Nothing kicks off the start of a brand-new football season better than NFL free agency, which is sure to involve plenty of player movement. Teams can place their franchise/transition tags on players as early as February 21, 2023, setting the stage for a wild off-season sooner than you think. The NFL never ceases to provide entertainment for all 365 days of the calendar year, and 2023 is shaping up to be no different. Free agency officially kicks off on March 15th. But deals will likely already be in place with the legal tampering period starting March 13th at noon.
So grab your popcorn, and get ready for the free agency frenzy with the 2023 free agency primer. I’ll break down the most notable impending free agents across the four major fantasy positions – with some potential trade/cut candidates to widen the scope – through the lens of fantasy football to prepare you for the ensuing March Madness. Now, let’s take a deeper look at Lamar Jackson.
- Introduction to Best Ball Leagues
- Underdog Best Ball Strategy
- Erickson’s Best Ball Positional Primers
- Best Ball Roster Construction Strategy
2023 NFL Free Agent Quarterbacks: Lamar Jackson
*Contract information comes courtesy of Spotrac.com*
Lamar Jackson
The Baltimore Ravens plan to use the exclusive franchise tag on Lamar Jackson, making him a Raven for at least 2023 unless he is traded. There’s still plenty to unpack with Jackson’s future in Baltimore, but it’s clear that Jackson still possesses all the skills necessary to be a game-breaker in fantasy football, especially when he has weapons at his disposal. In his six games played with wide receiver Rashod Bateman last year, Jackson averaged nearly 27 fantasy points, 2.1 passing TDs and 208 passing yards per game. Without? Just 17 fantasy points, 0.67 passing TDs and 165 passing yards per game.
With rushing still part of Jackson’s game – 69.5 rushing yards per healthy game in 2022 – second to only Justin Fields – he looks like a steal as the QB6 in early best-ball drafts. Jackson was PFF’s highest-graded passer throwing from 10-19 yards downfield, which tends to be an extremely sticky stat and an indicator of future success at the QB position. New offensive coordinator Todd Monken is also sure to bring in a more pass-happy approach based on his experience in the NFL. Back in 2018 as a playcaller with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Monken called an offense that ranked fourth in pass-play rate on early downs and first in passing yards.
Beyond our fantasy football content, be sure to check out our award-winning slate of Fantasy Football Tools as you prepare for your draft this season. From our free mock Draft Simulator – which allows you to mock draft against realistic opponents – to our Draft Assistant – which optimizes your picks with expert advice – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football draft season.
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