Jerry Jeudy has had a disappointing start to his career, averaging just 52.3 catches and 765 yards while scoring nine total touchdowns in his first three seasons. Injuries have played a part in those paltry stats, and a preseason hamstring issue threatens to cause more problems for Jeudy to start 2023. With drafts rapidly approaching, fantasy football owners are likely wondering what they should do with Denver's presumed WR1.
Jeudy clearly has talent, but it's put-up-or-shut-up time for the former first-round draft pick. Denver is hoping offensive guru Sean Payton can bring out the best in Jeudy (and QB Russell Wilson), but the new injury could hinder that process.
Below, we'll break down Jeudy's 2023 fantasy outlook and decide whether he's a smart draft pick in fantasy football leagues.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: Ultimate 2023 Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Jerry Jeudy injury update: How long will Broncos' WR be out?
Jeudy (hamstring) pulled up lame in practice on Aug. 24, and it was announced later that day that he's expected to miss "several weeks." That likely means he'll be on the sidelines for at least Week 1, and it wouldn't be shocking if his absence extended into Weeks 2 and 3.
Bottom line -- if you're willing to take a chance on Jeudy, you should be prepared for him to miss the first month of the season. If he returns before that, consider it a bonus.
2023 PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Ks | Top 200 | S-Flex | IDP
Jerry Jeudy's 2023 fantasy ranking and ADP
UPDATE: Jeudy will not go on IR to start the season, indicating he'll be back by at least Week 4, if not sooner.
Entering the season, SN Fantasy has Jeudy ranked as the No. 28 WR in standard formats and the No. 28 WR in PPR. The upside is there for a much higher finish, but until we see the Broncos' offense actually produce under Sean Payton's tutelage, it's tough to count on Jeudy for consistent production.
FantasyPros has Jeudy's ADP at No. 54 in PPR formats and No. 56 in standard ones. His ADP translates to the overall WR23 in PPR formats and the WR23 in standard.
In PPR formats, other WRs coming off the board around the same time as Jeudy include D.J. Moore (WR21), Terry McLaurin (WR22), Christian Watson (WR24), and Mike Williams (WR25). In standard formats, those WRs include DeAndre Hopkins (WR21), Watson (WR22), McLaurin (WR24), and Drake London (WR25).
2023 STANDARD RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Ks | Top 200 | S-Flex | IDP
Jerry Jeudy's fantasy outlook 2023
Despite missing two games last year, Jeudy had his best season, posting 67 catches (100 targets) for 972 yards and six TDs. A more efficient, pass-happy offense figures to bolster his production, and even with plenty of competition for targets and touches (Courtland Sutton, Greg Dulcich, Marvin Mims, Javonte Williams), Jeudy should stand out as the top option in the passing game.
2023 FANTASY SLEEPERS
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Each Team
Denver allowed a league-high 63 sacks last season, and if their o-line significantly improves, as many are predicting, it will go a long way toward helping Russell Wilson and the offense be more efficient and have more scoring opportunities. That only increases Jeudy's floor and ceiling.
2023 AUCTION VALUES (Standard & PPR):
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Ks | Overall
Injury risk is always a concern when drafting an already banged-up player like Jeudy, and Draft Sharks' injury predictor unsurprisingly pegs him as "high risk," projecting him to miss 2.3 games in 2023. That actually seems low given his current situation, and the risk of another injury later in the season also remains high.
2023 POSITION TIERS & DRAFT STRATEGY:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/ST
Again, Jeudy could easily pay off his ADP if he only misses one or two games and breaks out as many expect in Denver's new-look offense, but the risk is obvious. The good news is he appears to have a higher floor when he's on the field, so he's unlikely to "bust" based solely on production. As long as you have decent backups, using a sixth-round pick on Jeudy could prove to be a sharp move. You don't want to reach too much higher unless we start getting positive reports out of Denver. If Jeudy is somehow expected to be ready for Week 1, he could conceivably be worth a fourth-round pick.
