Ultimate Rookie Report wRap Up

The intro to this is always so hard. I spend so much time with these guys during the season (virtually, of course) that I’m at a loss of words. This class was a whole lot of fun to follow though and I’m glad I had the chance to show them to you. This is a lot so buckle up. 

As a quick side note: a lot of these guys had amazing playoff performances. CJ Stroud, Sam LaPorta, Puka Nacua, Rashee Rice, Luke Musgrave and Dalton Kincaid all had good games this past weekend and we’re lucky enough to see most of them in the next round!

Kicker

I don’t care if he’s not technically a rookie. Brandon Aubrey crushed at a throwaway position and tried his damndest to make my fantasy teams relevant. Jake Moody stunk for a 49ers team that feels like they score a lot of points.

Tight End

My favorite tight end did the best OUT OF ALL THE TIGHT ENDS. That is insane for a rookie. Typically, tight ends have been a position that struggles because they have so much to learn to play in the NFL. They also get worn down quicker because they are both blockers and receivers. LaPorta broke the record for most receptions for a rookie tight end. He also tied for second all time (with Rob Gronkowski) in touchdown receptions, only behind the great Mike Ditka. In conclusion, he was the 42nd overall player in fantasy and if you drafted him, you crushed all those idiots who wasted their first round on Travis Swift. I mean, Kelce.

Also, Kincaid and Musgrave started to play much better as the season went on. Kincaid especially should be a decent grab next year in drafts.

Running Back

This position really feels like a “what ifs” category. Like, what if Arthur Smith had any idea how to utilize offensive talent? What if Jahmyr Gibbs didn’t share the backfield with David Montgomery? What if De’Von Achane could stay healthy? What if Tyjae Spears had both of his ACLs? Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs both ended up having solid seasons despite these questions. Two top 10 rookies at the position feels impressive to me. I’m proud of my boys.

Quarterback

Looking at these stats is an absolute dagger to a Panthers fan. Every quarterback not named Dorian Thompson-Robinson is better than the number one overall pick Bryce Young (on a points per game basis). This is devastating. But that’s not why we’re here. CJ Stroud is absolutely amazing. His 4108 yards passing are the third most for a rookie of all time (behind Justin Herbert and Andrew Luck, though CJ played one less game). 8.2 Yards per pass is the best any rookie has done in history. He tied for the second least amount of interceptions with five. There is a lot to like about the Texans and under Stroud’s leadership, they can dominate the AFC South for a long time.

Wide Receiver

Jordan Addison and Zay Flowers lived up to their first round picks from the 2023 NFL draft. There’s room to grow, but they have definitely flashed their abilities. JSN and Quentin Johnston … not so much. Jayden Reed and Rashee Rice were late risers, but look like they will be solid for the years to come. And my favorite, Tank Dell, was taken much too soon. RIP until next season where hopefully you heal and play well again. One man absolutely dominated this position and he is our FRotY…

Fantasy Rookie of the Year goes to…

Puka Nacua. It was always Puka Nacua. In the first four weeks of the season he was number one three times. He made the list 8 times (barely missing a ninth). Puka filled the top spot four times, which is pretty incredible considering I was following 45 different rookies this year (really only 35 that mattered but still)! It wasn’t like he was just a fantasy monster against just this class. Nacua is an all time great rookie wide receiver. He holds the record for both reception yards (1486) and receptions (105). The only real problem in Puka’s game is that he found it hard to find the endzone (only 6 touchdowns this year). Not bad for a 5th round pick. Nineteen wide receivers were picked before Puka and I can assure you every single team is kicking themselves in the dick over it. Long live the Fantasy Rookie of the Year 2023, Puka Nacua.

Last year I had a comparison of my predictions, ADP and final ranking. My editor thought that should be it’s own post so that’ll pop up in the future.

Love,

@MeLlamoMoron

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