By Ryan Reiniche
September 10, 2023
With the NFL preseason having come to a close, it’s important to take a look at the projections and standings for potential breakouts in both fantasy football and the regular season. Some notable prospects to look at include Falcons RB Bijan Robinson, Jaguars WR Calvin Ridley, Bears RB Roschon Johnson, and Ravens QB Lamar Jackson. Some players to steer away from include Lions WR Jameson Williams (On a 6 week suspension), Bengals QB Joe Burrow (for now, due to injury), and Steelers RB Najee Harris.
Bijan Robinson and Roschon Johnson shared a backfield in college at Texas. Obviously, Robinson is a generational talent, but Johnson could be a sleeper (this goes for NFL and Fantasy Football). With Atlanta implementing a run-first offense and also sporting one of the best offensive lines in the league, also considering the mediocre at best quarterback play, Robinson should get tons of touches and has the potential to bring the Falcons to a long awaited NFC South title as well as win many fantasy football leagues (if you drafted him, a potential name for your team could be O-Bijan Kenobi, if you’re a Star Wars fan.) Roschon Johnson was selected in the 4th round by the Chicago Bears, regarded by many as the steal of the draft, so keep an eye out for him, he may shock the league. His ADP (average draft projection) is extremely high, so you could snag him in late rounds and maybe even off of waivers.
Lamar Jackson has been given a vast arsenal of weapons this offseason. Some of those weapons include Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers. The Ravens are ready to make a massive leap if the team can stay healthy, allowing them to compete for the AFC North, potentially making a deep playoff run. Jackson’s rushing upside is only matched by that of Justin Fields, making him an essential to draft coming out of the third to fourth rounds.
Calvin Ridley is returning from a season-long suspension due to sports betting, and he’s ready to light the league on fire. This new addition to the incredibly young Jaguars offense will provide quarterback Trevor Lawrence with limitless potential. In a lackluster AFC South, the Jaguars will more than likely take the division, but having Ridley will help them compete with the rest of the extremely formidable AFC conference.
So many football fans (including myself) have been highly anticipating this season’s kickoff, and it’s sure to be a good one. Stay tuned for monthly updates on the progression of the season, as well as much more fantasy football advice; there is so much more to come.