by Jackson Schneider ’24
October 30, 2023
As the 2023 NFL fantasy season is underway, some players have gotten off to very hot starts, and some players are off to cold starts. Here are four players you should look into getting on to your fantasy team, as these players can turn your team around and make or break your season.
Sell High Players:
James Cook, RB Bills
The biggest thing the Bills have been lacking is a consistent run game. In the Josh Allen era, he has been their whole offense, but this year, the Bills have found their guy to go to in the backfield.
James Cook has been off to a hot and very efficient start, and this is the perfect time to sell him. The issue with Cook is more with the Bills’ playcalling than his performance. Despite being very efficient, his volume is generally low, as he has yet to record over 20 carries in a game. The main factor keeping his points up are his receiving numbers. It is tough to trust anyone in Buffalo’s receiving game with the number of targets Stefon Diggs gets. We have seen other Bills players being overvalued by people who have been too inconsistent due to these issues. For example, Gabe Davis and Devin Singletary needed to get the targets they needed to stay viable for fantasy owners in previous seasons.
AJ Brown, WR Eagles
The star wideout for the Eagles had gotten off to a slow start, but after two big games, he has put many panicking fantasy owners to rest. Brown still has that top 3 WR ceiling, but it seems like his floor is lower than people thought with the continued progression of Eagles teammate Devonta Smith. AJ Brown proved to be a star wideout still, and if you are in need, you should invest, as he can boost your team. If you are lacking at other positions, AJ Brown can provide an excellent 2-1 trade where you can get some solid starters to cover up other weaknesses your team might have.
Buy Low Players:
Jonathan Taylor, RB Colts
With Taylor being on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, his value has dropped to his lowest since probably his rookie year. I would try to invest in him now before he comes back. He either is going to play with the Colts, where his upside will be very good with a rock solid offensive line and a dynamic quarterback in Anthony Richardson; or, he is going to be traded to a contender like the Dolphins, Bills, or Ravens where his value will be through the roof. By investing in Taylor, teams get a guy with real running back potential for less than half the price.
Justin Fields, QB Bears
This is not the start Justin Fields or the Bears wanted to have to start the year, with them being off to an atrocious 2-6 start. Still, on October 1, fans saw something they have never seen in Fields: an elite passing performance where he notched a career-high 335 passing yards, four touchdowns, and a near-perfect 132.7 passer rating in the Bears’ 31-28 loss to the Broncos. He is also going against some weak defenses in the next few weeks that, if he continues to build upon his performance, should lead to many more 20-plus point weeks. Last year, Fields finished as a top-five QB in fantasy, and if he can improve his passing, he will be one of the most dangerous QBs to play against in fantasy with his already huge potential when he uses his legs.
Of course, there are obvious risks with Fields, such as his inconsistent passing. But most of his weaknesses are not his fault. The reasons you might want to stay away from Fields are mainly his terrible offensive line, which consistently puts the Bears in wrong positions due to giving up a lot of pressure and a lot of penalties.
And his biggest weakness is his coaching staff, which makes mind-boggling decision after mind-boggling decision. Fields is a risk, but if you want to take a risk on one of the top boom-or-bust players of the year, Fields is your guy.
