Top Rookie Wide Receivers in Fantasy Football: Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Jordan Addison
Check out these up-and-coming rookie wide receivers for your fantasy football draft this season!
If you're in a league with at least 12 teams, you'll need to snag a rookie or two to round out your squad.
In today's NFL, wide receivers are in high demand due to the league's shift towards passing offenses.
Aside from Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jordan Addison, and Zay Flowers, keep an eye on these potential impact players:
- Quentin Johnston (Chargers)
- Rashee Rice (Chiefs)
- Jalin Hyatt (Giants)
- Jayden Reed (Packers)
- Marvin Mims (Broncos)
- Jonathan Mingo (Panthers)
Mims stands out from the rest since the Broncos are currently missing two wide receivers. Tim Patrick suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, and K.J. Hamler is out for an undetermined amount of time due to a heart condition.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba (Seahawks)
Although Smith-Njigba couldn't showcase his skills at the college level last season due to a hamstring injury, he has loads of potential. The Seattle Seahawks selected him as the first wide receiver in the 2023 NFL Draft with the 20th pick.
In 2021, Smith-Njigba rocked it with Ohio State, racking up 95 receptions for 1,606 yards and 9 touchdowns. He set school records for most catches in a game and most receiving yards in a single season.
Smith-Njigba played as a slot receiver in college and is likely to see similar action with the Seahawks. He'll start behind DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, who have both averaged over 1,000 receiving yards and combined for 70 TDs since 2019.
Smith-Njigba is +1400 to win the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, according to DraftKings. That makes him the top rookie wide receiver and sixth overall on the board.
Jordan Addison (Vikings)
Minnesota Vikings picked Jordan Addison in the 2023 NFL Draft with the 23rd pick, making him the fourth wide receiver taken. Addison played two seasons at Pittsburgh before transferring to USC for his junior year. He played in 11 games with the Trojans and hauled in 69 catches for 875 yards and 8 touchdowns.
While playing for the Panthers in 2021, Addison was a consensus All-American and earned the Fred Biletnikoff Award as the nation's best wide receiver. He found the end zone 18 times in 14 games that year.
Addison is in luck since the Vikings have the best wide receiver in the NFL, Justin Jefferson, on their roster. Jefferson is currently ranked #1 in most fantasy football rankings, so Addison will have the opportunity to learn from the best.
Plus, veteran Adam Thielen left the Vikings to join the Carolina Panthers. This leaves Addison as potential WR #2 on the team in Week 1.
Zay Flowers (Ravens)
Flowers, a Boston College product, was a third-team All-American in 2022, accumulating 78 receptions for 1,077 yards and 12 touchdowns in 12 games.
Flowers is currently WR #3 on the Ravens' depth chart, behind Rashod Bateman and Odell Beckham Jr. Beckham missed the season in 2022 recovering from an ACL injury and has now signed with the Ravens.
The Ravens have negotiated a contract extension with Lamar Jackson, so there's no drama at training camp this season. The Ravens also have a new offensive coordinator, Todd Monken, who coached the Georgia Bulldogs to consecutive national titles.
Quentin Johnston (Chargers)
Johnston is another rookie who could see significant playing time, given the injury histories of Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, who are both his teammates with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Johnston had a fantastic debut season with TCU, averaging 22.1 yards per catch and setting a Big 12 freshman record. The Chargers took him with the 22nd pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Johnston and Smith-Njigba share the same rookie challenges, but Johnston may have an advantage with better supporting cast around him, including a more experienced quarterback in Justin Herbert.
So, these are some rookie wide receivers to follow before your fantasy football draft. Keep in mind their current positions on their respective rosters, potential to be promoted, and the influential players they'll be learning from.
In the final two years at TCU, Johnston received the honor of being on the All-Big 12 first team. During his last year as a junior, he claimed 60 pass catches, achieving a total of 1,069 yards with six touchdowns for the Horned Frogs.
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