Fantasy Football 2023: Dynasty Draft Rankings, Keeper Advice and Team Names

Kristopher KnoxAug 19, 2023

Fantasy football has become a massive part of the NFL world, thanks in no small part to the myriad options.

From daily fantasy sports (DFS) games to season-long superflex leagues, there's a flavor for virtually every fantasy taste. Many hardcore fantasy enthusiasts opt to dine on dynasty.

Dynasty leagues are not for the weak of stomach. it requires a long-term team-building approach and rarely yields instant gratification. The goal is to forge a roster capable of, well, building a dynasty, and it can take years of losing to set up.

As is the case in the real world, however, managers don't always have to suffer through multiple basement-dwelling campaigns to get rolling. Smart drafting and trading can help build a perennial contender in a hurry.

Below, you'll find some tips, tricks and rankings for the 2023 season to help spark some long-term fantasy glory. We'll get started with a mock inaugural fantasy draft.

All rankings and picks are based on point-per-reception (PPR) scoring.

Mock Dynasty Draft

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AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase

Round 1

1. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

2. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

3. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons

4. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

5. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins

6. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

7. Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets

8. Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

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

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

11. Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks

12. Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets

Round 2

1. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

2. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills

3. Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys

4. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions

5. DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

6. Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints

7. Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons

8. Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

9. Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

10. DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks

11. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

12. Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks

Keeper Advice

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Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes

While the goal in dynasty is to keep players for the long haul, managers must inevitably let a few veterans go each season. Dynasty leagues hold a yearly rookie draft, and room on the roster has to be made somewhere.

Choosing who to keep is a little trickier than it is in traditional keeper leagues. In keeper leagues, the process is fairly straightforward. Managers should essentially always keep players whose projected value is greater than their slot in the draft order.

If, for example, a manager has Minnesota Vikings wideout Justin Jefferson and is drafting ninth overall, they should keep Jefferson instead of rolling the dice on whoever might be available at No. 9.

In dynasty, managers must balance a player's 2023 value with future upside and rookie options. No one is dumping Patrick Mahomes, but dropping an older quarterback like Russell Wilson for a potential rookie star like Bijan Robinson could be a smart move—assuming there's enough quarterback depth to make it through the current season.

It can also be worth keeping a player who might not shine in the upcoming season because of their long-term value. Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, for example, continues to hold out after being given the franchise tag instead of a long-term deal.

There's a chance that Jacobs' holdout lasts into the regular season—though Las Vegas is looking to resolve the situation.

"We're …encouraged that we'll find some common ground to get him here sooner than later," general manager Dave Ziegler told SiriusXM NFL Radio (h/t Austin Boyd of Heavy).

Jacobs could bust in season-long leagues, but he is the reigning rushing champ and won't turn 26 until February. He's worth keeping in most dynasty leagues despite the holdout risk.

New York Jets running back Breece Hall is recovering from a torn ACL and may not see a full workload in 2023—especially with New York's addition of Dalvin Cook. However, he's only 22 years old and could be a perennial league-winner in 2024 and beyond.

Aside from the league's top young runners, though, quarterbacks, receivers and some tight ends hold more long-term value than running backs. It's a passing league, and backs tend to have the shortest careers among offensive skill players.

Lastly, managers should always have a succession plan for players in their 30s. There's nothing wrong with keeping an older player like Aaron Rodgers or Travis Kelce if you believe in them, but it can be worth dumping a bench player at a different position to keep insurance.

Even Tom Brady eventually gave way to Father Time.