We’ve identified 10 NFL Fantasy breakout players for the 2023 season.
If you want to win at NFL Fantasy, you need to hit on some upside in the middle rounds of your draft.
So here are 10 NFL Fantasy breakout players to have on your radars.
10 NFL Fantasy breakout players for 2023
We’ll run through them in this order: QB, RB, WR, TE
Quarterbacks not considered (because they’re now beyond this list): Jalen Hurts, Trevor Lawrence — and of course, the top-tier guys like Mahomes and Allen
Justin Fields, QB, Chicago Bears
We’re warming up with a more obvious option here, with Justin Fields being taken on average as the sixth quarterback off the board in Fantasy drafts.
He last year proved to be one of the most lethal running quarterbacks the league has ever seen.
But the growth he showed as a QB as last season matured was notable, as was the coaching staff’s commitment to building around him. Well that can only improve this year with better offensive line play and a bona fide WR1 in DJ Moore.
Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers
This one may well go either way, but of the more unknown quantities at the quarterback position, Jordan Love has waited patiently and maturely for his opportunity to emerge.
Love’s had three years and four pre-seasons to prepare for this opportunity and without the shortcuts that some young signal-callers are afforded, his pre-start development has been more dense. He recently lit up the Bengals’ secondary in an opposed practice session.
Head coach Matt LaFleur will do a decent job scheming up his young receivers into space and the Packers’ QB’s mobility is probably being a little undersold as well.
Running Backs not considered: Tony Pollard, Travis Etienne, Bijan Robinson, Rhamondre Stevenson, Kenneth Walker
Rachaad White, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Moving over to running back, someone like a Bijan Robinson as one of these NFL Fantasy breakout players was a bit too obvious here — he will ‘breakout’, technically, because he hasn’t played in the NFL before. But given Robinson’s Average Draft Position, the breakout is fully expected.
Don’t be shocked if and when Rachaad White is commanding more week-to-week volume than Robinson and other running backs being taken rounds earlier in your drafts.
The discount on White relates to the mediocre offence he’s attached to. But Tampa’s locked in starter is a gifted pass-catcher and will make more strides as a runner behind a far healthier offensive line than what the Buccs had at their disposal this time last year.
Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
As a rookie last season, Pacheco quickly earned increased volume down the back half of the season, culminating in a 15-carry, 76-yard Super Bowl appearance that featured an important TD.
In the biggest games of the year, Andy Reid trusted this guy in the backfield. He now he enters year two as the solidified starter in the Mahomes-led Chiefs offence. The rise will continue.
James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills
The previous Bills starter, Devin Singletary, had a very productive stretch down the back end of the 2021 season in a workhorse capacity. And that was playing out again last year until James Cook started carving out a share of his own.
The keys have been handed over to the second-year 23-year-old, with Singletary now in Houston. And there were signs through the Bills’ post-season that the former Georgia Bulldog can emerge into a damaging weekly fantasy scorer.
Wide Receivers not considered: Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Amon-Ra St. Brown, DeVonta Smith, DJ Moore, Jaylen Waddle (plus, of course, the NFL’s elite receivers like Justin Jefferson)
Christian Watson, WR, Green Bay Packers
If it’s wheels up for new Packers QB Jordan Love, then WR1 Christian Watson needs to be on our NFL Fantasy breakout players list as well. Their production will work hand in hand.
Watson rose as a special play-maker down the back stretch of last season and has the capacity to command a decent target share in this Green Bay offence. And when you combine solid volume with his scary speed, the average depth of target will translate to pretty rock solid weekly production, with an elite ceiling.
Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens
We had to feature a rookie on this list.
As he prepares for his first season, the hype that Flowers is creating at Baltimore’s training camp has been impossible to ignore.
The interest around the Ravens offence under a new Offensive Coordinator (Todd Monken), that threatens to call a more up-tempo, pass-heavy attack, has all its play-makers stocks rising. And Flowers might already be Jackson’s favourite wide receiver option, given Rashad Bateman struggles to stay healthy and Odell Beckham Jr is getting a bit dusty.
TE Mark Andrews remains the primary pass-catcher in this offence, but don’t be surprised if it becomes a 1A-1B scenario pretty quickly.
Elijah Moore, WR, Cleveland Browns
The Ole Miss product fell victim to the New York Jets’ quarterback incompetence in season two, with his frustration compounded by the emergence of star rookie Garrett Wilson. Moore asked for a trade and got his wish in the off-season, landing in Cleveland.
The Browns invested enough in the 23-year-old to ensure making him an integral part of their pass attack. And talent’s never been the issue with this kid; his numbers the back half of his rookie season were off the charts. It’s time to put it all together.
Tight Ends not considered: TJ Hockenson, Dallas Goedert, Kyle Pitts, David Njoku, Evan Engram
Pat Freiermuth, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
Entering the breakout sweet spot, year three, Pat Freiermuth coudln’t have been much more impressive so far. He’s recorded the third-most targets and second-most receptions of any Tight End prospect through the first two years of their career.
The Steelers’ offence stands to be more concentrated this season, with Chase Claypool out of the picture. Pittsburgh should look a little more proficient, too, with QB Kenny Pickett now in year two.
Greg Dulcich, TE, Denver Broncos
New Denver coach Sean Payton has been talking up second-year Tight End Greg Dulcich as someone he plans to move around the offensive formation and scheme for. That means there’s a definitive plan to get the traitsy athlete involved, utilising his above-average speed, burst and agility.
