2023 Top 30 Fantasy Football Free Agents Countdown: 25 to 21
There is now less than a month until NFL Free Agency officially opens, and even before that the “legal tampering period” begins 48 hours earlier. Although fantasy managers cannot do much in terms of preparing for free agency, the player movement that will inevitably happen is going to change opportunities and much more for a lot of fantasy-relevant players.
What is going to be essential to know is what players could be on the move, as they could leave behind opportunities for other players on their old team, they could gain new opportunities with a new NFL team, and they could push other players out of their opportunities.
To get you the information you need about NFL free agency and its possible impact on fantasy we are going to count down the top 30 Fantasy Football Free Agents over a series of articles. Make sure you don’t miss out on the countdown from 30 to 26. Right now we are going to look from 25 to 21 on our free agents countdown.
25. Rashaad Penny, RB
The first running back to figure on this list, Rashaad Penny is coming off of another injury. Penny’s injury history speaks for itself, and with Kenneth Walker III emerging as the RB1 in Seattle, it is difficult to see an avenue for Penny to get back to being a lead back anywhere in the league.
We know who he is as a player, and he can do damage when being the main ball carrier, but he cannot stay healthy to sustain such a workload, making him seem more suited for a backup role somewhere. Going back to Seattle as a backup is probably the best bet for him to be relevant for fantasy.
24. Mecole Hardman, WR
If an NFL team wants to add speed to their roster, they need to look no further than Mecole Hardman. Hardman seemed to have fallen down the depth chart in Kansas City and is now an impending free agent. Given how little success he has had with the Chiefs, it stands to reason that he will not be re-signing in KC.
In terms of fantasy value, it might actually be good with a change of scenery for Hardman, who might find success and more opportunities elsewhere. If he can find a team that is going to utilize his speed and playmaking ability, he might become a good fantasy asset in the future.
23. Geno Smith, QB
Coming almost out of nowhere this season, Geno Smith had a pretty incredible rise from the ashes. Previously deemed by most to be an eternal backup after never breaking through as the Jets starting QB, Geno Smith finally got the chance to be a starter again after the Seahawks traded away QB Russell Wilson.
Smith had a good season, which is why it might be weird to see him this far down the Top 30 fantasy football free agents rankings, but I am not ready yet to put him a lot higher on this list, for the simple reason that we have never seen this from Geno Smith before this season.
Maybe things have just clicked for Geno, but he was a backup for a reason before this season, so there is a chance that this was a fluke, and he now reverts back to what he was. If not, then let us hope, for fantasy purposes, that he stays with Seattle, as that is probably the best place for his fantasy value.
22. Raheem Mostert, RB
Just like the Dolphins team overall had a very up-and-down season, so did Raheem Mostert. He had his good games, but he also had some bad games, especially after Jeff Wilson changed teams from the 49ers to the Dolphins. Mostert is a dynamic running back who can take it to the house on any given play, and generally, he is a very efficient runner.
What goes against Mostert is that he is now 30 years old, and there are a lot of better running backs available in free agency as well as in the 2023 NFL Draft. Slotting in at 21 on the top 30 fantasy football free agents countdown list does not bode well for Mostert, who might be relegated to a backup role on whatever team he signs with, and will only work as a change-of-pace runner or in the case a starter gets injured. If this is the case, he is going to be buried on dynasty rosters and might become a casualty of roster cuts when fantasy managers need to make room for some of the enticing rookie running backs that will be coming into the league.
21. Samaje Perine, RB
This is a very interesting case. Samaje Perine has shown that he can be productive when given the chance to be the starter in cases where Joe Mixon has been hurt.
Perine is now a free agent, and with a strong RB rookie class, Perine might not be at the top of NFL teams’ list. However, there is an avenue for Perine to become very fantasy relevant. If the Bengals decide to cut Joe Mixon, which will save them $10 million in cap space. If the Bengals do that and re-sign Perine to spearhead the backfield for a season before they turn it over to a rookie they draft on Day 2 or 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft, Perine could have a very good fantasy season in 2023.
That being said, Perine has a very wide range of outcomes as a free agent, most of which do not bode very well for his fantasy outlook.
Top 30 Fantasy Football Free Agents
Thank you for taking the time to read the 2023 Top 30 Fantasy Football Free Agents Countdown: 25 to 21 article. Make sure to keep an eye out for our frequent updates to rookie rankings – you can find 1QB & Superflex right here on RotoHeat.com. If you want to chat fantasy football, you can follow me on Twitter and/or join the RotoHeat Discord. Most importantly you should make sure to Subscribe to us on YouTube, where we drop daily shorts, weekly live streams, and in-depth videos!
