The 2023 fantasy football season is here, meaning now is the time to dive into Cleveland Browns WR Elijah Moore’s fantasy projections to determine whether or not managers are receiving a value on draft day. Can Moore get his career back on track in Cleveland, and should he be a player you draft this year?
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Elijah Moore’s 2023 Fantasy Projection
Moore’s career has been one of the strangest stories to watch over the last three years. Despite his obvious talent, Moore could not secure a significant role with the New York Jets, the franchise which drafted the Ole Miss product in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
Moore’s rookie year showed a ton of promise for what was to come. He only caught 43 passes for 538 yards, but he played 11 games and broke out in Week 9 of that season. By Week 11, he was a starter. From Weeks 9-13, Moore averaged 20 ppg, which was in far contrast to his 12.6 ppg season total.
With eyes set on the 2022 season, Moore was expected to operate as the No. 2 receiver behind 2022 first-rounder Garrett Wilson. A complete receiver, Wilson went on the thrive in his rookie year. Meanwhile, Moore completely fell off the radar, partially due to no genuine apparent fault of his own.
Like Denzel Mims, Moore found himself in the Jets’ dog house, and once in there, there is hardly ever a chance to come out. Moore’s target share dropped to 11.7% (84th), his targets-per-routes-run rate was 14% (100th), and he was 62nd in route participation.
Moore even demanded a trade midseason, which was not surprising. For reasons still unclear, he was relegated to the team’s WR4 role behind Wilson, Corey Davis, and Braxton Berrios. Moore averaged 5.5 ppg in 16 games and caught 37 of his 65 total targets for 446 yards and one touchdown as the WR83 last season.
However, there is new hope for Moore as he was traded to the Cleveland Browns this offseason in a package that included Moore plus a 2023 third-round pick for the Browns’ 2023 second-round selection.
Moore immediately steps into the slot receiver role and is the likely No. 2 WR alongside Amari Cooper. Donovan Peoples-Jones and Cedric Tillman will battle in camp for the remaining perimeter role, with Moore poised to have his best season yet with Deshaun Watson under center.
Barring the addition of DeAndre Hopkins, which does remain a possibility, my current projections have Moore slated for 55-60 receptions for 650-675 yards and four touchdowns.
Should You Draft Elijah Moore This Year?
With an ADP of just below 150, Moore is being drafted as the second Browns receiver off the board as the overall WR45. There is some variation from site to site, though. On Sleeper, Moore is going in the 10th round of 12-team leagues, while on ESPN, he is in the region of the 13th round.
Of the Browns’ receivers, Cooper does remain the best one to draft as his role as the dominate alpha with the requisite target share is unchallenged, so long as Hopkins signs elsewhere. From there, I do prefer Moore as the WR2 and think there is good value to be had with his current ADP.
This is the opportunity Moore has so desperately needed, and even though he will share some slot snaps with TE David Njoku, on a per-touch basis, Moore has a shot to be a reliable WR4 for your fantasy football teams and even reach the WR3 range depending on how often Cleveland wants to use him vertically or get the ball in his hands for manufactured touches.
Of DPJ and Tillman, I prefer to wait and snag Tillman with one of my last picks. He is a refined route runner who played better at Tennessee than some stats might initially show, given the scheme. While the Browns will remain a run-heavy team with Nick Chubb, there should be plenty of volume to keep Moore and Cooper busy all season long.