Every fantasy football manager is looking to have a “league winner” on their roster. However, there are many ways to define the term. A league winner can be a dominant player everyone should be targeting or even a rookie set to explode in his first season. Whatever the case may be, our Fantrax writers have a list of five you should be considering for the 2023 fantasy football season.
Fantasy Football League Winners for the 2023 Season
Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns – “The Trustworthy Stud”
Fantrax Writer: Nick Skrip, @p2wfantasy
Nick Chubb continues to be the absolute epitome of rushing efficiency since entering the league. Chubb has never averaged less than five yards per carry during his five-season career. He has four straight seasons of over 1,000 yards rushing, with two of those above the 1,400 mark. That also includes three of five seasons with double-digit touchdowns.
In 2022 Chubb finished at the top of the position in both evaded tackles and breakaway runs. In 2021, for the same two categories, Chubb finished third in both. The rushing efficiency and production have resulted in four straight top-10 finishes in Fantasy points per game for running backs.
Two important factors make Nick Chubb even MORE appealing for Fantasy Football in 2023: A full season with Deshaun Watson and the absence of Kareem Hunt.
Reports have indicated that Cleveland is looking to open up the passing game more with Deshaun Watson, especially with the weapons of Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Cedric Tillman at wide receiver along with tight end David Njoku. Watson has had two seasons of over 4,000 yards passing. What does this mean for Chubb? Cleveland keeping defenses honest through both the ground and the air, which means less of a complete focus on stopping Nick Chubb. The absence of Kareem Hunt gives Chubb a chance to get more involved in the passing game as well, which would give him a huge boost in PPR leagues if he could become a running back to hit 35-40 catches.
Do the math here: Workhorse volume + rushing production + Fantasy Football consistency + balanced offense + pass-catching potential = League Winner.
Coming off of a career year in rushing attempts (302), rushing yards (1,525), rushing touchdowns (13) and Fantasy points per game (16.6), I like Chubb even more in 2023.
George Pickens, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers – “The Second Year Breakout”
Fantrax Writer: Reese Jones, @PotPharma
All signs are pointing to a breakout sophomore campaign for George Pickens. He is poised to be a fantasy football league winner in 2023. Pickens’ offseason performances have been nothing short of outstanding, routinely showcasing highlight reel catches during camp and demonstrating his remarkable ability for big-play jump balls in his final preseason game.
Pickens will be looking to build on his rookie success. Nearly one-third of his catches went for 20+ yards and he boasted an impressive 15.4 yards per catch. Proving himself to be a reliable field stretcher, Pickens posted a 14.8-yard aDOT (average depth of target), second in the league.
A crucial component of Pickens’ potential success is his evident strong connection with quarterback, Kenny Pickett. The extensive offseason time spent together has evidently paid off. Their on-field chemistry appears seamless and electric throughout the summer. It’s not surprising that the two have been vibing early on as the Steelers’ wide receiver corps lacks proven depth.
As the 2023 fantasy football season approaches, all indicators point towards George Pickens as a player primed for a breakout year. Being that he has an ADP of 76th overall, acquiring Pickens isn’t going to break the bank. With his explosive playmaking abilities, promising connection with his quarterback, and a situation that’s ripe for increased targets, fantasy football managers would be wise to keep a close eye on Pickens and consider him a potential league-winning asset for their teams.
Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos – “The Bounce Back Player”
Fantrax Writer: Jacob Dunne, @AintDunneYet
Javonte Williams is a mid-round fantasy draft pick I’m scooping up in all my leagues. In his lone preseason game, the 23-year-old ran the ball four times for 12 yards. That’s on top of catching four passes for 18 yards which signals his potential work as a receiving back this season.
Don’t forget back in Week 1 of last season, Russell Wilson targeted Williams a team-high 12 times. Those targets turned into 11 catches for 65 yards on his way to an RB12 finish in PPR formats. In the following two games, Williams averaged 17 touches on 19.5 opportunities before tearing the ACL and LCL in his knee, forcing him to miss the rest of the season.
The former North Carolina Tar Heel is a STEAL at his current RB29 ADP on Fantrax. I predict he will finish inside the top 12 in both Half-PPR and PPR formats thanks to both his rushing and receiving potential in a potential run-heavy scheme under new head coach, Sean Payton.
While it may take a couple of games for Williams to get his feet under him after shredding his knee last season, expect Javonte to grab Denver’s backfield’s bull by the horns and average 20-plus touches a game in no time. Buy the dip and enjoy the ride with this league winner.
Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks – “The Seasoned Veteran”
Fantrax Writer: Michael Quintero @weekenedmike
Yes, Tyler Lockett is 30 years old this year. That doesn’t mean he can’t be a league winner this year. Lockett’s ADP is around 65th to 70th overall based on PPR or half-PPR scoring. However, last year Lockett finished as the WR13 in both PPR and half-PPR scoring. Right now he is ranked between the WR25 and WR28. He is 100% going to beat that ADP.
Lockett has finished inside the top 15 for WR since 2019 in both PPR and half-PPR leagues except for 202q. That season, he finished as the WR16 in PPR scoring. So, there is no reason that you should be scared to draft Lockett this year especially at his ADP. He is easily a WR2, but you could have him in your Flex spot based on where he’s going in drafts.
Everyone is high on quarterback Geno Smith this year so that only means Lockett’s value should rise. Yes, DK Metcalf is there, but since 2020 Metcalf and Lockett have finished in pretty much the same spot in wide receiver rankings. So, you’re going to get the same amount of production with Lockett, but two or three rounds later.
Here are the last three years where Metcalf and Lockett finished in PPR scoring:
- 2020: WR7 Metcalf (17 FPG), WR8 Lockett (16.6 FPG)
- 2021: WR14 Metcalf (14.4 FPG), WR16 Lockett (15.1 FPG)
- 2022: WR13 Lockett (14.8 FPG), WR16 Metcalf (13.3 FPG)
Lockett is one of the most consistent fantasy players and his ADP is only dropping because of his age. I know there is a rookie in Jaxson Smith-Njigba, but it always takes time for rookies to develop and I don’t see him being a factor in Lockett’s production. Also, Smith-Njigba suffered a wrist injury during the preseason, though he will be on the active roster for the start of the season.
If you are still unsure about Lockett, just check out his numbers since 2018:
- 2018: 10 touchdowns, 965 receiving yards
- 2019: 8 touchdowns, 1,057 receiving yards
- 2020: 10 touchdowns, 1,054 receiving yards
- 2021: 8 touchdowns, 1,175 receiving yards
- 2022: 9 touchdowns, 1,033 receiving yards
Jordan Addison, WR, Minnesota Vikings – “The Rookie”
Fantrax Writer: Colin McTamany, @Colin_McT
Over the last three seasons, we’ve seen a large handful of rookie wide receivers play to the level of league winner for fantasy football. Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Garrett Wilson are the obvious ones that come to mind. When looking at the 2023 NFL Draft class, Jordan Addison stands out as a player who’s in a great position to be a league winner this season.
Addison’s landing spot is the biggest reason to consider him a league winner for fantasy football. He replaces long-time Viking, Adam Thielen, as the number two receiver behind Justin Jefferson. Thielen leaves behind 107 targets from last season. That’s impressive considering Justin Jefferson commanded a league-high 184 of his own. It helps that Minnesota ranks third in pass attempts from last season, a trend that should continue in 2023. Thielen also ranks ninth in red zone targets from last season. He scored five of his six touchdowns in 2022 inside the red zone.
Both Jefferson and Thielen finished as top-12 fantasy wide receivers in 2020, and top-15 in 2021, then Jefferson claimed the top spot with Thielen falling off to WR45 last season. It was obviously time to replace the 33-year-old.
Jordan Addison is no stranger to a heavy workload. His 100-catch sophomore season at the University of Pittsburgh is evidence of that. With such volume, Addison logged 1,593 yards and an eye-popping 17 touchdowns. I’m not expecting such numbers as a rookie, let alone behind Justin Jefferson, but Addison can handle 100+ target volume right away. I expect him to be the most-targeted rookie this season. He’s a mid-to-late round pick that has a legitimate shot at a top-20 or greater return at the position.
For more great rankings and analysis, make sure to check out our 2023 Fantasy Football Draft Kit!
GIVEAWAY ALERT! 🚨📷
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— Fantrax (@Fantrax) August 3, 2023