Fitz’s Top-10 Dynasty Startup Draft Targets (2023 Fantasy Football)

Am I in too many dynasty leagues?

Yes.

Am I joining three new dynasty leagues this year because I’m incorrigible?

Umm. Yes.

I’m juggling two dynasty startup drafts at the moment and have another one coming up next month. Here are 10 of my favorite targets in dynasty startup drafts.

• Dynasty Trade Value Chart
• Dynasty Rookie Primers: QB | RB | WR | TE
• Dynasty Rookie Draft Sleepers: QB | RB | WR | TE
• Dynasty Rookie Draft Simulator

Top-10 Dynasty Startup Draft Targets

Here are my top-10 dynasty startup draft targets.

Drake London (WR – ATL)

The Falcons were a run-heavy team last season, but London still had 72 catches for 866 yards and four TDs as a rookie, commanding a zesty 29.3% target share. As Matt Harmon noted in his Reception Perception series, London was strong last year against man, zone and press coverage. With a 6-4, 213-pound frame, London is built for red-zone usage, and his TD total is destined to climb.

Yes, it’s unfortunate that the Falcons are so run-heavy (for now) and that their QB situation is so shaky (for now). Play the long game with the 21-year-old London, who’s ticketed for stardom. Grab him in the third round of your 1QB startup or in the fourth round of your superflex startup.

Najee Harris (RB – PIT)

I’m warming to the idea of drafting Najee as an anchor back in the early rounds and then waiting a while until drafting an RB2. He’s averaged 20.4 touches a game over his first two seasons and hasn’t missed any time due to injury. The Steelers haven’t put good offensive lines in front of Najee in his first two seasons, but Pittsburgh made significant improvements to that unit in the offseason, signing OGs Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig, and trading up to draft OT Broderick Jones in the first round.

Najee is reasonably priced after a 2022 season that many people regard as a disappointment. But Najee was dealing with a sprained lisfranc early in the season that might have more debilitating than he let on. He averaged 59.1 yards from scrimmage over the first eight games of the season, 87.8 yards from scrimmage over his last nine games. Najee is typically available in the late third round or early fourth round in 1QB startups, or in the late fourth round or early fifth round of superflex startups. It’s a good price for a proven workhorse.

Trey Lance (QB – SF)

Lance started two games last season before breaking his ankle. After Jimmy Garoppolo broke his foot in December, seventh-round draft pick Brock Purdy played well late in the season and guided the 49ers to a pair of playoff wins, so now Lance will have to outplay Purdy and free-agent signee Sam Darnold to win back the 49ers’ starting QB job. Consider this a buying opportunity.

Lance averaged 58 rushing yards in his first three NFL starts before sustaining a season-ending injury in his fourth. His rushing numbers are going to move the needle in fantasy, and Lance has the arm talent to eventually become at least an average NFL passer. Even if head coach Kyle Shanahan puts his thumb on the scale for Purdy in the 49ers’ QB competition, Lance will get another shot to be a starter soon — if not in San Francisco, then elsewhere. The buy-in on Lance is extremely affordable right now. He just turned 23. In a 12-team superflex league, you can draft two solid starting quarterbacks, add Lance in the eighth round and feel good about your QB situation even if Lance doesn’t win a starting gig in the preseason.

Brandon Aiyuk (WR – SF)

Aiyuk quietly finished WR15 in PPR fantasy scoring last year, catching 78 passes for 1,015 yards and eight touchdowns in his age-24 season. Aiyuk is a good route runner and is terrific after the catch. Over his three NFL seasons, he’s averaged an impressive 8.8 yards per target.

Some of your competitors will want to fade Aiyuk because he has to share targets with Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey. Aiyuk was sharing balls with those guys last year, too, and he did just fine. The 49ers’ young receiver has a bright future.

Jahan Dotson (WR – WAS)

The surface stats from Dotson’s rookie year aren’t particularly exciting: 35 catches for 523 yards. But Dotson scored seven touchdowns in 12 games and had five weeks in which he was a top-20 scorer at the WR position, even though Washington had a lackluster QB situation.

Dotson has 4.43 speed, is a good route runner, punches well above his 181-pound weight in contested-catch situations and is elusive after the catch. His credentials also include high draft capital – the Commanders took him 16th overall in the 2021 draft. Washington’s QB situation still isn’t great, but don’t fade Dotson based on his ecosystem; buy the talent. Target Dotson in the sixth round of 1QB startups or in the seventh round of superflex startups.

Rachaad White (RB – TB)

One word of caution before I give you the sales pitch on White: It’s possible the Buccaneers sign a veteran RB who would diminish White’s role — possibly Dalvin Cook, Ezekiel Elliott or Kareem Hunt. Even if that happens, White is still a worthwhile investment.

The 24-year-old White has a mature game. His prowess as a pass catcher and pass blocker earned him close to a 50/50 workload split with veteran Leonard Fournette by midseason. White caught 50-of-58 targets for 290 yards and two touchdowns last year. From Week 10 to Week 17, he was the RB20 in PPR fantasy points per game despite scoring only two touchdowns over that stretch. Regardless of whether the Bucs add another running back, White’s utility on the passing game is going to keep him prominently involved.

Kadarius Toney (WR – KC)

In two NFL seasons, Toney has dealt with myriad injuries, missing 15 games. But Toney has blazing speed and extraordinary change-of-direction ability. and he draws targets at a freakishly high rate. If he can stay reasonably healthy and play something close to a full season in an offense with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback and Andy Reid designing the plays, we could conceivably get a 100-catch, 10-TD season out of Toney.

Toney draws targets at a freakishly high rate. He’s played 445 regular-season snaps over his two NFL seasons and has drawn 77 targets. George Pickens had a 15.3% target share last year. Toney has earned a target on 17.3% of his snaps. Pickens routinely goes several rounds earlier than Toney in dynasty startups. Don’t draft George Pickens, Draft Kadarius Toney

Antonio Gibson (RB – WAS)

Commanders head coach Ron Rivera has been talking about wanting to get Gibson more involved in the Washington offense this year. Talk is cheap, but yes, it would be wise to make better use of a running back who’s as big and as fast as Colts RB Jonathan Taylor and has extensive pass-catching experience as a converted college wide receiver.

Gibson scored double-digit touchdowns in each of his first two seasons despite playing in a limited offense. With J.D. McKissic no longer on the Commanders’ roster, Gibson figures to see more action on passing downs. The fantasy community has largely turned its back on Gibson, making him a bargain in dynasty startups.

David Njoku (TE – CLE)

Njoku has been in the league for six years, but he’s still only 26. His first four years in the league were a roller coaster ride, but Njoku has matured. In 14 games last season, he had 58 catches for 628 yards and four TDs, ranking TE8 in fantasy points per game. Njoku has averaged 8.3 yards per target over the last two seasons (For sake of comparison, Travis Kelce has averaged 8.6 yards per target over the past two years, albeit on much higher target volume.)

The 6-4, 246-pound Njoku is still the same impressive physical specimen who posted eye-popping numbers at the 2017 combine, and now he’s finally crested his steep learning curve. Grab him.

Jelani Woods (TE – IND)

I love Woods as a late-round TE target. At 6-7, 252 pounds, Woods has a sweeping wingspan, and he can really move for a big man. Factoring in his weight, his 4.61 in the 40 at last year’s NFL Scouting Combine gave him an 88th percentile speed score, per PlayerProfiler.com.

As noted by my colleague Andrew Erickson, Woods was second among TEs in yards per route run over the final six games of the 2022 season. His rookie usage was sporadic, but Woods saw at least four targets in five of his last six games, and he had an eight-catch, 98-yard performance against the Steelers in Week 12. Try to get him as a second or third TE in the late rounds of your startup draft.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio