So it begins... our 2023 fantasy football draft rankings are live

Plus: The latest news and notes shaping 2023's fantasy outlook

As promised a few weeks ago, I am now delivering our initial 2023 fantasy football draft rankings! It’s probably too early for most of you to care about these, but I know there are a few of you already planning your draft strategy. I used to be one of you, now I just enable you…

In case you don’t know 5th Down’s back story, rankings are kind of our bread and butter. We’ve let our friends at FantasyPros.com rate them for accuracy since 2011, and it’s mostly gone pretty well.

Between 2011 and 2015, our preseason player rankings and weekly player rankings were both rated as the second most accurate among all fantasy football experts in the United States. More recently, while we’re still waiting for our 2022 draft rating, our 2021 draft rankings were rated the 24th most accurate out of 230.

Our latest edition of draft rankings will, as always, update frequently throughout the summer up until Week 1 kickoff, depending on how things play out at camp and during preseason action.

Thanks so much to all of our paying subscribers! Let me know if you have any issues accessing the rankings via the password below. If you’re unable to support us financially (just $2 a month or $12 per year), we will soon post our limited free rankings (standard scoring only, fewer players, no flex) on 5thDownFantasy.com.

Best - Justin

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Some NFL offseason news you can use

(Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire)

• Austin Ekeler is staying in LA, for this season, anyway. Ekeler had requested to be traded earlier this offseason, and he will now be a free agent after the 2023 season. This is a win-win-win for Ekeler, the Chargers, and fantasy managers.

• It was reported that new Lions TE Sam LaPorta was “easily the best player on the field” during the rookie minicamp. LaPorta was drafted early in the second round to fill a Hockenson-sized hole for Detroit.

• Jaguars RB Tanks Bigsby also impressed at the rookie minicamp, showing off his skills as a pass catcher. It’s unlikely that he takes the majority of the passing-down work from Travis Etienne, but he could siphon a few targets away from him.

• Despite drafting QB Bryce Young as the No. 1 pick, the Panthers are in no rush to start him. Andy Dalton is “[their] guy right now,” according to GM Scott Fitterer.

• The Chiefs’ backfield is coming into focus as Jerick McKinnon is back and Clyde Edwards-Helaire is out. McKinnon put up career numbers in many statistical categories en route to a finish as a fantasy RB2. With a role seemingly carved out, he can be a valuable fantasy option yet again, particularly in PPR leagues.

View the latest FantasyPros player news on 5thDownFantasy.com.

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2023 fantasy football draft rankings

(Photo by Ric Tapia/Icon Sportswire)