X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

2023 Dynasty Fantasy Football Faller: D'Andre Swift

D'Andre Swift - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL DFS Lineup Picks

Jackson Sparks discusses D'Andre Swift as one of the top dynasty fantasy football fallers for 2023 after a disappointing 2022 NFL season.

Detroit Lions running back D'Andre Swift has been a fascinating fantasy asset through his first three NFL seasons, but he's becoming more frustrating than fascinating as he approaches his age-24 season.

Swift has been efficient and explosive as a rusher and receiver, but injury woes, workload discrepancies, and lack of red zone/goal line work have hurt his overall fantasy profile, production, and value. The Lions boasted a top-five offensive attack in 2022 and are expected to be a top-notch unit in 2023. That's great news for all the Lions' offensive weapons, but if Swift can't seize a larger opportunity share, we'll never see him pay off as a top-three dynasty running back, as he was once ranked.

How did Swift play in 2022, what is his current trade market in dynasty leagues, and what can we expect from the former Georgia Bulldog in 2023? Let's dive in.

Editor's Note: Explore RotoBaller’s Dynasty Fantasy Football hub for year-round dynasty rankings, trade tips, rookie analysis, and long-term player outlooks. Dominate your league with our sleepers, stash targets, and dynasty draft advice. Click here for Dynasty rankings and strategy.

 

2022 Season In Review

After the first two weeks of the regular season, Swift dynasty managers rejoiced as he looked to be headed toward at least a top-eight running back season. Against the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders, Swift rushed 20 times for 200 yards and caught five of his eight targets for 62 yards, scoring two total touchdowns. Although the efficiency was unsustainable on just 25 touches in two games, everyone hoped his usage would ramp up. He was the RB3 in the early part of the season, so big things were expected to come.

However, the injury bug struck the young back once again in Week 3. After just 10 touches, Swift suffered an ankle injury, and wouldn't play again until Week 8.

When he returned to the lineup, there were numerous reports that his workload would be "managed." That's never a fun thing to hear about your fantasy stud RB, but unfortunately, it played out that way.

From Week 8 to Week 12, Swift handled just 23 rushing attempts for 61 yards and two touchdowns and caught 16 of his 23 targets for 109 yards and a touchdown. Luckily, his three touchdowns saved him from four straight bust weeks, but he was just the RB26 over that span. He went from having a decent workload on the ground with a ton of usage through the air to a mere satellite back with very few touches. Meanwhile, Jamaal Williams was utilized as the goal line back, rushing for seven touchdowns over the stretch.

Williams finished the 2022 season with the second-most red zone touches per game (3.6) and led the league with 17 rushing scores. He served as the prototypical touchdown vulture, but since Swift was banged up early in the year, Williams also got plenty of early down work between the 20s.

Despite Swift ranking No. 2 in yards per touch (6.3) and yards created per touch (4.58), No. 5 in breakaway run rate (8.1 percent), and No. 8 in true yards per carry (4.9), Detroit insisted on feeding a much less efficient Williams. He ranked 50th, 55th, 50th, and 54th in those categories, respectively.

D'Andre-Swift-PlayerProfiler

D'Andre Swift Advanced Stats and Metrics

Ultimately, the team clearly didn't believe Swift would stay healthy if he took on a workhorse role. Considering he's missed at least three games in each of his first three seasons, it's hard to blame them. Swift handled double-digit rush attempts just three times and caught five or more passes just three times.

Swift's final stats were 93 carries for 517 yards and five rushing touchdowns, adding 41 receptions on 63 targets for 328 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns. He finished as the RB24 overall after being drafted among the top 10 running backs in PPR leagues for 2022.

 

D'Andre Swift Dynasty Value/Market

KeepTradeCut.com dynasty rankings, which are crowdsourced by the users who read the site, currently has Swift as just the RB18. KeepTradeCut is a good source for examining the overall market of a player, but all dynasty leagues value players differently to some degree.

Personally, the RB18 spot feels low considering he's ranked behind the likes of J.K. Dobbins and Javonte Williams, who have far more extreme injury histories. However, you'd be hard-pressed to find dynasty managers who are willing to trade a 2024 first-round pick for Swift at this point, much less a 2023 first-round pick.

Williams is headed to the New Orleans Saints, but Detroit recently signed former Chicago Bears running back David Montgomery to seemingly take on his role. Montgomery was a much more efficient runner in 2022 but played on a far inferior offense. There's a chance Montgomery's arrival is even worse for Swift since he's still a bruiser like Williams, but he's a far better pass-catcher.

Montgomery got a relatively lucrative deal compared to other backs on the market, so he'll be in Detroit long-term and will clearly be heavily featured in the offense. Swift is in trouble, but fantasy managers might find some optimism in the fact he is a free agent next offseason. Since his market is low, it might be worth holding him for one more season to see if he can land a more significant role in 2024 with a new team.

 

2023 Fantasy Football Outlook

In early best ball drafts, Swift is coming off the board as the RB19, via 4for4.com Underdog ADP. While we should all be hesitant to draft Swift if he still carried a top-10 running back price tag, he could end up being a bargain in 2023 fantasy drafts.

We've seen running backs like Christian McCaffrey and Saquon Barkley, who have a far worse injury history, bounce back and play full seasons, so why can't Swift? Even if Swift is given just a 40-percent opportunity share, he could pay off mightily at an RB19 ADP with efficiency, receptions, and touchdown equity.

He's not an attractive asset in standard leagues, but in full-PPR formats, we should still see boom weeks. The pass-catching, explosive running back on a high-ceiling offense always has value, and if David Montgomery misses time (four games missed in 2022), Swift could earn a full workhorse role for a stretch of games. In that scenario, he'd have an RB1 upside every week.

2023 will be a very telling season for the future of Swift's career. Fantasy managers can either try to buy him low in dynasty formats, or take the bargain in 2023 preseason drafts. At the very least, it'd be surprising if Detroit adds an early-round running back in the 2023 NFL Draft.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

KaVontae Turpin

Arrested on Two Charges
Cole Ragans

to Begin Throwing on Monday
Theo Johnson

Prioritizing his Health this Offseason
Andrés Giménez

Andres Gimenez Hits 10-Day Injured List
Jermaine Burton

Continues to Show Growth
NHL

Hendrix Lapierre Signs One-Year Deal with Capitals
Carson Hocevar

Should DFS Players Consider Carson Hocevar for Chicago Lineups?
Tye Kartye

Kraken Re-Sign Tye Kartye for Two Years
Ross Chastain

May be A Decent DFS Option for Chicago Lineups
Dmitri Voronkov

Signs Two-Year, $8.35 Million Extension with Blue Jackets
Ryan Preece

Should DFS Players Roster Ryan Preece at Chicago?
Austin Dillon

Is Too Great of A Risk to Add to Chicago Lineups
Zane Smith

Is A Value Play Worth Rostering At Chicago
Austin Hill

is A Favorable Value Option for Chicago DFS Lineups
Ty Dillon

Is Ty Dillon A Decent Driver to Add For NASCAR DFS At Chicago?
William Byron

Qualifying Crash Makes William Byron a Likely DFS Must-Have
Alex Bowman

Should Finish Well, but Probably Costs Too Much for Serious DFS Consideration
Joey Logano

Has Been Relatively Mediocre on Road Courses Lately
Ryan Blaney

Doesn't Really Fit Neatly into Optimal DFS Lineups
Austin Cindric

Remains an Overrated Road Racer
Brad Keselowski

Likely to Brush Past Chicago Street Course to Focus on Daytona
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek One of the Best Underdog Options After Strong Runs at Mexico City and Last Year
Cole Custer

Strong Mexico City Run and Xfinity Series Chicago Win Make Him a Solid DFS Option
Erik Jones

Likely Not Good Enough on Road Courses for DFS Consideration Despite Poor Qualifying Result
Noah Gragson

May Be Better Than Other Cheap DFS Options
Riley Herbst

Despite Decent Mexico City Run, Don't Expect Riley Herbst to Contend at Chicago
Cody Ware

Is a Road Course Veteran, but It's Rarely Helped Him in NASCAR
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Is The Heavy Favorite to Win at Chicago Street Course
Christopher Bell

Should Be Strong Despite Practice Struggles at Chicago Street Course
Cam Ward

"Not Expecting" to be handed Starting Job
Chase Claypool

Eager to Get Back on the Field
Wyatt Langford

Activated, Playing on Saturday
Jay Huff

on the Move to Indiana
Cam Whitmore

Wizards Acquire Cam Whitmore from the Rockets
LaJohntay Wester

Stands out on Special Teams
Clarke Schmidt

Likely to Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Nolan Arenado

Scratched from Saturday's Lineup
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Starting on Saturday
Corbin Carroll

Activated from 10-Day Injured List
Cincinnati Bengals

Shemar Stewart, Bengals Continue Contract Talks, No Progress Made
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Potential Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade may not Happen Until "August, September"
Ha-Seong Kim

Removed Early During Season Debut
ARI

Christian Fischer Retires From NHL at 28
NHL

Spencer Martin Moves to Russia
WAS

Anthony Beauvillier Re-Signs With Capitals for Two Years
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Sitting Out With Foot Issue
Isaiah Neyor

Impresses at Minicamp
Houston Rockets

Jock Landale Waived by Rockets
Bo Bichette

Back in Blue Jays Lineup
Jonas Valančiūnas

Jonas Valanciunas Considering Returning to Europe
Miles Sanders

Works With Starters During Mandatory Minicamp
Jabari Walker

Signs Two-Way Deal With Sixers
Chimere Dike

Titans Could Move Chimere Dike Inside
Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith not Guaranteed Roster Spot
Anthony Bradford

Working Hard to Win Back Starting Job
Byron Young

Still Improving?
Cody Simon

Jonathan Gannon has Been Impressed With Cody Simon
SirVocea Dennis

has Impressive Offseason
Trevor Penning

Could Still Have a Role in New Orleans
Jonathan Kuminga

Warriors Decline Recent Offer for Jonathan Kuminga
Orlando Magic

Moritz Wagner, Magic Agree to One-Year Deal
Clarke Schmidt

Placed on Injured List
José Soriano

Jose Soriano Throws Gem Against Braves
Robbie Ray

Earns Ninth Win in Complete Game
T.J. Watt

Likely to Reset the Edge-Rush Market
George Springer

Blasts Two Homers, Drives in Four
James Wood

Goes Yard in Five-Hit Night
Bradley Beal

Suns Discussing Potential Buyout
Los Angeles Lakers

Jaxson Hayes Staying with the Lakers
NBA

Damian Lillard "Open" to Signing With a Team This Offseason
Max Muncy

Out at Least Six Weeks
Clarke Schmidt

Leaves Start with Forearm Tightness
Colson Montgomery

Promoted to the Major Leagues
Pittsburgh Steelers

Omar Khan, Steelers Agree to Three-Year Contract
Max Muncy

Goes on Injured List With Knee Bruise
Max Muncy

Out of Thursday's Lineup
James Wood

Joining Home Run Derby
SJ

Sharks Claim Nick Leddy Off Waivers
SJ

Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov to Two-Year, $13 Million Contract
CAR

Nikolaj Ehlers Joins Hurricanes on Six-Year Contract
Chau Smith-Wade

Having Stellar Offseason
Ace Bailey

Inks Rookie Contract With Jazz
Divine Deablo

Could be the Quarterback of the Defense
Isaiah Rodgers

a Likely Starter for the Vikings
Boston Celtics

Josh Minott Inks Deal With Celtics
Sandro Mamukelashvili

Heading to Toronto
Jared McCain

Not on 76ers Summer League Roster
Dylan Harper

Unavailable for California Classic
COL

Brent Burns Inks One-Year Deal with Avalanche
STL

Blues Land Pius Suter on Two-Year Deal
Morgan Frost

Agrees to Two-Year Extension with Flames
WPG

Gustav Nyquist Moves to Winnipeg
Cody Glass

Devils Re-Sign Cody Glass to Two-Year Deal
PIT

Anthony Mantha Joins Penguins
Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs with Islanders for Two Years
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal with Mammoth
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF