NFL Power Rankings
Good or bad, there’s at least one notable player to highlight for all 32 NFL franchises as the league enters the first Bye Week of the 2023 season. NFL fantasy analyst Matt MacKay is back to share his latest fantasy football analysis for a player from each team, utilizing half-PPR scoring to help fantasy managers identify value and avoid busts when setting their lineups this week.
1. San Francisco 49ers
RB Christian McCaffery – The 49ers’ star running back continues to build a case to be the first non-quarterback to win MVP since Adrian Peterson back in 2012. McCaffery just logged over 170 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns against Arizona, while he’s averaging 27.8 fantasy points per game, the highest mark in fantasy football for any skilled position this season.
2. Buffalo Bills
WR Stefon Diggs – Even during his down weeks, Stefon Diggs logged double-digit points for fantasy managers in PPR formats. In Week 4, he delivered three touchdowns, catching six of seven passes for 120 yards to wind up with 33 fantasy points. When Josh Allen and the Bills are clicking, Diggs becomes a top-five wideout in all fantasy football formats.
3. Philadelphia Eagles
WR A.J. Brown – A slow start for A.J. Brown culminated in a massive outing for A.J. Brown in Week 4, seizing nine receptions on 13 targets for 175 yards and two touchdowns. Brown reminded fantasy managers exactly why he was worth a second-round draft pick this offseason, as Jalen Hurts targeted him downfield, averaging 13.5 yards per target and 19.4 yards per reception. The Eagles’ star wideout won’t pop like this every game, due to a low floor in a run-centric offense, but he’s a must-start due to the ceiling he carries.
4. Kansas City Chiefs
RB Isiah Pacheco – Kansas City found their RB1 in the last round of the 2022 NFL Draft by selecting Isiah Pacheco. Pacheco ripped off a huge run early against the Jets to give the Chiefs an important lead to nurse for the rest of the game. His fast, physical running style is effective and fun to watch, plus, Pacheco is an asset in the passing game, recording 10 receptions on 12 targets for 90 yards as a receiver through four weeks. Pacheco is a high-end RB2 with RB1 upside.
5. Dallas Cowboys
RB Tony Pollard – Despite Dallas playing sound, fundamental football on both sides of the line of scrimmage, Tony Pollard has only logged one game above 20 fantasy points this season. Pollard’s high ADP occurred due to his impressive finish down the stretch in 2022 under former OC Kellen Moore, plus the absence of Ezekiel Elliot. Dallas gave Pollard a season-low 11 carries against the Patriots on Sunday. He also hasn’t scored since Week 1, when he found the end zone twice against the Giants’ porous run defense. Pollard remains a high-end RB2 but he’s not returning the production fantasy managers drafted him at this offseason, however, this could change when the schedule softens in the upcoming weeks. Fringe RB1 with top-five upside.
6. Detroit Lions
RB Jahmyr Gibbs – Despite the talent, skill set, and draft capital used by the Lions’ front office, rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs has been neglected most red zone touches in favor of veteran David Montgomery. Gibbs is averaging eight fantasy points per game, compared to 19.5 by Montgomery, who feasted on three touchdowns during Detroit’s win over Green Bay in Week 4. Another good matchup against a banged-up Panthers defense in Week 5 means we could see more of the same approach from the Lions, but Gibbs’ explosiveness makes him a threat to find the end zone on any play. Value him as a mid-range RB2 with low-end RB1 upside.
7. Baltimore Ravens
QB Lamar Jackson – This season, Lamar Jackson looks eager to add another MVP to his shelf. The Ravens’ franchise quarterback no longer has to worry about a contract extension, and he’s running the ball like it’s 2019 all over again. Jackson has four rushing touchdowns in his last two games, plus he has a 74 percent completion rate to start the season. The rushing floor makes Jackson a top-five fantasy quarterback, but if he continues to be efficient as a passer, another overall QB1 finish could be within reach.
8. Seattle Seahawks
WR Tyler Lockett – Outside of Week 2 against Detroit, Tyler Lockett has had a relatively quiet fantasy season. The veteran wideout is second in target share, logging 19 percent compared to 22.3 percent for D.K. Metcalf. Plus, his average depth of target (ADOT) is 5.8, compared to 11.7 for Metcalf, demonstrating how he’s used on more intermediate routes within the Seahawks’ offense. Lockett is still getting plenty of red zone targets though, so don’t panic yet. Continue to roll Lockett out as a mid-range WR2 with low-end WR1 upside during weeks when he finds the end zone.
9. Miami Dolphins
RB De’Von Achane – Rookie running back De’Von Achane proved his usage and performance against Denver wasn’t a fluke during his outing against the Bills in Week 5. Achane recorded eight carries for 101 yards and two touchdowns, hauling in an additional three receptions for 19 yards on five targets. The explosive rookie has the perfect home in Mike McDaniel’s offense, so keep Achane plugged into lineups as a borderline RB1 rest of season.
10. Los Angeles Chargers
TE Gerald Everett – The offense that the Chargers run seems to be built for players like Gerald Everett, yet he’s only getting a 9 percent target share. This is even stranger considering injuries to Mike Williams and Austin Ekeler. Donald Parham Jr. has soaked up a ton of red zone targets early on, while Keenan Allen has been the alpha target hog. Everett makes nice plays when given the opportunity, it’s just a lack of volume that makes him nothing more than a boom-or-bust tight end in a position that only requires 10 PPR points to be considered a value. He’s a TE2 with low-end TE1 upside.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
WR Chris Godwin – The injury to Mike Evans opened up more work for Chris Godwin, who had previously been overshadowed by Evans to start the season. Tampa Bay is 3-1, defying all expectations set for them during the preseason, but Godwin popped in Week 4 against a tough Saints defense. He finished with 11 targets, doubling his previous season high from Baker Mayfield, finishing with eight receptions for 114 yards. He also saw 10.4 yards per target, which is encouraging for Godwin’s usage moving forward. Mid-range WR2 with WR1 upside.
12. Los Angeles Rams
RB Kyren Williams – The Rams have a tough, scrappy team and its offense embodies this persona with second-year running back, Kyren Williams. He is sixth in fantasy points per game for all running backs, averaging 26.2 points, with little competition for touches behind him. Matthew Stafford’s ability to move the ball downfield into the red zone sets Williams up with tons of opportunities, which is why he has six total touchdowns through four weeks. He’s a bruiser near the goal line, plus he gets fed targets, second amongst all fantasy running backs. RB1 rest of season.
13. Houston Texans
WR Nico Collins – C.J. Stroud’s strong start as a passer has opened up the Texans’ offense, allowing third-year wideout Nico Collins to thrive. He had a quiet outing in Week 3, but went off with seven receptions for 168 yards and two touchdowns on nine targets in a dominant performance over the Steelers in Week 4. Houston is among the most pass-centric teams in the league, so Collins is now firmly a high-end WR2 with WR1 upside most weeks.
14. Indianapolis Colts
QB Anthony Richardson – From a passing efficiency perspective, Anthony Richardson struggled against a tough Rams pass defense in Week 4. However, the rookie quarterback still threw two touchdowns and scored a third with his legs in a comeback effort to force overtime. He missed a game due to the concussion protocol but Richardson is still QB2 in fantasy points per game (22.8) this season, so he’s undeniably a QB1 for the remainder of the fantasy season.
15. Jacksonville Jaguars
WR Christian Kirk – We saw Christian Kirk be the primary target of Trevor Lawrence against Atlanta during the Jaguars’ 23-7 win in London. The slot wideout drew 12 targets, converting them into eight receptions for 84 yards. Kirk now has three consecutive games with at least 12.4 fantasy points, after laying a dud in Week 1. He’s a mid-range WR2 with low-end WR1 upside.
16. Green Bay Packers
WR Romeo Doubs – The return of Christian Watson has shrouded Romeo Doubs. The second-year wideout has 25 targets across the last two games he’s played. Doubs has delivered 14-16 fantasy points per game this season, which makes him a solid WR2, especially since Jordan Love and the Packers like to target the 6-2, 204-pound wideout as a red zone threat, leading to three touchdowns in his first four games played.
17. Tennessee Titans
WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine – It’s been ugly in Tennessee but the Titans turned their season around with a statement win over Cincinnati in Week 4. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine leads the Titans’ receiving corps with 7.8 fantasy points per game, better than DeAndre Hopkins and Treylon Burks. He’s a boom-or-bust WR4, with high-end WR3 upside, making Westbrook-Ikhine an intriguing dart throw in deeper leagues. In 12-team fantasy leagues, Westbrook-Ikhine is a decent fill-in for starters due to injury or Bye.
18. Minnesota Vikings
QB Kirk Cousins – Despite the heavy passing volume that led to Kirk Cousins being a bonafide QB1 in fantasy football, the Vikings finally found a winning formula that reduced Cousins’ pass attempts in Week 4. He still managed to throw a pair of touchdowns to star wideout Justin Jefferson, and bigger days are in store, but the combination of Cam Akers and Alexander Mattison in the Vikings’ backfield could result in fewer passing attempts for Cousins, dropping him from a top-eight fantasy quarterback down to a fringe QB1 rest of season.
19. Cleveland Browns
RB Jerome Ford – Cleveland selected Jerome Ford in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft and he’s looked good in several starts since Nick Chubb’s season-ending ACL injury. Ford scored twice against a stout Titans run defense in Week 3, then managed to get seven points in a 28-3 blowout loss to the Ravens. Getting Deshaun Watson back into the lineup will help Ford immensely, so don’t panic from Week 4, as no one on the Browns accomplished anything with their QB2 under center. Ford is a low-end RB2 with high-end RB2 upside moving forward, as Kareem Hunt doesn’t currently look like much of a threat.
20. New Orleans Saints
RB Alvin Kamara – One of the craziest stat lines during Alvin Kamara’s return to the Saints’ lineup was that he finished with 13 receptions on 14 targets for 33 yards. Yes, 13 receptions! The 11 carries also netted 51 rushing yards in a surprising blowout loss to Tampa Bay in Week 4. Kamara seeing this type of passing volume easily makes him an RB1 rest of season, even if the Saints’ offense remains pedestrian moving forward.
21. Washington Commanders
RB Brian Robinson Jr. – There’s little doubt that Washington’s new OC, Eric Bienemy, prefers second-year running back Brian Robinson Jr. over Antonio Gibson. Robinson has a 66.3 percent rushing share compared to just 14 percent for Gibson. While Gibson holds a slight edge in target share, Robinson is getting most of the valuable touches, scoring four touchdowns and averaging 4.3 YPC. He’s a fringe RB1 with a solid RB2 floor rest of season.
22. Atlanta Falcons
WR Drake London – The Falcons’ second-year wideout, Drake London, has scored twice this season, but it’s only been enough to get him 7.5 fantasy points per game. A minuscule 5.7 yards per target, with only 11 receptions on 22 targets, is mostly due to a run-centric offense and bad quarterback play. London’s talent is next-level, but even scoring touchdowns, he’s nothing more than a mid-range WR2.
23. Pittsburgh Steelers
RB Jaylen Warren – It’s been flat-out ugly for Pittsburgh’s offense this season. The offensive line cannot run block effectively, so the passing attack has been forced, resulting in Jaylen Warren averaging slightly more fantasy points per game (7.5) than Najee Harris. Harris still sees the bulk of carries, but the gap is closing, and Warren is definitely the more explosive pass-catching option. At this point, Warren is nothing more than a volatile RB3 with low-end RB2 upside, but it’s worth monitoring his usage moving into matchups against the Ravens, Rams, and Jaguars.
24. Arizona Cardinals
WR Michael Wilson – Rookie wideout Michael Wilson scored twice against the 49ers in Week 4, catching all seven of his targets for 76 yards in addition to his two touchdowns. Wilson is seeing more snaps than Rondale Moore, has a 13.2 percent target share, behind only Marquise Brown, and could continue to see more targets and snaps rest of season. Wilson is a mid-range WR3 with WR2 upside.
25. Cincinnati Bengals
RB Joe Mixon – Cincinnati’s offense has struggled and Joe Mixon is among the Bengals’ skilled players negatively affected by their bad start. Mixon did rip off a nice 14-yard touchdown run against the Rams in Week 3 and even averaged 4.8 YPC in a tough matchup against the Titans’ run defense in Week 4. Mixon is RB25 in fantasy points per game at 10.5, but once the Cincinnati offense gets going, which could be soon or later this season, he becomes a low-end RB1. For now, treat Mixon as a low-end RB2 with low-end RB1 upside.
26. Denver Broncos
QB Russell Wilson – Quietly, Russell Wilson is 10th in average fantasy points per game amongst quarterbacks this year. Wilson has completed 67 percent of pass attempts for nine touchdowns and two interceptions. A blown lead against the Raiders in Week 1, combined with a high-scoring loss to the Commanders in Week 2, was overshadowed by Denver losing 70-20 against Miami in Week 3. A strong comeback effort in Week 4 could instill more confidence in Wilson, who is a QB1 in fantasy leagues moving forward, especially due to the Broncos’ shockingly bad defense.
27. New York Jets
RB Breece Hall – Despite the talent Breece Hall possesses, the Jets have fed him 12 or fewer touches in every game played thus far. Part of this could be due to his injury sustained last season, or the presence of Dalvin Cook. Zach Wilson’s struggles have put the Jets in a negative game script, forcing them to abandon the run in favor of the pass, also impacting Hall negatively. Overall, as it currently stands, Hall is a borderline RB2 with mid-range RB2 upside.
28. Las Vegas Raiders
RB Josh Jacobs – Josh Jacobs benefitted from rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell filling in for Jimmy Garoppolo in Week 4, seeing 11 targets and turning them into eight receptions for 81 yards. He also scored a rushing touchdown on 17 carries for 58 yards, but it’s the passing volume that is most intriguing. Assuming Jacobs continues to be involved in the Raiders’ top-heavy passing attack, he’s back to being a strong RB1 playing on a team that will frequently be playing catch up due to its bad defense.
29. New England Patriots
RB Rhamondre Stevenson – New England’s offense looks stale and is among the worst in the league through four weeks. Third-year running back Rhamondre Stevenson is averaging just 9.3 fantasy points per game, while fourth in target share at just 10.5 percent. Stevenson made a living off of his passing volume in 2022, but he’s been ineffective this season. He remains the RB1 in terms of volume with Ezekiel Elliot in the fold, but Stevenson’s upside is capped in a bad offense, making him a low-end RB2 with a difficult path to RB1 production.
30. New York Giants
WR Wan’Dale Robinson – It’s been mostly bad for the Giants this season, including on Monday Night Football against Seattle, but at least second-year wideout Wan’Dale Robinson looks the part. Robinson led the Giants in targets (6) against the Seahawks, catching five of them for 40 yards, plus seven rushing yards on a couple of designed runs. In a bad offense struggling to get going, at least Robinson can be relied on moving forward as a low-end WR3 with WR2 upside.
31. Carolina Panthers
RB Miles Sanders – Carolina looks inept on offense, especially with No. 1 overall draft pick, Bryce Young under center. Miles Sanders had a decent outing in Week 1, but since that game, he’s struggled, finishing with 6.2 or fewer fantasy points in two of the previous three games played. Sanders’ YPC average has steadily declined too, going from 4.0, all the way down to 1.5 YPC against the Vikings’ porous run defense in Week 4. Sanders is a mid-range RB3 with mid-range RB2 upside.
32. Chicago Bears
WR D.J. Moore – Things may be turning around for D.J. Moore in Chicago. He finished Week 4 with 23.1 fantasy points, hauling in eight of nine targets for 131 yards and a touchdown. Moore has 11.6 fantasy points or more in each of his previous three games, and he just logged a 14.6-yard ADOT against the Broncos in Week 4. Justin Fields looked better in a soft matchup, and with upcoming games against Washington and Minnesota, Moore can be featured in fantasy lineups as a mid-range WR2 with low-end WR1 upside.
