Three bounce-back candidates for fantasy football

With the 2023 NFL preseason behind us, fantasy football drafts are ramping up. Players with extensive injury histories usually fall down draft boards as fantasy managers fear they'll suffer the same fate again. But in some instances, like 2012 Adrian Peterson or Saquon Barkley last season, players can bounce back to an elite level.

Here are three players who could enjoy a resurgent 2023 season. 

Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver

Allen might be on the wrong side of 30 and dealt with hamstring issues last season, yet it's impossible not to get excited about his potential in this Chargers offense. Yes, we ideally shouldn't target players who are more susceptible to injuries, but is it fair to deem Allen injury-prone? After all, 2022 was the first season he missed more than two games since 2016. 

And when he was fully healthy, Allen was as dominant as ever. From Week 11 on, Allen was the WR3 in PPR scoring formats, recording 60 receptions for 675 yards and four touchdowns. The target volume Allen receives typically gives him one of the safest floors among wide receivers, but if he finds the end zone a few more times, he should once again be a top-10 fantasy wideout. 

The addition of one of the better offensive minds in the NFL should help Allen fully bounce back. OC Kellen Moore comes over from Dallas, where he helped propel wideout CeeDee Lamb to fantasy superstardom, with Lamb finishing as last season's WR5. Considering Lamb played 62.5 percent of his snaps out of the slot last season, his utilization and output could be comparable to what's in store for Allen, who played 64.3 percent of his snaps from the slot in 2022. 

Darren Waller, New York Giants tight end

It's been a while since Waller was a top-12 fantasy tight end, though he has shown to have one of the highest ceilings at his position. The 30-year-old finished as the TE3 and the TE2 overall in 2019 and 2020, respectively, mainly because he has been one of the few tight ends who acts as the top option in their teams' passing attacks.

Waller gets to continue being the leading pass-catcher on his team following his offseason trade to the Giants, a squad that desperately needed an elite weapon for quarterback Daniel Jones. Although the jury's still out on how Jones will perform, the signal-caller has already begun building a strong rapport with Waller. 

During his lone drive this preseason, Waller was targeted four times by Jones, with the two connecting on three passes for 30 yards. Waller lined up all over the field and reigning NFL Coach of the Year Brian Daboll will surely continue finding creative ways to use his new tight end.

J.K. Dobbins, Baltimore Ravens running back

While there are legitimate concerns about whether Dobbins can finally play a full NFL season, he's still a key component of an elite rushing attack and has proven to be effective when healthy. The 24-year-old missed the entire 2021 season with a torn ACL and the recovery process, along with another knee injury, limited him to just eight games last season.

Entering a contract year, the pressure is on for Dobbins to turn in his best season yet. Taking a chance on a running back seeking a contract extension worked well with Josh Jacobs last season and Dobbins is in an ideal situation to follow suit.

In terms of rushing efficiency, few have been more productive than Dobbins, as he is tied for the second-highest yards per attempt through a player's first two seasons with at least 200 carries in NFL history (5.9). Despite being essentially a non-factor in the receiving game (25 career receptions), Dobbins has hinted that that may change this season under new OC Todd Monken, which drastically raises his value in PPR scoring formats.

Unless you're a Ravens fan, Dobbins probably doesn't instill confidence when you click on his name in drafts, but if he stays on the field, his ceiling is much higher than other mid-round running back options.