What We Learned for Fantasy Football in the 2023 Preseason: AFC Edition

The NFL preseason is finally over, which means it’s time to get excited about real football coming our way. Before we set our sights on the games that really matter though, it’s important to recap what we learned for fantasy football this offseason and use that information to prepare for the upcoming year. 

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens: Zay Flowers May Be an Immediate Contributor

In recent years, the passing game in Baltimore has been Mark Andrews and a bunch of question marks. In 2023, the Ravens have a revamped WR room, and rookie first-rounder Zay Flowers may be the best of the bunch. All reports have indicated Flowers has dominated in camp, and if he claims the No. 1 role that’s a great path to providing fantasy value in year 1.

Cincinnati Bengals: Chris Evans Is the Back to Roster Behind Joe Mixon

There hasn’t been a great backup to Joe Mixon in Cincinnati in quite some time, and it looks like that may be the case again in 2023. With that said, in the event anything were to happen to Mixon, it looks like third-year back Chris Evans would be the one to own. Evans hasn’t done much in his three-year career, but all indications are he’s progressed this offseason and he should be second in line for touches behind Mixon in 2023.

Cleveland Browns: No One’s Taking Touches Away from Nick Chubb

For the longest time, the Browns have been one of fantasy football’s more frustrating 1-2 punches. Both Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt added fantasy value, but we never saw what they could do with the entire backfield to themselves. That may change this year with Hunt out the door, and not a lot of significant competition behind Chubb on the depth chart. The late addition of Pierre Strong (who couldn’t see the field in New England), isn’t a great sign for the depth in the RB room, which means Chubb will be getting all the work this year.

Pittsburgh Steelers: George Pickens Is Inevitable

We’ve all seen the highlights by now and know George Pickens has shown flashes of superstardom. The question is, can he turn that into consistent fantasy points? If this offseason is any indication, the answer is yes. Not only does Pickens look more equipped to step forward in year two, but his quarterback appears to have shown significant improvement as well. Pickens has monstrous upside this year if this Steelers offense can put it all together.

AFC South

Houston Texans: Nico Collins Emerging as the No. 1

Investing in the Texans passing attack may not be exciting, but it’s cheap and right now Nico Collins is slated to lead the league in targets. With a rookie QB under center the targets may not be the most efficient, but there should be enough volume for Collins to make an intriguing flex play. Considering he’s typically ranked outside the top 50 or so receivers, Collins is a great low-cost option to target in drafts.

Indianapolis Colts: Evan Hull Is a Must-Draft

Even prior to the announcement that Jonathan Taylor will miss four games, Evan Hull was looking like a must-draft player. Outside of Taylor, there’s no proven depth in the RB room, and Hull – a rookie fifth-rounder – has impressed in camp and may wind up being the best option in Taylor’s absence. Even if it doesn’t work out for Hull, the cost it takes to acquire him is so low that he’s worth the dart throw.

Jaguars: Tank Bigsby Is Just Preseason Hype

While Tank Bigsby has performed well in the preseason, he hasn’t done so while sharing the field with Trevor Lawrence. Travis Etienne received nearly all of the snaps when Lawrence was on the field, and that leads me to believe Bigsby isn’t the 1B in this offense, instead he’s the clear No. 2. He’ll be one of the better handcuffs to own this year, but I wouldn’t bank on week in and week out production from the rookie.

Tennessee Titans: Tyjae Spears Is the Clear No. 2

There may not have been a more fun player this preseason than Tennessee’s Tyjae Spears. It’ll be tough for Spears to see the field much as long as Derrick Henry’s healthy, but that’s been far from a sure thing in recent years. In the event Henry misses time again this year, Spears looks ready to step in and potentially provide league-winning upside as a top-notch handcuff.

AFC East

Buffalo Bills: Pump the Brakes on James Cook

There’s lots of excitement toward James Cook right now, but the hype has gone too far. The primary question surrounding Cook is his ability to serve an every-down role, and the preseason is indicating that he’ll be ceding at least the goal-line work to another back. Damien Harris is no slouch himself and will likely demand some touches between the 20s and also serve as the go-to guy near the end zone. Cook should still provide decent fantasy output, but we need to be realistic with what his ceiling looks like as long as Harris is healthy.

New England Patriots: Kendrick Bourne Is a Sneaky Sleeper

The Patriots offense was a mess last year, and the hope is with a real offensive coordinator in town this year, they can at least get back to league-average numbers. Two years ago, Kendrick Bourne logged 800 yards despite just starting five games (though he played in all 17), and rumblings out of camp indicate the Patriots have a big role for him in mind this year. At cost, Bourne is easily worth a late-round dart throw.

New York Jets: The Aaron Rodgers-Garrett Wilson Connection Is Going to Produce

The addition of Aaron Rodgers was largely considered a good thing for Garrett Wilson, but there was a sliver of doubt that the QB may not target the second-year receiver as often as fantasy managers would like. If the preseason is any indication, that’s not going to be an issue. Rodgers has loved targeting Wilson, and the two already appear to have great chemistry with one another. Wilson looks poised for a WR1 season this year.

Miami Dolphins: The Backfield Is Going to Be a Mess … Unless They Add Someone

The Dolphins are one of the most exciting offenses in the league due to their superstar WR duo, but the ground game in Miami tends to be most complicated. After rumors of them being linked to both Dalvin Cook and Jonathan Taylor, the team is clearly in the market for an upgrade at RB. For the time being, it looks like the backfield will be a committee led mostly by Raheem Mostert — Jeff Wilson landed on short-term IR on Thursday, so that means some combination of De’Von Achane and Salvon Ahmed (who showed flashes in the preseason and may earn some snaps) will be the next men up until Wilson’s return. If you’re desperate for an RB start during byes or to plug injury voids, the Dolphins’ backs could play a role there, but I wouldn’t bank on any consistency from this group.

AFC West

Denver Broncos: Courtland Sutton Is a Value

There was hope Sean Payton could revitalize a Broncos passing attack that lacked much juice last year, but with both Jerry Jeudy and Tim Patrick suffering significant injuries this offseason, that looks like an uphill battle. What those injuries do provide though is an increased opportunity for Courtland Sutton, who could push for 1,000-plus yards again this season as the likely No. 1 in the offense (at least while Jeudy is sidelined).

Kansas City Chiefs: It’s Anyone’s Guess Who the Best WR Is Going to Be

Don’t overcomplicate the Chiefs passing attack this year. You want Patrick Mahomes, you want Travis Kelce, and then everyone else is a lottery ticket. Any one of the WRs in this offense – Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Rashee Rice – could produce on a weekly basis, but I don’t think any of them will be consistent. If you want to take a flier on one of these guys in the later rounds, go for it. If you’re in need of a reliable starter though, you’re better off looking elsewhere.

Las Vegas Raiders: Aidan O’Connell Is a Worthwhile Dynasty Stash

I don’t think many in Vegas were expecting Jimmy Garoppolo to be the long-term answer at QB, but the preseason indicates they may have found a gem in the fourth round of the draft. Aidan O’Connell may not see the field early in 2023, but he’s shown a ton of promise in the preseason. Depending on how the start of the season goes, O’Connell could wind up getting snaps later in the year so the Raiders’ brass can see what they have in him. He’s likely not going to provide fantasy value this year, but he’s worth a stash in dynasty formats.

Los Angeles Chargers: Still No Complement to Ekeler?

Austin Ekeler has been a fantasy football godsend in recent years, and it looks like he should once again have a workhorse role in Los Angeles. The Chargers have been searching for someone to serve as a reliable No. 2 behind Ekeler for years, but this offseason indicates they may still not have that guy. Whether it’s Joshua Kelley, Isaiah Spiller, Elijah Dotson or someone else, whoever the No. 2 is won’t pose a serious threat to Ekeler’s workload.