Drafting “my guys” is predicated upon believing that the player will outperform his draft value, whether it is a high-value selection or a double-digit round pick. There is always a list or group of players that you can’t leave your draft without.
The must-have options at quarterbacks result from either those that can finish at the top of the fantasy rankings or provide immense value. These quarterbacks can elevate your fantasy team to playoff contention and be league winners.
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5 Must-Have Quarterbacks (2023 Fantasy Football)
Let’s look at the five must-have quarterbacks for the 2023 Fantasy Football season.
Kirk Cousins (QB – MIN)
Kicking off any must-have list with Cousins probably raised plenty of eyebrows. However, Cousins is perhaps the most consistent quarterback in the league and seemingly grossly underrated. Yes, he makes some bonehead plays, but as a fantasy football quarterback, Cousins is an extremely valuable commodity. Cousins has finished as a QB1 in fantasy across the past three seasons, averaging 4,278 passing yards and 32 passing touchdowns.
The Vikings’ offense possesses multiple weapons, including Justin Jefferson, the best wide receiver in the league. They also made a midseason trade last season to provide Cousins with another massive weapon in tight end TJ Hockenson, who caught 60 passes for 519 yards and three touchdowns in a Vikings uniform. Their offense will also welcome their 2023 first-round pick, wide receiver Jordan Addison. Addison is an accomplished route runner and should provide an explosive complement to Jefferson, leaving Jefferson free of being double and triple-teamed. The Vikings’ offense also decided to release running back Dalvin Cook, a weapon as a drop-off option for Cousins. The running back committee won’t scare defenses which should result in more opportunities for Cousins.
Cousins is often looked upon as an afterthought when drafting quarterbacks. However, his elite consistency is a recipe for fantasy success every season. Grabbing Cousins as your second quarterback in SuperFlex is an advisable strategy as you build up other positions. In the same token, in a one-quarterback league, the former Spartan is the quarterback you should target if you wait on quarterbacks and draft up other positions. Fantasy managers should keep Cousins queued up during their fantasy football drafts.
Justin Fields (QB – CHI)
The Bears were dreadful last season, which led to the Bears owning the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Their passing offense was dead last, but at least the Bears had Fields. Fields was the Bears offense last season. The former Buckeye rushed for 1,143 yards, second most all-time in a season for a quarterback. His highlight runs kept the Bears somewhat watchable as he carried the offense.
Entering this season, there is plenty of optimism for Fields and the Bears’ offense. The Bears got Fields help on offense when they acquired D.J. Moore in the deal they sent the first overall pick to the Carolina Panthers to assist Fields in reaching another level as a passer. Moore produced three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons before falling just short last season. Moore will team up with Chase Claypool, who arrived via trade during the season but barely played with Fields, and Darnell Mooney, who got banged up and missed games last season. The talented trio has the potential to be a significant upgrade over the receivers last season, who struggled to create separation.
The Bears’ offensive line is also improved with the additions of first-round pick Darnell Wright and free-agent signee Nate Davis. The Bears’ o-line surrendered 58 sacks last season, the fourth-most in the league. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy will now be able to call for more passing plays with better protection and upgraded receiver core instead of Fields running for his life every play.
Fields’ ability to make plays with his legs pushed the former Buckeye up to finish QB6 last season. He possesses a high floor but even a higher ceiling through the roof. If Fields can become more consistent and productive in passing the ball and combine that with his elite rushing skills, He can finish as the top quarterback in fantasy football.
Justin Herbert (QB – LAC)
Herbert is entering his fourth NFL season and is considered a potential favorite to win the MVP award, but Herbert is still developing as an NFL quarterback. Hard to believe since he had another outstanding season in 2022. He threw for 4,739 yards with 25 touchdowns while completing 68.2 percent of his passes. Herbert finished second with five game-winning drives on his way to leading the Chargers to their first playoff appearance since 2018.
Despite playing with fractured rib cartilage after Week 2 of the NFL season, Herbert still produced impressive stats. His mobility suffered, and he was forced to absorb a career-high 38 sacks last season. However, Herbert arrives at camp healthy with a healthy offensive line, and two new potential impact receivers to add to the Chargers 13th ranked offense. More importantly, the Chargers’ offense will have a new voice in calling plays. The Chargers brought in former Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to help continue the development of Herbert. Moore helped lead an explosive Cowboys offense that twice led the league in total yards.
Another surprising fact of his excellent season was that Herbert thrived without his key weapons limited throughout the season. Wide receiver Keenan Allen missed six games last season and was admittedly limited in additional contests. Mike Williams missed four games, and Herbert was throwing to the likes of his third and fourth options in Joshua Palmer and DeAndre Carter, along with tight end Gerald Everett in his first season with the Chargers.
Herbert has proven that he can produce massive numbers, as displayed in his 2021 season. The former Oregon Duck threw for over 5,000 yards and 38 touchdowns on his way to finishing as the QB2 in fantasy points scored. A healthy offensive line and a full array of weapons combined with a new offensive play-caller could push Herbert back into the top three fantasy quarterbacks, making Herbert a must-have quarterback in 2023.
Lamar Jackson (QB – BAL)
After securing a long-term deal with the Ravens, Jackson can now turn his focus on learning the new Ravens offense. Adding a new offensive coordinator Todd Monken, will allow Jackson to throw the ball downfield more frequently. His ability to understand the reshaping of the offense and become quickly comfortable with his new weapons will determine the Ravens’ playoff hopes this season.
The Ravens couldn’t have done much more to assist Jackson in bringing in Monken, a pass-oriented coordinator who will work with Jackson and the new weapons like Odell Beckham Jr., first-round pick Zay Flowers, and Nelson Agholor. Combine those weapons with tight end Mark Andrews and the returning wideouts Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay, and immediately the Ravens have surrounded Jackson with the best collection of weapons since he entered the league in 2018.
Fantasy managers are well aware of what Jackson brings to the running game. Two 1,000-yard rushing seasons in his career highlight his dominance from the ground and the main factor in making Jackson one of the top fantasy quarterbacks in the league. However, his passing numbers pale compared to a current high of 3,127 passing yards in his dominant 2019 MVP season.
The direct impact of the new offensive philosophy and more weapons should elevate the passing game to the next level. Jackson is often criticized as a passer, but that is a false narrative. His 100.7 true passing rating across his 12 games last season display that Jackson is a competent passer. The offensive talent surrounding Jackson should allow him to thrive and return to MVP form.
Jackson will want to prove his doubters wrong and show that he is a quarterback who can lead a passing offense to the playoffs. The former Louisville Cardinal signal caller is a league-winner option and should be on every fantasy manager’s high-priority target list.
Trevor Lawrence (QB – JAC)
Lawrence finally emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the league with his breakout performance last season. With new head coach Doug Pederson taking over the offense, Lawrence developed and displayed why he was the first overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Lawrence guided the Jaguars to victory in seven of its final nine games. He also led the Jaguars to its first postseason victory since the 2017 playoffs. Lawrence orchestrated a 31-30 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild-card round, overcoming a 27-point deficit, the third-largest comeback in postseason history.
Lawrence came into his own, passing for 25 touchdowns and 4,113 yards, ninth in the league. His passing completion rate went from 59.6 percent in 2021 to 66.3 percent last season. The former Clemson Tiger also displayed his dual-threat ability by finishing in the top ten with 291 rushing yards and fifth with five rushing touchdowns.
His fantasy potential is ascending in a top-ten Jaguars offense that scored over 30 points in three of the final five weeks of last season. The explosive Jags offense also acquired playmaking wide receiver Calvin Ridley from the Atlanta Falcons. He was reinstated in March after serving his indefinite suspension for violating the league’s gambling policies. In his last full NFL season, Ridley caught 90 passes on 143 targets for 1,374 yards and nine scores in 2020.
Combine the growth of Lawrence with another season of teaching from Pederson, and the addition of Ridley, and fantasy managers will witness a top-five quarterback. Lawrence should be on every fantasy manager’s wish list come draft time.
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Dennis Sosic is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Dennis, check out his archive and follow him @CALL_ME_SOS.