NFL Free Agency 2023 for Fantasy Football: Free agents for every position and potential salary cap casualties

When the Super Bowl ends, the countdown to the next NFL year begins. Technically, this year doesn’t start in September when the regular season kicks off, or when training camp starts or when the NFL Draft ends. The new league year begins at 4:00 pm ET on a March weekday. Every. Lonely. Year.

This year it’s March 15th. Mark on your calendars.

This means we better be ready for the first part of the new league year when new contracts and deals can be signed. Teams must adhere to a salary cap and be able to “tighten” their players’ contracts to nearly $225 million.

This is an important time for Fantasy managers as well. This is when we learn from the team actionsnot necessarily the words of their coaches and players. When a team fires a player, it may mean that they believe the player is no longer fit. Or it could mean a philosophical change of direction. Off-season moves tell the story of how the team sees itself, and that’s when it starts in earnest.

That’s why we’re listing the key free agents in each position, along with players who could be cut or traded because they’re making too much money (or they’re just not in the team’s plans anymore, or both). Under each position below you will see a table of player names sorted by two headings: a list of actual free agents and a list of those who MAY change teams despite not being free agents. Of course, they could become free agents if their teams cut them.

So watch and follow the action right here. And remember: every move has a domino effect, some more than others. Astute Fantasy managers see the domino effect in the offseason and apply it to their drafts. We will help with this too.

Quarterbacks

free agents	In move?
Lamar Jackson	Aaron Rogers
Daniel Jones	Derek Carr
Geno Smith	Carson Wentz
Jimmy Garoppolo	Jamis Winston
Sam Darnold	Marcus Mariota
Andy Dalton	Tyrod Taylor
Baker Mayfield
Tom Brady

Big name: Lamar Jackson

Jackson will likely earn franchise status and stay in Baltimore for his 27-year season. It wouldn’t make sense for the Ravens to trade Jackson if they didn’t have some fantastic plan to rebuild the entire offense (they’ll already have a new offensive coordinator in 2023). In the past two seasons, Jackson has averaged less than 23.0 Fantasy points per game and would have benefited greatly from a wide receiver. Expect him to be in the top 8 fantasy quarterbacks wherever he goes.

Likely to change team: Aaron Rodgers

The Packers will have a salary cap problem if they leave Rodgers at his current price tag. They could restructure his deal (again) and make it more manageable for the next round in 2023, or they could trade him and retire his high contract and turn to a future with Jordan Love. He has been linked with the Raiders (they have cap space) and the Jets (they would need cap space), but there are others who could make a move. The better the touchdown, the more likely it is that Rodgers will become the agreed-upon draft pick at the end of the round, despite his ugly 2022.

Definitely a team change: Derek Carr

The Raiders closed the Karr book before Week 17, so there seems to be no going back. Carr has already been linked with old pal Dennis Allen and the Saints, but any other team in need of a passer can jump in to get Carr. Just remember: it’s been a very long time since he’s been a consistent fantasy starter. He had a great run in Las Vegas last year and still couldn’t even average 18.0 Fantasy points for the second season in a row. He is not a lock to be broken into in the fall.

Top 5 landing spots for Fantasy QB:

• Raiders: The best trio of receivers out there, and a defense that always seems to be a year away from being good, will force a lot of passes. Josh McDaniels’ skills as clues are an asset.
• Buccaneers: The O-line pieces need to be changed, but if done right and they don’t drop Mike Evans, there is still a very powerful offense here that the quarterback can handle.
• The Saints: Fast receivers and a voluminous O-line are strengths. The expected departure of Michael Thomas and the takeover of Tysome Hill are not scoring chances.
• Falcons: There’s plenty of potential left for Kyle Pitts and Drake London, and the resourceful playcoller Arthur Smith wouldn’t be a total ball handler if he had a quarterback he trusted completely. Also, the defense can be slow to recover, leading to some knockout games.
• Jets: The shot seems great to Garrett Wilson, but the Jets will still try to identify themselves as a first-run offense unless their quarterback play is impressive. The arrival of Nathaniel Hackett as the coordinator of the offensive might confuse some.

running spins

free agents	In move?
Saquon Barkley	Leonard Furnett
Josh Jacobs	Ezekiel Elliott
Tony Pollard	Chase Edmonds
Miles Sanders	Cordarrell Patterson
David Montgomery	Gus Edwards
Devin Singletery
Damian Harris
Karim Hunt
Jamal Williams
Alexander Mattison
D’Onta Foreman
Jeff Wilson
Raheem Mostert

Big name: Saquon Barkley

The only good reason the Giants would let Barkley go is because they think they can replace him for less financial commitment. Good luck with that – Barkley continued his two injury seasons with 1,650 yards and 10 points, numbers that are better than most other players in his position. The franchise tag is a great opportunity as it keeps Barkley from leaving and removes any pitfalls of a long-term contract. Expect him to stay with the Big Apple, and expect him to be a sure-fire top 10 pick in every draft this August.

Big Name Part 2: Josh Jacobs

Until 2022, Jacobs was a solid fantasy runner who averaged around 14 PPRs per game. In his contract season, he scored 19.3 points per game. Was it because Josh McDaniels’ offense was adapted for him? Or was he motivated to catch the bag? And, more importantly, do the Raiders believe he was motivated by money and that he won’t be worth the mega deal he hopes to make? It’s likely that the franchise tag will be used to keep Jacobs in Vegas for his 25-year season. Maybe it will lead to another strong year. Jacobs is in contention for a top 15 spot in 2023 if the Raiders don’t fail their offseason quarterback hunt.

Likely to change team: Devin Singletary

Buffalo hasn’t spent significant resources on the running back position for what seems like forever, and it’s unlikely they’ll start now. Except that Singletary gets a massive hometown discount, let’s say he leaves Buffalo and signs with a team that values ​​possession. Singletary is a good defender, but he is unlikely to get a workhorse role and turn into a real fantasy guy who has to start. At best, it will be useful as option number 3 in fantasy.

Top 3 Landing Points for Fantasy RB:

(assuming the Giants and Raiders tag their free agent runners)

• Caroline: Christian McCaffrey is gone, D’Onta Foreman is a free agent, the offensive line is strong, the defense has serious potential, and Frank Reich is playing without confidence as a quarterback.
• Miami: Their entire RB depth chart for 2022 is set up for free rein. At least one of them is going to re-sign, but if a free agent shows up under a cheaper-than-expected zone management scheme, the Dolphins could poach him and give him a lot of work.
• Chicago: A possible workhorse role awaits him along with running quarterback Justin Fields, and offensive line numbers will improve in 2023.

Wide receivers

free agents	In move?
Jacob Meyers	DeAndre Hopkins
dj chark	Keenan Allen
Allen Lazard	Michael Thomas
Juju Smith-Shuster	Brandin Cooks
Mekole Hardman	Curtis Samuel
Darius Slayton	Corey Davis
Parris Campbell	Tyler Boyd
Mac Hollins	DeVante Parker
Nelson Agolor	Robbie Anderson
Julius Jones

Big Name: DeAndre Hopkins

A report by TheScore.com’s Jordan Schulz in early January said the Cardinals “plan to try and trade” Hopkins. He proved in his 30th season that he is still more than capable of making an impact. Any playoff contender in need of expansion will use his services; the better he attacks, the better his numbers will be. He has top 10 potential.

Likely to change team: Michael Thomas

The 30-year-old appears to have regained his form last September but was out for a year by October. Terrible truth? Thomas has played 10 games since September 2020 due to various lower body injuries. It’s heartbreaking because he’s such a fast runner and a valuable person. If his new team can keep him healthy, then he’ll be a bargain on Draft Day.

Next Christian Kirk: Jacobi Meyers

There are a lot of teams in desperate need of a wide receiver and not many free agents to use. That should make Meyers one of the highest paid players this spring. It’s definitely not bad for his bank account, but it could also be good for his fantasy future, depending on where he goes and what role he plays. We could talk about him as an 8th round pick in mid-August.

Top 4 Landing Points for Fantasy WR:

• New York Giants: When Stephon Diggs moved to Buffalo, Josh Allen’s numbers went up. Brian Daball was there then, and he could try to give Daniel Jones (assuming he re-signs) a similar boost in the passing game.
• Baltimore: A huge opportunity awaits you, but the Ravens have a tough track record with Fantasy spikes on the receiver. Maybe their new playcall will change that.
• Dallas: CeeDee Lamb may not move from first place, but the guy in second place could get a lot of attention, especially if the Cowboys don’t do much to promote them in other positions.
• Chicago: The Bears have already traded Chase Claypool and they will bring back Darnell Mooney after injury…