With Week 16 of the NFL season wrapped up, we’re continuing to focus on the best rookie playmakers league-wide. The 2023 rookie wide receiver group is putting up big numbers week in and week out. Week 17 is right around the corner, so here are our dynasty rookie WR rankings in fantasy football for the upcoming slate.
Who Are the Best Rookie WRs for Fantasy This Week?
Our NFL Week 17 dynasty wide receiver rankings are courtesy of PFN’s Consensus Fantasy Rankings.
1) Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
A finish as the WR3 helped Puka Nacua jump back into our top rookie receiver rankings for Week 17. Nacua exploded for nine catches, 164 yards, and one touchdown against the New Orleans Saints.
Nacua usually trails teammate Cooper Kupp when both are on the field, but he’s finished as WR19 or better in four of the last five games. He’s seen less variance since the bye week, garnering quality targets in all but one game.
He can be trusted as a starter in your lineup every week, but he’s not someone who has to be shoehorned in if there’s a similar option with a better matchup.
2) Rashee Rice, Kansas City Chiefs
Rashee Rice saw a career-high 12 targets in Week 16, but the Las Vegas Raiders completely stifled the Kansas City Chiefs’ offense.
Rice finished as the WR44, a shocking drop for a player with top-12 finishes in three out of four games before this past week. Rice feels the pain of an offense that has lost its identity and flow.
MORE: Dynasty Consensus Rankings
Rice is averaging 10 targets a game over the last five games, and he’s been a touchdown magnet. Heading into this past week, Rice totaled 32 receptions for 334 yards and three touchdowns between Week 12 and Week 15.
Cincinnati was just torched by George Pickens for almost 200 yards, which bodes well for Rice this week.
3) Jayden Reed, Green Bay Packers
When Christian Watson is out, Jayden Reed must be in your lineup. He’s been the most unheralded star in the league since Week 10, producing five top-25 finishes in PPR leagues. The lone week he fell out was Watson’s explosion against the Chiefs in Week 13.
Reed will continue to see favorable matchups through the rest of the season. He caught six passes for 52 yards and a touchdown in Week 15 but missed Week 16 with an injury. With Minnesota on deck, we’re hoping to see another top-20 finish from Reed.
4) Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens
As soon as Zay Flowers saw the type of volume he needed to be a star in Weeks 12 and 14, he suffered a foot injury that limited his participation in Week 15. However, he returned with a massive performance in Week 16’s blowout win against San Francisco.
Flowers saw a career-high 13 targets, alleviating concerns about his target share. He responded with nine catches, 72 yards, and a touchdown. It was good enough for a WR13 finish in PPR leagues.
The Miami Dolphins await the Baltimore Ravens this week. Despite having elite corner play, Miami struggles with scrambling QBs like Lamar Jackson. Flowers could outperform this ranking this week.
5) Josh Downs, Indianapolis Colts
Directly ahead of Flowers on the target-share chart is Josh Downs. However, Downs’ trajectory is going the opposite way of Flowers’.
Downs hasn’t landed in the top 43 receivers in PPR leagues since Week 8. Don’t start him unless you have to.
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