Fantasy Football Sleepers: Quarterbacks to Pick in Your 2023 Drafts
Unless your draft strategy involves paying a premium for an established, popular quarterback, you’re going to be looking for underrated options later that can enable you to beef up the rest of your roster. Let’s examine three potentially undervalued selections at quarterback that can add upside to your lineups on a week-to-week basis.
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Fantasy Football Sleepers: Quarterbacks 2023
Sam Howell – Washington Commanders
The Baltimore Ravens experienced their first preseason loss since 2015 at the hands of the Washington Commanders, snapping a 24-exhibition game win streak. In that game, quarterback Sam Howell started and played the first half, throwing 188 yards and two touchdowns.
Howell has plenty of quality receivers, such as Terry McLaurin and Curtis Samuel (not to mention pass-catching back Antonio Gibson), and he’s mobile. In his junior year, he rushed for 828 yards and 11 touchdowns. Howell also holds UNC records for most passing yards (10,283) and most touchdowns thrown (92).
Sam Howell may be an afterthought in season-long drafts, and with the amount of potential he has as an NFL starter, that could be a mistake on your opponents’ part.
Geno Smith – Seattle Seahawks
Having inherited the offensive wealth of Tyler Lockett, D.K. Metcalf, and Kennth Walker III, Smith finished last season sixth in completions (399) and eighth in passing yards (4,282). He was first in completion rate (69.8%) and ended up with the fifth-most fantasy points for a quarterback.
Geno Smith may not be a household name, but the numbers suggest that he is significantly undervalued. Given that the Seahawks have bolstered their passing attack with Zach Charbonnet and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Smith is primed to be a fantasy asset at the quarterback position this year.
Baker Mayfield – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The hot potato known as Baker Mayfield has been announced as the starting quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and-
Wait, where are you going? Don’t leave.
In his brief spell with the Kupp-less Rams, Mayfield had some noteworthy performances. Perhaps the highlight of his season was the eight-play, 98-yard, game-winning drive over the Raiders in Week 14, after which he was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week. Then in Week 16, Mayfield completed 24 of 28 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns.
It isn’t like Mike Evans (67 ADP), Chris Godwin (50.3 ADP), or pass catching back Rachaad White (67.9ADP) are being left to rot in the player pool. And these men aren’t going to be throwing the football to themselves, either. This implies some level of faith in Mayfield being at least serviceable in his first year as the Tampa Bay signal caller, who arguably has the best weapons of his career.
Moreover, it doesn’t hurt that Dave Canales is the new offensive coordinator for the Bucs. Perhaps what Canales did for Geno Smith (2022 Comeback Player of the Year, see above) he can do for Mayfield.
If anything, Mayfield is free, and who would say no to a piping hot spud that costs nothing?
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