With Week 8 of the NFL season in the books, we’re continuing to focus on the best rookie playmakers leaguewide. The 2023 rookie wide receiver group is putting up impressive numbers early on. Week 9 is right around the corner, so here are our best rookie receivers in fantasy football for the upcoming slate.
Who Are the Best Rookie WRs for Fantasy This Week?
Our NFL Week 9 dynasty wide receiver rankings are courtesy of the PFN Consensus Fantasy Rankings.
1) Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
The entire Los Angeles Rams’ offense was an unmitigated disaster in Week 8. Neither Puka Nacua nor Cooper Kupp were relevant in fantasy leagues, which seemed impossible until we saw it happen. It speaks to how well Nacua has produced that he’s still at the top spot, despite finishing as WR66 in two out of three weeks in standard leagues.
Even with Green Bay’s impressive defense looming, Nacua’s ceiling is too tempting to pass on. No other rookie receiver can climb as high as Nacua has proven he’s capable of. He has the volume, scheme explosiveness, and talent to be a weekly top-five receiver.
2) Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens
Entering Week 8, Zay Flowers had three straight weeks finishing between WR15 and WR28. Flowers looked like a consistently good Flex option for fantasy managers, but his lack of consistently high targets caught up to him in Week 8, where he caught five passes for only 19 yards.
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The variance and low quality of downfield throws have been an issue for Flowers’ ceiling. Baltimore’s game plan doesn’t consistently feed Flowers, outside of quick dump-off passes and screens, which puts pressure on Flowers to maximize just seven targets a game.
3) Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs
Even considering Rashee Rice’s WR55 finish last week, his fantasy managers must be encouraged by how his rookie season is going. While Rice has seen more than six targets from Patrick Mahomes just once this season, he’s produced at least 56 yards or a touchdown in each of his last four games. Rice’s role and importance in the offense continue to grow.
We saw his true breakout come in Week 7 when Rice finished as WR14. The Chiefs need Rice to be its star since the rest of their receiver unit is struggling mightily.
4) Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts
The second-best rookie receiver of Week 8 was Josh Downs, earning that crown for the second straight week. Catching seven passes for 72 yards last week, Downs now has at least five catches and 70 yards, or a touchdown in each of his last four games. Downs has become reliable as a possession threat for QB Gardner Minshew so far.
It’s fair to be concerned whether Downs is just on a hot streak with some luck or establishing himself as a startable option. Upcoming matchups against the Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots will be challenging, but they are the perfect proving grounds.
5) Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings
After topping all receivers in scoring in Week 7, Addison was back atop the rookie production in Week 8. Finishing as WR13, Addison now has a top-15 finish in PPR leagues in three of his last four games. He’s caught 36 passes for 482 yards and seven touchdowns already.
Star WR Justin Jefferson won’t be back until at least Week 10, meaning we have at least another week of Addison in the team’s WR1 role. The bigger concern is that backup QB Jaren Hall will now be under center after starter Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles. We’ll see how that affects Addison’s target share and quality.
6) Tank Dell, Houston Texans
All of the hype around Tank Dell has quickly come to a halt. Life moves on quickly in the fantasy space, and Dell is looking to re-establish himself as an option for managers. It’s looking like an uphill battle, though.
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Since Dell’s Week 3 explosion, he’s caught only seven passes for 89 yards in three games. The Texans had a bye week, and Dell missed one game with an injury, but last week, he caught only three passes for 16 yards.
7) Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Seattle Seahawks
After a slow month to start his career, Jaxon Smith-Njigba is coming alive in the Seahawks’ offense. It’s helped that DK Metcalf’s chemistry with QB Geno Smith has been off, but Smith-Njigba’s blend of positioning, quickness, and ability to create after the catch has produced opportunities for explosive plays. He has two straight weeks with a touchdown as a result.
The lack of volume is a concern, though. With only one game of seeing more than six targets, it’s unlikely he’ll be in any lineup needing a surefire option.
8) Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers
A lucky touchdown catch in Week 7 saved Jayden Reed’s fantasy value that week, but he was able to piece together a much more complete and impressive performance in Week 8. He set a career high with 83 yards, notably catching a 34-yarder. It’s hard to know whether Reed will see high-quality targets, though, as QB Jordan Love continues to struggle with his accuracy.
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