It’s been a crazy offseason, and rumors have been swirling like mad. Regardless of these crazy rumblings, the Daily Draft Report is concluding and is prepared to release its final Draft rankings.
I started the podcast this offseason and will finish the 2023 run, having covered 60 prospects. For this article, I will use what I have learned talking with 35 different guests for my offensive players. I covered six QBs, 12 RBs, 13 WRs, and four TEs. I didn’t get some done that I wanted to cover, unfortunately. Here are my final rankings for the ones I feel have the potential to be fantasy relevant!
WIDE RECEIVERS
Tier One
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
Only one player gets tier one for me at wide receiver, and it’s Ohio State’s JSN. He’s not as shiny and surefire as some WR1s in recent memory, but he’s got a chance to be locked in at the position in nearly any offense. JSN is a refined route runner, dangerous after the catch, and has sticky hands. Don’t overthink this one – draft JSN with confidence.
Tier Two
Zay Flowers, Boston College
The second tier is guys who could land in the right situations and produce high-end WR2 numbers in fantasy. Flowers checks in after four seasons of increasing production, and he is another phenomenal technician. He may not be as sexy of a prospect, but he’s slippery after the catch and understands advanced route techniques.
Jordan Addison, USC
Maybe a bit more sexy option is Addison, and he creates separation with varying speed in his routes and deceptive footwork. He’s also dangerous after the catch and versatile. Addison will be best out of the slot and has been bullied off his routes on the outside, yet could still work outside some if needed.
Quentin Johnston, TCU
And for your strictly outside receiver in the tier, I present former Horned Frog Johnston. He’s got the perfect build you would want for the position and consistently wins contested catches with physicality. He’s a long strider with deceptive speed and can flip on insane athleticism when needed.
Tier Three
Josh Downs, North Carolina
This tier is mostly guys I see as WR2s and solid fantasy starters. Downs is the slot-sized receiver this draft is peppered with, but he’s incredibly quick and a playmaker. He has quick twitch ability and long speed and gains separation with suddenness and tempo changes. Downs could be tier two in the right system.
Cedric Tillman, Tennessee
Tillman is a bigger receiver (especially in this class) and is a tough receiver with strong hands. He is adept at creating body positioning with pacing and has a massive catch radius. Tillman is strong after the catch, and if he gets back to 2021 form, he could be one of the top three receivers to come out of this class.
Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee
In Tillman’s absence, the Vols featured Hyatt, and he had a massive 2022. Speed is the name of his game. He’s got good hands and is lethal if he gets any space to display his acceleration. He doesn’t have the most varied route tree, but what he does, Hyatt is very good at.
Tier Four
Marvin Mims, Oklahoma
This tier is wild card guys – players who have flashed potential and could climb up with draft capital. Mims leads the back, and he’s another slot guy but excels at winning vertically. He seems to find spots in coverage to get open and lulled his way behind defensive backs.
Jayden Reed, Michigan State
Reed is a “my guy.” I am a homer, and a Spartan fan, and the team didn’t feature him as they should have. He’s got great ball skills, uses positioning well, and moves through routes at full speed. He’s not going to be a burner and has focus issues, but Reed could thrive as a WR2 with the right team.
AT Perry, Wake Forest
Another bigger receiver, Perry, was massively productive at Wake Forest and is a physical receiver. He varies speeds and is able to beat press coverage but isn’t an elite athlete. His abysmal change of direction and drops may doom him.
Rashee Rice, SMU
Rice is a good blend of size, length, and speed, and is able to get separation and positioning on defensive backs. He plays strong and can be a quarterback’s best friend by working back to underthrown catches. Rice needs to sharpen his focus and prove he can maintain all of that through much harder competition to be successful.
Kayshon Boutte, LSU
This ranking is just based on raw talent, as Boutte has so many questions now. He has shown vertical speed, the ability to create separation throughout routes, and then immense talent after the catch. But can he stay on the field? Boutte’s lack of reps shows as he needs development, but what NFL team wants to risk taking him with anything but a third-day pick?
The Best of the Rest
Tyler Scott is getting a bunch of buzz now. He’s a fast receiver with good movement skills but needs a lot of work on nuances. Jonathan Mingo is also a Twitter darling these days. He’s got good size and is a hard worker, running nice clean routes and using his size well. Puka Nacua is a competitive receiver and dangerous after the catch but lacks twitchiness and speed. Xavier Hutchinson doesn’t do anything great but does a lot well and has great size. Finally, Andrei Iosivas is a project but could be a fun one – he’s big, has speed, and plays incredibly aggressively – but that was at Princeton.
TIGHT ENDS
Tier One
Dalton Kincaid, Utah
The three TEs in tier one are almost interchangeable. The right landing spot for each will dictate this tier. Kincaid burst onto the scene in 2023 with a massive game vs. USC. He’s a move TE, runs cleans routes, and has good hands. Kincaid needs to work on blocking, but a team will fall in love with his receiving ability for the position.
Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
It feels like Mayer has been TE1 in this class since he stepped on the field and seems to be suffering from prospect fatigue. He’s not an elite athlete, true, but he’s phenomenal at stretching the field and making huge catches for first downs or touchdowns. Mayer can block and won’t need much time to acclimate to the NFL.
Luke Musgrave, Oregon State
Musgrave is intriguing due to his receiving ability – he’s more of a refined route runner, with soft hands, but hasn’t seen much time on the field. He and Kincaid are both older prospects, and each has work to do in blocking. But each has a lot to offer as far as pass-catching.
Tier Two
Sam LaPorta, Iowa
Perhaps the most unheralded TE in the class, LaPorta has a strong case to be in the first tier. Due to Iowa’s anemic offense, he didn’t get much love. But LaPorta is close to a complete TE. He can block, catch passes with strong hands, and creates separation in his routes. He’s also pretty dangerous after the catch.
Tucker Kraft, South Dakota State
Kraft will need time to acclimate in the NFL but could be a good TE2 in the NFL for a long time. He’s got good size, blocks with tenacity, and excels running after the catch. The level of competition is his biggest knock, and he’s not the quickest guy either (4.69 40-yard dash).
The Best of the Rest
Zach Kuntz showcased an elite athletic ability at the Combine and only started 15 games in college. He’s an interesting prospect with tools the NFL will love. Darnell Washington is a tenacious blocker and a red-zone threat, but I don’t see him being fantasy viable on a consistent basis. Luke Schoonmaker has good acceleration and didn’t see a lot of production at Michigan – yet I could see him being a decent TE2 in the NFL.
The Offense Rests its Case….
It’s been a fun draft season; I’ve talked to many interesting people on my podcast journey this draft cycle. Thank you to all that listened; talk to you next year!
