In the highly competitive HRC Katoosh 💣🧨👊🏼 league, The Fighting Cocks proved they were no chickens when it came to the draft. With a stellar A+ grade, they swooped in and selected a team that is projected to dominate the competition. The Fighting Cocks secured the 4th spot in the draft order, but they soared above expectations with their picks, leaving other teams squawking in envy.
The Fighting Cocks' projected record of 14-1-0 is a testament to their feather-ruffling draft strategy. With a projected finish in 1st place, they are poised to rule the roost. Their projected points of 3566.12 will leave opponents scratching their heads, wondering how they can possibly compete. And let's not forget their schedule difficulty, which is ranked as the 12th toughest out of 12 teams. It seems The Fighting Cocks are destined to face the toughest challenges head-on, proving that they are no mere sitting ducks.
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ADP Analysis
Bars above zero indicate a pick was selected later than a player's ADP. Bars below zero show players that were taken earlier than their ADP.
Inside the Draft
Player Outlooks
- Round 1, Pick 4 - Bye 10
2023 Rank: 3 - 2022 Rank: 3
Hill's record of exceptional on-field play has been consistent enough that his first year in Miami may actually be flying under the radar. Wide receivers usually see a dip in production in their first year with a new team, but Hill's inaugural season with the Dolphins saw him rack up a career-high 1,710 receiving yards (11th most in NFL history) to go with eight total touchdowns. The speedster managed that feat despite enduring tumultuous injuries at the quarterback position, and catching passes from a third-stringer by the end of the season. Part of the credit needs to go to coach Mike McDaniel's outstanding offensive scheme, and to Tua Tagovailoa's play under center. But the ultimate takeaway is that Hill is a game-breaker still in his prime. In 17 games last season, Hill broke 100 yards on seven occasions and led the entire NFL with 3.20 yards per route run. He seems a likely candidate for positive touchdown regression, especially if Tagovailoa can put together an fully healthy season. With Jaylen Waddle present to keep defenses honest but no other target competition of real significance, Hill finds himself in the perfect situation to once again produce Top-5 wide receiver stats.
- Round 2, Pick 21 - Bye 13
2023 Rank: 18 - 2022 Rank: 18
It seems like Henry's decline is predicted every year, but the 29-year-old running back continues to churn out stellar seasons, and he made some major strides as a pass catcher last year that could help the bruising runner age more gracefully. Henry set career highs last season in targets (41), catches (33) and receiving yards (398) in 2022, nearly doubling his previous best of 206 receiving yards from 2019. Last season, Henry also churned out 1,538 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on a league-high 349 carries - numbers right in line with his averages from the previous three seasons. The foot injury that limited Henry to eight games in 2021 is firmly in the rearview mirror, and he looked as spry as ever in 2022, as his 10 carries of 20-plus yards marked the second-highest such total of his career. There are concerns over how many scoring opportunities Henry will get given the state of Tennessee's passing game, and it's fair to wonder if this will be the year that his massive workloads finally catch up to him. But those same concerns haven't stopped Henry before, and he should once again get all the touches he can handle as the focal point of the Titans offense.
- Round 3, Pick 28 - Bye 11
2023 Rank: 20 - 2022 Rank: 20
Olave's rookie situation was relatively solid when compared to many of the top rookies wideouts who were stuck with terrible quarterback play. Andy Dalton played capably and understood the importance of getting the ball to his star receiver. As a result, Olave never had fewer than 41 yards in a game. However, after a strong start to the season in which Olave had at least 80 yards in four of his first 10 games, he didn't surpass 65 yards in any of his last five contests. Even though he had 13 catches of more than 20 yards (and four of those catches gained at least 40 yards), he only had a 17th-percentile yards after the catch rate. That is something he'll need to improve on in 2023. New QB Derek Carr, who's expected to play behind a weak pass-protecting OL, could hinder Olave's downfield potential. Carr will likely need to pound Olave with targets in the short and intermediate areas of the field. Olave is already a top-20 receiver, but if he can work well with Carr, he could end up in the top 15. If Olave's QB showed more big-play potential, the sophomore wideout would be considered a top-10 WR.
- Round 4, Pick 45 - Bye 13
2023 Rank: 87 - 2022 Rank: 87
Akers had a weird 2022 season. We'll never know if he was still recovering from the Achilles injury he suffered in 2021. In Weeks 1-10, he averaged 2.83 yards per carry and was benched for two games. Although he faced four of the top 10 defenses in those seven games, he looked as if he was struggling to get to the line of scrimmage before getting hit on most carries. After his banishment, he continued to struggle, as he played 21 snaps but ran for just 2.72 yards per carry. However, he was a completely different player during the last eight games of the season. He rushed for 4.8 yards per carry, though he did that against an easy schedule. He was specifically excellent in Weeks 15 through 18 when he faced defenses in the bottom 10 in three of the four games. He had at least 100 scrimmage yards in each of those games along with a three-touchdown performance. and during that stretch, he averaged 5.47 yards per carry while also catching nine passes. So the big question becomes whether his resurgence had to do with schedule or recovering from his injury. It's likely that the answer is somewhere in the middle. ranking him around RB20 seems safe, as he should get volume, though we're unsure as to what level he'll play at. If it was just a matter of Akers getting back to full health, he will be one of the biggest steals in fantasy drafts, but there is definitely a risk.
- Round 5, Pick 52 - Bye 5
2023 Rank: 61 - 2022 Rank: 61
By now it's safe to call Herbert one of the league's elite quarterbacks, even after a somewhat disappointing 2022 season saw his touchdown rate and per-pass yardage decline from his 2021 and 2020 seasons. It didn't make much sense for Herbert to only throw for 25 touchdowns in 2022 after throwing for 69 touchdowns over the two prior seasons, so the Chargers decided to make a switch at offensive coordinator, deleting Joe Lombardi's dink-and-dunk offense for a Kellen Moore scheme that will hopefully do more to unleash Herbert's standout downfield passing ability. Between Moore's addition and the selection of first-round wide receiver Quentin Johnston, it's shaping up to be a bounce-back season for Herbert and the Chargers offense. Although it seems Herbert won't ever be inclined to run much, he still has the athleticism to do so. He could provide fantasy production similar to Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen if he can just get his per-pass yardage up over 8.0 yards per attempt. If Herbert's pass attempt volume stabilizes while his per-pass returns spike upward, something like a 5,000-yard, 40-touchdown season could be on the table. He was already close in 2021, when he threw for 5,014 yards and 38 touchdowns.
- Round 6, Pick 69 - Bye 11
2023 Rank: 121 - 2022 Rank: 121
Pitts took a big step back between his rookie year in 2021 and his sophomore campaign in 2022. Before suffering a knee injury in his 11th game, he had scored twice while averaging 35.6 yards per game. Pitts had two solid games with 80 and 87 yards but was held under 30 yards seven times. Although Pitts didn't do much with his chances, he at least was targeted between five and nine times in each of his last five games. He remained the focal point of a low-volume passing game. Going into 2023, we're not questioning Pitts' talent. He's still one of the most physically gifted tight ends to ever come out of the college ranks, and it's highly likely he increases his production from last year. But if the offense is still run-heavy and sophomore WR Drake London is also handling a large target share, Pitts might not put up huge numbers even if he performs better. A shaky QB situation adds to the concern, with second-year pro Desmond Ridder having averaged only 6.2 yards per pass attempt in four games as a rookie last year.
- Round 7, Pick 76 - Bye 11
2023 Rank: 68 - 2022 Rank: 68
After racking up 1,082 yards on 129 targets in 2021, Pittman dipped to 925 yards on 141 targets last season. The decline in efficiency can be attributed to abhorrent quarterback play by the combination of Matt Ryan, Sam Ehlinger and Nick Foles. Entering his fourth NFL season, Pittman once again profiles as the clear No. 1 WR for the Colts, but the team's QB situation remains murky. Indianapolis signed Gardner Minshew and drafted Anthony Richardson fourth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Minshew probably represents an upgrade over the options throwing Pittman the ball last year, but Richardson will likely claim the starting job before long, and the question marks about Richardson's accuracy coupled with his running ability could lead to declines in both passing volume and efficiency. Still, the Colts could find themselves playing from behind often, and the lack of established targets behind Pittman suggests the 25-year-old wide receiver should remain busy after ranking 12th league-wide in targets last season despite missing one game.
- Round 8, Pick 93 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 88 - 2022 Rank: 88
For a player with his physical gifts and consistent production, it's kind of remarkable that Cooks has never found a long-term home in the NFL. Since being selected in the first round in 2014, the speedster has played for four teams, and a March trade from the Texans has the Cowboys poised to be team No. 5. Through his travels, Cooks has topped 1,000 receiving yards six times in the last eight seasons, and the fact that he didn't reach that mark in Houston last year falls squarely on the shoulders of the erratic quarterback play. While he'll turn 30 in September, he still possesses the speed to force defenders back on their heels, and Dak Prescott should be the best QB he's worked with since he was Tom Brady's top option on the outside with the Patriots in 2017. CeeDee Lamb has that role in Dallas in 2023, but Cooks can still make an impact as the No. 2 wideout.
- Round 9, Pick 100 - Bye 10
2023 Rank: 1139 - 2022 Rank: 1139
Bolton was selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft and has quickly proven to be a force in the middle of the defense. As a rookie, he registered 112 tackles as a part of a rotation amongst the linebacker corps. In his second campaign, Bolton topped 1,000 snaps and increased his production to a whopping 180 tackles (108 solo). As would be expected, his primary assignment is to sit in the middle of the field, leaving him with limited sack upside. On the other hand, the next step in Bolton's career could be his work in coverage, as he picked off two passes in 2022 and also logged three passes deflected. Overall, he should rank among the most sought-after IDP options.
- Round 10, Pick 117 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 394 - 2022 Rank: 394
The Texans haven't done much right in the past couple of seasons, but selecting Pitre in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft certainly appears to be one. The rookie out of Baylor excelled with 147 tackles and five interceptions, wildly exceeding expectations while topping the team in both categories. One thing to keep an eye on is Pitre's deployment moving forward. He opened the 2022 campaign at strong safety and appeared to be heading to a reserve role after a number of miscues. Instead, the team shifted him to free safety, where he seemingly found a groove and some comfort on the field. The Texans did a lot of work on defense during the offseason, but Pitre is expected to remain a starter alongside veteran Jimmie Ward. All told he'll be looking to prove his initial production in the NFL was no fluke.
- Round 11, Pick 124 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 1131 - 2022 Rank: 1131
Not all careers progress linearly, but Wilson's certainly has. A third-round pick in 2020, Wilson served primarily on special teams as a rookie. He took a step forward in 2021, only to truly break out in 2022 by tallying 123 tackles and 2.5 sacks. Though he's not overly athletic, Wilson has shown enough intelligence to be an asset in coverage as he has racked up 11 passes defended and seven interceptions across 40 career games. He's a true three-down linebacker. Heading into the final year of his rookie contract, Wilson will certainly be a key member of the Bengals defense yet again. The only question is his health, as he's missed eight games in his three-year career.
- Round 12, Pick 141 - Bye 9
2023 Rank: 1543 - 2022 Rank: 1543
- Round 13, Pick 148 - Bye 11
2023 Rank: 554 - 2022 Rank: 554
Grant had a modest rookie season, playing nearly as much on special teams as he did on the Falcons' defensive unit. However, he took a major step forward after winning a starting job in 2022 and became a near-every-down player. That allowed him to total 123 tackles, seven pass defenses, two interceptions, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery across 17 games. Despite that production, the Falcons added Jessie Bates to their secondary this offseason, creating competition for Grant. Specifically, he will have to compete with Jaylinn Hawkins for the starting strong safety job. The end result could be a rotation at the position, so Grant comes with significant risk to take a step back from his 2022 production.
- Round 14, Pick 165 - Bye 13
2023 Rank: 1585 - 2022 Rank: 1585
- Round 15, Pick 172 - Bye 13
2023 Rank: 496 - 2022 Rank: 496
- Round 16, Pick 189 - Bye 9
2023 Rank: 125 - 2022 Rank: 125
After undergoing UCL (elbow) surgery on March 10th, it's hard to know what we can expect from Purdy this season. Was he just a poster child for any quarterback being placed in the Kyle Shanahan system? Or was he truly a special quarterback who was completely unnoticed until the very last pick of the NFL draft? He won each of the eight games he started before his injury, including two NFL playoff games. However, he threw for 220 or fewer yards in five of eight games. The best game he had was in the Wild Card round against Seattle when he threw for 332 yards and three touchdowns. He did throw for at least two touchdowns in each of his first seven starts. He also had an impressive 67.1 percent completion percentage along with a 13:4 TD: INT. If he does get the starting job and is healthy, there's little reason to expect he'll be any less effective than he was last year. Even if film comes out on him that exposes flaws, the offense he's in creates optimal passing windows, and he has incredibly talented weapons at his disposal. But the injury he suffered is significant and it's also possible that he is not 100% to start the season.
- Round 17, Pick 196 - Bye 9
2023 Rank: 108 - 2022 Rank: 108
Jones is coming off a breakout season in which he set career highs in targets (121), catches (82) and receiving yards (823). He also had five touchdowns, which was the 28-year-old's second most behind his seven TDs with Buffalo in 2018. After being used deeper downfield by the Bills and Raiders, Jones' increased success coincided with a change in role after joining Jacksonville. His average depth of target dropped from 14.0 yards with the Raiders in 2021 to 8.6 with the Jaguars in 2022, as Trevor Lawrence peppered Jones with targets underneath and set the wide receiver up to do damage after the catch. Jones should play a similar role in 2023, though matching last season's volume will be difficult, as Jacksonville added WR Calvin Ridley while retaining WR Christian Kirk and TE Evan Engram, who soaked up 133 and 98 targets in 2022. If Jones can cut down on his drops -- he led the league with 13 last season - and improve on last year's lackluster 6.8 yards per target, he could replicate last year's production despite the expected dip in volume.
- Round 18, Pick 213 - Bye 11
2023 Rank: 117 - 2022 Rank: 117
Carr threw 24 or fewer TD passes in five of the last six years. He also has been held to fewer than 29 TD passes in nine of 10 seasons with a career high of 32 in 2015. It speaks volumes that the Raiders basically sent him home for the last three games of last season, eventually letting him walk with no real backup plan or compensation in return. Joey Bosa called it out a couple of years ago when he said that Carr folds under pressure. Last year, Carr had good blocking from his tackles, though the interior was a mess. Now with the Saints, he'll have solid RT play from Ryan Ramczyk. But unless the other linemen make jumps in previous effectiveness, this line will be a problem for Carr. Expect the Saints to hope their defense can keep them competitive. Also, look for a slow pace on offense with an emphasis on the running game when possible. The downfield passing could be a problem due to the OL, so Carr will need to have success in the short and intermediate areas. He'll likely be a borderline top-24 QB.
- Round 19, Pick 220 - Bye 9
2023 Rank: 528 - 2022 Rank: 528
- Round 20, Pick 237 - Bye 6
2023 Rank: 1098 - 2022 Rank: 1098
As could be expected for a first-round pick, Walker was immediately slotted into a starting role among the Packers' linebacker corps in 2022. He led the team in tackles - an impressive feat - despite tallying five or fewer stops in six contests. That was a sign of his immaturity as a player, as were the two games from which he was ejected for making contact with an opposing coach. While there are areas to smooth out, Walker also proved quickly why he was worthy of a first-round selection. In addition to his aforementioned run-stopping ability, Walker was also able to quickly translate his athleticism into effective coverage by breaking up seven passes. Assuming he can become more consistent in his decision-making and level of play, Walker has every opportunity to vault up these rankings and is a prime breakout candidate.
- Round 21, Pick 244 - Bye 9
2023 Rank: 1223 - 2022 Rank: 1223
Entering the 2022 season, Anzalone had shown the ability to stay on the field and produce at an elite clip on a per-game basis. However, those things had never coalesced. That changed in 2022, as he put up a career year highlighted by 125 tackles. Across two campaigns with the Lions, he has also shown significant involvement in pass defense by breaking up a combined 13 passes. Detroit acknowledged Anzalone's importance to their defensive scheme and rewarded him with a three-year, $18.75 million this offseason -- positioning him as the 13th-best paid inside linebacker in the league. With that new deal, he'll be expected to anchor a young and potential-filled linebacker corps, highlighted by Jack Campbell and Malcolm Rodriguez.
- Round 22, Pick 261 - Bye 9
2023 Rank: 1184 - 2022 Rank: 1184
Singleton has quickly gone from an undrafted free agent to a key cog in the Broncos' defense. The 2022 season marked his first with Denver, but he didn't miss a beat after moving on from the Eagles to rack up a career-high 163 tackles. It was his third campaign with at least 100 tackles. More specifically, Singleton recorded double-digit tackle totals in seven games last season, while also making at least 20 stops in two games. He signed a three-year deal worth up to $18 million with the Broncos in March, pushing him to the center of the team's defensive goals. It also means that Singleton is in a position to continue to make plays on a defense that could be one of the league's strongest units.
- Round 23, Pick 268 - Bye 6
2023 Rank: 249 - 2022 Rank: 249
Joseph has attempted an impressive 86 field goals over the last two years while converting 88.3 percent of his chances for the Vikings. Playing on a team that's seen its defense decline over the past couple years, Minnesota is often forced into shootouts, which is always great for kickers. However, the downside can be that when a team trails too much, they have to go for touchdowns over field goals. So although Joseph had seven games with at least nine points, he also had six games with four or fewer points. Although it's unlikely he'll be an elite fantasy option, he's a reasonable option as a top-12 kicker.
Team Forecast
Schedule by Opponent Points
Week-by-week schedule with each opponent's projected season points. This chart shows any difficult or easy stretches in the schedule.
