With Week 7 of the NFL season in the books, we’re continuing to focus on the best rookie playmakers nationwide. The 2023 rookie wide receiver group is putting up impressive numbers early on. Week 8 is right around the corner — here are our best rookie receivers for fantasy football for the upcoming slate.
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Who Are the Best Rookie WRs for Fantasy This Week?
Our NFL Week 8 dynasty wide receiver rankings are courtesy of the PFN Consensus Fantasy Rankings.
1) Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
Puka Nacua had exactly one week of non-elite production, then he decided he couldn’t stand such a performance. At least, his level of play indicated he felt that way, as Nacua exploded for 154 yards on eight catches, averaging 19.3 yards per reception. He finished as WR5 in PPR leagues.
Nacua’s floor is lower with Cooper Kupp in the lineup, but his ceiling is slightly lower. Kupp is likelier to get red-zone opportunities, but with Matthew Stafford playing well this season and throwing the ball a ton, Nacua is a safe starting option on any roster.
2) Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens
With three straight weeks finishing between WR15 and 28, Zay Flowers is a good Flex option for fantasy managers. He’s reached at least 56 yards or a touchdown in all but one week this season. The most impressive part of his production is his improvement despite fluctuating between four and 11 targets in any game.
MORE: 2023 WR Fantasy Football Rankings
The variance is an issue for Flowers’ ceiling. Baltimore’s game plan doesn’t consistently feed Flowers, but his ability to create on intermediate routes has saved his fantasy value. We can trust Flowers as a decent but not stellar fantasy option in Week 8.
3) Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings
Folks, this is your Week 7 WR1. Jordan Addison was unstoppable against the San Francisco 49ers, going off for seven receptions, 123 yards, and two touchdowns. Of course, his rip-away reception from Charvarius Ward made the highlight reel for the season.
Addison finally feasted how we expected with Justin Jefferson sidelined. He can mock defenders with his smooth, explosive skill set as he creates separation. He’s now reaching his stride as a rookie, so elevating him into your starting lineup is a safer move until Jefferson returns.
4) Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs
Yet another rookie to land inside the top 15 receivers in Week 7, Rashee Rice is also coming into form. The explosive speedster caught five of six targets for 60 yards and a touchdown against Los Angeles. It was his second-best output of the season and third week finishing inside the top 25 receivers.
Moving Rice into your lineups before a Week 8 matchup with Denver makes too much sense. Even with Mecole Hardman back in Kansas City, Rice appears destined to be the de facto WR1 for the rest of the season. Considering the uneven play of his teammates, Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid must continue feeding Rice.
5) Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts
Is it good to total 125 yards and a touchdown on only five catches? We thought so. Sure, Josh Downs’ 59-yarder came on a busted coverage by the Cleveland Browns, but there’s an undeniable chemistry between Downs and quarterback Gardner Minshew II. How much volume will Downs see in any given week, and can he reach the end zone?
Averaging seven targets over the last three weeks, Downs isn’t a safe play in fantasy. However, he’s clearly raised his ceiling in that time span, finishing within the top 27 receivers each week and as a top-19 guy in two of the last three. At some point, Downs might just be a solid option for your lineup, flukey plays and concerns aside.
6) Tank Dell, Houston Texans
Back from a bye week and a concussion that kept him out in Week 6, Tank Dell is looking for another explosive performance. Although his WR5 finish in Week 3 might feel like a long time ago, Dell being back on the practice field before this week’s matchup with Carolina is promising. The Carolina Panthers have the sixth-best defense against receivers.
The tough part of counting on Dell is his inconsistent workload. He’ll be worthy of starting if he has seven or more targets. If not, it’s unlikely he can positively impact your lineup. Only take that gamble if you need a wild card.
7) Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks
Jaxon Smith-Njigba lives, folks. After a slow start to the season, JSN had his best game as a pro yet, notching career-high targets (seven) and yards (63) and his first touchdown. It was good enough to be WR12 last week.
MORE: Fantasy Week 8 WR Start/Sit
It’ll be difficult for him to replicate that stat line against Cleveland, although the Browns’ defense was slightly exposed in Week 7. With so much firepower around JSN, including a surprisingly productive Jake Bobo, he’s in wait-and-see mode to enter our lineups.
8) Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers
Jayden Reed very nearly had close to a shut-out game in Week 7. That was until a dropped pass to Romeo Doubs landed in Reed’s stomach, giving him a touchdown. He caught only three passes for 21 yards, but that score allowed him to finish as WR32.
Reed is stuck in a bland offensive with a bad quarterback. That might change toward the end of the season, but for now, Reed is a backup only.
9) Marvin Mims Jr., Denver Broncos
After starting the season with a few explosive plays, Marvin Mims Jr. looked ready for a bigger role in Denver. Unfortunately, he’s caught only one pass for four yards in the last three games. It’s not even that his playing time has been cut significantly, but Russell Wilson hasn’t sought out his vertical threat.
Thus, Mims is unplayable in fantasy until either Jerry Jeudy is traded or Mims takes on a much bigger role.
10) Jalin Hyatt, New York Giants
The last fantasy-relevant rookie for Week 8 is Jalin Hyatt. The speedster caught only two passes last week but totaled 75 yards. Living up to his reputation, Hyatt brought in two explosive catches. But he only had five targets, and Tyrod Taylor isn’t the most efficient or reliable passer.
The Giants need Hyatt to be a bigger part of the offense, but it’s unclear whether they’re ready to integrate him more already. If they’re not, his production will be a rollercoaster each week.