The 2023 fantasy football season is here! The longest preseason in forever (or so it seems) is finally over, which means Week 1 fantasy football rankings, sleepers and projections are here. And, of course, I included a little Fun in the Ranks! Welcome back for a new season, and I welcome your votes for the Top 10 Best [see below, no spoilers] in the comments.
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WEEK 1 FANTASY FOOTBALL SLEEPERS
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These are the sleepers (DuckTales and Darkwing Duck style – Woo-oo is worth the risk in most leagues, and Dangerous if you need a Hail Mary). They don’t match my rankings 100%. It’s about chasing the upside and usually carries more risk – simply put, they are potential upside players that you can consider a quality replacement.
QUARTERBACK
Woo-yeah Worth: Jared Goff, DET – All of Goff’s 2022 numbers are pretty good, including a true 2.2 to 0.8 TD/G mark, but this is the Chiefs. We know the Lions offense is one of the best, and the Chiefs will be THE at best, forcing Goff to pass a ton of the highest projected total of the week. The Chiefs are the only team to allow 30+ touchdown passes (33), and they are only four games without 2+ touchdown passes allowed (Malik Willis, Bryce Perkins, Geno Smith, Russell Wilson second game, Jarrett Stidham). Outside of Smith, the others aren’t the threat Goff is far from the dome.
RUNNING BACK
Woo-yeah Worth: Raheem Mostert, MIA – Jeff Wilson is on IR, De’Von Achane has struggled in the preseason and, as a result, Salvon Ahmed is reportedly the second option. Mostert is slated for heavy work in Week 1, and he had five double-digit fantasy tallies last year while sharing the work. We always preach not to overthink Week 1 and start with your early picks, but you can easily make a case to start Mostert over Breece Hall, Javonte Williams and other backs with uncertain workloads. at work.
Let’s… Get… Dangerous: Jerick McKinnon, KC — McKinnon was in that high-scoring Lions matchup, and his floor-to-ceiling range was almost as big as it was. McKinnon can give you 20 points, or he can finish with a measly 2.0 points. The Lions are tied for the third-most points allowed per game and give up the fourth-most rushing yards. Yes, teams improve every year, but it’s hard to see the Lions making enough of a leap to stop the Chiefs’ entire backfield, and McKinnon has the added development of Isiah Pacheco to work on. back to 100%.
ADVANCED RECEIVER
Woo-yeah Worth: Skyy Moore, KC — I had Moore here before the Travis Kelce news — excuse me while I cry again. Moore has been a top-two receiver for the Chiefs all preseason (Marquez Valdes-Scantling the other). Moore fills the void of JuJu Smith-Schuster and likely has a higher upside than JJSS with his impressive speed after the catch and on deep routes. Focusing on this anticipated shootout, Moore plays as a WR3, along with Jordan Addison, Gabe Davis, Marquise Brown and more.
Woo-yeah Worth: Marvin Mims, DEN — Today, Jerry Jeudy seems unlikely for Week 1, as the Broncos don’t want the injury to become a yearlong issue. Mims has impressed since camp, and with Tim Patrick out for the year, Mims will start alongside Courtland Sutton. Mims is an impressive talent, who can line up at all receiver positions thanks to his speed, adjustments and big-play upside. Depending on your team, Mims may not need to start, but his upside is a Top 20 finish, which makes the risk more than worth it in most leagues.
Let’s… Get… Dangerous: Van Jefferson, LAR — With Cooper Kupp out, the door is open for someone other than Tyler Higbee to step up. Puka Nacua is a good all-around receiver with starting upside down the road, Tutu Atwell is a potential volume play in a small Jakobi Meyers-like role, but Jefferson has Week 1 WR1 upside. Jefferson remains a boom/bust, but as we remember from receivers like Torrey Smith, all it takes is 3-4 receptions to reach 100 yards and a score.
TIGHT END
Woo-yeah Worth: Tyler Higbee, LAR – It’s interesting to see a Top 10 tight end, with three of his four double-digit target games with Matthew Stafford and 108 targets overall, slide in drafts. As discussed with Jefferson, Stafford needs options in Week 1, and Higbee faces a Seahawks team that has given up the sixth-most points to tight ends in 2021 and the most in 2022. Even the defensive improvement won’t knock the Seahawks out of what is a favorable matchup for Higbee.
HAPPY RANKINGS!
With Transformers: Rise of the Beasts best Transformers since the first live-action movie (the 1986 animated movie still reigns as No. 1), I want to start the 2023 fun rankings of the best Transformers ever. Before rolling out my list, I’m going to exclude Optimus Prime and Megatron because they’re obviously all in the Top 10. So, here’s my…
Top 10 Transformers
- Soundwave — Maybe an unpopular opinion, but he has Laserbeak and Ravage, which are quite enough on their own, plus Rumble, all as cassettes that he can release. Soundwave is also a genius strategist, loyal (not common with Decepticons), can be a satellite, has sonic cannons and more. Unique design and character.
- Starscream — His voice can be annoying (depending on the iteration), but Starscream has come close to killing and/or defeating Optimus Prime several times, usually only to be stopped by Megatron. The midair switch from jet to robot for combat is impressive.
- Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime — A Spider-Man variant of the Autobots (leader, but questioned himself), evolves when Optimus is killed (spoiler), and his time-slowing gun is kissing a chef’s weapon .
- bees — The heart of the Autobots, man’s best friend, never stops, fun music/TV/movies to help him “talk.”
- Shockwave — Deadly red eyes and design, captivating voice, controls the drill worm(s), a master strategist who has defeated the Autobots and will likely defeat Megatron at any point.
- Jazz — Coolest Transformer? It’s definitely possible. The John Wick of the Autobots.
- Ratchet — He is the sleeper of all Transformers. Lowered MVP when needed, the last surviving Autobot at one point, selfless, and he’s the medic. Every team needs one and rarely gives them the respect they deserve.
- drift — He’s a frigin samurai! Like Jetfire, Drift was once a Decepticon known as Deadlock – badass in design and name.
- Grimlock – Leader of the Dinobots, he’s a fire-breathing Tyrannosaurus Rex!
- Iron lining — One of the best voices, the real warrior of the group, big weapons, always get the sad death.
Honorable Mention: Sixshot — Decepticon replacement for Drift with six forms from tank to wolf!… and destroyer – No! Not the horrible version that Michael Bay cooked up with baallllls, but the horrible green and purple machine of destruction (hence the name).
DFL: Wheelie — Rhyming, Walmart-discount-bin-design, baby Autobot… and Huffer — In the movie… just.shut.up! What, a little semi-truck with tubes for hands, because…?
WEEK 1 FANTASY FOOTBALL PROJECTIONS
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It will be different in my rankings, and in my The rankings are the order in which I will start players except in added context, such as, “The highest rise is required, even if dangerous.” Also, based on 4-point TDs for QB, 6-point rest, and Half-PPR
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*** This is not updated Sunday morning, FYI***
WEEK 1 FANTASY FOOTBALL RANKINGS
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- There is no perfect widget out there, unfortunately, still. I know a lot of people look at it on your phone, but 1) use the ranking widget on a PC/laptop/etc. if possible or 2) open your phone’s browser, especially for Android users, to use scrolling.
- Updated regularly, so check back to lock in the lineups.
(Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)