Rams beat writer Cameron DaSilva writes that “in all likelihood,” the team will use a rotation at WR3. Van Jefferson holds the WR2 role behind Cooper Kupp. But we’ll see training camp sort the depth chart beyond that, with Tutu Atwell, Ben Skowrenek, and Puka Nacua as leading contenders. Atwell brings big-play appeal, making him a late-round option in best ball leagues. Nacua, though, has drawn the most buzz this offseason. The real takeaway is that Kupp remains a strong candidate to lead the NFL in targets.
Seahawks writer Michael-Shawn Dugar of The Athletic says "Seattle's running back setup is likely to be the Ken Walker Show featuring [Zach] Charbonnet." Dugar points out that since 2018 (five seasons), the Seahawks have only had eight regular-season games in which they gave 10+ carries to more than one RB. We're certainly betting that Walker takes the clear rushing lead, as you can tell from our RB rankings. We project Walker for more than twice as many carries (241) as Charbonnet (102). But the rookie could hurt Walker's involvement in the passing game. Both players are going at fine levels in current drafting to be at least worth mixing into your best ball entries. We'll watch how things play out in training camp and preseason and continue to assess how Seattle RBs should factor into lineup-setting leagues.
Jaguars TE Evan Engram enjoyed a big rebound season in 2022, both in real football and fantasy. That included finishing fifth among TEs in PPR points, fifth in targets, fourth in receptions and yards, and tied for 11th in TDs. Engram's eight top-12 weekly finishes also tied him for sixth at the position. But his weekly lows dipped pretty low. Engram's median weekly PPR finish for the year was TE16. That tied Gerald Everett for just 13th. Jacksonville returns WRs Christian Kirk and Zay Jones, each of whom earned higher Pro Football Focus receiving grades than Engram for the season. WR Calvin Ridley adds a new challenge for targets, and he arrives as arguably the biggest receiving talent on the team. Engram deserves top-12 consideration among TEs in fantasy drafts this year. But his TE8-9 ADP so far puts him a little higher than his spot in our TE rankings. You can mix him in if you're drafting a lot of teams, especially in best ball lineups that include QB Trevor Lawrence. But Engram hasn't been a target player for us in early drafting. Read more specifics about Engram's outlook on his player page.
Jets WR Allen Lazard’s contract calls for $22 million guaranteed, the most handed out to a free-agent pass catcher this offseason. The guys behind him: Jakobi Meyers ($21 million), JuJu Smith-Schuster ($16 million), and Odell Beckham ($15 million). Lazard set career highs last year in targets (100), catches (60), and yards (788), despite two missed games. He just wasn’t particularly efficient. In a sample of 41 WRs, he sat 19th in yards per catch, 30th in Pro Football Focus receiving grade, 32nd in yards per route run, and 35th in catch rate. Lazard’s contract says he’ll be the clear No. 2 WR behind Garrett Wilson. A history with Aaron Rodgers and OC Nathaniel Hackett also supplies an edge. Said Lazard (via the Jets’ official site): “For me, playing in the same offense really my entire career, having Coach Hackett every single year except for last year, and then be able to reunite again with him here, has been a rejuvenating feeling to be able to have him and his energy around.” Projected for 97 targets (in 16 games), Lazard hits the WR rankings as a spot-start WR3.
Broncos WR Jerry Jeudy missed two full games and most of three others with injuries last year. But in the other 12, he averaged 7.7 targets, 5.2 catches, 74.7 yards, and 0.5 TDs. His scoring averages in those games would have ranked 13th among WRs in PPR points and 14th in half-PPR. Jeudy also ranked seventh among 80 qualifying WRs in yards per target and 12th in yards per route. He's improved in both of those metrics across each of his first three NFL seasons. Still just 24, Jeudy should still be ascending. And he gets a significant coaching upgrade this season with HC Sean Payton replacing Nathaniel Hackett. If QB Russell Wilson can bounce back from an ugly 2022, Jeudy is primed for a true breakout season.
Buccaneers WR Chris Godwin looks like a value by ADP right now, especially at his WR29 price on Underdog Fantasy. He does sit higher than that in our fantasy football rankings. But he has some issues to overcome. Godwin rebounded from his 2021 ACL tear to finish 18th in PPR points per game at the position last year. That followed a No. 8 finish. But he -- and the rest of the Bucs receivers -- benefited from huge passing volume with Tom Brady. Tampa Bay led the league in pass attempts each of the past two seasons and has ranked among the league leaders throughout Godwin's six seasons. That volume figures to come down with Baker Mayfield or Kyle Trask replacing Brady. Godwin finished each of the past three years ranked 31st or worse in target share among WRs. If that doesn't rebound, he'd feel a volume drop even more. Godwin is also coming off career lows in yards per catch (9.8), yards per target (7.2), and yards per route (1.73). That's no surprise, given the December ACL tear that closed 2021. We're betting on some rebound for Godwin on that front. Though the QB switch could also challenge the WR's efficiency. Godwin looks like a decent bet at modest ADP. Just don't treat him like a lock for big 2023 fantasy points.
Saints TE Foster Moreau announced Monday that his Hodgkins lymphoma is in full remission. Moreau had already been cleared to the point of signing with New Orleans and being expected to take part in training camp. So this merely serves to confirm that he'll be a factor in 2023. And, you know, it's pretty good personal news for the 26-year-old TE. Moreau looks like he could be an issue for TE Juwan Johnson's fantasy upside. See where both sit in our TE rankings.
Giants QB Daniel Jones looks to build off a solid 2022 in Year 2 with HC Brian Daboll. Jones set career-highs in adjusted completion rate (80.1%), passing yards (3,642), and yards per attempt (6.8). The last two figures aren’t particularly impressive, but remember his leading receivers: Darius Slayton, Richie James, Isaiah Hodgins, and Saquon Barkley. While Sterling Shepard and Wan’Dale Robinson are candidates for the PUP list, New York added pass-catching talent in Darren Waller, Parris Campbell, and Round 3 pick Jalin Hyatt. Even modest passing improvements would give Jones a chance to perform as a top-10 fantasy QB. Last year, he ranked fourth among QBs in rushes; second in scrambles.
Chargers WR Mike Williams suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 7 last year that cost him four games and most of a fifth. Prior to that injury, though, Williams was sitting ninth among WRs in PPR points. He ranked 11th at his position in targets (59), 11th in catches (37), ninth in yards (495), and 10th in TDs (3) from Week 1 to 7. That followed a healthy 2021 season that saw Williams rack up 76 catches, 1,146 yards, and nine TDs in 16 games to finish WR14 in PPR points. He faces additional target competition this year with the arrival of first-round rookie WR Quentin Johnston. But Williams is certainly capable of comfortably beating his recent WR25 ADP. He sits a handful of spots higher in our PPR WR Rankings.
Panthers No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young has been widely lauded for his passing accuracy. But sneaky rushing upside could be key to his fantasy value. If you remove yardage lost on sacks -- which NCAA stats subtract from QB rushing -- Young averaged 6.1 yards per carry in 2021 and then 9.1 per rush last season. He totaled 284 yards and then 313 yards in scrambles in his two starting turns at Alabama, according to Pro Football Focus. Young followed that with a 4.58-second 40 time at his pro day. That would rank 90th-percentile among QB results at the Scouting Combine. Young will likely need to scramble at least a bit more in the NFL than he did at Alabama. He averaged just 2.56 attempts per game there over the past two years. Even the largely immobile crew of Colts QBs -- led by Matt Ryan -- on Frank Reich's last Colts team averaged 2.78 per game. The 280+ yards that Young delivered on scrambles the past two years would have ranked seventh among QBs in rushing yards in the NFL last season. That level of rushing production would boost his fantasy floor and ceiling. Read more about Young's fantasy outlook and see where he sits in our 2023 superflex rankings. The rookie could turn into a value pick in that format.
Former Vikings GM -- and current CBS analyst -- Rick Spielman visited Buccaneers minicamp in June and came away expecting QB Baker Mayfield to be the starter. "Even though they say it's an open competition, the feel that I got, there's no question Baker will be the starting quarterback," Spielman said on a CBS podcast. That's certainly the general assumption and how we have Bucs passers in our QB rankings. But Mayfield would get at least a slight boost as the sure starter. And his current Underdog Fantasy superflex ADP has him at QB32, last among starters. Especially if you combine him with WRs Chris Godwin and/or Mike Evans -- or even RB Rachaad White, who caught 50 passes as a rookie -- there's upside for Mayfield from that starting point. Check out our superflex rankings for more.
Falcons QB Desmond Ridder has teammates fired up about his leadership heading into his second season. “When he talks, you listen,” TE Jonnu Smith told The Athletic. “Having leadership qualities is the most important trait you should have as a quarterback. He has that. He’s been coming in here and working his butt off. I have nothing but great things to say about Desmond.” Those words come from a seventh-year veteran heading into his age-28 season and in his first offseason with the Falcons. Others had similar praise for Ridder, who has not only led on-field work but reportedly been organizing events with teammates away from the field. All of this could mean nothing for his in-game performance. And Taylor Heinicke stands in wait as Ridder insurance. But all signs point to the Falcons hoping that Ridder will be their guy for at least the near future. He’s a fine late shot to take in superflex drafts. Check out his spot in our superflex rankings.
The Athletic's Joe Person highlighted WRs Terrace Marshall and Jonathan Mingo in the "Stock Up" section of a recent article. The Panthers re-made their WR corps this offseason under new HC Frank Reich, trading away D.J. Moore and adding Mingo, Adam Thielen and D.J. Chark to Marshall and Laviska Shenault. It seems like playing time is up for grabs heading to training camp later this month. We'll keep you updated on the situation.
Jim Wyatt of the Titans' official website expects a "big leap" from TE Chig Okonkwo this year. "He's had a solid offseason," Wyatt adds. Okonkwo didn't see quite enough volume to be a real fantasy factor as a rookie last season, turning 46 targets into 32 catches, 450 yards, and three TDs. But he averaged a huge 14.1 yards per catch and shined in underlying metrics like targets per route and yards per route. With very little target competition in Tennessee, Okonkwo has breakout potential in 2023.
Panthers QB Andy Dalton believes he’s still a top-32 QB in the NFL. “I view myself as a starter in this league; I don’t think there are 32 guys better than me,” Dalton told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “But this is the situation I am in, and I understand that. As soon as I don’t think I’m one of the best 32, or a little lower, I’ll be watching football on TV.” Barring a summer face plant from Bryce Young, Dalton will enter September in a backup role.
Patriots TE Mike Gesicki aims to rebound from a down 2022. A change of scenery helps, as Gesicki ran only 354 routes last season — way down from 2021 (539). His targets per route run also sunk, from 22.7% to 15.5% in Year 1 under HC Mike McDaniel. The Pats took a flier on Gesicki, inking the 27-year-old to a 1-year deal worth $4.5 million. He needs QB Mac Jones to bounce back in Year 3. But barring the addition of WR DeAndre Hopkins, Gesicki should hold a role that makes him a fantasy spot-starter. Ideally, he’s your TE3 in best ball leagues.
Titans RB Hassan Haskins has been charged with "aggravated assault by strangulation," according to ESPN's Turron Davenport. Haskins reportedly fought with his girlfriend, who was also arrested. We'll see how this situation plays out. Haskins doesn't look likely to be a fantasy factor even if these charges don't produce any league or team discipline.
Panthers RB Miles Sanders is in a strong situation to provide fantasy value this year. The Panthers gave Sanders the biggest RB contract in free agency by total money ($25 million), guaranteed money ($13 million), and average annual salary ($6.25 million). HC Frank Reich and company want Sanders to be their feature back, and they place a lot of faith in his abilities to shoulder large responsibilities. “Miles is a three-down back, and he can do a little bit of everything," said Reich during OTAs. "He’s explosive, he’s fast, and he has good vision and patience. Really smart. And on third down, when he has to block, he’s a willing blocker.” There isn't a ton of competition behind Sanders, either. Chuba Hubbard logged just 6.3 carries and 0.9 targets per game in 2022 following the Christian McCaffrey trade, and Raheem Blackshear and Spencer Brown combined for 44 touches in last year’s Panthers backfield. We project a major workload for Sanders in 2023, though his ceiling will depend on how many scoring opportunities the Panthers' offense will have with a rookie QB at the helm. See where we have him slated in our current RB rankings.
Titans QB Ryan Tannehill endured a rough 2022. Hurting his right ankle twice led to two stretches of missed games. When on the field, though, he played fine. His 65.2% completion rate remained in line with his career rate (64.3%). His 4.0% TD rate was below league average for starters but matched his 2021 number. His 1.8% TD rate was the second-lowest of his career. And Tannehill ranked a decent 18th in Pro Football Focus passing grade among 43 QBs with 150+ dropbacks. That followed rankings of 10th, seventh and third. Tannehill now heads into his age-35 season with a cap hit near $37 million and almost $19 million in dead cap if Tennessee were to move on. His competition is a second-round rookie (Will Levis) and second-year player who stunk as a rookie (Malik Willis). You can tell by our superflex rankings that we're not expecting a high-impact season from Tannehill. But he finished each of the previous three years among the top 16 QBs in fantasy points per game. Something near that would make Tannehill a nice value in superflex and 2-QB formats.
NFL Network's James Palmer had "multiple people" in the Broncos organization tell him that Tim Patrick is "the best football player in that WR room." That WR room also includes Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, and second-round rookie Marvin Mims. QB Russell Wilson felt most comfortable throwing to Patrick last offseason, per Palmer. And the belief (hope?) is that Patrick's August torn ACL played a big part in Wilson's ugly 2022 season. Patrick is on track to be ready for Week 1, which is good news for Wilson. But it's tough to see Patrick emerging as a reliable fantasy option barring an injury to Jeudy or Sutton. Patrick is at least worth considering near the end of best-ball drafts.
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