2023 Dynasty Fantasy Football Rookie Prospect: Will Levis, QB Kentucky
Our NFL rookie profile series continues with this analysis of 2023 NFL Draft Prospect Will Levis, QB from Kentucky. We will continue to provide you with these in-depth rookie profiles and a ton of other fantasy football rookie analysis right up through the NFL Draft. Stay tuned, and stay ahead of your league.
Will Levis is one of the most polarizing prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft class. He boasts ideal size and arm strength, however, there are significant concerns about his prospect profile as well. While he was fantastic in his first season in Kentucky, he regressed as a senior.
After coming into 2022 as a Heisman candidate, Levis ultimately struggled without star receiver Wan’Dale Robinson and was hampered by injuries. The offense was a mess and it was concerning that we didn’t see him take the big step forward many anticipated. Nonetheless, his arm talent and athleticism could make him a difference-maker in fantasy football leagues.
The Stats
Courtesy of Sports Reference.
Levis began his collegiate career at Penn State playing moderately as a redshirt freshman in 2019. He appeared in six games including an impressive performance against Rutgers to end the year. His dual-threat ability was on full display, as he rushed 17 times for 108 yards in his best game of the season.
In his sophomore campaign, he was a backup quarterback once again primarily used as a rusher. While he only had 55 total pass attempts on the year, Levis had 82 rushes for 260 yards. This was a season marred by the initial Covid-19 outbreak though, which likely hampered his development.
Following three years at Penn State, as a redshirt junior, Levis transferred to Kentucky and became an immediate starter. He exceeded almost anyone’s expectations, leading the Wildcats to a 10-3 record and a Citrus Bowl victory. Now on NFL team’s radars, expectations were sky-high entering the 2022 season.
The results were disappointing though as the Wildcat offense struggled and Levis dealt with shoulder, foot, and finger injuries. The rushing ability he displayed earlier in his career wasn’t there and he simply wasn’t healthy in the latter half of the season. The stats don’t tell the whole story here as much of his 2022 production came in the first half of the year.
The Film
Above is film from one of those earlier season games against a tough Flordia defense. In a matchup Kentucky ultimately ended up winning 26-16, fantasy managers can see the best and worst of Levis. While he was inconsistent he showed toughness and poise under pressure making some difficult throws with defenders in his face.
At the beginning of the tape, there are too many instances of the Wildcat offensive line being totally overwhelmed. Levis in many instances failed to get the ball out which led to sacks. His mental processing will need work at the next level as his time to throw will only decrease.
What is evident on tape for Levis though is his toughness as he made a lot of timely completions knowing he was going to take a hit. He also had a great 60-yard touchdown pass where he was able to show his effortless arm strength. It was an unremarkable performance, however, he didn’t get a lot of support from his offensive line or receivers either.
The Measurables
Levis didn’t test in many athletic drills at the NFL Combine after suffering a multitude of injuries last season. He did measure in at 6’4” and 229 pounds though giving him ideal size for the NFL level. He uses his size similarly to Josh Allen as he is willing to run over defenders when he is on the move.
Nonetheless, Levis was very impressive in the throwing drills at the combine displaying why he possesses as much arm talent as any quarterback in this class. As far as velocity goes, only Allen and Baker Mayfield have clocked faster pass attempts recently. Although he has a strange throwing motion, Levis showed he can still drive the ball downfield with accuracy.
Dynasty Value
Levis is currently the fourth quarterback off the board and a consensus top-ten pick in dynasty fantasy football superflex rookie drafts. This likely won’t change ahead of the NFL Draft in April either. He’s a significantly bigger risk than Bryce Young or CJ Stroud, and doesn’t possess anywhere near the upside of Anthony Richardson.
In terms of the overall dynasty fantasy football landscape though, Levis represents a massive value given his upside. He is currently the QB28 off of boards behind the likes of Jordan Love and Mac Jones. That ranking will certainly change if Levis hears his name called in the top ten picks of the NFL Draft.
Conclusion
Looking at recent prospects, Levis reminds me of New York Jet quarterback Zach Wilson. Both are capable of making throws at all three levels of the field, and can do so while on the move. They have all the physical tools you are looking for in an NFL quarterback, although Levis should be more durable being 20 pounds heavier.
However, similar to Wilson, Levis also struggles with processing and decision-making at times. His poor footwork can lead to inaccuracy on simple throws which showed on his 2022 game tape. Even though he will turn 24 years of age in June, he has a long way to go in terms of developing as a passer.
Regardless, in dynasty fantasy football leagues Levis is a very interesting prospect in superflex formats. He should be selected in the middle of the first round of rookie drafts after some of the other top prospects have failed to live up to expectations. On the other hand, his lack of elite rushing upside and long road to development make him no more than a late-round pick in 1QB formats. His value will depend on his draft capital because we don’t yet know what NFL teams think of him as a prospect.
