Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft: PPR, 5 Rounds (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

1.07: 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.

2.07: 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.

3.07: Chase Brown (RB)

Chase Brown has good vision on zone runs and finding cut-back lanes. Brown does hesitate at the line when he should explode through the hole. He ran with more conviction as the 2022 season progressed. Brown is a runway back. He doesn’t display the ability to make the first tackler miss in the hole, but once he’s into the second level, he displays a good second gear and the ability to set up his blocks. Brown isn’t blessed with overwhelming lateral agility. He gets himself in trouble when he hesitates at the line or tries to bounce some runs outside. Brown doesn’t have the raw athleticism to get away with this. Brown displays soft hands in the passing game. He was mostly utilized as a check-down option or on the occasional rail route.

4.07: Nathaniel Dell (WR)

Nathaniel Dell is a rail-thin speedster (165 lbs). He was utilized in the slot, in motion and in bunch formations at Houston to give him free releases at the line. He’s best suited for slot usage in the NFL. Immediately his speed jumps off the page. Quick feet help him beat many nickels off the line. He drops from fourth to second gear easily on curls and comebacks. Dell is an early and late separator. He is a precise route runner who is lightning-quick in and out of his breaks. While he can be pushed off his route if corners can get their hands on him, Dell also flashes the ability to separate from the outside with speed releases. His ability to stretch the field is a nice wrinkle. He ranked 11th in passer rating when targeted 20-plus yards down the field in 2022 (minimum 20 deep targets).

5.07: Trey Palmer (WR)

Trey Palmer is a former five-star recruit who clocked at 10.42 in the 100m in high school. Nebraska utilized him deep and on short crossers to exploit his blazing wheels. Palmer enjoyed zone coverage in college, with most of his usage coming from the slot. I didn’t find many instances on film where he was pressed at the line, so an NFL team could be in for an adventure if they instantly convert him to an outside Z role. This isn’t to say he can’t win in this role, but it’s a projection at best.

Palmer’s route tree wasn’t immensely diverse in college, so an NFL team would ask him to learn new skills on the fly if a full route tree player is expected from the jump. Palmer was used on deep posts, flies, shallow crossers and screens for most of his snaps.