Top 2023 Fantasy QB Landing Spots
Top 2023 Fantasy QB Landing Spots
Nothing gets the offseason juices flowing like a good landing spot discussion.
Let’s add Bijan Robinson to the Dallas backfield and see what happens. What if we give Kareem Hunt a one-way ticket to Miami? Or how about if we reunite Jaxon Smith-Njigba with Justin Fields in Chicago?
The possibilities are endless, and that’s a good thing, because how else are we supposed to get through the dog days of April?
Of course, not every landing spot is created equal. Competition, scoring environment, and scheme are just three of the many factors that help determine a player’s newfound fantasy value. Not every player is good enough to ball out regardless of where they're playing.
What follows is a breakdown on the most fantasy-friendly QB landing spots available for free agents, trade targets, and draft picks alike. Fantasy is the key word here, as we’re looking to see which NFL teams would optimize fantasy potential for their QBs, which doesn't necessarily correlate with real-life wins.
Supporting cast and a path to the starting job were the main factors considered. Landing spots are only being considered for 2023. Cool? Cool. Let's go through the top QB landing spots for fantasy.
1. Washington Commanders
The Commanders are currently heading into 2023 with 2022 fifth-round pick Sam Howell and journeyman Jacoby Brissett at QB. Neither is a great option.
Howell’s deep-ball goodness and 183-828-11 rushing line in his final season at North Carolina paint the picture of a fantasy-friendly QB, so it might be too early to completely give up on Howell. Just realize that the hit rate for Day 3 picks isn't good.
Brissett was actually legit good in 2022. Among all QBs who played at least 300 snaps, his +2.8% completion percentage over expectation (CPOE) ranked third, and his +0.12 expected points added (EPA) ranked 11th. However, the stats from Brissett's previous six years in the league paint a far more depressing picture.
Washington does boast an awfully good trio of WRs in Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson, and Curtis Samuel, and they had the seventh-best scoring defense last season.
More help on the offensive line would be nice, but the Commanders may not be that far away from potentially being contenders in the relatively-weak NFC.
Seriously, McLaurin deserves better at QB, as do the rest of the Washington players.
Here’s to hoping the organization doesn’t let last year’s Carson Wentz-induced scars prevent them from making a more serious effort to address the QB room ahead of the 2023 season.
Dream match: Florida QB Anthony Richardson
Head coach Ron Rivera’s successful history with Cam Newton makes it easy to imagine “Cam Jackson“ rocking the burgundy and gold, and Anthony Richardson easily profiles as the most fantasy-friendly rookie QB thanks to his absurd rushing upside. Giving him Washington's crop of receiving weapons would make his NFL transition that much easier.
Click here for Richardson’s dynasty rookie profile
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The current plan is to enter next season with ex-Browns/Panthers/Rams QB Baker Mayfield and 2021 second-round pick Kyle Trask. I’m not crying…you’re crying.
The “glass half-empty” view on Mayfield is that he’s spent the better part of the last two seasons being an objectively bad QB.
The “glass half-full” version is that Mayfield has at least flashed more upside than your typical low-level QB. After all, he did set the NFL record for TD passes by a rookie in 2018 (27 TDs before Justin Herbert broke it again in 2020), and Mayfield also led the Browns to their first playoff victory since 1994 during the 2020 postseason.
Meanwhile, Trask’s most newsworthy moment through two seasons was probably his own coaching staff dubbing him a slow learner. That's not great.
Tampa Bay's offense still boasts one of the league’s better WR duos in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Any young QB could do a lot worse than getting to throw to those guys while learning the game.
It’s unclear exactly how much the Buccaneers will try to seriously contend in 2023, but at the very least, their pass-game weapons are good enough to provide some 2022 Seahawks vibes.
Dream match: Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker
It’s easy to envision Hendon Hooker establishing a downfield connection with Evans early on, and Godwin would be a great security blanket for any first-year QB.
3. Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta's current plan seems to be to ride with 2022 third-round pick Desmond Ridder and journeyman QB Taylor Heinicke, which begs the old Superbad question: Why the f*ck would it be between McLovin and Mohammad?!
Heinicke deserves credit for his career 12-12-1 record as a starter, but he ranks just 25th in adjusted yards per attempt (6.6), 26th in completion rate (87.2%), and 26th in fantasy points per game (13.5 PPG) among 34 QBs with 16-plus starts over the last two seasons.
Perhaps Ridder can find a way to boom in Year 2 and beyond, but just two total TDs in four starts as a rookie certainly didn't inspire confidence.
There are some young weapons on this offense for a QB to work with in Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Tyler Allgeier, not to mention the GOAT himself, Cordarrelle Patterson.
The only reason the Falcons aren't ranked higher on this list of landing spots is because passing volume could be scarce for whichever QB will be leading this offense in 2023, as Atlanta was the most run-heavy offense in the NFL last season.
Dream match: current but maybe soon-to-be ex-Ravens QB Lamar Jackson
The addition of Lamar Jackson would add a completely new dimension to the league’s most run-heavy offense from 2022. With all due respect to Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews, London and Pitts could quickly prove to be the best pair of pass-catchers that Jackson has played with to date if he were to be traded to Atlanta.
4. Carolina Panthers
Unlike our first three teams, the Panthers are fully expected to secure a QB upgrade in the near future after they gave up a haul to get the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft from the Bears.
Whoever Carolina winds up selecting will likely have the benefit of a long leash and full backing from the organization for at least a couple of seasons, but this offense doesn’t exactly have the world’s best group of playmakers.
The Panthers’ current projected depth chart consists of the following:
- RB: Miles Sanders and Chuba Hubbard
- WR: Adam Thielen, D.J. Chark, Terrace Marshall, and Laviska Shenault
- TE: Hayden Hurst, Ian Thomas, and Tommy Tremble
With free agency slowing down and all but in the rearview mirror, here’s to hoping that Carolina will use the No. 39 and/or No. 93 overall picks on some additional pass-catching weaponry for whichever QB they select at No. 1 overall.
Dream match: Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud
C.J. Stroud is currently the odds-on favorite to be selected No. 1 overall. This WR room will probably definitely be worse than what Stroud had at Ohio State, but we’ve seen head coach Frank Reich get the most out of less-talented QBs in the past.
Click here for Stroud’s dynasty rookie profile.
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5. Indianapolis Colts
Another year, and another new Week 1 starting QB for Indianapolis. The common theme for the Colts' starting QBs since Andrew Luck's abrupt retirement prior to the 2019 season has been “past their prime and ultimately bad”. No really, here's the list of Indianapolis's starters since Luck:
- 2019: Jacoby Brissett
- 2020: Philip Rivers
- 2021: Carson Wentz
- 2022: Matt Ryan
Gardner Minshew, Nick Foles, and Sam Ehlinger are the next men up at the moment, although Colts owner Jim Irsay hasn’t exactly hidden his feelings about the team potentially adding one of the draft’s top prospects at the position.
The problem for whoever winds up being under center come Week 1 is the reality that this offense doesn’t have a ton going for it at the moment.
Sure, Jonathan Taylor is a beast when healthy, but he’s running behind an offensive line that ranked 18th last year per Pro Football Focus (PFF). And though Michael Pittman has flashed during his first three seasons, he, Alec Pierce, and Isaiah McKenzie are to be considered a league-average WR trio at best.
The Colts have the eighth-most effective salary cap space as well as the No. 4, No. 35, and No. 79 overall picks in the 2023 NFL Draft. There’s no reason why they shouldn’t (finally) add a high-end rookie signal-caller to roster and see what happens.
Dream match: Kentucky QB Will Levis
I don’t have a particularly good reason for this one other than matching the Colts with one of the draft’s more divisive prospects as a quasi-punishment for all the false hope they’ve put out in recent years. Or what about Trey Lance instead? Would that make you feel better? No? Good.
Click here for Levis’s dynasty rookie profile.
6. Houston Texans
Like the Panthers, the Texans are fully expected to fulfill the prophecy of selecting a shiny new rookie QB shortly after the 2023 NFL Draft begins.
However, Houston’s never-ending run of average free agent signings continues to leave the offense fairly barren of actual difference-makers on the outside.
Seriously, c’mon man…
The team’s top four WRs at the moment are Robert Woods, Nico Collins, Noah Brown, and John Metchie. The RB and TE rooms are slightly better, but it’s also not as though free agent additions Devin Singletary and Dalton Schultz are really moving the needle much.
On top the lack of talent at WR and TE, the Texans' offensive line ranked seventh-worst in the league last year per PFF, so it’s no wonder that this organization has totaled just 11 wins over the last three seasons combined.
Dream match: Alabama QB Bryce Young
If Bryce Young were to go to Houston at No. 2 overall, he would join an organization with plenty of draft capital and cap space to theoretically create a better offensive environment for him in a hurry. The NFL is more fun when all 32 teams have some hope under center, and Young would provide a lot of hope from Day 1 to Texans fans and fantasy GMs alike.
Click here for Young’s dynasty rookie profile.
Other notes:
The 49ers, Lions, Seahawks, Dolphins, and Vikings all have deep enough rosters that it would make sense for them to try and go all-in. While none of these teams are in dire need of a new QB, most would agree that their current starters aren't exactly Super Bowl-caliber.
The Titans are in a similar position, but without the plethora of capable pass-catchers or a strongly schemed pass-first offense, they wouldn't be a great spot for any rookie QB. The same could be said for the Ravens if they were to shockingly decide to move on from the 2019 MVP…
Obviously, the Jets are also technically still in need of an upgrade under center as long as the alleged Aaron Rodgers trade continues to stall. Why has this trade not happened yet? Probably nothing, right Jets fans? Right??
And finally, recent murmurs indicate that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick might not be thrilled about moving forward with Mac Jones. I'd love to see New England trade for Lamar Jackson and dominate the league for a third decade in a row just to see the world burn. Who's with me? Anyone…? Bueller…?
If you're in the same camp, it may alter how you view Patriots' players in your best ball drafts. You can start drafting them today and get a 100% deposit match of up to $100 by signing up for Underdog Fantasy below.
