DBro’s Must-Have Dynasty Rookies (2023 Fantasy Football)

Check out a few of my must-have dynasty rookies that I’m targeting in rookie drafts and beyond. And you can find all of my must-have dynasty rookies in this article.

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2023 Dynasty Fantasy Football Draft Kit

Must-Have Dynasty Rookies

Here are the players I’m targeting in dynasty rookie drafts:

Evan Hull (RB – IND)

Players I’m targeting in the 3rd rd or later in all of my dynasty rookie drafts:

AT Perry
Xavier Hutchinson
Evan Hull
Tucker Kraft
Puka Nacua

— Derek Brown (@DBro_FFB) May 4, 2023

Evan Hull is a tough runner with a compact build. He’s more quick than fast, but Hull also displays good burst as soon as the ball is in his hands. He has excellent lateral agility and can jump cut on a dime. Hull has a strong leg drive to finish runs with impressive contact balance. He’s rarely dropped by the first defender he encounters. Watching Hull weave through traffic with jump cuts and impressive vision is a treat. Hull is also a plus-pass catcher. Hull is fluid in the passing game and has soft hands. He’s not a nuanced route runner, as he was utilized on dump-offs and simple stop routes. This part of his game could grow further in the NFL with a creative play-caller.

I’m an Evan Hull fanboy, and I don’t care who knows it. Hull has a three-down workhorse build and skillset. Zack Moss and Deon Jackson are scrubs to which new head coach Shane Steichen has no previous ties. The fifth-round pick could quickly ascend to RB2 on the Colts’ depth chart and factor in on passing downs. Jonathan Taylor is an unrestricted free agent after this season. I’m not saying that Hull is the heir apparent because the team could easily sign Taylor to an extension at any moment, but I also won’t rule out that Hull could take over for Taylor if the team moves on. Hull will slip to the fourth or maybe fifth round in many rookie dynasty drafts. I have no issues with anyone drafting him as early as the late-third round. This class becomes a grab bag of “get your guys” after round two.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR – SEA)

The Jaxon Smith-Njigba discourse is fun

No I’m not fading him because he went to SEA.

SEA can easily go 11 heavy with JSN

JSN is one Lockett or DK injury away from making a big tg share leap in szn

JSN could establish himself as the WR2 in this offense in year 1 even with a… pic.twitter.com/LyEIUi2wg5

— Derek Brown (@DBro_FFB) May 4, 2023

Smith-Njigba won’t burn you in the open field with his raw speed, but that isn’t necessary for him to succeed. He’s a route tactician with the route-running chops of an NFL veteran. Smith-Njigba’s snap at the top of his stem is excellent, which allows him to create easy separation. Any team investing high draft capital in him knows what they are getting: a high-volume wide receiver that can work both inside and on the perimeter. Yes, Smith-Njigba was a slot receiver in college, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have the intangibles to get loose on the boundary. He wins with excellent, quick footwork at the line and in space. He’s more quick than fast. Also, in saying that, it has to be mentioned that he is plenty quick to win in the NFL. While it’s not a huge part of his game (only 16.1% of his 2021 target volume), he can win on vertical routes. He flashes the ability to stack corners on verticals from the slot easily. Smith-Njigba was ninth in yards per route run on deep targets, tied for first In PFF deep receiving grade, and second in passer rating when targeted on routes 20-plus yards in 2021 (minimum 15 deep targets). Smith-Njigba could be an immediate target hog in the NFL. He will be an immediate asset to the run game. He’s a tenacious blocker who engages well with defenders and anchors them. He won’t blow defenders out of their cleats, but he has the functional strength to hold running lanes or clear a path.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba got the draft capital that we wanted, but the landing spot has some dynasty GMs worried. How will he earn targets playing alongside D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett? Will Seattle abandon their love of heavy tight end sets (28th in the usage of three or more wide receiver sets last year)? Will Smith-Njigba be a full-time player? These concerns are all valid, but I’m not frightened at all. While Lockett remains a stellar wide receiver, he is almost 31 years old and can be cut next year with the team saving nearly ten million against the cap. Drafting wide receivers in dynasty is a bet on talent. Situations can change quickly. Smith-Njigba has talent that is worth investing heavily in. He could be the number two target in this passing offense as soon as this season, if not next year. He’s the 1.02 in 1QB leagues and a top-six selection in Superflex format rookie drafts.