[brid autoplay=”true” video=”1385528″ player=”10951″ title=”2023 Fantasy Football Rookies” duration=”173″ description=”0:24 Jahmyr Gibbs 1:05 Kendre Miller 1:54 Jaxon Smith-Njigba ” uploaddate=”2023-08-19″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/9233/snapshot/1385528_th_64e0200ad8139_1692409866.jpg” image=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/9233/snapshot/1385528_sd_64e0200ad8139_1692409866.jpg” contenturl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/9233/sd/1385528.mp4″ width=”480″ height=”270″]
Do not leave your fantasy football drafts without these must-have players at each position (plus my honorable mention). Who did I neglect? Comment below your must-have players for 2023 fantasy football!
Don’t forget to subscribe to the Razzball Fantasy YouTube Channel! You can also find our content on Instagram, TikTok and Razzball.com!
QB: Justin Herbert (LAC)—Current ADP: QB7 // 5.02 (as of 8.21.23)
Herbert had a “down” season based on his finish of QB12 and 2022 average draft position (ADP) of QB2 // 3.09 behind only Josh Allen (remember when people were scared Patrick Mahomes couldn’t play without Tyreek Hill?). Herbert played all 17 games but was never the same after a crushing hit in Week 2 that left him with cracked ribs that lingered all season. In addition to his own injuries, his top weapons (once again) couldn’t stay healthy either. Keenan Allen was injured in or missed nine games, and Mike Williams was injured in or missed six games.
Still, Herbert had 10 top 12 performances with two top 5 and seven top 10. New OC Kellen Moore and Herbert already have rapport. Moore led the Cowboys to the fourth-highest-scoring offense in 2022. The Chargers were 12th. Rookie Quentin Johnston has already impressed in camp and seems to be one of the best No. 3 WR options in the NFL already.
Josh Palmer is a nice fourth receiver, and Gerald Everett had career-highs at tight end. Herbert proved in 2021 he can reach 5,000/40. I’ll take that upside in the fifth to sixth round as I build a top-end RB/WR corps letting half my league choose a QB in the first five rounds.
Oh, Hebert also got PAID—five-year, $262.5M. Go Ducks!
RB: Joe Mixon (CIN) – Current ADP: RB12 // 3.07
Mixon had an inconsistent start to last season, scoring just three total touchdowns through the first eight weeks. He exploded in Week 9 for 200+ total yards, FIVE touchdowns and 55 points per reception (PPR) fantasy points. From Week 9 on, Mixon was RB6 in PPR points per game (PPG) ahead of Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley. Mixon was also listed as the second-highest-graded running back by Pro Football Focus. He missed three games and was still RB12.
The Bengals’ offensive line ranks 17th pre-season (up 11 spots from 2022) by Pro Football Focus. Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Co. keep defenses out of the box. Mixon should finish as an RB1 and possibly top 5 if he gets another 60 receptions which was a career-high last year. I’ll draft Mixon over Najee Harris, Rhamondre Stevenson, Josh Jacobs and Jonathan Taylor, all being drafted earlier.
WR: Calvin Ridley (JAC)—Current ADP: WR16 // 3.06
Ridley missed all of 2022 and played just five games in 2021 due to injuries and suspension. He’s back and now on the Jaguars. Before having lost seasons in 2021 and 2022, Ridley had a tremendous 2020 as the No. 2 on the Falcons alongside future Hall of Famer Julio Jones. Ridley finished PPR WR5 that season with nearly 1,400 receiving yards. A year-and-a-half later, he’s on a new team, with a new quarterback in Trevor Lawrence and a new offensive system.
He’s also now surrounded by quality teammates, which should minimize double coverage. Although Christian Kirk, Zay Jones, Evan Engram and Travis Etienne are solid players, they’re not Ridley if he’s HIMself. So far this summer, Ridley has stood out at Jags camp. His 18.8 PPR PPG in 2020 would have landed him as the WR5 last season. If Ridley goes for 75/1,100/6 (Mike Evans) or 90/1,000/6 (DK Metcalf), he should end up as a high-end WR2 with weekly WR1 upside. I think he far exceeds those examples.
TE: TJ Hockenson (MIN)—Current ADP: TE3 // 4.07
If you’re going to go TE early and miss out on Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews, Hockenson is easily the next-best option for consistency, upside, floor and high-powered offense. He’s going in the fourth round. In theory, you could/should have top-tier RB/WR picks already. Kelce and Andrews are dominant, obviously, but you’re sacrificing top 5/10 options at RB/WR in the first two rounds, which I don’t love.
Hockenson allows you to build a foundation first. Rarely does a TE earn 30 PPR fantasy points in a week; it happened only six times last season. Hockenson was responsible for two of those performances – In week 4 (39.9) with Jared Goff as a Lion and again in Week 16 (35.9) as a Viking. After joining the Vikings in Week 9, Hockenson was second on the team in targets, behind only Justin Jefferson. Dalvin Cook and Adam Thielen are gone. KJ Osborn is No. 3 behind Justin Jefferson and rookie Jordan Addison.
Hockenson should once again feast in the third-most pass-happy offense in the NFL that scored the 8th most points in 2022. If you go TE early, go with Hockenson. If not, David Njoku or Cole Kmet after the 10th Round.
Honorable mention: Brandon Aiyuk (SF) – Current ADP: WR29 // 5.09
Aiyuk finished as the PPR WR15 in 2022 with career highs across the board and tied Davante Adams for 8th in the NFL in “open rate,” according to ESPN analytics. Aiyuk was the PPR WR18 once Brock Purdy took over in Week 13 with 12.8 PPR PPG. Deebo Samuel missed three games during that stretch, but still, Aiyuk outpaced Samuel with 12.8 vs. 10.4 PPR PPG.
Aiyuk also played all 17 games and avg. 13.4 PPR PPG on the season. Samuel played parts of 13 games with 13 PPR PPG. Samuel led WRs with 232 rushing yards but had just five total touchdowns. Aiyuk tied Justin Jefferson for fourth in the NFL with eight touchdowns, had twice as many 20+ yard receptions than Samuel (23:11) and had 250 total yards more than Samuel. I’ll pass on Deebo Samuel in the third round and scoop Brandon Aiyuk two or three rounds later.
For more from Sky and his Razzball content, find him on Twitter @skyguasco.
