The appeal of playing dynasty fantasy football is that you never fully stop building your rosters. There is always time to make moves to either help build a contender or rebuild your struggling roster. Now that the 2022 class has come and gone, it's time to start looking ahead to the 2023 class. This season, we will provide fantasy managers with a top-36 big board that will be updated weekly to reflect the top 36 draft-eligible players in college football. The hope is that this big board will give you actual names and values to any draft picks you are trying to trade or acquire.
Standout Performances
QB Michael Penix Jr. (Sr - Washington): 6-foot-3, 214 lbs
The 2023 quarterback class is a mystery after Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud, and even those two quarterbacks have a ton of question marks around them. The battle for QB3 in the class will heat up this off-season, with Michael Penix Jr. making a case for that spot. Many NFL scouts have mentioned his name as one to watch heading into the pre-draft process, and after his performance last Saturday, his stock will be even higher. In the Apple Cup against Washington State, Penix threw for 485 yards and three touchdowns in the victory. On the year, he has thrown for 4,354 yards and twenty-nine touchdowns, and more importantly, he has managed to stay healthy this season. Something that he has not been able to do in his career. He has developed as a passer and thrived in Washington’s offense. His name is one to watch in this quarterback class.
RB Devon Achane (Jr – Texas A&M): 5-foot-9, 185 lbs
Achane is a player that will continue to be debated in this class. If he declares this season, his biggest question mark will be his size. At just 185 pounds, he will be one of the smallest backs in the class, and we have seen how NFL teams value players at his size. The issue with just writing him off at that size is he is the most explosive player in the class. He showed this last weekend when the Aggies upset #5 LSU 38-23. Achane rushed for 215 yards on a season-high 38 carries and two touchdowns. He has shown to be able to carry a workload this year when healthy but has been banged up throughout the season. The question will be, can he hold up against NFL-level talent? Thats what is holding him back on the big board but his athleticism and explosiveness make him a player to watch. If he finds himself in a scheme that can utilize his talents, he will become a more viable fantasy asset.
QB Bryce Young (Jr – Alabama): 6-foot-0, 194 lbs.
Somehow this season, Bryce Young has become underrated. Alabama is not in the running for the college football playoff, so many have forgotten just how good Bryce Young is. He looked great in his last home game for the Crimson Tide against Auburn this weekend. He threw for 343 yards and three touchdowns and led Alabama to their ninth win of the season. On the season, he has thrown for 3,007 yards and twenty-seven touchdowns. Without Young this season, Alabama would be closer to a .500 team. He has an uncanny ability to make the extraordinary play look ordinary and should compete for QB1 of this draft class. The biggest knock on Young will be his size, but numbers can’t measure his impact on the field. He has the “it” factor that scouts covet, and it's something that all of us must keep in mind as the pre-draft process takes place.
The Anthony Richardson Decision
One of the biggest storylines to watch this month is whether or not Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson will declare for the NFL draft. In his first season as a starter, Richardson has been inconsistent, to put it lightly. He has two games on the season where he threw for at least 400 yards and showed his unique upside at the position. But Richardson has also had four games where he registered a completion percentage under 50%, including last week's game against Florida State, where he was 9 for 27 putting him at 33% for the game. The one skill set that many are looking at with Richardson is his athletic ability. He is a true dual threat at the position rushing for 654 yards and nine touchdowns this season. The critical question is can the NFL coach him up as a passer? We have seen this story all too often in fantasy, most recently with Malik Willis. Many pegged Malik Willis as a first-round draft selection last April, only to see his stock drop to the third round of the draft. Richardson is a much better prospect than Willis, but we must consider NFL precedence when looking at the overall picture. The other thing to note is the NFL has a quarterback problem. More than a handful of teams need a quarterback, and with aging players taking a step back this season, this could be the right time for Richardson to declare. Plenty of scouts and analysts are mocking Richardson as high as #2 in the NFL draft. He almost has to declare if he receives a first-round draft grade from the NFL. There’s also the case to be made that the 2024 class is filled with much better quarterback prospects from top to bottom, making it hard for Richardson to get a better draft grade next year. If he declares, he will be the most debated prospect in this class because of his potential upside. There’s a reason why he is on the big board to wrap up the college football season; his talent requires it. This is a storyline to watch heading into the off-season.
2023 Draft Pick Values
With the NFL season halfway finished, dynasty leagues are becoming increasingly active, which means more trades are undoubtedly occurring. The whole point of this big board each week is to help you identify where the talent in the current class is and start identifying target areas and tiers to trade for. It’s also important to understand market values and what 2023 picks cost in the dynasty market. One area that you can exploit right now if you are looking to acquire picks is by shipping off your middle-tier running backs. Managers are desperate to find production out of their running back spot, and now is the best time to exploit their weaknesses. Below you will find players who are currently being moved for 2023 first-round picks.
2023 Early-1st
- Travis Etienne
- A.J. Brown
- Saquon Barkley
- Tyreek Hill
2023 Mid-1st
2023 Late-1st
- Rhamondre Stevenson
- Mike Evans
- Michael Pittman
- Trey Lance
Big-Board Watchlist
- RB Austin Jones (Sr - USC): 5-foot-10, 195 lbs
- TE Sam LaPorta (Sr - Iowa): 6-foot-4, 249 lbs
- QB Tanner McKee (Jr - Stanford): 6-foot-6, 226 lbs
- WR Nathaniel Dell (Jr - Houston): 5-foot-10, 165 lbs
- TE Jaheim Bell (Jr - South Carolina): 6-foot-3, 232 lbs
- RB Tavion Thomas (Jr - Utah): 6-foot-2, 238 lbs
- WR Tayvion Robinson (Sr - Kentucky): 5-foot-11, 187 lbs
- WR Javon Baker (Jr - UCF): 6-foot-1, 208 lbs
- WR Jacob Copeland (Jr - Maryland): 6-foot-0, 202 lbs
- RB DeWayne McBride (Jr - UAB): 5-foot-11, 215 lbs
- WR Trey Palmer (Jr - Nebraska): 6-foot-1, 190 lbs
- QB Bo Nix (Sr - Oregon): 6-foot-2, 213 lbs
- RB Jase McClellan (Jr - Alabama): 5-foot-11, 212 lbs
- WR Jermaine Burton (Jr - Alabama): 6-foot-0, 200 lbs
- RB Eric Gray (Sr - Oklahoma): 5-foot-10, 211 lbs
- WR Jayden Reed (Sr - Michigan State): 6-foot-0, 185 lbs
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