While the 2021 NFL Draft was only a few months ago, that should not stop us from looking to future classes. There is no better time than now to get to work on your dynasty team’s future. So, we are skipping right past 2022 and getting straight into the 2023 devy class and some future fantasy football players to watch for on Saturdays in the upcoming college football season.
2023 NFL Draft prospects to watch for fantasy football
Before we even get going, the class as a whole is stacked. Yeah, I know we say this every year, but I honestly mean it. Just from the players that we know of right now, it could rival 2017. Where the 2022 NFL Draft class is okay, the 2023 devy class more than makes up for it with talent at all four positions. There is a clear group of high-end QBs, multiple elite-level running backs, star-studded receivers, and even a few tight ends that might make you forget about Kyle Pitts and T.J. Hockenson.
While I love getting a jump and trying to get a few extra ’23 picks thrown into trades, I caution you from taking out a new mortgage. For as good of a class as we think it might be, it’s two years away. Every single player on this list is one play away from having their career cut short or a routine medical check taking the ball out of their hands.
If you are in a devy league, this is the gamble we take to roster these potential fantasy football studs before they blossom into otherworldly talent. But this list is not just for those in devy or C2C leagues (Campus to Canton). Managers in “traditional” dynasty leagues need to pay attention to what is coming down the pipeline as well.
With that bit of housekeeping out of the way, let’s dive in.
2023 NFL Draft QB prospects to watch for fantasy football
Even in 1QB leagues, quarterbacks are essential. So who are some 2023 QBs to watch out for on Saturdays?
D.J. Uiagalelei, Clemson
Not only do we have two years to prepare, but I also have two years to learn how to spell and pronounce his name correctly. Wish me luck. Also, good luck to the rest of the ACC and NCAA because Uiagalelei looks like the real deal. Would you expect anything less from the school that produced both Deshaun Watson and Trevor Lawrence?
At 6’4″, 245 pounds, Uiagalelei has every measurable you look for in a future QB1. He is a former five-star recruit out of St. John Bosco, one of the premier high schools in the country. We got a glimpse of his development when he filled in for Lawrence after testing positive for COVID in 2020. As a freshman, Uiagalelei completed 78-of-117 attempts (66.7%) for 914 yards and 5 touchdowns. Most of his work came in games against Boston College (342 yards and 3 total TDs) and Notre Dame (439 yards and 3TDs).
While not a dual-threat QB like Kyler Murray or Malik Willis (Liberty), Uiagalelei has that Justin Herbert-style rushing ability, and we know that Dabo Swinney will use it over the next two years. Uiagalelei is only going to get better, which is scary. He is a top-tier NFL Draft prospect for 2023, and given Clemson’s propensity for playing in big games, he will be on your screen a lot this fall.
Bryce Young, Alabama
If a player starts for the University of Alabama and Nick Saban, just assume they’re good, and you want them in fantasy. It really is just that simple at times.
While there has been ample success by “shorter” QBs in the NFL, get ready for the knocks against Bryce Young at 6 feet (questionable) and 194 pounds. A five-star recruit out of Mater Dei, Young was the 2019 All-American Bowl Player of the Year, Gatorade Player of the Year in California, High School Quarterback of the Year (NQC), Maxwell Offensive Player of the Year, MaxPreps Player of the Year (shared with Uiagalelei), and that wasn’t even all of them.
Young finished his high school career with 13,250 passing yards and 152 passing touchdowns to go along with 1,084 rushing yards and 26 more scores. He was the No. 2 overall recruit in the nation, No. 1 dual-threat QB, and according to 24/7 Sports, the 20th-ranked player…ever. Some guys are just built differently.
He only saw mop-up duty at Alabama last year behind Mac Jones, completing 13-of-22 passes for 156 yards and 1 touchdown. Arm-talent-wise, Young is just as talented as Tua Tagovailoa, but we need to see it. Alabama is coming into 2021 with a whole new cast of pass catchers but has John Metchie, Slade Bolden, Aguye Hall (my favorite), and even tight end Jahleel Billingsley.
C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
A four-star recruit, C.J. Stroud was the No. 2 pro-style QB in the class, which is impressive for a guy who was not a starting varsity QB until his junior year. He has one of the best arms of the class and throws a tremendous deep ball. While the Buckeyes have Jack Miller and former five-star Kyle McCord, I expect Stroud to win the QB battle in 2021 and benefit from the best receiver corps in the nation.
However, it might be a one-year gig. Ohio State landed 2022 recruit Quinn Ewers out of Southlake Carroll in June. He is both the No. 1 QB in the nation and overall prospect. Ewers has No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick upside.
Hudson Card, Texas
Regardless of what Sam Ehlinger said, Texas is not back. But things might change in 2021. After playing receiver as a sophomore, Hudson Card transitioned to QB. He found instant success, throwing for more than 3,500 yards and 50 touchdowns against only 4 interceptions for Lake Travis as a junior.
With Steve Sarkisian now at the helm of the Longhorns’ offense, we should expect to see an improvement from the Tom Herman era. So long as Card beats out veteran Casey Thompson for the starting role, he is most certainly one of the 2023 players to watch for in fantasy football.
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina
Although he was just a three-star recruit, Grayson McCall led one of the best stories in college football last season with the Chanticleers (11-1). McCall completed 172-of-254 throws for 2,513 yards, 26 TDs, and 3 INTs. Additionally, he generated 569 yards and 11 scores on the ground as a redshirt freshman.
Coastal will not catch teams by surprise this season, and neither will McCall, who headlines the Sun Belt first-team preseason all-conference team.
Notable 2023 players to watch at QB for fantasy football
Anthony Richardson, Florida; Haynes King, Texas A&M; Ja’Quinden Jackson, Utah; Harrison Bailey, Tennessee; Max Johnson, LSU; Malik Hornsby, Arkansas; Evan Prater, Cincinnati; Jeff Sims, Georgia Tech; Luke Doty, South Carolina
2023 NFL Draft Running back prospects to watch for fantasy football
Arguably the crown jewel of the class, the running back position is absolutely loaded.
Bijan Robinson, Texas
Get ready to hear this name a lot, and for a good reason. Bijan Robinson is a different breed. In nine games, Robinson rushed for 703 yards and 4 TDs on 86 carries and caught 15 passes for 196 yards and 2 more scores. I know RBs don’t go early in the draft anymore, but if anyone should be the expectation, it is Robinson.
Sarkisian helped elevate Najee Harris‘ game, and Robinson is even more talented. He has incredible size, elite explosiveness, contact balance, elusiveness, and just wants to rip your head off at the point of contact. He is likely the best RB in the entire country and is a must-watch player for those who play fantasy football.
Jahmyr Gibbs, Georgia Tech
A four-star recruit from Georgia, Jahmyr Gibbs is a special back. As a freshman at Georgia Tech, he recorded 460 yards and 4 TDs (89 carries). Gibbs added a further 303 yards and 4 more TDs on 24 receptions in seven games. You will likely get sick and tired of “the next Alvin Kamara” narrative, but that does not mean there are no similarities.
At 5’11”, 200 pounds, the best word I can use to describe Gibbs is smooth. He glides through the hole and in and out of cuts — it’s poetry in motion. He is the type of RB you want in fantasy football who can make plays between the tackles and in the passing game. Alongside quarterback Jeff Sims, Gibbs and Georgia Tech will give the ACC headaches in 2021 and beyond.
Tank Bigsby, Auburn
Tank Bigsby rounds out the top-three RBs in the 2023 class of players you need to watch for fantasy football. As of right now, this is the tier break unless someone else jumps into it.
Bigsby is a well-built, well-rounded running back. Bigsby racked up 138 rushing attempts for 834 yards and 5 TDs in 10 games as a true freshman. He also accumulated 11 receptions for 84 yards. If anyone lives up to the name Tank, this is the guy. He dominated SEC competition and will push Robinson for the best back in the class, especially if he is involved more in the passing game.
Zach Evans, TCU
A five-star recruit, Zach Evans was the No. 2 RB in the nation and garnered offers from over 40 different schools before choosing TCU. A dynamic running back, Evans ran for 415 yards and 4 TDs on 54 carries as a true freshman, along with 76 yards on 8 receptions in nine games.
Evans is a dynamically athletic RB with great size (5’11” and 200 pounds), speed, and agility that surprises defenses. In 2019, while still in high school, he ran a “verified” 4.51 40-yard dash with a 3.84 shuttle and a 37-inch vertical jump. TCU will likely deploy several RBs in 2021 with Daimarqua Foster and Emari Demercado, but Evans is by far the most talented and likely to break out, as he showed with his 75-yard TD at the TCU Spring Game.
There is also a significant opportunity for Evans after Darwin Barlow entered the transfer portal in May. Moreover, look out for Ahmonte Watkins, rated as one of the nation’s top-ranked RBs in the 2021 class.
Devon Achane, Texas A&M
He is not going to be on a lot of people’s radars because of Isaiah Spiller. He is the clear RB1 on the team and is in a toss-up with Breece Hall for the RB1 among 2022 dynasty running backs.
But I am telling you now, a player you need to watch for fantasy football is Devon Achane. Need more proof? Go watch the Sugar Bowl and come back to me with your thoughts. Achane accounted for 164 yards of total offense in that game alone; he ended 2021 with 461 all-purpose yards and 5 TDs. However, he didn’t play in a single game until October 17. Achane only appeared in six total games, with only three of those games seeing him carry the ball more than four times.
Spiller is talented, but Achane is not far behind. First, there is fast…and then there is Achane-level fast — he is a trained sprinter. In high school, he clocked in at 10.53 in the 100m. Earlier this year, Achane ran a personal best time of 20.31 at the Texas Relays in the 200m. Not only is that 6th all-time for the Aggies, but his 20.31 currently ranks him No. 33 in the world.
Kendall Milton, Georgia
Standing at 6’1″, 220 pounds, Kendall Milton is a large human. As a freshman, he appeared in seven games, amassing 35 carries for 193 yards and 1 reception for 22 yards. Power is the best way to describe his game. I mean, the guy broke SEVEN tackles on one run against Tennessee. Milton dealt with a hamstring injury last fall and a sprained knee late in the season.
Georgia never has and never will be a workhorse-style program unless your name is Herschel Walker. They didn’t do it for Sony Michel, Todd Gurley, Nick Chubb, or D’Andre Swift. Milton is in a crowded backfield with Zamir White, Daijun Edwards, James Cook, and Kenny McIntosh. Milton will make highlight-style runs in 2021, but his hype will likely be dulled due to the lack of touches. Still, he remains a player to watch in 2021 for fantasy football.
Notable 2023 players to watch at RB for fantasy football
Seth McGowan, Oklahoma; Jase McClellan, Alabama; Blake Corum, Michigan; MarShawn Lloyd, South Carolina; Jalen Berger, Wisconsin; DeaMonte Trayanum, Arizona State; E.J. Smith, Stanford; Keyvone Lee, Penn State; Demarkus Bowman, Florida; Sean Tucker, Syracuse; Roydell Williams, Alabama; Deuce Vaughn, Kansas State; Chris Tyree, Notre Dame; Jaylan Knighton, Miami (FL); Don Chaney Jr., Miami (FL); Kevontre Bradford, LSU; Ashaad Clayton, Colorado