Patriots Draft Kayshon Boutte: 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 Matthew Jones’s 2023 NFL Draft profile as well as Pat Fitzmaurice’s dynasty rookie draft outlook for Kayshon Boutte.

Dynasty Rookie Picks & Predictions: Patriots Draft Kayshon Boutte

Let’s first see what NFL Draft expert Matthew Jones says about Kayshon Boutte.

Matthew Jones’s 2023 NFL Draft Outlook & Player Comp

A well-built receiver who can be dangerous with the ball in his hands and some room to work with but who lacks the polish and technique typical for a top prospect at the position. Could be a weapon if he commits himself to running routes with more snap/hip sink, but at the moment looks like he might struggle to get separation from pro cornerbacks, with a steeper learning curve than average because of the limited offense he played in at LSU.

2023 Dynasty Rookie Draft Outlook: Kayshon Boutte

The Patriots haven’t had much luck drafting wide receivers during the Bill Belichick era, but perhaps they unearthed a late-round gem when they selected Boutte in the sixth round.

The enigmatic Boutte looked like a superstar at the end of his freshman season at LSU in 2020, finishing with three consecutive games of 100+ yards, including a 14-catch, 308-yard, three-TD outburst against Ole Miss in the season finale. Boutte then had 38-509-9 in the first six games of his sophomore season before breaking his ankle. He never got it going in his third and final year in Baton Rouge, with 48-538-2 in 11 games.

Boutte is at his best after the catches. He doesn’t have blazing speed (4.50), but he’s good at breaking tackles and knowing exactly when to stomp on the gas pedal or hit the brakes. Boutte also has good ball skills. But there are character concerns with Boutte, whose effort was inconsistent during his up-and-down three-year stay at LSU.

Boutte does his best work out of the slot, and the Patriots are presumably planning to make offseason addition Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster their starting slot receiver. But it’s not as if the Patriots have an abundance of firepower at wide receiver. Smith-Schuster hasn’t been able to recapture the magic of his first two seasons in Pittsburgh. DeVante Parker is injury-prone and inconsistent. Second-year man Tyquan Thornton is promising but unproven. Kendrick Bourne is a role player with modest talents. If Boutte applies himself, he has a chance to earn significant playing time. Boutte is worth an early-third-round pick in 1QB synasty rookie drafts and a late-third-round pick in superflex drafts.