The regular season is less than three months away, and the league year is in full swing. While bettors and fans focus in on win totals, there are also some odds posted on who could lead the league in passing yards this season. Free agency, draft picks and coaching changes all play into who will lead the league. With that in mind, who are some early picks for the NFL passing yards leader in 2023?
Five Early Picks for the NFL Passing Leader 2023
Patrick Mahomes
Any list, for any metric for quarterbacks, is incorrect if it doesn’t include Mahomes. In five years as a starter, he has led the league in touchdowns twice, and yards once. He’s been top ten in passing yards every year, and only outside of the top three twice. Somehow he lost a top three wide receiver in Tyreek Hill and turned that into over 5,000 passing yards. While his weapons haven’t gotten much better, they haven’t gotten any worse from last season. Travis Kelce still might be the GOAT at his position, and Kadarius Toney is as explosive as they come when healthy. It’s not the flashy pick, but barring injury Mahomes will be in the race as the 2023 NFL passing leader.
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Justin Herbert
Herbert finished his rookie season at sixth in passing yards. He followed that up with a second place finish, and was primed to explode in 2022. Instead he had to deal with a rib injury, banged up wide receivers, and a play caller that loved check downs even with a quarterback that can make a paper airplane look like a fighter jet. This season could be the best version of Herbert yet, and Kellen Moore let Dak Prescott sling it for 240 yards a game even with some injury shortened weeks. If Quentin Johnston has anything to say about it, Herbert is primed for a 5,000 plus yard season.
Joe Burrow
The Cincinnati Bengals benefited from being ahead most weeks. This had Burrow finish with eight games under 240 passing yards while they ground the clock out. They also had a game cut short from the Damar Hamlin tragedy where Burrow only passed for 50 yards. If he plays a full season with the stable of weapons on the roster, a season as the 2023 passing leader isn’t out of the question.
Kirk Cousins
This somehow isn’t a joke. Cousins was fourth in total yards in 2022, and the team has since drafted Jordan Addison. The Minnesota Vikings are perpetually looking for a reason to replace Cousins, so he plays every season like it’s a contract year. When looking at the Vikings schedule, there’s no less than five games that will result in fireworks. As the offense tries to keep up with the Chargers, Eagles, and even the Lions, Cousins will put up gaudy numbers. Whether or not they lead to wins is another question.
Tua Tagovailoa
Yes, the concussions are scary. But Tagovailoa led the league in yards per attempt (min. 50 attempts) and is throwing to one of the best receiver rooms in football. He has allegedly bulked up and worked on his falling technique, so hopefully he can stay healthy. When healthy, this offense is as explosive as they come. Then they added one of the fastest players in the draft in Devon Achane. The Dolphins may have three of the fastest ten players in the NFL all on the field at the same time. In fact, Raheem Mostert also runs a 4.32 40 yard dash, so maybe four of the top ten. All Tua has to do is distribute the ball and let them run wild and he’ll be in the running to be the 2023 NFL passing leader.
Main Photo Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
