Quarterbacks

C.J. Stroud – (15.5% Owned)

Stroud is starting to come into his own for the Houston Texans. Houston put up one of the more impressive performances of the week in a blowout win at Jacksonville. Stroud completed 66.67% of his passes and had 2 passing touchdowns in the game. More importantly, he had zero interceptions in the contest. In fact, Stroud has yet to throw a pick this year which is encouraging for a young quarterback. He is now worth picking up and starting if you’re struggling at the quarterback position.

Running Backs

De’Von Achane – (29.1% Owned)

Achane will certainly be the #1 waiver wire target this week after an insane 49.3 FP output against the Denver Broncos. It wasn’t just Achane for the Dolphins, Raheem Mostert also went off on a record-setting day for Miami. The question now going forward is if Achane is worth starting. Even in a crowded Dolphins backfield, the answer is yes. Achane has elite-level speed and in that offense, he can take it to the house at any moment.

Wide Receivers

Tank Dell – (28.2% Owned)

Dell exploded on Sunday for 145 yards and 1 touchdown in the Texans win. He is building a nice chemistry with C.J. Stroud and this Houston offense is looking much better than expected. Dell has had 17 targets in his last 2 starts and is a significant piece in this Texans offense. He is not a one-week wonder, Dell is worth picking up if he is available in your league.

Quentin Johnston – (39.6% Owned)

Johnston has been non-existent in the first three games but that’s about to change. The Chargers were dealt a blow as Mike Williams is now out for the season with an ACL injury. It’s time for Johnston to step into this role as WR2 for Los Angeles. While the production hasn’t been there yet there will be plenty of opportunities going forward. If you’re in a deep league, Joshua Palmer is also worth a look.

Tight Ends

Luke Musgrave – (16.2% Owned)

While Musgrave has yet to score for Green Bay week 3 he showed some encouraging signs. Musgrave had 6 receptions on 8 targets for 49 yards. He has also played in over 85% of snaps on offense for the Packers the past two weeks. The tight end position is always the trickiest to master in fantasy but this usage is what we like to see. Musgrave is worth stashing on your bench as he continues to develop.

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Denver Broncos: RB Samaje Perine (ADP: 167.7)

The Denver Broncos picked up RB Samaje Perine during the offseason in order to beef up their RB depth chart. Javonte Williams is still recovering from injury and there is some doubt that he may miss some parts of the season. Perine will take over the load at first and can be a suitable backup as he also has good pass-catching skills. The Broncos want Javonte to take his time so Perine has his reps.

Kansas City Chiefs: RB Jerick McKinnon (ADP 175.8)

It’s challenging to trust Kansas City Chiefs’ players not named Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. Their depth and plays make it possible for anyone to stand out. For this, we will trust Jerick McKinnon. He played an integral role in Kansas City’s run to the Super Bowl. The difficult part is that the Chiefs also have Clyde Edwards-Helaire, La’Mical Perine, and Isiah Pacheco. Hopefully, McKinnon will stand out due to his pass-catching ability.

Las Vegas Raiders: TE Michael Mayer (ADP: 138.9)

The Raiders drafted who many thought is the top TE in this year’s draft. Michael Mayer, a TE from Notre Dame, was picked up by Las Vegas in the second round. He is known for his offensive skills coming out of college. He will have some competition with Austin Hooper and O.J. Howard in the depth chart. Mayer has the most upside among the three and can be a sneaky pickup in the later rounds.

Los Angeles Chargers: WR Quentin Johnston (ADP 106.7)

Quentin Johnston landed in the perfect situation with the Chargers. Even if he’s the third-best WR on the team, the top two are often injured so this will open up more opportunities for him. With the addition of Kellen Moore on the team, the Chargers are bound to throw the ball deep more often which will help Johnston as he is likely to take those reps.

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QUARTERBACKS

#1 Bryce Young – Carolina Panthers

Bryce Young is in Carolina after months of anticipation. He had been first overall on draft boards for the longest time when Carolina made the trade. We will see if the size concerns are legitimate as he is expected to start early on for the Panthers. Carolina did a good job bringing in pieces such as Adam Thielen and Hayden Hurst. Unless he’s a total bust, Bryce will have a strong rookie season.

#2 C.J. Stroud – Houston Texans

After all the noise in the pre-draft process, the Texans took the best QB available at number two. With all the propaganda against Stroud, his stock was falling and even the gambling lines weren’t a fan of him. Stroud goes into a rebuilding situation in Houston with few good options such as Robert Woods and Dameon Pierce. With Houston being in one of the weakest divisions in the NFL, he can make noise early on. The stats might not look as nice but I believe in C.J. Stroud.

#4 Anthony Richardson – Indianapolis Colts

The Colts shocked the draft boards when they selected Anthony Richardson with the fourth pick of the draft. Many were speculating that Will Levis would be the pick but the Colts were higher on Richardson. Richardson comes in as a project as he will need experience first. So, expect a rocky season in terms of win-loss record. His running game could give him points, like what Justin Fields did last season. I expect AR to be the starter as Gardner Minshew will serve as a good backup to him to help him grow. He’s worth stashing since he’ll most likely have a rocky start.

RUNNING BACKS

#8 Bijan Robinson – Atlanta Falcons

Bijan Robinson had been touted as the best non-QB offensive weapon in this class. With the value of RBs decreasing, his talent level was respected very much as he had top-10 pick status in mock drafts. Atlanta chose to use their eighth pick on him in the draft. Now, he would be their top RB and a nice piece for Desmond Rider. People were hoping he would go somewhere else where his talent can shine more. The Falcons drafted Tyler Allgeier last year and he just ran for over 1000 yards. I think it’s safe to assume Bijan will get the workload immediately. Allgeier could steal some snaps early on, especially if he’s doing well.

#12 Jahmyr Gibbs – Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions traded down to 12 and got two more picks for the 6th and 81st. They surprisingly took Jahmyr Gibbs out of Alabama with the 12th pick. Draft boards had Gibbs to be drafted later in the first round and running back isn’t a need for the Lions. Besides keeping D’Andre Swift, they also signed David Montgomery in the offseason. This might be a tough first season production-wise for Gibbs as he will have two established players ahead of him. Keep him on your mind in case any of the two gets injured during the season.

Update: D’Andre Swift has been traded to the Eagles so this leaves Gibbs with the potential to have a decent rookie season. It could be similar to the Swift-Williams combo last season.

WIDE RECEIVERS

#20 Jaxon Smith-Njigba – Seattle Seahawks

The first wide receiver off the board took longer than expected as the Seahawks took Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Many of the mocks had him as early as 12th to the Texans but the teams went with other options. This pick is interesting as he goes to a wide receiver room of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. In case Lockett, leaves JSN would serve as a good replacement and it gives Geno Smith an extra weapon. JSN would be worth drafting in the middle to late rounds.

#21 Quentin Johnson – Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers went for a receiver a pick after when they took Quentin Johnson. A monster of a man, he makes the Chargers receiving core even bigger and much richer. It will be hard to spread the ball around with Mike Williams, Keenan Allen, and Austin Ekeler getting passes from Justin Herbert. He’s worth stashing depending on the availability of the receivers.

#22 Zay Flowers – Baltimore Ravens

What a day for the Baltimore Ravens as they were able to secure Lamar for the future and get him help with Zay Flowers. The wide receivers in Baltimore weren’t impressive last season. Now, with OBJ, Flowers, and Andrews, Lamar will feel much more comfortable in the passing game with Baltimore. Flowers is very explosive and can go off in those long TD catch and runs.

#23 Jordan Addison – Minnesota Vikings

While losing Adam Thielen to Carolina hurt, they have found his replacement in Jordan Addison. The wide receiver prospect out of Minnesota will enjoy Kirk Cousins‘ passes and being beside Justin Jefferson. He is the perfect complement for him and can have a sneaky good year for the Vikings.

TIGHT ENDS

#25 Dalton Kincaid – Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills drafted the only tight end in the first round with Utah’s Dalton Kincaid. Dalton is more of a pass-catcher which makes it interesting as Dawson Knox still has years left in his contract. It does give Josh Allen more weapons and different looks such as possibly double tight-end plays. It may take a year or two for Dalton to be a fantasy option but he has the skills to be a good pass-catcher.

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Bears Stay Put (For Now)

There has been a lot of chatter that the Chicago Bears are open to trading the first overall pick. That means they are likely sticking with Justin Fields. This is the right move as there are no guaranteed locks at quarterback in this years draft. In this version the Bears did not receive a good enough offer to trade out of #1. Let’s wait and see though what happens as we get closer to the draft.

Bryce Young Goes to Houston

If you’re the Houston Texans and Bryce Young is on the board, you have to take him. Yes there are some concerns about his height and weight but the upside is there. Durability may be an issue long term but if you can get 4-5 years of strong QB play from Young you take it.

Welcome to Detroit Will Levis

When it’s all said and done Will Levis may be the best quarterback prospect from this year’s draft. He as all the tools to succeed including a rocket arm. The Lions seem to be a perfect fit for him. He can sit a year behind quarterback Jared Goff as he refines his game and learns the speed of the NFL.

Jets Take the First Receiver

The New York Jets have an impressive young roster and they will continue to build on it with Quentin Johnston. Johnston will fit right in next to the dynamic Garrett Wilson. The only missing piece to the Jets offense is a quarterback. Look for them to address this later in the draft.

The post NFL Mock Draft 2023 – Version 1 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

BACKGROUND

Quentin Johnston is a wide receiver from the state of Texas. As a high school prospect, he was the 80th overall prospect according to Rivals and was a four-star recruit. Originally, he was committed to playing for the Texas Longhorns but decided to change his commitment to the TCU Horned Frogs. Fun fact: He played baseball and track & field also in high school.

COLLEGE CAREER

The TCU wide receiver had early success as a true freshman. He had 487 yards on 22 catches and two TDs. Averaging 22.13 yards per catch, he is the current record-holder for average yards per catch by a freshman in the Big 12. His stock improved the year after as he caught 33 passes for 612 yards and six TDs. This performance earned him a First-Team All-Big 12 in 2021.

2022-2023 COLLEGE CAREER

A lot of expectations were on Johnson as multiple outlets had him as a possible 1st round pick even before the season started. Quentin was able to live up to those expectations with an amazing junior season. He was the best weapon on offense as he caught 60 passes for 1069 yards and six TDs. The receptions and yards are all career highs. His best game came against the #19 Kansas Jayhawks where he caught 14 passes for 206 yards and a TD.

TCU kept on winning and winning and they made their way to the #3 ranked team when the College Football Playoff started. Against the #2 ranked Michigan Wolverines, Quentin had a big game with six receptions for 163 yards and a TD. In the National Championship Game against the #1 ranked Georgia Bulldogs, the defense stopped TCU as Johnson had just a catch for three yards.

STRENGTHS: Size

There are not many WRs available that have the physical qualities of Quentin Johnston. He is listed at 6’4″ and 215 lbs and isn’t just a big target. He can accelerate and create separation against defensive backs. His movements are fluid, making him even more difficult to defend. Even if his stats don’t shout 1st rounder, his potential and gifts can overcome it.

WEAKNESSES: Durability

In his college career, Quentin has had to miss some games due to injury. This has been ongoing and is a concern, especially in the 1st round. As the injuries pile up, the body isn’t the same so hopefully, proper training and guidance in the NFL can help him overcome his durability concerns.

PLAYER COMPARISON: A.J. Green

TEAMS WHO COULD DRAFT HIM

Quentin Johnston’s stock and position in NFL mock drafts are all over the place. Experts have him as high as 14th to the New England Patriots. Another has him slotted 22nd to the Baltimore Ravens. There will always be a need for a big-body WR in the NFL. I can foresee him as high as 11th to the Tennessee Titans who lost A.J. Brown in last year’s preseason. In order to improve his stock, an impressive pro day and draft combine could see him slotted in the early half of the 1st round.

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