Fantasy Football 2023: Early Mock Draft for Next Season

It's been five days since the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII to end the 2022 NFL campaign. It's been even longer since fantasy football seasons were completed, as most leagues awarded their championships in December.

But it's not too early to start looking ahead to the 2023 season, especially from a fantasy perspective. After all, the more thought that managers put into their draft prep, the more likely they are to have fantasy success.

So, here's an early two-round mock for a 12-team league using the half-point PPR format, courtesy of the FantasyPros Mock Draft Simulator. Plenty could change between now and training camp this summer, but this gives an idea of the top players to likely target for 2023.

Two-Round Mock Draft

AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski

Wilson football sits on the field during the first half of an NFL football game between the Chicago Bears and Minnesota Vikings, Sunday, Jan. 8, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)

Round 1

1. San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey

2. Indianapolis Colts RB Jonathan Taylor

3. Cincinnati Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase

4. Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson

5. Los Angeles Chargers RB Austin Ekeler

6. Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce

7. New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley

8. Los Angeles Rams WR Cooper Kupp

9. Las Vegas Raiders WR Davante Adams

10. Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs

11. Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry

12. Seattle Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III

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Round 2

13. Cleveland Browns RB Nick Chubb

14. Las Vegas Raiders RB Josh Jacobs

15. Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill

16. Minnesota Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson

17. New England Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson

18. Jacksonville Jaguars RB Travis Etienne

19. Philadelphia Eagles WR A.J. Brown

20. Minnesota Vikings RB Dalvin Cook

21. Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb

22. Pittsburgh Steelers RB Najee Harris

23. New York Jets RB Breece Hall

24. Cincinnati Bengals RB Joe Mixon

McCaffrey Is Clear Favorite to Be Taken No. 1 Overall

AP Photo/Tony Avelar

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) warms up before an NFL divisional round playoff football game against the Dallas Cowboys in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

Heading into the 2022 season, there was some concern about Christian McCaffrey's durability. He had played only three games in 2020 and seven in 2021, so those worries were warranted.

Still, some fantasy managers took McCaffrey with a top pick in drafts last summer. And those people were rewarded with the star running back's best showing in several years.

In 17 games this past season, McCaffrey had 1,139 rushing yards, 85 catches for 741 yards and 13 total touchdowns. It helped the 26-year-old's production that he was traded from the Carolina Panthers to the San Francisco 49ers after six games.

The 49ers could have an interesting quarterback decision to make in 2023. Trey Lance and Brock Purdy will both be coming off injuries and have cases for the starting job, while Jimmy Garoppolo is set to become a free agent this offseason and is unlikely to return.

But McCaffrey is likely to produce no matter who's under center for San Francisco. The team's QB (whomever that may be) will surely rely on the do-it-all running back who is capable of taking over a game in a multitude of ways.

That's why it seems like an easy decision for fantasy managers with the No. 1 overall pick in 2023. McCaffrey proved he can still stay healthy for a full season. And whenever that happens, he always puts up big numbers at a consistent rate.

If you're a fantasy manager who ends up with the No. 2 or No. 3 pick in the draft and McCaffrey somehow remains on the board, it's an even simpler decision to take him, and it would be a steal. McCaffrey seems like a great fit in San Francisco, and it will be exciting to see what he can do for a full season in the 49ers' offense.

Kelce Must Be Strongly Considered Earlier in First Round

AP Photo/Ashley Landis

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) celebrates a touchdown by wide receiver Kadarius Toney during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 57 football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2023, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Travis Kelce is now a two-time Super Bowl champion, and the 33-year-old tight end played a key role in helping the Chiefs win their second title in four years. Most important to fantasy managers, though? He showed no signs of slowing down. Quite the opposite.

Over 17 games, Kelce set career highs in catches (110) and touchdowns (12) while racking up 1,338 yards, the second-highest total of his career behind only the 1,416 he recorded in 2020. It marked the seventh straight year that Kelce had more than 1,000 receiving yards.

Every year, fantasy managers try to decide how early they should take Kelce. He'll sometimes go in the first round, but it's usually more common for him to fall to the second.

However, it's going to be hard to let Kelce slide past the first 12 picks in 2023. In the FantasyPros mock, he didn't even make it to the back half of the opening round, as he came off the board at No. 6.

It's not a bad idea to take Kelce that early. Not only is he the best tight end in the NFL, but he's often way more productive than every other player at the position by fantasy standards. He's a reliable performer who puts up difference-making numbers in the TE spot.

So if you're drafting around No. 6 or later next season, it won't be too early to start considering Kelce. It could be a great strategy to take him then before stacking up on running backs and wide receivers in the ensuing rounds.