Justin Fields
Quarterback
Chicago Bears
Bears QB Justin Fields has a great opportunity to take the next step in his growth as a QB this season. The Bears upgraded their revivers room as they traded for star receiver D.J.Moore from the Carolina Panthers. From Week 6 on in 2022 Fields was the QB3 averaging over 24 fantasy points per game in 2022. In 2022 Justin Fields recorded the 4th season with 1,000+ rush yards by a quarterback in NFL history. He joins Lamar Jackson (2019, 2020) and Michael Vick (2006) as the only other quarterbacks to accomplish this milestone.
Rachaad White
Running Back
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Rachaad White is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers new RB1 with the release of Buccaneers RB Leonard Fournette this past offseason. The Buccaneers did not add anyone during free agency or the draft which means White has to backfield to himself. Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles believes White could “become a complete, three-down back,”. In 2022 as a rookie Rachaad White averaged 10.5 touches with 14.7 touches per game over his last 9 games of 2022. He averaged 8.2 fantasy points per game in 2022 which was 43rd among RBs. In Whites’ 1st career start in 2022 he earned 109 yards and 9 catches versus the Cleveland Browns. From Weeks 10-17, Rachaad White operated averaged 11 fantasy points per game (RB26). He posted top-20 RB performances in four of his last seven games. White was prolific as a receiver with 50 receptions which was good for 11th among all RBs in 2022. White finished as a Top-10 in RB catches in 2022.
Khalil Herbert
Running Back
Chicago Bears
Khalil Herbert may finally get his chance to show what he can do as the Bears starting RB as they let starting RB David Montgomery leave for the Detroit Lions in Free Agency. Over the last two years in games in which RB David Montgomery missed or left early, Herbert averaged: 19.5 rushing attempts per game, 2.2 targets per game and 16 PPR points per game. Herbert has started 5 games in 2 years with 97.8 yards on 21.4 touches. He ranks 7th in RB efficiency. Herbert's 4.3 yards after contact per carry led all RBs in 2022.
Cam Akers
Running Back
Los Angeles Rams
Cam Akers has very little competition in the Rams’ backfield which means he is the clear RB1 in LA. The only other backs the Rams have on their roster are Kyren Williams a small, slow & inefficient back , Zach Evans a late 6th round rookie and Ronnie Rivers who has 9 career carries in the NFL. Over the Rams’ final six games, Akers had 104 carries which shows that Sean McVay will ride one back like he did with Todd Gurly. Akers lead the NFL in rushing over the final six weeks of the regular season and ranked as the RB4 in half-point PPR scoring over that stretch. He averaged 18 points in the final 6 games of 2022 and was a Top-5 fantasy back. Akers was 4th in RB points during the final 6 games of 2022. He had over 100 rushing yards in each of his last three games. Akers was coming off an Achilles injury last year which is typically a 2-year recovery to full explosiveness. Akers looked 100% the final month of 2022.
Christian Watson
Wide Receiver
Green Bay Packers
As a rookie in 2022 Christian Watson had a 26% target rate per route run ranking 17th among all WRs with at least 400 snaps. Watson was 12th in WR efficiency as a rookie. Watson led all WRs in points per target as a rookie in 2022. Watson’s 2.47 yards per route run ranked inside the top 10 and tied with superstar Davante Adams. From Week 10 on Watson ranked first in yards per route run (2.78). Over the same span, Watson was the WR9 in both total points and on a per-game basis in PPR. Watson also has no competition in Green Bay for targets. 258 targets are up for grabs in Green Bay. This means he’s now the clear #1 option in the pass game for QB Jordan Love. This means his target share will only increase.
Elijah Moore
Wide Receiver
Cleveland Browns
Elijah Moore is now a member of the Cleveland Browns after being traded from the New York Jets this past offseason. Moore will be the Browns WR2 and play mainly in the slot. Browns QB Deshaun Watson is most efficient targeting receivers in the slot where Moore will be lined up at. Watsons’ slot WRs have average 12.3 fantasy points in his 5-year career. Moore has shown that he has the talent to be a top slot receiver as a rookie he was Top-5 vs. man coverage. He also was the WR4 in fantasy points his final 7 games as a rookie in 2021.
Calvin Ridley
Wide Receiver
Jacksonville Jaguars
Calvin Ridley is set to return for the 2023 season after missing the entire 2022 season due to suspension due to betting. Ridley posted 143 targets in his last full season played in 2020. He had 40 deep targets (1) and 22 redzone targets (2). In 5 games in 2021 Ridley had 10.4 targets per game and was #3 vs. man coverage with an aging QB in Matt Ryan. Now Ridley gets the best quarterback of his career in Trevor Lawrence down in Duval County.
Kyle Pitts
Tight End
Atlanta Falcons
In 2022 Kyle Pitts really struggled to get going in Atlanta. The reason is Pitts suffered through bad QB play, an offense not in redzone often and a historically low pass offense. Believe it or not, Kyle Pitts was an elite player in 2022. Pitts was #4 in efficiency, #1 in target rate and #1 in deep targets among TEs. From 2021 to 2022, Kyle Pitts improved his touchdown rate, target share, target rate, air yards share, and target depth.
Pitts is a great option if any of these improve.
Chigoziem Okonkwo
Tight End
Tennessee Titans
As a rookie Chigoziem Okonkwo had a 26% target rate which ranked 2nd among all tight ends with at least 40 targets in 2022. He finished first in yards per reception (14.0), and first in yards per route run (2.61) among all tight ends. He also was tied for first in Yards after the Catch/Reception (7.8). Okonkwo had a 69.6% catch rate, 14.1 yards per catch and 9.8 yards per target as a rookie in 2022. He was 5th among tight ends in receiving yardage from Week 9 onwards in 2022. Okonkwo scored 10 or more fantasy points in four of his final six games of 2022. Okonkwo will not have much competition at the TE position as Austin Hooper and Jeff Swaim left in the offseason. The Titans did not add anyone at the TE position in the offseason to combat the loss at TE which means Okonkwo will take on the vacated targets.
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