Quarterbacks

Sam Howell – (28.6% Owned)

We have recommended Sam Howell before and now you can start to see why he is a viable fantasy option. Howell was one of our fantasy football sleepers before the year started and he is trending up. He has finished in the top 10 for quarterbacks in the last two weeks and more importantly, has a 5 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio during that time. Sure Howell has to clean up the sacks but thankfully QB sacks don’t count in fantasy football.

Running Backs

Ezekiel Elliott – (41.6% Owned)

Is Ezekiel Elliott now a better option than Rhamondre Stevenson? It is sure trending that way as Stevenson has been disappointing so far this season. Meanwhile, Elliott scored his first touchdown of the season against the Raiders and had another 74-yard scamper called back due to a penalty. I wouldn’t be surprised if Elliott out-touches Stevenson in the coming weeks and is the feature back for the Patriots.

Elijah Mitchell – (27.2% Owned)

Mitchell is worth stashing as we wait to hear the injury status of Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey is dealing with an oblique injury that may keep him out of action this week. If that happens I like Mitchell over Jordan Mason to carry the load for San Francisco. Mitchell is ahead on the depth chart and has filled in admirably for McCaffrey before.

Wide Receivers

Rashee Rice – (37.7% Owned)

Rashee Rice is worth stashing on your roster and has upside as the season goes on. Kansas City is without a true #1 receiver but signs are pointing to Rice settling into that role. The rookie had his highest receiving yards total last week with 72 yards. As Patrick Mahomes gets more comfortable with the young receiver he will start trusting him more. Rice is averaging around 4.6 targets per game and I expect that number to go up.

Tight Ends

Taysom Hill – (5.9% Owned)

It’s slim pickings at the tight end position this week but Hill is worth taking a flier on. Hill had his best output of the season on Sunday where he hauled in 7 receptions for 49 yards along with 2 rushing attempts. It will always be a risk starting Hill but if you take the chance he could reward you with a big week.

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The Good

Coming out of Oklahoma, running back Rhamondre Stevenson was pegged as merely an in between the tackles type of back. It didn’t take long to realize Stevenson is not just a bruiser, he has the speed to bounce outside and take it to the house. Not only that he has also shown great hands during his 2-year career. This was on full display last season when you caught a one-handed touchdown from Mac Jones. In all Stevenson had 69 receptions last year which shows he can be an all-purpose back.

To further bolster their backfield the Patriots decided to bring in veteran Ezekiel Elliott this offseason. Elliott is still only 28 years old and I like the 1-2 punch he can offer along with Stevenson. There is no debate that Stevenson is the lead back but Elliott will play a vital role in making sure Stevenson is not overworked. Keeping Stevenson fresh is important on this offense that has limited weapons.

The Bad

Instead of moving up in the 2023 NFL Draft to potentially draft a quarterback the Patriots decided to trade down. They did receive a 4th round pick from the Pittsburgh Steelers in return but I don’t think it was the right move. At this point in his career, we have a good idea of what Mac Jones is. He can be a serviceable NFL quarterback but he is not a game-changer or someone defenses fear. Jones will likely be out after this year and New England will be once again shopping for a QB.

The Prediction

How much longer will Bill Belichick stick around with the Patriots? I fear this will be another challenging season for New England which will lead to more retirement speculation next offseason.

2023 Record: 7-10 (4th in the Division)

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This is obviously huge news for Alexander Mattison as he will finally be the lead back in Minnesota. Mattison has a chance now to finish as a top-tier fantasy running back in 2023. Keep an eye out for our fantasy football rankings as when they are updated you will see a pretty big jump for Mattison. As for Cook, it all depends on where he lands. Let’s now look at 3 potential suitors for the star running back.

Miami Dolphins

Rumors of Dalvin Cook to the Dolphins have been circulating for months now. The Dolphins have no clear-cut #1 running back and this spot makes the most sense. Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson Jr. and rookie Devon Achane round out the crowded running back room for the Dolphins. Achane was a 3rd round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft so the Dolphins have some investment there. Still, when you have a chance to grab one of the top running backs in the game you take it.

Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos are another team to keep an eye on as a Dalvin Cook landing spot. Denver has Javonte Williams coming back and they also signed ex-Bengal Samaje Perine this offseason. There are some factors here to consider. The first is Williams suffered an ACL tear back in October and it might take some time before he is ready. The other is Perine is more of third down running back and has never handled a heavy load. If Head Coach Sean Payton believes his team is a contender, expect him to make a move.

Dallas Cowboys

Dallas is a bit of a wild card on this list but there are signs the Cowboys may be interested in Cook. Earlier this offseason the Cowboys decided to release Ezekiel Elliott and move ahead with Tony Pollard. Although Pollard has shown a ton of potential the questions are there if he can handle a full-time role. Fantasy owners would not be happy with Cook entering the mix but the Cowboys offense would become a major threat next season. Never count out Jerry Jones to make a splashy move and bringing in Dalvin Cook would certainly be that.

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There are still quality players available on the market that can make an impact right away. Some of these players may even hold off over the summer to see if any key injuries happen. With that being said let’s take a look at the top 2023 NFL free agents that are still available.

Kareem Hunt

The 27-year-old running back has yet to catch on with a team and may be waiting for the right fit. Hunt hasn’t been able to replicate his rookie form where he finished 2nd for Offensive Rookie of the Year. He is still young enough in running back years to make an impact. He will always excel as a change of pace back and on the right team could shine.

Ezekiel Elliott

It’s hard to believe Elliott hasn’t landed on a team yet. He still has some gas left in the tank and despite some chatter around the league, I don’t believe he is washed. Elliott may no longer be capable of being the lead back but he could succeed on a team needing a short-yardage running back. We recently covered some possible landing spots for Elliott as he gets closer to signing.

Jarvis Landry

At one point and time, Landry was one of the top receivers in the league. He has since taken a step back partly due to injuries. With that being said Landry can still be a dangerous weapon in the right system. There have been recent rumors of Landry being linked to Green Bay. The Packers need to address the WR position and Landry may be the answer.

Yannick Ngakoue

Ngakoue is another surprise on this list. He has 19.5 sacks over the last two seasons with two different teams. It’s likely Ngakoue is expecting a pretty big payday. That along with the fact that he can’t seem to catch on with a team for long is a bit of a concern. Keep an eye on the Chiefs here as he may be willing to take less to sign on with them.

Teddy Bridgewater

Teddy Bridgewater is not the flashiest name on this list but he can still play a key role. Bridgewater is an excellent backup QB option, which is still one of the most important positions. I would expect Bridgewater already has a couple of offers and is weighing his options.

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Los Angeles Chargers

Right off the bat we start with the obvious choice in the Chargers. Star running back Austin Ekeler has recently requested permission to seek a trade as he and the Chargers failed to agree on an extension. More than likely the two sides will come to terms but if they don’t the Chargers will have huge shoes to fill. Elliott would seem like a no-brainer move as he already has ties to new OC Kellen Moore and knows his system. Zeke is mainly a 1st and 2nd down back in this stage of his career that can thrive in goal-line situations.

Seattle Seahawks

Another good fit would be for Zeke to join the Seahawks. Seattle recently lost running back Rashaad Penny to the Philadelphia Eagles and have that hole to fill. Elliott could step in and immediately fill that role working along side rookie sensation Kenneth Walker. The Seahawks are a team on the rise with the surprise success of Geno Smith. I could see them making a playoff run next year.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers look to be in rebuild mode. Leonard Fournette was recently released and they will have a new face at quarterback with Tom Brady retiring. I could see a fit here for Zeke as the Buccaneers have hired ex-Cowboys running back coach Skip Peete to their staff. Peete and Elliott seem to have a good relationship and with the departure of Fournette I could see the Buccaneers making the call.

The post 3 Possible Landing Spots for Ezekiel Elliott appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The Dallas Cowboys have reaped the benefits from the former Ohio State legend Ezekiel Elliott for six seasons. Zeke had a career-high 322 rushing attempts in his rookie season, which led to 1,631 rushing yards, 15 rushing touchdowns, and All-Pro honors.

Since the eclipse of his rookie season, Zeke has unleashed three 1,000+ rushing yd seasons and two seasons of 10+ rushing touchdowns. The Cowboys legend has also been fed in numerous ways, as he’s averaged 1,605 all-purpose yards in each season. It’s obvious that Jerry Jones showed his faith in Zeke by making him the highest-paid NFL RB on Sept. 4th of 2019.

It’s true that Zeke has unveiled one of the best six-season spans from the RB spot, but how much tread could actually be left on his tires? Elliott averaged 65.3 rushing YPG in 2020, which was a career-low mark at that point in time. His 58.9 rushing YPG mark in 2021 broke his 2020 career-low rushing number and it’s clear that his tank is losing gas. Meanwhile, Tony Pollard unveiled 719 rushing yards and averaged 5.5 yards per carry. Pollard is hurting fantasy owners of Zeke, to say the least.

Zeke is currently the 22nd-ranked RB in dynasty RB rankings (PPR) on Fantasy Pros. The Cowboys RB1 that has more career touches than any other RB starter shouldn’t return to being an overly impressive RB for the Cowboys, but I believe the 26-year-old can be a 1,000+ rushing-yard RB for one or two seasons.

I wouldn’t be thrilled about the bruised RB behind the Cowboys struggling offensive line. The Cowboys offensive line is far from the OL unit that propelled Zeke or really helped Demarco Murray. Most importantly, the 24-year-old Pollard is coming off a career season and he could realistically be the future of the Cowboys backfield after one or two seasons. Zeke is a dying breed, so it’s time to celebrate the remaining magic by pardoning him if possible and enjoying his limited highlights on TV.

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