Impact Rookie Wide Receivers for Fantasy Football - Third-Round Rookies

August 3, 2023

Justin analyzes potential fantasy football rookie wide receiver sleepers for 2023. These NFL rookie WRs were drafted in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

One important thing to think about when analyzing an NFL team is how do its new additions fit with its older players? For example, when a team drafts a player early, that player is expected to play. This means the team has to find snaps for him.

This year, six wide receivers were drafted in the third round of the NFL Draft, which means six teams will need to figure out how to get those receivers on the field.

Let's look at every third-round rookie wide receiver and analyze how they'll impact their team's depth chart.

Tank Dell, Houston Texans

The Houston Texans used the No. 69 pick in the draft on a player who was just down the road, grabbing University of Houston wide receiver Tank Dell. Dell is a two-time First Team All-AAC pick who caught 109 passes for 1,398 yards and 17 touchdowns in his final season with the Cougars.

Dell was a productive receiver in college, but he's also 5-foot-8 and 163 pounds. Can he make an impact at the next level with those size concerns? If he does, it'll be because he's an explosive player who has shown a knack for making big plays. But so much is going to depend on staying healthy and improving his separation skills.

Dell projects to open the year as the fourth wide receiver on this Texans team, with Nico Collins and Robert Woods almost guaranteed to have a larger role. Also, last year's second-round pick John Metchie III is the top candidate to play with those two in three-receiver sets. With a rookie quarterback throwing the football, there's not a ton of upside for Dell early in the season. However, he could end up as a midseason breakout candidate if C.J. Stroud comes along quickly as a passer and Dell can get on the field.

Jalin Hyatt, New York Giants

With the 73rd pick, the New York Giants took Tennessee's Jalin Hyatt, one of two Volunteer wide receivers selected in the third round. Hyatt's first two collegiate seasons were relatively quiet. He broke out as a junior, winning the Biletnikoff Award and catching 67 passes for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Hyatt is a fast runner with some solid route-running skills. In 2022, he looked like a well-rounded receiver who could impact the NFL for a long time. But that doesn't mean there aren't concerns at this level. He's not the most physical wideout, and we only really have that one season of production to go off of. Can we be sure Hyatt will keep that up?

And if you want instant production for fantasy, he couldn't have landed in a worse spot. Assuming Sterling Shepard and Wan'Dale Robinson are off the PUP list in time to play, Hyatt's likely fighting with Isaiah Hodgins for the fifth receiver role? And that's if he can expand his role. If he ends up pigeonholed into the slot role, he'll have a tough time beating Parris Campbell out for slot snaps. Last year in Indianapolis, Campbell's 661 snaps in the slot led all wide receivers, per PlayerProfiler.

Cedric Tillman, Cleveland Browns

The other Tennessee receiver taken in the third round was Cedric Tillman, who the Browns grabbed just one spot after the Giants took Hyatt. Tillman's best season was in 2021 when he caught 64 passes for 1,081 yards and 12 touchdowns. In 2022, he suffered an ankle injury and was limited to just six games, catching 37 passes for 417 yards and three touchdowns. And 162 of those yards came in a game against Pitt.

The 6-foot-3 Tillman brings a lot of size to the field, and he often took advantage of that in college. He was definitely the kind of guy you turned to when you needed someone to make a tough play. But versatility and concerns about his top-end speed make him a little more of a situational receiver in the NFL.

He should have a good shot to get on the field in Cleveland and is expected to open as the fourth receiver. Amari Cooper is locked in as Cleveland's No. 1, but it's not too hard to see a scenario where Tillman outplays Donovan Peoples-Jones and has some appeal as a fantasy WR4 later in the year.

Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts

The Colts selected Josh Downs with the No. 79 pick this year. The North Carolina product was First Team All-ACC the past two seasons and posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. In 2022, he caught 94 passes for 1,029 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Downs is a little undersized, which might limit where he plays on the field. But his explosiveness could also make him a big mismatch out of the slot. And that's part of why I really like where he landed.

The Colts' passing offense might not be good in 2023. But if Anthony Richardson develops as the team expects, they'll be a good passing offense long-term. And with Parris Campbell gone, there's going to be a lot of snaps available in the slot. Isaiah McKenzie will get first dibs this season at those snaps, but I love Downs in dynasty leagues.

Michael Wilson, Arizona Cardinals

At pick No. 94, the Arizona Cardinals selected Michael Wilson out of Stanford. Wilson had a long collegiate career, playing parts of five seasons with the Cardinal. In 2019, he caught 56 passes for 672 yards and five touchdowns, but injuries limited him over the next three seasons.

Will those injury concerns remain an issue? It's obviously hard to predict things like that, but it's something to take note of. While he's got the ideal size for an NFL receiver and is a good athlete, we just haven't really seen him put it all together yet. He's a project right now.

And he landed on a team where you probably don't want to be if you're a project. The Cardinals are a mess right now. We have no idea when their franchise quarterback will be back from injury, and we also don't even know if Kyler Murray is their franchise QB at this point. If there's good news, it's that the depth chart at wide receiver is pretty light. Wilson should see the field this year; however, this will likely be one of the NFL's lowest-volume passing offenses.

Tre Tucker, Las Vegas Raiders

With pick No. 100, the Raiders drafted Cincinnati wide receiver, Tre Tucker. Tucker is coming off his best college season, catching 52 passes for 672 yards and three touchdowns. He played four seasons with the Bearcats.

Tucker has speed, but he's another sub-six-foot receiver, which seems like it was a popular build in the third round this year. As such, he likely ends up seeing a lot of time, mostly in the slot.

In the short term, Tucker will likely be sitting behind Hunter Renfrow. Long term, it might mean a chance to compete for the starting slot job, as the Raiders only have Renfrow under contract through 2024. As for fantasy upside, Tucker just doesn't seem like someone with a lot of it right now. Maybe that changes in the future depending on what the Raiders' passing attack looks like in 2024 or 2025, but he's a fade in redraft.

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