RotoBaller Staff's "My Guys" For The 2023 Fantasy Football Season

The preseason has started and fantasy football drafts are officially underway. Sure, we've all been hammering Best Ball drafts for months now, but our home league drafts are coming into focus. It is time to finalize your prep and get those draft boards ready to go. Oftentimes, fantasy managers identify which players to target and avoid at their current ADP. Sometimes, however, it goes a step further than that.

For this article, I've compiled some of the RotoBaller staff's "My Guys". These are players that we are doing everything we can to land during our drafts. We're willing to sacrifice ADP for a chance to get these players on our teams. We believe they're going to exceed expectations and provide fantasy managers with league-winning upside. Our "My Guys" are the players we'll defend no matter what. They're guys we're completely sold on and we're willing to put our money where our mouth is.

I've gotten help from several of our experts here at RotoBaller. This gives readers different opinions on the players some of our staff are planting their flags on. Don't forget to use the promo code "BOOM" for a 10% discount on any premium purchase.

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Bijan Robinson, RB - Atlanta Falcons

Written By: Joe Nicely

Considered by many to be the best running back prospect since Saquon Barkley, chances are that Bijan Robinson was going to have a huge impact on any team that drafted him. Going to an Atlanta Falcons squad that is one of the NFL's most run-oriented offenses sends Robinson's likely fantasy impact factor into the stratosphere.

Falcons' head coach, Arthur Smith, has brought his run-first philosophy to Atlanta from his time as the offensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans. He likely views Robinson as his new Derrick Henry. Smith's offense ran the ball at a 55.29% clip in 2022, the second-highest rate in the NFL. Yes, please. 

Some will shy away from rookies and elect to go with more proven commodities with their high-end fantasy draft picks. However, Robinson's overall talent, three-down back skill set, and workhorse potential in Atlanta's run-at-all-cost offensive scheme, make him one of my high-priority targets in 2023 fantasy drafts.

Nick Chubb, RB - Cleveland Browns

Written By: Frank Dyevoich 

Nick Chubb is primed for his best season as a pro. Quarterback Deshaun Watson is light years better than Baker Mayfield and Jacoby Brissett so opposing defenses will have to respect the pass. We know Amari Cooper is a stud, but we are going to find out that Elijah Moore is one as well.

These receiving threats, along with David Njoku and Donovan Peoples-Jones, are going to make it impossible for safeties to stack the box. Chubb is also running behind PFF's second-ranked offensive line heading into 2023. In addition to the excellent supporting cast, Chubb is an uber-efficient runner and the best pure runner in the league in my opinion.

My favorite running back metric is yards after contact per attempt (YAC/att) because it shows how good a running back is at creating on his own. Sure, the offensive line can block the perfect play, but the magic happens when a running back turns nothing into something special. There is no one better at that than Nick Chubb.

Ever since he stepped foot on an NFL field, he has been the most efficient running back in the league. He finished with 4.1 YAC/att in 2018 (first), 3.5 in 2019 (first), 3.7 in 2020 (first), 3.2 in 2021 (second), and 3.4 in 2022 (first). Last season he also finished first in breakaway runs (runs of 15+ yards) with 23 and first in evaded tackles with 133.

Chubb has never averaged less than five yards per carry and has had at least eight rushing touchdowns every season. On the brink of his best season to date, Chubb is a locked and loaded RB1 that can be had in the second round of your fantasy drafts. Christmas has come early.

Darren Waller, TE - New York Giants

Written By: Scott Engel

If there is one guy I want in all my drafts it is New York Giants tight end Darren Waller. He is ticketed to be the top pass-catcher for a passing offense that desperately needed more playmakers.

I want to get one of the best tight ends in every draft and not deal with unreliability, which is what you get when not drafting one of the top six to seven TEs.

If I am not in a position to draft Travis Kelce in the first round, which is sometimes the case, I will wait for a few rounds later and nab Waller to recapture his 2020 Pro Bowl form.

Chris Olave, WR - New Orleans Saints

Written By: Phil Clark

The numbers that Chris Olave assembled during his first 11 matchups last season have fueled my continued interest in securing him on as many of my rosters as possible throughout the 2023 draft season.

Olave vaulted to seventh among all wide receivers with 89 targets (8.9 per game/25.7% share) from Weeks 2-12, while also tying for fifth in targets per route run (31.9%), and rising to ninth in receiving yards (781/78.1 per game).

Olave also soared into the league lead with 1,309 air yards, was fifth in air yards share (39.8%), and led all members of his rookie class in each of those categories during that sequence.

Olave contended with a hamstring issue that impacted his availability and output in Weeks 15-16. However, that does not diminish the significance of his encouraging numbers while performing effectively with Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston under center.

Olave is fully capable of delivering a breakout season while operating as the primary receiving weapon in an offense that will be guided by a rejuvenated Derek Carr. I am targeting Olave near his current ADP in FFPC's Best Ball leagues (23/WR12) and I am convinced that he will justify those lofty expectations.

Russell Wilson, QB - Denver Broncos

Written By: Jackson Sparks

Between Russell Wilson’s goofy off-the-field antics and poor play on the field, he has drawn plenty of criticism since being dealt to the Denver Broncos. However, he’s talked about as if he finished outside the QB2 range in 2022 fantasy football – which is not the case.

Wilson posted a QB16 season including four top-five weekly finishes. That’s not to say he was spectacular, but I’m not ready to jump off the bandwagon after one down year of an otherwise excellent career. Wilson’s QB18 ADP has him going just ahead of Bryce Young, Kenny Pickett, and Matthew Stafford – but his upside is incredibly higher than that group of signal-callers.

He still had juice as a deep-ball passer last season. Hopefully, Sean Payton’s arrival in Denver will create plenty of easy catch-and-throw opportunities for Denver’s underrated group of skill players. Wilson was sacked a league-high 55 times in 2022.

However, Denver will get back former All-Pro left tackle Garrett Boles (broken leg in Week 5) and added Mike McGlinchey this offseason to form one of the top tackle duos in the NFL. Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, Marvin Mims Jr., and Greg Dulcich set up to be an adequate group of pass-catchers, and Wilson has legitimate QB1 upside in his second season in Denver. 

D'Andre Swift, RB - Philadelphia Eagles

Written By: Jackson Sparks

D'Andre Swift has been a target of mine every season since he entered the league in 2020. Even though he’s set to be in a pure timeshare in Philadelphia, I refuse to let go.

The 24-year-old running back’s issue has never been ability. His injury-prone label is also completely overblown. He’s dealt with minor ailments, but he’s never suffered a major injury that causes concern for his future (11 missed games in three seasons).

Per Playerprofiler.com data, Swift finished as a top-10 running back in target share (15.1%), yards per reception (8.1%), yards per route run (1.78), true yards per carry (4.9), breakaway run rate (8.1%), and yards created per touch (4.58).

Swift is explosive and efficient and will play in one of the NFL’s top offenses behind an elite Eagles offensive line. At a time when the majority of teams implement a running-back-by-committee approach, I’m happy to smash the button on Swift at least a few spots ahead of his RB25 ADP (PPR).

Jahmyr Gibbs, RB - Detroit Lions

Written By: Rob Lorge

The Lions were legitimately considering taking Jahmyr Gibbs at sixth overall in this year's NFL Draft. They finally selected him at No. 12 and eventually traded Swift to the Eagles clearing the way for Gibbs to be an instant fantasy star.

In Swift's time in Detroit, he disappointed fantasy managers who constantly were wanting more. Swift still finished in the top 22 in half-PPR PPG scoring in all three of his seasons with the Lions. During his three seasons in college, Gibbs had 123 targets, 103 receptions, and 1,215 receiving yards. He is going to be an offensive weapon for the Lions.

With Jameson Williams' six-game suspension, the Lions are desperately lacking a number two passing option in their offense. Sam LaPorta was selected in the second round, but rookie tight ends often struggle in their first season.

Gibbs could become Jared Goff's second option in the passing game. Goff had a running back target share north of 20%, which shouldn't be expected to change in 2023. He's not a mobile quarterback and the receivers after Amon-Ra St. Brown are lacking. Gibbs is likely to become a favorite of Goff.

Gibbs seems guaranteed to be in the top five in running back targets and receptions. I wouldn't be surprised if Gibbs finishes with 100 targets and 75+ receptions.

That type of workload gives him top-12 potential, in a similar manner to Alvin Kamara during his rookie season. Gibbs is an electric playmaker and the Lions appear determined to use him as such. I want him on every single one of my fantasy teams.

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