With Si FETs i often fInd you can get away with it
I would not agree with that. Quite often the gate driver goes with the FET. I had once weird problems when the gate driver IC was partially damaged so that it's UVLO threshold voltage increased a bit but it worked otherwise, causing random issues near minimum operating voltage, that I made it a habit to always replace the gate drivers, too.
Same here. My rule is to always replace the gate drivers in case a FET blows up. If not, chances are high the same device returns in a couple of weeks for another FET replacement.
Things are even worse for a prototype; you will want to make sure all parts are in excellent condition. I make it a point to use only quality (A-brand) parts for prototypes.