL. Kincaid can win in line, in the slot and on the perimeter. He has early and late separation skills that allow him to be flexed out to the boundary, even against man coverage. Last year Kincaid was 13th in PFF’s receiving grade and yards per route run against man coverage (minimum 10 man coverage targets).

He is a tackle-breaking steamroller in the open field. I’m not prone to comping rookie tight ends to future Hall of Famers, but Kincaid reminds me of Travis Kelce on film. His combination of route running, speed, and RAC ability evokes Kelce’s highlight reels in my head. He’s also a field-stretching weapon that can win vertically on the perimeter and down the seam. Kincaid was fifth in PFF deep receiving grade and 13th in deep yards per route run among tight ends last year (minimum five deep targets). The biggest area of improvement for Kincaid is in the blocking department. He is religiously turned into a pretzel in pass protection. His after-the-catch nastiness displays the necessary play strength for Kincaid to grow as a blocker. His first punch is decent, but pass rushers have no issues standing him up and blowing him off his mark. Improvements in technique in the NFL can allow him to become a serviceable blocker, at least.

3.04: Tyjae Spears (RB)

Tajae Spears concluded his final season at Tulane with stellar numbers, ranking fifth in yards after contact per attempt, 15th in breakaway rate and 11th in PFF’s elusive rating. He’s electric in space with plus lateral agility and an effective jump cut. Spears flashes good change of direction ability with the juice to flip the field and get to the edge on zone runs. He’s adept at utilizing his vision and angles, making it difficult for tacklers to wrap him up head-on. Weighing in at 204 pounds at the Senior Bowl helps his projection at the next level. He added essential “work weight” with a stacked lower half without sacrificing his explosiveness. Spears possesses fluidity in his routes from the backfield with the ability to separate from linebackers. He is a work in progress in pass protection, but he has the tenacity and lower-half strength to at least grow into a serviceable back in this area.

4.04: Evan Hull (RB)

Evan Hull is a tough runner with a compact build. He’s more quick than fast, but Hull also displays good burst as soon as the ball is in his hands. He has excellent lateral agility and can jump cut on a dime. Hull has strong leg drive to finish runs with impressive contact balance. He’s rarely dropped by the first defender he encounters. Watching Hull weave through traffic with jump cuts and impressive vision is a treat. Hull is also a plus-pass catcher. Hull is fluid in the passing game and has soft hands. He’s not a nuanced route runner, as he was utilized on dump-offs and simple stop routes. This part of his game could grow further in the NFL with a creative play-caller.

5.04: Dontayvion Wicks (WR)

Dontayvion Wicks is a burner and a field stretcher. In 2021, Wicks ranked sixth among all FBS wide receivers in deep targets (37.6% of his target volume), 14th in deep receiving yards and 24th in deep passer rating when targeted (minimum 15 deep targets, 124.7). He has immediate lightning-fast acceleration off the line. He consistently stacks corners downfield with speed releases. Wicks does exhibit some body-catching. His ball-tracking downfield has been stellar, though. Drops are his big issue, as they cropped up heavily in 2022. He dropped 23.1% of his targets, the highest among FBS wide receivers with at least 50 targets.