NFL Rookies to Watch in Week 1: Fantasy Football Dynasty and Redraft Leagues

Regular season NFL football is back! The Detroit Lions opened the 2023 campaign with a statement victory against Kansas City, defeating the defending Super Bowl champions 21-20. Several notable rookies made their debuts for fantasy football managers as well. Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs gained 60 scrimmage yards, and his TE teammate Sam LaPorta made five catches for 39 yards. Additionally, Chiefs rookie wideout Rashee Rice managed to catch a touchdown in the losing effort.

With the first NFL Sunday of the year approaching, a whole new batch of first-year players will be making their debuts as professionals. It is certain that some of these players will make immediate impacts in the league for their franchises, but will they also make immediate impacts on your fantasy squads?

Whether you're a redraft manager or a dynasty manager, being ahead of the curve with rookie players is vital to your team's success. For more rookies like Gibbs, LaPorta, and Rice to watch this week, continue reading! This column will be split into two parts: one pertaining to players most relevant in redraft leagues, and the other for rookies particularly worth watching in dynasty formats.

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NFL Rookies to Watch in Fantasy Football Redraft Leagues

Anthony Richardson (QB, IND)

Anthony Richardson is not like the typical quarterbacks who get selected within the top five picks in the NFL Draft. He started only 13 games while with the Florida Gators, and his completion percentage last year was just 53.8 percent. Richardson's inconsistency and rawness were very evident. Yet, the Indianapolis Colts picked him with the fourth draft choice this year to be their quarterback of the future.

The reason for this is simple: there are more ways that Richardson stands out among other highly-touted prospects. For one, his athleticism is off the charts in every facet. He is 6'4" and 244 pounds, ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine, set a QB record in the vertical jump, and possesses elite arm strength. Moreover, his leadership skills are reportedly superb. Not only was he named the Colts' starter for Week 1, but he also was made a team captain.

Richardson was primarily drafted as a high-upside bench option in one-QB formats. This week will provide some clarity on whether he is likely to justify those picks or not. Richardson will have to face the Jacksonville Jaguars without injured and disgruntled running back Jonathan Taylor. However, he will still have some decent options to throw to, including Michael Pittman Jr., Alec Pierce, and fellow rookie Josh Downs. Make sure to tune in to see Richardson's much-anticipated debut.

Bijan Robinson (RB, ATL)

Bijan Robinson was a superstar for the Texas Longhorns, and his stats show it. Robinson gained 1,894 scrimmage yards and 20 total touchdowns in 2022, winning him the Doak Walker Award. He averaged a very efficient 6.3 yards per carry during his college career, and his 13.4 yards per reception also impressed. Robinson spent all of last season as the obvious top choice in 2023 rookie drafts, and he wound up being selected eighth overall in the NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons.

The Falcons backfield already featured two competent running backs before Robinson's arrival. Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson will each get some work, but Robinson is still unquestionably the top dog in the RB room. Since 2015, only five other running backs have been drafted inside the top 10: Saquon Barkley, Leonard Fournette, Christian McCaffrey, Ezekiel Elliott, and Todd Gurley. Each of those backs found great fantasy success as a rookie.

Robinson was a first-round draft pick in most fantasy leagues this season. It is time for him to prove why that was the case. The Falcons will face the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, and Robinson should see a heavy workload right away. The Falcons ran the ball the most of any team in the league in 2022, and nothing significant should change on that front this season. The rookie is an elite fantasy option immediately, so watch his performance to assess his trade value moving forward.

Zach Charbonnet (RB, SEA)

Despite Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III having a great rookie season last year, Seattle elected to take another RB, Zach Charbonnet, in the second round this year. Charbonnet began his college career at Michigan but starred at UCLA. In two seasons with the Bruins, he gained 3,014 scrimmage yards and scored 27 touchdowns. Charbonnet's average of 6.3 yards per carry while in Westwood was also an impressive figure.

Charbonnet is a bigger back (6'0", 214 pounds) and has the requisite athleticism and receiving ability to be successful in the NFL. However, his status on the depth chart may prevent him from becoming a top fantasy option. Walker finished second in last year's Offensive Rookie of the Year voting for a reason. Notably, Charbonnet is also behind DeeJay Dallas on the team's official depth chart. Charbonnet should overtake Dallas soon, but this situation speaks to the obstacles he currently faces.

The early weeks of the season will be vital as Charbonnet attempts to earn a larger role in the offense. This endeavor will begin on Sunday versus the Los Angeles Rams. Watching how Charbonnet's workload compares to Walker's and Dallas's will be very important when evaluating his outlook moving forward. Also crucial is how efficient he is with the number of touches he does get, however large that figure may be.

NFL Rookies to Watch in Fantasy Football Dynasty Leagues

Evan Hull (RB, IND)

Evan Hull spent his entire college career with the Northwestern Wildcats. Hull was productive in his final two seasons in Evanston, compiling over 1,200 scrimmage yards in both 2021 and 2022. An effective receiving back, Hull caught 55 passes for 546 yards and two touchdowns in 2022. He also had a 97th-percentile college target share. Combine his output with his excellent athleticism (80th-percentile Speed Score, 82nd-percentile Agility Score) and you have a quality running back prospect.

Hull was taken in the fifth round by the Indianapolis Colts this offseason. Indianapolis probably did not anticipate Hull being a key contributor this early in his career, but that may just happen. With star tailback Jonathan Taylor both injured and unhappy with the franchise, a lot of touches are up for grabs. The Colts will be taking a committee approach to their RB room at the moment, and Hull is squarely in that rotation along with Deon Jackson and Zack Moss.

This week in particular is a great opportunity for Hull. That is because Moss is questionable to play as he recovers from a broken forearm. Hull could potentially be the team's number-one running back against the Jaguars. If he impresses, he can establish himself as a valuable asset to both the Colts and dynasty fantasy managers. Even if Taylor's circumstances are soon resolved, Hull could cement a receiving role with strong play.

Jake Bobo (WR, SEA)

Jake Bobo spent his first four years in college with the Duke Blue Devils. In his final season in Durham, Bobo led the squad with 74 receptions and 794 receiving yards. He then transferred to UCLA ahead of the 2022 season. There, Bobo instantly became a dependable option for quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson. With 57 catches, 817 receiving yards, and seven receiving touchdowns, Bobo paced the team in all three categories.

Bobo is large at 6'4" and 216 pounds. Unfortunately, his 40-yard dash time at UCLA's pro day was not up to par. Running a 4.99 ended up dooming his chances of being drafted, as he went unselected across 259 picks. However, Bobo signed with the Seattle Seahawks as a UDFA and has not looked back since. He was a major standout in the preseason, and he drew a lot of praise for his efforts.

Bobo is only the fourth wideout on the Seahawks right now. DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba are all ahead of him in the pecking order. Still, Bobo will get some opportunities and is on many dynasty leagues' waiver wires. Also, fellow receiver Dee Eskridge is suspended from the team for six games, making this opening stretch a pivotal time for Bobo to perform well. He will begin his career against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.

Michael Wilson (WR, ARI)

Michael Wilson spent five years at Stanford, but his career statistics do not reflect this fact. Between multiple injuries and the pandemic shortening the 2020 season, Wilson has not played more than six games in a year since 2019. He was still fairly productive when he did play, though. Last season, Wilson caught 26 passes for 418 yards and four touchdowns in only six games. The Arizona Cardinals were intrigued enough by his profile to make him a third-round pick this past spring.

Wilson has good size, standing 6'1" and weighing 216 pounds. His 4.58-second 40-yard dash was mediocre, but he displays solid burst and is a downfield threat. Wilson also had a great week at the Senior Bowl during the pre-draft process. He now steps into an Arizona offense that has experienced some adversity and upheaval. Quarterback Kyler Murray is still recovering from a torn ACL, and wideout DeAndre Hopkins was released earlier this offseason.

While Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore figure to be Arizona's top two WRs, Wilson is currently their third option at the position. He will be highly involved early, including this weekend against the Washington Commanders. Even with the team's offense likely to be quite poor without Murray, dynasty managers should be eyeing Wilson to ascertain his value as a bench stash.

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