5 Rookies to Target in Fantasy Football This Season

Each and every year, the NFL Draft supplies the league with new and exciting players to watch. For fantasy football, sometimes those fresh legs can help take your squads over the top.

Rookies often have an acclimation period while they adjust to the rigors at the professional level, but these stars-in-the-making should be able to hit the ground running.

Their lack of experience in the NFL may steer your league-mates away, but savvy managers can capitalize on their unknown upsides.

Here are the five best NFL rookies to target in fantasy drafts in 2023.

All average draft position data via FantasyPros.com.

Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons

Overall ADP: 8th

nF Rank: RB5

If an NFL team drafts a running back in the top 10 picks of the NFL Draft, you're probably going to want that guy on your fantasy teams.

That's just what the Atlanta Falcons did with former Texas Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson, whom they selected with the eighth overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Robinson was an explosive and dynamic playmaker at the collegiate level. In his final season with the Longhorns, he turned in an impressive 1,580 rushing yards and 18 rushing scores on just 258 carries, finishing the year with a silly 6.1 yards per carry.

He was an efficient player in the passing attack, as well, putting up 314 yards and 2 more touchdowns on just 19 catches in 2022.

Now, Robinson is set to adapt his unique skills to the NFL game and is already drawing praise from his teammates, coaches, and reporters alike.

He'll lead a Falcons rushing attack that has yielded some extremely productive outcomes in fantasy football, with under-the-radar players like Cordarrelle Patterson and Tyler Allgeier emerging in recent seasons.

With an RB5 ranking in numberFire's 2023 season projections, it's clear that expectations are high for Robinson in his debut campaign -- but his exciting talents should help him live up to those expectations.

Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions

Overall ADP: 37th

nF Rank: RB17

The Detroit Lions made multiple splashes on the first night of the 2023 NFL Draft, but perhaps the splashiest move was their decision to select Alabama Crimson Tide running back Jahmyr Gibbs with the 12th overall pick.

Gibbs spent the first two years of his collegiate career with Georgia Tech before transferring to Alabama, and he became one of the few players in recent memory to actually get better with a step up in competition.

With No. 1 pick Bryce Young slinging the ball around for 'Bama, Gibbs actually led the Crimson Tide in receptions (44) while rushing the ball 151 times at an efficient 6.1 yards per carry for 926 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Gibbs is in a fantastic position to put up fantasy points in his rookie season. His top-notch pass-catching abilities will make him a strong option in fantasy leagues that reward points for receptions, and playing behind a top-five offensive line, per PFF, should help him continue rushing efficiently in the pros.

He'll be splitting work with new teammate David Montgomery but should still have plenty of opportunities for himself. He's projected as numberFire's RB17 for the upcoming season and carries an average draft position (ADP) of 37th overall heading into training camp.

Jordan Addison, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Overall ADP: 92nd

nF Rank: WR37

The 2023 NFL Draft saw four wide receivers drafted on its opening night, but new Minnesota Vikings wideout Jordan Addison may have the clearest path to immediate production in the NFL.

The former Pitt and USC standout is now expected to line up opposite superstar Justin Jefferson as the Vikings' second receiver for the upcoming season.

Addison won the 2021 Biletnikoff Award for excellent wide receiver play, during which he caught a ridiculous 100 passes for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns. There's an argument to be made that his performance that year was responsible for getting then-quarterback Kenny Pickett drafted in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

However, Addison's 2022 season with Heisman-winner Caleb Williams disappointed relative to his previous year. He still managed an elite 2.78 yards per route run in his final collegiate season, though.

He's expected to slot into the Vikings' WR2 role this season after the team released veteran Adam Thielen in the offseason. Thielen ran the second-most routes in the NFL in 2022, but his production didn't quite rise to the occasion.

If Addison can fully absorb all of Thielen's workload from last year, he could lead all rookies in most receiving categories. That makes him a worthy fantasy pick at his ADP.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks

Overall ADP: 89th

nF Rank: WR38

Just because Addison might have the clearest path to targets doesn't mean he'll be the only rookie wideout worth drafting in fantasy this season.

New Seattle Seahawks wideout Jaxon Smith-Njigba is absolutely no slouch and has reportedly been tearing it up in training camp already.

We mentioned Addison's elite 2021 season, but Smith-Njigba's 2021 production went toe-to-toe with it. He totaled 95 catches for 1,606 yards and 9 scores that year while vying for targets with bonafide NFL talents Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson at Ohio State.

His 2022 was a wash due to injuries, but it sounds like he's already back to full health as the Seahawks gear up for the new season.

He'll be competing for targets with NFL studs Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf this year, but as we mentioned above, he's no stranger to producing receiving numbers alongside top-notch talents.

numberFire's projections have him finishing his rookie season as the WR38, while his ADP comes in just ahead of Addison's at 89th overall.

Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts

Overall ADP: 112th

nF Rank: QB18

In a world where quarterbacks with rushing upside can dominate the fantasy landscape, it would be foolish to ignore arguably the most athletic quarterback prospect of all time.

Former Florida Gators stud Anthony Richardson entered the NFL as the fourth overall pick in this year's draft and is now reportedly on the cusp of earning the starting job for the Indianapolis Colts.

Richardson only has one full season of production as a starting quarterback and could be a raw prospect heading into Week 1, but his otherworldly athleticism could more than prop him up in fantasy football this season.

At 6'4" and 244 lbs, Richardson blazed a 4.43-second 40-yard dash, an absolutely absurd time for someone his size. Sometimes, all you need to do in fantasy football is draft the guy who's as big and as fast as Derrick Henry and watch your team profit.

Richardson's lack of experience as a passer may make his rookie campaign a bit of a bumpy road, but any good performances we see from him as a passer this season will just be a bonus to his nigh-unparalleled rushing upside.

In fantasy leagues that only require one starting quarterback, you can target Richardson in the later rounds. He's going on average as the QB16, meaning he should still be on draft boards after most teams lock in their QB1s.

As of this writing, he's numberFire's QB18 but could see his projection vault forward if he officially wins the starting job.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.