2023 San Francisco 49ers Outlook

August 2, 2023 Shawn Childs

2023 San Francisco 49ers Outlook The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player […]

2023 San Francisco 49ers Outlook

The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player preview of all 32 teams from football legend Shawn Childs.

Also, check out Jody Smith’s NFL offensive line rankings and exclusive 2023 Strength of Schedule analysis.

Up next in our extensive NFL and fantasy football preview series is Shawn’s deep dive into the 2023 San Francisco 49ers Outlook.

— Quarterback —

Brock Purdy

Over four seasons at Iowa, Purdy passed for 12,170 yards with 81 touchdowns and 33 interceptions over 48 starts. He added 365 rushes for 1,177 yards and 19 touchdowns. The 49ers drafted him in the seventh round in 2022.

Injuries at quarterback last season gave Purdy their starting job in Week 13. Over his eight games, he went 8-0 with 1,854 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, and three interceptions. Purdy completed 66.8% of his passes with elite yards per pass attempt (8.4). His impact showing came in the first game in the postseason (348 yards and four scores). When him behind center, San Fran averaged 27.5 passes.

His season ended in the Super Bowl due to an ACL injury in his right elbow that required surgery in mid-February. Baseball players need 18 months to recover fully from these types of injuries. The 49ers believe he has a shot to be ready for Week 1.

Fantasy Outlook: His success in 2022 (172.2 fantasy points in a four-point passing touchdown league) projected over 17 games ranked Purdy as a top-10 quarterback.

Jody Smith: Purdy has returned to the 49ers and is taking the majority of first-team reps. Also, Kyle Shanahan has praised Purdy’s leadership and rehab. That puts the sophomore signal caller in-line to be the club’s starter in Week One. View Purdy as an upside QB2 with a targetable discount ADP.

Trey Lance

With the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the 49ers invested in Lance. His natural comparison would be Lamar Jackson by stats, but Lance can’t match his top-end speed or arm strength. He plays with his eyes up when breaking the pocket while featuring an explosive gear when turning a run-up field. My comp was closer to Deshaun Watson in overall look.

Lance needs more experience reading defenses and will be tested as a passer at the next level. His challenge will come in defeating coverage in the deep passing game, as his reads will invite runs before a wide receiver breaks free over the long field.

Lance came to the NFL with one starting season on his resume in college. In his sophomore year in 2019, he passed for 2,786 yards and 28 touchdowns while not throwing an interception. Also, Lance was a beast on the ground (169/1,100/14), setting up an intriguing NFL career. Back in 2020, North Dakota State canceled the football season after one game, leading to him entering the draft. His style of play fits well in the 49ers’ offense. They want to control the line of scrimmage with a dominant run game while offering an exciting combination of receivers at wide receiver and tight end.

In six games of action in his rookie season, he gained 771 combined yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions. Lance saw 2022 end after 82 snaps over two games due to a broken right ankle. He struggled in his only complete game (164/0 with 13 rushes for 54 yards).

Fantasy Outlook: The spring reports have been positive, pointing to Lance fighting for the 49ers’ starting quarterback job. Brock Purdy is trending toward being ready for Week 1. San Francisco has a challenging decision in 2023, but Lance has to prove he can win games in the NFL before regaining the starting job.

Other Options: Sam Darnold, Brandon Allen

Update: Brock Purdy has returned to the lineup. Also, some reports indicate that Lance has slipped to third on the depth chart. Plus, the 49ers reportedly have received “substantial” trade inquiries for Lance. Other Opt

— Running Backs —

The 49ers’ running backs scored 73 touchdowns over the past three seasons. The addition of Christian McCaffrey led to new tops in all categories except for rushing touchdowns (18) last year. They gained 3,050 combined yards with 24 scores and 87 catches (31.53 FPPG in PPR formats). Their backs have had more than 500 touches each season from 2020 and 2022.

Christian McCaffrey

McCaffrey led fantasy leagues in running back scoring in PPR leagues in 2018 (387.0) and 2019 (471.2). In 2019, he finished with 403 touches while only being the third player in NFL history to gain over 1,000 yards rushing (1,387) and receiving (1,005). McCaffrey gained over 100 yards rushing in six of his first nine games but none over the final seven weeks. Carolina featured him more in the passing games (68/609/1) over his downturn in rushing yards, highlighted by three outings (11/121, 11/82, and 15/119). McCaffrey had 10 catches or more in five games.

He averaged 28.7 touches per game (30.13 FPPG) in 2020 while missing 13 weeks with ankle, thigh, and shoulder injuries. In 2021, McCaffrey played well over his seven starts (785 combined yards with two touchdowns and 37 catches). His regression in scoring led to 18.21 FPPG with a step down in touches (19.4 per week) due to his injuries (hamstring and ankle).

After missing 24 games in 2020 and 2021, McCaffrey played the entire season last year, leading to 1,880 combined yards with 13 touchdowns and 85 catches. In his 13 full games with the 49ers, he averaged 22.34 FPPG while averaging 19.5 touches. His best two showings in fantasy points came in Week 8 (40.60) and Week 17 (31.30).

Fantasy Outlook: With the risk factor a little further in the background and another stellar season on his resume, McCaffrey has a bright shade of green next to his name on the draft sheet. San Francisco features their running back position in their offense, and they have the best option in the league in the starting lineup. McCaffrey is a top-three player drafted in 2023. His floor, with 17 games played, should be 350 touches for 1,900 yards with 17 touchdowns and 90 catches.

Elijah Mitchell

Over his four seasons at Louisiana, Mitchell had success on the ground (527/3,267/41 – 6.2 yards per rush) with some chances in the passing game (49/597/5). He brings plus speed and explosiveness to the 49ers’ offense.

For those fantasy drafters preaching to Trey Sermon or Raheem Mostert in the 49ers’ backfield in 2021, Mitchell emerged as their Week 1 starter and an excellent waiver wire pick. When on the field for his 11 matchups during the regular season, he delivered five games with over 100 yards rushing (19/104/1, 18/107/1, 18/137/1, 27/133/1, and 21/119) and a limited role in the passing game (19/137/1). San Francisco gave him at least 18 touches in 11 of his 14 starts (including the playoffs). Unfortunately, he missed six games with rib, finger, concussion, and knee issues.

Last year, Mitchell missed 12 games with knee and groin injuries. The 49ers gave him 67 touches over his six matchups with Christian McCaffrey on the field, leading to 333 combined yards with three touchdowns and five catches.

Fantasy Outlook: San Francisco would love Mitchell to stay healthy, and…

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT OUT OF THE NINERS IN 2023?

To finish reading Shawn’s in-depth 2023 team outlook, with in-depth offseason reports, projections, and fantasy outlooks for all players

GO PRO! Join FullTime Fantasy.

Check out our FREE profiles of top RB Bijan Robinson and elite WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba to see the kind of in-depth reports you can expect, only from FullTime Fantasy!

[…]

2023 Los Angeles Rams Outlook

August 2, 2023 Shawn Childs

2023 Los Angeles Rams Outlook The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player […]

2023 Los Angeles Rams Outlook

Also, check out Jody Smith’s NFL offensive line rankings and exclusive 2023 Strength of Schedule analysis.

Up next in our extensive NFL and fantasy football preview series is Shawn’s deep dive into the 2023 Los Angeles Rams Outlook.

— Quarterback —

Matthew Stafford

Over the five seasons before landing in Los Angeles, Stafford had a league-average feel at quarterback. He tossed 119 touchdowns and 46 interceptions over 72 games while averaging 265.7 passing yards.

Stafford matched his career-high in touchdowns (41) in 2021 with success in his completion rate (67.2). The Rams gave him the receiver talent to challenge defenses deep in the passing game, leading to a league-high 18 completions over 40 yards. He finished with over 300 yards passing in nine of his 20 matchups (including playoffs) and nine games with three scores or more in the regular season. Stafford offered no fantasy help in the run game (32/43).

Last season over nine starts, he delivered one playable game (272/3) in the fantasy markets. His completion rate (68.0) was a career-best, but Stafford had a decline in pass attempts per game (33.7 – 35.4) and an increase in his sack percentage (8.7 – 4.8 in 2021). In addition, his yards per pass attempt (6.9) declined by 1.2 yards from 2021 (8.1). His year ended after Week 11 with a neck injury.

Fantasy Outlook: The Rams have the mystique of being a top offensive team since the arrival of Sean McVay, but I sense 2021 will be the outlier season for Stafford. His offensive line is loaded with question marks. His top receiver comes off a significant injury, and Los Angeles lacks top-level receiving depth behind Cooper Kupp. I see a league-average passer with only matchup value if this offense plays above my outlook in 2023. Stafford will find a way to pass for 4,000 yards with only about 25 scores if Kupp regains his previous form.

Stetson Bennett

Over the past two seasons at Georgia, Bennett passed for 6,986 yards with 56 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in his 29 starts. He averaged 9.4 yards per pass attempt while adding some help in the run game (113/464/11). Last year, he gained 4,332 combined yards with 37 touchdowns. Bennett comes off two national championships with a 28-1 record in 2021 and 2022.

Fantasy Outlook: The Rams will give him every opportunity to win their backup job in his rookie season.

Other Options: Brett Rypien, Dresser Winn

— Running Backs —

The only bright spot from the Rams’ running backs last year was their 15 touchdowns. They had further regression in their rushing attempts (356), rushing yards (1,493), yards per rush (4.2), catches (49), targets (63), and receiving touchdowns (0). Their backs accounted for 14.1% of the team’s completions and 10% of their receiving yards. Their running backs gained 1,854 combined yards with 15 scores and 49 catches (19.0 FPPG) in PPR formats.

Cam Akers

Over the first 11 weeks in 2020, Akers offered emptiness in the fantasy market leading to 228 combined yards with one touchdown and three catches on 53 touches while missing two games with a rib injury. However, he flashed in Week 12 (9/84/1), creating a starting job down the stretch. From Week 13 through the second round of the playoffs, the Rams gave Akers 23.8 touches per start over six games. He gained 708 combined yards with three scores and 11 catches, highlighted by two matchups (194 combined yards with two catches and 176 combined yards with one touchdown and two catches). He missed Week 16 with an ankle issue.

Unfortunately, an Achilles injury before the 2021 season led to only eight touches in Week 18 for 13 yards with three catches. The Rams tried to get Akers going in the postseason, but he struggled in the run game (54/151/0 – 2.8 yards per carry) while picking up five catches for 62 yards. He also battled a shoulder issue in the playoffs.

Last season, Akers was a bust in the fantasy market over the first nine games (84/274/1 with two catches for 18 yards) while also missing two games with personal issues (not getting the ball enough). From Week 12 to Week 16, he gained 240 combined yards with three touchdowns and five catches. The Rams gave Akers a workhorse opportunity over his final there matchups (23/118/3, 19/123, and 21/04 with six combined catches for 63 yards).

Fantasy Outlook: Los Angeles spoke highly about Akers this spring, suggesting he’ll have an active role in their offense. His finish to 2022 does point to upside this year, but the Rams still don’t throw enough passes to running backs, and their offensive line won’t be an edge. Akers projects as a backend RB2 while ranking 23rd at running back in the high-stakes market. My quick math points to 275+ touches for 1,200 combined yards with six to eight scores and…

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT OUT OF THE RAMS IN 2023?

To finish reading Shawn’s in-depth 2023 team outlook, with in-depth offseason reports, projections, and fantasy outlooks for all players

GO PRO! Join FullTime Fantasy.

Check out our FREE profiles of top RB Bijan Robinson and elite WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba to see the kind of in-depth reports you can expect, only from FullTime Fantasy!

[…]

2023 Arizona Cardinals Outlook

August 1, 2023 Shawn Childs

2023 Arizona Cardinals Outlook The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player preview […]

2023 Arizona Cardinals Outlook

Also, check out Jody Smith’s NFL offensive line rankings and exclusive 2023 Strength of Schedule analysis.

Up next in our extensive NFL and fantasy football preview series is Shawn’s deep dive into the 2023 Arizona Cardinals Outlook.

— Quarterback —

Kyler Murray

After an excellent season in 2020 (4,790 combined yards with 37 touchdowns), Murray missed three matchups midseason with an ankle issue that lingered for the remainder of the year. Also, he had regression rushing the ball (88/423/5 – 133/819/11 in 2020). However, his completion rate (69.2) and yards per pass attempt (7.9) were career highs. Murray started the year with two impact games (37.45 and 39.10 fantasy points in four-point passing), followed by four steady showings (22.70, 25.30, 28.05, and 25.05 fantasy points) over the next five weeks. Over his final six starts, he passed for 1,511 yards and three touchdowns with a rebound in explosiveness in the run game (39/276/2).

Last season, Murray had a dull feel over his first seven starts, leading to one impact game (305 combined yards with two touchdowns) and two steady showing in fantasy points (22.55 and 25.95) in four-point passing touchdown leagues. After an uptick in production in Week 8 (362/3). However, he missed seven of their next nine games with a hamstring issue and a torn ACL in his left knee. His best value as a runner came over his final five full starts (38/382/1). Murray didn’t have a completion of 40 yards or more while gaining a career-low 6.1 yards per pass attempt.

Fantasy Outlook: His left knee surgery came on January 4th, putting him behind schedule for the start of the season. In addition, Murray will be less active as a runner in his first few games when he returns to game action. In the high-stakes market, Murray is the 20th quarterback drafted. However, Arizona didn’t improve their receiving corps in the offseason, making it difficult to trust their star quarterback in the fantasy market. In the first run of the projections, I’ll have Murray out for four weeks with a step back in value in the run game. His summer news will dictate his ultimate fantasy value in 2023.

Clayton Tune

Over five seasons in college, Tune passed for 11,996 yards with 104 touchdowns and 41 interceptions. Also, he was active in the run game (412/1,256/15). In his senior year, Tune gained 4,618 combined yards with 45 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His production rushing the ball peaked in 2022 (128/544/2).

Fantasy Outlook: Tune improved each year in college. As a matter of fact, his style of play has more overlap than Colt McCoy with Kyler Murray, but I doubt Arizona will roll out a rookie quarterback in September.

Other Options: Colt McCoy, David Blough, Jeff Driskel

— Running Backs —

The Cardinals’ running backs posted lower stats across the board in 2022, with the exception of targets (112). They gained 1,926 combined yards with 13 touchdowns and 84 catches, leading to 20.86 FPPG in PPR formats. However,their backs had a regression of 56 touches.

James Conner

From 2018 to 2020, with a starting job in Pittsburgh, Conner missed 12 games, leading to a challenging player to manage in the fantasy market. He played well in 2018 (1,370 yards with 13 touchdowns and 55 catches over 13 games. As a matter of fact, his success placed him sixth in running back scoring (282.00 fantasy points) in PPR leagues.

In 2021, in a split role for the Cardinals, Conner gained only 3.7 yards per rush, with three of his 202 carries gaining 20 yards or more. He made the best of his opportunity by scoring 15 rushing touchdowns. In the passing game, Conner looked more explosive (10.1 yards per catch) with an exceptional catch rate (94.9).

However, most of his success catching the ball came over four matchups (5/77/1, 5/37, 9/94, and 6/41/1) over the second half of the year. Conner gained over 60 yards in only five contests in the running game. His best value rushing the ball came from Week 9 to Week 13 (72/272/4).

Last season, he finished 19th in running back scoring (201.20) in PPR formats while playing in 13 games. A rib issue knocked him out for three weeks early in the year, and in Week 18 with a shin injury. But, from Week 10 to Week 17, Conner delivered seven productive games (23.60, 13.40, 22.00, 23.40, 18.10, 25.00, and 14.00 fantasy points). He rushed for more than 100 yards in one matchup (25/120 with three catches for 20 yards and one score).

Fantasy Outlook: Conner ranks 24th running back in high-stakes drafts. Over the past two seasons, he averaged 16.7 touches with Arizona. At the minimum, Arizona should give him the ball 15 times a game in 2023, with 25% of his chances coming in receptions. On the downside, Conner typically misses about three games a year.

Keaontay Ingram

Over four seasons in college, Ingram worked in a split role. He finished with a high catch rate (87.3), leading to 89 catches for 671 yards and six touchdowns. Ingram offered change-of-pace value in the run game (495/2,722/16), with the best output coming in 2019 (144/853/7 with 29 catches for 242 yards and three scores.

In his rookie season, the Cardinals gave Ingram 31 touches, leading to 81 yards with one touchdown and four catches. His top output came in Week 7 (9/14/1 and two catches for 23 yards).

Fantasy Outlook: The running back depth behind James Conner is uninspiring, pointing to Ingram having a clear path to

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT OUT OF THE CARDINALS IN 2023?

To finish reading Shawn’s in-depth 2023 team outlook, with in-depth offseason reports, projections, and fantasy outlooks for all players

GO PRO! Join FullTime Fantasy.

Check out our FREE profiles of top RB Bijan Robinson and elite WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba to see the kind of in-depth reports you can expect, only from FullTime Fantasy!

[…]

Awarded in 2022 - Fulltime Wins Most Accurate Contest

FullTime Fantasy Named Most Accurate Rankings

August 1, 2023 Jody Smith

In case you missed it, the FullTime Fantasy rankings team took home the trophy as FantasyPros’ Most Accurate Draft Rankings […]

Feature: Ian Ritchie’s Preseason Pro

August 1, 2023 Jody Smith

Our annual Flagship Feature is called Preseason Pro. This 2023 Preseason Pro: Ian Ritchie gives you exclusive insight you can find only at FullTime Fantasy. This year’s Preseason Pro picks are included FREE with your FullTime Fantasy Membership! What makes […]

NFL training camps are underway. That means the fantasy football draft season has finally arrived! Our annual Flagship Feature is called Preseason Pro. This 2023 Preseason Pro: Ian Ritchie gives you exclusive insight you can find only at FullTime Fantasy.

Here at FullTime Fantasy, we’ve assembled the very best high-stakes players in the world; 5 of the Top 10 World-Ranked players, and one of the top RANKERS in the country — to help you win your Fantasy Football league.

Nobody else in the industry can bring you this type of information. Also, we host the Fantasy Football World Championships and these players are gracious enough to lend us a hand to help promote the very best content in the industry.

Each of them is putting their reputation on the line for all to see and is providing us with their:

ONE Top Sleeper, ONE Breakout, ONE Bust

ONE Comeback, and ONE late-round Stash & Cash.

to help you with your upcoming draft. However- it’s only one per category! They don’t know what anyone else has submitted so you’re getting the unvarnished gut check from the very best players in the world. High rollers have offered some of them literally hundreds of dollars for this kind of private advice. And that’s just for just one opinion. Here you’re getting no less than SEVEN, and Preseason Pro continues to be the elite product of the fantasy season.

This year’s Preseason Pro picks are included FREE with your FullTime Fantasy Membership!

What makes their opinion so worthy? Simple. They win. Year in and year out they’re winners. While some may ask, “Why would they help me?”, there is no question that when their pride and integrity are on the line, they step up and make bold calls to help others. When we have questions on Sunday, this is who we call. We’re essentially bringing our high-stakes connections to FullTime Fantasy.

When your league is on the line, who do you trust? A magazine that contains out-of-date news? No. Those days are over. Not all experts are considered equal.

Up next, our Preseason Pro: Ian Ritchie offers insight from the Godfather himself. Ian is the former No. 1 ranked fantasy football player in the world. He also boasted the highest winning percentage in the high-stakes industry at one time and had four top-15 tournament finishes.

Ian was forced into an early retirement upon founding the Fantasy Football World Championship, but Ian can still dispense some of the best advice out there. That included being “all in” on Josh Jacobs and others last season.

Now, it’s time to pull out the crystal ball for the 2023 Preseason Pro: Ian Ritchie.

BREAKOUT

Christian Watson (WR) Green Bay Packers – A bit of a gamble with a new QB in Jordan Love and what will probably be a new offensive play-calling mix. But I just can’t forget how he finished so strong last season and how he has all of the classic traits of a breakout candidate in his second season.

A long-time beat writer I have always liked and trusted, Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated Packer Central, has written of his comparison of Christian Watson and Randy Moss. Bold, yes. But shows a true belief in the young receiver from a seasoned insider. Watson gives you BIG upside and is worthy of a target tag going into your drafts.

Also, per FullTime Fantasy’s WR Strength of Schedule Tool, Watson and the Packers boast the NFL’s…

WHO WILL BE IAN’S SLEEPER, BUST, COMEBACK, AND LATE-ROUND STATSH FOR THE UPCOMING FANTASY FOOTBALL SEASON?

To finish reading Ian Ritchie’s Preseason Pro picks for Sleeper, Bust, Breakout, Comeback, and Stash & Cash for 2023…

GO PRO! Join FullTime Fantasy.

Check out our FREE profiles of top RB Bijan Robinson and elite WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba to see the kind of in-depth reports you can expect, only from FullTime Fantasy!

[…]

2023 Fantasy Football Team Outlooks

August 1, 2023 Scott Atkins

Welcome to our 2020 Fantasy Football Team Outlook series. Check out our statistical and in-depth analysis for EVERY player on EVERY NFL roster! […]

2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Outlook

August 1, 2023 Shawn Childs

2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Outlook The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player […]

2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Outlook

Also, check out Jody Smith’s NFL offensive line rankings and exclusive 2023 Strength of Schedule analysis.

Up next in our extensive NFL and fantasy football preview series is Shawn’s deep dive into the 2023 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Outlook.

— Quarterback —

Kyle Trask

The Bucs added their possible future quarterback in the second round in 2021. He brings an NFL arm with an excellent rhythm in his passes. His weakness comes in his pocket presence and reads at the line of scrimmage and in the secondary. Trask lacked the intangibles needed to start in the NFL early in his career. A couple of years of holding a clipboard behind Tom Brady should treat him well and possibly fill in the missing links to his game.

In his final year at Florida, Trask passed for 4,283 yards and 43 touchdowns with minimal value on the ground (64/50/3). He finished his college career with strength in his completion rate (67.9) and yards per pass attempt (9.1).

The Buccaneers have him 10 snaps in 2022 (3-for-9 with 23 yards).

Fantasy Outlook: I don’t expect Trask to get drafted in many formats in July and August, but he may offer QB2 value early in the year if Tampa gives him the starting job. His ceiling is unknown, while Baker Mayfield has five years of mediocrity on his resume. I’ll have Trask as the winning quarterback in this offense.

Baker Mayfield

Health clearly efforted the throwing ability of Mayfield in 2021. Despite his issues, he hasn’t been a winning quarterback (29-30) over his four seasons with Cleveland. His completion rate (61.6) came in well below his college career (68.5) while falling to be a difference-maker in touchdowns (92 over 60 games). Mayfield tossed three touchdowns or more in nine of his 59 starts – none over his late 18 games with the Browns). After 2021, Mayfield had surgery on his left shoulder in January to repair a torn labrum.

The switch to Carolina didn’t go well for Mayfield. Over his first five starts, he passed for 962 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions with a dismal completion rate (54.9). An ankle injury in mid-October led to two missed games. The Panthers had him on the field for two more matchups (155/2 and 196/0) over the next month before releasing him.

With Matthew Stafford out for the season, the Rams gave Mayfield five starts to end the year. Unfortunately, he made minimal strides (82-for-129 for 850 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions). Mayfield gained a career-low 6.5 yards per pass attempt on the year with 31 rushes for 89 yards and one touchdown. His value in the run game (189/660/6) has been minimal in his career.

Fantasy Outlook: Tampa has two veteran wideouts (Mike Evans and Chris Godwin) with a serviceable WR3 and tight end. Their offensive line has plenty of questions, and Mayfield won’t get the ball out as quickly as Tom Brady. The Bucs will let their quarterback battle play out over the summer. Either way, I don’t see a winning fantasy play by this below-par NFL quarterback. Tampa should start its rebuilding process by giving Kyle Trask the starting gig.

Other Options: John Wolford

— Running Backs —

The Buccaneers’ offensive failure last year is highlighted by their running backs gaining only 3.7 yards per rush (4.6 in 2021 and 4.5 in 2020). Their backs gained short yards per catch (6.4, 6.4, and 6.5) in all three years, with Tom Brady behind center. In addition, Tampa’s backs scored 13 fewer touchdowns last season than in 2021 (22). On the positive side, their poor pass blocking led to Brady using his running backs more in the passing game (128/831/5) last year. They finished with 2,142 combined yards, nine touchdowns, and 128 catches (23.31 FPPG in PPR formats).

Rachaad White

After a limited role in 2020 in college (571 combined yards with six catches and eight catches on 50 touches), White flashed three-down ability (182/1,006/15 with 43 catches for 456 yards and one touchdown) the following year. He gained 5.5 yards per rush and 10.6 yards per catch.

Other than some concern with his pass protection, White brings an exciting three-down skill set. He runs with eyes up with a combination of patience and shimmy, helping him create space at the first level of defenses. When given daylight, White has enough speed to make big plays. He sells his routes well with plus hands.

In his rookie season, Tampa gave White 179 touches over 17 games, but he struggled to make big plays (3.7 yards per rush and 5.8 yards per catch). White finished with 771 combined yards with three touchdowns and 50 catches, ranking him 35th in running back scoring (142.10) in PPR leagues. From Week 10 through the first week of the postseason (9 games), he scored double-digit fantasy points in six matchups (10.50, 19.90, 17.90, 11.70, 15.30, and 11.70).

Fantasy Outlook: With Leonard Fournette no longer on the roster, White projects as the Buccaneers starting running back. On the downside, they’ll have a downgrade in quarterback and throw the ball 200 times less than in 2022 (751). I’m not a fan of Tampa’s offensive line, but he should be a better player this year. White ranked 24th in late June at the running back position in the high-stakes market. My early thought is 1,150 combined yards with four to six touchdowns and 50 catches…

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT OUT OF THE BUCCANEERS IN 2023?

To finish reading Shawn’s in-depth 2023 team outlook, with in-depth offseason reports, projections, and fantasy outlooks for all players

GO PRO! Join FullTime Fantasy.

Check out our FREE profiles of top RB Bijan Robinson and elite WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba to see the kind of in-depth reports you can expect, only from FullTime Fantasy!

[…]

2023 New Orleans Saints Outlook

July 31, 2023 Jody Smith

2023 New Orleans Saints Outlook The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player […]

2023 New Orleans Saints Outlook

Also, check out Jody Smith’s NFL offensive line rankings and exclusive 2023 Strength of Schedule analysis.

Up next in our extensive NFL and fantasy football preview series is Shawn’s deep dive into the 2023 Carolina Panthers Outlook.

— Quarterback —

Derek Carr

In his eighth season with Las Vegas in 2021, Carr set career-highs in completions (428), pass attempts (626), and passing yards (4,804). On the downside, he finished below the league average in touchdowns (23) with a rise in interceptions (14). Carr passed for over 300 yards in seven of his 18 games (including the postseason), but he failed to throw more than two touchdowns in any matchup. Carr was the 12th highest-scoring quarterback (324.40) in four-point passing touchdown leagues despite his low-scoring ability. Before 2021 (40/108), he chipped in with some scores on the ground over the previous three seasons (24/47/1, 27/82/2, and 39/140/3).

Coming into last season, his completion rate (68.7) was a strength from 2018 to 2021. Unfortunately, the addition of Davante Adams (100/1,516/14) gave him a true WR1, but his completion rate (60.8) was the lowest since his rookie season (58.1) in 2014. In addition, Carr had a regression in yards per pass attempt (7.0 – 7.8 from 2019 to 2021). The Raiders ended up benching him over their final two matchups. He had repeated weakness in interceptions (14) and touchdowns (24). Carr passed for more than 300 yards in two games (303/2 and 307/2) while delivering three scores in only two contests. Nine of his interceptions came over his last five starts.

Fantasy Outlook: Based on the passing history of the Saints with Drew Brees behind center, Carr should throw the ball more than 600 times in 2023 while regaining his lost completion rate by throwing many passes to the running back position. WR Chris Olave (72/1,042/4) played well in his rookie season, and WR Rashid Shaheed (28/488/2) showed growth late in the year, but New Orleans still needs a second elite option in the passing game. A Michael Thomas sighting would help Carr’s passing upside. In late June, he ranked 18th at quarterback while on a path to pass for 4,300 yards and only a slight progression in touchdowns.

Other Options: Jameis Winston, Jake Haener, Taysom Hill

— Running Backs —

When reviewing the rushing data for the Saints in 2022, I need to pull out Taysom Hill’s production (96/575/7) to understand better their running back opportunity. When inputting the team stats last year, I treated Hill as a WR/TE instead of a quarterback, misrepresenting the team’s rushing profile. New Orleans’ backs gained 1,926 combined yards with nine touchdowns and 85 catches (19.51 FPPG in PPR formats). They set three-year lows in catches (85), receiving yards (650), receiving touchdowns (2), and targets (107) while accounting for 25.2% of their receiving yards.

Alvin Kamara

The lack of quarterback play hurt Kamara in two areas in 2021. He finished with a career-low 3.7 yards per carry (5.0 over his first four years) while having a sharp decline in his value in the passing game (47/439/5 – over 80 catches each season from 2017 to 2020). Despite missing four games with a knee injury, Kamara set a career-high in rushing attempts (240). He averaged 22.1 touches, besting his previous top in 2018 (18.3 per game). Kamara gained 100 combined yards in eight of his 13 starts, leading to 18.05 fantasy points per game in PPR leagues. His path projected over 17 matchups would have pushed him into the top five in running back scoring.

Last season, Kamara missed another two games with an early season rib issue. Over 15 starts, he gained 1,387 combined yards with a career-low four touchdowns and 57 catches. New Orleans gave him the ball 280 times (16.5 per game) while gaining only 4.0 yards per rush. Kamara rushed for more than 100 yards in two matchups (23/103 and 23/107). His role in the passing game was diminished over his final five contests (2/11, 2/13, 2/34, 1/7, and 1/3). He posted one impact showing (158 combined yards with two touchdowns and nine catches).

Fantasy Outlook: Kamara has a court date on July 31st regarding an off-the-field incident early in 2022. Based on his ranking in late June (32nd) and the addition of Jamaal Williams, a suspension appears looming if found guilty. I’ll defer on his outlook until his situation clears up in August.

Jamaal Williams

The Lions used Williams 179 times over his 13 games (13.8 per week) in 2021. He set a career-high in rushing yards (601) while showing weakness in yards per carry (3.9) and yards per catch (6.0). Williams missed four games with thigh, hip, and Covid-19 issues. He posted his best output in Week 1 (110 combined yards with one touchdown and eight catches). Detroit gave him three targets or fewer in 11 of his final 12 matchups while scoring less than 10.00 fantasy points in PPR leagues in nine games.

Despite a minimal uptick in yards per rush (4.1), Williams had the best rushing opportunity (262/1,066) of his career, highlighted by 17 touchdowns. His role in the passing game (12/73) was a career-low. He scored two touchdowns or more in six matchups while gaining more than 100 yards in two games (19/108/2 and 22/144/1). The Lions had him on the field for only 40.6% of their plays.

Fantasy Outlook: Williams gives the Saints veteran experience in case…

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT OUT OF THE SAINTS IN 2023?

To finish reading Shawn’s in-depth 2023 team outlook, with in-depth offseason reports, projections, and fantasy outlooks for all players

GO PRO! Join FullTime Fantasy.

Check out our FREE profiles of top RB Bijan Robinson and elite WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba to see the kind of in-depth reports you can expect, only from FullTime Fantasy!

[…]

Top 5 Breakout Wide Receivers

July 31, 2023 Shawn Childs

Top 5 Breakout Wide Receivers The wide receiver position in fantasy football tends to be the most challenging to manage. In the high-stakes fantasy market, many top players want to be strong at wideout to eliminate decision-making from week […]

Jerry Jeudy Highlights the Top 5 Breakout Wide Receivers

The wide receiver position in fantasy football tends to be the most challenging to manage. In the high-stakes fantasy market, many top players want to be strong at wideout to eliminate decision-making from week to week. If your wide receiver corps has too many similar players that fall in the WR3 to WR4 range, their outcomes can be high in some weeks. But often their top games are followed by dull or empty performances.

A WR3 or flex option can make sense to have an explosive type player who can put up difference-maker scores. Last year, wide receivers produced 44 games with 30.00 fantasy points or more in PPR formats. Twelve of these games came from Justin Jefferson (7) and Davante Adams (5). No other player had more than two impact games. Outside the top 24 highest-scoring wideouts, only eight wideouts scored higher than 30.00 fantasy points. All impact games came from the top 48 scoring wide receivers.

In comparison, there were 142 wide receiver games between 20.00 and 29.95 fantasy points. Stefon Diggs (7) led this category, followed by Tyreek Hill (6) and Amari Cooper (5). Here’s the ranking by groups:

WR1s – 41
WR2s – 29
WR3s – 25
WR4s – 14
All others – 32

When listing my breakout wide receivers, I’m looking for players to jump at least one level in production from last year and outperform their current ADP in the high-stakes market.

Jerry Jeudy (Denver Broncos)

The Broncos passing offense and scoring fell well below expectations in 2022. Russell Wilson posted his worst season in his 11 years in the NFL. With Sean Payton in change, Denver would be much better offensively this season. Despite their offensive struggles and Jerry Jeudy missing two games, he finished 22nd in wide receiver scoring (204.20) in PPR leagues. His best play came over the final five games (8/73/3, 7/76, 6/117, 7/38, and 5/154). Jeudy looks poised to push to WR1 status in 2023. He ranks 17th at wideout over the past month.

WHAT OTHER WIDEOUTS MADE THE BREAKOUT LIST?

To finish reading these breakouts and gain access to all of our insider tools, outlooks, and exclusive insider content

GO PRO! Join FullTime Fantasy.

Check out our FREE profiles of top RB Bijan Robinson and elite WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba to see the kind of in-depth reports you can expect, only from FullTime Fantasy!

[…]

2023 Preseason Pro: Jody Smith (Free)

July 31, 2023 Jody Smith

NFL training camps are underway. That means the fantasy football draft season has finally arrived! Our annual Flagship Feature is […]