We have reached the point of the season where many teams will be looking to 2024 and trying to see what they have in rookies who haven’t seen time yet. It will be far better knowing they can count on a player for 2024 than guessing or spending unnecessary time and money on free agency or the draft.
QUARTERBACKS
Six rookie quarterbacks started week twelve. We are in evaluation season. CJ Stroud has come down to earth, but he is still having a great season. He is the only real lock in this rookie class. Bryce Young will have a new coaching staff next year but will surely get a chance to improve on a frustrating year. Aidan O’Connell and Will Levis are battling to hold on to their jobs into next year.
CJ Stroud, Texans
Week 12: 26-36, 304 yards, 2 TDs | 47 yards rushing. 1 TD
2023: 249-391, 3266 yards, 19 TDs, 3 INTs | 132 yards, 3 TDs
Stroud will be in the conversation for the top five quarterbacks next year. He is averaging the fifth most fantasy points and is second overall in yards through twelve games this year. In a sea of question marks at QB, he is the lone sure answer.
Aidan O’Connell, Raiders
Week 12: 23-33, 248 yards, 1 TD
2023: 113-178, 1194 yards, 4 TDs, 6 INTs| 9 yards, 1 TD
O’Connell hasn’t been great, but he won two games before losing the last two against powerhouses KC and Miami. The Raiders are starting over next season with a new coach. The more wins O’Connell brings home after the break, the more likely he is to hang on to the starting position and put his team in a bad position to take a top quarterback. The Raiders are at pick 11 currently in the draft order. That might be too far out to ensure they get one of the top quarterbacks.
The Rest of Week 12
- Bryce Young-Raiders – 18-34, 194 yards | 23 yards rushing
- Tommy Devito-Giants – 17-25, 191 yards, 1 TD | 6 yards
- Will Levis-Titans – 18-28, 185 yards | -3 yards
- Dorian Thompson-Robinson-Browns – 14-29, 134 yards, 1 TD | 21 yards
RUNNING BACKS
Keaton Mitchell, Zach Charbonnet, and Roschon Johnson are all inching towards guys you can count on weekly. Charbonnet and Johnson might need their situations to change to be true factors. Mitchell might carve out his role despite not being the primary back.
Bijan Robinson, Falcons
Week 12: 16 carries, 91 yards, 1 TD| 3 catches, 32 yards, 1 TD
2023: 138 carries, 703 yards, 3 TDs | 32 catches, 240 yards, 3 TDs
If the Playoffs started today, the Falcons would be the final NFC wild card. Robinson scored through the air and on the ground in the win over New Orleans. The Falcons were still run heavy with 41 runs to 21 passes. Robinson should go over 1,000 total yards next week.
Keaton Mitchell, Ravens
Week 12: 9 carries, 64 yards| 2 catches, 25 yards
2023: 29 carries, 269 yards, 2 TDs | 6 catches, 70 yards
I’m baffled by how Mitchell went undrafted. He is the type of player that can help any team. Mitchell led all Ravens running backs in carries. He is too small ever to be the featured back but too good not to get as many touches as possible. He’s averaging 9.3 yards a carry.
Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions
Week 12: 11 carries, 54 yards | 4 catches, 19 yards
2023: 109 carries, 566 yards, 5 TDs | 41 catches, 278 yards
Gibbs is the only back outside of Robinson who can be counted on for big numbers every week. He will reach 1,000 total yards sometime over the next few weeks. David Montgomery had 15 carries last game, but Gibbs continues to be a focus with 11 carries of his own and eight targets.
Zach Charbonnet, Seahawks
Week 12: 14 carries, 47 yards| 4 catches, 11 yards
2023: 65 carries, 304 yards | 23 catches, 103 yards
Charbonnet has had his second week in a row of 14 carries or more. If Kenneth Walker remains sidelined, we will see what Charbonnet could have done if he had been drafted to another team.
Roschon Johnson, Bears
Week 12: 10 carries, 35 yards | 5 catches, 40 yards
2023: 54 carries, 232 yards, 1 TD | 23 catches, 131 yards
Johnson led the Bears in carries in week 12. He also caught five targets. This was Khalil Herbert’s first game back, and he might eat into carries as he gets healthy. D’Onta Foreman was also out with an injury. Prior to Herberts’ IR stint, Foreman was a healthy scratch. It will be interesting to see where they go if all three are available.
The Rest of Week 12
- Chris Rodriguez-Commanders – 4 carries, 21 yards
- Emari DeMercado-Cardinals – 3 carries, 15 yards
- Tyjae Spears-Titans – 2 carries, 6 yards | 1 catch, 1 yard
- Tank Bigsby-Jaguars – 1 carry, 6 yards
- Zach Evans-Rams – 3 carries, 6 yards
- Jaleel McLaughlin-Broncos – 2 carries, 4 yards | 2 catches, 4 yards
WIDE RECEIVERS
Four new faces in the top five. Tank Dell might just be the best in this class. I’ve said it before, but I think this is probably one of the best classes in recent history. There are 13 players on pace for over 500 receiving yards. This year’s draft class has produced at least 15 starting wide receivers, with more to come.
Jalin Hyatt, Giants
Week 12: 5 catches, 109 yards
2023: 17 catches, 330 yards
Hyatt had his first 100-yard game of his career. He has been inconsistent all year but is still on pace for over 500 yards.
Rashee Rice, Chiefs
Week 12: 8 catches, 107 yards, 1 TD
2023: 44 catches, 527 yards, 5 TDs
Rice seems to be settling in as WR1 in Kansas City. He has had over 40 yards or a touchdown in each of the team’s last seven games. He might never be a superstar, but as the focal point in a pass-heavy offense, he will get you points.
Jonathan Mingo, Panthers
Week 12: 4 catches, 60 yards
2023: 28 catches, 286 yards
Mingo is slowly becoming the WR1 in Carolina that I thought he would be. The offense is still a mess and is sure to get messier with a coaching change, but Mingo led all Panthers receivers in targets in week 12.
Cedric Tillman, Browns
Week 12: 4 catches, 55 yards
2023: 7 catches, 65 yards
Even if they haven’t accepted it yet, the Browns season is over. If they can get Tillman to show an ability to become a starter, that’s a win for 2024 when they should be contenders.
Tank Dell, Texans
Week 12: 5 catches, 50 yards, 1 TD
2023: 47 catches, 709 yards, 7 TDs
Dell might just end the season as this year’s best rookie wide receiver. That’s a bit of a surprise coming from a third-rounder who was the ninth wideout drafted.
The Rest of Week 12
- Demario Douglas-Patriots – 6 catches, 49 yards
- Malik Heath-Packers – 5 catches, 46 yards
- Josh Downs-Colts – 5 catches, 43 yards
- Jaxson Smith-Njigba-Seahawks – 2 catches, 41 yards
- Jordan Addison-Vikings – 6 catches, 39 yards
- Jayden Reed-Packers – 4 catches, 34 yards, 1TD
- Xavier Hutchinson-Texans – 1 catch, 34 yards
- Puka Nacua-Rams – 4 catches, 27 yards
- Zay Flowers-Ravens – 5 catches, 25 yards, 1 TD
- Jalen Brooks-Cowboys – 1 catch, 24 yards
- Marvin Mims-Broncos – 2 catches, 24 yards
- Jason Brownlee-Jets – 2 catches, 20 yards
- Trey Palmer-Bucs – 4 catches, 17 yards
- Andrei Iosivas-Bengals – 1 catch, 15 yards
- Quentin Johnston-Chargers – 1 catch, 7 yards
- A. T. Perry-Saints – 1 catch, 7 yards
- Derius Davis-Chargers – 1 catch, 2 yards
TIGHT ENDS
Week 12 saw ten different tight ends catch balls, the most so far this season. Tight ends historically take time to show up, so grabbing a late-season flyer who might get more snaps next year could be wise. Especially if your team is out of the running.
Sam LaPorta, Lions
Week 12: 5 catches, 47 yards, 1 TD
2023: 55 catches, 538 yards, 5 TDs
LaPorta is at least a top-six tight end in fantasy points, yards, catches, and touchdowns. I kick myself for having no shares.
Dalton Kincaid-Bills
Week 12: 5 catches, 38 yards
2023: 56 catches, 474 yards, 2 TDs
Kincaid is the second weapon in what will be a perennial contender in Buffalo. He has actually surpassed LaPorta in catches for the year. What was once a three-person race at the position with LaPorta head and shoulders above the other two is now a two-person race for the top rookie in the class.
The Rest of Week 12
- Will Mallory-Colts – 2 catches, 29 yards
- Michael Mayer-Raiders – 2 catches, 27 yards
- Tucker Kraft-Packers – 2 catches, 15 yards
- Payne Durham-Bucs – 1 catch 12 yards
- Luke Schoonmaker-Cowboys – 1 catch 12 yards
- Josh Whyle-Titans – 1 catch, 11 yards
- Darnell Washington-Steelers – 1 catch, 10 yards
- Davis Allen-Rams – 1 catch, 6 yards
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