Zay Flowers: Dynasty Rookie Draft Advice (2023 Fantasy Football)

The 2023 NFL Draft is in the books, and now it’s time for dynasty rookie drafts. Landing spots and draft capital have been determined, and we’re here with your dynasty rookie draft outlooks. Let’s take a look at what Derek Brown expects of Zay Flowers.

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Dynasty Rookie Draft Picks & Predictions: Zay Flowers

Zay Flowers (Boston College)

I have my own comp for Zay Flowers but it's irresponsibly lofty expectations so I'm afraid to say it.

but I mean…you guys see it too, right? pic.twitter.com/eElPdeDqr4

— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) January 24, 2023

Stats:

2022 (286 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 80th
- PFF receiving grade: 74th
- YAC per reception: 68th
2021 (251 FBS WRs, minimum 50 targets)
- Yards per route run: 78th
- PFF receiving grade: 97th
- YAC per reception: 26th
Career
- 93rd percentile college dominator
- 89th percentile college target share
- 63rd percentile breakout age

Scouting report:

Zay Flowers is absolutely an outside wide receiver in the NFL. He played 65.8% of his collegiate snaps on the perimeter, which should push even higher than that at the next level. Flowers has route-running chops for days to get open on the boundary. He sets up corners with nuanced routes, explosive speed, multiple release packages, and an advanced understanding of how to get open.
Flowers can win at all three levels. He’s lightning-quick off the line to win short and a route tactician with intermediate and deep routes. Flowers understands how to use leverage and his fluid hips to get open on comebacks and outs.
Flowers has no issue stacking corners on deep routes. He has the speed to get past them and the smarts to squeeze every inch of separation out of every route.
Flowers is a twitch machine after the catch. His start-and-stop ability after securing the football is highlight reel worthy like Kadarius Toney.
He’s a high-motor, tenacious player. Flowers’ zest for the game shows up in his blocking ferocity and yearning to claw tooth and nail for every inch of grass.

Player Comp: T.Y. Hilton with YAC skills

Dynasty Outlook: Baltimore added Flowers to what has become a loaded receiving depth chart. Lamar Jackson will now have Odell Beckham Jr., Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and Mark Andrews flanking him. Baltimore’s bevy of pass catcher talent will dim Flowers’ year-one target projection, but Beckham Jr. is only on a one-year deal. If Baltimore doesn’t pick up Bateman’s fifth-year option, he can be an unrestricted free agent after the 2024 season. Flowers could be Jackson’s long-term WR1. The narrative around this Baltimore passing attack also needs to change when projecting their play volume. Greg Roman is gone. Everything we have seen from this offense with Jackson left with him. Todd Monken will change things, and those changes could be massive. In three of Monken’s last four seasons as an offensive mastermind, he’s ranked inside the top 12 (eighth, 11th, fourth) in neutral script pace. Over that span, he was also top-five in passing attempts twice. Flowers is a top-five selection in 1QB formats and a top-ten pick in Superflex rookie drafts.