Fantasy Football: Top Five Rookies for 2013

Fantasy Football 2013: Top Five Rookies

The 2013 NFL Draft was not particularly loaded with skill position star power, as evidenced by the plethora of offensive and defensive lineman that were selected in the first round.

Finding players in the 2013 rookie class that make the overall fantasy impact last year’s group did is unlikely, and perhaps impossible all things considered. But there are still plenty of guys who are intriguing options this year, due in equal parts to their talent and expected role on their new team.

Rookie quarterbacks in particular got a lot of notoriety in 2012, with Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III and Russell Wilson leading the charge. But fantasy football owners also found contributors at running back, wide receiver, tight end and even kicker in last year’s rookie class.

With the dearth of first-round picks used on skill position players this year, finding the top rookies in terms of fantasy football impact is a bit more challenging. That said, there are plenty of names that will be recognizable to college football that will jump to the top of a lot of lists.

I think that looking at multiple lists of top fantasy rookies for this year will yield a lot of different results, which may serve to confuse owners that are looking for common threads from analysts whose opinion they value. In that circumstance only time will tell who is correct, just like anything else in terms of analyzing fantasy value.

With all of that, here are my top five fantasy football rookies for 2013. Who makes your list?

5. Keenan Allen, WR, San Diego Chargers

Allen fell to the third round due to concerns over knee and ankle injuries as well as a reported red flag for a drug test at the NFL Combine. But California’s all-time leader in receptions (205) will become part of a Chargers’ wide receiver group that lacks proven players, and an immediate significant role is not out of the question for Allen if he is healthy.

4. Justin Hunter, WR, Tennessee Titans

Hunter drew comparisons to Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A.J. Green during the pre-draft process, and he may be the most physically gifted wide receiver in this year’s class. He struggled with drops and the after effects of a torn left ACL in 2011 last season, but Hunter looked healthy at the NFL Combine and has said he is back to 100 percent. The Titans could have a nice group of wide receivers this season, as Hunter joins Kenny Britt and Kendall Wright, but the rookie out of Tennessee may have the most fantasy upside of the trio.

3. Montee Ball, RB, Denver Broncos

Ball had a prolific final two seasons at Wisconsin, with over 3,700 rushing yards and 61 combined rushing and receiving touchdowns, and he may move into a big role in one of the league’s best offenses. Willis McGahee is likely to be cut soon by the Broncos, and 2012 draft pick Ronnie Hillman is not physically suited to being a workhorse. Ball has a chance to be an immediate force in touchdown-heavy fantasy leagues, but if he can stay on the field in passing situations that would give his value a huge boost.

2. Le'Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

Bell finished fifth in the country with 1,793 rushing yards in 2012, and he led the nation in carries (382) along with 32 receptions. The Steelers appear likely to plug him right in as their lead running back, and his overall skills make him a nice fit for offensive coordinator Todd Haley’s system. Bell is not the most dynamic talent in this year’s running back class in terms of measurables, but the opportunity he is in line for makes him an automatic factor for fantasy football owners in 2013.

1. Tavon Austin, WR, St. Louis Rams

Austin was an all-purpose force for West Virginia last season, with 1,289 receiving yards, 978 combined return yards, 643 rushing yards and 17 total touchdowns. The Rams will surely find a way to get the ball into his hands regularly, though his rushing yardage and carry total (72) from 2012 is unlikely to ever be repeated as a pro. Austin has nice fantasy potential in all league formats, but owners in PPR leagues should confidently bump him up a couple spots on their cheat sheet when the time comes.