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Chase the Final Frontier's Draft Report Card

--hidden-- | Drafted Round 15, Pick 170
C Grade
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Chase the Final Frontier Shoots for the Stars, But Falls Short in NEBO League Draft

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In a galaxy not so far away, the Chase the Final Frontier team took their shot at fantasy glory in the NEBO League draft. Armed with the 2nd overall pick, they embarked on a mission to assemble a championship-caliber roster. However, their draft grade of C suggests that their journey may have encountered a few asteroids along the way. With a projected finish of 8th place and a record of 7-7-0, it seems like they'll be spending more time exploring the depths of the league's standings than soaring among the stars.

While the team did manage to make a few notable picks, such as landing Trevor Lawrence at 74th overall (ADP 59), their draft was not without its missteps. The selection of Dalton Kincaid at 98th overall (ADP 125) raised a few eyebrows, leaving some wondering if the team was reaching for potential rather than proven production. Additionally, the decision to draft four players from the same team (Travis Etienne Jr., Calvin Ridley, Trevor Lawrence, Tank Bigsby) may prove to be a double-edged sword, as their fortunes will be closely tied to the success of that particular squad. With a schedule difficulty ranked as the 12th toughest out of 12 teams, Chase the Final Frontier will need to summon their inner space explorers to navigate the treacherous path ahead and avoid crash landing in the depths of the league standings.

ADP Analysis

Pick Number

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

WR - Round 1, Pick 2 - Bye 7

2023 Rank: 12 - 2022 Rank: 35

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.

RB - Round 2, Pick 23 - Bye 9

2023 Rank: 19 - 2022 Rank: 60

After missing his entire rookie season due to a Lisfranc injury, Etienne looked healthy and explosive in his return to action in 2022. Trevor Lawrence's Clemson teammate and fellow 2021 first-round pick averaged 5.1 yards per carry and posted 1,441 scrimmage yards while finding the end zone five times last season. Etienne still has room for improvement when it comes to focus and consistency. He had five fumbles and three drops last year while struggling to churn out reliable small gains to keep the Jaguars ahead of the chains in between his big runs. Etienne heads into 2023 as the clear lead option in Jacksonville's backfield, but if Etienne doesn't fix his weaknesses, that could open the door for 2023 third-round pick Tank Bigsby to cut into his workload. Bigsby might get the nod in goal-line situations, when fumbles are most costly. If Jacksonville can take another step forward after winning the weak AFC South with a 9-8 record, the Jags could find themselves playing with a lead more in 2023, providing Etienne with more rushing opportunities.

WR - Round 3, Pick 26 - Bye 7

2023 Rank: 40 - 2022 Rank: 723

Prior to sitting out most of the 2021 season to address mental health issues and subsequently being suspended for the 2022 campaign due to gambling, Ridley had established himself as an elite wide receiver. In his last full season, Ridley posted 1,374 yards and nine touchdowns with the Falcons. He'll likely take some time to get back up to game speed after the extended layoff, but Ridley has the skills to become the favorite target for rising star quarterback Trevor Lawrence in a Jacksonville passing game that also features WRs Christian Kirk and Zay Jones, as well as TE Evan Engram. The 28-year-old Ridley should still be in his physical prime, but returning to elite form after an extended layoff isn't easy. For instance, former standout RB Le'Veon Bell was never the same after sitting out the 2018 season due to a contract dispute.

WR - Round 4, Pick 47 - Bye 13

2023 Rank: 33 - 2022 Rank: 101

Decline will come for Allen some day, and perhaps as soon as the 2023 season. There were no signs in 2022, though. The early-season hamstring injury was a major frustration, but upon his return Allen pretty much torched in the final eight weeks. Allen finished the year with 66 catches for 752 yards on 89 targets and 505 snaps - an extremely high target rate and with exceptional efficiency. To draw that many targets per snap and still provide a catch rate of 74.2 percent at 8.5 yards per target is dominance, and not the kind of thing declining players are known for. Age-related decline can be harsh and sudden, so it's an understandable concern with Allen now 31 years old, but his recent play was some of the best of his career. The Chargers will remain a pass-happy offense in 2023 and there's even some hope of improvement with new coordinator Kellen Moore replacing the disappointing Joe Lombardi. Based on all material evidence, Allen should once again be a good bet for 100-plus catches.

RB - Round 5, Pick 50 - Bye 13

2023 Rank: 58 - 2022 Rank: 253

Mattison's value in the last few years has simply been that he did pretty well when Dalvin Cook missed time. However, he was inconsistent in the games he had to take over as a starter. With Cook no longer on the team, Mattison enters the season as the lead running back. As he's shown in limited opportunities, the weekly upside can be great, but without him having a consistent role in the past, it's unclear how he'll function in that role. He's never had more than 134 carries in any of his four years in the league. After averaging 4.6 and 4.5 yards per carry in his first two years, he dropped to 3.8 and 3.7 in the last two years. Although he had an impressive 79th-percentile broken-tackle rate, he was only in the 34th percentile in yards after contact, which may mean that some of his early-career explosiveness has been lacking. He could have competition from players the team has drafted in each of the past two years, Ty Chandler and DeWayne McBride, in addition to Kene Nwangwu. Mattison is attractive for fantasy based on the potential for heavy volume. However, his recent production and potential competition could be problematic.

RB - Round 6, Pick 71 - Bye 9

2023 Rank: 67 - 2022 Rank: 347

Williams is racing to return to the field after his 2022 season cruelly ended with an ACL/LCL tear in Week 4, an injury that presumably led the Broncos to pursue Samaje Perine in free agency. Perine's contract is a modest one (two years, $7.5 million), so it's likely safe to assume that Broncos consider Perine a stopgap option until Williams is back to full strength. Once he's healthy Williams will likely be one of the main beneficiaries of the arrival of coach Sean Payton, who should prove to be a night-and-day improvement over the since-fired Nathaniel Hackett. Through 21 career games, Williams has run for 1,107 yards (4.4 YPC) and four touchdowns while adding 59 receptions for 392 yards and three touchdowns on 75 targets (78.7 percent catch rate, 5.2 yards per target). While those numbers don't jump off the page, they're pretty good, especially considering how bad the Denver offense was those two years. Perine should shift into a proper backup role once Williams' knee is ready to go, but it's tough to guess his specific timeline after Williams was a limited participant in May OTAs.

QB - Round 7, Pick 74 - Bye 9

2023 Rank: 72 - 2022 Rank: 12

Lawrence made a second-year leap under new coach Doug Pederson, posting a 25:8 TD:INT after mustering a 12:17 mark during his forgettable rookie season. The first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft enters his third season as an established top-10 fantasy QB, but Lawrence's ceiling is higher than that, as he still has a few obvious areas for further improvement. Lawrence's 7.0 YPA in 2022 ranked a pedestrian 18th, and the underrated runner mustered only 291 yards on the ground after rushing for 334 as a rookie, though Lawrence increased his rushing TD total from two to five. He'll also be working with an improved supporting cast in 2023, as the Jaguars added WR Calvin Ridley - who had 1,374 receiving yards for the Falcons in 2020 but sat out 2022 entirely due to a gambling suspension - while retaining their top four skill position players from last season (WRs Christian Kirk and Zay Jones, TE Evan Engram and RB Travis Etienne). Playing in the underwhelming AFC South could be both a blessing and a curse for Lawrence. While the Jaguars are favored to repeat as division champs, they will likely spend the majority of their six games against the Titans, Colts and Texans playing from a lead, thus potentially limiting Lawrence's volume after he attempted 670 passes last year - sixth-most in the NFL.

WR - Round 8, Pick 95 - Bye 13

2023 Rank: 80 - 2022 Rank: 750

After the Vikings cut ties with Adam Thielen, they were in need of a clear No. 2 receiver. They didn't waste time in addressing that need, using the 23rd pick in this year's draft to select Addison. In college, he showed the ability to run effective routes at all levels of the field. He also showed excellent separation skills. But his game wasn't without questions. The 175-pound receiver seemed to lack some physicality, which could be an issue in the NFL. Also, quite a bit of his college production came on screen passes, and that may be difficult to duplicate at the next level. Finally, he disappointed at the NFL Combine. He ran a 55th-percentile 40-yard-dash time, and his explosiveness testing came in at the 50th percentile. Regardless, he is expected to start across from Justin Jefferson this season. He'll also have a quarterback in Kirk Cousins, who has shown the ability to lead a productive passing attack. Despite some knocks on his profile as he enters the pros, volume and circumstance could propel Addison to a productive rookie campaign.

TE - Round 9, Pick 98 - Bye 13

2023 Rank: 107 - 2022 Rank: 751

Kincaid was selected as the No. 1 tight end off the board in the 2023 NFL Draft, No. 25 overall, by virtue of his pass-catching chops. Dawson Knox is already established as a red zone threat and capable blocker, and he's spent years building chemistry with Josh Allen, meaning it could be difficult for Kincaid to get a foothold out of the gate. Of course, the draft capital invested in Kincaid solidifies him as Buffalo's future, and though rookies at his position usually get off to a slow start, Kincaid is a rare talent. He could be capable of taking the field at the same times as Knox on occasion, by virtue of operating out of the slot, as long as he's able to get up to speed at the NFL level early. Buffalo's offense is high-octane enough to feed multiple mouths, but in the end, it's more likely that Kincaid emerges down the stretch than in the early weeks of the season.

WR - Round 10, Pick 119 - Bye 9

2023 Rank: 83 - 2022 Rank: 111

Sutton could remain a trade candidate if the Broncos see an opportunity to move him, only because his cap hit is very high for the next three years, but if they can't move Sutton then they might as well make good use of him in 2023. Disappointing as his last two seasons have been, the first was his initial return from an ACL tear the prior year, and both seasons were defined by memorably poor quarterback play. It's also worth noting that Sutton drew 12 defensive pass interference calls those two years -- a high figure. Fellow receiver Jerry Jeudy drew only three defensive pass interference calls over the same time span, for instance. If a handful of those DPI calls had been catches for the according yardage then that would have been enough for Sutton's numbers to look a little better. Hopefully, this season gives Sutton a chance to remind what he can do when he's healthy and has decent quarterback play to work with, because the production from Sutton's first two NFL seasons made him look like a future star.

K - Round 11, Pick 122 - Bye 7

2023 Rank: 212 - 2022 Rank: 159

Though McPherson's second pro season did not quite match up to his 2021 debut, he confirmed he's one of the better kickers in the league. He converted 9 out of 14 tries from 40-49 yards and all five from beyond 50 yards, also tying for sixth in PAT attempts (44) and seventh in PAT conversions (40). If anyone is to challenge Baltimore's Justin Tucker for the fantasy kicking throne, the 2021 fifth-round pick from his own division just might be the player to do so. While McPherson hasn't been as reliable as Tucker from close range, McPherson has an outstanding record from 50-plus yards (14 for 16) and is attached to a Cincinnati offense that's been considerably better than Baltimore's the past couple years.

DEF - Round 12, Pick 143 - Bye 6

2023 Rank: 198 - 2022 Rank: 202

In terms of fantasy performance, the Steelers were not as successful as usual in 2022, ending up in 14th place with only 40 sacks and 23 takeaways. OLB T.J. Watt's absence from seven games was a crucial factor in the defense's decline, but he is now in good health and ready to form a dominant edge pairing with Alex Highsmith. Pittsburgh has strengthened its secondary by signing CB Patrick Peterson and drafting CB Joey Porter with the 32nd overall pick, making up for the loss of CB Cameron Sutton. With Watt and Highsmith joined by standout safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, the Pittsburgh defense certainly doesn't lack star power.

TE - Round 13, Pick 146 - Bye 9

2023 Rank: 60 - 2022 Rank: 757

Laporta has solid athleticism, but he seems like a typical rookie tight end who needs time to develop. However, being drafted in the second round on a team that has no credible receiving threat at his position puts Laporta in the equation as an immediate fantasy option. He's more of a seam-stretcher than a possession receiver, so even if he gets targets, he may be hit-or-miss from week-to-week. It seems likely he'll finish outside the top-20 at his position, though there is some upside if he develops quickly. Four tight ends combined to catch 12 touchdowns in Detroit's offense in 2022, proving this is a favorable scheme for the position in the red zone. Furthermore, projected No. 2 receiver Jameson Williams will serve a suspension for the season's first six games, potentially opening up more targets in the passing game.

RB - Round 14, Pick 167 - Bye 9

2023 Rank: 133 - 2022 Rank: 770

Bigsby was selected in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Jaguars after posting 2,903 yards and 25 touchdowns on 540 carries (5.4 YPC) in 35 games over the past three years at Auburn. The 6-foot, 210-pound Bigsby reportedly impressed as both a rusher and pass catcher at OTAs, further entrenching his standing as the top backup to Travis Etienne. While Etienne was a big play machine in his first NFL season last year, he struggled to churn out consistent gains at times, so Bigsby has a direct path to a prominent role in clock-killing situations, which could be plentiful if the Jaguars play up to their billing as favorites in the AFC South. Bigsby will need to hold off RBs D'Ernest Johnson, JaMycal Hasty, Snoop Conner, and Qadree Ollison in camp and preseason, but the rookie is the clear favorite to open his NFL career as the No. 2 option behind Etienne, if not the 1B in a platoon.

QB - Round 15, Pick 170 - Bye 10

2023 Rank: 176 - 2022 Rank: 90

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.

Team Forecast

Bye Week Points Lost

Points

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

Week-by-week schedule with each opponent's projected season points. This chart shows any difficult or easy stretches in the schedule.

Chase the Final Frontier
1. (2) Ja'Marr Chase (Cin - WR)
2. (23) Travis Etienne Jr. (Jax - RB)
3. (26) Calvin Ridley (Ten - WR)
4. (47) Keenan Allen (Chi - WR)
5. (50) Alexander Mattison (LV - RB)
6. (71) Javonte Williams (Den - RB)
7. (74) Trevor Lawrence (Jax - QB)
8. (95) Jordan Addison (Min - WR)
9. (98) Dalton Kincaid (Buf - TE)
10. (119) Courtland Sutton (Den - WR)
11. (122) Evan McPherson (Cin - K)
12. (143) Pittsburgh (Pit - DEF)
13. (146) Sam LaPorta (Det - TE)
14. (167) Tank Bigsby (Jax - RB)
15. (170) Jimmy Garoppolo (LAR - QB)

Best Draft

Best Draft is awarded to the team with the most projected season points based on weekly optimal starting lineups.

League Draft Grades

Draft Day Projected Standings

Draft Day Power Rankings

Power Rankings are based on projected points for the remainder of the season.