The best way to get ready for the upcoming fantasy football season is to perform mock draft after mock draft. With the NFL Draft done and most of the major free agents signed, there is no better time to start getting ready for what should be another wild year of NFL action. Every selection has been included for context, and my picks have been bolded.
Note that this fantasy football mock draft was performed on Sleeper with one-quarterback, PPR settings. Obviously, draft results will vary dramatically depending on league settings.
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Fantasy Football Mock Draft 1.0
Round 1
1.01 – Christian McCaffrey
1.02 – Austin Ekeler
1.03 – Justin Jefferson
1.04 – Jonathan Taylor
1.05 – Cooper Kupp
1.06 – Ja’Marr Chase
1.07 – Bijan Robinson
1.08 – Tyreek Hill
1.09 – Saquon Barkley
1.10 – Travis Kelce
1.11 – Josh Jacobs
1.12 – Davante Adams
While Travis Kelce is on the older side, it’s hard to find a player with a better mix of ceiling and floor at the back of the first round. The superstar tight end has been the TE1 in six of the past seven years, and he has shown no signs of slowing down any time soon. With no other proven receivers in this high-octane offense, Kelce has the potential to put up his best season to date. Seeing as there are only three or four fantasy football tight ends that actively make a difference, Kelce gives a much-needed positional advantage in every single matchup.
No but I remember when Travis Kelce scored 4 TDS on the Raiders! 😂 pic.twitter.com/kO0AeF7Xux https://t.co/c9Q499EwgM
— Brad Henson Productions (@BradHensonPro) June 4, 2023
Round 2
2.01 – Stefon Diggs
2.02 – Derrick Henry
2.03 – Nick Chubb
2.04 – Amon-Ra St. Brown
2.05 – Tony Pollard
2.06 – Jaylen Waddle
2.07 – CeeDee Lamb
2.08 – A.J. Brown
2.09 – Mark Andrews
2.10 – Patrick Mahomes
2.11 – Tee Higgins
2.12 – Garrett Wilson
Getting Nick Chubb in the second round of this fantasy football mock draft is highway robbery. The former second-round pick has been an elite fantasy asset ever since entering the league, and 2023 could be his best season yet. A rust-free version of Deshaun Watson will easily be the best quarterback of his career, and Kareem Hunt isn’t around to steal all the passing work. While his age is a minor concern, Chubb should still have one or two elite years left in his tank.
Round 3
3.01 – Breece Hall
3.02 – Josh Allen
3.03 – Najee Harris
3.04 – Travis Etienne
3.05 – Rhamondre Stevenson
3.06 – Aaron Jones
3.07 – Jalen Hurts
3.08 – Joe Mixon
3.09 – D.K. Metcalf
3.10 – Chris Olave
3.11 – DeVonta Smith
3.12 – Keenan Allen
While Garrett Wilson stole all the headlines, there is a case to be made that Chris Olave was the best rookie wide receiver last year. The Ohio State product dominated from both an analytics and film standpoint, and the sky is the limit for this star in the making. The Saints have one of the easiest schedules in the NFL, which should give Olave a clear path to an elite fantasy football season.
Chris Olave in 2022 among WRs w/ 400 snaps:
15th in TGT Share: 26.6%
8th in TPRR: 28.1%
11th in YPRR: 2.46
6th in ADOT: 14.6
4th in Air Yds: 1793
2nd in TM Air Yd Share: 43.7%Scored 17.5 less total fantasy points than Garrett Wilson in 2 less games
— JC (@JCJDynasty) May 27, 2023
Round 4
4.01 – DeAndre Hopkins
4.02 – Deebo Samuel
4.03 – Lamar Jackson
4.04 – Kenneth Walker
4.05 – Dalvin Cook
4.06 – George Kittle
4.07 – T.J. Hockenson
4.08 – Joe Burrow
4.09 – Chris Godwin
4.10 – Amari Cooper
4.11 – Jahmyr Gibbs
4.12 – Dameon Pierce
I normally don’t take quarterbacks early in one-quarterback leagues, but it’s impossible to ignore the value in this fantasy football mock draft. When on the field and healthy, Lamar Jackson is arguably the most dangerous quarterback in the league not named Patrick Mahomes. The big-money quarterback excels at dominating defenses on the ground and finally has a worthwhile group of wide receivers in Odell Beckham, Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews, and Rashod Bateman. While Mahomes is the clear favorite to be the overall QB1, Jackson could easily end the season as the QB2, so getting him as the QB5 is a steal.
Round 5
5.01 – J.K. Dobbins
5.02 – Terry McLaurin
5.03 – Christian Watson
5.04 – Miles Sanders
5.05 – D.J. Moore
5.06 – James Conner
5.07 – Javonte Williams
5.08 – Justin Fields
5.09 – Justin Herbert
5.10 – Drake London
5.11 – Dallas Goedert
5.12 – Kyle Pitts
Drake London didn’t set the stat sheet on fire like Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, but his underlying metrics from his rookie season were phenomenal. The top-10 pick finished the 2022 season with an elite 29.4% target share and 2.40 yards per route run. He could have easily put up a top-10 fantasy football finish in a better situation, but that situation probably won’t come in 2023. The Falcons are still going to run the ball at an absurd rate, and it’s anyone’s guess if Desmond Ridder is actually good at football. Still though, at this point in the fantasy football mock draft, you have to bet on high-end talent.
.@DrakeLondon_ winning the Out Route from a condensed alignment to the boundary pic.twitter.com/rb4w6LrjPk
— Receiver School (@ReceiverSchool) June 3, 2023
Round 6
6.01 – Cam Akers
6.02 – Mike Evans
6.03 – Diontae Johnson
6.04 – Jerry Jeudy
6.05 – Michael Pittman
6.06 – David Montgomery
6.07 – Calvin Ridley
6.08 – D’Andre Swift
6.09 – Alvin Kamara
6.10 – Mike Williams
6.11 – Tyler Lockett
6.12 – Isiah Pacheco
Over the past three seasons, Diontae Johnson has averaged 163 targets per 17 games. Why is he still available in the sixth round of this fantasy football mock draft? While Johnson might not be as efficient with his targets as someone like Justin Jefferson, the fact that he continued to earn this high workload with multiple quarterbacks suggests that his role will not change any time soon. Additionally, Kenny Pickett caught fire down the stretch in 2022 and, if he can keep that form in 2023, Johnson could boost his per-target efficiency.
Round 7
7.01 – Marquise Brown
7.02 – Pat Freiermuth
7.03 – Darren Waller
7.04 – Trevor Lawrence
7.05 – Brandon Aiyuk
7.06 – Rachaad White
7.07 – Christian Kirk
7.08 – James Cook
7.09 – Evan Engram
7.10 – Treylon Burks
7.11 – A.J. Dillon
7.12 – Dak Prescott
The 2022 wide receiver draft class was one for the ages, so it’s no surprise that I’m loading up on these talented youngsters in this fantasy football mock draft. While injuries limited Burks to just 11 games, he still managed to record a respectable 1.96 yards per route run. Given a full year of NFL experience and a clean bill of health, Burks could easily turn into a reliable season-long flex play.
Treylon Burks Final 6 Games
– 7/8, 111 yards. 18.1 PPR Points, WR12
– 4/6, 70 yards, Fumble Rec TD, 17.0 Points, WR18
– 1/1, 25 yards, TD, 9.5 Points, WR45 (conc.)
– 0/2, 15 rush yards, 1.5 Points, WR97
– 4/8, 66 yards, 12.6 Points, WR22
– 4/7, 19 yards 5.9 Points, WR63 pic.twitter.com/JSKe27P0rK
— PlayerProfiler (@rotounderworld) May 29, 2023
Round 8
8.01 – Jamaal Williams
8.02 – Deshaun Watson
8.03 – Brian Robinson
8.04 – Juju Smith-Schuster
8.05 – George Pickens
8.06 – Jahan Dotson
8.07 – Tua Tagovailoa
8.08 – Dalton Schultz
8.09 – Brandin Cooks
8.10 – Khalil Herbert
8.11 – Michael Thomas
8.12 – David Njoku
The board did not allow us to select a good RB2 to pair opposite Nick Chubb, so it’s time to invest in the cheapest starter available. Brian Robinson overcame a lot during his rookie season, coming back from gunshot wounds to steal the starting job away from Antonio Gibson while recording an 82.5 PFF grade, the eighth-best mark in the league. His lack of receiving ability and presence in a questionable offense limits his ceiling, but he provides a reliable floor.
Round 9
9.01 – Kirk Cousins
9.02 – Jaxon Smith-Njigba
9.03 – Jordan Addison
9.04 – Courtland Sutton
9.05 – Antonio Gibson
9.06 – Gabe Davis
9.07 – Rashaad Penny
9.08 – Cole Kmet
9.09 – Kadarius Toney
9.10 – Zach Charbonnet
9.11 – Quentin Johnston
9.12 – Daniel Jones
Zach Charbonnet probably won’t be too fantasy-relevant early in the season, but he has the chance to be a league-winner when all is said and done. Charbonnet and Kenneth Walker will split snaps during the season, but Charbonnet is more likely to receive the valuable touches. Walker was historically bad on the goal line last year, so Charbonnet should have a clear path to red zone touches, and he’s also the better pass-catcher. Walker will still get early-down carries and offers more of a home run threat, but Charbonnet can still be a solid flex play with this projected usage. And, on top of that, if Walker suffers an injury, Charbonnet could easily be a top-12 running back.
Round 10
10.01 – Samaje Perine
10.02 – Aaron Rodgers
10.03 – Alexander Mattison
10.04 – Damien Harris
10.05 – Jakobi Meyers
10.06 – Geno Smith
10.07 – Tyler Allgeier
10.08 – Devin Singletary
10.09 – Allen Lazard
10.10 – Elijah Mitchell
10.11 – Chigoziem Oknokwo
10.12 – Zay Flowers
Alexander Mattison is still on the board in this fantasy football mock draft, but that probably won’t be the case when Minnesota inevitably parts ways with Dalvin Cook. With no other notable running backs on the roster, Mattison is set to be a one-to-one replacement for the four-time Pro Bowler, and while he probably won’t produce the same results, he should be a solid RB2.
Round 11
11.01 – Jameson Williams
11.02 – Jerrick McKinnon
11.03 – Darnell Mooney
11.04 – Russell Wilson
11.05 – Jared Goff
11.06 – Adam Thielen
11.07 – Rashod Bateman
11.08 – Raheem Mostert
11.09 – Tyler Higbee
11.10 – Odell Beckham
11.11 – Tyler Boyd
11.12 – Dalton Kincaid
Every single late-round pick in the fantasy football mock draft is far more likely to miss than hit, so you might as well go down swinging. The 2014 version of Odell Beckham will obviously not be on display in 2023, but there is a chance that the 2021 version shows up. Beckham was one of the most important parts of the 2021 Los Angeles Rams playoff run, recording 17 receptions for 234 yards and a touchdown in 2.5 games before tearing his ACL. Maybe Beckham is washed up and we never see that version of him again, but at this point, there is no downside to betting on a once-great talent.
Odell Beckham Jr. had 8 touchdowns in 3 years with the Browns. OBJ currently has 4 touchdowns in just 6 games with the Rams pic.twitter.com/fDRMb7kdm7
— 𝐣𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐞 (@LArams4L) December 26, 2021
Round 12
12.01 – Elijah Moore
12.02 – Zay Jones
12.03 – D’Onta Foreman
12.04 – Ezekiel Elliott
12.05 – Gerald Everett
12.06 – Zach Ertz
12.07 – Kyler Murray
12.08 – Nico Collins
12.09 – Rondale Moore
12.10 – Anthony Richardson
12.11 – Hunter Renfrow
12.12 – Devon Achane
Khalil Herbert, D’Onta Foreman, and Roschon Johnson form one of the most uncertain backfields in fantasy football. Chances are, one of these players will carry some type of fantasy football relevance, so you might as well bet on the guy that’s already proven he can handle a large workload. Foreman spent the past two seasons filling in for Derrick Henry and Christian McCaffrey and did a good job as a spot starter. While he doesn’t offer much as a receiver, that doesn’t really matter in an offense that is morally opposed to the forward pass.
Round 13
13.01 – Bryce Young
13.02 – Jeff Wilson
13.03 – JaWhaun Johnson
13.04 – Dawson Knox
13.05 – D.J. Chark
13.06 – Skyy Moore
13.07 – Michael Gallup
13.08 – Leonard Fournette
13.09 – Allen Robinson
13.10 – Kendre Miller
13.11 – Greg Dulcich
13.12 – Cordarrelle Patterson
Alvin Kamara will likely face some type of suspension in 2023, and somebody will have to fill in for the aging runner. While Jamaal Williams is the most likely name for the job, Kendre Miller is a much smarter investment when accounting for draft position. Williams is on the older side, is coming off his lone season of above-average play, and owes most of his stardom to a seemingly endless stream of one-yard touchdowns. Miller could win the backup job in the second half of the season, and that makes him well worth the investment at this point in the fantasy football mock draft.
Round 14
14.01 – Chuba Hubbard
14.02 – Clyde Edwards-Helaire
14.03 – Tank Bigsby
14.04 – Matthew Stafford
14.05 – Wandale Robinson
14.06 – Chase Claypool
14.07 – Michael Mayer
14.08 – Mike Gesicki
14.09 – Tyjae Spears
14.10 – Kareem Hunt
14.11 – Roschon Johnson
14.12 – Alec Pierce
As long as Travis Etienne is healthy, he will be the starting running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, if he gets hurt, then Tank Bigsby will be the starting running back in what should be one of the best offenses in football. Running backs suffer injuries at a higher rate than just about anyone else, and the plug-and-play nature of the position means that Bigsby should be a flex play if he ever inherits a starting job.
Round 15
15.01 – Rashid Shaheed
15.02 – Derek Carr
15.03 – Jaylen Warren
15.04 – Donovan Peoples-Jones
15.05 – Kenneth Gainwell
15.06 – Michael Carter
15.07 – Chase Edmonds
15.08 – Jonathan Mingo
15.09 – Gus Edwards
15.10 – Trey McBride
15.11 – Jerome Ford
15.12 – K.J. Osborn
This fantasy football mock draft wraps up with tight end Trey McBride. While he’ll never usurp Travis Kelce as the TE1 on this roster, he was widely considered the best receiving tight end of the 2022 NFL Draft class. Arizona desperately needs somebody to step up as a pass catcher, and if McBride can establish himself as one of the four or five tight ends worth rostering, then he could be an incredible trade piece later on in the season, or a perfect insurance policy for Kelce.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
