Fantasy Football 2023: Why You Should (And Shouldn’t) Draft Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers might no longer be a fantasy football darling
For the majority of his Pro Football Hall of Fame-worthy career, Aaron Rodgers has been a no-hesitation pick in fantasy football drafts.
Now, it’s a different story.
Those who rostered Rodgers for his final season in Green Bay were seldomly rewarded in the 2022 fantasy campaign. The four-time MVP finished the season 13th among quarterbacks in total points, trailing the likes of Geno Smith, Kirk Cousins and Daniel Jones.
In Rodgers’ defense, he was dealing with a mediocre-at-best Packers offense and there probably was a lot going on behind the scenes in Green Bay. The 39-year-old now finds himself in a much better situation — at least on paper — but that doesn’t mean Rodgers is a no-brainer in fantasy drafts this year.
Here are cases both for and against appointing the 10-time Pro Bowl selection as your top QB.
Yes, draft Rodgers
Rodgers did not have a bonafide No. 1 wide receiver for his Packers swan song, as Davante Adams was in Las Vegas for his debut season with the Raiders.
But upon joining the Jets, Rodgers inherited an arsenal that’s headlined by a budding superstar.
Garrett Wilson managed to win Offensive Rookie of the Year despite catching passes from Zach Wilson, Mike White, Joe Flacco and Chris Streveler. Wilson caught 83 passes for 1,103 yards with four touchdowns, so imagine what he can do with one of the best quarterbacks of all time. Rodgers and the second-year wideout very well could be one of the league’s best offensive tandems this season.
Garrett Wilson isn’t the only reason to be confident about Rodgers’ 2023 fantasy prospects, though. Calling the offensive shots in the Meadowlands is Nathaniel Hackett, who was the Packers’ offensive coordinator for some of Rodgers’ best seasons to date. A pair of those campaigns ended with MVP Awards for the legendary signal-caller. Not only should Hackett get the best out of Rodgers, but the Jets OC should make his other players better in a role for which he’s much more suited.
But perhaps more than anything, this is Aaron Rodgers we’re talking about. Yes, last season was a mess by his standards, but it felt like an anomaly even while it was happening.
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No, don’t pursue Rodgers
Rodgers is one of the best throwers of the football we’ve ever seen, but he can only show off his rare talent if he stays upright.
And looking at the lay of the land in East Rutherford, that’s probably no guarantee.
Offensive line concerns in New York are warranted, especially after a series of lowlights in the preseason. The Jets’ big boys performed poorly enough that head coach Robert Saleh called out the group in a full-team meeting. So, unless New York improves that group midseason — maybe via friend of Aaron, David Bakhtiari — it could be a weak link for Gang Green all season long.
Speaking of weak, Jets pass-catchers outside of Wilson aren’t exactly imposing. Allen Lazard and Mecole Hardman are fine players, but not ones who will regularly wreak havoc on opposing defenses. It’s also unclear how much you can expect from running back Breece Hall, who’s coming off a torn ACL.
Rodgers and his supporting cast also will be tasked with working through a murderer’s row of opponents. New York carries one of the toughest regular-season schedules — per Pro Football Focus — and that includes a challenging opening stretch with matchups against the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles. Those defenses won’t make it easy for Rodgers and company to find their groove.
Lastly, the case against Rodgers has something to do with his QB counterparts. You don’t have to play for a great team to be a great fantasy player, so signal-callers like Justin Fields, Deshaun Watson, Jones and even rookie Anthony Richardson present fascinating value with their dual-threat abilities. None of them are better than Rodgers, but they all might be better fantasy options.
