Dwain McFarland's Top 150 2023 Fantasy Football Rankings
Fantasy

Dwain McFarland's Top 150 2023 Fantasy Football Rankings

Dwain McFarland provides his top 150 fantasy football rankings for the 2023 season and highlights some players ranked much higher or lower than ADP.

With the NFL Draft behind us and best ball season ramping up, it's time to dive into my initial top 150 fantasy football rankings for 0.5 PPR formats like Underdog Fantasy. These top 150 rankings for the 2023 season will help plot a course for the first 12 rounds of drafts.

Additionally, I've highlighted a few players who I have ranked significantly higher or lower than consensus ADP. These are players who are values or fades based on the gap between their respective ranking and Underdog ADP as of this writing.

Dwain McFarland's Top 150 Fantasy Football Rankings

Austin EkelerChristian McCaffreyElijah MitchellTony PollardEzekiel Elliottget a 100% deposit match of up to $100 when you sign up for a new account belowJahmyr GibbsAlvin KamaraDavid MontgomeryChristian WatsonGarrett WilsonChris OlaveTravis EtienneTank BigsbyKyle PittsTreylon BurksWill LevisRyan TannehillA.J. BrownDiontae JohnsonJaxon Smith-NjigbaD.K. Metcalf Tyler LockettJosh AllenPatrick MahomesJalen HurtsJustin FieldsLamar JacksonAnthony RichardsonJames Cook
24.026%25%80.521%3.013%21%71.826%1.43

The second-year back was known for his receiving prowess in college, making his 26% TPRR and 1.43 YPRR numbers encouraging, as both are elite for a RB. And Cook isn’t just a swing-pass option; his 2.3 average depth of target (aDOT) shows that he can operate as a mismatch against linebackers and safeties beyond the line of scrimmage.

The Bills added Damien Harris, who will compete for early-down snaps, but Cook should have the inside track for passing downs.

Devon Achane | RB | Dolphins

Some fantasy drafters will shy away from Devon Achane due to his lack of size, as he weighed in at just 188 lbs. Given the lack of sub-190 lb. RBs who've put up big fantasy seasons, it's a valid concern.

However, the Texas A&M product is a big play waiting to happen, as Achane's 20% explosive rush rate in college ranked in the 75th percentile and was second-best among the 2023 rookie RB class. Don’t let his size fool you: Achane is not a satellite back. Achane is a tough runner who can attack inside and outside, and he's a perfect fit with Mike McDaniel in Miami, whose RB depth chart lacks top-notch talent.

RBs who scored similarly to Achane in the Rookie Super Model have produced a top-six fantasy finish 32% of the time, and 63% have registered a top-24 fantasy campaign. Achane is another rookie we want to draft now before his ADP creeps upward over the summer.

George Pickens | WR | Steelers

George Pickens is a fun player to watch when he goes into highlight-reel mode, but he struggled to earn targets as a rookie with just a 14% TPRR and registered a sub-WR6 level YPRR at 1.38. That makes Pickens slightly overpriced right now as the 71st player off the board on Underdog.

Overall, Pickens's comps aren't great, as only 14% of rookie WRs like him have gone on to deliver fantasy-relevant production. On the bright side though, one of those guys was DeAndre Hopkins. As of now, I prefer Treylon Burks, Diontae Johnson, and Jordan Addison, over Pickens, and all of them currently have later ADPs.

Rashod Bateman | WR | Ravens

The Ravens' WR room suddenly looks crowded after the additions of Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham. However, Rashod Bateman has flashed glimpses of the high-end talent profile we fell in love with in college. His 23% TPRR and 2.38 YPRR from last year were WR2-worthy, albeit on a small sample.

If you believe in Bateman's ceiling, you can start drafting him TODAY on Underdog Fantasy. Get a 100% deposit match of up to $100 by signing up below!

Isiah Pacheco | RB | Chiefs

Isiah Pacheco had a great rookie season considering that he was a seventh-round selection in the NFL Draft. However, he was limited to early-down work and couldn't garner targets when given the chance. Pacheco's 9% TPRR was lackluster compared to Jerick McKinnon (20%) and Clyde Edwards-Helaire (18%).

The Chiefs' second-year back is another player I have ranked lower than ADP. While I'd still like some exposure to Pacheco on a top-flight Kansas City offense, it's hard to pull the trigger on him at his current ADP in Round 6.

David Montgomery | RB | Lions

David Montgomery is an elusive back (23% missed tackles forced in 2022) but struggles to create big plays, and he's only average after contact. Montgomery should carve out early-down work, but Gibbs is likely to get most of the passing-down opportunities. Lack of a receiving role doesn't make Montgomery all that enticing for fantasy purposes, and there's still a chance that he could even be relegated to a pure backup role if Gibbs plays well immediately as a rookie.

Aaron Rodgers | QB | Jets

The supporting cast with the Jets might not be a significant upgrade over what Aaron Rodgers had in Green Bay, but Garrett Wilson has alpha WR1 traits, and we've seen Rodgers make fantasy music in a condensed attack.

The 18-year veteran will be 39 years old at the beginning of the 2023 season, but he can still make all the throws and has an uncanny ability to create big plays off-script. Over the last three seasons, Rodgers has the third-most TDs (14) on scramble drill plays per PFF, which puts him in elite company behind only Mahomes (18) and Allen (18).

Rodgers isn't that far removed from finishing as the fantasy QB6 and QB3 in 2020 and 2021, respectively. That's the kind of elite fantasy upside we want from later-round QBs, especially with all of the early-round QB love in 2023.

Geno Smith | QB | Seahawks

Geno Smith has the weapons to make significant fantasy noise in 2023 with the addition JSN on top of an already-talented duo of Metcalf and Lockett. Smith was the QB7 in fantasy points per game (PPG) last season, yet he's currently being drafted as the QB16 after getting another receiving weapon? That doesn’t make any sense.

Tua Tagovailoa | QB | Dolphins

Tua Tagovailoa carries plenty of upside in an explosive offense with big-time playmakers, but there is some risk given his concussion history. Tua is another player I do want some exposure to, but only when he falls past his usual ADP.

Dalton Kincaid | TE | Bills

We don’t often see big seasons from rookie TEs, but Dalton Kincaid scored in the 90th percentile in the Rookie Super Model and landed in a great spot. The Bills don’t have a proven target-earner on the roster behind Stefon Diggs, which leaves the door open for Kincaid to carve out significant snaps as Buffalo's leading receiver from the slot, even as a rookie.

Trey Lance | QB | 49ers

I'm torn on Trey Lance because he might not beat out a healthy Brock Purdy for the starting job. There's a chance that Lance could have a great camp while Purdy isn’t 100% and earn the lead role, but even in that scenario, could Lance hold onto the starting role all season?

The third-year QB is the dual-threat archetype we want to target, but if Lance loses the starting job, and you drafted three QBs on your Lance builds, that's a double whammy. Depending on draft flow and roster construction, Lance is a guy to be selectively aggressive with, your roster portfolio shouldn't be overexposed to him.

Jonathan Mingo | WR | Panthers

Jonathan Mingo’s profile in the Rookie Super Model wasn’t great, but now is the time to draft him if you want exposure. First, Mingo's ADP is likely to continue rising, and we don’t want to miss a good exposure window. Second, the other options at WR in this range of the draft aren’t inspiring. For now, opportunity costs are low, so swing away on Mingo and his second-round NFL Draft capital.

Rashee Rice | WR | Chiefs

Rashee Rice is similar to Mingo in that his overall college profile wasn’t great, but Rice also got second-round NFL Draft capital and landed in a good situation. The Chiefs have a roster full of question marks after Travis Kelce, so while Kadarius Toney is the favorite to be the No. 2 pass-catcher if healthy, there's opportunity for Rice to earn a big role even as a rookie.

Jayden Reed | WR | Packers

Jayden Reed is an afterthought in drafts, but the second-round pick was a target hog at Michigan State. He registered 23%, 24%, and 27% target shares over his final three years there.

The 5’11 WR also proved to be more than a slot option, as Reed operated outside and earned 29% of his targets on 20-plus yard throws in his final two collegiate seasons. Look for Reed to challenge Romeo Doubs for the No. 2 WR role even as a rookie.

Tyjae Spears | RB | Titans

The third-round pick averaged 105 yards per game in his 33 games at Tulane and was efficient against non-Power Five competition. Tyjae Spears's forced missed tackles (0.24) and average yards after contact (4.54) rank above the 80th percentile.

Derrick Henry will be 29 years old this season, and Spears could be the next man up in a run-heavy offense if Henry were to miss time or get traded away.

Marvin Mims | WR | Broncos

Marvin Mims offers the second-best explosive target rate (32%) and aDOT (16.7) in the class. His 4.07 YPRR is the best mark we have seen as a freshman, and he is the only rookie WR in the top-five of the Super Model without first-round draft capital.

Although Mims will need to earn playing time on a depth chart with Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, and Tim Patrick currently slotted as starters, Sean Payton will attempt to get Russell Wilson back on track by tailoring the offense to unlock the big plays we once saw him make in Seattle.

Mims was a deadly weapon on deep crossers at Oklahoma, which is a route on which Tyler Lockett thrived with Wilson during his time with the Seahawks. It's not unfathomable that Mims could find similar success with Wilson in Denver, even in Year 1.

He makes for an intriguing late-round flier on Underdog Fantasy, where you can double your first deposit of up to $100 when you create a new account. Sign up below and start drafting Mims today!

Dwain McFarland's Top 150