Fantasy Football 2023: Early Mock Draft Heading into Training Camp

It's fantasy football season, folks.

Now, that's sort of true all the time, since diehard fantasy footballers spend the entire year studying, strategizing and plotting their paths to a league title. But it's true for even casual participants now, since NFL training camps will start opening this week.

With the real football season creeping closer by the minute, it's time to get rolling on your draft preparations. Let's get things going, then, by laying out the first two rounds of a mock draft (12 teams, non-PPR) and dissecting the biggest decisions within those rounds.

Two-Round Mock Draft

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SANTA CLARA, CA - MAY 31: San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) takes part in a drill during the team's OTA practice on May 31, 2023, at the SAP Performance Facility in Santa Clara, CA. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Round 1

1. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

2. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

3. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams

4. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

5. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans

6. Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

7. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

8. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins

9. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills

10. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

11. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

12. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons

Round 2

13. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns

14. Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders

15. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

16. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

17. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions

18. Travis Etienne Jr., RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

19. Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys

20. Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets

21. Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

22. Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots

23. DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks

24. Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

Round 1 Strategy

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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 29: Ja'Marr Chase #1 of the Cincinnati Bengals lines up during the AFC Championship NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Cincinnati Bengals at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 29, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

While there are myriad ways of capturing a fantasy football title, almost all of them involve getting your first pick right.

In other words, while you'll need to take risks at some point, this is not the time to do it. This is your one chance at adding a top-shelf, elite fantasy player. Don't waste it on a hunch.

If you have a top three pick, think long and hard about investing it in Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase or Cooper Kupp—yes, even in non-PPR leagues. They churn out top-of-the-position production like clockwork and don't take the physical wear-and-tear that a leading running back will have to endure.

In the round's mid-section, that's where the top running backs come into play. Jonathan Taylor, Derrick Henry, Christian McCaffrey and Austin Ekeler are all strong picks in the 4-through-8 slots. And don't rule out Travis Kelce in this range. Having a tight end who produces like a top wide receiver can be quite the leg up on the competition.

Finally, be careful of pouncing on Bijan Robinson too early. He is immensely talented, but he's also a rookie running back in an offense led by an unproven quarterback (Desmond Ridder). Robinson is good enough to post huge numbers in spite of this, but I'd be hesitant to wager a mid-first-round pick on it.

Round 2 Strategy

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JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - MAY 30: Travis Etienne Jr. #1 of the Jacksonville Jaguars looks on during an offseason workout on May 30, 2023 at TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

While you'll want to have a draft strategy in place and stick to it where you can, it's imperative that you read your draft room. It's possible your leaguemates will deviate heavily from typical average draft positions, in which case you'll have to pivot to something different.

Now, it's up to you on how to handle those pivots. If your league is pouncing on one running back after another, you might see an opportunity to leave the opening rounds with two of the best receivers in fantasy. Then again, if too many come off the board, you could be at risk of missing out on the position entirely. It's a critical call to make, and unfortunately one that doesn't have an obvious blueprint to follow.

Beyond that, you should use your first round pick to help guide your second round selection. That doesn't necessarily mean avoiding the position you took first, but if you feel most comfortable starting with a receiver and a running back (in either order) than do it. If you want to double up on a position, just make sure you're comfortable with the players at the other spots who will likely be on the board the next time you're on the clock.

Finally, for a bit of more concrete strategy, unless Kelce slips out of the first round, you should probably spend your second round pick on a running back or receiver. It might be tempting to snatch up Patrick Mahomes, but you can still get a really good (and maybe great) quarterback in later rounds. That is much harder to pull off at the two marquee spots, though.