Our Dudes for 2023
Tim and I at The Hateful 8 Fantasy Football wanted to get together and share a couple of “Our Dudes” for the 2023 season. These are the players we needed to have on our fantasy rosters this year in redraft. Hopefully, our picks will give you confidence in your selections as well.
Tim F (@Fitz_437)
Richie James, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
He finished 2nd on the Giants in receiving yards last year. In five of his last seven games to end the 2022 season he scored double-digit fantasy points. He did all of this with Daniel Jones at QB. Now he gets the most significant QB upgrade in Patrick Mahomes.
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
In 2022, his ranking in targets was 23rd while his ranking in receiving yards was 7th. Massive outperformance. If his targets were to increase his performance would increase as well. Also if Tyreek Hill ever missed time, Waddle would go nuclear.
Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions
Finished 2022 as the QB10. Amon Ra St. Brown is poised to finish as a top-10 WR once again. Now he adds Jameson Williams as a weapon. Additionally, Marvin Jones is back for his inevitable few red zone TD receptions, which never hurts. Furthermore, Jamaal Williams had 17 rushing TD last season (absurd) most of which came from the 1-yard line. He’s gone. So is Deandre Swift. They have been replaced by Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, both of whom can catch. Lastly, Sam La Porta is projected as a strong TE option. Goff’s arrow is pointing up and his 2023 ADP is QB17. This guy is an auto-draft in that spot.
Jeremy Galtman (@JGalt93)
Justin Fields, QB, Chicago Bears
Fields has to be one of my favorite values at the QB position this season. You usually want a QB that can run and pass in fantasy. Fields is easily surrounded by the best talent that he has had in his pro career and therefore should be able to produce at a high level in 2023. This year, he was a great pick in the middle rounds of your fantasy drafts. He is my QB6 heading into the season and is one of two mid-round QBs that I could see making it into the top 3 in 2023 (The other is Justin Herbert).
James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills
I drafted Cook everywhere last year in dynasty leagues, in the hopes that he would be their lead back in 2022. It took a little longer than expected but Cook is the lead back for the Buffalo Bills this year. The Bills are an elite team with no clear #2 receiving option after Stefon Diggs. It wouldn’t surprise me if Cook was the second-best receiving option at the end of this season. Cook was one of my favorite targets in fantasy leagues and it seems like many others favorites as well since I was barely able to get him on any of my rosters. Cook is the perfect RB3/4 for your roster and was a low-end RB2 for me with upside heading into this season.
Jahan Dotson, WR, Washington Commanders
Dotson has to be one of the most liked wide receivers in all of fantasy this year. Every analyst that I have seen is high on him. Now that could mean that he would no longer be a value in most drafts but from what I saw he was still a great pick in the 7th/8th rounds of drafts. I have Dotson in 5 of my redraft leagues this season and could not be any happier. He has all of the skills needed to be a major value in fantasy this year. With Terry McLaurin being injured, Dotson should start the season off strong against a weak Arizona Cardinals defense. He is a high-end flex with WR2 upside on any given week.
Sam Laporta, WR, Detroit Lions
Lastly, we have to talk about Sam Laporta. I had been high on him in dynasty leagues and he was a great value in redraft leagues as you could get him in the last rounds of your drafts. Now I am writing this after the first game of the season, so we already know that Laporta received a steady number of targets. Laporta should continue to have that kind of production especially when the Lions face better offenses with the potential for high-scoring games. If Laporta continues this kind of production, he will be in the low-end TE1 conversation sooner than later.