2023 Draft Analysis

Every year I like to share my thoughts on our draft and give you all some more content to consume specific to our league. I’ve learned very clearly that NFL.com doesn't appreciate my approach to drafting, as they've predicted my team to finish in the bottom three for multiple years. So if you're expecting me to echo the auto-analysis at nfl.com, you're in for a disappointment. These are obviously just my thoughts on the draft and I wouldn’t encourage you to take them too seriously. There’s a reason I don’t get paid for this! Last year's winner, Snickle Frits, proved that even if I don't like your draft, you can still be crowned champion. So, without further ado, I’ll get on and rank the teams that I believe won our draft and share some of my observations.

Draft rankings:

Tier 1

1. Joe Buck Yourself

Kaitlyn, you absolutely crushed this draft. I think you came away as the clear winner this year. It’s easy to like Joe Burrow, despite his lack of rushing upside. I’m bullish on Russel Wilson, who is poised for a bounce-back year. Depth is going to be your nemesis at QB, but so long as they stay healthy, you should be able to weather the regular season bye weeks and have a strong combo come playoff time. Your running back group is impressive, with a strong top tier and real potential on the bench. I’m all the way in on the Alexander Mattison train this year. He has been a stud filling in for Dalvin Cook and I see no reason to believe he can’t handle the full load. It’s also true that I’m personally rooting for him because I had the opportunity to talk to him briefly at his football camp my son attended in Boise this year, and he seems like a great guy. Tony Pollard has been better than Zeke Elliott for the past couple of years, and I think he's going to get even more opportunities now that McCarthy has given Kellen Moore the boot. I believe Pollard has a real shot at becoming the overall RB1 this season, making him my favorite keeper pick in our league. Charbonnet has been touted as a favorite in fantasy circles this year, in part due to his talent and I think in part because of Pete Carrol's shenanigans at RB. At WR, you've selected players who are consistent point-scorers, and I like that you took a chance on Marvin Mims, who has a great opportunity to make an impact in a depleted Denver receiver room. Overall, this was a very well-planned and well-executed draft. Great work!

Tier 2

2. Tom Brady Forever

I really enjoyed your draft. Every time I saw the picks come in; I couldn't help being a little envious. Having Mahomes and Watson as your two QBs is just unfair. Adams is still the best WR in the NFL in my book and getting him in round 2 was solid. In round 6, picking up Mr. Consistent, Tyler Lockett, was a smart decision. I loved how you stacked King Henry, Najee Harris, and Aaron Jones in rounds 3-5, as you're likely to have a fantastic season at RB with two out of those three guys. My affinity for Kamara is well-known, and getting him in round 9, even if it was because of his 3-game suspension, was a steal. I don't think the Saints have another reliable RB on the roster, so he'll be your go-to guy in the playoffs. The only thing I didn't like about your draft was the lack of depth. Nico Collins has poor measurables, except for his size, and I'm not sure if he'll be a good match with C.J. Stroud. I think Stroud will need receivers who can create separation as he becomes an NFL QB. You may have to start Sam Laporta at TE, which isn't terrible because Dan Campbell loves him, but it may leave you a little weak in that position. However, I think you have enough firepower everywhere else to make up for it, especially if you find a decent TE on the waiver wire.

3. Puro Macho

I appreciate your draft strategy, especially picking the best player in the league at 2. Wink wink. Your first 5 rounds were impressive. It was a great move to snag two top 10 wide receivers, the #2 overall tight end, and Justin Jefferson's quarterback. However, I'm a bit nervous about Breece Hall. I still think Dalvin Cook has some potential, and I would rather have him on my actual team than my fantasy team. I'm afraid that may not get a lot of playing time in the beginning, which could affect your team's running back position in the first few weeks. Nonetheless, he does have a chance to be the clear lead back during playoff time. Although I want to like James Cook, I don't think he'll get many scoring opportunities. Buffalo kept Dameon Harris and Latavious Murray on their roster and they will be TD vultures and that’s to say nothing about Allen getting his typical 6-8 TD runs a year. Also, I'm not convinced about the Bills' overall ability to run block, so despite the talk about Cook’s receiving ability, Josh Allen has proven that he will choose a contested throw downfield over a shorter, open throw to a running back almost every time. Personally, I prefer Cam Akers the most out of all your running backs, and I think it was a smart move to get him in the 11th round. He might even end up starting for you a lot of the season. Our draft clearly undervalued him, but he needs to stay out of McVay's doghouse. I love the upside you get with Hopkins, who needs to stay healthy, and I also like the potential you get with Pickens and Toney.

Tier 3

I had a tough time separating these teams. I feel like this tier could have an inverse order and I could be talked into those rankings instead. Everyone here had a solid draft.

4. Snickle Frits

It's interesting to see how different this draft is from the traditional ones. The player who would typically be the first overall pick ends up being the twelfth here, which is a great choice. Chris Olave should excel with Carr at QB. He’s a stud WR. With DeShaun Watson having a full offseason to get up to speed and get on the same page with him, Cooper should recover from a somewhat down year and perform consistently. Pickett has some strong weapons, so I expect him to make progress this season. Kittle is a TE1 you can count on. I also appreciate the depth of your team, as I was targeting both Dotson and Howell. I think Dotson has the potential to be just as good as Olave. Pittman is often overlooked, but he is a reliable receiver for the Colts. Tyler Boyd is an easy player to love, as he has standalone value and can fill in nicely if Chase or Higgins are out. The Eagles seem to have high hopes for Swift, and I think he has a lot of potential.

5. RAFI BOMB

I really like this squad. Lamar Jackson, now that he has his contract, should return to his old form. He could end up being the top quarterback in the league. Stafford will be fine if he is healthy and can connect with his younger teammates. Kelly Stafford, thanks a lot for making his job even harder. Kupp is going to be dynamite, but hamstrings can be tough to predict. The fact that he is day-to-day is a good sign and he could end up winning your league. I love the potential of Gibbs, as people in Detroit really need him to succeed or everyone is going to lose their jobs. Chubb might be the best running back in the league, but he doesn't get the recognition he deserves because he's playing in Cleveland. Addison should get a lot of targets because teams will be focusing on stopping Jefferson from having another great season. Jameson Williams is a good player to keep on your bench for later in the year. I've always been a big fan of Mike Williams and he might become the WR1 in LA with Herbert taking another step forward and staying healthy.

6. Flint Tropics

You have a lot to like about your team. I personally believe that Carr is a solid choice, and his pairing with Herbert should make for a good combination. Additionally, Ekeler is a great pick for your RB position, and Hockenson will be easy to trust at TE all season. I do have some concerns about your high-end talent at WR. While Ridley is undoubtedly a talented player, his prolonged absence from football makes me slightly apprehensive. Whenever a player is away from the sport for a year, for whatever reason, it's a tough ask to expect them to seamlessly pick up where they left off. Additionally, I am uncertain whether your other receivers have the potential to produce high-quality results, which you may need if Ridley fails to return to his previous form. Gabe Davis can have a few great games a year but is not consistent enough to be a reliable fantasy WR2. While I am typically optimistic about Courtland Sutton, I’ve just about given up on him this year. I do think there is a chance, especially since the WR’s have been dropping in Denver at a rate that had me send in my own highlight tape to Sean Payton to see if I can get a shot. Smith-Njigba is a talented dude, but with DK and Lockett already in Seattle, I think it will be a while before he becomes a reliable option. Maybe not until next year. I think your darts thrown at Antonio Gibson, Thielen, Luke Musgrave, and Jakobi Meyers are well-placed and have a chance to pan out.

7. Washington Foreskins

I love your draft rounds 1-8. Rounds 9-17 left a lot to be desired for me. I believe that your pairing of Ja'Marr Chase and AJ Brown is one of the best 1-2 receiving combinations in our league. Rodgers and Goff should perform well together at quarterback. Engram has a lot of talent and should be a decent tight end. If Pete Carroll lets Ken Walker be the running back he has already shown he can be, that would make him a really solid RB 1. It's nice to have Pacheco as a backup, especially since he is on an elite offense. I really like Drake London, especially if he gets better QB play. Atlanta thinks that will be the case, and he will be their number one receiving option. The remainder of your draft was lackluster to me. Jayden Reed might have some upside, but I don't see a lot of potential in anyone else.

8. Over the Taysom Hill

Jalen Hurts is a fantasy league winner on his own. Last year proved that. I like the combo with Tua, who should be really good again this year. Please no more concussions for him! Josh Jacobs is motivated and signed. He’s a great grab at #27. I actually like that you have both Deebo and Aiyuk. I think Aiyuk will outproduce Deebo, but it’s a great combo, even if I think Purdy is going to struggle much more than he did last year. Diontae Johnson is another one of my favorite WR’s in the league and will be solid. Friermouth proved last year he’s got good chemistry with Pickett. He should give you decent production. Zay Flowers has reportedly been dominating in Baltimore and I like him to come out as the #1 receiver for the Ravens this year.

Tier 4

9. Kelly Tough

I won't waste time talking about my draft. Though I like the players I've selected, I feel like there's too much boom or bust potential. The truth is, I only have confidence in two players on my team - Stefon Diggs and Chris Godwin. Everyone else could disappoint, and I'll be drafting first next year. I'll have to put in a lot of effort this season to remain competitive.

10. Atwater

This roster is underwhelming despite my initial optimism. While Hill and Fields should provide some stability in matchups, particularly now that Fields has DJ Moore on his side, your receiving corps is the only bright spot. I'm not sold on Brock Purdy yet. He needs to prove himself against defenses that have had a full offseason to study his tape, capitalize on his weaknesses, and come up with strategies to stop him. Although Dobbins was a decent pick, he is unlikely to deliver top-tier results. Kincaid is a good player, but he wasn't worth a 7th-round pick. Rookie tight ends often struggle, and Kincaid will likely face some challenges this year. With so many players to feed on that Bills offense, including Dawson Knox, who Josh Allen prefers in the red zone, it may be difficult for him to find consistency. Brandon Cooks is an excellent player, but I'm not sure if he can perform well in the Cowboys' passing offense, which I expect to be lackluster this year. Okonkwo has a lot of talent, but his blocking issues could land him in Vrabel's doghouse. Kendre Miller is a reasonable dart throw for a keeper at the end of your roster.

11. call of jeudy

Your team is ranked at #11 because I don’t love what you have at QB for this year. Prescott may be popular, but he is no longer a threat with his legs. I fear that McCarthy will take over at offense and run every down now that Kellen Moore is no longer there to contradict him. Geno Smith had a great year last year, but he's not going to catch anyone off guard this season, which makes me nervous about his potential. There are a few players on your team that I think will perform well, such as DJ Moore, who I believe will outproduce his draft position. Jeudy should be a good pick if he can stay healthy. CeeDee Lamb will be a target hog, no matter how often they throw the ball in Dallas. Unfortunately, your team's depth is not impressive. You have a lot of players that I wouldn't want on my team this year, namely Allgeier, Montgomery, and Zay Jones.

12. hybrid bris

Your roster is packed with talent. Justin Jefferson and Garrett Wilson are alpha dogs and will dominate for you. Bijan Robinson and Etienne both have major scoring potential. Your bench potential at the receiver position with Bateman, Quentin Johnston, and Skyy Moore is promising. Additionally, your tight end group looks solid. However, your team is ended ranked 12th due to only having one starting QB on your roster. This puts you at a significant disadvantage and will be hard to overcome I think. You’ll probably have to depend on a QB injury so you pick up someone off the waiver wire. You could also get a breakout from someone on your bench and swing a trade with someone who has 3 QB’s. If you had selected Desmond Ridder at the end of the draft, I would have been a much bigger fan of your roster…

There we have it. Now let’s get this season kicked off! Good luck everyone!