In the wild world of fantasy football, the Viva Las Raiders have emerged as the true high rollers of the draft. Despite picking 11th in a 12-team league, they managed to secure an A+ draft grade, leaving their rivals green with envy. With a projected record of 14-0-0 and a first-place finish in their sights, it seems the Raiders are ready to take the league by storm. Their projected points of 2216.33 have opponents shaking in their boots, wondering how they'll ever compete against such a powerhouse team.
The Raiders' draft strategy was as bold as the lights of the Las Vegas strip. Not only did they navigate the draft with precision, but they also managed to overcome the second toughest schedule difficulty in the league. Talk about beating the odds! Despite having two players on bye week 13, the Raiders are set to conquer the fantasy world with their roster. And let's not forget the daring move of drafting three players from the same team. It's a risky gamble, but if the Raiders' luck holds up, they'll be unstoppable. It seems that Lady Luck is truly on the side of Viva Las Raiders, and their opponents better watch out, because this team is ready to roll the dice and come out on top!
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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 11 - Bye 10
2023 Rank: 23 - 2022 Rank: 1
Fresh off his second Super Bowl victory, second MVP title and his best season since he took the league by storm in 2018, it's easier than ever to declare Mahomes the best quarterback in the NFL. Whether that proves to be true in fantasy football is a different question, but it's tough to bet against Mahomes after throwing for 5,250 yards and 41 touchdowns last year. Mahomes' rushing ability isn't the first thing to come to mind when looking at his game, but his ability to add at least 300 yards and a couple touchdowns on the ground provides a meaningful boost to his fantasy output. The departures of free agent wideouts JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman shouldn't matter much, especially since the Chiefs reloaded with second-round pick Rashee Rice and quality free agent slot man Richie James. There's also the expectation that Kadarius Toney step up more after the Chiefs acquired him in-season from the Giants in 2022. So long as Travis Kelce is on the field it seems like Mahomes can score points with pretty much any combination of wide receivers.
- Round 2, Pick 14 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 99 - 2022 Rank: 106
Last season, Johnson set a standard for high-volume, low-efficiency receiving, catching 86 passes for 882 yards and nary a touchdown on 147 targets. Even on a team with poor quarterback play, such a performance raises concerns about his target workload moving forward. That's doubly true given that Pittsburgh's second- and third-most targeted players, WR George Pickens and TE Pat Freiermuth, both managed above-average numbers for pass-pass efficiency. Pickens and Freiermuth also happen to be younger than Johnson, both coming from the second round in recent drafts. On the other hand, Johnson is only two years removed from putting up 1,161 receiving yards and eight TDs -- albeit on 169 targets -- and he's still one of the better receivers in the league when it comes to lateral agility and elusiveness. The drawbacks, of course, are numerous, as he's struggled with drops and is neither big (5-10, 183) nor fast (4.53 40-yard dash) by NFL standards. Johnson is locked in for a starting job and lofty snap counts after the Steelers settled for a post-prime Allen Robinson as their "big" offseason addition to the WR room, but there's major risk of a step back when it comes to target volume. The efficiency almost has to improve, especially if the Pittsburgh offense takes a step forward in QB Kenny Pickett's second pro season.
- Round 3, Pick 35 - Bye 13
2023 Rank: 194 - 2022 Rank: 209
Hodgins had only four catches in his first two NFL seasons with the Bills and had trouble escaping Buffalo's practice squad in the first half of 2022 before finally being cut loose. Claimed off waivers by the injury-ravaged Giants, the Oregon State product quickly climbed the depth chart once he got his chance and emerged as Daniel Jones' most dependable target. Hodgins was especially impressive down the stretch, catching TDs in five of six games through the end of the regular season and into the playoffs before capping that run with an eight-game, 105-yard performance in a wild-card win over the Vikings. New York added plenty of competition for targets in the offseason, bringing in Parris Campbell from the Colts and tight end Darren Waller from the Raiders before drafting Jalin Hyatt in the third round, and a healthy Wan'Dale Robinson could also make an impact. The chemistry Hodgins established with Jones last year should serve him well though, and he figures to maintain a key role in the Giants' passing attack.
- Round 4, Pick 38 - Bye 5
2023 Rank: 1909 - 2022 Rank: 321
- Round 5, Pick 59 - Bye 10
2023 Rank: 176 - 2022 Rank: 88
There's some concern about the foot that Garoppolo injured in December and underwent surgical repair in March. That concern led the Raiders to word Garoppolo's three-year, $72.75 million contract such that he can be cut with no cap penalty unless he passes a physical at some unspecified point. The Raiders presumably plan on Garoppolo passing said physical, or else they (A) wouldn't have bothered pursuing him with such a high-dollar contract and (B) they would have done something more about the quarterback position otherwise than just signing Brian Hoyer and spending a fourth-round pick on Aidan Hutchinson. If Garoppolo is toast then so is the Raiders offense, and coach Josh McDaniels certainly doesn't want that, especially after such a disastrous 2022 season. If Garoppolo can stay healthy then he should be a stabilizing presence for the Raiders as they move on from Derek Carr, who did not take well to McDaniels' scheme. Garoppolo's familiarity with McDaniels from their New England days should hopefully make Garoppolo a better fit in 2023 than Carr was in 2022. With Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, and Hunter Renfrow to throw to, it would seem like Garoppolo has the necessary help to move the ball as long as that foot cooperates.
- Round 6, Pick 62 - Bye 11
2023 Rank: 117 - 2022 Rank: 45
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 7, Pick 83 - Bye 5
2023 Rank: 2364 - 2022 Rank: 176
Hines was injured this summer in an off-field accident and will miss the 2023 season. He played seven games with the Colts and nine games with the Bills last season but was mostly used as a kick returner. Hines totaled 33 rushing yards and a TD on 24 carries and posted a 30-241-1 receiving line. On 16 punt returns, he averaged 9.6 yards per return; on 19 kickoff returns, it was 29.2, including two touchdowns. Hines averaged 52.5 catches with Indianapolis his first four years in the NFL, so it's likely he will be given the opportunity to produce in that role (along with his special teams) next season.
- Round 8, Pick 86 - Bye 10
2023 Rank: 183 - 2022 Rank: 70
Wilson re-signs with Miami to spend a sixth straight season in coach Mike McDaniel's scheme. Four of those years were in San Francisco, where Wilson proved himself as a more than capable rotational option. Durability issues have remained constant as well, though. Wilson hasn't managed to suit up for double-digit games since 2020, and he's only managed that feat twice in his NFL career. After joining the Dolphins mid-season via trade from San Francisco last year, Wilson established himself in a roughly even timeshare alongside Raheem Mostert, though he was the volume leader prior to injuring his hip. Miami could proceed with an identical layout to open the 2023 slate, with Mostert also having re-signed this offseason, but rookie third-round pick De'Von Achane reportedly began pushing for opportunities early in OTAs. Wilson is a solid pass-catcher and showed elite efficiency last season (5.1 YPC), but he'll open this year on injured reserve and thus is set to miss at least four games.
- Round 9, Pick 107 - Bye 13
2023 Rank: 89 - 2022 Rank: 98
Meyers continues to ascend as an NFL wideout, a conversion project that started in 2016 after he arrived to North Carolina State as a quarterback recruit. Perhaps Meyers will unveil a trick pass now and then, but at this point he's established himself as a natural wide receiver. After primarily lining up as a slot receiver in New England, Josh McDaniels might envision more of an all-around role for Meyers with the Raiders, if only because it's impossible to see how slot specialist Hunter Renfrow would see the field if it were Meyers in the slot. It's not a given that Meyers thrives outside -- his 4.63-second 40 is not normally what you look for in a boundary wideout -- but his lack of speed can be mitigated somewhat if the Raiders line up with tight splits. If the Raiders line up in narrow formations then it places Meyers a little closer to the slot than if he were lining up closer to the sideline, and perhaps that's all the accommodation he needs. With 303 targets on his last 2,180 snaps (118 per 850 snaps) and a three-year, $33 million contract in hand it's safe to say that Meyers will be busy with the Raiders one way or another. As long as Jimmy Garoppolo (foot) stays healthy, Meyers should be a decent bet to surpass 70 catches on the year, even with Davante Adams raking ahead of him.
- Round 10, Pick 110 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 141 - 2022 Rank: 217
Okonkwo was brought along slowly for the first half of his rookie season, but the 2022 fourth-round pick out of Maryland flourished down the stretch. He caught at least three passes in six of Tennessee's final seven games, racking up 24 catches for 278 yards and two touchdowns over that span. Veteran WR Robert Woods and Austin Hooper, who worked ahead of Okonkwo at TE for most of last season, both left in free agency. Okonkwo and fellow 2022 draft pick Treylon Burks are thus set to take on expanded roles in the Tennessee passing game alongside offseason signing DeAndre Hopkins. Okonkwo's undersized at 6-foot-2 and 244 pounds, but if he blocks well enough to earn an every-down role in the Titans' run-first offense, the tight end should continue to cause mismatches for defenses with his 4.52 speed, which was the best among all tight ends in his draft class. Tennessee didn't bring in a veteran replacement for Hooper, settling for 2023 fifth-round pick Josh Whyle, so Okonkwo should get every opportunity to expand his role in 2023 after playing more than half of the team's offensive snaps only twice in 2022.
- Round 11, Pick 131 - Bye 13
2023 Rank: 7 - 2022 Rank: 17
It doesn't diminish his legacy with Aaron Rodgers any in hindsight, but it's quite a testament to Adams' abilities that he moved from Green Bay to the Raiders and had almost no drop off in his production. Although it took an extra game in 2022 than 2021, Adams eclipsed 100 catches and 1,500 yards for the second year in a row last year. Adams even improved on the touchdown production from Green Bay to Las Vegas, scoring 14 times on his 100 catches last year compared to 11 times on 123 catches his final year with the Packers. Adams expressed dissatisfaction with the Raiders organization and its direction following the 2022 season, but that realization probably hit him at some point before then, yet it didn't stop Adams from producing at an elite level. What could perhaps harm Adams' production is the Raiders quarterback situation. Free agent pickup Jimmy Garoppolo should be good enough for Adams to thrive, but Garoppolo's surgically-repaired foot is such a concern that the Raiders wrote an out clause in Garoppolo's contract that allows them to cut him with no cap penalty. Brian Hoyer would be the likely backup if Garoppolo were to miss time, and it's difficult to feel totally secure with Adams if that's the type of quarterbacking he might have to deal with.
- Round 12, Pick 134 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 4 - 2022 Rank: 27
Pollard finally emerged from Ezekiel Elliott's shadow in 2022. The Memphis product turned a career-high workload into career-best volume numbers without losing any efficiency, as Pollard topped 5.0 yards per carry for the third time in four NFL seasons while delivering his best yards per catch average to date at 9.5. The Cowboys were also more willing to use Pollard in the red zone, resulting in 12 total touchdowns after he had only 10 in his first three years combined. The breakout performance, along with salary cap concerns, finally convinced Dallas to move on from a declining Elliott, but that doesn't necessarily mean Pollard's role has room to grow further as his thin frame may not be able to handle much more than last season's 233 touches. Then again, Zeke's 231 carries will have to go somewhere. The team did add Ronald Jones in the offseason, and Malik Davis looked capable enough as a rookie last year, but Pollard will head into 2023 as the clear top option in the backfield after getting the franchise tag from the club to keep him from reaching free agency.
- Round 13, Pick 155 - Bye 14
2023 Rank: 171 - 2022 Rank: 261
While Thomas stayed mostly healthy last year after a torn Achilles ruined his 2021 campaign, he wasn't able to recapture the form he showed in his breakout 2020 season, when he posted a 72-670-6 line on 109 targets. Now 32 years old, it's possible he'll never regain those heights, but Thomas will get a near-ideal situation this year in which he'll try and prove that production wasn't a complete fluke. Second-year quarterback Sam Howell offers a potential solution for the franchise's long-running woes at that position, but more importantly, new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy brings with him a Kansas City scheme that helped put Travis Kelce on a Hall of Fame trajectory, Thomas is no Kelce, but he has little competition for the top spot on the depth chart if Bieniemy decides to lean on his starting tight end once again.
- Round 14, Pick 158 - Bye 5
2023 Rank: 51 - 2022 Rank: 93
White played as a backup to Leonard Fournette last year and handled 179 touches. With Fournette not coming back, White appears set for a lead role. The big question was whether his 3.7 yards per carry was due to a bad offensive scheme and poor run-blocking along the offensive line, or whether it was White's inability to break tackles. White was in the eighth percentile in broken-tackle rate and 36th-percentile yards after contact. His involvement as a receiver went up as the season went on. He had four or fewer targets in nine of the first 10 games. But he was targeted five-to-nine times in four of his last six games. As a result, he posted at least 9.9 PPR points in five of the last six games. From a potential volume standpoint, White could finish as a top-24 running back. But with Tom Brady gone, what will the offense look like? Will he be able to hold onto the lead role? Will Chase Edmonds cut into the receiving work? Will the Bucs sign a veteran interior runner? There will be a lot of questions about the Tampa Bay offense. But White getting volume seems like a decent bet, though it's unclear how well he'll perform if given the chance.
- Round 15, Pick 179 - Bye 5
2023 Rank: 137 - 2022 Rank: 210
Hurst signed a three-year contract with the Panthers in the offseason, joining his third team in three years and fourth NFL franchise overall. From a fantasy perspective, it is a favorable landing spot for a tight end who would only be a backup for some teams. The Panthers lack not only competition at Hurst's position but also talented pass catchers overall, as they traded away WR DJ Moore to select Alabama quarterback Bryce Young first overall. While far from explosive, Hurst has enjoyed spurts of fantasy utility in which he drew a handful of targets per week, including last season in Cincinnati as the fourth option in a WR-heavy passing game. With fewer standout players to compete with in Carolina, he could even challenge his 2020 career high of 88 targets, which resulted in a 56-571-6 receiving line for the Falcons that year. Heading into 2023, snap competition is weak, to say the least, with fellow Panthers tight ends Ian Thomas and Tommy Tremble having repeatedly proven themselves non-factors in the passing game.
- Round 16, Pick 182 - Bye 11
2023 Rank: 32 - 2022 Rank: 28
Stevenson's raw athletic numbers don't jump off the page, but he makes up for a lack of elite speed or quickness with contact balance, vision and a versatile skillset. Stevenson's style breeds elusiveness with the ball in his hands, and he's proven to be a superior pass-catcher as well. Last season, he added a 69-421-1 line through the air in addition to 210 carries for 1,040 yards and five scores on the ground. Stevenson passed the eye-test as New England's undisputed RB1. Damien Harris left for Buffalo, but the Patriots signed Ezekiel Elliott in August. Stevenson's workload might not increase much this season with Elliott vying for touches, but he's still the lead back and first receiving option out of the backfield. As long as Elliott doesn't snipe too many goal-line carries, the explosive Stevenson is efficient enough to make up for a slight dip volume.
- Round 17, Pick 203 - Bye 10
2023 Rank: 46 - 2022 Rank: 10
Barkley managed to stay mostly healthy last year for the first time since his rookie season, and the result was a career high in rushing yards. New head coach Brian Daboll made him the centerpiece of his offense in order to take some pressure off quarterback Daniel Jones, although Daboll may have had little choice given the state of the Giants' receiving corps. The new offensive scheme gave Barkley a career high in rushing attempts per game but didn't showcase his pass-catching skills, as he managed less than half the receiving yards he had in 2018 despite finishing fifth in the league among RBs in targets. While Barkley had an impressive rebound after some injury-plagued campaigns, question marks surround the running back headed into 2023. The veteran back presumably is not overjoyed with his new one year contract. In addition, a reinforced group of receivers and tight ends could encourage Daboll to lean more on Jones and the passing game. Barkley has the talent to put up elite numbers out of the backfield, but health and usage remain obstacles to the 26-year-old reaching his fantasy ceiling.
- Round 18, Pick 206 - Bye 14
2023 Rank: 64 - 2022 Rank: 59
McLaurin has posted four straight strong seasons in the NFL despite playing with a litany of unimpressive quarterbacks that includes Case Keenum, Kyle Allen, Taylor Heinicke and Carson Wentz. 2022 fifth-round pick Sam Howell will get a chance this year to stop the carousel and establish himself as the Commanders' QB of the future, but until he proves himself, McLaurin's ceiling could remain capped even if his floor seems rock solid. There are reasons for optimism even beyond Howell's development, however. New offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy brings an explosive scheme with him from Kansas City, and second-year wideout Jahan Dotson could give defenses someone else to account for downfield. McLaurin has the measurables and skills to take another step forward in his production if things click with Washington's new-look passing game, but at 27 years old his window to make that leap could be closing.
- Round 19, Pick 227 - Bye 5
2023 Rank: 41 - 2022 Rank: 69
Coming off a late-season ACL injury in 2021, Godwin had a productive season. With Tom Brady getting the ball out quicker than ever, it benefitted Godwin, who played out of the slot 67 percent of the time. He set career highs with 104 catches and 142 targets. Meanwhile, his 9.8 yards per reception was well below his career average of over 13 yards. But he was still excellent with the ball in his hands. He posted a 72nd-percentile yards after the catch rate that allowed him to produce despite a 7.2 average yards per target. However, Godwin is an elite player, who is great at getting open and creating yardage. Baker Mayfield may not be a very good QB, but since Godwin can get open quickly and if he's always where he's expected to be when plays are called. Before Mayfield's injury-plagued 2021 season, Jarvis Landry averaged 79/997/4 (152) in three seasons with him, so Godwin, who is significantly better than Landry was, could easily explode in this offense. He may not have top-8 upside as he did in 2019, but he could finish in the top 18 at his position.
- Round 20, Pick 230 - Bye 11
2023 Rank: 121 - 2022 Rank: 258
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.
DEF - Round 21, Pick 251 - Bye 5
2023 Rank: 311 - 2022 Rank: 190
The Chargers defense lost defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill to the Dolphins in what was actually a demotion in title (defensive backs coach), a strange twist given that Hill seemed to have a good thing going with the Chargers. At least they were able to replace Hill with Derrick Ansley, who hopefully won't miss a beat after serving as the defensive backs coach under Hill the last two years. If Ansley can keep the system working, then the Chargers otherwise have the player talent to field a strong defense in 2023. Cornerback is the main question following the devastating patellar tendon tear suffered by high-dollar pickup J.C. Jackson, but the good news is the secondary should have help from a strong pass rush, especially if Joey Bosa can stay healthy. Bosa, Khalil Mack and second-round rookie Tuli Tuipulotu could form a fierce edge rush, and inside linebacker signing Eric Kendricks could improve the run defense and tight end coverage both. Durability has been the main undoing of the Chargers defense lately, so some better luck might be all it takes for them to break out in 2023.
DEF - Round 22, Pick 254 - Bye 9
2023 Rank: 245 - 2022 Rank: 140
Jacksonville was a better fantasy defense than real-life defense in 2022 by virtue of scoring four defensive touchdowns, which was third-most in the league. Otherwise, the Jaguars had 35 sacks (seventh-fewest) and allowed 353.3 scrimmage yards per game (ninth-most). This unit's largely returning its key personnel from last season, so the most obvious avenue for improvement is the potential evolution of 2022 first overall pick Travon Walker, who had just 3.5 sacks as a rookie. However, Jacksonville will likely face a far tougher schedule in 2023. Not only did the Jaguars win the AFC South last year after drafting first overall the previous two seasons, but two of the three other teams in their division (the Texans and Colts) could be much improved on offense after taking QBs with top-five draft picks.
DEF - Round 23, Pick 275 - Bye 5
2023 Rank: 263 - 2022 Rank: 168
The Seahawks were in the top half of the NFL with 45 sacks (ninth) and 14 interceptions (14th). However, they allowed 401 points, which was the seventh-most in the league.Adding back Bobby Wagner this offseason was a huge boost to what was a terrible run defense, though fellow linebacker Jordyn Brooks (knee) may not be ready for the season. Overall, the Seahawks should be better against the run. After drafting Devon Witherspoon with the fifth pick in the draft to go along with Tariq Woolen, Seattle may have two excellent cornerbacks. That would also allow them to dedicate more resources to stop the run. The pass rush is nothing special, so they'll need their corners to play well. They also have three safeties who are excellent in coverage. This is a defense on the rise, and they can emerge as a top-half defense. They should be able to improve their points against from last year while maintaining similar levels of sacks and interceptions.
- Round 24, Pick 278 - Bye
2023 Rank: - - 2022 Rank: -
Team Forecast
Bye Week Points Lost
Each bar represents the total projected season points for each player that's on bye that week. This chart shows any potential bye week issues.
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.
