Fantasy Football All Rookie Team for 2023: Puka Nacua headlines an exceptionally talented group of rookies

The rookie class in 2023 was special in Fantasy and reality. And it wasn't exactly all the players we expected to contribute at a high level doing well in their rookie campaigns. For example, the best quarterback wasn't Bryce Young, who was the No. 1 overall pick. Bijan Robinson was arguably the third best running back despite lofty expectations.

And the best receivers weren't the ones selected in the first round, which included Jaxon Smith Njigba, Quentin Johnston, Zay Flowers and Jordan Addison. The 2023 class was filled with talent, and I'm excited to see how most of these players perform in their sophomore seasons and beyond. But first, let's recognize the best Fantasy rookies from 2023, including the Fantasy Rookie of the Year in Puka Nacua.

Nacua, a fifth round pick in the NFL Draft from BYU, was not selected in the majority of leagues based on the CBS Sports Average Draft Position data. Yet from Week 1 on he was a star, and he set the NFL record for most catches (105) and receiving yards (1,481) by a rookie, which was remarkable. With Cooper Kupp sidelined for the first four games of the season with a hamstring injury, Nacua scored at least 20.1 PPR points in four of his first five games.

In total, Nacua had nine games with at least 18.7 PPR points, and he only had five games all season with fewer than 12.2 PPR points. Nacua headlines our All Rookie Team, which was a special group. A lot of these players contributed to a Fantasy championship in 2023. Stroud was No. 9 in Fantasy points per game (21.2) heading into Week 18 among all quarterbacks, and no other rookie quarterback came close to his level of production.

He helped the Texans win the AFC South, and he will likely be the NFL Rookie of the Year. He will be drafted in 2024 as a No. 1 Fantasy quarterback in all leagues. Gibbs was easily the best rookie running back, averaging 16.7 PPR points for the season through Week 17. The other rookie running back was a tough call.

I went with Achane over Robinson because Achane averaged 17.8 PPR points per game through Week 17 compared to Robinson's 13.8. That difference was too hard to overlook even though Robinson had more total points (220.2 to 177.6) given that Achane missed six games due to injury. The receivers were tough to choose after Nacua because Dell, Rice and Reed were all deserving, but so were Flowers and Addison.

But PPR points per game through Week 17 favored Dell (15) Reed (13.5) and Rice (13.3) ahead of Flowers (12.9) and Addison (12.9), and Flowers and Addison were drafted ahead of that trio this season based on ADP. Tight end was an easy call because LaPorta led all tight ends in total PPR points (225.4) through Week 17, and he was one of three tight ends to average at least 14.1 PPR points, along with Travis Kelce (14.6) and T.J.

Hockenson (14.6). LaPorta injured his knee in Week 18, and hopefully he'll be OK for the NFL playoffs and have no setbacks this offseason. If he's fine, LaPorta could be the first tight end drafted in the majority of leagues in 2024..