When Smith wrapped up his deal, it also stabilized his fantasy football outlook for the 2023 season. In 2022, he was one of the best fantasy football waiver wire pickups at quarterback, as he finished in the top 5 at the position. Smith averaged 18.5 points per game. His 30 TD passes were fourth-most among NFL QBs.

Once it became apparent that Smith was trustworthy as a fantasy player, he was a prime streaming option at QB, as many fantasy players did need to take that sort of approach at the position. In two-quarterback and superflex leagues, Smith emerged as a must-start QB2. In the high-stakes Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC), I was able to draft Smith in the late rounds of a rookie/free agent draft and he became a regular starter. Smith was a great story in real life, yet he also came through as a very deep sleeper in fantasy football in 2022.

Selected advanced statistics backed up the surface numbers that illustrated Smith’s respectable fantasy production. According to playerprofiler.com. Smith ranked No. 3 in the NFL on “money throws”, which are passes that require exceptional skill or came in clutch situations. Being able to deliver those types of plays does translate into quality fantasy output.

Smith ranked fifth in the league in deep ball completion percentage and third in deep ball accuracy rating. Those markers bolster his fantasy outlook in terms of connecting with his outstanding receiving tandem of DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett for frequent big plays.

For the first time in his career, Smith will be working with the same offensive coordinator for three consecutive seasons. His familiarity with Shane Waldron’s system and schemes are another factor that stamp him as a quality fantasy starting option again in 2023. Smith should be viewed as a rather safe pick who will approach or even better his 2022 fantasy production.

In early offseason fantasy football expert consensus rankings on fantasypros.com, Smith has an average ranking of No. 14 at quarterback. That is a huge jump from the 2022 preseason and certifies that he is in high-end QB2 territory in the estimations of experienced fantasy analysts. Such a consensus ranking also endorses Smith as a top QB2 starting option in two-QB and superflex leagues, which have become increasingly popular among fantasy football players in recent years.

Smith should also now receive stronger consideration in fantasy football formats where players can be retained from the previous season. In dynasty leagues, he is a totally essential player to hold in two-QB and superflex setups and he should be considered as a trade target if you need QB help. In single-QB dynasty formats, Smith is a regular starting candidate and a top-notch QB2 roster option. Those who play in two-QB and superflex keeper leagues must also view Smith a top choice to retain for 2023.

Having the comfort of Smith running the Seahawks’ offense again in 2023 also bodes well for forecasting continued fantasy success for the team’s other top skill position players. Tyler Lockett finished as fantasy WR13 last season in Point Per Reception formats with 237.3 points, and he averaged 14.8 points per game. He scored 15-plus fantasy points in four of his final five games in 2022. Lockett will continue to be a quality fantasy WR2 option for the 2023 season. He had nine TDs last year, and Lockett caught eight TDs for the fifth consecutive season. He reached 1,000 yards for the fourth season in a row, joining Steve Largent as the only the second Seahawks player to accomplish the feat.