We are firmly in the thick of rookie draft season, and now is the perfect time to run through mock draft scenarios if your league’s rookie draft has yet to begin! Today we’ll utilize FantasyPros’ Mock Draft Simulator to prepare for a 12-team Superflex, tight end premium rookie draft. With this particular league format surging in popularity, it’s always good to run through some mock drafts to see how early and quickly the quarterbacks and tight ends might fly off the draft board.
- NFL Draft Grades for Every Team
- Thor’s Draft Grades (AFC | NFC)
- NFL Draft Day 1 Winners & Losers (Day 2 | Day 3)
- Fitz’s Round 1 NFL Draft Picks: Dynasty Rookie Draft Outlook (Day 2 | Day 3)
Dynasty Rookie Mock Draft: 12-team Superflex TE-Premium (2023 Fantasy Football)
Round One
1.01 – Bijan Robinson (RB – ATL)
Bijan Robinson is a rare instance of an elite talent finding themselves in an elite landing spot. Robinson is a unique blend of speed, power and receiving ability who lands in an offense that ran the ball more than any other team in 2022. He’ll be the first overall selection in most rookie drafts.
1.02 – C.J. Stroud (QB – HOU)
The quarterback run starts early, and while the order of these following few players may vary in drafts, this likely is where they come off the board. CJ Stroud is a highly accurate passer with untapped potential as a rusher.
1.03 – Bryce Young (QB – CAR)
Bryce Young is the most polished quarterback prospect in this year’s draft class. It’s disappointing he won’t have DJ Moore to throw the ball to, but Young is an effortless passer who will be able to distribute the ball to a variety of targets. Questions will remain regarding his size, but Young is the type of talent worth betting on despite outlier size.
1.04 – Anthony Richardson (QB – IND)
The Mock Draft Simulator ends the initial quarterback run with the player who might have the most upside – Anthony Richardson. While he’ll need to continue to develop as a passer, his upside as a runner is undeniable. It also is important to note that he did improve as a passer from 2021 to 2022, and it’s reasonable to expect that to continue.
1.05 – Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR – SEA)
There may have been some initial disappointment in Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s landing with the Seahawks, but the future remains bright. It might be difficult for him to eclipse more than 80 targets in year one, but if the Seahawks opt to move on from Tyler Lockett next year, he could find himself with more desirable volume.
1.06 – Dalton Kincaid (TE – BUF)
In somewhat of a surprise, we see the Mock Draft Simulator select the first tight end at a spot where it’s been typical to see either another running back or wide receiver coming off the board, but it’s not egregiously early. Dalton Kincaid could emerge as a top-two target in the Bills’ offense, and given the tight end premium format, you’ll need to be willing to spend a mid-to-late first-round pick on Kincaid.
1.07 – Zay Flowers (WR – BAL)
The Ravens figure to get Zay Flowers involved in multiple ways, but he does find himself on a team that will heavily target Mark Andrews and Odell Beckham Jr. in addition to focusing on the run game. Beckham could move on next year, which could be when we see the explosive playmaker’s role expand.
1.08 – Jahmyr Gibbs (RB – DET)
Jahmyr Gibbs falls to the eighth selection in this simulation, and if he falls this far in your rookie drafts, you have every reason to smile from ear to ear! The Lions shocked everyone when they selected Gibbs twelfth overall, but they cleared up any potential logjam when they shipped D’Andre Swift to Philadelphia. Gibbs will step in as an electric runner and receiver from day one who has a chance to outperform Swift in his rookie season.
1.09 – Jordan Addison (WR – MIN)
The landing spot could not have been much better for Jordan Addison, who steps into an opportunity that could see him see the same type of target share we saw Drake London and Chris Olave receive one season ago. Addison runs pro-ready routes and should be set to be a contributor from day one.
1.10 – Will Levis (QB – TEN)
Given the demand for young quarterbacks in superflex formats, this selection won’t come as much of a surprise. Despite falling out of the first round of the NFL Draft, Will Levis figures to come off the board in rookie drafts somewhere between this selection and the early second round. Remember that even if he doesn’t see the field in year one, he’ll maintain some semblance of insulated trade value based on being a fringe round-one prospect.
1.11 – Quentin Johnston (WR – LAC)
It’s a massive positive that Quentin Johnston lands in a situation with an established quarterback in Justin Herbert, who will be willing to push the ball downfield. Still, he will compete for playing time with Mike Williams and Keenan Allen in the short term. It becomes more feasible that the Chargers could look to move on from either Allen or Williams next season, which would open up a massive opportunity for Johnston.
1.12 – Michael Mayer (TE – LV)
Las Vegas had a big hole to fill at tight end after trading Darren Waller to the New York Giants earlier this offseason, and Michael Mayer will fit the bill nicely. Dalton Kincaid may be getting the headlines lately, but Mayer is no slouch and is worth a selection at the back end of round one in tight-end premium formats. He’s a complete player who should be ready to fill the void at the position for the Raiders from day one.
Round Two
2.01 – Zach Charbonnet (RB – SEA)
Zach Charbonnet landing with the Seahawks is an excellent fit on paper, but it creates some fantasy-related headaches. It creates a more difficult path to consistent playing time for Charbonnet and nerfs Kenneth Walker‘s value. Both running backs should retain fantasy value, but it’s a situation where both players may see their value capped.
2.02 – Sam LaPorta (TE – DET)
I love the fit for Sam LaPorta with the Lions. He won’t be the focal point of this offense and has less upside than Kincaid or Mayer, but he’s worthy of this selection. Some additional targets should be available early on in the season following the suspension of second-year wide receiver Jameson Williams.
2.03 – Israel Abanikanda (RB – NYJ)
Star running back Breece Hall is recovering from a torn ACL, and the Jets had been dropping hints they were interested in adding another running back this offseason. There’s an opportunity for Israel Abanikanda to be leaned on more significantly than expected early in the season. The path exists for him to get the second-most carries on the roster.
2.04 – Josh Downs (WR – IND)
Anthony Richardson is a big play threat at any given moment, but he’ll need a wide receiver to rely on to move the chains consistently. Josh Downs is the perfect slot receiver to complement a couple of bigger weapons who play on the boundary in Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce. Downs was hyperproductive in college with 195 receptions over his final two seasons and figures to be highly involved playing from the slot for the Colts.
2.05 – Devon Achane (RB – MIA)
Selecting Devon Achane in the middle of the second round feels much more appropriate than spending a backend of round one selection on him. He has an undeniable talent and fits what the Miami Dolphins want to do perfectly. Still, they did retain Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. He has game-breaking speed but will likely be working with limited opportunities.
2.06 – Hendon Hooker (QB – DET)
We are all aware of the reasons Hendon Hooker fell in the NFL Draft: he’s an older prospect, coming off a significant injury, and from a college scheme where things were simplified for him. In Detroit, he has time to fully recover from his injury while Jared Goff is under center for the Lions in 2023, but the team could move on from Goff with limited salary cap implications in 2024.
2.07 – Tucker Kraft (TE – GB)
The first of the recently drafted tight ends by the Green Bay Packers comes off the board here, and the order they come off the board in rookie drafts will likely vary. Tucker Kraft faced lower competition at South Dakota State, but he has plus athleticism and could emerge as a factor in the Packers’ passing attack.
2.08 – Jalin Hyatt (WR – NYG)
It was a slight surprise Jalin Hyatt fell as far as he did in the NFL Draft, but what he offers in the vertical passing game as a deep threat is something different than the rest of the Giants wide receivers can offer. He has a shot to pace their wide receiver group in targets in 2023.
2.09 – Marvin Mims (WR – DEN)
Marvin Mims is one of my favorite players in the 2023 NFL Draft, but he finds himself in a crowded wide receiver room. Despite rumors that the Broncos might have looked to trade one of Courtland Sutton or Jerry Jeudy, they both remain on the roster. Tim Patrick and KJ Hamler also remain on the roster, and Greg Dulcich emerged at tight end last year.
2.10 – Kendre Miller (RB – NO)
We’re still waiting on whether Alvin Kamara will face a suspension for his felony battery charge. Kendre Miller could form a committee with the newly signed Jamaal Williams if he misses any substantial time.
2.11 – Tyjae Spears (RB – TEN)
The news came out that many teams were scared off by Tyjae Spears’s injury history and how that may affect the length of his playing career. It’s tough to imagine a world where the Titans don’t hand the ball to Derrick Henry nearly 350 times in a season, but this could be the year we see the workload distributed a little differently.
2.12 – Luke Musgrave (TE – GB)
The Mock Draft Simulator rounds out round two by selecting the Packers tight end, who received the higher draft capital of the two. Luke Musgrave has plenty of pass-catching ability, so paying attention to how playing time is shaking out between him and Tucker Kraft throughout the offseason will be paramount.
Round Three
3.01 – Darnell Washington (TE – PIT)
3.02 – Jake Haener (QB – NO)
3.03 – Tank Bigsby (RB – JAX)
3.04 – Sean Tucker (RB – TB)
3.05 – Zach Evans (RB – LAR)
3.06 – Roschon Johnson (RB – CHI)
3.07 – Evan Hull (RB – IND)
3.08 – Chase Brown (RB – CIN)
3.09 – Rashee Rice (WR – KC)
3.10 – Cedric Tillman (WR – CLE)
3.11 – Xavier Hutchinson (WR – HOU)
3.12 – DeWayne McBride (RB – MIN)
Round Four
4.01 – Kayshon Boutte (WR – NE)
4.02 – Parker Washington (WR – JAX)
4.03 – Jonathan Mingo (WR – CAR)
4.04 – Jayden Reed (WR – GB)
4.05 – Eric Gray (RB – NYG)
4.06 – Zack Kuntz (TE – NYJ)
4.07 – Puka Nacua (WR – LAR)
4.08 – Will Mallory (TE – IND)
4.09 – Tank Dell (WR – HOU)
4.10 – Keaton Mitchell (RB – BAL)
4.11 – A.T. Perry (WR – NO)
4.12 – Deuce Vaughn (RB – DAL)
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