Fantasy Upside
Davante Adams didn’t seem to miss Aaron Rodgers too much. He was the WR3 in half-PPR fantasy points last season and he led the league with 14 receiving touchdowns. Adams now has double-digit touchdowns in six of his last seven seasons and over 1,000 yards in four of his last five. He’s been healthy all season for two straight years now after missing time earlier in his career. The Raiders still have a creative offensive mind in Josh McDaniels, and Adams should remain a focal point of the Las Vegas offense.
Fantasy Downside
Adams should still be in his prime, but he’s getting older. He turns 31 in December and is entering his 10th season in the NFL. The biggest downside to drafting him at the end of the first round, however, is an iffy quarterback situation. While Jimmy Garoppolo should be nearly a wash with Derek Carr - now in New Orleans - he’s currently not a lock to start Week 1. He also has a pretty concerning injury history, missing at least six games in all but two of his six seasons in San Francisco. If Garoppolo can’t stay healthy, the Raiders are looking at Brian Hoyer at quarterback.
2023 Bottom Line
Ultimately, we’re betting talent wins out over the questions in Las Vegas, and that Adams maintains his role as an elite fantasy receiver. That said, he’s awfully expensive at the back end of the first round. Fantasy managers might want to hold off at that price and take someone in an offense projected to be a little more consistent.