Anthony Richardson fantasy outlook: Is Colts QB a good pick in 2023?

Anthony Richardson is one of the most exciting prospects to watch, regardless of position, entering the 2023 NFL season. The fact that he's a rookie quarterback that has already been named a Week 1 starter just further increases the anticipation of what type of player he can be at the next level. This is especially true for fantasy football, where his skillset is extremely desirable.

Elite athleticism and rushing abilities often translate to strong fantasy football production, while relative inexperience and lack of proven passing production make any quarterback a major risk. This makes Richardson one of the most polarizing fantasy targets this season.

---

Anthony Richardson's 2023 Fantasy Outlook

Anthony Richardson

Anthony Richardson is one of the most difficult quarterbacks to make accurate projections on for the upcoming 2023 fantasy football season. He arguably has the widest range of realistic possible outcomes of any player in any position this year. There are just as many red flags for why he could be a complete bust as there are legitimate reasons he can quickly become a superstar.

This dilemma for Richardson is valid in fantasy football, as well as the real NFL. Despite being an extremely risky prospect, the Indianapolis Colts confidently selected him with the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. They obviously believe that his upside outweighs his red flags, with apparently his elite athleticism being attractive enough to overcome his lack of proven passing abilities.

Making the Colts one of the most ideal landing spots for Richardson is the fact that they recently hired Shane Steichen to take over as their head coach. Steichen served as offensive coordinator for the Philadephia Eagles last year when Jalen Hurts had a breakout season to be among the NFL MVP favorites.

Steichen obviously already knows how to get the most out of a dynamic rushing quarterback. If anyone can develop Richardson to his full potential, he's one of the best overall candidates to do so.

---

Is Anthony Richardson a good pick in Fantasy Football this year?

Anthony Richardson

Anthony Richardson put together one of the most impressive athletic performances by any quarterback ever during the NFL Combine. This includes setting new NFL records in the jumping categories and running one of the fastest 40-yard dash times by any quarterback ever. This gives him incredible upside, especially in fantasy football.

Being able to consistently contribute rushing statistics is an absolute assett for fantasy football quarterbacks. Some recent examples include Justin Fields and Daniel Jones during the 2022 NFL season last year. Each of them ranked among the top ten quarterbacks in fantasy points per game, despite their lack of big passing numbers, such as yards and touchdowns.

---

Check out the fantasy football trade analyzer to get the best value out of every move.

---

Jones and Fields, as well as many others over the years, demonstrated that a rushing quarterback can thrive in fantasy football, despite their relative value in the real NFL. Richardson is a far superior athlete to both Jones and Fields when comparing all of their measurables, including size, speed, and explosiveness. This is what makes him such an exciting prospect.

The massive upside that comes along with Richardson has resulted in many fantasy managers targeting him in their drafts. His lack of proven passing, which he didn't show much with the Florida Gators, is what's making other managers avoid him.

---

Where should you draft Anthony Richardson this year?

Anthony Richardson

Anthony Richardson is currently ranked as the QB15 and 107th overall player in upcoming 2023 fantasy football drafts, according to his recent ADP. This means he profiles as a back end starter or valuable bench piece in traditional fantasy leagues where each team starts just one quarterback. His value significantly increases in Dynatsy leagues, as well as in 2QB and Superflex formats.

Managers looking to land Richardson during their fantasy drafts will likely need to target him around the ninth round, but that varies greatly due to his polarizing nature. Many drafters are taking the gamble by selecting him much earlier, hoping he can meet his massive upside of being the next Lamar Jackson, or better. He could realistically be the biggest steal of the draft, but also may be the biggest overall bust this year.

His current ADP suggests that Richardson is often being selected around the same time as Geno Smith and Kirk Cousins in most fantasy drafts. While Anthony Richardson clearly has a higher ceiling than each of the two veterans, his floor is also significantly lower. This is why he works best as a QB2 on most fantasy rosters, to reduce some of his risks while still owning his elite upside.