As expected, QB Anthony Richardson tested as an elite athlete at the NFL Combine. In fact, the Florida product set QB Combine records with a 40.5” vertical and a 10’9” broad jump. He added a ridiculous 4.43-second (official) 40-yard dash…at 6’4, 244 pounds. Insane. While his accuracy turns up as spotty on film, it’d be a shock if he’s not a top-10 pick come April.
QB Bryce Young weighed in at 5’10, 204 pounds at the NFL Combine. Alabama listed him at 6’0, 194 pounds, so the results are a mixed bag. “I’ve been this size, respectfully, my whole life,” Young said at the Combine. “I know who I am. I know what I can do.” He opted to not take part in throwing drills. But the tape shows Young as the most polished QB prospect in this class. Despite a slim frame, it’d be a surprise if he drops out of the top-5 on draft night. See where he slots in our QB dynasty rankings.
The Raiders plan to use the franchise tag on RB Josh Jacobs, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. The tag deadline is Tuesday, so there's still time for a longer-term deal before the tag is applied. Using the tag would give a mid-July deadline for a longer-term pact. The Raiders, of course, declined the fifth-year option on Jacobs' rookie contract before 2022 ... and then handed him the largest workload of his career and watched him lead the NFL in rushing. If he plays on the franchise tag, Jacobs will make roughly $2 million more than he would have on the original option year. either way, expect him to remain the Raiders' workhorse for 2023. And go back to paying little attention to RB Zamir White.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the Jaguars are expected to put the franchise tag on TE Evan Engram. The accompanying one-year deal would pay Engram $11.345 million. That wouldn't be a crazy boost from the $9 million he got on a one-year deal with Jacksonville last offseason. Engram finished 2022 ranked fifth among TEs in PPR points; eighth in points per game. He's currently going 7th among TEs in Underdog ADP and ninth in early FFPC drafting. Engram's an OK target in that range, though he'll face extra competition this season if the NFL reinstates WR Calvin Ridley. We expected Jacksonville to keep Engram and won't be surprised if they reach a longer-term deal.
The Bucs released TE Cameron Brate. The 31-year-old has been 1 of the least efficient TEs in the NFL over the past 2 seasons, turning 95 targets into just 419 yards and 4 TDs. He missed 6 games with a concussion and neck injury last year. We'll see if Brate keeps playing in 2023, but he's fallen off the fantasy radar.
Lions HC Dan Campbell suggested from the Combine on Wednesday that the team is still trying to figure out how to best manage and deploy RB D'Andre Swift. "We thought we had a recipe going into the year, and it didn’t work out," Campbell said. “He got a little bit banged up and then by the end of the year he started to feel better and his production started to go up." Swift appeared in 14 games last year but was limited in the majority of them by ankle and shoulder injuries. "Let’s find another way to see if we can help him stay on the field, you know? I already know he’s doing that for himself, so we’ve got to do that on our end," Campbell added. "What can we do better by him? Can we? Because he’s too talented. He’s too talented to not have out there. He’s an explosive athlete.” It sure doesn't sound like the Lions plan on giving Swift a ton of touches in 2023. But if he can at least hang on to a significant passing-game role, he'll keep himself in the RB2 mix in PPR leagues.
49ers QB Brock Purdy's elbow surgery was originally scheduled for February 22 but has been delayed due to swelling in the joint. “Some of the delay and the swelling and all that — it’s not like a typical baseball injury,” GM John Lynch said Tuesday at the Combine. “This was a football injury where there was a lot of force there. So, it just all had to quiet down.” Purdy is now expected to go under the knife "early next week," according to The Athletic's Matt Barrows. The 49ers are still hoping to have Purdy back on the field 6 months after surgery, but Lynch admitted that there are “a variety of time frames.” Either way, this delay makes it unlikely that Purdy is available for training camp -- and more likely that QB Trey Lance opens the 2023 season as San Francisco's starter.
New Titans OC Tim Kelly is excited to expand TE Chig Okonkwo's role in 2023. "We're gonna look to continue to grow his skills and his abilities so we can utilize him more," Kelly said from the Combine on Tuesday. "When the ball found him, he caught it. And he was good with the ball in his hands." Okonkwo finished his rookie campaign with 32 catches for 450 yards and 3 TDs. His underlying metrics scream big upside going forward. Okonkwo's 84.6 Pro Football Focus receiving grade and 2.61 yards per route run were both top 3 marks among 31 rookie TEs with 40+ targets over the past 10 seasons. Highlight his name as 1 of 2023's top breakout candidates at TE.
Here's what new Titans GM Ran Carthon said when asked about QB Ryan Tannehill on Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine: "Ryan is under contract. Right now he's a Titan, and he will be a Titan." The sound bite didn't come across as a true commitment to Tannehill remaining at the Tennessee helm. But it's tough to see a path to the Titans improving at QB. Tannehill's contract would also leave nearly $19 million in dead cap space if Tennessee dumped him, according to Spotrac. So treat Tannehill as the 2023 Titans starter in early best-ball drafting. We'll see whether anything changes.
Packers GM Brian Gutekunst said from the Combine on Tuesday that he'd "absolutely" be confident in QB Jordan Love as the team's Week 1 starter. That's the most likely scenario for Green Bay if QB Aaron Rodgers is traded. “I think he’s ready to play and I think he’s ready to be an NFL starting quarterback,” Gutekunst said of Love. “Not every quarterback comes into this league ready to go out there and play. I think he needed a little time, but over the last year and a half or so, we’ve seen that’s the next step in his progression. He needs to go out and play." Love has thrown just 83 regular-season passes since being drafted in 2020, including 21 last year. But he entered the league as an intriguing prospect with prototypical size, a big arm and plus athleticism. Love is worth considering as a QB3 in early best-ball drafts as we continue to monitor the Rodgers situation.
The Bucs plan to release RB Leonard Fournette on March 15, the first day of the new league year, NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reports. The move will save the rebuilding Bucs $3.47 million against the 2023 salary cap. Fournette remained reliable in the passing game last year, hauling in 73 of 83 targets for 523 yards (7.2 YPC). But he mustered just 3.5 yards per carry and ranked bottom 4 among 51 qualifiers in both Pro Football Focus' Elusive Rating and NFL Next Gen Stats' Rush Yards Over Expected Per Attempt. The 28-year-old figures to land a committee job on the open market and isn't an exciting pick in early best-ball drafts. The Bucs, meanwhile, are left with RB Rachaad White atop the depth chart for now. He caught 50 balls as a rookie last year but averaged just 5.8 yards per catch. White was only a little better than Fournette on the ground, averaging 3.7 yards per carry while ranking 41st in Elusive Rating and 45th in Rush Yards Over Expected Per Attempt. We'll see what else the Bucs add to the backfield this offseason.
Commanders HC Ron Rivera clarified Tuesday from the NFL Scouting Combine that QB Sam Howell is "not our starter," according to FOX Sports' Ralph Vacchiano. Rivera added that the second-year player does open the offseason as the lead QB but said the team plans to import a veteran QB to compete with Howell. Consider this a reminder that Washington wants the former fifth-round pick to earn the 2023 starting job. Howell makes for an OK late third QB in early best-ball drafting but isn't a player you must get shares of.
"That's the plan right now," Bears GM Ryan Poles said from the Combine on Tuesday when asked if QB Justin Fields will be the team's 2023 starter. Chicago holds the 1st overall pick of this spring's draft -- and Poles said he's doing his homework on the QB class. But the most likely scenario has the Bears trading that 1st pick to a QB-hungry team. If you're drafting early best-ball teams, assume that Fields will be under center for the Bears this season.
Broncos RB Javonte Williams is “on track” to suit up for Week 1, per GM George Paton. Speaking at the Combine, Paton shared that Williams has progressed to jogging following an October ACL/LCL tear. We’ll see how the 3rd-year RB fits in new HC Sean Payton’s offense. Regardless, look for the Broncos to add a depth piece or two this offseason. Note that Denver currently holds only 5 draft picks — and none until Round 3 — in the 2023 NFL Draft.
The Giants will release WR Kenny Golladay on March 15, the first day of the new league year, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. The move will save the G-Men $6.7 million against the 2023 salary cap. It's a no-brainer after 2 disastrous seasons for Golladay in New York that produced a total of 43 catches, 602 yards and 1 TD. Golladay is still only 29 but has dealt with a plethora of injuries and appears to be out of gas. We'll see where Golladay lands on the open market, but he's not worth a pick in early best-ball drafts.
The Commanders on Tuesday made DT Daron Payne the first player to get the franchise tag in 2023. Payne demolished his previous high with 11.5 sacks in 2022 -- 6.5 more than he tallied as a 2018 rookie. Payne suggested a bump was coming, though. His QB hits climbed from 8 in 2020 to 15 in 2021 before a career-high 20 this past season. Payne also delivered his two largest tackle totals the past two years, though he didn't crack the top 12 among D-lineman in solos either year. We'd bet on some regression from his DL13 fantasy finish in 2022. Don't prioritize Payne for 2023 IDP leagues or as a dynasty target.
The Falcons have released QB Marcus Mariota. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the move saves the team $12 million in 2023 cap space. It's no surprise after Atlanta finished 2022 with rookie Desmond Ridder in the lineup. Will the former third-round pick open 2023 behind center? That may depend on whether the Falcons draft a QB with the eighth overall pick (or move up for someone). Mariota, meanwhile, hits the open market for the second straight offseason. He completed 61.3% of his passes at 7.4 yards per attempt across 13 starts last year. His 5.0% TD rate marked his best number since 2016, Mariota's second year in the league. We're not betting that a team will plan to start Mariota in 2023, but the 29-year-old (until Oct. 30) should land somewhere as at least insurance. That landing spot will determine whether he belongs on fantasy football rosters in any format. He should not be in your plans for current best-ball drafting.
The Eagles promoted Brian Johnson to OC. The 36-year-old has spent the past 2 seasons as Philly's QB coach, helping QB Jalen Hurts develop into 1 of the game's best. While this will be Johnson's first NFL OC gig, he does have 4 years of OC experience at the college level (2012-2013 at Utah, 2017 at Houston and 2020 at Florida). With Johnson's promotion and HC Nick Sirianni back, there should be plenty of continuity for the Eagles' offense in 2023, despite the loss of OC Shane Steichen.
The Commanders announced on Monday afternoon that they've parted ways with QB Carson Wentz. The former 2nd overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft appeared in only 8 games in his lone season with the Commanders, completing 172 of 276 attempts for 1,755 passing yards with 11 TDs and 9 INTs. The structure of Wentz's contract made it so that he wasn't guaranteed any money beyond 2022, so this is a clean break for the franchise after a 1-year trial. Wentz struck out in consecutive seasons with the Colts and Commanders and may struggle to find another starting job in the NFL. It's likely we see him go the veteran backup route on the open market.
The Chiefs promoted Matt Nagy to OC. Nagy spent this past year as Kansas City's QBs coach and has 11 total seasons working with HC Andy Reid under his belt. That includes serving as the Chiefs' OC back in 2017, when the team finished top 6 in both points and total yards with QB Alex Smith. We're not expecting a notable change to Kansas City's offense with Nagy replacing Eric Bieniemy.
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