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Top 10 Upside Fantasy Football Players 2023

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USA News-Sports Division January 26, 2023
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Top 10 Upside Fantasy Football Players 2023

Top 10 Upside Fantasy Football Players 2023

We’re in the off-season for fantasy football 2023, but it is never too early to discuss players with massive upside going into this season.

I have laid out the top 10 players that I feel have massive ceilings for this season and that you should be looking to target. These guys are set to boom, and I will do a deep on the reasons why you must draft them on your fantasy rosters in 2023.

Javonte Williams

Williams is a young stud RB that never really had the chance to get the volume and shine yet.  He got hurt this past season in week four with a torn ACL, and we didn’t see the talent shine.

In his 2021 rookie year, he saw 203 attempts on the ground and averaged 4.4 yards per carry. The problem was that he was sharing the backfield with the washed-up Melvin Gordon.

With Melvin Gordon being released and Javonte hopefully coming back healthy this upcoming year, the sky would be the limit. The Broncos need him to run wild this season and not hold him back.

Trevor Lawrence

Lawrence proved that he is an elite QB in 2022, and the ceiling for fantasy dominance will be there this season and beyond.

He finished top 10 in categories including, Passing yards (9th with 4113), Passing TDs (8th with 25), and fantasy points (7th). He proved that he can take the Jaguars to the promise land by making the playoffs in just his 2nd season as the starter.

In 2023 he will be looking to get Calvin Ridley back to add to his arsenal of offensive weapons, which should give him and the Jags a nice boost. You combo this along with his comfort level and experience getting better, and you have a major upside player!

Travis Etienne

I couldn’t leave Etienne off this list if I am high on Trevor Lawrence this season. I wasn’t a fan of Travis in 2022 because I needed to see what he was capable of in his 2nd season. If you remember, he didn’t play his rookie year due to an injury which sidelined him the entire season.

His 2022 stats were nothing too exciting, but that leaves room for a ton of growth and upside. 220 attempts, 1125 rushing yards, and 5.1 yards are respectable, but I am looking forward to a major increase in all categories.

You have to note that Etienne has some fumbling issues, as he had 5 fumbles and lost three in 2022. Ball security is a major issue that needs to be addressed. Aside from that, his rapport with Lawrence will get a lot better, and he has some solid boom potential.

Kenneth Walker

You know that I was the only one that called the Kenneth Walker breakout while everyone else was on Rashaad Penny going into the 2022 season. Kenneth stepped up as I said and as he should, being a 2nd round pick for the Seahawks.

In 2022 he amassed 228 Attempts, 1050 rushing yards, and 9 TDs on the ground in his rookie year. Remember that he didn’t get going until about week 6 after Penny went down with a season-ending injury.

Walker goes into the 2023 season as the main guy in Seattle, and he will be carrying the load. I project 250 attempts, 1200 yards, and a 10 TD floor for the young and hungry sophomore.

He is one of my favorite players heading into the 2023 NFL fantasy season, and I expect big things and a ton of fantasy football production from him.

Ja’Marr Chase

Youth, talent , and upside are all attributes of Chase, and that will translate into a massive 2023 fantasy football season for him.

In just 12 Games, Chase managed to finish as a top 10 fantasy football WR. He is the no 1 WR to the solid and elite Joe Burrow. Their rapport continues to build and get better and better each year.

If Chase stays healthy in 2023, look for him to be a top 3 fantasy football WR.

Dameon Pierce

When you look at worth ethic and dedication, look no further than Dameon Pierce, who will be entering his sophomore year in 2023.

Dameon finished 28th in fantasy points, but he did better that most expected on one of the worst offenses in the NFL. 220 attempts, 939 yards on the ground, and 4 TDs in his rookie year is not bad at all. He was also limited and sidelined in certain games just for preservation reasons, as the Texans were out of playoff contention.

He is set to be the focal point of the Texans' offense in 2023, and they will make some solid improvement in the Draft, we are certain. They have to address the QB and WR position in the offseason, which will give Dameon a major boost.

We are easily looking at a top-10 fantasy football RB in 2023 if given the volume.

Jonathan Taylor

I know what you’re thinking when you saw Jonathan Taylor on this list. You are saying that Taylor is obviously an upside-boom type of player.  What you have to note is that the mainstream fantasy football sheep analysts will be sleeping on him this season due to his down 2022 season.

Taylor was hurt in 2022 and was part of a bad offense with a terrible QB. Jonathan Taylor finished 33rd in fantasy points and played only 11 games. The good news was that he still managed to get 192 attempts: 861 yards and 4 TDs on the ground.

If you can get Taylor for the right value this season, you may have a great steal of the draft. 2nd round pick this year in your draft would be considered great value, in my opinion. He has top 3 RB written all over him if the Colts make some good moves in free agency and in the 2023 NFL draft.

Christian Watson

Watson can and should be an NFL WR stud in fantasy. The main thing here is that he needs a ton of volume and needs to stay consistent.

There are question marks he is Aaron Rodgers, and on if he will stay on this Packers, and if he does, will he get the ball over to Watson consistently?

We know Watson has the talent, and he has shown flashes he can be great, but it's all about consistency. Either way, no way but up for him in 2023. 

Chris Olave

Chris Olave is a great player who just needs a great QB. The talent and everything you need is here, but the situation around him needs to be better.

In his rookie year, he had 72 receptions, 1042 yards, and 4 TDs with terrible QBs throwing him the ball. I can’t wait to see how the Saints build around Olave this season. The Sky is really the limit here.

Michael Pittman

Another WR 1 that really has not had the opportunity to shine due to bad QB play. This is the must-succeed year for Michael Pittman, who is slated to be the WR1 again for the Colts.

The biggest question mark is who will be throwing the ball for the Colts? Could it be Derek Carr? And if so, will they draft another stud WR to take on the true WR 1 Role?

Either way, it would be a lot better situation, I am sure, for Pittman than it was last year.

Final Thoughts

Understand this is a very early boom upside list. Things will vary and change based on the 2023 NFL draft. Once the NFL draft is complete, we get most of our answers.

To dominate your 2023 draft, make sure you Grab the 16 Rounds draft solution! You will be light years ahead of the competition and will know all the optimal players to draft in each round.

Subscribe to this #1 Fantasy Football Podcast as well here: Fantasy Football Podcast please: https://thefantasyfootballcounselor.com/ 



Photo Credit: Joseph Robert

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