Rookie Scouting Profile: Zay Flowers
FullTime Fantasy Rookie Scouting Profile: Zay Flowers (WR) Zay Flowers (WR) Boston College Height Weight 40-Time DOB NFL Draft Dynasty ADP NFL Comp 5-9 182 4.42 09/11/2000 Round 1-2 1.07 Steve Smith College Production Xavien Flowers was a three-star recruit out of University High in Fort Lauderdale, Florida who chose Boston College over Kansas State, Nebraska, and South Carolina. Played in 13 games as a true freshman with two starts. Blossomed in 2020, leading the Eagles with 892 receiving yards and nine TD grabs and being named to the All-ACC First-Team squad. Was named to the preseason Biletnikoff Award watch list in 2021 and earned third-team All-ACC honors after a 44/746/5 stat line. His final season at BC was his best, resulting in a team-high 78/1,077/12 campaign, resulting in several regional awards, another All-ACC First-Team honor, being named and being named a Biltetnikoff Award semifinalist. Strengths • Ran a 4.42 40-yard dash (88th percentile) in Indianapolis. • Dangerous open-field runner who plays far bigger than his size indicates. Uses very good footwork and route-running to force missed tackles. • Shows extremely well in traffic and posted a solid 58% contested catch rate in 2022. Although Flowers is projected to be a slot receiver, that’s indicative of a player who can hold his own on the perimeter. • High football IQ receiver who knows how to consistently get open with leverage and good route skills. Pass blocks well for his size. • Boston College’s all-time leader in receptions (200), receiving yards (3,056), and TD grabs (29) and set a school record in 2022 with 78 catches and a dozen scores. Areas for Improvement • Undersized (5-9, 182) with small (9 1/4″, 43rd percentile) hands and very short arms (29 1/4″, 8th percentile). • 90.1 Speed Score was only in the 37th percentile. • Not very adept at exploiting holes in zone coverage. • 10.3% drop rate in 2022 is a concern. Fantasy Outlook Zay Flowers is a fun player to watch. He plays far bigger than his size and draws a lot of comparisons to Antonio Brown. Physically, he’s very similar to former Carolina great Steve Smith, but I don’t think Flowers has that kind of upside. However, he can be a solid slot receiver with enough big-play and downfield ability to warrant first-round rookie draft attention. Other Rookie Profiles Bijan Robinson Jaxon Smith-Njigba Jordan Addison Quentin Johnston Jahmyr Gibbs C.J. Stroud Bryce Young Zach Charbonnet JOIN OUR MAILING LIST! GET THE LATEST ARTICLES & UPDATES Subscribe to our FREE newsletter – Breaking Fantasy news & site updates! Like and share our new Facebook page! Be sure to pay attention to our giveaways for your shot at some sweet prizes!
Rookie Scouting Profile: Zach Charbonnet
FullTime Fantasy Rookie Scouting Profile: Zach Charbonnet (RB) Zach Charbonnet (RB) UCLA Height Weight 40-Time DOB NFL Draft Dynasty ADP NFL Comp 6-0 214 4.53 01/08/2001 Day 2 1.06 James Conner College Production Originally enrolled at Michigan after a stand-out career at Oaks Christian in Westlake Village, California. Charbonnet was named the Wolverines’ Offensive Rookie of the Year and was honorable-mention All Big-Ten after rushing for 726 yards and 11 scores as a freshman in 2019. Playing time dropped off significantly in 2020 behind Hassan Haskins, so Charbonnet transferred to UCLA. In his first season (2021) with the Bruins, Charbonnet racked up 226 touches and produced 1,334 scrimmage yards and 13 TDs en route to second-team All-Pac-12 honors. Followed that up with an even better senior campaign. Was promoted to all-conference first-team after leading the team with 1,359 rushing yards and snagging 37 passes in only 10 games in 2022. Strengths • Physical, inside runner who can move piles and is extremely underrated as a pass-catcher. Averaged 4.15 yards after contact per attempt and also boasted a top-10 PFF receiving grade. • Solid power back with plus ball security and short-yardage potential. • Performed well in Indianapolis, posting a 4.53 40 (70th percentile), 101.6 Speed Score (72nd), and 123.9 Burst Score (76th). • Good vision and decision-making. • High character and football IQ. • 91.5 overall PFF grade ranked fourth among all FBS running backs in 2022 Areas for Improvement • Has the size and willingness to develop in pass protection but needs a lot of work in that area to stay on the field in third-down passing situations. • Footwork can slip in traffic, which leads to hesitancy and could lead to too many stuffs in the A gap. • Does not offer superior speed when changing direction or coming out of cuts. • Lack of elusiveness and escapability. Fantasy Outlook It’s easy to see why Zach Charbonnet has been a favorite of the fantasy and scouting community for a while. He has ideal size and the potential to develop into a three-down option. He reminds me of James Conner, but others see a A.J. Dillon comps as a sizable back that can also catch well. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Charbonnet be the second back selected in 2022 as early as Round Two. If he slips into Round 3, his current 1.06 rookie ADP could slide. Depending on the landing spot, Charbonnet could be a solid redraft value as an RB4. Other Rookie Profiles Bijan Robinson Jaxon Smith-Njigba Jordan Addison Quentin Johnston Jahmyr Gibbs C.J. Stroud Bryce Young JOIN OUR MAILING LIST! GET THE LATEST ARTICLES & UPDATES Subscribe to our FREE newsletter – Breaking Fantasy news & site updates! Like and share our new Facebook page! Be sure to pay attention to our giveaways for your shot at some sweet prizes!
Rookie Scouting Profile: Bryce Young
FullTime Fantasy Rookie Scouting Profile: Bryce Young (QB) Bryce Young (QB) Alabama Height Weight 40-Time DOB NFL Draft Dynasty ADP NFL Comp 5-10 204 4.52 07/25/2001 Top-2 2.01 Russell Wilson College Production A five-star recruit out of the fabled Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, California, where he earned Gatorade Player of the Year honors and was named the All-American Bowl Player of the Year. Young chose Alabama after de-committing from USC. Posted a 96.0 QB Rating in limited action playing behind Mac Jones as a freshman in 2020. In his first season as Alabama’s starter, Young won the Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Award, Manning Award, and won the Heisman Trophy after throwing for 4,821 yards and 47 scores. Followed that up with a svelte 32-to-5 TD-to-INT ratio and led the NCAA with a 91.3 passer grade from PFF. Strengths • Outstanding football IQ and poise. Young sees the entire field well and is well-versed in pro-style read progressions, route concepts, and how to exploit defenses. • Strong arm with excellent touch and accuracy. Ball placement is already pro-ready, as is his ability to throw his receivers open. • Able to consistently get the ball anywhere on the field. • Wasn’t asked to run a lot but is underrated as an athlete. • Immediate leader of men. Young leads by example and has a knack for being clutch. Unaffected by pressure and set example with calm, level-headed decision-making. • Led all FBS quarterbacks with a 91.3 passer grade (PFF) in 2022. Areas for Improvement • Undersized. Young would be one of the smallest starting NFL quarterbacks on record. That may cause some teams to be concerned about Young’s ability to withstand hits from bigger, faster NFL pass rushers. • Played in a pro-style system with deep and talented supporting cast at Alabama. Adjusting to a lesser NFL roster could lead to growing pains. • Needs to improve timing and ability to make immediate reads, especially if he is playing behind a lesser offensive line. • 9 3/4-inch hands are on the smaller size. • Minor shoulder injury in 2022 cost him one start. Fantasy Outlook There isn’t a lot of criticism of Bryce Young’s game. It’s all concerns about his (lack of) size. Young probably played at under 200 pounds throughout his college career. And it would be unprecedented for a quarterback that small to go in the first round of the NFL Draft. Still, Young is a clutch field general type with an NFL-caliber arm. He’s also underrated as a runner, which has drawn some comparisons to Russell Wilson, Drew Brees, and Kyler Murray. It is widely believed that Young will be one of the first two selections in this draft. That means he’s highly likely to be starting from Day One. There’s enough upside here to view Young as a solid QB2. Also, the floor is high enough that he warrants 1.02 consideration in Superflex leagues. Other Rookie Profiles Bijan Robinson Jaxon Smith-Njigba Jordan Addison Quentin Johnston Jahmyr Gibbs C.J. Stroud JOIN OUR MAILING LIST! GET THE LATEST ARTICLES & UPDATES Subscribe to our FREE newsletter – Breaking Fantasy news & site updates! Like and share our new Facebook page! Be sure to pay attention to our giveaways for your shot at some sweet prizes!
Rookie Scouting Profile: C.J. Stroud
FullTime Fantasy Rookie Scouting Profile: C.J. Stroud (QB) C.J. Stroud (QB) Ohio State Height Weight 40-Time DOB NFL Draft Dynasty ADP NFL Comp 6-3 214 4.74 10/03/2001 Top-5 1.12 Justin Herbert College Production C.J. Stroud was a highly-coveted national prospect out of Rancho Cucamonga, California who signed with Ohio State to learn behind Justin Fields. Stroud red-shirted in 2020 and took over as the Buckeyes’ starter in 2021. That season, he guided Ohio State to the No. 1 offense ranking in the NCAA (45.7 points per game). Stroud passed for 4,435 yards, and 44 touchdowns en route to Big Ten Player of the Year, Thompson Randle-El Freshman of the Year, and Quarterback of the Year accolades. He also was a finalist for the 2021 Heisman Trophy- an honor he would repeat in 2022 after compiling 3,688 passing yards, 41 TD strikes, and ranking second in FBS in QB Rating. Strengths • Extremely accurate pocket passer with a field general mentality. Unbothered by pressure and adept at standing in the pocket, going through progressions, and delivering pinpoint throws anywhere on the field. • Powerful throwing arm. Adept at leading receivers open. Also has the accuracy to challenge defenders short, over the middle, and on deep outs. • Led all of NCAA with a 125.0 NFL QB Rating in 2022. • Excellent size and frame. • “Pro ready.” Stroud should step in and be a solid franchise signal caller from Day One. • Although rushing wasn’t a large part of Stroud’s game, he flashed plus athleticism while accumulating 382 total yards and four scores in Ohio State’s 42-41 playoff loss to eventual national champ Georgia. CJ Stroud percentile ranks among all QBs since 2005 Comp % – 97th percentile TD/INT ratio – 99th percentile Total Yds/GM – 98th percentile Total TDs/GM – 99th percentile *min 100 career passes — Curtis Patrick 🥇 (@CPatrickNFL) March 8, 2023 Areas for Improvement • May need to learn to improvise and escape the pocket more rather than continue to look downfield when receivers are blanketed. • Scheme and elite supporting cast at Ohio State set Stroud up for his phenomenal production. This won’t be the case being drafted by a bottom-5 NFL roster. • Willingness to weather duress and force the ball downfield will lead to interceptions. • Only ranked 59th with a 72.7% adjusted completion rate per PFF. Fantasy Outlook It is widely believed that C.J. Stroud will be a top-2 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Anyone who watched his highlights knows that Stroud is a poised leader with a strong arm and very good accuracy. However, the lack of NFL success for Ohio State signal callers and the fact that Stroud was surrounded by one of the deepest and most talented supporting casts in college football has some fans wary. Although he doesn’t run a ton, Stroud is a solid athlete and checks all the boxes to succeed in the NFL. He has all the tools to be a quality franchise passer and should be viewed as a solid QB2 in start-ups and redraft. In rookie-only drafts, expect Stroud to go near the 1-2 turn, or with a top-3 price in Superflex formats. Other Rookie Profiles Bijan Robinson Jaxon Smith-Njigba Jordan Addison Quentin Johnston Jahmyr Gibbs JOIN OUR MAILING LIST! GET THE LATEST ARTICLES & UPDATES Subscribe to our FREE newsletter – Breaking Fantasy news & site updates! Like and share our new Facebook page! Be sure to pay attention to our giveaways for your shot at some sweet prizes!
Rookie Scouting Profile: Jahmyr Gibbs
FullTime Fantasy Rookie Scouting Profile: Jahmyr Gibbs (RB) Jahmyr Gibbs (RB) Alabama Height Weight 40-Time DOB NFL Draft Dynasty ADP NFL Comp 5-9 199 4.36 03/20/2002 2nd Round 1.03 Jamaal Charles College Production Rushed for 2,554 yards and 40 touchdowns at Dalton High (GA) and was named to the all-state team and Georgia’s Class 6A Offensive Player of the Year. Also won the Mr. Georgia Award in 2019 and was named to the Sports Illustrated All-American squad. Committed to Georgia Tech over many elite Division 1 schools. Immediately showed off receiving chops in the Yellow Jacket’s run-oriented Flexbone offense. Entered the transfer protocol after sophomore season and ultimately signed with Alabama. Garnered third-team AP All-American accolades after rushing for 926 yards and leading the Crimson Tide with 44 grabs in 2022. Strengths • Elite 99th-percentile speed. Boasted a top speed of 22.3 MPH on a long TD jaunt. • Excellent hands catcher who tracks the ball well and faires very well in contested-catch situations. Nightmare downfield matchup for linebackers. • Displayed very good vision and footwork. Makes good decisions and is able to get into and out of breaks with authority. • Versatile weapon who lined up wide on 15.1% of his snaps and in the slot on another 11.3%. That allowed Gibbs to run an expansive route tree. • Earned a top-10 PFF receiving grade for all running backs in 2021. Also ranked second with 19 missed tackles forced as a receiver, and second with 19 first-down grabs. • Also projects as a plus returner. Gibbs offers elite upside as a dangerous chess piece should he land with a creative play-caller who can maximize his dual-threat ability. Areas for Improvement • Weighs only 199 pounds. Lacks the bulk and power to be a pile-mover inside. Some NFL teams may view him as a change-of-pace option. • Size and lack of between-the-tackles prowess could result in Gibbs being pulled at the goal line. • Doesn’t power through tackles to create extra yards as consistently as some. Ranked just 71st with 3.39 yards after contact per attempt per PFF. • Pass-blocking is still a work in progress. Fantasy Outlook NFL comparisons for Jahmyr Gibbs are varied. He has the elite speed and lack of bulk that harks back to Jamaal Charles. However, he reminds some of a C.J. Spiller, Alvin Kamara, or even a faster Deebo Samuel. One thing for certain is that Gibbs is an elite pass-catcher perfectly suited to exploit today’s wide-open NFL offenses. Landing spot will be key, but Gibbs has the skill set to be a difference-maker at the pro level. Gibbs is currently the RB2 in this class and is being selected as high as No. 3 overall in rookie drafts. The upside is there to attract attention as a top-40 back in redraft and start-up drafts. Other Rookie Profiles Bijan Robinson Jaxon Smith-Njigba Jordan Addison Quentin Johnston JOIN OUR MAILING LIST! GET THE LATEST ARTICLES & UPDATES Subscribe to our FREE newsletter – Breaking Fantasy news & site updates! Like and share our new Facebook page! Be sure to pay attention to our giveaways for your shot at some sweet prizes!
Rookie Scouting Profile: Quentin Johnston
FullTime Fantasy Rookie Scouting Profile: Quentin Johnston (WR) Quentin Johnston (WR) TCU Height Weight 40-Time DOB NFL Draft Dynasty ADP NFL Comp 6-3 208 4.49 09/06/2001 1st 1.04 A.J. Green College Production After starring at Temple High School, Johnston stayed in the state of Texas as one of the highest-rated recruits to even be landed by the Horned Frogs. As a true freshman, Johnston played in nine games and received honorable mention All-Big 12 accolades. Led the Horned Frogs in receiving yards and touchdown receptions en route to First-Team All-Big 12 honors. Repeated as an all-conference first-teamer and was named a Biletnikoff semifinalist in 2022 after leading the school in all receiving categories and helping guide TCU to the championship game. Strengths • Outstanding mix of size (6-3, 208), speed (4.49), and burst (98th percentile Burst Score). Has the speed/size and downfield ability to be a big-play machine and a problem for small cornerbacks. • Proved to be a deadly weapon in 2022, ranking eighth in NCAA with 532 yards after catch and 11th with 8.9 YAC per reception per PFF. • Accelerates quickly and has the top-end speed to be a formidable downfield playmaker. • Very good start/stop capabilities in short and intermediate routes. • Natural hands catcher. • Superb catch radius. Areas for Improvement • Didn’t dominate in downfield contested catch situations as much as you would expect for an athlete of his size and capability. • Lack of consistency and focus can lead to drops and an inability to shake off defenders. • Ran a somewhat limited route tree at TCU. • Lack of red-zone opportunities is also a bit of a concern. Fantasy Outlook It’s easy to get excited about Johnston when you view his highlights and see comps to players ranging from Julio Jones to Demaryius Thomas. He certainly has the physical tools to be a quality WR1/2 in the NFL. However, there are some concerns about consistency and his being ready to star right away. The good news is that Johnson appears to have plus red-zone potential and has already displayed plus ability to create after the catch. Johnston is still a top-3 wideout in the 2023 class and a locked-in top-5 dynasty asset in rookie-only drafts. He also offers enough upside to warrant WR3/4 value in start-ups and redraft formats. Other Rookie Profiles Bijan Robinson Jaxon Smith-Njigba Jordan Addison JOIN OUR MAILING LIST! GET THE LATEST ARTICLES & UPDATES Subscribe to our FREE newsletter – Breaking Fantasy news & site updates! Like and share our new Facebook page! Be sure to pay attention to our giveaways for your shot at some sweet prizes!
Rookie Scouting Profile: Jordan Addison
FullTime Fantasy Rookie Scouting Profile: Jordan Addison (WR) Jordan Addison (WR) USC Height Weight 40-Time DOB NFL Draft Dynasty ADP NFL Comp 5-11 173 4.49 01/27/2002 1-2 1.05 DeVonta Smith <>College Production Committed to PITT after starring for Tuscoroara High School in Maryland. Was named to an honorable mention to the All-ACC squad following a productive freshman campaign. Broke out in 2021, winning the Biletnikoff Award and being named first-team All-American and All-ACC after snagging 100 balls for 1,593 yards and an FBS-high 17 TD grabs. Transferred to USC in 2022 and was named to the first-team All-Pac-12 Team after posting a 59/875/8 line for the Trojans in 11 games. FFWC Dynasty Orphans are now on sale! Click HERE to enter the FFWC Dynasty League Orphans lobby and get teams up to 50% OFF! Strengths • Versatile skill set that can transfer well as a slot option or as a perimeter threat. • Nuanced route runner who displays excellent footwork and cuts. Can break off routes and accelerate quickly to create space with the slightest separation. • Has experience and success running an expansive route tree and knows how to gain leverage at any point. Very good release will put him in a position to succeed on hot routes and quick hitters. • Very good vision and ball-tracking skills down the field. • Despite size limitations, does a good job of avoiding big hits by being elusive and consistently churning out more yards after catch. • Profiles as a plus kick returner with experience at both PITT and USC. Areas for Improvement • Small frame. Could potentially be bullied by larger NFL DBs and have issues beating press coverage. Could be pigeonholed into a slot role. • Combine showing was not great, including his 40 and vert. Also did not perform bench press which adds fuel to concerns that he could lack the strength to thrive as an NFL WR1. • Concerning Speed Score (82.8) only in the 18th percentile. Also posted a disappointing 37th-percentile Agility Score. Shows concerns about athleticism transferring well to the pro level. • Hands have not been the most reliable. Tends to allow deep balls to come into his pads. Fantasy Outlook Devy fans may recognize that Jordan Addison’s stock has slipped a bit but he still projects to be a solid NFL and fantasy contributor. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein comped Addison to Tyler Lockett. Another popular NFL counterpart for Addison is Calvin Ridley. While his play dropped off in 2022 and his Combine showing was less than impressive, Addison does have the versatility and all-around ability to become a solid PPR option. Addison is still a solid pick in the top half of Round One of rookie-only drafts, with plus PPR potential. Other Rookie Profiles Bijan Robinson Jaxon Smith-Njigba JOIN OUR MAILING LIST! GET THE LATEST ARTICLES & UPDATES Subscribe to our FREE newsletter – Breaking Fantasy news & site updates! Like and share our new Facebook page! Be sure to pay attention to our giveaways for your shot at some sweet prizes!
Rookie Scouting Profile: Jaxon Smith-Njigba
FullTime Fantasy Rookie Scouting Profile: Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR) Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR) Ohio State Height Weight 40-Time DOB NFL Draft Dynasty ADP NFL Comp 6-1 196 4.52* 02/14/2002 1st 1.02 Amon-Ra St. Brown *Pro Day College Production Another five-star recruit out of Rockwall High School in Texas where he was named the 6A Player of the Year in 2019. Smith-Njiba played sparingly as a freshman, accumulating 49 yards on 10 grabs. Broke out in a huge way in 2021, amassing a Big Ten record 1,606 receiving yards. He also posted a record-breaking Rose Bowl performance with 15 receptions for 347 yards and three touchdowns while teammates Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson opted out of the game. Following 2021, Smith-Njigba earned third-team Big Ten and All-American honors. Smith-Njigba battled a hamstring injury in 2022 and recorded only four grabs. FFWC Dynasty Orphans are now on sale! Click HERE to enter the FFWC Dynasty League Orphans lobby and get teams up to 50% OFF! Strengths • Versatile inside/outside threat with premier hands and elite route-running capabilities from anywhere. • Outstanding hands catcher who also excels in contested-catch situations. • Gets into and out of breaks at top speed. Knack for finding weaknesses in zone coverage and always finds ways to get open. Tremendous instincts and feel. • Led NCAA in yards per route run in 2001 despite running 88.6% of his routes out of the slot and averaging 9.4 ADOT. • Does most of his damage out of the slot but has the instincts, speed, and route skills to be a formidable downfield weapon. Areas for Improvement • Lack of top-end speed. Posted just a 44th-percentile Speed Score. That may force NFL teams to see JSN as only a slot option. • 122.0 Burst Score is merely average (54th percentile). • Missed most of 2022 season with a hamstring injury and declined to run the 40 at the NFL Scouting Combine. • Had some concentration drops. Fantasy Outlook JSN has long been coveted as a potential PPR beast since his breakout 2021 campaign. Last year was certainly a disappointment but being timed between 4.48 and 4.53 in the 40 at Ohio State’s Pro Day quelled some of the concerns. If Smith-Njigba’s outstanding route-running and ability to exploit coverage gaps transfers to the NFL, he profiles as a potential slot monster in the Amon-Ra St. Brown/Keenan Allen mold. Smith-Njigba is a locked-in first-round talent who has a very good shot at being the first wide receiver selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. That warrants attention as the 1.02 overall in non-Superflex Dynasty Rookie drafts. Other Rookie Profiles Bijan Robinson JOIN OUR MAILING LIST! GET THE LATEST ARTICLES & UPDATES Subscribe to our FREE newsletter – Breaking Fantasy news & site updates! Like and share our new Facebook page! Be sure to pay attention to our giveaways for your shot at some sweet prizes!
Rookie Scouting Profile: Bijan Robinson
FullTime Fantasy 2023 NFL Draft Rookie Scouting Profile: Bijan Robinson Bijan Robinson (RB) Texas Height Weight 40-Time DOB NFL Draft Dynasty ADP NFL Comp 5-11 215 4.46 01/30/2002 1st 1.01 Saquon Barkley College Production A five-star recruit out of Salpoint Catholic (AZ) where he compiled three consecutive seasons with 2000-plus rushing yards and averaged a robust 13.7 yards per tote figure. The Longhorns won the recruiting battle and Robinson starred immediately. Accumulated 705 rushing yards and 15 grabs as a true freshman in 2020. Was named a semi-finalist for the Doak Walker Award, Maxwell Award, and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award in 2021. Won the Doak Walker in 2022 and garnered unanimous All-American honors as a junior. Leaves Texas as the school’s fourth-highest rusher and scorer (41 touchdowns). The Dynasty Football World Championships Orphans are now on sale! Click HERE to enter the Orphans lobby and get teams up to 50% OFF! Strengths • Three-down back with superlative size, power, speed (108.7-speed score), and all-around ability. • Consistently showcased elite vision, power, and decision-making ability. Possesses the strength and agility to be a plus short-yardage and red-zone option as both a runner and receiver. • Led nation in missed tackles forced (104) and boasted the second-highest overall RB grade per PFF. • Has the speed, size, and hands to be a problematic matchup as a receiver out of the backfield. Can stay on the field on all downs and game scripts. • Excellent footwork. Is able to make quick cuts and can fit any scheme. • Durable and tough. Gets stronger with more carries. Bell-cow back that kind take over and close out games without losing effectiveness. • Has the power to run over defensive backs. Can pop out of traffic and has enough long speed to take short gains to the house. Areas for Improvement • 89th-percentile speed score but lacks the elite top gear to separate from faster defensive backs. • Solid receiver but doesn’t always reel in catches with hands. • Can hold his own as a pass-blocker but will need to work to improve against bigger, faster NFL defensive ends and pass rushers. • Will have to learn to let plays develop and rely on blockers when accounting for much faster NFL defenders. Fantasy Outlook Bijan Robinson is poised to join Earl Campbell, Ricky Williams, Cedric Benson, and Jamaal Charles as the next great NFL and fantasy running back. Robinson has the perfect blend of size, speed, and power to excel. Plus, he’s a very good pass catcher who won’t need to come off the field. He’s been considered a can’t-miss prospect since his freshman year and his play has more than warranted the accolades. In early best-ball drafts, Robinson is often being nabbed as a first-round selection and top-three back. Even in SuperFlex dynasty rookie drafts, Bijan is the locked-in 1.01. One of the safest picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, Robinson could sneak into the top 10 but is a lock for Day One. In redrafts, Robinson is already contending for RB1 honors and should command and ADP near the 1/2 turn. There’s risk in being that bold, but the reward makes snagging Robinson tantalizing. Other Rookie Profiles Jaxon Smith-Njigba Jordan Addison Quentin Johnston Jahmyr Gibbs C.J. Stroud Bryce Young Zach Charbonnet Zay Flowers Anthony Richardson Josh Downs Michael Mayer Zach Evans Will Levis Devon Achane Sean Tucker Jalin Hyatt Marvin Mims Kayshon Boutte Tank Bigsby Israel Abanikanda Darnell Washington Dalton Kincaid Luke Musgrave Rashee Rice Roschon Johnson Tyjae Spears Cedric Tillman Sam LaPorta Eric Gray Chase Brown Hendon Hooker JOIN OUR MAILING LIST! GET THE LATEST ARTICLES & UPDATES Subscribe to our FREE newsletter – Breaking Fantasy news & site updates! Like and share our new Facebook page! Be sure to pay attention to our giveaways for your shot at some sweet prizes!
2023 Fantasy Baseball Auction Overview
Rotisserie, draft, AL, and NL-only…there are countless formats to enjoy fantasy baseball. Auction leagues are growing in popularity and have strategic and fun advantages other formats don’t provide. Our 2023 Fantasy Baseball Auction Overview is a great start for building a championship roster via your auction. Before entering the 2023 fantasy baseball auction overview, please familiarize yourself with my 2023 fade list. Also, my 2023 bounce-back players , deep sleepers, breakout hitter of the year, and extensive preview of all 30 squads are invaluable resources. Finally, our 2023 MLB breakout pitchers list digs deep to give you an edge on draft day. Auction Overview The fantasy baseball market has many formats and league sizes, especially in auctions. I’ve played in American and National League formats with 12 teams plus 15-team mixed leagues. Each setup could also have keepers (players held for more than one year) or trading, which changes all players’ value during the auction. Over the last 20 seasons, I’ve played in the high-stakes fantasy market where there is no trading, which puts pressure on a fantasy manager to develop a winning plan before the auction. When doing an auction league with no trading, a fantasy manager has a small margin for error. No other team will be knocking on your door looking to take your third closer off your hands via a trade. If your roster is out of balance (strong in some categories and weak in others), you can’t trade hitting for pitching or even speed for saves. An auction can be won in many different ways, but many managers can lose the battle during the auction due to a questionable game plan or even a lack of foresight. Every year the player pool will change slightly. The goal of a manager is to evaluate the inventory and develop a strategy that can be executed at the draft table. If I come away with enough pieces to the puzzle, I can manage my way to a championship. Whatever game plan I decide to use, I must be ready to adjust if I don’t get my key players. A fantasy manager can roster any player they want in an auction, but it comes with a price. In most baseball auction leagues, each team starts with $260 to buy 14 hitters and nine pitchers. The goal is to accumulate the most league points in five hitting (batting average, runs, home runs, RBIs, and steals) and five pitching (wins, ERA, WHIP, strikeouts, and saves) categories. In a 12-team league, a first-place finish in a category would be worth 12 points, second place is 11 points, and so on until reaching 12th place (one point). The winner of each league is determined by adding up all 10 categories. Calling Out Players to Improve Your Team-Building Chances A common mistake fantasy managers make is hoping the players they want don’t get called out early. It sounds good in principle, but the problem is that all the other good players are coming off the board while I sit back, holding my money. If I wait and miss on my targeted players, I will have fewer options to build my team. Getting my key players called out as quickly as possible is essential. For example, if I want a player in the auction and believe he is the key to building my foundation, I would like to call him out on my first opportunity. By doing this, I find out how much he will cost (higher or lower than my predicted price point) or if I need to start looking for someone else to develop my team around. The quicker I know where I stand on critical players, the better my chance of executing my plan or adjusting on the fly. For example, I wanted to build my team around Ronald Acuna, and I believed he could hit over .300 with 30+ home runs and 30+ stolen bases with a target value of $43. If I miss on him, I will need to find another player with a step down in overall expectations. I should have a secondary plan to shift to another player with a similar skill set with less upside, but I would then save some of my spending budget. My next tier for power and speed could be Julio Rodriguez in this example. If Acuna gets called out early and sells for more than I’m willing to pay, Rodriguez would be attainable if his salary falls within my expected budget and his targeted salary. Suppose Rodriguez gets called out first, and someone buys him for $41 while I sit on Acuna as my first key player. In that case, I will have a further drop-off in the player pool if Acuna is purchased by another manager above my budgeted salary target. The situation worsens if many top players get called up before Acuna, forcing me to shove all in, no matter the cost, or revamp the foundation of my team build on the fly. This freelancing style could lead to an imbalance in roster construction in a non-trading format where a trade can’t fix a shortfall in a category. In this example, a detour off of Acuna may push me to Juan Soto, bringing less upside in speed but a potentially high ceiling in batting average. This decision would force me to find stolen bases differently while ensuring not to give away his power edge. If the drop-off from Acuna led me to Trea Turner, I would set my foundation in steals with 25-home run power and strength in batting average. However, my second targeted player should bring more home runs with a chance at hitting for average with a 100/100 type skill set. Again, if Soto, Turner, and Rodriguez get called out in the auction before Acuna, I would need to get more creative with less inventory to build my offense. The other option is not missing your targeted core player or players by overpaying with
