4 Fantasy Football Risers: Nick Chubb, Chris Olave in Improving Situations

Fantasy Football in modern times is very much a marketplace. The players are constantly rising and falling based on a variety of factors.

Some of them are definitely legitimate -- such as more playing time and less competition for touches. Others are more nebulous, such as reports on injuries and fitness.

Let's take a look at four players who are rising up draft boards for legitimate reasons in 2023.

All average draft position (ADP) data via FantasyPros.

4 Fantasy Football Risers

Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns

ADP: RB6 (10th Overall)

Anyone who has watched Nick Chubb since he's been in the NFL knows what kind of talent he has. He's one of the best running backs in the league with the ball in his hands.

However, he hasn't always been the most appealing back for fantasy purposes due to a lack of pass-game volume.

There's been a few reasons for that over the years. He has had to share the backfield for most of his career, including with Kareem Hunt for the past three full seasons, which has led to Chubb being limited to mostly rushing work.

That may change in 2023.

Chubb peaked in 2019 from a target perspective, as he had 49 targets that season while Hunt played only eight games. With Hunt now out of the picture and an unclear situation behind Chubb, we could see Chubb on the field for more pass-game work.

Chubb has been so efficient on the ground that his lack of pass-catching juice hasn't killed him in fantasy. He's finished as a top-10 RB in half-PPR points per game in each of the last three seasons.

When draft season kicked off, Chubb was being selected as the 17th overall player, and he is now going 10th in drafts. His stock has risen as the Cleveland Browns have not added any veteran backs, giving Chubb what looks like a fairly clear runway to more aerial work.

Chubb is still a good selection at this ADP, as numberFire's projections have him as the RB2.

Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints

ADP: WR13 (28th Overall)

It was a solid rookie season for Chris Olave, and he did it despite some meh circumstances, playing for a New Orleans Saints team that was a below-average passing offense.

Olave became the number-one receiver on the Saints after Michael Thomas went down with injury last year. He had to deal with a past-his-prime Andy Dalton as his quarterback. The offense did not have many other skill players that defenses were concerned about, and the passing game relied heavily on Olave.

The underlying metrics were very strong for Olave. He finished seventh in yards per route run, and the top 10 was littered with the game's best wideouts. He was targeted on a massive 26.9% of his routes and had 38.9% of the team's air yards. His average depth of target (aDOT) of 14.1 yards was the 11th-highest in the NFL.

Olave got an upgrade at quarterback this offseason, with Derek Carr coming to New Orleans. Carr isn't the best quarterback in the league, but he definitely can get the ball to his top playmakers -- as he showed last season with Davante Adams.

Olave can also benefit from the Saints having the NFL's easiest schedule based on 2023 win totals.

The market is expecting a second-year breakout for Olave. His ADP has gone from 35th overall in the spring to 28th as of now. Seven spots may not seem like a huge rise, but at this range of the draft, it's a big move above some really valuable fantasy pieces.

Calvin Ridley, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars

ADP: WR17 (39th Overall)

We haven't seen Calvin Ridley play football since Week 7 of 2021, and that was when he was still a member of the Atlanta Falcons. A lot has happened since then to land him where he is currently.

Ridley had a great year the last time we saw him play a full season, although that was back in 2020. He had over 100 yards in eight of the 15 games he played, and he scored nine touchdowns. He was certainly a big-play threat, with an aDOT of 14.6 yards.

He wasn't great in 2021, averaging his fewest half-PPR points since his rookie season. This season, it will be a tough ask for him to jump right into a new team and be a quality producer right away, but the market is certainly acting like that will happen.

Ridley has started to rise up draft boards as the Jacksonville Jaguars have received some hype this offseason. They are favored to win the AFC South, as they were able to do last season. Trevor Lawrence definitely took a step forward in 2022 and looks like one of the top young quarterbacks in the game.

There have been lots of positive reports about Ridley in training camp, including ones calling him one of the top players for Jacksonville.

Ridley's role has gained traction in the fantasy community, and his stock has shot up draft boards. He's gone from an ADP of 51st overall in the spring to his current ADP of 40th. He'll need to shake off the rust quickly and establish a nice connection with Lawrence to deliver at this ADP.

Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos

ADP: RB25 (67th Overall)

Javonte Williams was expected to do big things last season, heading into his second year in the NFL. He showed flashes in his rookie campaign but entered 2022 expected to get the majority of the work for the Denver Broncos.

Unfortunately, Williams suffered a season-ending injury in Week 4, and even when he played, he was dragged down by a miserable Denver offense.

With that said, Williams had some things going positively for him before the injury. He saw 21 targets in the three full games he played. When you pair that with his 43 receptions from his rookie year, it is a positive sign for his role in the passing game moving forward.

The obvious concern with Williams is the serious injury. Throughout the offseason, there have been some conflicting reports about his return timeline, but as of now, the recent news is positive, with Williams actually expected to see some work in the preseason. That's a really good sign, obviously.

With Sean Payton coming in as head coach, Denver's offense is sure to take a step forward compared to whatever Nathaniel Hackett was trying to do with it last season. Payton's offenses tend to target running backs in the passing game if you think of the likes of Alvin Kamara, Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas.

As the news regarding Williams' injury has turned positive, Williams' stock has gone up in drafts. It's still risky to take him too early since he may not be all the way back for a few weeks, but drafters are certainly feeling more confident about him.

While you wait for Week 1's daily fantasy football slates to lock, you can get in on some best-ball fantasy football drafts on FanDuel, as well. Just draft your team and watch the points pile up throughout the season.

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.