Best ball summer continues to heat up as training camp approaches. The ADP has begun to solidify, so let’s get into the biggest risers and fallers of the past week for 2023 Best Ball leagues, using projections and Stokastic’s Best Ball rankings.
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NFL Best Ball Risers & Fallers: July 5
Best Ball ADP Ranking Risers
Jalin Hyatt (New York Giants): +12 — This Week’s Biggest Best Ball Riser
Previous Best Ball ADP: 190.5
Current Best Ball ADP: 178.5
New York’s Jalin Hyatt comes in as the biggest riser in best ball over the past week. Drafted at pick 73 in the third round, Hyatt comes out of Tennessee 6-0, 176 pounds with a 4.4 40-yard dash. The speedster logged 67 catches for 1,267 yards and 15 scores in his final year at Tennessee. More importantly, he will now play for Brian Daboll and a New York Giants offense that exceeded expectations last year.
Part of the reason for the Hyatt hype could be the recent buzz surrounding Daniel Jones. We are no stranger to that buzz and currently rank Jones well ahead of ADP. We even wrote about it last week. With stacking’s importance, Jones drafters will want to add a pass catcher as well. Outside of Darren Waller, Jones’ pass catchers remain unsettled. Wan’Dale Robinson and Sterling Shepard come off significant injuries. Darius Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins, and Parris Campbell have all flashed, but never put together a full season of solid play. Even with a rising ADP, Hyatt remains as good of a bet as any other receiver on this roster.
Josh Downs (Indianapolis Colts): +7.4
Previous Best Ball ADP: 210.3
Current Best Ball ADP: 202.8
Another rookie on the rise, Josh Downs has climbed over seven spots on Underdog Fantasy over the week. Downs also enters the NFL as an intriguing receiver. He came off the board in round three after posting two seasons north of 1,000 yards at North Carolina. Down stands 5-9, 171 pounds and ran a 4.48 40-yard dash.
Similar to the Giants, Colts stacks continue to gain hype with Anthony Richardson coming off the board just outside the top ten quarterbacks. Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce theoretically hold down the WR1 and WR2 positions. However, Indianapolis doesn’t have a clear WR3. Isaiah McKenzie, Ashton Dulin, and Mike Strachan are among the names competing with Downs for this role. With that group showing little over the last few years, many assume Downs will claim this role. We’ve been bullish on Downs for a while now. Our ranks currently have him at WR83, while he comes off the board at WR89 on Underdog.
Chase Claypool (Chicago Bears): +5.5
Previous Best Ball ADP: 206.8
Current Best Ball ADP: 201.3
A bit perplexing, Chase Claypool has received plenty of negative press this offseason regarding his work ethic. Honestly, his rise in ADP could come down to Chicago’s putrid wide receiver room outside of DJ Moore and Darnell Mooney. Claypool will compete with the likes of Dante Pettis, Equanimeous St. Brown, and rookie Tyler Scott for WR3 snaps. With that said, Chicago did sign Robert Tonyan from Green Bay to join Cole Kmet this offseason. Perhaps Chicago just elects to use more 12-personnel, keeping a WR3 off the field altogether. Don’t expect Claypool to rise any higher.
Best Ball ADP Ranking Fallers
Tim Patrick (Denver Broncos): -15.2 — This Week’s Biggest Best Ball Faller
Previous Best Ball ADP: 187.6
Current Best Ball ADP: 202.8
Denver Broncos receiver Tim Patrick finds himself sliding down draft boards on Underdog Fantasy. An epic story, Patrick went from undrafted to catching 53 balls for 734 yards in 2021. Unfortunately, a season-ending injury cost Patrick all of 2022 and now his starting spot looks less secure in 2023.
Speaking to that, the Broncos receiver room consists of Jerry Jeudy and Courtland Sutton at the top. From there, the team went out and spent a day two pick on Oklahoma rookie Marvin Mims. A deep threat specialist, Mims possesses the ability to play in and out of the slot. Reading the tea leaves here, this could mean less playing time for Patrick this season. Our rankings currently have Mims below ADP and Patrick just narrowly ahead. These rankings will change with news, but right now there is nothing concrete suggesting Patrick has been jumped on the depth chart.
DeVante Parker (New England Patriots): -9.4
Previous Best Ball ADP: 205.5
Current Best Ball ADP: 214.9
Another interesting faller, DeVante Parker may see his ADP rise again after signing an extension with New England last week. Prior to the signing, it seemed like people had begun to worry about the amount of pass catchers in the offense. The Patriots signed JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mike Gesicki this offseason. Last year, they spent a day two pick on Tyquan Thornton. All of that doesn’t even include veterans Kendrick Bourne and Hunter Henry. With that said, New England’s commitment to Parker should cause his ADP to normalize, which is where we have it in the rankings.
Brock Purdy (San Francisco 49ers): -6.9
Previous Best Ball ADP: 174.3
Current Best Ball ADP: 181.2
A surprising faller on Underdog Fantasy, Brock Purdy now comes off the board outside the top 180 picks. While Purdy did flash last year, there are a few concerns. His injury will take most of the offseason to heal. While most expect him to be ready for Week 1, this isn’t guaranteed. San Francisco also has capable backups. Two former top-five picks in Trey Lance and Sam Darnold occupy those roster spots. Should Purdy start slow, how long will San Francisco give him to improve?
His fall may also have more to do with the quarterbacks getting drafted around him. Kenny Pickett, Bryce Young, and CJ Stroud should all start and play the entire season, barring injury. Those three just come with a little more job security than Prudy. With that said, Purdy’s skill position players project significantly ahead of those three. For that reason, we will continue to play for upside and keep Purdy as an ADP value.
