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Fantasy football drafts are happening nationwide this coming weekend and beyond as the NFL fans get ready for potential breakout seasons from up-and-coming stars like Justin Fields, Bryce Young and many others.
With so many new faces on new teams across the league, expect fantasy football draft picks from rounds one through ten and beyond to vary wildly in comparison with previous years.
Fantasy football sleepers at the wide receiver position for example include a former All-Pro returning from a suspension in Calvin Ridley, a hotshot rookie replacing a franchise legend in Jordan Addison, and a possible new favorite target for Patrick Mahomes in Kadarious Toney, who got an amazing injury update recently.
At quarterback, the usual suspects are expected to excel, along with potential new stars in Justin Fields, Bryce Young, and Anthony Richardson.
As draft season continues, let's get right down to it. Here are five spicy fantasy football takes that could make you look like a genius in your league.
Spicy Take Number One: Tony Pollard Should Be Drafted Higher
Last season the Cowboys' lead back racked up over 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns while looking over his shoulder at Ezekiel Elliott.
With Elliot gone, Pollard could become one of the top three to four producing backs in the entire NFL. Backup running back Deuce Vaughn has gotten praise from quarterback Dak Prescott, but make no mistake about it: the Cowboys' running game is Pollard's show, and he will get as many carries as he can handle in 2023.
Pollard averaged 5.2 yards per carry last season for a Cowboys offensive line that wasn't at full strength.
With Prescott healthy and more depth along the offensive line, expect the former Memphis Tiger to vault up the running back rankings, ahead of rookie Bijan Robinson, Chargers veteran Austin Ekeler and others this season.
Spicy Take Number Two: Justin Fields is Overrated
The former Ohio State Buckeye Fields was named a captain recently, and has been drawing hype as a dynamic and explosive playmaker. Fields is both of those things, but he also is fighting a history of troubles among Ohio State quarterbacks.
Fields also plays in an NFC North that now features a Detroit Lions team with one of the top five secondaries in the NFL, a strong Minnesota Vikings team and a Packers team hungry to stay out of the basement.
He has added weapons on offense and should improve as a fantasy football option.
The spicy take here is that Fields finishes behind Trevor Lawrence, Justin Herbert, and DeShaun Watson due to inconsistencies that will need to resolve themselves naturally over the course of the season. Aaron Rodgers, Tua Tagovailoa, and others could challenge him for fantasy supremacy as well.
Spicy Take Number Three: Jimmy Garoppolo is Underrated
The former San Francisco 49er needed a fresh start, and he will get it in Las Vegas. He might not put up top ten numbers for a quarterback, but he's an excellent value in the later rounds if you're looking for a steady hand at the position.
With Davante Adams, Hunter Renfrow, and the brilliant offensive mind of Josh McDaniels, the Raiders' passing attack will surprise many this season.
Spicy Take Number Four: Sam LaPorta is the Biggest Sleeper at Tight End
LaPorta has been called the best receiving tight end in Iowa Hawkeyes history, as part of a group that includes 49ers legend George Kittle, Dallas Clark, Tony Moeaki and many others.
The well-built and shifty LaPorta is a perfect fit for rising star offensive coordinator Ben Johnson's offense in Detroit, and LaPorta will finish the season as a top 10 fantasy football player at the position as a result ahead of guys like David Njoku and Kyle Pitts.
Spicy Take Number Five: The Lions' Defense Will Improve By Leaps and Bounds
The Detroit Lions were a laughingstock on defense for most of 2022, but 2023 will be a different story entirely.
The combination of rookie stars Jack Campbell and Brian Branch along with offseason pickups C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Cameron Sutton will make the Detroit defense a turnover machine, especially with their considerable homefield advantage at Ford Field.
Aidan Hutchinson could make a Nick Bosa-esque leap this season as an impact defender, and sophomore sensation James Houston has the potential for double-digit sacks off the edge.
Don't sleep on the Detroit Lions defense when selecting in the mid-to-later fantasy football rounds — they have the potential to win games on explosive potential alone when you least expect it, in line with the Jim Schwarz/Darius Slay/Ndamukong Suh led units of years past.
