Fantasy Football 2023: Breaking Down Mock Draft, Bold Picks and Strategy
Barely a month stands between us and the opening of the 2023 NFL season.
If you haven't started your fantasy football preparations yet, you're putting yourself at risk of being left behind by your leaguemates.
Then again, you opened this article, so clearly your head is in the right place. An informed fantasy football manager may not be guaranteed a championship, but an uninformed one needs an absurd amount of great fortune and blind luck to pull off a title run.
With the clock ticking toward the campaign's opening kick, time is of the essence. Let's not waste any more of it, then, and rather dive right into a round of information collection with a look at a two-round mock draft (utilizing the mock draft simulator at FantasyPros), then a deeper analysis of the simulated picks to find strategic tips and spotlight some of the bolder selections.
Simulated 2-Round Mock Draft
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Round 1
1. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
2. Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
3. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
4. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns
5. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
6. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams
7. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs
8. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans
9. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins
10. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
11. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
12. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
Round 2
13. Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
14. Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
15. A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
16. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills
17. Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys
18. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
19. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
20. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
21. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions
22. Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets
23. Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
24. Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots
Notable Mock Strategies
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If you like a top-tier running back, don't wait to take him.
This mock draft used standard scoring—i.e., no point or half-point per reception—so that devalued pass-catchers a bit, but still the early run on running backs was revealing. Three of the first five picks and seven of the 12 first-round selections all played that position.
In other words, if you're a big believer in Christian McCaffrey, Austin Ekeler or Derrick Henry, then pounce on them quickly. You won't get another chance at any of them.
Diversify your early picks—if your draft board allows it.
While there are myriad combinations with which you can start your draft, I've often found it beneficial to take different positions with my first two picks. The most common combination is a running back and a receiver—in either order—but you can also consider a tight end (provided it's Travis Kelce) or even a quarterback.
That should give you confidence you'll have an elite (or at least near-elite) player at two positions, and then you won't feel like you have to target a specific spot later in your draft. This isn't so critical that you need to reach for a player to make this happen, but if you're deciding between similarly ranked players, that can be a useful tiebreaker.
Know your league format!
This might be the most obvious piece of advice you hear during draft season, but that's because it's the most important. Different leagues have different rules, and you can't expect to have a successful team unless you know those rules and build your roster accordingly.
Does your league give one point, a half-point or no points for a possession? Are there bonuses for big plays or huge yardage totals? Are you in a one-quarterback league, or do you play two passers at once? Do you get four points for a passing touchdown, or does your league give you a full six? Find these answers, and you'll have a better idea of which positions and player types to prioritize at your draft.
Bold Selections
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Is Bijan Robinson worth the risk?
Bijan Robinson was the No. 8 pick in this year's NFL draft. Now, he's the No. 10 pick in this mock. Is that too early to trust an unproven player?
Ultimately, that hinges on your willingness to take on some risks. The reward could be massive, but the downside could be significant. It's up to you which matters more.
What should you do with Jonathan Taylor?
Last season, you likely needed the No. 1 pick to have a shot at Jonathan Taylor. In this mock, he made it to the No. 12 spot. Some might see major bargain potential here, but there are reasons he has slipped down the board.
For starters, he struggled staying healthy last season, and even when he did, he lagged behind his 2021 pace. He went from totaling 2,171 scrimmage yards and 20 scores in 17 games to just 1,004 yards and four touchdowns in 11 contests.
He's also in an uncertain spot with the Indianapolis Colts. He has requested a trade. They have mulled putting him on the non-football injury list with a nagging back problem.
For my money, that's too many question marks to invest a first-round pick, but you might feel differently. And if your hunch is correct, you could have a dominant player at a discounted price.
Three quarterbacks in Round 2?!
If you've ever sought fantasy advice, you've probably come across the tip to wait to draft a quarterback. Obviously, this mock draft felt differently, as three different signal callers were snatched up with second-round picks: Patrick Mahomes (No. 19), Josh Allen (No. 20) and Jalen Hurts (No. 23).
Again, this is entirely up to you. Those who prefer to wait will note that you can find starting-caliber quarterbacks later in the draft and can't necessarily do that with running backs and receivers. Those who don't see a big enough gap between the aforementioned trio and the rest of the position group to justify spending that early pick. It's your call in the end, though.
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