The NFL season is just a few weeks away, and many are putting together their fantasy draft boards or have already made their selections in hopes to avoid spending 24 hours in Waffle House again this year(me included).
Let’s not lie to ourselves, bias comes in when you’re deciding between a few players every time on the clock. For many in Clemson, it’s hard to shy away from selecting the former Tigers. With that in mind, I’ve crafted the best fantasy team possible with only those who wore the Paw.
QB – Trevor Lawrence
This may be the year that Lawrence cements himself as one of the NFL’s best. Last season, he had the opposite of a sophomore slump and three for over 4,000 yards, 25 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. Deshaun Watson is an honorable mention here, but Lawrence feels much more reliable in the spot and his upside is being a top-five fantasy quarterback.
RB – Travis Etienne Jr.
Lawrence’s partner in crime, Etienne showed what everyone knew in 2022 after missing his first season. A 1,000 yard rusher, he had just five touchdowns on the year which seems like an anamoly. Mix in his prowess as a pass-catcher and he’ll be elite in PPR.
WR1 – Tee Higgins
Yes, I know. I didn’t put Hopkins at the top slot here and that’s because Higgins is playing with Joe Burrow and entering a contract year. He’s an elite red zone threat and had seven touchdowns while eclipsing 1,000 yards for the second year in a row. He’ll be elite again and so will that Bengals offense.
WR2 – DeAndre Hopkins
Hopkins came into the NFL and instantly became one of the league’s best. Injuries have derailed some of that greatness and the mess in Arizona wasn’t his fault.
There’s still no doubt about his talent and I’m not counting out the 31-year-old with 71 touchdowns in his career. He’s due for a resurgence and this can be his opportunity with the Tennessee Titans.
TE – Davis Allen
Allen is a rookie, but it’ll be interesting to see how much opportunity he gets in his first season. He’s had a strong preseason but he’s buried in the depth chart as the year approaches. Talent is an abundance, but it may take time before the Rams give him chances in the regular season.
FLEX – Mike Williams/Hunter Renfrow
I couldn’t pick between these two. Renfrow had a down year in 2022, but he’s the definition of reliable and the injuries shouldn’t be an issue this season.
On the other hand Williams is a touchdown scorer for the Chargers. The 6-foot-4 receiver is Justin Herbert’s home-run target and he had 895 yards last year in just 13 games. If he puts together a full season, he’ll have his third 1,000-yard year.