Rookie Rankings

Robinson is the consensus RB1 of the 2023 rookie class and arrives to the NFL with a fantasy-friendly skill set. He has a workhorse build at 215-plus pounds, and with a 4.46-second 40 Robinson has the speed to create big plays at a standout frequency. Not just that, but Robinson appears adept as a pass catcher and could do more as an NFL receiver than he did at Texas. While Robinson's single-season high for receptions at Texas was just 26, there's reason to think that in the NFL Robinson could be a 60-catch candidate annually. It's not often that a running back prospect projects for volume, efficiency and versatility to the extent that Robinson does -- and his status as the eighth overall pick further confirms that. He does have decent competition for carries in Atlanta, but within the confines of a run-heavy offense and with the possibility of Cordarrelle Patterson being a cap casualty this summer. While 2022 fifth-round pick Tyler Allgeier figures to retain some sort of role after running for 1,000 yards as a rookie, Robinson is on a different level of talent and shouldn't need long to establish himself as the lead back.

The fifth-rounder out of BYU didn't post earth-shattering numbers in college, but his versatility as both a receiver and a rushing option (25-209-5 rushing line as a senior) along with good height and size makes Nacua a flexible option for new offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. Nacua has worked his way into the competition for the No. 3 wide receiver role, and should find a few targets behind Cooper Kupp and Van Jefferson in a weak Rams offense.

Addison is the next test case in a recent string of highly productive, undersized wide receivers. He put up 3,134 yards in three seasons at Pitt and USC, including a 100-1,593-17 receiving line in 2021 at Pitt, but his draft stock fell after the 2023 combine when he ran a 4.49 40 at 5-11, 173. Eagles WR DeVonta Smith has been successful with a similar build, but his college production was on another level beyond even Addison's and he's shown unusual strength for someone so slim. Then there's Arizona's Marquise Brown, who is similarly thin and shorter but also much faster than Addison. The Vikings bit at 23rd overall, making Addison the fourth WR selected after none went in the first 19 picks. He probably has the best situation of any rookie, joining a roster on which K.J. Osborn previously projected as the No. 2 WR after Adam Thielen's offseason departure. With Osborn primarily playing the slot and valued for versatility more so than his ability to beat man coverage, Addison could immediately become the No. 2 receiver in an offense that gets solid QB play out of Kirk Cousins and has Justin Jefferson drawing coverages to his side. The downside is that Addison will never be the No. 1 option in an offense that has Jefferson.

The Lions surprisingly made LaPorta the second tight end off the board in the 2023 NFL Draft, selecting him 34th overall despite a few more highly touted prospects at the position being available. LaPorta will look to follow in the footsteps of fellow Iowa alumni George Kittle, T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant, all of whom developed into fantasy-relevant tight ends. He should get plenty of playing time as a rookie on a team with no other TEs drafted before Round 5, but LaPorta’s college production pales in comparison to that of the aforementioned players out of Iowa. Each of those guys scored at least nine touchdowns over their last two college seasons, while the 6-foot-4 LaPorta found the end zone only five times total in four seasons. Even if he plays a lot, he'll likely take a back seat to Detroit’s other playmakers on offense, namely WR Amon-Ra St. Brown and RBs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery.

The fourth overall pick in this year’s draft, Richardson will compete for the starting job with free-agent acquisition Gardner Minshew. Richardson, who only turned 21 in late May, might need development time, but the Colts will want to see their QB of the future in action at some point this year. At 6-4, 244, Richardson is huge for a quarterback, which makes his 4.43 speed mind-blowing -- in fact, it's the fastest combine 40 time by a player at his height and weight on record (since 2000). That elite athleticism allows him to make plays on the move, and he’s elusive in the open field. Richardson has a big arm to attack downfield, but the knock on him is his accuracy -- he completed only 53.8 percent of passes last season at Florida. According to scouts, the inaccuracy stems from poor footwork and a lack of touch on short passes. New head coach Shane Steichen, who oversaw Jalen Hurts’ impressive improvement in accuracy as Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator the last two years, should help with that. And even if Richardson struggles, his rushing ability should give him fantasy value while he refines his passing skills. The Colts return wide receivers Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce, giving Richardson two solid targets, with third-round pick Josh Downs potentially the slot man. And with Jonathan Taylor in the backfield, Richardson gives the Colts a lethal one-two rushing punch.