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With eight weeks of NFL action in the bag, it’s time to shine a light on the best rookies at the midway point of the season in fantasy football. Whether fantasy managers drafted these NFL newcomers or scooped them from the waiver wire, these five rookies are helping fantasy teams win! Considering we are halfway through the season, winning is about to get a lot more important and the expectation is these first-year stars will continue to help add victories to your fantasy team’s record.
Let’s get to it.
Puka Nacua, WR, Rams
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It looks like the Rams found an absolute gem in the fifth-round of the 2023 NFL draft and fantasy managers found perhaps the best free-agent pickup of the year after Week 1. Nacua was undrafted in the majority of 12-team leagues but has proven to be not only one of the best rookies but one of the best players period. He currently ranks fourth among wide receivers with 145 fantasy points in the PPR setting. He has set and continues to break multiple records for rookies in the NFL, including the first player ever to have more than 10 catches and 100 yards in each of his first two games. Even with Cooper Kupp back in acton, Nacua has proved he’ll remain a major contributor to the Rams offense. If Nacua is on your fantasy squad, pat yourself on the back, as he is by far the best rookie to date.
Bijan Robinson, RB, Falcons
Unlike Nacua, Robinson was a very popular pick in the back end of the first round of fantasy drafts. And he’s lived up to those expectations. In PPR formats, Robinson currently ranks 10th among running backs thanks to 404 yards on the ground and 26 catches for 189 yards and two touchdowns. Would we like to see him find the end zone more? Yes absolutely. Was his usage in Week 7 a bit of a head-scratcher? Also yes. But his 64% snap share is 14th among qualifying running backs and indicates he’s a major focus of the Falcons offensive scheme. Start him weekly with confidence and the disastrous results from Week 7 will quickly fade from memory.
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De’Von Achane, RB, Dolphins
Fully aware that Achane is in the midst of missing half the games for this midseason report. Truth is, I don’t care that he’s been out nearly a month because the month that he was active was absolutely incredible. On a per-game basis, Achane averaged 25.9 fantasy points and even though he’s played in three fewer games, he still has more points than Isiah Pacheco, James Cook, Bijan Robinson, Josh Jacobs and Tony Pollard. That should prove just how dominant Achane was during his four-game run. Once he’s back to full health, the Dolphins and fantasy managers are getting a true game-changer back in their starting lineup. It’s what fantasy football dreams are made of!
C.J. Stroud, QB, Texans
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The second quarterback taken in the 2023 draft ranks first among rookies in total fantasy points. Stroud has been quite the surprise thus far, outperforming veterans like Dak Prescott, Geno Smith and Joe Burrow (all of whom were drafted much higher in fantasy drafts) in fantasy points. His touchdown-to-interception ratio (9-1) is the best in the league and he has payers like Nico Collins and Tank Dell performing well for the Texans and fantasy managers. Hopefully, fantasy managers who waited on quarterbacks in their drafts were able to pick up Stroud as a replacement because his 20.8 fantasy points per game rank 11th and have him firmly set as a QB1.
Sam LaPorta, TE, Lions
It was a toss-up between LaPorta and his Detroit teammate, Jahmyr Gibbs, for who to put fifth on this list. I’m going with LaPorta simply for the reason that productive tight ends are so hard to come by in fantasy football and LaPorta has been among the best (regardless of NFL experience). He currently ranks fourth among all tight ends with 90 fantasy points and is averaging 13 per outing in PPR formats. That puts him way ahead of some other notable tight ends that were drafted several rounds earlier, including Darren Waller (79 points), Dallas Goedert (75 points), Kyle Pitts (60 points) and David Njoku (45 points). The Lions rookie pass catcher has five top 10 finishes and hasn’t scored less than 8 fantasy points in PPR thus far.
Other Notable Rookies
Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions, Running Back
Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings, Wide Receiver
Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts, Wide Receiver
Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens, Wide Receiver
Jake Moody, San Francisco, Kicker
Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs, Wide Receiver
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