Daniel Jones: Underrated as a runner, Jones had 120 carries for 720 yards and seven touchdowns last season after racking up 172/1,000/5 (5.8 YPC) rushing in his first three seasons (2019-21). The Giants have added several new pass catchers to the roster, which should help improve his anemic passing numbers (3.2 TD% and 6.8 Y/A in 2022). Jones, who finished as fantasy's QB9 in 2022, should be drafted as a fringe QB1.
Saquon Barkley: Barkley had missed at least three games in each of the previous three seasons, but he stayed healthy in 2022 and delivered for fantasy managers. Perhaps less involved as a receiver than expected, especially given the team's 2022 wide receiver woes, Barkley ended the year with 352 combined touches including 57 receptions, 1,650 YFS and 10 touchdowns.
Parris Campbell: Campbell appeared in only 15 games through his first three seasons, but he stayed healthy for a full 17-game season in 2022 as he finished the year with 63 receptions for 623 yards and three touchdowns. The former Colt is expected to start in the slot, and a repeat of last year's numbers are within reach.
Isaiah Hodgins: Signed off of Buffalo's practice squad in the middle of the season, Hodgins was productive for the WR-needy Giants in the second half last season after reuniting with Brian Daboll, his former offensive coordinator in Buffalo. The former sixth-rounder (2020) had 33/351/4 on 42 targets over eight games with the Giants. It wouldn't be a surprise if he led the Giants' receiving corps in receiving in 2023.
Darius Slayton: Slayton started slow (inactive Week 1 and 18 offensive snaps through Week 3), but he led the team in receiving yards (724) last season. Slayton averaged 15.7 yards per reception and he had half (14) of the team's 28 receptions of 20-plus yards in 2022. It's possible that Jalin Hyatt, the team's third-round pick, could leapfrog him on the depth chart by the end of the year.
Darren Waller: A couple of seasons removed from back-to-back 1,100-yard campaigns, Waller is clearly the top weapon in New York's passing attack. While he has been limited to only 20 games over the past two seasons, his 17-game pace is 71/895/4 during that stretch.
Some teams have already played their final preseason game and as the NFL preseason winds down, we are that much closer to the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Detroit Lions on Thursday Night Football.
That also means that we are in the thick of fantasy draft season.
To help you prepare for your fantasy football drafts, we will continue to keep our fantasy football rankings updated until the start of the 2023 NFL season.
While age (turns 34 in October) is still a potential concern, he's shown no signs of slowing down after posting his seventh consecutive 1,000-yard season. Without Tyreek Hill, he posted either his best or second-best numbers across the board — 152 targets, 110 receptions, 1,338 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Absolutely dominant compared to other tight ends, Kelce (15.4) averaged more than double the half-PPR fantasy points per game than the last TE1 (Dalton Schultz, TE12, 7.6 PPG). In fact, if Kelce were a wide receiver, he'd rank ahead of all but five wide receivers in fantasy PPG last season.
Andrews missed a couple of games in 2022, and his year-over-year production declined to 73/847/5. Even so, Andrews scored the fourth-most half-PPR fantasy points (third on a PPG basis). The additions at wide receiver creates greater competition for targets, but he remains the clear top fantasy option in Baltimore's passing game.
Hockenson was traded midseason within the division, and he averaged 8.6 targets and six receptions per game after the trade to the Vikings. Despite the midseason trade, he finished as fantasy's TE2, but part of that was aided by two monster games — 8/179/2 for the Lions in Week 4 and 13/109/2 for the Vikings in Week 16. Other than those two huge games, he had double-digit (half-PPR) fantasy points in only two other games.
A couple of seasons removed from back-to-back 1,100-yard campaigns, Waller is clearly the top weapon in New York's passing attack. While he has been limited to only 20 games over the past two seasons, his 17-game pace is 71/895/4 during that stretch.
Compared to his elite talent, Kittle is often under-targeted. Even so, he has finished as a top-four fantasy tight end in four of the past five seasons. The exception was when he missed eight games in 2020, but he finished third on a PPG basis that season behind Travis Kelce and Darren Waller. The other concern with Kittle is he has missed multiple games in four consecutive seasons, but he has averaged 70.4/947.8/5.8 per 17 games over the past five years.
Goedert missed five games last season, but he finished with 55 catches for 702 yards and three touchdowns. His 58.5 YPG average was a career high and he had 60-plus yards in eight of 12 games. In addition, he had a minimum of three catches in all but one game last season.
A knee injury prematurely cut his second season short, but Pitts eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark as a rookie (68/1,026/1) in 2021. If it weren't for the lack of touchdowns (one), his rookie season would have been viewed as a smashing success. Before his injury last year, his production dropped significantly (12.7 Y/R, 35.6 YPG, 47.5% catch rate and 1.69 Y/RR) compared to 2021 (15.1 Y/R, 60.4 YPG, 61.8% and 2.01 Y/RR). That said, the upside remains high going into his age-23 season.
Freiermuth followed up a strong rookie season (60/497/7) with 63 catches for 732 yards and two touchdowns. Despite scoring only twice in 2022, Freiermuth finished as fantasy's TE8 (half-PPR scoring). He had at least three catches in 13 of 16 games played.
The Jaguars designated Engram with the franchise tag, but the two sides reached agreement on a three-year extension. While Engram missed 14 games in his first three seasons (2017-19), he has missed only two games over the past three years. He posted career highs in receptions (73), yards (766) and catch rate (74.5%) in 2022.
Higbee set career highs in targets (108, fourth-most among TEs) and receptions (72, fifth) in 2022. While Cooper Kupp missed nearly half of the season, Higbee's per-game numbers were actually better with Kupp (4.9/43 on 7.2 targets) than without Kupp (3.5/29 on 5.4 targets). At a position where volume is inconsistent outside of the elite options, there is value in the consistency of Higbee's volume.
Njoku missed three games in 2022, but it was otherwise a career year for the athletic tight end. He averaged 4.1 receptions and 44.9 yards per game, both of which were career highs. Njoku finished ninth in half-PPR points per game in 2022.
Schultz has a minimum of 89 targets in each of the past three seasons, and he has averaged 4.1 receptions and 41.7 yards per game over that span. While he may get a tick less in terms of volume, he has the potential to lead the Texans in receptions in 2023.
Dulcich had 33 catches for 411 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games as a rookie in 2022. Sean Payton said Dulcich has "a unique skill set. He's got traits. In the passing game we use the term, 'Joker' where you can get matchups."
A lengthy adjustment period for rookie tight ends typically leads to modest fantasy impacts for the position. That said, Kincaid was arguably the most talented pass catcher (wide receiver or tight end) in the 2023 NFL Draft, so there is potential for him to utilized more than a typical rookie tight end as a mismatch in the passing game.
Okonkwo finished second on the team in receiving yards last year to Robert Woods, who is no longer on the roster. The rookie ended the year with 32 receptions for 450 yards (14.1 Y/R) and three touchdowns. There is some breakout potential (albeit less following the DeAndre Hopkins signing) heading into the athletic (4.52 40-yard dash) tight end's second year. Among tight ends with 30-plus targets in 2022, Okonkwo led the position in YAC per reception (7.8) and yards per route run (2.61), per PFF stats.
Everett either set or tied career highs across the board — 58 catches for 555 yards and four touchdowns — in 2022. Despite a career season, Everett ended the year as fantasy's TE15 in half-PPR scoring. Assuming better health from Keenan Allen and Mike Williams and given that the Chargers drafted Quentin Johnston in the first round, however, it's possible that Everett is targeted less than he was last season (87 targets).
Targeted much less in 2022 (69) than in 2021 (93), Kmet's receptions (50) and yardage (544) dropped only modestly due to improvements in catch rate (64.5% to 72.5%) and yards per target (6.6 to 7.9). Held scoreless in 2021, Kmet had seven touchdowns in 2022 including six scores from Weeks 8-17. Adding a talented receiver (D.J. Moore) to the mix within a run-dominant offense may limit Kmet's opportunity to take a major step forward from his 2021-22 production levels.
Hurst has missed four games and averaged only 8.5 yards per reception (or less) in back-to-back seasons, but he averaged a career-high four receptions per game last season. Given the relative uncertainty at wide receiver, it's possible that Hurst comes close to his averages from last year.
Other than the typical learning curve for tight ends transitioning to the NFL, there is a lot to like about LaPorta. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if we're talking about him as one of the top 6-8 fantasy tight ends this time next year, but the question remains how quickly he'll move into the top-12 mix as a rookie.
Johnson had a career season with 42 catches for 508 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022. Depending on how much the Saints get from Michael Thomas, it may be difficult to repeat those numbers this season.
Knox's 2022 numbers (48/517/6) were similar, albeit slightly less, than his 2021 production (49/587/9). It's unlikely that Knox will produce as a top-12 option in 2023, and his touchdown dependency is high given his relatively low volume. Knox exceeded 50 receiving yards in only three regular-season games last season.
Ertz played only 10 games last season before tearing his ACL. Like Marquise Brown, Ertz was especially good when DeAndre Hopkins was suspended. Ertz had double-digit targets in four of the six games that Hopkins missed. He averaged 5.8 catches on 8.5 targets during that stretch. Ertz is on track to play in Week 1.
Smith has appeared in only eight (23.5%) of 34 games over the past two seasons. With Hayden Hurst now in Carolina, Smith slots in atop Cincinnati's depth chart. Hurst had 52/414/2 receiving in 13 games last season, and Jets tight end C.J. Uzomah had 49/493/5 for Cincinnati in 2021. Provided his health cooperates, Smith has a chance to finish as a fringe TE1.
Henry finished last season with 41 catches for 509 yards and two touchdowns, the lowest numbers of his career when you exclude 2016 (his rookie campaign) and 2018 (missed entire season). After ranking only 25th in 12-personnel usage (one running back and two tight ends) in 2022, it's expected that the Patriots will increase their usage of 12 personnel significantly in 2023.
Like Henry, Gesicki is coming off non-rookie lows in receptions (32), targets (52) and yards (362). The uber-athletic tight end will get an opportunity to reset in an offense that should be more likely to fully utilize his skill set. Gesicki suffered a mild dislocated shoulder at practice, although the hope is he's back for Week 1.
Otton had 42 catches for 391 yards and two touchdowns on 65 targets as a rookie in 2022 and he had four catches for 58 yards on seven targets in their playoff loss to the Cowboys. Even if his numbers are better in his second season, he's not much more than a fantasy TE2 in 2023.
The Cowboys used a second-round pick on Luke Schoonmaker, but I expect Ferguson to pace the position group in receiving now that Dalton Schultz is in Houston. Even so, it's unlikely that Ferguson, Schoonmaker or any Cowboys tight end becomes fantasy-relevant in standard-sized leagues in 2023.
Woods is an outstanding athlete (4.61 40-yard dash) for someone his size (6-7, 259) and he heads into his second season with some sleeper appeal. Shane Steichen is less likely to spread tight end snaps around the way that Frank Reich has in the past, and Woods should be the biggest benefactor. As the IndyStar notes, "Woods is the only Indianapolis tight end who's shown he has the athleticism to stretch the field the way [Dallas] Goedert can."
With Robert Tonyan now in Chicago, it will be a pair of rookie tight ends — Musgrave and Tucker Kraft — that top the depth chart. Musgrave is an extremely athletic tight end that can be used to create mismatches against linebackers and safeties.
Hill will throw a few passes and catch a few, but most of his fantasy production will come from his rushing production. Over the past three seasons, he has a total of 253 carries for 1,406 yards (5.6 Y/A) and 20 touchdowns.
Daniel Jones: Underrated as a runner, Jones had 120 carries for 720 yards and seven touchdowns last season after racking up 172/1,000/5 (5.8 YPC) rushing in his first three seasons (2019-21). The Giants have added several new pass catchers to the roster, which should help improve his anemic passing numbers (3.2 TD% and 6.8 Y/A in 2022). Jones, who finished as fantasy's QB9 in 2022, should be drafted as a fringe QB1.
Saquon Barkley: Barkley had missed at least three games in each of the previous three seasons, but he stayed healthy in 2022 and delivered for fantasy managers. Perhaps less involved as a receiver than expected, especially given the team's 2022 wide receiver woes, Barkley ended the year with 352 combined touches including 57 receptions, 1,650 YFS and 10 touchdowns. Failing to reach an agreement on a long-term extension before the July 17th deadline, Barkley and the Giants agreed to terms on a modified one-year contract, which is helpful given the current landscape of tension between star running backs and teams.
Parris Campbell: Campbell appeared in only 15 games through his first three seasons, but he stayed healthy for a full 17-game season in 2022 as he finished the year with 63 receptions for 623 yards and three touchdowns. The former Colt is expected to start in the slot, and a repeat of last year's numbers are within reach.
Isaiah Hodgins: Signed off of Buffalo's practice squad in the middle of the season, Hodgins was productive for the WR-needy Giants in the second half last season after reuniting with Brian Daboll, his former offensive coordinator in Buffalo. The former sixth-rounder (2020) had 33/351/4 on 42 targets over eight games with the Giants. It wouldn't be a surprise if he led the Giants' receiving corps in receiving in 2023.
Darius Slayton: Slayton started slow (inactive Week 1 and 18 offensive snaps through Week 3), but he led the team in receiving yards (724) last season. Slayton averaged 15.7 yards per reception and he had half (14) of the team's 28 receptions of 20-plus yards in 2022. It's possible that Jalin Hyatt, the team's third-round pick, could leapfrog him on the depth chart by the end of the year.
Darren Waller: A couple of seasons removed from back-to-back 1,100-yard campaigns, Waller is clearly the top weapon in New York's passing attack. While he has been limited to only 20 games over the past two seasons, his 17-game pace is 71/895/4 during that stretch.
The best way to become good at something is to practice. So, what should you do if you want to draft a better fantasy football team?
Practice, of course!
Leading up to the start of the 2022 NFL season, we will use the 2022 Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator (powered by FantasyPros) to complete fantasy football mock drafts.
We will use a variety of scoring formats -- PPR, half-PPR, standard scoring and even 2-QB leagues, league sizes and draft slots. The goal is to give you a good representation of the team that you may be able to construct given your league settings and the rationale of why we made the picks we did.
Taylor led the NFL in rush attempts (332), rushing yards (1,811) and rushing touchdowns (18) in addition to yards from scrimmage (2,171) and total touchdowns (20) in 2021. While he isn't as productive of a receiver as, say, Austin Ekeler or Christian McCaffrey (when healthy), he has a total of 76 catches for 659 yards over the past two seasons as well so he contributes in that aspect as well.
After missing nine games in 2020, Samuel had a breakout campaign (77/1,405/6 receiving and 59/365/8 rushing) in 2021. Samuel's physical play style and role puts him at increased risk for injury, but the do-it-all talent is a top-five receiver whenever he's on the field.
Sutton broke out in his second season (2019) with 72 catches for 1,112 yards and six touchdowns, but then he tore his ACL at the beginning of the 2020 season. Given Russell Wilson's accuracy as a deep passer, Sutton could be positioned to have the best season of his career. The 6-foot-4 receiver has averaged 15.2 yards per reception so far in his career.
One of the most dynamic mismatches at his position, Waller had a massive 27.7% target share in his last full season (2020). Given the Raiders traded for Davante Adams this offseason, however, Waller's days of oversized target shares are likely over, but he's still a top-five fantasy tight end.
Entering his third season as the team's clear No. 1 wide receiver, Mooney is coming off an 81/1,055/4 season in 2021 despite Chicago's passing game struggles overall. Depending on how much improvement we see from Justin Fields in his second season, there is plenty of upside with Mooney. And there is virtually zero downside here as my WR4.
Pierce never exceeded 106 carries in any season in Gainesville, but the former Gator has featured-back size who runs with physicality and good contact balance. While Rex Burkhead will handle most of the third-down reps and the Texans are going to trail often, Pierce should earn large enough of a workload to put him in the RB2 mix.
Stevenson carried the ball 133 times for 606 yards (4.56 YPC) and five touchdowns as a rookie, and added 14 catches for 123 yards. He had 19-plus carries in three games last season and finished with 100-plus rushing yards and a pair of scores in two of them. Bill Belichick has talked up Stevenson's development in the pass game and said "it might even become a strength." Even if Harris enters the season as the 1A to Stevenson's 1B, it wouldn't be a shock if the former Sooner emerges as the team's most productive back.
Even though Ezekiel Elliott played a full 17-game slate in 2021, Pollard earned an expanded role with career highs in touches (169) and scrimmage yards (1,056). Pollard is one of my favorite backs to target in 2022, as he has enormous upside if Elliott misses any time, but he has stand-alone flex value even if Elliott doesn't.
One of the few bright spots in New York's offense last year, Carter turned his 183 touches as a fourth-round rookie into 964 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns. Even though Breece Hall has the higher draft pedigree, Carter goes into his second season as the starter and as an undervalued option available many rounds later than Hall in drafts.
Robinson has been highly productive when on the field. Through two seasons, Robinson has averaged 4.55 yards per carry, racked up 2,403 scrimmage yards, hauled in 80 receptions and scored 18 total touchdowns. Even though Travis Etienne will score more fantasy points, there is little risk with Robinson at the end of this five-RB run.
Excluding 2020 when he missed 11 games, Prescott has finished as fantasy's QB6, QB11, QB10, QB2 and QB7, respectively, in his last five full seasons. He set a career high in 2021 in both passing touchdowns (37) and TD% (6.2), but he averaged a career low in rush attempts (3.0) and rushing yards (9.1) per game and it was the first time he had fewer than three rushing scores in a season. The ceiling and floor are lower than they were last season, but he's a decent value waiting this long.
Signing a one-year deal to play for the Lions, Chark missed nearly all of the 2021 season, but the former Jag has a 1,000-yard season (73/1,008/8 in 2019) under his belt. He's developed good chemistry with Jared Goff leading into the season.
While it seemed like a reach in April, the Giants new front office and coaching staff liked Robinson enough to use the 43rd overall pick on him. When NBC's Peter King attended Giants' camp, he wrote that Robinson "stood out" due to "his versatility and confidence." Given the concerns with the team's other three top receivers, Robinson could turn out to become a draft-day bargain for fantasy managers.
Derek Carr: Perennially undervalued, Carr has been one of my favorite targets in 2-QB leagues given his relatively high floor as a second quarterback. Since entering the league in 2014, Carr has never finished worse than QB20 and he's finished as a top-half QB2 (QB13-QB18) or better in six of the past seven seasons with the exception being a QB19 finish in 2017. Reunited with his former Fresno State teammate (Davante Adams), Carr may not be drafted as a top-12 quarterback, but there's a good chance that he finishes that way.
Josh Jacobs: Jacobs set career lows in rush attempts (217) and rushing yards (872) but career highs in targets (64), receptions (54) and receiving yards (348) in 2021. Through three seasons, Jacobs has yet to finish worse than RB18 in half-PPR scoring, but a new coaching staff is likely to use more of a "situational committee" at the position.
Zamir White: The Raiders used a fourth-round pick on White, who would likely handle the majority of early-down work if Jacobs were to miss any time. Although Ameer Abdullah and Brandon Bolden will be part of a committee approach, White is a late-round sleeper worth stashing in all of your fantasy drafts.
Davante Adams: In 30 games over the past two seasons, Adams hauled in 238 receptions for 2,927 yards and 29 touchdowns for the Packers. Adams has scored double-digit touchdowns in five of the past six seasons. While he's reunited with his former collegiate quarterback, the downgrade from Aaron Rodgers to Derek Carr and increased competition for targets means that Adams is now a WR1, as opposed to the WR1.
Hunter Renfrow: Renfrow crushed previous career highs with 103 catches for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns on 128 targets in 2021. Carr and Renfrow have developed tremendous chemistry, but the addition of Adams makes repeating those numbers extremely difficult.
Darren Waller: One of the most dynamic mismatches at his position, Waller had a massive 27.7% target share in his last full season (2020). While he missed six games in 2021, he has averaged 69.9 yards per game since 2019. Given the Raiders traded for Davante Adams this offseason, however, Waller's days of oversized target shares are likely over.
Derek Carr: Perennially undervalued, Carr has been one of my favorite targets in 2-QB leagues given his relatively high floor as a second quarterback. Since entering the league in 2014, Carr has never finished worse than QB20 and he's finished as a top-half QB2 (QB13-QB18) or better in six of the past seven seasons with the exception being a QB19 finish in 2017. Reunited with his former Fresno State teammate (Davante Adams), Carr is a legitimate threat to finish as a top-12 fantasy quarterback, even if he's not drafted as such.
Josh Jacobs: Jacobs set career lows in rush attempts (217) and rushing yards (872) but career highs in targets (64), receptions (54) and receiving yards (348) in 2021. Through three seasons, Jacobs has yet to finish worse than RB18 in half-PPR scoring, but a new coaching staff is likely to use more of a "situational committee" at the position.
Kenyan Drake: Both Jacobs and Drake are entering contract years, and there's a good chance that neither will be on the roster in 2023. While the Raiders will employ a committee approach in the backfield, Drake has the versatility to be used in a James White-type role for McDaniels.
Zamir White: The Raiders used a fourth-round pick on White, who would likely handle the majority of early-down work if Jacobs were to miss any time. The Athletic's Vic Tafur wrote that "there is probably a decent chance" that the coaching staff "already think[s] White is better than them" (Jacobs and Drake). White is a late-round sleeper worth stashing in all of your fantasy drafts.
Davante Adams: Adams has been an elite producer in Green Bay, especially over the past two seasons. In 30 games over the past two seasons, Adams has 238 receptions for 2,927 yards and 29 touchdowns. Adams has scored double-digit touchdowns in five of the past six seasons. While he's reunited with his former collegiate quarterback, the downgrade from Aaron Rodgers to Derek Carr and increased competition for targets means that Adams is now a WR1, as opposed to the WR1.
Hunter Renfrow: Renfrow crushed previous career highs with 103 catches for 1,038 yards and nine touchdowns on 128 targets in 2021. Carr and Renfrow have developed tremendous chemistry, but the addition of Adams should make repeating those numbers extremely difficult. On a positive note, however, Josh McDaniels has a history of very productive slot receivers from his days in New England.
Darren Waller: Waller is one of the most dynamic mismatches at his position, who had a massive 27.7% target share in his last full season (2020). While he missed six games in 2021, he has averaged 69.9 yards per game since 2019. Given the Raiders traded for Davante Adams this offseason, however, Waller's days of oversized target shares are likely over even though he's still a top-five option, at worst.
Derek Carr: Carr has averaged 253.1, 253.4 and 256.4 passing yards per game over the past three seasons, respectively. Finishing as fantasy's QB13 in 2020, Carr posted a career-high 7.94 Y/A and his 5.2 TD% was the second best of his career. Lacking the upside of many other QB2 types, Carr will likely outperform his current ADP and ranking -- he's never finished outside the top 20 fantasy QBs in seven seasons. That consistency makes him an under-appreciated late option for those in 2-QB or Super Flex formats.
Josh Jacobs: Improvements in durability, volume and red-zone efficiency helped to boost Jacobs' overall fantasy production (RB8 across scoring formats) despite an overall drop in efficiency from his rookie season (2019). Despite a slight uptick in the passing game (2.2 receptions per contest) last season, Jacobs averaged only 4.26 yards per touch, a drop from 5.02 as a rookie.
Jacobs played 15 of 16 games, scored 12 touchdowns (compared to seven in 2019) and only Derrick Henry and Dalvin Cook had more touches than Jacobs (306). The addition of Kenyan Drake to the backfield should lead to fewer touches and especially fewer targets in 2021.
Kenyan Drake: Lead backs for their respective teams in 2020, the duo of Josh Jacobs and Drake combined for a massive 570 touches last season, but that number will obviously drop significantly now that they share a backfield. Often going in Round 9 or later in fantasy football mock drafts, however, Drake is worth the risk as an RB4+ compared to the other backs currently going in that range.
Henry Ruggs III: While Ruggs was the first receiver off the board in the 2020 NFL Draft, he was often used more as a decoy than a featured part of the passing offense. As a rookie, Ruggs finished with a 26/452/2 line (17.4 Y/R). Better things are in store for Ruggs in 2021, but until Derek Carr starts taking more shots down the field, there will be a lot of boom-or-bust to the second-year receiver's game log.
Bryan Edwards: The hype train has led to comparisons to Terrell Owens (by the head coach), Randy Moss (by a reporter) and Davante Adams (by the quarterback). Edwards is a name that you'll likely find on many breakout lists, but will the training camp buzz carry over into the regular season?
Darren Waller: Waller set career highs across the board -- 107 receptions on 146 targets for 1,196 yards and nine touchdowns -- and was dominant down the stretch. Not only did Waller have a 13/200/2 game in Week 13, but he exceeded the 100-yard mark in four of his final five games of the season. No team makes their tight end the focal point of the offense more than the Raiders do with Waller.
Derek Carr: Carr has averaged 253.1, 253.4 and 256.4 passing yards per game over the past three seasons, respectively. Finishing as fantasy's QB13 in 2020, Carr posted a career-high 7.94 Y/A and his 5.2 TD% was the second best of his career. Lacking the upside of many other QB2 types, Carr will likely outperform his current ADP and ranking -- he's never finished outside the top 20 fantasy QBs in seven seasons. That consistency makes him an under-appreciated late option for those in 2-QB or Super Flex formats.
Josh Jacobs: Improvements in durability, volume and red-zone efficiency helped to boost Jacobs' overall fantasy production (RB8 across scoring formats) despite an overall drop in efficiency from his 2019 rookie season. Despite a slight uptick in the passing game (2.2 receptions per contest) last season, Jacobs averaged only 4.26 yards per touch, a drop from 5.02 as a rookie.
Jacobs played 15 of 16 games, scored 12 touchdowns (compared to seven in 2019) and only Derrick Henry and Dalvin Cook had more touches than Jacobs (306). The addition of Kenyan Drake to the backfield should lead to fewer touches and especially fewer targets in 2021.
Kenyan Drake: Lead backs for their respective teams in 2020, the duo of Josh Jacobs and Drake combined for a massive 570 touches last season, but that number will obviously drop significantly now that they share a backfield. Often going in Round 9 or later in fantasy football mock drafts, however, Drake is worth the risk as an RB4+ compared to the other backs currently going in that range.
Henry Ruggs III: While Ruggs was the first receiver off the board in the 2020 NFL Draft, he was often used more as a decoy than a featured part of the passing offense. As a rookie, Ruggs finished with a 26/452/2 line (17.4 Y/R). Better things are in store for Ruggs in 2021, but until Derek Carr starts taking more shots down the field, there will be a lot of boom-or-bust to the second-year receiver's game log.
Bryan Edwards: The hype train has led to comparisons to Terrell Owens (by the head coach), Randy Moss (by a reporter) and Davante Adams (by the quarterback). Edwards is a name that you'll likely find on many breakout lists, but will the training camp buzz carry over into the regular season?
John Brown: Brown is two seasons removed from a 1,000-yard campaign, but consistent weekly production is likely to elude the entire position group with Darren Waller dominating targets.
Darren Waller: Waller set career highs across the board -- 107 receptions on 146 targets for 1,196 yards and nine touchdowns -- and was dominant down the stretch. Not only did Waller have a 13/200/2 game in Week 13, but he exceeded the 100-yard mark in four of his final five games of the season. No team makes their tight end the focal point of the offense than the Raiders do with Waller.
