Thankfully the 2023 fantasy football season is just around the corner. Each year fantasy players want to construct their team with a proper mix of good-value players and upside sleepers while avoiding players with high bust potential.
In the fifth part of an eight-part series, I will identify two ADP values and two potential sleepers from the NFC East.
- AFC ADP Sleepers, Busts & Values: East | North | South | West
- Draft Targets for Every Round: Early | Middle | Late
- Fitz’s Draft Primers: QB | RB | WR | TE
- Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator
ADP Values & Sleepers: NFC East
ADP Values
Tony Pollard (RB – DAL): ADP 18.3 | RB8
Unfortunately, Pollard had a limited role his first three years in the NFL, sitting behind Ezekiel Elliott on the depth chart. However, the former Memphis star was a popular breakout candidate last year. Despite having an ADP outside the top-24 running backs, Pollard was the RB7 in 2022 after having his first 1,000-yard rushing season, averaging 14.3 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Furthermore, the former Memphis star had 12 scrimmage touchdowns last season after totaling 10 career touchdowns entering the year. More importantly, he was a home run threat.
Pollard finished third in the NFL in breakaway runs (17) and fourth in breakaway run rate (8.8%). Furthermore, he was fourth in yards per route run (1.82) and eighth in yards created per touch (3.3) among running backs last season. Meanwhile, the star running back will have a larger workload in 2023 after the Cowboys released Elliott. Last year the veteran had 231 rushing attempts for 876 yards and 12 touchdowns. While all those rushing attempts won’t fall into Pollard’s lap, the star running should easily see over 220 rushing attempts after totaling 193 last season. Pollard has no business getting drafted outside the top-five running backs.
Darren Waller (TE – NYG): ADP 65.3 | TE7
I have gone back and forth on Waller this offseason. The veteran tight end used to be a fantasy superstar. He was the TE2 in 2020, averaging 9.1 targets and 14.1 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Unfortunately, the former superstar has struggled with injuries over the past two years, missing 41.2% of the contests, including eight last season. Furthermore, his targets per game dropped to 6.8 per contest over the past two years. However, Waller could become a fantasy superstar again in 2023.
Despite dealing with injuries last season, the veteran tight end was productive. He led all tight ends in deep targets (13) despite missing nearly half the year. Furthermore, Waller finished second in yards per reception (13.9), fifth in yards per target (nine), and 11th in yards per route run (1.69) among tight ends. More importantly, the Giants lack a go-to No. 1 wide receiver. Meanwhile, Waller has been the star of New York’s training camp. While the veteran tight end comes with some risk, it’s baked into his ADP. Waller can push Travis Kelce for the TE1 finish if he stays healthy.
Sleepers to Target
Antonio Gibson (RB – WAS): ADP 98.7 | RB35
Last season Gibson struggled compared to his first two years in the NFL. However, the former Memphis star wasn’t awful for fantasy players. He was the RB30, averaging 9.5 half-point PPR fantasy points per game, finishing ahead of Brian Robinson Jr. While the arrival of Robinson impacted Gibson’s fantasy value, other things played a role in his struggles, including the dysfunctional playcalling. However, the former Memphis star was a top-12 running back during his rookie and sophomore season in the league. While he might not return to that level of play, fantasy players should expect a bounce-back season from the veteran running back.
Eric Bieniemy turned Jerick McKinnon into a low-end RB2 last season despite having only 72 rushing attempts, thanks to his role in the passing game. Meanwhile, the Commanders released J.D. McKissic, giving Gibson the featured role in the passing game out of the backfield. While he struggled on the ground in 2022, the former Memphis star was impressive in the passing game. He finished top-12 in target share (12%), yards per reception (7.7), yards per route run (1.66), and catch rate (79.3%) among running backs. The coaching staff has talked nonstop about Gibson this offseason. He has too much upside to be the 35th running back off the board.
Brandin Cooks (WR – DAL): ADP 100.3 | WR39
The veteran wide receiver had a disappointing 2022 season. Cooks was the WR49, averaging only nine half-point PPR fantasy points per game, the second-lowest average of his career. Some will argue that the former Oregon State star is washed up after seeing his fantasy points per game average decline over the past three consecutive years. However, that’s not true. Last season the Houston Texans offense was a disaster, averaging only 17 points per game, the third-fewest in the NFL. Thankfully, Cooks joined the Cowboys this offseason after the team averaged 27.5 points per game last year, the fourth highest in the NFL.
More importantly, the veteran wide receiver gets a significant upgrade at quarterback. Last year Cooks ranked 84th among wide receivers in catchable target rate (68.8%). That won’t be the case this season with Dak Prescott healthy. More importantly, the veteran wide was productive two years ago despite playing with Davis Mills. He was the WR20 in 2021, averaging 11.7 fantasy points per game. Meanwhile, Cooks has been outstanding at training camp and looks determined to return to his old level of play. While CeeDee Lamb will limit his fantasy upside, the veteran should easily outperform his ADP.
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Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
