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 first part of an eight-part series, I will identify two ADP values, two likely-to-bust candidates, and two potential sleepers from the AFC East. And here’s a closer look at two draft values to target.
- More Fantasy Football Advice
- Snake Draft Pick Strategy: Early | Middle | Late
- Expert Consensus Fantasy Football Draft Rankings
- Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator
Fantasy Football Draft Values: AFC East
James Cook (BUF): ADP 83.3 | RB31
The fantasy football world had high hopes for the former Georgia running back last year. Unfortunately, things didn’t go according to plan. Cook was the RB45, averaging only six half-point PPR fantasy points per game as a rookie. However, the second-year running back could be this year’s Rhamondre Stevenson. The Bills lost Devin Singletary this offseason in free agency, replacing the veteran with Damien Harris.
While the former Patriot had 15 rushing touchdowns in 2021, he struggled to stay healthy last season. More importantly, Cook is an explosive and dangerous running back in the open field. Last year 13.5% of his rushing attempts went for double-digit yards. Furthermore, he finished first in breakaway run rate (12.1%). Short of a significant injury, Cook will have no trouble finishing the year as a top-20 running back or better.
Aaron Rodgers (NYJ): ADP 111.3 | QB14
Last year Rodgers had the worst season of his career. The future Hall of Famer was the QB13, averaging only 14.1 fantasy points per game, nearly 20% lower than his previous career low as the starter in 2019. However, the superstar was battling a thumb injury on his throwing hand for most of the year. Furthermore, Rodgers was throwing to a pair of rookies after losing Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the offseason.
Despite last year being a disappointing one for fantasy players, the veteran is a steal as the 14th quarterback off the board. Rodgers has never finished the season lower than the QB9 in any year of his career when he plays at least 15 games before last season. Furthermore, the Future Hall of Famer has eight top-two finishes in his career. More importantly, he has built a strong connection with Garrett Wilson. Fantasy players who wait on quarterbacks should have Rodgers on their targets list.
More Players to Target & Avoid
- Pat Fitzmaurice: (Targets | Avoids) (Premium)
- Andrew Erickson: (Targets | Avoids) (Premium)
- Derek Brown: (Targets | Avoids) (Premium)
- Fantasy Football Sleepers for Every Team (Premium)
- How to Identify Fantasy Football Busts (Premium)
- Erickson’s Guide to Drafting Players on Good Offenses
- Fantasy Football Draft Values for Every Round
- Predicting First-Round Bust Candidates
- DBro’s Wide Receiver Lottery Tickets
- Erickson’s Running Back Lottery Tickets
- Players to Target in Each Round (v2 | v3)
- Players to Avoid in Each Round
- Late-Round Draft Targets
- Late-Round QB Targets in Superflex Leagues | More QB Sleepers
- Late-Round RB Targets | More RB Sleepers | July RB Targets
- Late-Round WR Targets
- Late-Round TE Targets
- Deep Dart Throw Draft Targets
- WRs to Target in the RB Dead Zone (v2)| RBs to Avoid in the RB Dead Zone | RBs to Target in RB Dead Zone
- Identifying the Next WR1s | Identifying the Next RB1s
- 2022 Duds That Will Become 2023 Studs
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio
Mike Fanelli is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him @Mike_NFL2.
