In this position-by-position series, we'll look at rookies that should be on your radar before you begin your fantasy draft. It's important to understand that sometimes patience is required when selecting someone brand new to the league, but we want to be actively targeting players with a path to meaningful playing time. After a slow start to the season, Christian Watson was the WR9 after Week 8, while Garrett Wilson was the WR19 over that span. Brock Purdy didn't take over as a starter in San Francisco until Week 13 but was the QB12 to finish out the season - ahead of Justin Herbert and Deshaun Watson. If you had the good fortune of relying on Tyler Allgeier during your playoff run last year, he averaged 18.3 points, good enough for the RB8 spot. Teams have invested draft capital into their rookies, and eventually, they'll want to see if they have what it takes on Sundays.
Certainly, not every rookie mentioned below is worthy of being selected in your draft, but the aim here is to give you an edge over your leaguemates so you'll be ready to pounce before the rest of the league has had a chance to pick them up.
Quick links to all positions: Quarterback | Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End
Wide receivers famously can take a few weeks to get acclimated to the pro game, but being aware of which ones could have a late-season breakout will put you at a major advantage.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks
Smith-Njigba is the most polished of the rookie wideouts and the latest in a long line of talent that's come from Ohio State. A wrist injury suffered in the preseason may cost him a couple of weeks early in the season, but he's set up for success as the perfect complement to DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. You should be able to draft him at a slight value now that his average draft position had declined with the injury, but he managed to avoid the PUP list and could return sooner than Week 4.
Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings
The 2021 Biletnikoff Award winner is a very talented receiver who transferred to USC for his final year of school after getting his start at Pitt. He made a name for himself quickly as someone that opposing cornerbacks simply could not stick with. He finished his college career with 219 receptions and over 3,000 receiving yards to go along with 29 touchdowns. College production can be a reliable indicator of NFL success, and he lands in a great situation where much of the defense's attention will be focused on teammate Justin Jefferson.
Quentin Johnston, Los Angeles Chargers
Johnston was an integral part of the TCU team that made a run to the national title game last season. Standing 6-foot-3 and 216 pounds, he's tough for opposing secondaries to bring down and does most of his damage picking up yards after the catch. He doesn't have the most reliable hands, but in a high-powered offense like the Chargers under Kellen Moore, there's enough love to go around. He's certainly behind veterans Keenan Allen and Mike Williams. He'll likely even begin the season behind third-year wideout Joshua Palmer, but I expect his involvement in the offense to grow as he gets more comfortable at this level.
Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens
Flowers is a small wideout out of Boston College that plays with a much bigger presence than his measurements would indicate. The Ravens' offense should look notably different this year under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken. I expect them to spread the ball around a bit more than they have historically, and Flowers could be one of the main beneficiaries. Presumed WR1 Rashod Bateman has had trouble staying healthy in his brief time with Baltimore, while Odell Beckham turns 31 around the halfway point of the season. Flowers is the type of player who will make a play that wows you just about every time he steps onto the field. He's currently being drafted at the end of Round 9.