Zoltan Fantasy Football Sleepers 2023

"With cash in hand, and weapons new, a young quarterback is about to rule. With legs and arms the points will flow, and in 2023 No. 8 will steal the show."

Lamar Jackson will lead all quarterbacks in fantasy points in 2023.

It wasn't all that long ago that Lamar Jackson's future with the Baltimore Ravens appeared anything but certain. But a lot has changed since then. First, the Ravens gave Odell Beckham a one-year deal in free agency, Then the Ravens signed Jackson to a five-year, $260 million extension. Then the Ravens drafted Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers. Add the hiring of offensive coordinator Todd Monken to the list, and just about everything that could go right for Jackson has. Yes, Jackson has missed substantial time the past two seasons, But we're still talking about the only quarterback in league history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons. A quarterback who received a noticeable upgrade at offensive coordinator. And a quarterback who now has arguably the best passing-game weapons of his career. All the ingredients are there for Jackson to have a huge season -- and threaten to take the top spot at the position.

"In the year of two-three with flames alight, The reborn Seahawk shall soar in flight. More than the Golden-haired Jaguar, he tallies scores, and in the fantasy realm, his legend will roar."

Geno Smith will score more fantasy points in 2023 than Trevor Lawrence -- again.

Trevor Lawrence of the Jaguars is a trendy breakout pick in 2023, but Chris Towers of CBS Sports cautioned that fantasy drafters may be overestimating the youngster's upside this season.
"Even with the improvements he made last season," Towers said, "Lawrence was just QB11 in points per game, and even that might be overstating how useful he actually was for fantasy - he had a five-game stretch where he averaged 28.9 points per game from Weeks 10-15, but had 20-plus points just three times in his other 12 games, including just once in five games after that stretch, including the playoffs. Lawrence is a decent athlete who will make some contributions with his legs, but his passing is going to have to carry most of the weight here."
Meanwhile, Geno Smith is coming off a top-5 fantasy season in many scoring systems and just saw the Seahawks add Jaxon Smith-Njigba to a receiving corps that already includes DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. Given their relative ADPs, it's not hard to argue that Smith is the batter value in drafts.

"In the season to come, Cleveland's pride shall rise, thanks to a back with strength, speed and size. In fantasy football, he'll reign supreme, a top-3 producer, fulfilling managers' dreams."
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb will lead the NFL In rushing and finish as a top-3 PPR option.

There's no question that Nick Chubb is one of the best pure runners in the NFL. And with Kareem Hunt and D'Ernest Johnson gone, Chubb could be set for the heaviest workload of his career -- and Yahoo's Andy Behrens expects him to take advantage of it.
"Like, can we just get to," he said, "can we just get to 40 catches for Nick Chubb? Because if we can get to 40 catches for Nick Chubb, that's-- now we're challenging 2,000 scrimmage yards, right? Now we're talking about somebody who has a profile that can ultimately finish as the overall RB1. I would take Nick Chubb over Saquon Barkley. I know I don't see it very often, but I would take Nick Chubb over Saquon Barkley."

"From the land of Texas, a tale unfolds, of a veteran back who has been undersold. As fate unravels, he'll surpass with might, the Texans' lead back, who will lose a camp fight."

Devin Singletary will emerge as the lead running back and top fantasy option in the backfield for the Houston Texans.

Dameon Pierce had the third-highest share of a team's carries in the NFL last year. But per Robert Lorge of RotoBaller, Devin Singletary has both a better resume and a more well-rounded skillset.
"While Piece was impressive as a rookie," he said "Singletary has maintained similar averages across four seasons. In fact, Singletary has a higher true yard per carry average, a higher juke rate, and a higher breakaway run rate."
At the very least, Singletary's superior receiving skills and far better pass-blocking ability is going to get him on the field on passing downs. But the idea that Pierce is a far better running back just doesn't hold up to scrutiny -- and Pierce's grip on the No. 1 slot isn't as strong as many believe.

"Upon the gridiron of warriors bold, The King named Henry cannot avoid growing old. Struck by the curse of 370's weight, His prowess declines, sealing his fate."
Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry will finish outside the top-15 at his position in 2023.

There haven't been many more productive backs than Henry over the past several years, including an RB4 PPR finish in 2022. But the last time Henry topped 370 touches (2020) he missed over half the following season. And as Jamey Eisenberg wrote for CBS Sports, the potential of the "Curse of 370" striking again is only one of Henry's problems.
"I'm afraid Father Time will catch up to Henry this season," he said. "He turned 29 in January, and that's not good for a running back. While he bounced back from the foot injury, he sustained in 2021 that limited him to eight games -- he played 16 games in 2022 -- he has a lot of mileage on his massive frame with over 380 total touches in two of the past three seasons. The Titans' offensive line is going through a makeover this year, and Tennessee reportedly was shopping Henry this offseason."
Henry's getting older, the Titans are a mess. And Henry tallied 382 touches last year. There's a lot working against him in 2023.

"Rodgers' loss, though it seems a blow, won't be enough to steal Watson's show. In fantasy football, his star shall gleam, top-15 wideout, fulfilling managers' dreams."
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson will finish 2023 as a top-15 fantasy receiver.

The trade that sent Aaron Rodgers to the Green Bay Packers was one of the biggest stories of the 2023 offseason. But there are some fantasy pundits who believe Rodgers' departure won't dampen the fantasy prospects of second-year receiver Christian Watson. Per Jacob Gibbs of CBS Sports, Watson posted the third-highest yards per route run against man coverage since 2017 last year -- and Gibbs thinks that could only be the beginning.
"The sustainability of Watson's outstanding rookie season yard per route run rate going forward will be tied directly to his target rate," he said. "If he can continue to draw targets at a high rate while occupying a deep route tree, Watson has the potential to be a Julio Jones or Justin Jefferson-like outlier in the yardage department. And unlike those two players, Watson has already shown an ability to dominate his team's target distribution when in scoring distance."
Over the second half of the 2022 season (Weeks 9-17), Watson was ninth in PPR points among wide receivers. If you believe at all in Jordan Love as a viable NFL starter, then you have to believe in Watson's chances for a big year.

"Oh, hear my words, this truth profound, Dotson's allure, like a sweet siren's sound. From end zone to end zone, his glory unfurls. Outscoring McLaurin, as footballs twirl."
Jahan Dotson of the Washington Commanders will amass more PPR fantasy points than teammate Terry McLaurin.

"From lofty heights, a Raider descends low, His production will falter, his value laid low. Though past successes, once shone bright, Adams' star shall dim, in sorrow's night."

Las Vegas Raiders receiver Davante Adams will finish outside the top-10 in PPR fantasy points.
Davante Adams was dominant in his first year with the Raiders, finishing second in targets, seventh in catches, third in receiving yards and third in PPR points. But that was with Derek Carr at quarterback, and now Jimmy Garoppolo is in town. And for Nick Makowitz of FTN, that's a legitimate problem.
"Adams has played predominantly with Aaron Rodgers and Derek Carr the last two seasons, both of whom typically rank in the top half of the league in aDOT," he said. "His new quarterback, Jimmy Garoppolo, ranked 30th among qualified quarterbacks in aDOT last season and is still dealing with foot problems that came about last December. Without the deep ball, Adams can still be a great fantasy asset, especially in full point PPR, but his 100-yard, multi-touchdown upside could be limited."
This isn't to say that Adams production will careen off a cliff. But he's not as safe a fantasy investment as many think.

His hands, like vises, secure every throw. His speed and agility, a wondrous show. A talent untamed, relentless in his quest, Greg Dulcich, the top-12 he shall crest.
Denver Broncos tight end Greg Dulcich will finish inside the top-12 in 2023.

ESPN's Eric Moody believes that the arrival of Sean Payton could mean big things for Dulcich in 2023. "Dulcich is someone I'll be watching very closely to see how he gets utilized in Sean Payton's offense in Denver," he said. "Dulcich has the ability to threaten defenses on all three levels and become a mismatch nightmare for opponents."