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Ideal NFL Free Agent Landing Spots (2023 Fantasy Football)

Ideal NFL Free Agent Landing Spots (2023 Fantasy Football)

With the NFL Combine now in the rearview mirror, attention temporarily turns back to NFL veterans and the looming free agency window. Year after year, we see players sign deals with the teams that offer them the highest contract, and given the shortness and difficulty of an NFL career, we shouldn’t criticize that. But what would things look like if those players were instead to take a deal that would maximize their fantasy value? Let’s dig in.

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Ideal NFL Free Agency Landing Spots (2023 Fantasy Football)

Lamar Jackson (QB) – Baltimore Ravens

The headline name of this offseason is Lamar Jackson, and no player generates headlines and new coverage quite like he does. While the contract situation still seems murky at best, it’s unlikely that the Ravens let Jackson walk for anything less than an absolute treasure chest of picks. Jackson has been at his best in the NFL when behind a good offensive line, and the Ravens have rebuilt there’s to be a top-eight unit that will allow him all the time he needs. Additionally, they’ve recently added one of the best offensive coordinators they could in Todd Monken. No other team in the market for a quarterback can offer Jackson the upside that staying in Baltimore does.

Geno Smith (QB) – Seattle Seahawks

There are probably teams out there who might be desperate enough to pay a higher rate than the Seahawks will for Geno Smith, but how many teams can boast the likes of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett at wide receiver? Additionally, the Seahawks have a solid offensive line and are playing in a division in flux. Smith won’t always be as efficient as he was in 2022, but it makes sense to run it back another year. Smith and the Seahawks agree, as they’ve reached terms on a new deal.

Daniel Jones (QB) – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The New York Giants sound likely to franchise Daniel Jones if no agreement can be made before Tuesday’s deadline, but for a moment, let’s consider what the Bucs might look like with Daniel Jones at quarterback. Bucs management might be making positive sounds about Kyle Trask, but there is no doubt Jones would be an upgrade. With the likes of Chris Godwin, Mike Evans and Russell Gage, Daniel Jones would be forgiven for thinking he’d died and gone to heaven after the rag-tag bunch of receivers he’s had in recent years.

Saquon Barkley (RB) – Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins have no running backs of note under contract for 2023 and are also short of draft picks after forfeiting one for tampering when they were found to have made contact with Tom Brady that breached NFL policies. The Dolphins have a good roster, though and running back remains the obvious spot to fill, with Saquon Barkley the cream of the crop. In 2022 Barkley set career highs in rushing and rush attempts and were he to land in Miami, we could pencil him in for another RB1 season.

Odell Beckham (WR) – Kansas City Chiefs

The wide receiver free agency pool is less than impressive this year as good teams continue to prevent their best pass catchers from hitting the open market. Odell Beckham opted not to sign a low-value deal at the back end of 2022, instead making sure he was fully recovered from his second ACL injury, ready to take advantage of a deprived free agency market. The Chiefs were linked with Beckham in November, and with JuJu Smith-Schuster also a free agent, along with Marquez Valdes-Scantling an easy cut, the Chiefs could do with reinforcements. Beckham would unlikely play a full-time role, but when he is on the field, there’s no doubt he could be electric. This would be an ideal sell opportunity for dynasty managers who’ve held Beckham through the recovery period.

Josh Jacobs (RB) – Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders are set to franchise tag Josh Jacobs after a year where he had his best season in the NFL by far. While Jacobs might get more money on the open market, there aren’t too many situations where he could maximize his production in the same way as with the Raiders. If Las Vegas takes a rookie quarterback, they may seek to run the ball more often to start the season, and Jacobs’ value could be very healthy in the early period of the year.

Jakobi Meyers (WR) – Chicago Bears

Bad teams tend to see free agency as a fix-all solution, and year after year, we see players get paid higher than expected amounts. The Bears have one of the worst receiving corps across the league and all the money they could wish for to try and fix it. If the Bears desire a wide receiver more than the competition, there is no way they should be outbid. Jakobi Meyers is coming off two solid years in New England, despite the lack of passing game at times, and if a team chooses to build around him, we could finally see a glimpse of his ceiling.

Dalton Schultz (TE) – Washington Commanders

After playing on the franchise tag in 2022, Dalton Schultz looks set to move on from the Cowboys and test free agency. The Commanders are installing a new offense under Eric Bienemy, who has worked with the talent of Travis Kelce in Kansas City, and it feels likely Bienemy will want to utilize some of the plays and schemes that worked so well there. Schultz is one of the top tight ends on the market and would be a perfect safety blanket for sophomore quarterback Sam Howell.

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JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR) – New Orleans Saints

In 2022 the Saints added Jarvis Landry with the idea that he could be their answer in the slot. Unfortunately for both parties, it failed to work out, with Landry struggling through injuries and the Saints’ offense faltering through the season. After two consecutive years of one-year deals, Smith-Schuster might be tempted to take a longer deal, even if it’s below his ideal range. In addition, the Saints lack pass-catching options and could do with an experienced receiver to complement Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed.

Jimmy Garoppolo (QB) – New York Jets

The connection between Jimmy Garoppolo and the Jets is plentiful, with Robert Saleh a former 49ers coach. Garoppolo is not elite but he is a big upgrade to Zach Wilson and with the likes of Garrett Wilson, Elijah Moore and Breece Hall, it is unlikely that he ends up any worse than QB12-18 in fantasy, which would be more than adequate for Superflex leagues.

Mike Gesicki – Los Angeles Chargers

Gerald Everett is a free agent, which leaves the Chargers light at a position Justin Herbert has often looked towards, particularly in the red zone. Gesicki is not going to be paid by a team that desires a blocking tight end but one that wants a pure pass-catcher, and with Kellen Moore, the new offensive coordinator, he may look for that in a tight end. Gesicki with Justin Herbert would be very appealing.

DJ Chark (WR) – Carolina Panthers

The Panthers receiving core is depleted, and with rumors rife that they might use some of their draft capital to trade up in the draft, adding a field stretcher in free agency would make a lot of sense. It remains to be seen what the Panthers do at quarterback, but Chark was relevant at times during 2022 in the Lions’ run-heavy offense, and if he finds a quarterback happy to throw the ball deep, he could have a great season.

Darius Slayton (WR) – New England Patriots

The New York Giants seemed intent on moving on from Darius Slayton last offseason, and it was only when multiple other receivers were injured that they finally involved Slayton in a meaningful way. In hindsight, that might work out better for Slayton, who will hit free agency after performing at an above-expected level. The Patriots are in need of better options in their receiving room, and Slayton feels like the right player at the right price who could deliver a downfield attack.

Miles Sanders (RB) – Carolina Panthers

In Frank Reich’s opening interviews as the Panthers’ head coach, he talked about wanting to establish the run and then take advantage with deep shots. Miles Sanders didn’t cross paths with Frank Reich in Philadelphia, but he feels very much like the kind of ground-and-pound running back that Reich will rush 15 times a game. The Panthers currently have only Chuba Hubbard under contract, and if Sanders were to land here, we could pencil him in for 200-250 touches.

Damien Harris (RB) – New Orleans Saints

The Saints have work to do at the running back position this year, with Alvin Kamara facing legal issues and Mark Ingram, a free agent. Reportedly the Saints met with a lot of the top running backs at the combine, and while that may be one avenue they go down, it wouldn’t be surprising to see them add a veteran in free agency. Harris has had an up-and-down few years in New England and is unlikely to be a three-down back anywhere this year, but if he landed with the Saints, he might just be an every-down back for however long Alvin Kamara is suspended.

Allen Lazard (WR) – Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons have interesting players on offense, and depending on what happens at quarterback Arthur Smith could open things up a lot more in 2023. What the Falcons lack is experience, with Kyle Pitts and Drake London their only noteworthy pass-catchers, and adding the likes of Allen Lazard would be good for the offense and the scheme. Lazard is also a solid run-blocker, which would appeal to the Falcons, and Lazard would have a clearer route to a significant amount of targets than on many other teams.

Hayden Hurst (TE) – Indianapolis Colts

The Colts are another team lacking experience, and while they have a group of young tight ends that people route for, none of them have shown anything to make us believe they can take a leap. Hayden Hurst has played for three teams in the NFL, and by now, we have a pretty good idea of what he can be for fantasy, which is a fringe TE1 reliant on touchdowns. With Michael Pittman the most experienced pass-catcher on the Colts, they would do well to add an experienced player who can be a safe outlet for a rookie quarterback.

David Montgomery (RB) – Houston Texans

The Texans have sat through a couple of years of bad play, and now that they’re finally ready to add a quarterback and take a step forward. Part of that step forward should be adding veterans to complement the youth, and David Montgomery would be a solid complement to Dameon Pierce. Montgomery can be useful in the passing game, and between the twenties, he’s unlikely to find a three-down role anywhere, but this would give him a solid chance to see a meaningful role each week.

Devin Singletary (RB) – Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers have been searching for an RB2 to pair with Austin Ekeler for a couple of years now, someone who can take the between-the-tackle work and let Ekeler not be subjected to the types of beatings running backs struggle to avoid. Devin Singletary has been solid and unspectacular for most of his career, and pairing him with Ekeler in what we hope is a high-scoring offense, would keep him fantasy relevant.

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