2023 NFL Draft Rookie Wide Receivers Rankings: Pre-Combine

Here we will discuss the top wide recievers of the 2023 rookie class, what we could expect from them during the fantasy football season, and who to watch at the combine.

In recent years, the importance of wide receivers in fantasy football, especially in dynasty leagues, has been increasing. With the NFL shifting towards a pass-heavy offense, and the rise of prolific quarterbacks, wide receivers have become key players in any successful fantasy football team. You can check out my article on the running back rookie class here.

Drafting young wide receivers with high potential and upside should be a cornerstone of any dynasty team building strategy. These players have the ability to contribute for several seasons and can form the foundation of a winning team. Players at the running back position generally do not have as many years of success as wide receivers, which gives them a boost in value for dynasty purposes.

The NFL Combine plays a significant role in evaluating these young wide receivers, providing a platform to showcase their athletic abilities and skills. The combine events that measure speed, explosiveness, agility, and change of direction can help identify the prospects who have the potential to be game-changers in the NFL.

The combine events that are most relevant to evaluating wide receivers include the 40-yard dash, vertical jump, broad jump, three-cone drill, and shuttle run. These events measure a player's speed, explosiveness, agility, and change of direction, all of which are critical traits for a successful wide receiver.

Let’s take a look at my top 5 wide receivers of this rookie class and what to expect from them at the combine.

5 - Jalin Hyatt

Jalin Hyatt, the 2022 Biletnikoff Award winner, had an impressive big-play season in college football, recording 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns while averaging 18.9 yards per catch. He is considered to have one of the most electric 40 times and is perhaps the best big-play threat in this year's draft. While his skill set is perfect for a Josh Heupel-coached offense, his role in Tennessee doesn't exist in the NFL. Hyatt's ability to separate running an NFL route tree is still uncertain, given that a vast majority of his production required little more than his speed. He may not be the safest selection in this years draft, but may have the most upside. If he runs a blazing 40 at the combine, expect him to be creeping up draft boards over the next month.

4 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Jaxon Smith-Njigba has one of the most unusual career arcs in college football history. After catching only 10 passes for 49 yards in his freshman year, he led an Ohio State receiving corps with 95 catches for 1,595 yards as a sophomore. However, he played just 60 snaps as a junior due to a hamstring injury. Despite his injury risk, JSN is considered one of the best slot receiver prospects to come out of the draft in a while and is likely one of the safest picks. His ball skills, size, after-the-catch ability, and nuanced route running make him a solid choice for the slot. However, his lack of explosiveness, long speed, and leaping ability could limit his effectiveness downfield. If he can put up some good numbers in some of the main combine events, he could lock himself into a first round selection.

3 - Quentin Johnston

Quentin Johnston is arguably the most physically gifted receiver in this year's draft class. At 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, he has impressive size, catch radius, speed, and after-the-catch ability, making him one of the most impressive athletes at the receiver position in the past decade. He also has a reported 4.4-second 40-yard dash, 42-inch vertical, and 11-foot broad jump. If he puts these numbers up at the combine this weekend, he will be a sure first round pick for his upside alone. Johnston has averaged 7.7 yards after the catch for his career with 43 broken tackles on 108 receptions. However, his production hasn't always matched his talent, and he caught only one pass for three yards in the championship game against Georgia. Despite his impressive skills, TCU often used him as a decoy rather than a featured weapon, and he recorded under 50 yards in five of his 11 games this season.

2 - Zay Flowers

Zay Flowers' movement skills are exceptional and on another level, making him a difficult receiver to defend. He had a successful season with 1,077 yards on 78 catches and 12 touchdowns despite an average quarterback situation. However, his lack of size and nine drops during the season prevent him from being the top receiver in this class. Flowers primarily played as an outside wide receiver and has a high likelihood of becoming a good NFL receiver due to his quickness, but his size will likely prevent him from becoming a true star in the NFL. One thing is or sure, he will be one of the most exciting guys to watch at the combine this week.

1 - Jordan Addison

Most are going to put Johnston here at number 1, and while I do still like Johnston’s upside a lot, he appears riskier to me than Flowers or Addison. Johnston’s lack of production to back up his skill is reminiscent of N’Keal Harry a few years back. Harry’s career arc is not one that I want to chase.

Addison, who won the 2021 Biletnikoff Award as a true sophomore for Pittsburgh, has impressive skills as a pure separator. He has enough speed to threaten every level of the defense and combines that with some of the tightest route breaks in the draft class. While Addison can struggle at times at the catch point and with drops, his ability to get open is what matters most.

In my opinion, Addison is the best wide receiver in this draft class for fantasy purposes. He has a proven track record of getting open and producing at a high level. As for what to watch for at the NFL combine, keep an eye on his 40-yard dash time and agility drills. His ability to separate is a key part of his game, so any indications that he has elite speed and quickness could boost his draft stock.

In summary, with the importance of wide receivers increasing in the NFL, drafting young and talented wide receivers is essential for a dynasty team's success. The NFL Combine can help identify the prospects who have the potential to be game-changers in the NFL and are high-upside fantasy assets for years to come.

Tomorrow we will discuss the rookie class of quarterbacks and tight ends and after the combine is over I will send out a re-evaluation article with some evaluation of the performances we will see at the combine. Remember to subscribe to get these updates right to your inbox each day!