A note from the author-
Ahhhh, take a deep breath in… and out. We are 10 days away from football! Something about being at ten, that puts the first bit of butterflies in my stomach. My anticipation levels are spiked up, looking at my almost dozen lineups to see if they are on par,making a plan of action for bestballs and days remaining, and getting ready to draft on the Wednesday before kickoff… a decade long tradition. This article is about the players, but this experience isn’t experienced by me alone, and if you have it too… Enjoy! After all it’s first and ten to begin almost all football games. So without further ado, Mano Y Mano Top Ten!

Running Back 10 – Kenneth Walker III SEA
The best running back (RB) in the 2022 draft class is ready to display that he is exactly that in 2023. In just 11 games started Kenneth Walker had 1,050 yards rushing and 1,215 scrimmage yards on 255 touches. In addition to that he had 9 touchdowns and 27 receptions on 35 targets. 99% of all offensive coordinators would tell you that is a great stat line for a RB… in 17 games! He averaged over 100 yards, 2.3 receptions, and .9 touchdowns per game started… you would take that for your fantasy team too.
The great thing is Walker is slated to start 17 games this season. 17! If he stays healthy, Walker III could be the best RB in the NFL. That’s not bologna, thats premium cuts of truth. Shane Waldron is a run to pass Offensive Coordinator and had a voice on brining Walker III into Seattle. Head Coach Pete Carroll has had an elite RB since his days at New England (late 90s). Carroll will want to control the clock and play excellent defense, a role perfect for Walker. Look for over 325 touches 1,600+ yards and 10+ touchdowns.

Linebacker 10 – TJ Edwards CHI
There are two new linebackers (LB) in Chicago and one set a record contract. The other was paid well, but took a pay cut to come ‘home’. TJ Edwards could have had more money elsewhere, but wanted to play for the Chicago Bears. Much like my prediction of Haason Reddick coming home and having a career year in 2022, Edwards too will have great year. The difference is TJ Edwards had a great year last year, but the fantasy community has dismissed it as scheme, credited it to J. Gannon and N. Sirianni, or given all credit to the amazing defensive line of the 2022 Eagles. Although they previous mentioned coaches and players deserve credit, TJ Edwards deserves his as well.
TJ Edwards had 159 combined tackles, 99 solo tackles, 10 tackles for loss, seven passes defended, and 2 sacks in 2022. This was not a fluke season, the year prior he had 130 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 1 sack, and 1 interception. He is progressing on a great pace and entering his fifth year. In addition to that, he was on a team with an excellent offense. As improved as the Chicago Bears will be, they will not be on par with the 2022 Philadelphia Eagles. This should lead to more snaps for TJ Edwards. Edwards could improve on every career metric he has set as he joins the 32 ranked defense (that is a nice way of saying last). The Chicago Bears gave up 27.2 points per game, and that is a large reason Edwards was brought in. Snag him late and have a top ten LB!

Thank you for reading Mano y Mano. Check in tomorrow for RB & LB #9.
Bet Smart, Be Lucky – Iggy

*Stats come from FantasyPros, Pro Football Reference, Sleeper, Statmuse, and NFL/Next Gen.
*Rankings are based on .5 PPR format and FF7s.