The key to any fantasy football season is preparation. Whether you have the first overall pick or the last of the first round, having a sense of who will be available in each round is key.
I’ll be doing mock drafts throughout the summer while offering scenarios and feedback for each position. The point of these mocks is to prepare for the unexpected.
The mock drafts will assume that 12 teams are in the league with the following roster construction: quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, tight end, a flex (running back, wide receiver or tight end), defense, kicker and seven bench spots. It is a 16-round snake draft.
If you read my draft guide, you know I’m not a fan of drafting kickers and defense if it’s not necessary. I’d rather add a few running backs who could end up being a starter in the event of an injury. However, for the sake of this exercise, I’ll round out each draft by doing so. Remember, do not draft either before your final two picks!
Most important of all, be creative with your mock drafts. Don’t take the same players in every mock. Your favorite sleeper is probably someone else’s, too. I’m guilty of this myself, but I will try to go with different approaches in many of these mock drafts.
The draft is just the start of the season. If you’re drafting early, work the waiver wire to your advantage if any major injuries arise. If you’re a fantasy nerd like me, turn notifications on of your favorite NFL insider for breaking news around the league. But the draft is where you build the foundation of your roster, and the goal is to have as deep a roster as possible.
We have reached the back half of our 12-team mock drafts, which is my preferred area to pick in. See also: No. 1 pick, No. 2 pick, No. 3 pick, No. 4 pick, No. 5 pick, No. 6 pick, No. 7 pick, Superflex, Standard
Let’s get started on my latest mock draft of the 2023 season.
Here is my roster:
Round 1, Pick 8: Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
Round 2, Pick 5: A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
Round 3, Pick 8: Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens
Round 4, Pick 5: Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Round 5, Pick 8: DJ Moore, WR, Chicago Bears
Round 6, Pick 5: Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Round 7, Pick 8: Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Round 8, Pick 5: Antonio Gibson, RB, Washington Commanders
Round 9, Pick 8: Courtland Sutton, WR, Denver Broncos
Round 10, Pick 5: Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
Round 11, Pick 8: Devin Singletary, RB, Houston Texans
Round 12, Pick 5: Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts
Round 13, Pick 8: Gus Edwards, RB, Baltimore Ravens
Round 14, Pick 5: Gerald Everett, TE,
Round 15, Pick 8: Kansas City Chiefs D/ST
Round 16, Pick 5: Evan McPherson, K, Cincinnati Bengals
Observations:
I had a decision to make between Bijan Robinson and Saquon Barkley here, and while I have the latter ranked a spot higher, Robinson is higher on most fantasy platforms. You can’t go wrong with either, as Robinson was drafted to the team that runs more than any other in the league. Sometimes you just don’t have to overthink things. Robinson is the top running back prospect since Barkley and is in the perfect system to be a first-round pick for years to come.
Not taking another running until the eighth round was never the plan. This particular draft saw running backs and quarterbacks come off the board quickly. Never stress and continue to take the best player available. A.J. Brown has seen his stock rise in recent weeks, but he fell a few slots in this mock and I was more than happy to pounce.
Those of us in Baltimore know how valuable Mark Andrews is to the Ravens’ offense. Some people think he’ll take a step back in production because of the additions at receiver. I’m not one of them. I think he becomes even more effective since teams cannot game plan around him. Through three rounds, I have arguably a top-five player at running back, receiver and tight end.
Each of my next four picks would be a terrific WR2 for most teams and that’s where I will have the leg up in this league. Keenan Allen is my ideal target as a second receiver. DJ Moore showed us in his lone preseason touch why he’s special. Chris Godwin might not have Tom Brady throwing to him anymore, but we need to stop acting like Baker Mayfield is not a capable quarterback. I’ve said numerous times throughout the offseason that Tyler Lockett’s yearly disrespect in fantasy rankings is something I will take advantage of.
This is the second consecutive draft in which I’ve finished with Antonio Gibson as my RB2 and I’m not crazy about it. While I am a fan of Gibson this season, he’s still part of a committee. The bigger concern in this mock is only exiting with four running backs total. Devin Singletary is someone I think is going to have a larger role than his current ADP indicates, but again, he is part of a committee. Gus Edwards has been effective when on the field, but it’s no guarantee he’s a major factor in the Ravens’ new offense.
The lack of depth at running back is a result of drafting two quarterbacks and two tight ends. This is a practice I almost never do, but I was curious to see how the team would shape up and it’s not great. I am a fan of Anthony Richardson and Gerald Everett, and if I am drafting Richardson, I’d ideally pair him with another QB in case he gets off to a slow start. There’s no need to take a second tight end if you’ve already got one of the elites at the position.
Of all the mocks I’ve done this summer, this one is by far my least favorite this far. I love the top seven picks, but I’m not crazy about Dak Prescott as my starting quarterback, and even more worried about my lack of running back depth. I would be checking around the league for a team that is lacking at receiver and flush with running backs as a possible trade partner.
What do you think of this roster? Let’s discuss on Twitter @JoeSerp.
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Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox