Break out the sunscreen, a fan, and a tank top. The temperatures have reached scorching levels, which can mean only one thing outside of the fact that I’m safe inside with my spreadsheets, AC, and best ball drafts. Fantasy football season is quickly approaching, and now is the time to start prepping for your leagues. Don’t worry, I’ve been grinding all offseason and have prepared a list of the players I’ll be looking to draft a ton this year. And below you’ll find a few free picks to help you prepare. Let’s have a great season.
- More Fantasy Football Advice
- Snake Draft Pick Strategy: Early | Middle | Late
- Draft Targets for Every Round: Early | Middle | Late
- Fitz’s Draft Primers: QB | RB | WR | TE
Derek Brown’s Players to Target
Here are a few of my players to target in 2023 fantasy football.
Happy Flag Day
A few of my Flag Plants for 2023 ??
Justin Herbert
Daniel Jones
Russell WilsonRhamondre Stevenson
Tony Pollard
Cam Akers
JK DobbinsChristian Watson
Chris Olave
Diontae Johnson
Calvin Ridley
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Quentin Johnston
Puka NacuaDarren Waller…
— Derek Brown (aka Ugly John Daigle) (@DBro_FFB) June 14, 2023
At this point, I should get “Christian Watson stan” tattooed on my chest. My love for Watson is never-ending. After a slow start last year due to injuries and the need to develop a rapport with his rookie-hating pouty former quarterback Aaron Rodgers, Watson’s talent finally bubbled to the top. In Weeks 10-18, Watson had six games in which he played at least 80% of the snaps. In those games, he earned a 23.4% target share, 42.9% end zone target share, and a 26% target per route run rate. He rolled up 3.07 yards per route run during that string of games. Watson ranked 14th in open score last year, immediately behind Garrett Wilson. If Jordan Love hopes to have a successful season as the new starter in Green Bay, he’ll need to lean on Watson heavily. Watson has monster WR1 upside.
2nd & 3rd Yr WRs are STRONG bets in Fantasy Football…who I’m betting on heavily that people might have ?s about:
Christian Watson
Drake London
Rashod Bateman— Derek Brown (aka Ugly John Daigle) (@DBro_FFB) June 24, 2023
If we’ve learned anything over the last few years as fantasy managers, it’s that second- and third-year wide receivers that have already flashed massive upside are strong bets to make in fantasy. Drake London is a bet on talent that I’m willing to make. Yes, the situation is less than ideal, but if the team moves toward passing a bit more (league average or a tick below), London will crush his ADP. He posted alpha-level usage metrics last year, ranking fifth in target share (29.4%) and second in target per route run rate (32.4%) among wide receivers. He was also 11th in yards per route run and 16th in open score (per ESPN analytics). London already gave us a peek at his WR2 floor during last year’s stretch run’ in Weeks 13-18, he was the WR20 in fantasy, even though he failed to score a touchdown in this span. I’ll continue betting on London’s beautiful talent profile.
2022 Diontae Johnson is…
The 2021 Miles Sanders of WRs.
— Derek Brown (aka Ugly John Daigle) (@DBro_FFB) June 30, 2023
There’s only one explanation for Diontae Johnson’s 2022 season; after an offseason workout in rainy Pittsburgh, he entered his house with an umbrella still drawn and tripped over his black cat, which sent him hurdling into his full-length entryway mirror, thus shattering it into a million pieces. This unlikely yet possible turn of events is the only explanation for his wretchedly unlucky season. Despite ranking 13th in target share, tenth in red zone targets, and the WR20 in expected fantasy points per game, Johnson finished the season with zero touchdowns as the WR39 in fantasy points per game. Kenny Pickett‘s play was a factor, but Johnson simply had a terrible run-out. Regression is coming for Johnson and this offense. He still ranked 11th in total route wins, so no skill dropoff is involved here, it’s just a case of legendarily bad luck. Johnson is a WR3 with top-15 upside.
More Players to Target & Avoid
- Pat Fitzmaurice: (Targets | Avoids) (Premium)
- Andrew Erickson: (Targets | Avoids) (Premium)
- Derek Brown: (Targets | Avoids) (Premium)
- Fantasy Football Sleepers for Every Team (Premium)
- How to Identify Fantasy Football Busts (Premium)
- Erickson’s Guide to Drafting Players on Good Offenses
- Fantasy Football Draft Values for Every Round
- Predicting First-Round Bust Candidates
- DBro’s Wide Receiver Lottery Tickets
- Erickson’s Running Back Lottery Tickets
- Hoppen’s 4 Players Who Could Become First-Round Picks Next Year
- Players to Target in Each Round (v2 | v3)
- Players to Avoid in Each Round
- Late-Round Draft Targets
- Late-Round QB Targets in Superflex Leagues | More QB Sleepers
- Late-Round RB Targets | More RB Sleepers | July RB Targets
- Late-Round WR Targets
- Late-Round TE Targets
- Deep Dart Throw Draft Targets
- WRs to Target in the RB Dead Zone (v2)| RBs to Avoid in the RB Dead Zone | RBs to Target in RB Dead Zone
- Identifying the Next WR1s | Identifying the Next RB1s
- 2022 Duds That Will Become 2023 Studs
- 4 Kickers To Target at the End of Drafts
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
*All data utilized in this article courtesy of FantasyPros, PFF, Football Outsiders, and Playerprofiler.com unless otherwise specified.*
