Pondering some tough flex choices for your fantasy lineup? Adam Rank sorts through the running backs, receivers and tight ends to present his top 150 flex options each week for the 2023 fantasy football season, with some useful nuggets of analysis sprinkled in. The ranking is based on a 1.0 PPR scoring format.
NOTE: In a typical week, this ranking will be posted on Tuesday. Injury designations will be added, adjusted or removed as teams' official injury reports are made available. The following three designations will be reflected:
- (Q) -- Player is listed as questionable on their team's official injury report.
- (D) -- Player is listed as doubtful on their team's official injury report.
- (OUT) -- Player has been ruled out on their team's official injury report.
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FLEX RANKINGS: 1-50
- Putting together these rankings is always so interesting because you want to be mindful of defenses and whatnot. Over the weekend, some of the toughest defenses in the league were destroyed by players like Gardner Minshew (Cleveland) and Kirk Cousins (San Francisco). And I know mentioning Cousins like it was a surprise seems like a cheap shot, but the game was in prime time. We need to be cautious of matchups, but we can't always run from them. If that makes sense. It might not, but here are more notes as we head into Week 8. Reminder: There are no teams on bye this week. Let's jump in.
- Alvin Kamara will make you want to quit PPR leagues if he's not on your team because the dude is a cheat code. He's going to be a fantasy-league winner. He had 12 receptions in Week 7. Christian McCaffrey (11) is the only RB to have more games with 10-plus receptions than Kamara (7) since at least 1950, per NFL Research.
- I've asked if the A.J. Brown trade was the worst in the NFL over the last 25 years. I know the Deshaun Watson trade looks awful right now. I don't think the Russell Wilson deal was as bad as you might think. Brown is still ascending, though. The guy has had 125-plus receiving yards in five consecutive games.
- I'm not sure who needs to hear this, but Travis Kelce was good before Taylor Swift started attending Chiefs games. Imagine somebody just becoming a Swift fan after listening to Midnights, without ever acknowledging 1989. You would find that ridiculous. Similarly, I'd say that Travis has had a great career, but he's currently at the Reputation level and might not have reached his peak yet. Or at least he's as strong as ever.
- Don't forget DJ Moore caught eight passes for 54 yards on Sunday and has a better matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 8. And I'll be at the game!
- Amon-Ra St. Brown had 19 targets against the Ravens on Sunday. Just had to note that number.
- I understand the frustration with Bijan Robinson being active but not playing on Sunday. It's like from The Wedding Singer, in that it would have been better if his ailment had been brought to my attention yesterday (or before I had to set my lineup, in this case). If you didn't see the movie, you know the meme. I trust this won’t be a long-term issue.
- Puka Nacua is still good. This was going to be my guarantee last Friday, but I had already made that one within the last two weeks. I trust him. And Cooper Kupp is going to be just fine. Nacua joined Ja’Marr Chase as the only players in the Super Bowl era with 700-plus receiving yards through their first seven career games.
- Mike Evans is the Bucs pass-catcher to start every week. He had six receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown on eight targets against the Falcons on Sunday.
- Jonathan Taylor had 21 fantasy points in Week 7. His snaps and touches have increased in each game since he was activated from the physically unable to perform list. And now it seems like he's just about ready to take over the lead role for the Colts. It was fun, Zack Moss.
- Kenneth Walker III is coming off his first game of the season with 100-plus yards rushing. He had five such games as a rookie in 2022.
- Jerome Ford was ready to carry us to the playoffs, but he's reportedly . Kareem Hunt is a great play this week. Hunt had two TDs against the Colts on Sunday, marking the sixth time in his career he's posted two or more scores.
- Saquon Barkley is the most important member of the Giants' offense. When he's on the field, it opens things up for Darren Waller. Waller finished with 7 receptions for 98 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Commanders on Sunday.
FLEX RANKINGS: 51-100
- Javonte Williams had a season-high 15 carries for 82 rushing yards against the Packers. It seems like he's almost fully back to 100 percent.
- D’Onta Foreman was great against the Raiders on Sunday, scoring three touchdowns. And hey, take those fantasy points as they come to you. But realize his first touchdown came after DJ Moore's touchdown was taken off the board following a review by the replay official. Marcedes Lewis, in his 18th NFL season, was tackled at Las Vegas' 3-yard line before Foreman's second TD. It's great Foreman scored three times. But don't chase the points. Even against the Chargers in Week 8. This is going to be a huge game for Moore.
- Jahmyr Gibbs had a breakout performance against the Ravens. He ran the ball 11 times for 68 yards and a touchdown. Also, he had 10 targets that he turned into nine receptions for 58 yards. I'm not sure he will keep that pace once David Montgomery returns to the lineup. But it was encouraging and he has a tremendous matchup versus the Raiders in Week 8.
- Terry McLaurin had six receptions for 90 yards in the Commanders' road loss to the Giants, his most receiving yards in a game since Week 13 of last season (also at the Giants).
- George Pickens had five catches for 107 yards against the Rams. His eight targets led the Steelers. I would hang on to him. But he's a candidate to trade if you want to make a deal for some running back help.
- Josh Downs is legit. He leads the Colts in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in the last four games.
- Joshua Palmer was targeted seven times against the Chiefs, which ranked second among Chargers pass-catchers behind Keenan Allen. It's clear who Justin Herbert trusts on that team.
- The Ravens' running backs had a great game against a Lions run defense that had been shutting down opposing RBs this year. But Gus Edwards is the player you want to start from that group. Edwards had 15 touches against Detroit, while Justice Hill had just five.
- Romeo Doubs now has four receiving touchdowns this season. And I know you're congratulating Jayden Reed for his score, but the ball bounced off Doubs' hands on that play. Doubs is who you want.
- Kendrick Bourne has been a favorite of mine for weeks now. He's had 18 targets and 16 receptions over his last two outings. His upcoming schedule is nice, too. He's a low-end WR2 or high-end WR3, depending on how you see half-full glasses.
- I know a lot of you were disappointed in Kyle Pitts, who had three catches for 47 yards and no touchdowns against the Buccaneers. This is exactly what I told you was going to happen. He'll have stretches of monster weeks, but he's going to have games that are pedestrian. He's still a top-10 tight end, but he's much closer to Dalton Schultz than he is to Travis Kelce in terms of fantasy production.
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba scored his first career touchdown on Sunday, which was great. I'm not sure he's going to get the volume to be a consistent threat this season. I'm sorry. He's a great talent, but it's going to be wild trying to balance the touches between him, Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf, although Metcalf didn't play in Week 7 due to injury.
FLEX RANKINGS: 101-150
- Jahan Dotson was targeted eight times in Washington's loss to the Giants. I sense a big game is looming for him, but it's hard to count on a player who has yet to surpass 43 yards in a contest this season.
