In the Motor City Football league, LIONPWR made a bold statement by earning an impressive A grade in the draft. With a projected record of 10-4-0, they are expected to make a strong push for the playoffs. Their draft position of 2nd allowed them to secure some top talent, and their 22 rounds of picks left no stone unturned. LIONPWR's projected points of 3445.71 put them in a favorable position to dominate the competition. However, they will face a tough schedule, ranked as the 5th toughest out of the 10 teams. Additionally, they will have to navigate through week 7 with 3 players on bye, which could pose a challenge.
While LIONPWR made some excellent choices in the draft, they did have one questionable pick. Selecting Kirk Cousins at 42, when their ADP was 116, raised a few eyebrows. However, they quickly redeemed themselves with their best pick of the draft. Snagging Mike Evans at 99, with an ADP of 86, was a steal that could pay off big time. With their team name reflecting their power, LIONPWR is set to unleash their might on the gridiron and show the league what they're made of.
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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 2 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 12 - 2022 Rank: 46
The nature of Chase's production changed a lot between his rookie year and 2022, though he ranked fifth among WRs in fantasy points per game for a second straight year. After playing all 17 games in 2021 as a rookie, Chase made only 12 appearances last year yet finished with six more targets. He mostly added lower-value work, with his aDOT dropping from 12.6 to 9.0, his YPR from 18.0 to 12.0 and his YPT from 11.4 to 7.8. On the other hand, Chase was the lone player in the NFL to average 11 targets per game last year (11.2), and only Cooper Kupp and Justin Jefferson averaged more catches (Chase had 7.3 for 87.2 yards). The most likely scenario for Chase in his age-23 season is combining some elements of the past two years, but there's also a ceiling scenario where he combines the rookie efficiency and sophomore volume to elevate above college buddy Justin Jefferson for the overall WR1 crown. At worst, the 2021 fifth overall pick is locked in as a top-10 wideout for fantasy, catching passes from star QB Joe Burrow in a pass-first offense in which fellow WR Tee Higgins also demands attention from opposing defensive backs.
- Round 2, Pick 19 - Bye 10
2023 Rank: 17 - 2022 Rank: 4
Hurts ascended to elite status in 2022, finishing as QB3 for fantasy purposes while posting MVP-quality numbers and leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl. The improvements he made as a passer during his first two seasons in the league paid dividends after the team added A.J. Brown to a receiving corps already headlined by DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert. Hurts emerged as one of the NFL's most accurate passers in his third campaign. It's his running ability, however, that takes his production to another level. Nick Sirianni's scheme is designed around his game-breaking ability on the ground, and Hurts' 13 rushing touchdowns were the second most in NFL history by a quarterback. While it's hard to bank on that kind of record-setting performance repeating itself, the league elected not to legislate away the team's "tush push" rugby scrum approach to gaining short yards and getting the ball across the goal line, so double-digit rushing TDs could well be his floor. Hurts may not match the volume or pure passing upside of the likes of Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen, but at 24 years old, his best days should still be ahead of him.
- Round 3, Pick 22 - Bye 13
2023 Rank: 7 - 2022 Rank: 18
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 4, Pick 39 - Bye 11
2023 Rank: 32 - 2022 Rank: 41
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 5, Pick 42 - Bye 11
2023 Rank: 114 - 2022 Rank: 6
Typically when each season ends, Cousins puts up very good seasonal numbers. It's the week-to-week ride that can be very problematic for fantasy managers. He threw for the second-most yardage of his career last year, but don't forget we're in a 17-game season these days, so those numbers can be skewed a bit. Cousins threw 14 interceptions in 2022, which was his highest total in a season to go along with 29 touchdowns. And although he's great for having explosive games, Cousins had three games with at least three touchdown passes, he often goes flat. He had eight games in which he threw zero or one touchdown. Cousins also had three games in which he failed to surpass 175 passing yards. Still not enough? He had four games with multiple interceptions. Cousins' ceiling games make him an excellent option in best ball leagues. But in redraft leagues, the implosion games are often unpredictable, and that makes him better as a QB2 in leagues that start a single quarterback. He's obviously a great option in leagues that start two quarterbacks.
- Round 6, Pick 59 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 74 - 2022 Rank: 151
Starting his 2022 season in Week 7 after a suspension to start the year, Hopkins came out on fire the first few games. He then tailed off the rest of the way. Of course, the Cardinals did lose Kyler Murray in December to a knee injury, so the quarterback play was not good. However, Hopkins posted just a 14th-percentile yards after the catch rate. But with him seeing 10.6 targets per game, his production was always going to be solid. Aside from the suspension, he missed two games due to injury at the end of the season, on top of missing six games in 2021. Prior to those injuries, he only missed two games in his first eight seasons. Going into his age-31 season, we have to begin to wonder whether the durability issues have to do with him aging. The Titans are betting against it, as they signed Hopkins to a two-year contract in July after the Cardinals released him earlier in the offseason. The veteran wideout now joins an offense that's consistently prioritized the run under coach Mike Vrabel, but Hopkins at least won't have much competition for targets apart from 2022 first-round pick Treylon Burks. The two wide receivers and RB Derrick Henry figure to account for a huge portion of Tennessee's offense.
- Round 7, Pick 62 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 142 - 2022 Rank: 47
Cook had strong season numbers last year, but as the season wore on, he began to look like a running back in decline. Although he started the season with six games between 90 and 119 rushing yards in Weeks 1 through 10, he only had two games with at least 72 yards in his last nine games (including playoffs ). His 69 rushing yards per game was his lowest total since 2018. He also lost his explosive element. He only rushed for more than 20 yards on 1.8 percent of his carries. After the Vikings released him in June, Cook signed with the Jets in August to provide depth behind Breece Hall. But Hall is coming off a torn ACL and might not be ready for Week 1. If not, then Cook would step into the lead-back role. Even when Hall is healthy, Cook should siphon a fair amount of touches. But Cook's best days are likely behind him, and a committee role would lower his fantasy value along with his declining skills.
DEF - Round 8, Pick 79 - Bye 9
2023 Rank: 158 - 2022 Rank: 53
Even though the 49ers' 44 sacks last year placed them outside of the top 10, the pressure they applied helped their secondary record 20 interceptions, which was the second-most in the league. Overall, this was the closest thing in this high-scoring era to a shutdown defense, as they gave up the fewest points (277) in the league. The strength of the defense is the trio of Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw. They also have strong defensive tackles in free agent addition Javon Hargrave along with holdovers Javon Kinlaw and Arik Armstead -- they should keep the linebackers freed up to wreak havoc on opposing offenses. The cornerback play should be good, not great, and they lack depth behind Charvarius Ward and Isaiah Oliver. With the four superstars up front, this should be a top-five defense.
- Round 9, Pick 82 - Bye 11
2023 Rank: 50 - 2022 Rank: 66
Much of the discussion surrounding Kamara the past couple years has focused on a potential suspension, and the NFL finally made a decision in early August with the announcement of a three-game ban. Otherwise, Kamara is no longer the top-three running back he was the first few years of his career, though he's still recorded at least 1,300 scrimmage yards in each of his six seasons. The past two years he got more carries (240 and 223) but fewer targets (67, 77) after starting his career with four straight seasons of at least 97 targets and fewer than 200 carries. Much of that was related to the Saints transitioning to a run-first offense after Drew Brees' retirement, and it's possible Kamara shifts back toward more receiving work after the team signed a veteran QB (Derek Carr) and a 224-pound RB (Jamaal Williams) and spent a third-round pick on RB Kendre Miller. Less likely is Kamara recovering the TD prowess and remarkable per-touch efficiency of his early years, in part because he's lost a step and in part because Williams and QB/TE Taysom Hill figure to get most of the goal-line carries. There's still potential for Kamara to be an every-week fantasy starter once he completes the three-game suspension, but a high-end-RB1 ceiling is no longer within his range of outcomes.
- Round 10, Pick 99 - Bye 5
2023 Rank: 55 - 2022 Rank: 60
Evans is coming off an odd season. The numbers ended up where they needed to be, as his 1,124 receiving yards were his most since 2019. In addition, his 77 receptions and 127 targets were his most since 2018. With touchdowns being unpredictable, the fact he scored six, which was his fewest since 2017, was understandable. From a week-to-week standpoint, his performance was frustrating. He had eight games with two-to-four receptions. And over his last eight games, he surpassed 60 yards twice. And he really had just two big games all year, though one of those was in Week 17, and it may have helped win leagues, as he surpassed 200 yards with three TDs. With Tom Brady gone and Baker Mayfield in, that may not be optimal. But having shown that he hasn't slowed down entering his age-30 season, if he gets reasonable QB play, he should have a chance for a top-20 season.
- Round 11, Pick 102 - Bye 11
2023 Rank: 84 - 2022 Rank: 351
Thomas played just 10 games the last three seasons. And now he's entering his age-30 season. In each of the three games he played last year, he caught at least five passes, posted 49-65 yards and scored three times. He still showed he could run routes, but he was often catching the ball and going right down without producing yardage after the catch. Is it possible he regains health and moves back into a lead role? Yes. Is it something that the recent past has shown that it is a possibility? That's a hard "no." Regardless of how good Thomas looks, it's also possible that second-year receiver Chris Olave may have taken on the mantle as the Saints' top receiver. The later Thomas falls in drafts, the more the injury and risk ratios are reduced.
- Round 12, Pick 119 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 138 - 2022 Rank: 166
After racking up 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns the last three seasons for the Cowboys, Schultz made the intrastate move to Houston on a one-year, $9 million contract. The 27-year-old tight end should emerge as one of the top targets for rookie QB C.J. Stroud. Schultz's 577 yards last season were more than any other pass catcher currently on Houston's roster posted in 2022, and Schultz was even better in 2021, when he set career highs in both yards (808) and touchdowns (eight). The lack of alternatives could lead to more targets for the 6-foot-5 tight end, who was targeted at least 89 times in each of his last three seasons with Dallas. However, that extra volume will likely be accompanied by increased scrutiny from opposing defenses without the likes of CeeDee Lamb and Tony Pollard around to occupy most of the defense's attention.
DEF - Round 13, Pick 122 - Bye 13
2023 Rank: 144 - 2022 Rank: 81
Last season, the Ravens performed impressively and ranked third, fifth, and ninth in points allowed per game, sacks and takeaways, respectively. The addition of LB Roquan Smith helped a great deal, and fellow linebacker Patrick Queen stepped up his own performance after the mid-season trade for Smith. However, the Ravens suffered a setback this offseason with the loss of DE Calais Campbell to the Falcons, while OLB Justin Houston, who posted 9.5 sacks last season, has not been signed yet. As a result, it's possible that the Ravens D/ST may not perform at the same level this season, sporting major question marks at cornerback and along the defensive line.
- Round 14, Pick 139 - Bye 5
2023 Rank: 232 - 2022 Rank: 189
Foreman is one of the true success stories of a player making it back from an Achilles injury. Once Christian McCaffrey was traded away by the Panthers last year, Foreman stepped into a large role. His 203 carries was the first big workload he had in his career. And he responded very well by posting a career-high 4.5 yards per carry. Despite having just a 25th-percentile broken-tackle rate, he was 76th percentile in yards after contact. But as good as some of his numbers looked, he was inconsistent. He had five games with at least 113 rushing yards. Conversely, he was held to fewer than 25 yards four times. And his performances weren't based on the level of competition. He had some excellent games against strong defenses while having some poor performances against weaker defenses. Now with Chicago, Foreman should bring the thunder to Khalil Herbert's lighting to form a one-two punch in the backfield. Foreman should profile as the primary goal-line back, though Justin Fields is sure to be a factor at the goal. Even though the Bears drafted Roschon Johnson in the fourth round, Foreman is likely a better RB at this stage, and Johnson may not be a major threat to Foreman's role. In his current situation, Foreman has RB2 or flex value in drafts.
- Round 15, Pick 142 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 155 - 2022 Rank: 304
With Jonathan Taylor on the shelf the final four weeks of 2022, Moss rushed for 334 yards and a touchdown on 69 carries, though he was limited to just 12 receiving yards over that span. That strong finish on the ground likely earned Moss a spot on the Colts' 2023 roster after the 2020 third-round pick opened his career with a pair of lackluster seasons in Buffalo. In fact, Moss even entered training camp with a shot at the second spot on the depth chart, which meant taking a lot of snaps with the starters while Taylor missed practice for what seemingly was a mix of contract and injury reasons. The opportunity may have slipped through Moss' hands, however, as a broken arm at the end of July left him with an estimated recovery timeline of six weeks. The Colts, meanwhile, are left with Deon Jackson and rookie Evan Hull as the top choices to fill in for Taylor.
- Round 16, Pick 159 - Bye 9
2023 Rank: 154 - 2022 Rank: 467
Williams will miss the first six games of the year due to suspension. As a rookie last year, he was eased into the lineup after suffering an ACL injury during his last year in college. He was targeted nine times, but he showed game-breaking speed -- his only catch was a 41-yard touchdown. Even when he was running routes on which he wasn't targeted, he usually looked like the fastest player on the field. And although it didn't show up on the stat sheet, he had a 66-yard touchdown called back by penalty. In fantasy drafts, he should be treated with the uncertainty of a supremely talented rookie with a ceiling of 11 games played. But the traits that led him to be a first-round pick are apparent.
- Round 17, Pick 162 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 170 - 2022 Rank: 747
The Texans selected Stroud second overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, and the highly touted rookie out of Ohio State is expected to start right away over Davis Mills and Case Keenum. Stroud has all the physical tools to succeed out of the gate, but his processing ability was shaky in pre-draft testing, and he'll have to buck the trend of NFL underperformance for quarterbacks coming out of Ohio State. An even bigger issue for Stroud early on could be Houston's lack of playmakers. After posting an 85:12 TD: INT over the past two seasons in an Ohio State offense that included Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Stroud will helm a Houston offense without a single player that reached 600 receiving yards last season. His top weapons figure to be WRs Robert Woods and Nico Collins, along with TE Dalton Schultz, but Houston's offense will likely revolve around second-year RB Dameon Pierce. Perhaps the decently mobile Stroud can find some fantasy relevance by using his legs, but that wasn't a strong suit of his in college, as Stroud didn't post a single regular season rushing TD in his two years as the starter at Ohio State.
- Round 18, Pick 179 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 184 - 2022 Rank: 94
Elliott posted a career-low 3.8 yards per carry last season as his rushing attempts fell for the fourth consecutive year. As a receiver, his yards per reception decreased in each of the last few years as well, bottoming out at 5.4 last year. No surprise, the Cowboys released him in March. However, Elliott scored 12 touchdowns 15 games and likely will be used in a similar goal-line role after signing with the Patriots in August. Rhamondre Stevenson is the lead back, but Elliott could at least cut into a share of his carries, especially in short yardage. Elliott is 28 and definitely on the downside of his career, but injuries were part of his trouble the last two seasons and if he stays healthy he could again have some fantasy value as a goal-line runner.
- Round 19, Pick 182 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 156 - 2022 Rank: 110
Lazard joins quarterback Aaron Rodgers in moving from Green Bay to New York this season. Garrett Wilson is the clear No. 1 option for the passing game, and while no obvious No. 2 wideout stands out, Lazard has the likely inside track following the abrupt retirement of Corey Davis in August. Mecole Hardman will give him his biggest challenge with only Randall Cobb among the top-4 WR. Lazard is a uniquely superior blocker among the Jets' receiving corps, which should guarantee him a sizeable weekly snap share. His connection with Rodgers also shouldn't be overlooked as a mere narrative, as his 6-foot-5 frame and 14 touchdowns the last two seasons are proof that he's trusted by his QB in the red zone. Lazard's four-year, $44 million contract is also incentive to get him involved early and often.
- Round 20, Pick 199 - Bye 7
2023 Rank: 272 - 2022 Rank: 63
Tannehill has been a game manager for the run-first Titans over the past few years, and the 35-year-old quarterback should be headed for a similar role in 2023. He produced a 33:7 TD: INT in 2020 while throwing to a receiving corps headlined by A.J. Brown and Corey Davis, but Tannehill has just a 34:20 TD: INT across 29 games over the two subsequent seasons, and the Titans haven't done much to restock their cupboard of pass-catching options. His top targets in 2023 apart from summer signing DeAndre Hopkins figure to be WR Treylon Burks and TE Chigoziem Okonkwo, a pair of second-year pros who combined for 894 receiving yards last year. Tannehill chipped in seven rushing TDs apiece in 2020 and 2021, but at age 35 and coming off a season-ending ankle injury, he's unlikely to replicate that production. Tannehill should hang onto the starting job as long as Derrick Henry's legs and the defense have Tennessee in the mix for a playoff spot in the weak AFC South, but this is the last year of Tannehill's contract, so the Titans won't hesitate to turn to rookie second-round pick Will Levis under center the moment they drop out of playoff contention.
- Round 21, Pick 202 - Bye 11
2023 Rank: 296 - 2022 Rank: 186
Gay signed a record-setting four-year, $22.5 million contract with the Colts in the offseason. Even if the pressure of signing the biggest free agent deal for a kicker in NFL history doesn't get to Gay, his volume figures to be depressed on a run-first offense led by a rookie QB in Anthony Richardson, especially since the Colts averaged just 17.0 PPG with veteran Matt Ryan under center in 2022. Gay made 74 of 80 field-goal attempts with the Rams over the previous three seasons, including 12 of 15 from 50-plus yards, so he figures to remain reliable when given opportunities.
- Round 22, Pick 219 - Bye 13
2023 Rank: 316 - 2022 Rank: 230
Since the Bears drafted Justin Fields in 2021, Santos has averaged fewer than six points per game. Despite his low fantasy production, he connected on 90.6 percent of his field-goal attempts, which has made him one of the most-accurate kickers in the league. For those who believe the Bears offense is on the verge of a breakout, Santos is defensible as a top-12 fantasy option. However, if the offense remains a work in progress, Santos will lack consistent fantasy value.
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.
