Jaguars Draft Tank Bigsby: Dynasty Rookie Outlook (2023 Fantasy Football)

The 2023 NFL Draft is here! After months of waiting, we finally know where the 2023 NFL Draft class will land. This information shapes the outlook for rookies in 2023 and beyond. We’re going to have you covered throughout and following the 2023 NFL Draft to help you prepare for your fantasy football leagues. Next up for many will be dynasty rookie drafts. To help you prepare to make your dynasty rookie draft picks, let’s dive into Thor Nystrom’s 2023 NFL Draft profile as well as Pat Fitzmaurice’s dynasty rookie draft outlook for Tank Bigsby.

Dynasty Rookie Picks & Predictions: Jaguars Draft Tank Bigsby

Let’s first see what NFL Draft expert Thor Nystrom says about Tank Bigsby.

Thor Nystrom’s 2023 NFL Draft Outlook & Player Comp

Player comparison: Sony Michel

Bigsby checked into the NFL Combine at 6’0/210 after being listed at 213 by Auburn. he assuredly lost some weight for the event, and has the frame to bulk up to 220.

He was in a terrible situation at Auburn – former HC Bryan Harsin, embroiled in controversy, was fired mid-season last year – but stuck it out and flashed NFL-caliber RB1 skills over his three years as RB1. Succeeded despite being a marked-man behind that shoddy offensive line. Auburn’s awful offensive line last year ranked No. 93 in PFF run-blocking. Despite this, Bigsby posted an elite 90.4 PFF run grade.

This is because of Bigsby’s plus-plus combination of vision, instincts, lateral agility, and contact balance. He is a fabulous inside runner who takes what is given when it’s there, or creates off-script in instances of immediate penetration. Bigsby can make the first man miss in a phone booth, run through arm tackles, and find an escape hatch by jutting laterally off a violent cut. Super-sudden direction changes off those cuts.

He’s not a dancer. Upfield ethos. Varies tempo. I believe his game will play up behind a strong offensive line due to his vision. Not only runs through soft contact, but doesn’t get knocked backwards by hard contact – he’s taking the extra yards each run by falling forward. Underrated fighter in this aspect. Love the early-down utility – Bigsby’s keep-the-offense-on-schedule skillset will translate.

The big question here is Bigsby’s hands. He had eight drops for a non-ideal 11.6% drop rate on catchable balls at Auburn despite an aDOT of -1.7. And while Bigsby improved as a pass-blocker last season – into the “adequate” range – he mightily struggled in this phase over his first two seasons.

It’s entirely possible that Bigsby will never be much of a receiver. If so, he simply must improve in pass-pro. He has the skillset to do so. This, along with his strides in that area last year, give hope that further improvement is in the offing.

2023 Dynasty Rookie Draft Outlook: Tank Bigsby

Travis Etienne is going to be the lead RB for the Jaguars, but Bigsby, a third-round draft pick, has a chance to be Etienne’s primary backup. Jacksonville might not be an ideal landing spot for Bigsby, but it was unlikely that any team would have drafted him with the intention of making him a lead back.

A productive three-year performer at Auburn who led the team in rushing in each of his three college seasons, Bigsby is an effective insider runner with a nice blend of vision, lateral agility and contact balance. The 6-0, 210-pound Bigsby runs with power, and he often needed to create his own holes in his final season at Auburn, where he was operating behind an offensive line that ranked 93rd in the country in run blocking, according to PFF. But don’t mistake Bigsby for a straight-line runner — his cuts are sharp and highly effective.

Bigsby caught 30 passes for Auburn last season but has had problems with drops, so he might not be cut out for third-down duty in the NFL.

The latter part of the second round seems like the right time to consider Bigsby in a 1QB dynasty rookie draft, and he’s a worthy third-rounder in superflex rookie drafts.