X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

2013 Fantasy Football: NFL Rookies & Rankings

rotoballer-fantasy-football-nfl-advice-analysis

This article is an introduction to 2013's NFL rookies that may be fantasy football relevant. 

If you like this article, check out the rest of our fantasy football analysis: rankingssleepersrunning backswide receivers,  quarterbacks and of course our live fantasy football chat, the best football chatroom on the internwebs.  RotoBaller will be releasing more fantasy football content daily to help you prepare for the 2013 NFL Fantasy Football season so stay tuned!

 

It’s almost fantasy football season, and as much as baseball is my favorite fantasy sport, nothing compares to the draft of a fantasy football team. In baseball, if a pick goes bad you can pick up production of the waiver wire and trade more easily to replace the pick. In football, wrong picks can be the difference between 6 TDs and 10 TDs, or 600 yards and 1200 yards.

Well I’m here to help you with deeper picks, and where I rank the NFL rookies that have just entered the league. Last year we were spoiled with top-25 and even top-10 players in a rookie class consisting of Doug Martin, Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck and Trent Richardson. This year, the class is not going to be as exciting or as productive - but that doesn’t mean there aren’t potential playmakers to take calculated chances on!  Also, everyone knows WRs rarely make the jump to the NFL and become instant fantasy successes, but that doesn’t mean potential fantasy value can't be found in this year's rookie class.

Let’s roll onto my fantasy football rankings for the top 15 NFL rookies that can be useful for your fantasy teams.

 

My Top 15 Rookie Rankings - 2013 Fantasy Football

  1. Eddie Lacy, RB, Green Bay Packers – I absolutely love pass-catching RBs! Lacy will be catching checkdown balls from Aaron Rodgers and running through lanes created by Green Bay’s zone-blocking scheme. This was an excellent pick by the Packers and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lacy have a chance at a top-15 back. The con here is obviously the injury concerns which you just can’t worry about with his upside and possible rewards.
  2. Montee Ball, RB, Denver Broncos – Knowshon Moreno or Montee Ball??? You have to take a decent shot at getting Ball during the draft. He’ll have a ton of value if he becomes the starter in Denver. Moreno gets hurt easily and I don’t see Ronnie Hillman getting more than 8-10 carries a game, so I’ll be targeting Ball at some point in fantasy drafts.
  3. Tavon Austin, WR, St. Louis Rams – Austin is a bit of head scratcher…Many people have him as the no. 1 WR in the Rams system, but Austin doesn’t have a clear position and is definitely slated for a playmaker/slot role in St. Louis. I think the Rams will definitely get him the ball but there is a lot of risk here and Austin’s situation reminds me a lot of Dexter McCluster’s a couple years back.
  4. Robert Woods, WR, Buffalo Bills – I personally think in PPR leagues, Woods might be the no. 1 Rookie WR in this class. He’s probably the most polished route runner and should be slated for a safety net or slot role for whoever the Bills QB is. Woods is very good and was significantly overshadowed by Marquise Lee at USC.
  5. E.J. Manuel, QB, Buffalo Bills – Obviously, this is only if he wins the starting gig. We’ll have to see as training camp goes on, but I don’t see any reason why the Bills shouldn’t start his development immediately. Especially since Manuel can improvise and bide time in the pocket, might as well let him loose and see what you got. I expect Manuel and Robert Woods to become best friends.
  6. Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee Titans – With a receiving corps of Kendall Wright, Nate Washington and Kenny Britt, Hunter may not get playing time immediately. Some scouts had Hunter as the best WR and most NFL-ready receiver in the draft so tread lightly. There is some major risk/reward here, but it all really depends on Jake Locker and who he meshes with, he never had good rapport with Washington or Britt.
  7. Leveon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers – It’s going to be an interesting fight between Jonathan Dwyer and Bell for carries in the backfield. Either way, Bell should get some decent production. Pittsburgh’s line and running game isn’t what it once was, but they have to run on the ground to keep the defenses off balance.Update:  Bell unfortunately came down with a  right foot injury, and is expected to miss up to six weeks with a small ligament tear.  He should be downgraded in fantasy football drafts to a mid-to-late round pick, but still has the upside to contribute when healthy this year.
  8. Aaron Dobson, WR, New England Patriots – With the entire New England receiving corps possibly on the shelf at the beginning of the season, Dobson has a real chance to gain rapport and targets from stud Tom Brady. He’s a really underrated receiver and can be a sleeper in all fantasy drafts.
  9. Giovanni Bernard, RB, Cincinnati Bengals – I’d be careful with Bernard in year one of his career. The Bengals still have Green-Ellis and Bernard Scott in the backfield. Some people predict Bernard to take the starting gig, but I think all three will be getting carries. I expect 10-13 carries a game for Bernard, not too enticing for fantasy.
  10. Cordarelle Patterson, WR, Minnesota Vikings – Patterson at the very least should be the no. 3 WR on depth chart. I foresee a no. 2 role and veteran/troublemaker Jerome Simpson to slide to the slot. Patterson should be a nice compliment to newly acquired Greg Jennings, but I expect the targets to be low at first and increase over the season. Keep him on the watch-list or spend a final pick on him.
  11. Keenan Allen, WR, San Diego Chargers – This might be the ultimate sleep WR pick. Allen could slip right into a slot role for the Chargers and play with Malcolm Floyd, Vincent Brown and Antonio Gates. The good thing is we know Phillip Rivers is going to air it out, so targets will be had. If Allen can make a splash early, he’s a darkhorse candidate for ROY.
  12. Joseph Randle, RB, Dallas Cowboys – This is one of my favorite RB to watch in college. He was so underrated in the Oklahoma State system where they spread it out and pass, but Randle had great running ability. Randle will be backing up DeMarco Murray, who isn’t the most durable back in the NFL, so getting Randle could be smart and if you own Murray, Randle is a ‘must’ hand-cuff.
  13. Zac Stacy, RB, St. Louis Rams – Welcome to the youngest offense on Earth…The Rams have Sam Bradford accompanied by Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, Brian Quick, Isaiah Pead, and Stacy. Stacy should see carries every game with a shot to become majority leader. I don’t see Pead or Daryl Richardson becoming big time backs and I definitely see Stacy getting goal line carries at some point.
  14. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans – Houston’s official depth chart on Yahoo! Lists Hopkins as the no. 2 WR…good news, no doubt. My money is DaVier Posey is more of the breakout candidate for this year opposite Andre Johnson. Of course, Johnson spend half the season on IR, so Hopkins has great potential and will have playing time…just warning you how much Houston and Matt Schaub love Posey.
  15. Mike Gillislee, RB, Miami Dolphins – Gillislee has more of that ‘X-Factor’ potential where he can be sneaky good as a no. 3 back. Similar to Darren Sproles early years, just a late back to watch-list or take a flyer on as his two counterparts in the backfield aren’t overly successful either.

 

 

Here are some more fantasy football articles about rookies & rankings.  Let’s win some leagues!

 

===============

By popular demand, RotoBaller.com has now launched the fantasy football chatroom! Get involved with some real-time NFL talk, ask your fantasy football questions, read other discussions, or feel free to chime in and reply back with your own 2 cents. Remember you can ask the RotoBaller staff any questions, and we’ll reply back to you as quickly as possible.  Make a call to the RotoBaller chatroom and get some live advice.

 


Check out all of RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings. Staff rankings are updated regularly for all positions and include standard formats, PPR scoring, tiered rankings and dynasty leagues.




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Wendell Carter Jr.11 mins ago

Out Against Lakers
Anthony Davis29 mins ago

Available Versus Magic On Thursday
Rui Hachimura43 mins ago

Unavailable Thursday
Carlos Ulberg1 hour ago

Looking To Cement Himself As A Title Contender At UFC Macau
Volkan Oezdemir1 hour ago

Eyes Another Knockout At UFC Macau
Gabriella Fernandes1 hour ago

A Big Underdog At UFC Macau
MMA1 hour ago

Cong Wang Puts Undefeated Record On The Line At UFC Macau
Deiveson Figueiredo1 hour ago

Looks To Extend Win Streak At UFC Macau
Petr Yan1 hour ago

A Favorite At UFC Macau
Yves Missi2 hours ago

Listed As Questionable For Friday
CJ McCollum2 hours ago

Not Likely To Play Friday
Alexander Mattison2 hours ago

Zamir White Miss Practice Again
Brandon Ingram2 hours ago

Questionable For Friday
Shohei Ohtani2 hours ago

Named National League MVP In 2024
Aaron Judge3 hours ago

Wins American League MVP Award
Ja'Kobe Walter3 hours ago

Ready To Go Thursday
Donte DiVincenzo3 hours ago

Available Thursday
Mike Conley3 hours ago

Will Not Play Thursday
Jordan Clarkson3 hours ago

Sits Out Thursday's Game
Ausar Thompson3 hours ago

Won't Play On Thursday
Zach Collins3 hours ago

Cleared To Play Thursday
Domantas Sabonis3 hours ago

Gets Through Full Practice
Chris Paul3 hours ago

Good To Go Thursday
Brock Purdy3 hours ago

Limited Again On Thursday
Malik Monk3 hours ago

Making Progress
George Kittle3 hours ago

Limited Again On Thursday
Tre Mann4 hours ago

Good To Go On Thursday
Miles Bridges4 hours ago

Won't Play On Thursday
Vince Williams Jr.4 hours ago

Out At Least A Month
Scottie Barnes4 hours ago

Returning On Thursday
Alex Ovechkin4 hours ago

To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Fractured Fibula
Paul George4 hours ago

Out At Least Two Games
Aaron Gordon4 hours ago

Availability In Question For Friday
Zach Hyman4 hours ago

Expected To Miss 4-7 Days
Kent Johnson4 hours ago

Back For Blue Jackets Thursday
Yaroslav Askarov4 hours ago

Makes Sharks Debut Thursday
Jalen Hurts4 hours ago

Practices In Full On Thursday
Mikael Granlund5 hours ago

Good To Go Thursday
Alexandar Georgiev5 hours ago

Returns To Action Versus Capitals
TB5 hours ago

Nicholas Paul Will Miss Thursday's Game
Frederik Andersen5 hours ago

To Miss 8-12 Weeks
Jake Ferguson5 hours ago

Still Not Practicing
Sam LaPorta5 hours ago

Looking Good For A Week 12 Return
Sam Darnold5 hours ago

Upgrades To Full Participation, On Track To Play
Isiah Pacheco5 hours ago

Remains Limited On Thursday
D'Andre Swift5 hours ago

Upgrades To Limited Participant On Thursday
CeeDee Lamb6 hours ago

Sidelined During Thursday's Practice
Ladd McConkey6 hours ago

Does Not Practice On Thursday
Mike Evans6 hours ago

Logs Full Practice On Thursday
DeVonta Smith7 hours ago

Misses Another Practice
Cody Bellinger8 hours ago

Cubs Looking To Trade Cody Bellinger?
Brandin Cooks8 hours ago

Preparing To Play In Week 12
CeeDee Lamb8 hours ago

Not Seen At Thursday's Practice
8 hours ago

Blake Snell Has Met With Red Sox, Dodgers
Aaron Rodgers9 hours ago

Jets Owner Suggested Benching Aaron Rodgers
Mike Evans10 hours ago

Practicing Again On Thursday
Chandler Stephenson11 hours ago

Registers Three Assists Versus Predators
Jason Robertson11 hours ago

Totals Three Points In Wednesday's Win
Nils Lundkvist11 hours ago

Exits Early With A Lower-Body Injury
Matthew Knies12 hours ago

Sustains An Upper-Body Injury
Mikael Granlund12 hours ago

Exits Late With Injury Wednesday
Patrik Laine12 hours ago

Returns To Practice
Chris Sale23 hours ago

Wins National League Cy Young Award
Tarik Skubal23 hours ago

Wins 2024 American League Cy Young Award
Austin Eckroat1 day ago

Heads To The RSM Classic After Win
Harris English1 day ago

Finding Form Heading To The RSM Classic
Ben Griffin1 day ago

Continues Playing Well Heading To The RSM Classic
Denny McCarthy1 day ago

Returns to The RSM Classic
Josh Jacobs1 day ago

Limited With Multiple Injuries
DeVonta Smith1 day ago

Misses Practice On Wednesday
Seth Jones1 day ago

Expected To Miss Four Weeks
Sam Darnold1 day ago

Limited With Foot Injury
Max Domi1 day ago

Placed On Injured Reserve
Jalen Hurts1 day ago

Limited On Wednesday
Connor Ingram1 day ago

Out Day-To-Day With An Upper-Body Injury
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen1 day ago

Returns To Action Versus Kings
Alex Tuch1 day ago

Available Wednesday
Tage Thompson1 day ago

Remains Out On Wednesday
Jordan Eberle1 day ago

To Remain Out On Wednesday
Ludvig Aberg1 day ago

Looks To Defend RSM Classic Title
Si Woo Kim1 day ago

An Intriguing Option At RSM Classic
Maverick McNealy1 day ago

In Solid Form Ahead Of RSM Classic
Eric Cole1 day ago

Chasing First Tour Victory At RSM Classic
2 days ago

Guardians' Stephen Vogt Named AL Manager Of The Year
Milwaukee Brewers2 days ago

Pat Murphy Named NL Manager Of The Year
2 days ago

Nick Pivetta Declines Boston's Qualifying Offer
Jose Siri2 days ago

Mets Acquire Jose Siri From The Rays
2 days ago

Phillies To Meet With Juan Soto
2 days ago

Luis Severino Rejects Qualifying Offer From Mets
2 days ago

Willy Adames Declines Brewers Qualifying Offer
2 days ago

Teoscar Hernandez Declines Qualifying Offer From Dodgers
2 days ago

Juan Soto Declines Yankees' Qualifying Offer
Luis Gil3 days ago

Wins AL Rookie Of The Year Award
Paul Skenes3 days ago

Named 2024 NL Rookie Of The Year
Brady Singer3 days ago

Reds, Royals Discussing Jonathan India, Brady Singer
3 days ago

Sean Manaea To Reject Mets' Qualifying Offer
3 days ago

Braves Have Interest In Walker Buehler
3 days ago

Astros Interested In Willy Adames
Charles Oliveira3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Michael Chandler3 days ago

Gets Dominated At UFC 309
Karine Silva3 days ago

Suffers Her First UFC Loss
Viviane Araujo3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Mauricio Ruffy3 days ago

Extends His Win Streak To Six
James Llontop4 days ago

Loses Clear-Cut Decision In Thrilling Fight At UFC 309
Paul Craig4 days ago

Loses Decision At UFC 309
Bo Nickal4 days ago

Remains Undefeated With Lackluster Performance At UFC 309
Stipe Miocic4 days ago

Retires After UFC 309 Loss
Jon Jones4 days ago

Gets TKO Win At UFC 309 To Defend Heavyweight Title

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Najee Harris - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

NFL Week 12 Predictions: Picks and Analysis for Every Game Including Thursday Night Football

After some high-octane matchups over the last couple of Thursday nights, Week 12 kicks off in a more old-school fashion with a classic rivalry game between the Steelers and Browns. There are some fun matchups on this Week 12 slate, however, "Bye-Mageddon" certainly does take a little of the sizzle away, as six teams will […]


TJ Watt - IDP, Pittsburgh Steelers, DST, Defense, Fantasy Football Def

Week 12 Fantasy Football Team Defense Rankings: Steelers D/ST, Chiefs D/ST, Vikings D/ST, Eagles D/ST, Commanders D/ST, Texans D/ST, Broncos D/ST

Fantasy football defenses are largely matchup-dependent, so many fantasy managers opt to stream a different defense each week. If you're in that boat, use our Week 12 fantasy football defense (D/ST) rankings for 2024 to find the top available option. There are just three weeks of the fantasy football regular season left, so it's never […]


George Pickens - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL injury News

Steelers vs. Browns TNF Start 'Em, Sit 'Em: Jameis Winston, Nick Chubb, David Njoku, Jerry Jeudy, Russell Wilson, Najee Harris, George Pickens

The Week 12 TNF game between two bitter AFC North rivals (Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers) is not likely to end up like the Thursday night game from two weeks ago when two different AFC North teams (Bengals and Ravens) battled to a 35-34 shootout. Somewhere deep in the charter of the Pittsburgh Steelers, I […]


DJ Moore - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football Rankings for Week 12 - Thursday Updates for Deebo Samuel, D.J. Moore, Jerry Jeudy, Jonathon Brooks, Jauan Jennings, Tank Dell

Many fantasy managers are in must-win situations down the stretch, so it's never been more important to ace your start-or-sit calls. Our Week 12 TNF fantasy football overall rankings for 2024 are here to help. Ahead of the critical Week 12 slate of action, let's find out where players on the start-sit bubble such as […]


Calvin Ridley - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football FLEX Rankings (RB, WR, TE) - Week 12 Thursday Updates for Chuba Hubbard, Calvin Ridley, Cedric Tillman, Jonnu Smith, Austin Ekeler

It's always tough to compare two flex options at different positions, but bye weeks and key injuries have made those start-sit decisions even tougher. We're here to help guide you with your lineup calls with our Week 12 TNF fantasy football FLEX rankings for 2024. Navigate the rankings below to find out where top flex […]


Tua Tagovailoa - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Fantasy Football Superflex 2QB Rankings for Week 12 - Thursday Updates for Tua Tagovailoa, Bo Nix, Russell Wilson, Austin Ekeler, Jayden Reed

Time is running out to collect "Ws" before the fantasy football playoffs begin, and if you need assistance, our Week 12 fantasy football Superflex rankings (2QB) for fantasy football can assist your start-or-sit efforts. Let's get to it! To begin Week 12 preparation, let's dig into the rankings to find out where key Superflex options […]


Bucky Irving - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Running Back Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday RB Updates for Jonathon Brooks, J.K. Dobbins, Bucky Irving, Najee Harris, Kareem Hunt

We're onto Week 12 of the NFL campaign, which can only mean the fantasy football playoffs are just ahead. Whether you're at the top of your league standings, fighting for a playoff spot, or are just trying to play spoiler, our Week 12 TNF fantasy football running back rankings for 2024 are here to help you […]


Cedric Tillman - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

TNF Wide Receiver Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday WR Updates for Cedric Tillman, Jauan Jennings, Josh Downs, Jerry Jeudy, DJ Moore

At the wide receiver spot especially, bye weeks and injuries are major factors in Week 12. If you don't have an excess of must-start WRs and need help identifying the top available options, we're here to help with our Week 12 TNF fantasy football wide receiver rankings for 2024. Let's dive in below to see […]


Jonnu Smith - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

TNF Tight End Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday TE Updates for George Kittle, David Njoku, Will Dissly, Jonnu Smith, Hunter Henry

In most leagues, only three weeks of the fantasy football regular season remain. If you desperately need a win to clinch a first-round bye or quality for the playoffs, use our Week 12 TNF fantasy football tight end rankings to help you with tough start-or-sit calls at the challenging TE spot. Ahead of the critical Week […]


Tommy DeVito- Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Not All Heroes...Play On Good Teams - Giants, Patriots, and Cowboys Fantasy Football Outlooks

It's well-known at this point that good offenses can help their players light up the scoreboards in fantasy football leagues. The mantra "trust in good players on good offenses" rings true, and some of the best seasons in fantasy football history have been aided by things like good playcalling and a good supporting cast. The […]


Baker Mayfield - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, Draft Sleepers

TNF Quarterback Fantasy Football Rankings - Week 12 Thursday QB Updates for Anthony Richardson, Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Bo Nix, C.J. Stroud

It's a critical week for fantasy football, as the playoffs are just around the corner. If you need help to nail your optimal lineups this week, our Week 12 TNF fantasy football quarterback rankings for 2024 are here to assist. Ahead of the all-important Week 12 slate, let's navigate the rankings below and find out […]


Jaylen Waddle - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL DFS Picks

Jaylen Waddle Fantasy Football Outlook - What's Wrong With Waddle?

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle was widely pushed as a potential league-winner in fantasy football in 2024 due to a variety of factors. The explosiveness and big-play ability of the Dolphins offense, the good play of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, and his talent were a few of them. It's not worked out that way. It's […]


Isiah Pacheco - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Running Backs

Fantasy Football Injury Reports: Week 12 Updates for Isiah Pacheco, Tyreek Hill, Mike Evans, Jalen Hurts, CeeDee Lamb, Jalen Hurts, George Kittle, Calvin Ridley, more

Week 12 of the NFL's 2024 slate is coming up, and as the fantasy football playoffs draw closer, it's becoming more important than ever to stay ahead of injury news for key players. Leaving a hurt player in your lineup can result in disaster. The author of this article missed out on the fantasy playoffs […]