Who is the No. 1 Overall Pick for 2023 Fantasy Football? Making The Case For Ja'Marr Chase

Ja'Marr Chase and the Cincinnati Bengals are preparing for their first-round playoff matchup this weekend against the Baltimore Ravens, while fantasy managers that have been eliminated from their own playoff contention are also keeping busy.

The most eager owners are getting ready for next year's fantasy football drafts and are beginning to assemble data to determine who some of the top picks and players might be.

Does Chase possess enough upside to warrant drafting him as the first pick in 2023? Let's examine this further.

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How Did Ja'Marr Chase Perform in Fantasy Football This Season?

Despite missing four games this season with a hip injury, Chase still finished the year with 87 receptions on 134 targets. Had he played the entire 2022 Bengals schedule, the Cincinnati superstar was on pace for mindboggling fantasy numbers.

He also managed to surpass 1,000 receiving yards for the second straight season while securing nine touchdowns, even though he missed multiple games due to a hairline hip fracture suffered during the Week 6 win over the Saints.

Bengals star quarterback Joe Burrow has developed a special chemistry with Chase, allowing both to consistently produce eye-popping numbers. The second-year pro has quickly become one of the top receivers in all of football and is now in the conversation as a potential top pick in next year's fantasy drafts.

Is Ja'Marr Chase The No. 1 Pick For 2023 Fantasy Football?

With more than seven months to go before fantasy owners must decide who their top pick will be in 2023, there will be plenty of ongoing debates as to who deserves the top crown. Everyone has their favorites, and each year there are some surprises. The elite names that will be included in these discussions for the 2023 draft are Justin Jefferson, Tyreek Hill, Christian McCaffrey, Cooper Kupp, Austin Ekeler, and even tight end Travis Kelce.

But which one should be chosen before all else? Depending on your league's format, there may be different answers to that question. Valid arguments can be made that Chase is worthy of the top overall selection, but there are variables that should influence your final decision.

With the highly coveted first-overall selection, you'll need to make sure you choose wisely. If you're in a PPR league, take someone that sees a lot of targets, in standard leagues, grab a star who often finds the end zone, and in three-receiver leagues, get yourself, well, a receiver! But with all that said, fantasy football is supposed to be fun, so first and foremost, pick a superstar that helps you go to sleep at night with a big fat smile on your face.

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