The 2023 fantasy football draft season is starting to heat up now that we’ve gone through the height of free agency and all of the chosen rookies have been assigned to their professional home cities.
The landscape has changed a great deal for many franchises after a whirlwind offseason, and our divisional preview series will help you stay on top of all of the changes to date.
AFC divisional previews
East | North | South | West
NFC divisional previews
East | North | South | West
Arizona Cardinals
2022 record: 4-13
Notable coaching and system changes
It was a rapid fall for Kliff Kingsbury, who was given an extension last March only to be fired after going 4-13 in 2022. In his place, Arizona hired Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon as head coach. Gannon’s offense will be led by coordinator Drew Petzing, who was Cleveland’s quarterback coach last season. His job will be to design an offense around Kyler Murray‘s strengths. At age 29, Nick Rallis leads the defense as the NFL’s youngest coordinator.
Key free-agent additions
- WR Zach Pascal
Key free-agent departures
- RB Darrel Williams (unsigned)
- WR Chosen Anderson
- TE Maxx Williams (unsigned)
Key draft additions
- WR Michael Wilson
- QB Clayton Tune
Quarterback preview
We know Kyler Murray is Arizona’s franchise quarterback. What we don’t know is when he’ll return after suffering a torn ACL on Dec. 12. The team has made comments about Murray returning earlier than expected, perhaps before midseason, but it’s too early to have a date in mind. Clearly, it’d make sense to take a long-term view with Murray and not rush his recovery in any way. If you wanted to grab him late and stash him on an IR spot as your QB3, it might be worth it. Otherwise, wait until his return date becomes clearer before acting.
With Murray out, Colt McCoy is the logical starter. The veteran is well respected and limits mistakes, which can keep his team in games. From a fantasy perspective, however, McCoy offers nothing.
Running back preview
Despite missing four games due to injury, James Conner comfortably led the Cardinals in carries (183), yards (782), and touchdowns (7) last season. In fact, other than Eno Benjamin, who was released in early November, no Arizona back logged more than 27 carries. With no moves in free agency (yet) and no draft picks added to the depth chart, it certainly appears that Conner will be the bell cow. That seems risky when you consider Conner has only rushed for more than 800 yards once in six seasons. He’s a tough short-yardage back and a solid receiver, but even with no clear backup Conner can’t be considered more than a low-end RB2.
As things stand, the names in the hunt for RB2 are Keaontay Ingram (27-60-0), Corey Clement (15-55-0), and perhaps Ty’Son Williams, who had some moments with Baltimore but never carved out a role. Nobody in this group currently holds fantasy appeal.
Wide receiver preview
For a time, it seemed that DeAndre Hopkins was as good as gone, but the Cardinals never found a deal to their liking, and now Nuk is expected back in 2023. Last season was one to forget for Hopkins, who served a six-game suspension to open the year and then missed the final two games with a knee injury. In between, he caught 64 passes for 717 yards and three TDs. Even at 31, D-Hop could return WR2 value.
Marquise Brown started fast, scoring three times in the first five weeks, but he fractured his foot in Week 6 (right before Hopkins’ return) and missed five games. He did little after returning, never topping 70 yards in a game and failing to score. Rondale Moore battled hamstring and groin injuries in 2022, which limited him to eight appearances, and he underwent groin and finger surgeries in the offseason. Moore was busy when active, logging 41 receptions for 414 yards. There’s uncertainty here in terms of how playing time will be distributed, as well as the quarterbacking issues, so for now view Brown as a low-end WR3 and Moore as a WR4/WR5.
The Cardinals added Michael Wilson in Round 3, but unless the team changes course on Hopkins or injuries once again decimate the depth chart, it’s hard to see a path to much playing time for the rookie.
Tight end preview
Another position, another player coming off an injury-filled season. Zach Ertz (47-406-4) was lost for the year Nov. 13 with a torn ACL/MCL. He underwent surgery and hopes to be ready for Week 1. While Ertz has enjoyed a solid career, he’ll turn 33 this season and is coming off a major injury. We’ll see what he has left.
With Ertz likely nearing the end, Trey McBride could push to become the primary tight end. A second-round pick in 2022, McBride improved as the season wore on, catching 20 passes for 219 yards and a score over the final five weeks. He’s someone to watch.
Sleeper/breakout candidates
There’s plenty of uncertainty with the Arizona passing game, most notably Murray’s return date and how targets will be doled out when everyone is healthy. On paper, Rondale Moore is WR3, but his work from the slot on quick hitters could earn him a lot of chances. And if they revisit a Hopkins trade…
Bust potential/overvalued players
The case for Zach Ertz is clear. He’s an aging veteran, coming off a season-ending injury, and playing on a team with very low expectations at a position with an ascending talent in McBride. A season ago, Ertz was a fringe TE1. This year, he’s best left undrafted.
Los Angeles Rams
2022 record: 5-12
Notable coaching and system changes
Head coach Sean McVay went from the penthouse to the outhouse, going from Super Bowl champions in 2021 to the NFC’s third-worst record last year. While McVay considered retirement, the 37-year-old returns for a seventh season. He’ll have a new offensive coordinator as Liam Coen went back to Kentucky, opening a spot for Mike LaFleur, who was fired by the Jets. Raheem Morris enters his third season as defensive coordinator.
Key free-agent additions
- None
Key free-agent departures
- QB Baker Mayfield
- RB Malcolm Brown
- WR Allen Robinson (trade)
- WR Odell Beckham Jr.
- PK Matt Gay
Key draft additions
- QB Stetson Bennett
- TE Davis Allen
- WR Puka Nacua
- RB Zach Evans
Quarterback preview
The warning signs for Matthew Stafford began last summer when reports about elbow trouble began to surface. While LA downplayed their concern, the veteran quarterback scarcely resembled the player that threw for 4,886 yards and 41 TDs in 2021. Poor offensive line play didn’t help, and the beating Stafford took eventually landed him on IR with a spinal cord contusion. Retirement was considered, but as with McVay, Stafford returns in 2023. LA lacks the talent of the 2021 squad, though, and Stafford should be considered more of a QB2.
Running back preview
Considering that he essentially didn’t play for a month while the club tried to trade him last October, Cam Akers’ spot as lead back heading into 2023 is rather surprising. After missing essentially all of 2021 with an Achilles’ injury, Akers split time early on with Darrell Henderson and was called out by McVay for lacking urgency. Eventually, the two sides worked things out, and Akers ended on a high note: 63 carries, 345 yards, and 3 TDs in the last three games. Entering a contract year, Akers is an intriguing RB2.
Armed with 14 draft picks, the Rams used just one on a running back, selecting Zach Evans in the sixth round. Look for him and Kyren Williams, a fifth-round pick that dealt with lower-body injuries as a rookie, to battle for the backup job. The Notre Dame product is a capable receiver, while Evans is more of a power back. If someone emerges as the clear backup, they’d be a watch list addition.
Wide receiver preview
The reigning Offensive Player of the Year, Cooper Kupp was on pace for 142 receptions, 1,534 yards, and 11 TDs before a high ankle sprain ended his season after nine games. He might’ve been able to return following surgery in November, but with LA going nowhere they elected to keep him on IR. The biggest difference between Kupp last year versus 2021 was that almost everything was underneath, causing his yards per catch to drop from 13.4 to 10.8. They’ll try to get Kupp loose more often, but even if they can’t, his high usage keeps him as a strong WR1.
LA pulled the plug on Allen Robinson after he posted a dismal 33-339-3 line last year. That leaves Van Jefferson (24-369-3), Ben Skowronek (39-376-0), and Tutu Atwell (18-298-1) to compete for the next two spots on the depth chart. Of that group, Jefferson is the one to watch. He had an encouraging 2021 with 802 yards and six TDs but missed nearly half of last season recovering from knee surgery. If healthy, Jefferson has the speed to work deep and open things up for Kupp. He’d be an interesting WR5.
Tight end preview
One of the few skill players to avoid injury last season, Tyler Higbee logged a career-high 72 receptions for 620 yards and three touchdowns. He’s the steadiest option outside of Kupp, though LA has several young tight ends, including Hunter Long, a 2021 third-rounder acquired in the Jalen Ramsey deal, so we’ll see if they sacrifice experience for upside. Higbee is a fringe TE1.
Sleeper/breakout candidates
LA’s offensive woes can’t be solved by one player. Van Jefferson‘s speed should certainly help, however, and with no veterans around he could become the clear No. 2 option in the passing game. That’d suit Jefferson just fine as he enters a contract year. Motivation and opportunity are an attractive mix for a breakout candidate.
Bust potential/overvalued players
Don’t assume that Matthew Stafford, even if fully healthy, is just going to rebound and put together another 4,886-yard, 41-touchdown season. He’s 35, coming off an injury that had him contemplating retirement, and on paper he’s playing with the weakest receiving corps he’s had in LA. As your QB2, he’s worth the gamble. As QB1, not so much.
San Francisco 49ers
2022 record: 13-4
Notable coaching and system changes
Given what happened at quarterback last season, Kyle Shanahan’s sixth year as head coach of the 49ers was arguably his most impressive. That success cost him defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans, who left to become head coach of the Texans and took co-offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik with him. As replacements, Kyle Kubiak joins holdover Chris Foerster as co-OC, though Shanahan remains mastermind and play caller, while Steve Wilks, who shined as Carolina’s interim coach in 2022, will run the defense.
Key free-agent additions
- QB Sam Darnold
Key free-agent departures
- QB Jimmy Garoppolo
- OL Mike McGlinchey
- PK Robbie Gould (unsigned)
Key draft additions
- PK Jake Moody
Quarterback preview
Despite the team having used a lot of assets to move up and draft Trey Lance in 2021, last year’s Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy, has the inside track on being the team’s starter after going 7-1 in that role as a rookie — the one loss came in the NFC Championship Game when he was injured after attempting just four passes. Purdy is still recovering from elbow surgery because of that injury, but all seems to be progressing well and the hope is he’ll be ready in Week 1. While Purdy lacks Lance’s raw talent and athleticism, the offense hummed along with him at the controls, and his style is a nice fit for Shanahan. For fantasy purposes, however, the immobile Purdy is no more than a middling QB2.
If Purdy and/or Lance, who missed most of 2022 with an ankle injury, are unable to go early on, the 49ers could ask Sam Darnold to hold the fort. The veteran wouldn’t hold any interest in a short-term gig.
Running back preview
Coming off back-to-back seasons wrecked by injury, Christian McCaffrey stayed healthy in 2022. He was traded to the 49ers after six games with Carolina and immediately made an impact — in six games without CMC, San Francisco averaged 22 points; in 11 games with him, they averaged 29.8. The multi-talented McCaffrey was a huge part of that, posting 110 combined yards per outing and scoring 10 times. In the Shanahan system, the Stanford product has overall RB1 upside. There are still significant durability concerns, however, meaning CMC carries plenty of risk.
Speaking of which, Elijah Mitchell hit IR on two different occasions with knee issues and has now missed 18 of 34 games in his young career. He also missed the NFC Championship Game with a groin injury. Mitchell clearly has talent, averaging 4.9 yards per carry through two seasons, but between his medical red flags and lack of involvement as a receiver he doesn’t rate higher than RB5 status.
As with Trey Sermon in 2021, Tyrion Davis-Price had zero impact as a third-round pick last season. TDP was active for just six games and ran 34 times for 99 yards. Compare that to undrafted rookie Jordan Mason, who logged 258 yards on 43 carries, and it might not be too soon to wonder about Davis-Price’s future.
Wide receiver preview
Statistically, last season was a borderline bust performance from Deebo Samuel. After producing 1,770 yards and 14 TDs in 2021, his output nosedived to 864 yards and five scores — granted, he missed a month with knee and ankle issues, but even on a 17-game pace he wouldn’t have approached the previous campaign. Plus, outside of a 133-yard outburst against Seattle in the Wild Card, he didn’t do much with Purdy under center. It’s far too early to write off that combination, but with only one big statistical effort in four seasons and some issues staying healthy, Samuel enters 2023 as a dicey WR2.
While he’s typically the third player mentioned in San Francisco’s passing attack, Brandon Aiyuk comfortably led the 49ers in receptions (78), targets (114), and yards (1,015) while also catching eight TD passes. Aiyuk is a tough cover that isn’t afraid to work the middle of the field, and on a team full of durability risks he has played in every game the past two seasons. With his numbers trending skyward, Aiyuk is a strong WR3 with upside.
Jauan Jennings (35-416-1) is the No. 3 receiver but is known more for his blocking than receiving chops. While Danny Gray did next to nothing as a rookie, he has big-time speed and could start to push for snaps in Year 2.
Tight end preview
Entering play on Dec. 15, George Kittle had missed two games to a groin injury and had topped 50 yards three times in 11 outings. He was a monster over the final four games, though, racking up 18 receptions, 265 yards, and 7 TDs — all of it coming with Purdy under center. His final numbers (60-765-11) still weren’t great, but that closing kick provides some hope that the veteran can put together his first 1,000-plus-yard effort since 2019. Kittle is a solid TE1.
Sleeper/breakout candidates
Brandon Aiyuk‘s rise has been methodical. In three seasons, he has averaged 65 receptions and six TDs while watching his yards increase each year. He showed developing chemistry with Purdy, posting an 18-241-1 line over the season’s final three games, and is arguably the safest fantasy option on the 49ers when you factor in durability. There’s WR2 upside here.
Bust potential/overvalued players
With durability concerns up and down San Francisco’s roster, several players could be injured-related busts. None of them carry more risk than Elijah Mitchell, however, with the talented back appearing in just five games a season ago. His upside isn’t nearly as high, either, making him a bad bet outside of the tail-end of drafts.
Seattle Seahawks
2022 record: 9-8
Notable coaching and system changes
Trading Russell Wilson was supposed to usher in a rebuild for the Seahawks. Instead, head coach Pete Carroll helped guide Seattle to a 10th playoff appearance in 13 seasons. On offense, coordinator Shane Waldron did yeoman’s work turning journeyman Geno Smith into a Pro Bowler. Defensively, Clint Hurtt endured some growing pains in his first year in the role but planted seeds for significant improvement in Year 2.
Key free-agent additions
- None
Key free-agent departures
- RB Travis Homer
- RB Rashaad Penny
- WR Marquise Goodwin
Key draft additions
Quarterback preview
From 2015-21, Geno Smith started five games for three different clubs. He was a placeholder, brought in to battle Drew Lock for the starting job with an eye on drafting someone in 2023. Things changed. Smith opened the year in game manager mode, but that evolved in Week 3 when Seattle expanded the playbook. The veteran would pass for 4,282 yards, 30 TDs, and 11 INTs, earning a three-year, $75 million deal, and the Seahawks didn’t even draft a quarterback. While there’s always a possibility 2022 was an outlier, Smith currently looks like a strong QB2.
Running back preview
Had he not needed hernia surgery during training camp and subsequently opened the season splitting touches with Rashaad Penny, Kenneth Walker III likely would’ve run away with the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Instead, he finished second after compiling 1,215 yards and nine TDs across 15 games, closing out his first year with 354 yards on 78 carries over the final three weeks. Despite the Seahawks spending a couple of draft picks on running backs, Walker still enters 2023 as the clear No. 1 back and a midrange RB2 with a little upside.
It’d be surprising if anyone other than Zach Charbonnet served as the primary backup to Walker after Seattle selected him 52nd overall in April. Patience and power describe the UCLA product’s running style, and he has enough skills as a receiver to see work on passing downs as well — bear in mind, Walker had just 27 catches as a rookie. Charbonnet could hold value in the later rounds as an RB4/No. 5 and is a must-handcuff option.
Wide receiver preview
The tandem of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett saw their fantasy value significantly depressed in drafts a year ago as many assumed a Smith/Lock combo would struggle to move the ball through the air. Instead, Metcalf (90-1,048-6) and Lockett (84-1,033-9) ended up being one of just five teammate tandems to surpass the 1,000-yard mark. While both saw some erosion in their yards per catch, particularly Lockett, who went from 16.1 YPC in 2021 to 12.3, Smith proved to be a better deep ball thrower than expected. The question for 2023 is whether the arrival of a third viable receiver will help or hurt their statistical output.
That third receiver is Jaxon Smith-Njigba, the first wideout selected in this year’s draft. JSN put up huge numbers at Ohio State in 2021, outperforming 2022 first-rounders Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, but he missed most of last season with a hamstring injury. While opinions of JSN’s ability to be a true impact receiver vary, Smith-Njigba will man the slot primarily in Seattle and should see tons of single coverage. His arrival pushes former second-round pick Dee Eskridge into obscurity.
Metcalf leads the way as a midrange WR2, followed by Lockett as a borderline WR2/WR3, and then Smith-Njigba as a WR5 that’ll probably go earlier than that based on upside.
Tight end preview
Acquired in the Wilson deal, Noah Fant finished third on the team in receptions (50), receiving yards (486), and TDs (4) in his first season with the club. Holdover Will Dissly (38-349-3) wasn’t far off the pace. While the duo holds some value to the Seahawks, their already minimal fantasy profiles take a further hit with an influx of talent at receiver and running back. You can bypass both on draft day.
Sleeper/breakout candidates
On a team with established producers, there are only two choices: Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Zach Charbonnet. Let’s go with JSN. He showed he could post big-time numbers while playing alongside top talent with the Buckeyes, and his presence in the slot brings another dimension to Seattle’s offense. Smith-Njigba has WR3 potential.
Bust potential/overvalued players
Kenneth Walker III finished 2022 as the bell cow. Once Penny was lost for the season, the Seahawks were wont to give the likes of Travis Homer and DeeJay Dallas many touches. That’s not how they intended to operate, though, and drafting Charbonnet and Kenny McIntosh creates improved depth. It wouldn’t be shocking for Walker to see lighter usage than expected.
