Anthony Richardson Is a Late-Round QB to Target in Fantasy Football Drafts

Over the past 10-plus seasons, we've seen a ton of polarizing quarterback prospects go in the first round.

There have been question marks over the likes of Cam Newton, Lamar Jackson, and Kyler Murray and how well they could play in the NFL, specifically as passers.

These three were all elite athletes, though, and the same can be said for Anthony Richardson as he enters the league. Will he pass as well as the other three to be an elite fantasy quarterback?

Anthony Richardson Fantasy Football Projection

(Projections via numberFire)

2023 Projected Stats: 3,208 passing yards, 16.98 passing TDs, 11.25 INTs, 847 rushing yards, 6.5 rushing TDs
2023 Projected Points: 286.37 points
numberFire Positional Projection: QB17

Anthony Richardson Fantasy Football Outlook

Elite Athlete

Heading into the NFL Combine in March, many people expected Anthony Richardson to test well. Just from watching him play at Florida, he demonstrated his athleticism often.

But people probably didn't know that Richardson would test as the most athletic quarterback of all time.

If you take a look at his player profiler page, that's exactly where he landed. We haven't seen many football players at 6'4", 244 lbs run a 4.43 40-yard dash -- regardless of position.

But there were people who didn't believe he had the accuracy to be a top quarterback prospect. In 12 starts last season, his completion percentage was a dismal 53.8%. Richardson started just 13 total games in college, too, another potential red flag.

There are many different aspects of Richardson's scouting report. Many of his inaccurate throws were on short passes from 1-10 yards beyond the line of scrimmage. His arm strength isn't in question, and he's able to complete difficult throws down the field. It's just some misfires he has in his game that a more refined, accurate passer would not make.

Despite the concerns, the Indianapolis Colts made him the fourth-overall pick in the 2023 draft and likely have some plans on how to use him effectively.

Richardson definitely does not need to be the most precise quarterback to be dynamite in fantasy. Cam Newton had five seasons as a top-five fantasy quarterback and never had a completion percentage better than 61.7% in any of them.

Of course, getting to 61.7% in the NFL requires quite a leap from 53.8% in college. The good news is the Colts' coaching staff features some of the same people who helped Jalen Hurts develop into a solid NFL passer after that was in question when he was first drafted.

A Potential Top-10 Fantasy QB in 2023?

There's always a ton of uncertainty for rookie quarterbacks, which makes forecasting them extremely difficult. Even top prospects like Trevor Lawrence have not played as well as expected in their first seasons.

Richardson comes into a team that was fairly dysfunctional last season. Luckily for him, a new coaching staff was brought in during the offseason. Shane Steichen spent the previous two seasons as the Eagles' offensive coordinator, and some credit for their success last season has to go to him.

A hallmark of the Colts' teams that were playoff contenders in the post-Andrew Luck years was one of the best offensive lines in football. That took a step back last season, as they allowed the second-most sacks in the league.

This may change, however, with Richardson being much more mobile than Matt Ryan. Richardson took only 13 sacks in his season as the starter, according to PFF. Indianapolis still has three members of its elite offensive line in Quinton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, and Braden Smith.

The weapons he has at his disposal are reasonable ones, too. He'll have Michael Pittman Jr.as his number one receiver. Pittman caught 99 passes last season despite the dysfunction and subpar quarterback play from Ryan and Sam Ehlinger.

A few other receivers on the Colts' roster have some promise. Alec Pierce didn't have the most productive rookie season, but the quarterback play can excuse that a bit. He's 6'3" and ran a 4.41 40-yard dash, which is a great athletic profile. Isaiah McKenzie has joined the team from the Buffalo Bills and can be used as a gadget player to give Richardson some easy completions with the potential for yards after the catch.

There isn't one stand-out tight end, but the trio of Mo Alie-Cox, Kylen Granson, and Jelani Woods have all shown flashes of talent. Woods is intriguing in particular, with a 6'7" frame and a 4.61 time in the 40. He was able to catch three touchdowns last season, which is nothing to sneeze at for a rookie tight end.

These playmakers aren't elite by any means but should allow Richardson to have some weapons he can feel comfortable throwing to. The passing numbers don't need to be elite for Richardson to break into the top 10 at the position.

Richardson is the rare athlete at quarterback who can break long runs. We've seen it from Lamar Jackson, Michael Vick, and Robert Griffin III over the years, but not many others. Even Hurts only has two runs above 30 yards in his NFL career.

In college, Richardson had some incredible runs, including an 81-yard touchdown against LSU. He's built more like a running back and would be considered a physical marvel even at that position.

Given his size and his coach, it seems reasonable to expect Richardson to score some touchdowns on the "push play." If he can score on those plays, as well as scoring from distance and adding yards from scrambles, it's not out of the question that he scores the most rushing fantasy points of any quarterback in 2023.

Where Should We Draft Anthony Richardson in 2023?

Right now, Richardson is going as the QB16, according to Fantasy Pros. That sees him getting drafted at pick 109 overall.

This puts him firmly in the conversation to be a late-round quarterback to target in drafts. He has the profile of a classic low-cost quarterback we used to target years ago before the landscape changed greatly for the position.

In a typical redraft league, you can grab Richardson and also pick a safer option around the same time. Someone like Jared Goff or Kirk Cousins -- or waiting for someone like Derek Carr later -- would make a lot of sense. You also could just draft Richardson and stream at quarterback if things don't go right, but this will give us a leg up on our opponents who may be looking to fill the position at the same time.

Even though he's probably viewed as a high-risk, high-reward player in real life, Richardson's rushing ability gives him a high floor on a week-to-week basis in fantasy. People may be scared off by thinking the same thing about Malik Willis last season, but there is a reason that Richardson went fourth in the draft and Willis lasted until the third round.

In today's fantasy football drafts, there is a clear top tier at quarterback that separates them from the rest of the pack. They tend to be the elite dual-threats because they have access to a floor/ceiling combination that the pass-only quarterbacks can't match.

Richardson has the tools to push into that elite tier, which is what makes him so interesting. There was once a time when Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen were drafted around where Richardson is going, which paid off handsomely for the people who selected them.

Those quarterbacks didn't break out in their rookie seasons, but that doesn't mean Richardson can't. From what the Colts have been saying, he will likely be given the opportunity to open the season as a starter. He'll also have a chance to play against arguably the weakest division in football, which should help him get his feet wet.

If you miss out on one of the best quarterbacks in fantasy in your draft, targeting Richardson is a great way to go.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.