By MIKE HERNDON

Maybe waiting for a quarterback wasn’t the best fantasy football draft strategy last year.

If you didn’t have Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts or Joe Burrow in your QB slot last year, you didn’t have a very good chance of winning a title. The difference between those four quarterbacks and the next tier was substantial, even with Justin Fields showing flashes of rushing brilliance, and many of the middle-tier quarterbacks that we might have waited on in the draft – guys like Derek Carr, Matthew Stafford or Russell Wilson – were disappointments and, by the end of the year, all but unplayable in 1QB formats.

Many are expecting Wilson to rebound under Sean Payton and Carr and Rodgers to flourish with new teams. Fewer, but some, are looking for Stafford to bounce back from his injury-plagued year, even with a leaner roster. But betting on any of those guys seems like more of a wishful than prudent wager this season.

Other values are emerging – Tua Tagovailoa, Geno Smith, Jared Goff and Daniel Jones could be smart targets in the mid-rounds if you’re dead set on waiting. But if last year was any indication, plucking down a third-round pick on an elite quarterback might not be a bad investment – if they’re still there.

Here’s the initial SportsChasers fantasy football position rankings for 2023. You’ll note, among the quarterback rankings, that Colts rookie Anthony Richardson is considerably lower than in most other rankings. That’s because I watched the guy play college football. He’s an intriguing prospect because of his legs, and a maddening one because of his erratic arm. I wouldn’t trust him as my starter, but I’d load up everywhere I can get him as a backup for the rushing ability alone.

Happy drafting! And relax: If you blow it, you’ll have opportunities to improve your roster on the wire.

QB:

1. Patrick Mahomes
2. Josh Allen
3. Jalen Hurts
4. Joe Burrow
5. Lamar Jackson
6. Justin Herbert
7. Justin Fields
8. Trevor Lawrence
9. Tua Tagovailoa
10. Dak Prescott
11. Kirk Cousins
12. Geno Smith
13. Deshaun Watson
14. Daniel Jones
15. Jared Goff
16. Matthew Stafford
17. Aaron Rodgers
18. Derek Carr
19. Anthony Richardson
20. Brock Purdy
21. Kyler Murray
22. Russell Wilson
23. Jimmy Garoppolo
24. Jordan Love
25. Kenny Pickett
26. Ryan Tannehill
27. Bryce Young
28. Sam Howell
29. Mac Jones
30. C.J. Stroud
31. Baker Mayfield
32. Desmond Ridder

RBs

1. Christian McCaffrey
2. Derrick Henry
3. Nick Chubb
4. Saquon Barkley
5. Bijan Robinson
6. Josh Jacobs
7. Austin Ekeler
8. Tony Pollard
9. Jonathan Taylor
10. Kenneth Walker III
11. Najee Harris
12. Rhamondre Stevenson
13. Aaron Jones
14. Joe Mixon
15. Alexander Mattison
16. Travis Etienne
17. JK Dobbins
18. Miles Sanders
19. Breece Hall
20. Javonte Williams
21. Alvin Kamara
22. Cam Akers
23. Rachaad White
24. James Conner
25. David Montgomery
26. Jahmyr Gibbs
27. D’Andre Swift
28. Dameon Pierce
29. Isaiah Pacheco
30. Khalil Herbert
31. Dalvin Cook
32. Brian Robinson
33. James Cook
34. Jamaal Williams
35. Raheem Mostert
36. Rashaad Penny
37. D’Onta Foreman
38. Samaje Perine
39. Damien Harris
40. Tank Bigsby
41. Elijah Mitchell
42. Antonio Gibson
43. AJ Dillon
44. Clyde Edwards-Helaire
45. Jaylen Warren
46. Jeff Wilson Jr.
47. Kendre Miller
48. Ezekiel Elliott
49. Zach Charbonnet
50. Kenneth Gainwell

WRs

1. Justin Jefferson
2. Tyreek Hill
3. Ja’Marr Chase
4. Cooper Kupp
5. AJ Brown
6. CeeDee Lamb
7. Stefon Diggs
8. Davante Adams
9. Amon-Ra St. Brown
10. Jaylen Waddle
11. Chris Olave
12. Garrett Wilson
13. Tee Higgins
14. Amari Cooper
15. Deebo Samuel
16. Calvin Ridley
17. DK Metcalf
18. DeVonta Smith
19. DeAndre Hopkins
20. Brandon Aiyuk
21. Mike Evans
22. Mike Williams
23. Christian Watson
24. Diontae Johnson
25. Keenan Allen
26. Terry McLaurin
27. Jerry Jeudy
28. D.J. Moore
29. Zay Flowers
30. Chris Godwin
31. Drake London
32. George Pickens
33. Marquise Brown
34. Michael Pittman, Jr.
35. Christian Kirk
36. Tyler Lockett
37. Michael Thomas
38. Gabriel Davis
39. Jahan Dotson
40. Kedarius Toney
41. JuJu Smith-Schuster
42. Darius Slayton
43. Odell Beckham, Jr.
44. Jaxon Smith-Njigba
45. Skyy Moore
46. Courtland Sutton
47. Jameson Williams
48. DaVante Parker
49. Jordan Addison
50. Adam Theilen
51. Elijah Moore
52. Brandin Cooks
53. Rashee Rice
54. Tyler Boyd
55. Quentin Johnson
56. Jakobi Meyers
57. Rashod Bateman
58. Treylon Burks
59. Allen Lazard
60. DJ Chark
61. Darnell Mooney
62. Romeo Doubs
63. Jonathan Mingo
64. Nico Collins
65. Michael Gallup

TE:

1. Travis Kelce
2. Mark Andrews
3. George Kittle
4. T.J. Hockenson
5. Dallas Goedert
6. Darren Waller
7. Evan Engram
8. Kyle PItts
9. Pat Freiermuth
10. David Njoku
11. Tyler Higbee
12. Chig Okwonko
13. Gerald Everett
14. Dalton Kincaid
15. Dalton Schultz
16. Cole Kmet
17. Jake Ferguson
18. Sam LaPorta
19. Greg Dulcich
20. Juwan Johnson
21. Taysom Hill
22. Cade Otton
23. Hunter Henry
24. Noah Fant
25. Irv Smith, Jr.
26. Luke Musgrave
27. Hayden Hurst
28. Logan Thomas
29. Michael Mayer
30. Tyler Conklin

Categories: Fantasy Football