Jeepers Keepers: Best Value in Keeper Leagues (2023)
Hello Fantasy Football World! This is Preston Evans, aka The Fantasy Homeboy! I have five players who are great values if you are playing in any Redraft Keeper Leagues in 2023 that you should be excited to hold onto.
For the uninitiated, Redraft Keeper Leagues are ones where you keep one or a few players you are willing to lose a draft pick or picks for, specifically picks that the player or players were initially drafted for in that league in order to keep them on your roster from one year to the next. Some leagues have a rule where they get to retain their keepers for multiple seasons. Personally, I don’t really like those kinds of leagues. Then you have the leagues where you can keep one or more players for a year, and then that player or players go back in the waiver pool. Those are the keeper leagues I enjoy, as it allows for more variety on your rosters in a shorter amount of time. That said, here are my Top Five Keepers for 2023.
1. Deshaun Watson– In the 2022 NFL season, Watson took a major drop in value from the last time he played on a football field. His off-the-field issues kept him off the field for two years, and he was suspended for 11 games last season.
Here are all of Deshaun Watson's drop backs in the #Browns preseason game against the Commanders. One drive was all it took to show the vintage awareness and playmaking abilities on full display. Watson executed this drive and picked up first downs with his legs when pressure… pic.twitter.com/FgoEYqtoFY
— The Dawgs – A Cleveland Browns Podcast (@thedawgspodcast) August 14, 2023
His ADP had him as the QB33, and he was ranked 332 overall, according to FantasyData, in 2022. These rankings had him pretty much undrafted last year. Fantasy players could have gotten him with their last pick in the draft or off the waiver wire. Those who picked him up last season are getting an outstanding value for him entering this year, being that he has a 2023 ADP of 79 overall. His QB ranking has even skyrocketed to QB9 this offseason. He’s had a full offseason with his new team and will have the opportunity to play a full season with the Browns, not to mention he has solid weapons to throw the ball to. He is a great value in your Keeper League this year, as his ADP has him going in round 6 in 2023.
2. Evan Engram– Engram’s ADP has been dropping slowly but surely every year since his breakout rookie season. In 2022, his ADP took a huge dip. Before the season started, his ADP was 312 overall, which put him at TE22. He was another one that was pretty much not even getting drafted. If you were the one in your league to draft him last year, then you’re getting OUTSTANDING value for him this year because of his performance last year in Jacksonville. He also just received a long-term contract from them during this off-season, cementing his place in this potent Jaguars offense.
With all this being said, this explains why his 2023 ADP is at 84 overall and why he is ranked as the TE8, according to FantasyData. As a fantasy manager, you would get 7th-round value for a potential top TE in fantasy this season. This is a great advantage to your fantasy team.
3. Justin Fields– Fields’ Keeper value is the one from my list that I find is the most exciting due to the fact that his upside this year could be through the roof regarding fantasy production based on his projected fantasy point total this season. He has an upgrade in weapons and an upgraded offensive line from last season, which should help elevate his fantasy floor AND ceiling. Fields had a 2022 ADP of 141 overall and a QB ranking of 18. He was going in the 12th round in most leagues that season.
*Whispers* Justin Fields has just as high of a fantasy ceiling in 2023 as Mahomes, Allen, and Hurts 😏 pic.twitter.com/RlTPE0vjrf
— Kyle Lindemann (@LuckIsMadeFF) August 18, 2023
Because of what he did last year, plus all of the team upgrades the Bears have undergone this offseason, Fields is going between the 3rd and 4th rounds of drafts. Fields’ ADP is 47th overall, with a QB rank of 7. If fantasy managers have Justin Fields and have the chance to keep him this season, then their team’s advantage is crazy!!!!
4. Chris Olave– Olave is the number four player that I believe is a great keeper value due to the fact that he has a quarterback upgrade in Derek Carr as well as the fact that he fully established himself as the number-one receiving option in that offense in New Orleans, especially after his impressive performance his rookie year given the horrible quarterback play last season for the Saints.
As a rookie last year, his ADP was 109 overall, and he was drafted as the WR44 in redraft, which had him drafted between rounds 9 and 10. His ADP is 26th overall this season, and he is being drafted as the WR13. If you have Olave on your team, he is a great value for you as a keeper as you will be getting 2nd-round value for a 9th-round price.
5. Tony Pollard– The last player I have on my list is Tony Pollard. He played last year with an “Ezekiel Elliott problem” as Pollard’s opportunities were curtailed by Elliott’s playing time. He was clearly the most explosive back in the Cowboys backfield and one of the most explosive backs in the NFL. Last season, he had an ADP of 69, putting him at RB30.
"It's going to be the Tony Pollard show."@MatthewBerryTMR | #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/qFd0OiOsav
— Rotoworld Football (@rotoworld_fb) August 15, 2023
Last season, people drafted Tony Pollard between rounds 6 and 7 of the leagues on average. His ADP has risen to 16th this season, and he is ranked as the RB6. If you were to have Pollard as your keeper, you would be getting a 2nd round value for a potential RB1 on your roster in 2023 for a 2022 6th-round price. This is also great value.