2023 Fantasy Football predictions: Buy Justin Herbert stock; Cooper Kupp trending downwards 

The 2023 NFL season kicks off this week. Optimism is at an all-time high for every fan base. Your fantasy teams are all undefeated. You’ll never feel better about the players on your rosters than you do today.

That said let’s look at 10 bold predictions for the upcoming fantasy season.

2023 Fantasy football predictions in the spotlight

1] Joe Mixon is this year’s Josh Jacobs

At age 27, we’re going to see Mixon handle nearly 350 touches for a Bengals team poised to make a Super Bowl run. I believe we see more Mixon carries to take the burden off of Joe Burrow’s injured calf to start the season. Couple that with running back Samaje Perine leaving for the Broncos and we’re left with Mixon seeing extended work in the passing game. Mixon will crush his third-round ADP and lead the NFL in rushing behind an improved Bengals line.

Los Angeles Chargers v San Francisco 49ers

2] Justin Herbert wins NFL MVP

Our memories are short in fantasy football. If we look back to the 2021 season, we see Justin Herbert finish as the overall QB 2 in fantasy points. Now, he’s playing with the best weapons of his career. His offensive line is healthy. And new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore will let Herbert push the ball down the field with his rocket arm. In a division where shootouts are the norm, Herbert will outduel Patrick Mahomes for this year’s MVP award.

3] Cooper Kupp doesn’t reach 600 yards receiving

I love Kupp. Before training camp, I was talking him up as the potential number-one overall pick in fantasy. Now we’ve seen multiple hamstring injuries and the Rams star is flying across the country to get second opinions on his leg. That’s a bad sign.

I’m not only steering clear of Kupp in drafts because of the potential bust factor, but I don’t think the Rams want him on the field in what could be a lost season. At age 30 you really start to worry about receivers falling off a cliff. Once soft tissue injuries pop up, they don’t typically leave anytime soon. Kupp plays in 5 games this season before his hamstring forces him to the sideline.

New York Jets v Seattle Seahawks

4] Garrett Wilson finishes as a top 5 fantasy receiver

Yes, the New York Jets hype train is off the rails. And yes, I’ll agree that it’s kind of annoying. What I can’t do, though is deny the talent of second-year receiver Garrett Wilson. As WR 9 off the board in most drafts, Wilson will command the football for a Jets team with a brutal schedule. Dates with Buffalo, Dallas, and Kansas City in their first five weeks will mean Gang Green is going to drop back and throw a ton. Garrett assumes the Davante Adams role in Nathaniel Hackett’s offense and will be the (big) apple of Aaron Rodgers’ eye.

---

---

5] Two rookie tight ends finish in the top 12

If you’ve played fantasy football for any length of time you know how tough it is to find a good tight end. This season we will see a renaissance at the position as the league is flooded with young athletic talent. Players like Dalton Kincaid, Luke Musgraves, and Sam LaPorta lead a new era of tight end in fantasy football.

These guys aren’t your traditional TEs. You’ll see them detached from the line of scrimmage and running routes more than blocking. If you miss on Travis Kelce or Mark Andrews at the top of your draft, don’t worry; there’s plenty of upside to be had late with these rookies.

6] The New Orleans Saints finish as the top-scoring fantasy D/ST

Picking the right fantasy D/ST can be frustrating. The main idea should be to focus on defenses going against poor offensive lines and bad quarterbacks. One look at the Saints' schedule shows they check every box. Throw in that sportsbooks have New Orleans favored in 11 contests, and you’ll have a defense ready to feast on opposing offenses. Last season, the Saints ranked fifth in sacks, and I expect them to perform even better with the lackluster QBs in the NFC South.

7] Darren Waller stays healthy and finishes as the TE 1

Typically, I don’t like betting on 30 year old players. The vibes coming out of New York are too good to pass on though. Waller joins the Giants this season and immediately becomes their top target in the passing game. From camp reports, Waller is uncoverable. Couple Waller’s talents with the lack of skill at the receiver position in New York, and we could see a player with 1300 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Dallas Cowboys v Seattle Seahawks

8] Dak Prescott leads fantasy teams to championships

The Dallas Cowboys are in ‘win now’ mode, and their coaching staff will lean on the arm of Dak Prescott. Gone are the ground-and-pound days with Ezekiel Elliott. Welcome to the air show of Cee Dee Lamb, Brandin Cooks and Tony Pollard. In the fantasy playoffs, the Cowboys have potential shootouts at Buffalo and Miami before hosting the Lions in the fantasy title game. I predict Prescott to throw 35+ touchdowns this season as the Cowboys push for the playoffs.

---

---

9] Davante Adams is a dud in Vegas

We say goodbye to Davante Adams as a top-10 receiver in 2023. Playing on a horrific Raiders team with noodle-armed QB Jimmy Garoppolo sends Adams tumbling down the ranks. As his quarterback struggles to stay healthy, I see Adams growing frustrated with the organization and requesting a trade. The talent level in Las Vegas is low, and so is my outlook on a Hall of Fame talent who finished as the WR 3 last year.

10] Najee Harris underwhelms for Steelers fans

The signs are all there. It's an improved passing game. Elite receivers. Ascending change of pace back (Jaylen Warren) behind him. It’s going to be a year to forget for Najee Harris owners. While healthy, he’s still a grinder on a team that wants to open things up for their second-year QB. When Kenny Pickett bursts onto the scene, it won’t be for turning and handing the ball off to Harris. If Warren steals passing down work, then Harris’ fantasy upside will be severely capped.

---