If you were a 1980s kid like me, you remember the movie Big starring Tom Hanks. He played the role of Josh Baskin, who made a wish on a Zoltar machine at a fair to be “big.” The wish came true of course, and the hilarity ensued! He went on to become a high-level toy tester at a big company, rented a big New York apartment and even had a beautiful adult-age girlfriend (a little weird nowadays, but still).
With the NFL’s offseason here and the new league year starting March 15th, I figured why not throw a quarter into the “fantasy” Zoltar machine and make a few wishes for 2023? I’m guessing most of them won’t come true like it did for Josh, but who knows maybe a few of them will come to fruition. Some of my wishes are more obvious, like the Baltimore Ravens keeping Lamar Jackson, the New York Giants retaining Saquon Barkley, and the Las Vegas Raiders franchising Josh Jacobs.
The rest of my fantasy wishes, some of which might be a bit outlandish, would be amazing if they came true from a statistical and fantasy football perspective.
Aaron Rodgers traded to the Raiders
Let’s be honest … we’re all kind of over the whole Rodgers/Green Bay saga right? So, let’s get him back together with Davante Adams in Sin City! Rodgers’ draft value would instantly rise, as he’d have an offense that fields Adams, Darren Waller, Hunter Renfrow and Jacobs (if retained). It would be a perfect fit in both real and fantasy football.
Derek Carr signs with the Jets
With Rodgers going to Las Vegas, the Jets would have to go after the next best option in Carr. This assumes, of course, the Ravens don’t make Lamar Jackson available. Carr would be a nice upgrade over Mike White and Zach Wilson, and he’d have some good young talent in Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson and Elijah Moore at his disposal. Carr would be worth a late-round pick as a No. 2 fantasy option.
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DeAndre Hopkins traded to the Chiefs
There have been reports that the Cardinals could deal Hopkins, and I can’t think of a better landing spot than Kansas City. JuJu Smith-Schuster is heading to free agency, and the team doesn’t have an alpha wideout on the roster (not that it needs one to win a Super Bowl, but this is fantasy!) Imagine a scenario where Nuk is catching passes from Patrick Mahomes? Giddy up and sign me up for that!
Bijan Robinson drafted by the Eagles
As a fan of the Cowboys, I can’t tell you how much I would absolutely hate for this to happen. In fact, my dream scenario has the ‘Boys landing Robinson and cutting ties with Ezekiel Elliott. But would Robinson last until the 27th overall pick? Probably not. Imagine Robinson in the Eagles offense, though! Miles Sanders and Boston Scott are free agents, so the top back in the 2023 draft class would have a clear path to touches. Sanders finished 15th among backs last season, so imagine what Robinson could do? Philadelphia would very likely have to trade up to get him. Otherwise, the Texas product could land with a team like the Buccaneers (who draft 19th).
Miles Sanders signs with the Dolphins
I’m not a big fan of Sanders as a fantasy back, but he’s still in the prime of his career and is coming off a career-best season. If the Eagles move on, I’d like to see Sanders sign with the Dolphins. Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr. and Salvon Ahmed are all free agents, so Sanders could step in and retain fantasy value as a No. 2 back in what should remain an explosive offense under Mike McDaniel.
Bryce Young drafted by the Colts
The Colts could sign a free agent like Derek Carr or Jimmy Garoppolo, but I think they’ll be looking to grab a young, franchise quarterback in the top four of the draft. If they can swing a deal with the Bears, the Colts could move up to No. 1 overall and pick Young to fill that role. With a new offensive-minded head coach in Shane Steichen, this would be a great fit in both real and fantasy football. If the Colts can’t move up to get Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud is a nice fallback.
Odell Beckham Jr. signs with the Ravens
OBJ will be one of the most attractive free agent wideouts, and landing with the Ravens (assuming Jackson remains in Baltimore) makes sense. The team lacks a No. 1 wideout, and new offensive coordinator Todd Monken could look to throw the football more often than former OC Greg Roman. Signing with the Ravens would be good news for both OBJ and Jackson in terms of their fantasy draft appeal.
David Montgomery signs with the Bills
Montgomery is slated to become a free agent, and a move to Buffalo would make him a viable No. 2 option in fantasy land. While he would lose some work to James Cook, Montgomery would be the early-down and goal-line banger in one of the league’s best offenses. Leaving Chicago would also open up a chance for the Bears to use Khalil Herbert as their top back, which would increase his value.
Kareem Hunt signs with the Panthers
Hunt was once a top-notch fantasy back with the Chiefs, but his stock was uneven while splitting (and losing) work with Nick Chubb in Cleveland. Entering his age-28 season and coming off seeing just 258 combined touches in the last two years, Hunt should have plenty left in the tank as a top back. He’d share some of the work in Carolina with Chuba Hubbard, but Hunt’s draft stock would rise regardless.
Mike Gesicki signs with the Lions
The Lions traded T.J. Hockenson during the course of the 2022 regular season, so they have a need for a pass-catching tight end. Enter Gesicki, who is a former top-10 fantasy player before being phased out of the passing game in Miami this past season. He’d be a very nice fit in Detroit, stepping right in and becoming the starter and getting back into a more prolific offensive role from a fantasy standpoint.
