Pondering some tough flex choices for your fantasy lineup? Adam Rank sorts through the running backs, receivers and tight ends to present his top 150 flex options each week for the 2023 fantasy football season, with some useful nuggets of analysis sprinkled in. The ranking is based on a 1.0 PPR scoring format.
NOTE: In a typical week, this ranking will be posted on Tuesday. Injury designations will be added, adjusted or removed as teams' official injury reports are made available. The following three designations will be reflected:
- (Q) -- Player is listed as questionable on his team’s official injury report.
- (D) -- Player is listed as doubtful on his team’s official injury report.
- (OUT) -- Player has been ruled out on his team's official injury report.
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FLEX RANKINGS: 1-50
- If you are reading this, congratulations! That must mean you’ve advanced in the fantasy playoffs. Or maybe you just love reading my thoughts? Probably not the case. But I appreciate you being here, regardless of your motivations.
- I do want to start off with some thoughts on Sam LaPorta. In the coming offseason, I anticipate a lot of column inches will be devoted to projecting where LaPorta should go in next season's fantasy drafts. Plenty will demand that the Lions tight end should be a first-round pick -- like Chiefs TE Travis Kelce was this year -- and it’s hard to argue with the reasoning. LaPorta's well on his way to becoming a league winner for a bunch of us in his debut season. I’m not going to make a rash judgement at the moment, but I feel like I’m going to be a menace when it comes to advocating for LaPorta next year. (And I’m sure it won’t backfire on me at all ...) Per NFL Research, LaPorta is already the first rookie tight end in league history with at least 70 receptions, 700 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns. The only other rookie tight ends to even reach those latter two thresholds (700 yards and seven TDs): Hall of Famers Mike Ditka and John Mackey. Pretty good company, eh?
- I'm going to assume Tyreek Hill (ankle) will return to action for Sunday's massive showdown with the Cowboys. In Hill's absence last week, Jaylen Waddle posted an 8/142/1 line in a blowout of the Jets. Both receivers figure to be must-starts this week.
- Derek Carr had a great game in this past Sunday's 24-6 win over the Bears. He had three touchdown passes. Those passes did not go to Alvin Kamara or Rashid Shaheed, though. Instead, it was Juwan Johnson, Jimmy Graham and Keith Kirkwood on the receiving end. Why do we take part in this fool’s errand of a game?! OK, Kamara did have 110 scrimmage yards, with 44 coming on five receptions. New Orleans' star back has now started his NFL career with seven straight seasons of 1,000-plus scrimmage yards -- the most by a single player in Saints history.
- Amon-Ra St. Brown posted a game-high seven receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown in the Lions' 42-17 throttling of the Broncos. He’s the third player in NFL history with 90-plus receptions and 900-plus receiving yards in each of his first three seasons, joining Odell Beckham Jr. and Michael Thomas.
- James Cook spearheaded Buffalo's 31-10 beatdown of Dallas, as the second-year back posted career highs in rushing (179) and scrimmage (221) yards. Per NFL Research, he’s the fourth player in Bills history to have 200-plus scrimmage yards along with a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game. You can probably guess two of the other players (Hall of Famers Thurman Thomas and O.J. Simpson). The third was Greg Bell. I hope the Bills continue to let Cook cook. This is what we’ve wanted all season. And it’s helping me in my consolation bracket -- which sounds like a joke, but our consolation-bracket winner gets the first pick in the draft next year.
- I know that Arthur Smith hates your fantasy team. I sometimes wonder if he hates the Atlanta Falcons, too. I kid. Or do I?? Bijan Robinson had seven carries for 11 rushing yards in the 9-7 loss to the lowly Panthers. It was Cordarrelle Patterson who logged the 2-yard touchdown. My conjecture is Robinson has the bounce-back game against Indianapolis this week.
- Bengals RB Joe Mixon has scored at least one touchdown in seven of his last eight games. That'll play.
- Dolphins RB Raheem Mostert will end up being a league winner for a lot of us. Two touchdowns helped salvage an inefficient day vs. the Jets, but he did have 15 rushing attempts in a tough matchup, which was nice. Dallas will be another tough matchup here.
- Jets WR Garrett Wilson had a bad game against the Dolphins. No doubt about it. And if you survived, that’s great. Love this week's matchup against the Commanders. I don’t know how you can stay away, given Washington's horrendous pass defense. Frankly, I feel like I might have him rated too low. Well, until I look at the Jets' QB situation. Not having Aaron Rodgers this year was such a crusher.
- 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk managed just three receptions for 37 yards in the win over the Cardinals. Tough matchup against the Ravens this coming Monday, but I’m going back to him.
- Horrible news for Baltimore with RB Keaton Mitchell's season-ending injury, which is why I've moved up Gus Edwards. Justice Hill is back in the mix, too. Ravens TE Isaiah Likely is also a good play.
- Chiefs rookie WR Rashee Rice had at least nine targets for the fourth straight week. He also had a touchdown. I know Patrick Mahomes is in the midst of his worst fantasy season. It’s like when Brad Pitt did The Audition. I feel like Rice and Mahomes are going to be a worthy stack next season.
FLEX RANKINGS: 51-100
- I discussed Sam LaPorta earlier. Let's start off this section with some TE talk, too! We’re all aware Trey McBride just posted 10 receptions for 102 yards against the 49ers. Now he's going up against the Bears, who just gave up a monster game to David Njoku. If the Bears try to guard the tight end with a defensive tackle again, I’d expect similar results.
- Speaking of Njoku, the Browns tight end has three touchdowns in his last two games. He just set a career high with 10 receptions against Chicago.
- I still don’t know why Jaguars WR Calvin Ridley didn’t get that touchdown.
- Baker Mayfield has favored Mike Evans for most of the season. It was nice to see Chris Godwin leading the way with 12 targets (which he converted into 10 catches for 155 yards) against the Packers. That was large. And the hype for the Bucs' offense is going to be huge this week.
- Noah Brown dominated the Texans' target share with 11 against the Titans. He had eight receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown.
- In Carolina's second win (vs. Atlanta), Adam Thielen led the Panthers with seven targets, which was nice to see. But his numbers are way down in the second half of the season.
- When it comes to the Rams, we know to go with Kyren Williams, Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. But what about Demarcus Robinson? He did have a touchdown this past week and could be an emergency add for you. Los Angeles has won four of its last five games and is right in the thick of the playoff race.
FLEX RANKINGS: 101-150
- How can we trust Steelers players in the fantasy game? Pittsburgh has scored fewer than 20 points in five consecutive games. That’s the longest single-season streak for the Steelers since 1969. They drafted Terry Bradshaw the following year.
- Dontayvion Wicks had seven targets against Tampa, though Jayden Reed continues to be the Green Bay receiver to roster. RB Aaron Jones was fine in his return to the Packers. Should be much better this week against the 2-12 Panthers.
- Good luck in the fantasy semifinals!