Dynasty 1QB Rookie Mock Draft 2.0

Photo: Corey Perrine, USA Today Sports

The NFL Draft is fast approaching!

Dynasty managers are preparing for their Dynasty rookie drafts (speaking of, you should download our FREE Rookie Guide with 120+ prospect profiles) to get an understanding of who these prospects are and how we should value them.

With that in mind, here is our 2.0 edition of a 1QB rookie mock draft, this time spanning two rounds of a 12-team league.

Round 1

1.01 - Bijan Robinson (RB - Texas)

Robinson is the clear-cut 1.01 and the best running back prospect since Saquon Barkley. He's simply as close as they come to a cant-miss prospect. Robinson amassed 3,410 rushing yards in three seasons at Texas, 33 rushing touchdowns, 60 receptions, 805 receiving yards, and 8 receiving touchdowns. Weighing 215 pounds, Robinson has the size to be a workhorse at the next level. He proved he's a dual-threat player in college, and that's exactly how we should expect the team that drafts him in the first round to deploy him throughout his rookie contract. Robinson will be a game changer and in the conversation for the best running back in football the moment he steps on an NFL field.

1.02 - Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR - Ohio State)

As a true sophomore, Smith-Njigba averaged 4.01 yards per route run and caught 95 passes for 1,606 yards. All three of those marks were better than teammates Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, who were not only selected within the first 11 picks of last year's draft but also lived up to the hype in their rookie seasons. A hamstring injury limited Smith-Njigba to only three games in 2022, but don't let that cause you to forget what he did the year before. A knock on Smith-Njigba is he was mainly a slot wide receiver in college (83% of his routes came from the slot), which could limit his upside in the NFL. But again, let's remember he shared the same field with Wilson and Olave, two bona fide elite outside wide receivers. Ohio State had to find a way to get all three players on the field simultaneously, which could've played a role in Smith-Njigba's high slot rate. It wasn't that long ago that Justin Jefferson was similarly knocked coming out of college for playing a lot out of the slot at LSU. Whoops! And Smith-Njigba had an incredible combine performance, posting a 3.93 20-yard-shuttle (Fourth best among wide receivers since 2007) and a 6.57 3-cone-drill (12th best among wide receivers since 2007).

1.03 - Jahmyr Gibbs (RB - Alabama)

Gibbs is an Alvin Kamara clone stylistically but it is important to note his profile comes with more risk since he weighed in at the combine at 199 pounds compared to Kamara's 214 pounds. Still, his versatile, dual-threat skill set fits perfectly in today's NFL. He's a natural receiver, as evidenced by his 103 catches for 1,212 receiving yards and 8 receiving touchdowns in just three collegiate seasons. After two solid years at Georgia Tech, Gibbs transferred to Alabama and wasted no time putting his talents on display in the SEC. Gibbs ran for 926 yards and 7 rushing touchdowns and caught 44 passes for 444 receiving yards and 3 scores in 2022. Gibbs has good footwork, sticks his foot in the ground and goes, is shifty, has good contact balance, is dangerous when he gets to the edge, and is a big play threat every time he touches the ball. He projects to be drafted no later than day two of the NFL draft and will make an immediate impact in Dynasty, especially in PPR leagues.

1.04 - Jordan Addison (WR - USC)

Addison is Mr. Reliable. He can do everything. Addison was deployed all over the field in his two seasons at Pittsburgh and his junior year at USC. He offers versatility and is a very good route runner. As a true freshman, Addison impressively caught 60 passes for 666 yards and 4 touchdowns. He followed that up with a dominating sophomore campaign in which he caught 100 passes for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns. Addison then transferred to USC, and while his junior season wasn't as impressive statistically, he was still featured heavily in the Trojans' offense. Addison is a polished player ready to seamlessly transition to an NFL offense and strikes me as a player that offers both a high floor and a high ceiling. Addison should be a PPR cheat code. Now, a potential red flag must be mentioned: Addison is only 5-foot-11 and 173 pounds. His weight is a concern, but the league is trending toward lighter receivers. DeVonta Smith is an example of a player around the same weight currently producing strong numbers in the pros. Don't overthink this one.

1.05 - Quentin Johnston (WR - TCU)

Johnston is a total freak. It's as if he was built in a lab to create the ideal X wide receiver on the outside. A few decades ago, Johnston's height (6-foot-2) was exactly what teams were looking for in a number-one wide receiver. Things have changed over the years as creating separation and getting open, no matter the height, has become increasingly important. But that doesn't diminish Johnston's outlook because he offers a unique combination of height and speed. Johnston averaged 19 yards per reception on 115 collegiate catches. He's a big play waiting to happen on every down as he offers exciting yards after the catch ability, including a devastating spin move for a player his size and impressive ball tracking deep down the field. It would be a shock if Johnston weren't selected in the first round by a team looking to facilitate their future passing game around this unicorn of a talent.

1.06 - Zay Flowers (WR - Boston College)

Flowers is essentially a Brandin Cooks clone. He's fun to watch as his speed and quickness allow him to consistently get open, which is exactly what teams covet in today's NFL. He offers versatility for an NFL offense as he was utilized both outside and in the slot at Boston College. For a smaller player (5-foot-9), Flowers plays very tough and tracks the ball well down the field. A projected first-round pick in the NFL draft, Flowers will bring big play potential to an NFL offense. He recorded five or more receptions on targets 20-plus yards downfield in all four collegiate seasons. And while he did return for his senior year, which can sometimes be considered a slight negative, it's important to note Flowers caught 56 passes for 892 yards and 9 touchdowns as a true sophomore back in 2020. He's been good for a long time, and we didn't need his senior-year production to tell us that.

1.07 - Zach Charbonnet (RB - UCLA)

Charbonnet has some Nick Chubb to his game, and they have very similar heights and weights, with Charbonnet being 6-foot-0 and 214 pounds. Charbonnet has exciting athleticism for a player as big, physical, and tough as he is. He's decisive as he gets north and south quickly, breaks tackles, and can make defenders miss (impressive stutter steps in the open field). Charbonnet produced as a true freshman at Michigan back in 2019, running for 726 yards and 11 touchdowns, but it wasn't until he transferred to UCLA in 2021 that his collegiate career took off. In his junior and senior seasons at UCLA, Charbonnet totaled 2,496 rushing yards, 27 rushing touchdowns, 61 receptions, and 518 receiving yards. Charbonnet doesn't profile as a receiving back, but those 61 catches in two years help his case of being a workhorse/250+ touch player in the NFL, which is absolutely in his range of outcomes.

1.08 - C.J. Stroud (QB - Ohio State)

Stroud and Bryce Young are both really strong quarterback prospects. It will be surprising if they don't go first and second in the NFL draft in some order. It's an ongoing struggle ranking these guys, but Stroud is the preference at this time due to warranted concerns regarding Young's smaller height and weight holding up long-term. There are no size concerns with Stroud, who stands 6-foot-3 and 214 pounds. In two seasons as the starter at Ohio State, Stroud threw for 8,123 yards and 85 touchdowns in 25 games. His strong arm talent allows him to make every throw in the book. His accuracy and touch on deep balls consistently show up on film, and his accurate downfield sideline shots are reminiscent of Joe Burrow. Stroud has enough athleticism for his size to provide an extra element at the next level, specifically when creating and evading pressure within the pocket. And two indicators of good mental processing show up repeatedly when watching him: anticipatory throws and back shoulder throws all over the field, including deep down the field. The defense has to cover the entire field when trying to defend him, and that's exactly what we want in our quarterback.

1.09 - Bryce Young (QB - Alabama)

Young's height (5-foot-10) and weight (204 pounds) are both concerns, but that is only one part of the story. In two seasons as the starter at Alabama, Young threw for 8,200 yards and 79 touchdowns in 27 games. Young wasn't a dynamic runner in college. But he has that skill in his bag, and his athleticism shows up routinely on film within the pocket. Young can naturally evade pressure within the pocket, keep his eyes downfield around pressure, and step up in the pocket to keep the play alive. He has exciting arm talent, and multiple indicators of high-level mental processing consistently appear in his game: He knows where his check down is and throws to it to salvage a play often, makes anticipatory throws, processes through reads, and communicates with his offensive line pre-snap when it comes to protections. You'd be doing yourself a disservice to Young if you hyper-focus on his smaller frame. Outliers exist, and Young has the mind, athleticism, and arm talent to be one at the quarterback position.

1.10 - Anthony Richardson (QB - Florida)

Richardson isn't as polished of a passer as C.J. Stroud or Bryce Young, but he has the highest upside of any quarterback in this class if he can continue developing in that area. And even if he doesn't, he still has the athleticism to pay off this cost while on his rookie contract. Richardson is 6-foot-4 and 244 pounds and tested out of this world at the combine. He ran a 4.43 40-yard dash (fourth-best among quarterbacks since 2003), posted a 40 1/2-inch vertical jump (best among quarterbacks since 2003), and logged a 10-foot-9 broad jump (best among quarterbacks since 2003). Simply put, Richardson is the most athletic quarterback in NFL history. Richardson offers things that can't be taught: Size, athleticism, and flick of the wrist deep arm talent. And after blowing up the combine, he's projected as a top-ten NFL draft pick. Richardson produced plenty on the ground in college; his highlight tape in that area will make your jaw drop. Rushing production at quarterback is the cheat code and Richardson will offer elite upside in that area from day one, making him especially valuable in 1QB Dynasty leagues since upside matters more and floor matters less when compared to Superflex Dynasty leagues.

1.11 - Kendre Miller (RB - TCU)

Miller has some Arian Foster and Aaron Jones to his game. He has exciting speed and burst for a player weighing 215 pounds. He's a big play waiting to happen once he gets to the edge and is slippery, with defenders struggling to bring him down. Miller is coming off of a monster junior season at TCU, where he carried the load, rushing 224 times for 1,399 yards and 17 touchdowns and adding 16 receptions for 116 yards. Miller wasn't as involved in the passing game at TCU as we would've liked (only 29 catches in three seasons), but he's capable in that area and has the potential to be a workhorse in the NFL.

1.12 - Jalin Hyatt (WR - Tennessee)

NFL passing offenses need speed to force the defense to cover the entire field and to increase their playmaking ability. Hyatt has blazing speed and put it on display at the combine, running a 4.4 40-yard dash. Hyatt has the height (6-foot-0) to go with his wheels and put five touchdowns on tape in one game against Alabama of all teams last season. That performance was part of his junior campaign that finished with 67 receptions for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns with a yards-per-catch average of 18.9. Hyatt is projected as a locked-in first-round NFL draft pick due to his size and speed combination that can't be taught.