Plant Your Flag: Our Favorite Targets In 2023 Fantasy Football Drafts

2023 Fantasy Football Draft Targets

We asked our team to choose one player that they are targeting in every one of their drafts. The guy they can’t stand to walk out of the draft room without. We call them our “flag plant” players. These aren’t meant to be the obvious guys that everyone is drafting—like Christian McCaffrey, Tyreek Hill, Tony Pollard, etc. We went a bit deeper than that so this can actually be actionable content. It was hard to cut it to just one each, but here are our favorite draft day targets for 2023 fantasy football.

Related: Players To Avoid At ADP In 2023 Fantasy Football Drafts

Miles Sanders, RB, Panthers

Miles Sanders was signed to the largest free agent contract of any running back this past offseason, inking a four-year $25.4 million contract with the Carolina Panthers. In a world where top-tier running backs struggle to receive any significant pay increase, Sanders is being paid the fifth-most in total value at the position in the entire league. All of this is to say the Panthers value him tremendously and will rely on him heavily in 2023, especially with new rookie quarterback Bryce Young under center.

Workload will not be an issue for the 26-year-old. The Panthers’ new head coach, Frank Reich, is no stranger to running the ball at a high rate, and he has coached Sanders in the past. Excluding last season (Reich was fired after Week 9), all starting backs for Reich during his years with the Colts averaged at least 17 touches per game, which is on the lower end compared to the other seasons. Giving Sanders that much across a 17-game season, and we are looking at 289 touches minimum.

With a career average of 5 yards per carry, the team actively working him into the passing game, and the Carolina offensive line getting veteran D’Onta Foreman to nearly 1,000 rushing yards last season, I believe Sanders can max out as an RB1 in 2023. He is currently being drafted as the RB20 overall.

-Ryan Larrison (@TripleFTP)

Javonte Williams, RB, Broncos

Remember when Javonte Williams was being drafted 22nd overall entering his second season? Now, after tearing his ACL in early October, he’s going early in round six.

As a rookie, Williams averaged 11.9 attempts per game and accounted for 43 receptions. This improved after Denver’s Week 11 bye in 2021; Williams averaged 14.3 carries per game and accounted for 19 of his 43 receptions in his last seven games. The Broncos’ offense was a disaster a year ago under Nathaniel Hackett, but the addition of Sean Payton could help Williams significantly. In his last four seasons with the Saints, Payton’s offense ranked in the top-5 in rush attempts three times. This resulted in two appearances in the top-10 in rushing yards and two seasons leading the league in rushing touchdowns. In those two seasons, lead back accounted for 14 and 16 rushing scores, while the team scored 26 and 30 touchdowns, respectively, on the ground.

Samaje Perine could be a thorn in the side of Williams. However, this should not fear fantasy football managers away from Williams. When Kamara finished as the RB4 in 2018, Mark Ingram accounted for 159 touches and seven touchdowns. Kamara was RB1 in 2020; Latavius Murray accounted for 169 touches and five scores. At 27 years old, Perine had his second most productive season a year ago in Cincinnati: 133 total touches, 681 total yards, and six touchdowns. This is the only other season outside of Perine’s rookie year where he cleared 100 total touches. My point: Williams can be a RB1 even if Perine is involved. I believe Williams offers one of the best draft day 2023 running back value.

-Drew Roberts (@DrewRoberts_)

Jahan Dotson, WR, Commanders

In a loaded WR class in 2022 I think one player has been overlooked and has a big chance at a breakout season, sitting at WR38 in ADP Jahan Dotson will exceed expectations. His rookie season came with some ups and downs including an injury that took him out 5 weeks.  That being said his ups were much more impressive, Dotson average 7 targets per game in games which he played more that 75% of snaps. On top of that, he was quite the touchdown magnet bringing in 7 in only 12 games, some of which he didn’t see much playing time.  I also expect Commanders QB Sam Howell to take a step this season considering his stellar play in the preseason which would be a hopeful upgrade from their QB situation last year.  

Furthermore, the addition of Eric Bieniemy will help push this offense and allow Dotson and McLaurin to be a 1A, 1B in this offense which you saw the final 5 weeks of last season when Dotson had the slight advantage in targets at 35/34 over McLaurin. Not to mention Dotson has a chance to get a head start this season with McLaurin dealing with a nagging turf toe injury. 

All things point towards Dotson having a legit shot to be a consistent WR3+ despite being drafted as a WR4, if you have Dotson in your flex this season, I personally think you’ll set yourself up for success.

-Ryan O (@FFDelly)

Christian Watson, WR, Packers

Christian Watson is a guy I’m heavily targeting this year. After the top tier of receivers, there’s a size-able drop off. I’m all over a guy that has WR1 upside with a 5th round ADP.

Watson led ALL receivers last year in fantasy points per target (2.52). He also led all rookie receivers last year in yards per route run (2.4).

Many are skeptical because of the QB change in Green Bay. Love has looked solid with limited opportunity last year and has looked good all training camp and in pre-season play. There’s been some nice training camp highlights and I’m drinking the kool-aid. With Watson’s size and speed, he has the tools and analytical profile to crush his ADP.

-Kevin Richards (@FF_KRich)

Samaje Perine, RB, Broncos

My 2023 flag plant for redraft is Samaje Perine. After signing a two year deal with the Broncos, he’ll likely see an increased workload under a Sean Payton offense. We saw Perine produce nicely as a backup the last few seasons in Cincinnati and was an effective fantasy back when he got the chance to start. He was an RB1 each week from week 11-13 while filling in for Joe Mixon. He’s an extremely capable pass catcher and excellent pass blocker which will earn him playing time alone.

A big part of my love for Samaje this season is I just can’t trust Javonte Williams. The multiple ligament knee injuries are absolutely brutal and I just don’t see the Broncos utilizing Javonte the way they may truly want to in year one of his recovery. We just saw JK Dobbins struggle in his return last year after we were told he would be ready for training camp. I trust Payton as an offensive designer and therefore I also trust in him going after Samaje. He consistently produced multiple fantasy relevant running backs during his time in New Orleans and even if Javonte is 100% I don’t see Payton shying away from that.

-Zach Schultz (@Schu1tzy)

DJ Moore, WR, Bears

So I understand we’re talking about the Bears passing game in a good way. Don’t run away please! I believe DJ Moore is going to push for top 12 status, but he is definitely going to outperform his ADP. 

Let’s start with his ADP. At the moment on Underdog, the site I most reference when it comes to what people are actually putting their mouth where their money is, it’s WR20. Most of the offseason it’s been closer to WR30, and I’ve been smashing that to the tune of 72% exposure. Before you call me a looney toon, no other player is above 38% that’s going before round 13. (I love me some John Metchie in round 17 or 18, but that’s a conversation for another time.) All I’m trying to say is that DJM is going as a lower end WR2 and I believe that’s his floor. 

Let’s peep his career finishes in .5ppr: WR39, WR18, WR20, WR19, WR22 . *One of these things is not like the other* (that’s right, I’m taking you to the best Street around). Outside his rookie year he’s been a WR2 and his QB’s were… facepalm emoji? I think that’s as nice as I can get. Now he’s in his prime (age 26 season), with the best QB he’s had in his whole life, and a defense that’s still going to be rough to watch.

More: NFC North Division Preview

Justin Fields as a pro hasn’t shown passing acumen yet, but he was #2 prospect out of high school and was prolific in college. When he had WR’s like Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave at OSU, he wasn’t running for 1100 yards. He’s said himself he doesn’t want to run like he did in 2022. The Bears invested in improving this passing game. I’m not saying they will be top 10 in pass percentage or efficiency, but instead they’ll fall more in line with the median. They refused to make the trade with Carolina without getting DJM back, and that is a clear sign they want to feature him. What I’m saying is an altered version of follow the money.

The Bears allowed the most points in the NFL last year, and while the defense should be somewhat better, it’s still one of the worst units in the game. All that means is for DJM is more opportunity to put up numbers. 

End of the day, if his floor is where his ADP is now, it’s all upside. Carolina was a team based on the run game, like Chicago was in 2022, the whole time DJM was there. However, McCaffrey was there for the vast majority of Moore’s time in Carolina, and the Bears don’t have a receiving back anywhere near the caliber of him on their roster. DJM is easily the most talented and experienced skill player in Chicago. They have a QB who has the profile to unlock new highs for DJM. This is a smash type of draft move and the community is catching up to it by his ADP rising all summer. Be on the right side of this. 

-Dennis Healy (@Madison_Madman)

Rachaad White, RB, Buccaneers

Man, this was hard to only choose one. But if I can only go with one, it’s absolutely Rachaad White. White might be the steal of every 2023 fantasy football draft. He is in line for a significant workload but is being drafted as a mid-range RB3. White had a productive rookie season even while starting the year behind Leonard Fournette. The team turned to the rookie in Week 10, giving him a surprise start over the veteran. In the international stage in Germany, White ran through the Seahawks for 105 yards and his second RB2 performance.

White took double-digit carries in four of the last seven regular season games and finished as a top-25 running back in all four with two top-10 weeks. Over that stretch, White showed off his receiving skills by averaging five receptions per game to finish the season with 50 catches.

Remember, White was a strong prospect coming out of Arizona State last year. The team invested a third round pick on him and for good reason. Not only is he a big, explosive runner, he is one of the best receiving backs to enter the league in the last five years. While leading Arizona State in rushing yards in 2021, he also had the team’s second-highest share of receiving yards. Now path has been paved for a huge workload in Tampa. I expect he will take full advantage and crush his ADP.

-Alex Johnson (@a_johnsonFF)

 

Do you agree with our targets for 2023 fantasy football? Who are you targeting in all of your drafts? Jump in our Discord and join the discussion!

 

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