Fantasy Football 2023: Cheat Sheet for Injured Players and Holdout Candidates
When it comes to drafting in fantasy football, it pays to be prepared. Managers can spend hours constructing the perfect draft board, only to have a sudden injury or absence throw everything off at the last minute.
After all, injuries can happen at any time, even in the preseason. And sometimes, players are away from the field voluntarily.
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor—who has been rehabbing an ankle injury on his own amid a contract dispute—has returned to camp.
"Taylor, who has been away from the team getting additional rehab on his ankle, is back today, source said," NFL Media's Ian Rapoport tweeted on Monday. "He remains on PUP and his stance has not changed. But he has returned."
However, Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs still hasn't signed his franchise-tag tender, while Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones is holding out for a new deal.
Below, you'll find a look at some of the latest injury and holdout buzz and what it means for fantasy. You'll also find a positional cheat sheet that can help establish alternatives for potentially unavailable stars.
All Quiet on the Josh Jacobs Front
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Josh Jacobs is the reigning rushing champ and scrimmage yards leader. Under normal circumstances, he'd be a natural first-round target in fantasy.
However, the 25-year-old has been unhappy about receiving the franchise tag instead of a long-term deal and appears to be taking a stand against the devaluation of running backs. He has yet to sign his tender or report to camp, and there's been relatively little news on the situation.
One thing is clear, though, the Raiders offense won't be the same without him.
"Not having him right now is obviously something that I'm not happy with...he played like the best back in the league last year, which if you ask me he is the best back in the league," Raiders wideout Davante Adams told NFL Network.
There's a chance that Jacobs' holdout bleeds into the regular season, so any manager drafting him early must have a backup plan in place.
After tallying 43 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries in Las Vegas' preseason opener, second-year player Zamir White would appear to be the favorite to start if his teammate can't or won't.
However, the Raiders have a number of backs, including Ameer Abdullah, Brandon Bolden, Brittain Brown and Damien Williams, who will bear watching through the remainder of the preseason.
Tony Pollard May Not See Excessive Workload
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Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard had a breakthrough campaign in 2022, racking up 39 receptions, 1,378 scrimmage yards and 12 combined touchdowns—while splitting time with Ezekiel Elliott.
However, Pollard also suffered a leg injury during the playoffs that required surgery. While he's expected to be ready for the regular season, he isn't necessarily poised to be an every-down back in the wake of Elliott's departure.
According to ESPN's Dan Graziano, the Cowboys "still see Pollard as a player they have to be careful not to overwork if they're going to keep getting the best out of him, so I would expect them to use other backs in combination with him."
The 26-year-old should still be worth an early selection, but putting him on par with the likes of Christian McCaffrey, Austin Ekeler and Saquon Barkley might be a mistake. Dallas' stance also means that other Cowboys RBs, like rookie Deuce Vaughn, could have better-than-expected value.
The Kansas State product was electric in his preseason debut, notching 50 yards and a touchdown on eight carries to go with three receptions.
At 5'5" and 179 pounds, Vaughn isn't built to replicate Elliott's workload, but he should be a viable flex option in a Pollard-led committee backfield.
Chiefs, Chris Jones Still at Impasse
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Chris Jones is entering the final year of his contract and looking for a substantial raise. To this point, Kansas City has been unable or unwilling to meet his demands.
"The Chiefs have made a big offer to Chris Jones but obviously it's not big enough," NFL Media's Ian Rapoport told The Pat McAfee Show. "...I don't know if he's shooting to be above Aaron Donald but I think that's the ballpark we're in."
If Jones, who amassed 15.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery in 2022, doesn't return, it's a big problem for the Chiefs. It's also a big problem for fantasy managers, as he was one of the biggest reasons to start the KC defense/special teams unit.
Sure, plenty of managers view D/ST as an afterthought, but having a consistent one can mean the difference between a championship and an early playoff exit.
While Kansas City didn't have a shutdown defense in 2022 (16th in points allowed), it was almost always viable in fantasy. The Chiefs ranked second in the NFL with 55 sacks and forced at least one turnover in 12 of 17 regular-season games.
The Chiefs' D/ST unit is currently 10th in average draft position, according to FantasyPros, but if Jones' holdout lasts into the regular season, it's a unit managers might want to avoid.
Positional Cheat Sheet
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Running Backs
1. Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco 49ers
2. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers
3. Saquon Barkley, New York Giants
4. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns
5. Jonathan Taylor, Indianapolis Colts
6. Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
7. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans
8. Aaron Jones, Green Bay Packers
9. Travis Etienne Jr., Jacksonville Jaguars
10. Tony Pollard, Dallas Cowboys
Wide Receivers
1. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
2. Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals
3. Tyreek Hill, Miami Dolphins
4. Davante Adams, Las Vegas Raiders
5. Cooper Kupp, Los Angeles Rams
6. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills
7. A.J. Brown, Philadelphia Eagles
8. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys
9. Garrett Wilson, New York Jets
10. Amon-Ra St. Brown, Detroit Lions
Quarterbacks
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
3. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
5. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
6. Justin Fields, Chicago Bears
7. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
8. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys
9. Tua Tagovailoa, Miami Dolphins
10. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
Tight Ends
1. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
2. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
3. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
4. T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
5. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
6. Darren Waller, New York Giants
7. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles
8. Evan Engram, Jacksonville Jaguars
9. Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers
10. Chigoziem Okonkwo, Tennessee Titans
Defense/Special Teams
1. San Francisco 49ers
2. Philadelphia Eagles
3. Buffalo Bills
4. New England Patriots
5. New York Jets
6. Cincinnati Bengals
7. Dallas Cowboys
8. Baltimore Ravens
9. Pittsburgh Steelers
10. New Orleans Saints
Kickers
1. Justin Tucker, Baltimore Ravens
2. Daniel Carlson, Las Vegas Raiders
3. Harrison Butker, Kansas City Chiefs
4. Evan McPherson, Cincinnati Bengals
5. Tyler Bass, Buffalo Bills
6. Younghoe Koo, Atlanta Falcons
7. Jason Myers, Seattle Seahawks
8. Graham Gano, New York Giants
9. Jake Elliott, Philadelphia Eagles
10. Cameron Dicker, Los Angeles Chargers
*Rankings based on points-per-reception scoring.
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