Fantasy Upside
Joe Burrow will enter the 2023 season as a top-five fantasy quarterback as he has proven to be one of the top signal-callers in the NFL. He probably is blessed with the best supporting cast around him. Burrow has thrown for over 4,400 yards in each of the past two seasons and the Bengals have continued to invest in his offensive line. He also nearly doubled his previous career-highs in both rushing yards (257) and rushing TDs (5) in 2022, although nobody will mistake him for Josh Allen or Jalen Hurts anytime soon.
Fantasy Downside
The biggest issue going into the 2023 might be the looming contract situation. Like with anybody, it can become a distraction. Burrow also seems to still hold on to the ball too long and although his sacks came down last year, he was still sacked 41 times. Another thing that was negative is that Cincy did not find Burrow a legit target at tight end, as Irv Smith will be average at the position.
2023 Bottom Line
Burrow ranks fourth in fantasy quarterbacks entering this season with an ADP in the late-second or early-third round. We really like the weapons around him as all four of the top playmakers return for Cincinnati. The other thing besides the high production is Burrow ended the season with only five weekly finishes outside the top 12. That consistency is important when you draft a QB that high.