Welcome to the third entry of my fantasy football rankings for the 2023 NFL season. These are my own personal rankings, as we approach the first game!
Do you agree with my rankings, or is there someone you think I’ve got it all wrong about? Let me know!
PS – Stick around to the end to see how you can win a free NFL jersey of your choosing!
All rankings are based on 0.5PPR scoring, 6pt rushing/receiving touchdowns, 1 point per 10 rushing/receiving yards, 4pt passing touchdowns, and 1 point per 25 passing yards.
Let’s talk Running Backs!
1. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
Justin Jefferson is an absolute superstar, like a legit full-blown ‘face of the league’ level of superstar. Through his first three seasons in the league, the Vikings wideout has put up an astronomical (all-time record) 4,825 receiving yards on 324 receptions. He has also added on a casual 25 touchdowns. It’s rare to see a wide receiver at first overall in fantasy football, but this year that’s what we’re seeing – and it’s fully justified. If I have the 1.01 this year, I’m taking Jettas, no questions asked. Defenses will put him in double coverage near enough the entire game, but it just doesn’t matter. He is one of the greatest young receivers in history, and having him in fantasy is a sure-fired way to dominate week-in week-out.
2. Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
In a different timeline, Ja’Marr Chase would be getting as much hype as Justin Jefferson is right now. The Bengals receiver is absolutely dominant, and he comes packaged with an even better offense around him than JJ has. Cincinnati have a top 5 quarterback in Joe Burrow and a really talented WR2 who we may or may not speak about later, giving Chase a brilliant situation for fantasy. He averages 15 yards per reception, and has already shown the potential for absolutely astronomical games. In 29 regular season games, Chase has had 119 or more receiving yards 8 times and has 5 multiple-TD games. No single player in the National Football league has higher upside on a week to week basis than Ja’Marr; in Week 17 in 2021 he had 11 catches for 266 yards and 3 TD’s. Yeah, I want that upside on my fantasy team.
3. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
Possibly the scariest speed the NFL has ever seen, Tyreek Hill is a freak of nature and has been a fantasy football star for years. After leaving the Chiefs, some people were worried his production might fall off, but he ended up putting up a career-high of 1,710 receiving yards. His touchdowns weren’t as insane as they used to be in KC, but he is still one of the most reliable fantasy assets you can get. Tyreek has always been a favourite in a standard league (no points for receptions), but last year he actually had the highest receptions per game he’s ever had, at 7, making his floor even higher.
4. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills
A long-time fantasy favourite, Stefon Diggs continues to perform at the highest level. Similarly to Hill, he moved team during his prime, and hasn’t lost a step. Over three seasons in Buffalo, he is averaging 1400 and 10 TD’s. Yes, you read that right – averaging. The talent has been there from day one in Minnesota, but now Diggs is paired up with an elite QB who loves him on a fantastic offense. Defenses know that Diggs is going to get 7 receptions a game and there’s nothing they can do about it. As you can tell from the start of this list, you can’t really go wrong with one of these elite wideouts.
5. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
A.J. Brown used to be really good for fantasy football when he was playing on a mid-tier run-heavy offense, when he was only getting between 80 and 100 targets a year. Now he’s joined a high-flying (pun not intended) Eagles offense with a better QB and he saw 145 targets last year. Giving a player this talented 145 targets is a pretty good formula for fantasy football production. The Eagles are Super Bowl contenders that I expect to see dominate the regular season once again, and Brown is poised for another great campaign.
6. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
From Super Bowl aspirations to a team who just desperately want to make a real playoff run. The Cowboys are in a weird place at the moment, where their defense is really good, and their offense is trying to find the consistency required to take advantage of that. One player who you can’t fault for their struggles is CeeDee Lamb. The 24-year-old receiver has gradually improved across the three years since he was drafted, posting 935 yards and 5 TD’s, then 1,102 and 6 TD’s, and then 1,359 yards and 9 TD’s last season. As he enters his prime, Lamb is one of the more reliable receivers you can draft. Man people have concerns around the Cowboys as a whole, but I think if there’s anyone you can trust it’s CeeDee.
7. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders
My favourite player in NFL history, it hurts me to put Davante Adams this low down my rankings. It really does. Unfortunately, I just don’t know how Jimmy Garroppolo is going to perform this year. This ranking could not have less to do with the talent of the WR. Adams has absolutely elite route-running, great hands and underrated speed. The literal only downside is that his QB has been downgraded from his best friend and very confident deep passer Derek Carr to a replacement who typically relies on YAC to create explosive plays. I still expect to see very high volume for Adams. The quality of the targets is the only thing I’m scared of.
8. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
My favourite rookie coming into the season last year, Garrett Wilson showed some real flashes of talent in his first season. Please bare something in mind… that was when he was seeing targets from Zach Wilson, Mike White and Joe Flacco. Now, he’s got Aaron Rodgers. Not only is he a HOF quarterback who has done great things for a long time, he’s just a year removed from winning back-to-back MVP’s. Rodgers’ arm talent and general QB skill is a huge upgrade for the sophomore WR. Plus, the ex-Packer has shown on numerous occasions that being his WR1 is immensely powerful for fantasy. If Garrett Wilson gets another 150 targets this season, but this time they’re coming from Aaron Rodgers, he has legit top 3 WR upside. I own him in any league where I have the chance and I can’t wait to see him in action this season.
9. Amon Ra-St. Brown, Detroit Lions
An absolute PPR machine, Amon-Ra St. Brown is still worthy of a top-10 spot in this scoring format. The Lions wideout is one of the most polished young receivers in the league. He doesn’t get the type of spotlight of the names I’ve listed above him because he doesn’t make huge deep plays, but he is great at getting open and he’s the clear WR1 on this offense. He’s basically Jared Goff’s new Cooper Kupp. If you constantly get open and your QB is half-decent, you’re going to be pretty good for fantasy. St. Brown does just that. If you think he’s boring then I won’t judge you for taking someone more exciting, but there aren’t many players more consistent than this.
10. Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins
Our first WR2 on the list, Jaylen Waddle is one of the most electric players in the league. The third-year Miami wideout has already established himself as a fantasy star. Honestly, having him on the same team as Tyreek Hill is just unfair. They’re both lightning fast and if one is covered well, the other is probably wide open. When the Dolphins pass the ball, defenses can only hope to contain them. Last season his total receptions dropped off, but he led the league with a ridiculous 18.1 yards per reception. Waddle is poised for another great season and having him on your team is fun as hell, because you know at any moment he could break off a 60-yard TD.
11. Chris Olave, New Orleans Saints
You remember when I said that Derek Carr was a perfect QB for Davante Adams. That’s because when DC4 has a go-to target, their volume goes ballistic. Darren Waller, then Davante Adams. Well, now his #1 target is Chris Olave. The second-year wideout has already shown that he can make it happen at the NFL level, with a 1,000 yard campaign last year. I think it is very reasonable to expect Olave to see 130+ targets this season. I think Carr is underrated and will serve fantasy owners well when they invest a second or third round pick on his WR1.
12. Tee Higgins, Cincinnati Bengals
Another WR2, Tee Higgins has the talent to be the top of the depth chart in almost every team in the NFL. However, he’s paired up with my WR2 on this list. Yes, that means he won’t ever get 140 targets. It also means you can’t ever double cover him, though. While Chase dominates and defenses do everything they possibly can to stop him, Higgins runs free. Joe Burrow is a top 3 QB in the NFL, so the service is good, and defenses also have to respect Joe Mixon’s rushing ability. The talent is there and the situation is brilliant, what more could you want? Whether he’s your WR1, WR2 or WR3, he is a sure-fire fantasy producer.
Think you’ve got what it takes?
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