Going through a fantasy football mock draft is the single most valuable thing you can do in your preparation process. Yes, creating your own custom rankings and projections is valuable, but putting your feet to the flames is critical. PFN Fantasy Football Director Kyle Yates and I did the hard work of going through the process — all you have to do is the learning!
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2023 Fantasy Football Mock Draft | League Settings
For this Superflex mock draft, I picked third overall, while Yates put together a strong squad from the seventh spot. Each player receives 0.5 points per reception, and rushing and receiving touchdowns are worth six points. Quarterbacks receive four points per passing touchdown.
Here is the full roster breakdown:
- 1 QB
- 2 RB
- 3 WR
- 1 TE
- 1 Flex
- 1 SuperFlex
- 5 Bench
2023 Fantasy Football Mock Draft | Round 1
1.01) Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
1.02) Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
1.03) Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
1.04) Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
1.05) Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers
1.06) Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
1.07) Justin Fields, QB, Chicago Bears
1.08) Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
1.09) Justin Herbert, QB, Los Angeles Chargers
1.10) Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Pick Analysis: Picking third in a format like this means you don’t have to start thinking until Round 2! I personally have Allen-Hurts-Mahomes as 1-2-3 in my QB ranks, but they make up a pretty clear top tier in SuperFlex, and I think the value gained in picking ahead of the first two managers more than covers the minor ranking differences between these uber-elites.
Pick 3 is my ideal spot for Superflex, but Yates at seven isn’t bad. I would have followed his strategy (first-round QB), albeit with a different name. I have eight QBs in my top two tiers. If I can get two of them with my first two picks, I won’t hesitate, but I want at least one of them.
Round 2
2.01) Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs
2.02) Travis Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
2.03) Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
2.04) Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins
2.05) Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
2.06) Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams
2.07) Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills
2.08) A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
2.09) Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
2.10) Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
Pick Analysis: Stacking isn’t something that I’m moving heaven and earth to do in a 10-team league, but I’ll use it as a tie-breaker in the case I was presented here. Brown finished fourth in receiving yards a season ago and has nothing changing in his offense that features a franchise QB. That’s a profile I can support.
I considered Deshaun Watson at the end of a tier at the QB position but ultimately elected to pass due to my comfort level with the QBs down the board. Yates also started QB-WR — not a mistake. Know your league. We are starting two QBs, two RBs, and at least three WRs … the value of the running back position is lessened, and that is why we both passed on the position early.
Round 3
3.01) CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
3.02) Deshaun Watson, QB, Cleveland Browns
3.03) Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions
3.04) Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns
3.05) Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets
3.06) Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans
3.07) Chris Olave, WR, New Orleans Saints
3.08) Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens
3.09) Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
3.10) Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
Pick Analysis: There might not be a player this side of Davante Adams with a higher weekly catch count than Amon-Ra St. Brown — a floor I’m thrilled to take in Round 3. I actually have him ranked ahead of A.J. Brown but gambled that he had better odds of making it back to me, and it paid off!
Yates makes a statement here with Olave, a player I share a passion for. Yates got stuck in a weird spot … Waddle was on the board, but did he want to double down on the Dolphins?
If I was picking in his spot by my ranks, I would have gone Diggs in the second round and thus had no issue in scooping the versatile Waddle in the third. Olave is just behind Waddle for me, so no harm, though it is something worth considering if you find yourself picking at the back end of a league like this.
Round 4
4.01) Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Miami Dolphins
4.02) Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
4.03) Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
4.04) Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings
4.05) T.J. Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings
4.06) DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
4.07) Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, New England Patriots
4.08) Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys
4.09) Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets
4.10) DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Pick Analysis: My plan was to continue to wait on the running back position. It really was. Pollard falling to me, however, demanded a quick click. He’s flirting with my top five at the position and not being given anywhere near enough respect.
This is the type of thing you’ll see in Superflex. In redraft, you need most of the room to be out on a certain player for him to slip down the draft board, as everyone is chasing skill players in the early rounds. In Superflex, the thirst for QBs is real, and that results in some ultra-value spots.
Yates said pre-draft that he likes having his two QBs out of the way through four rounds, and he paid that off with the always-underrated Kirk Cousins. But be smart like Yates … he didn’t force the issue. If Cousins wasn’t there, he would have altered his strategy as he was at the end of a tier.
2023 Fantasy Football Mock Draft | Round 5
5.01) Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
5.02) Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
5.03) Calvin Ridley, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
5.04) Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts
5.05) Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants
5.06) Travis Etienne, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
5.07) Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
5.08) Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions
5.09) George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
5.10) Kenneth Walker III, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Pick Analysis: With us being at the top of a new (and uncertain) tier at the QB position, I elected to continue to kick that can down the road. Speaking of tiers, I made a calculated risk with my Pollard pick, understanding that I had four receivers remaining in my current WR tier. Again, I was fortunate and able to land the last member of that tier in Ridley.
Had Ridley come off the board, I would have gone Mixon like Yates did and elected to chase the bottom of the next receiver tier in the coming rounds. The only pick of this round that I wasn’t a fan of was George Kittle. I’m not in on him this season as it is, but in a 10-team league where there are 10-12 tight ends that I am comfortable with, I’m just not prioritizing the position at all.
Round 6
6.01) Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
6.02) Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers
6.03) Aaron Rodgers, QB, New York Jets
6.04) Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions
6.05) Geno Smith, QB, Seattle Seahawks
6.06) DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Tennessee Titans
6.07) Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons
6.08) Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers
6.09) Amari Cooper, WR, Cleveland Browns
6.10) J.K. Dobbins, RB, Baltimore Ravens
Pick Analysis: Find yourself someone who loves you like Yates loves NFC North quarterbacks. Goodness. This is where we differ from a strategic standpoint. He invested two of his first four picks at the position, and with that draft capital in play, I’m not drafting a bench quarterback until a handful of rounds later. I get the idea — he’s locking down the most important and highest-scoring position — it’s just not for me in a 10-teamer.
For me, I had another RB fall in my lap. I really did want to wait to address the position, especially after stealing Pollard, but the elevated floor of Jones is appealing in an offense that I expect to run through the backfield.
Is AJ Dillon a threat? Of course, but there’s not a world in which a healthy Jones isn’t involved, and his weekly touch count is good enough for me in this spot before the position dries up.
Just finished mocking with @KyleYNFL …
10 teams, half-PPR, Superflex
Stream going live on the channel this afternoon. Whataya think?#FantasyFootball pic.twitter.com/dKurlv8ftv
— Kyle Soppe (@KyleSoppePFN)
Round 7
7.01) Darren Waller, TE, New York Giants
7.02) Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders
7.03) Derek Carr, QB, New Orleans Saints
7.04) Jerry Jeudy, WR, Denver Broncos
7.05) Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons
7.06) Dameon Pierce, RB, Houston Texans
7.07) Alexander Mattison, RB, Minnesota Vikings
7.08) Miles Sanders, RB, Carolina Panthers
7.09) D.J. Moore, WR, Chicago Bears
7.10) Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Pick Analysis: Nailed it! I’m a big fan of the Saints as a whole this season, and I was able to wait things out as long as possible. You’ll notice that only one other quarterback goes over the next three rounds — as important as the initial rush on the position is to be a part of, understanding that in a shallower format like this that it will eventually slow down is paramount.
Yates executed the “wait on RBs” idea better than I did, and his selection of Mattison is exactly why you do so. Is Mattison great? No, but he has a high touch floor, and the ability to get that in Round 7 put Yates in a spot to build out a star-studded core. Well done, sir!
Round 8
8.01) D’Andre Swift, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
8.02) Christian Watson, WR, Green Bay Packers
8.03) Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks
8.04) Mike Williams, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
8.05) Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers
8.06) Russell Wilson, QB, Denver Broncos
8.07) Cam Akers, RB, Los Angeles Rams
8.08) Diontae Johnson, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
8.09) Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
8.10) Michael Pittman Jr., WR, Indianapolis Colts
Pick Analysis: A.J. Brown and Calvin Ridley are big-time playmakers, but they are not without target competition, and that carries some weekly risk. Insert Johnson. Yes, he failed to score a single time last season as the Steelers explored a new role for him … that’s not happening again.
As Pittsburgh brings him closer to the line of scrimmage, his value should stabilize, and if he can find the end zone a handful of times, I think he’s easily the best receiver of those selected in this round.
Mike Williams is a solid option this season; he just wasn’t right for the specific build I have going. That’s an important note. Rankings are great, but understand that when we create rankings, we don’t know who is on your team.
With my high-upside WRs, selecting a Williams-type is more risk than I’m willing to absorb. I have Big Mike a few spots ahead of Johnson in my ranks, but if both were on the board with my pick, I still would have gone DJ.
2023 Fantasy Football Mock Draft | Round 9
9.01) James Conner, RB, Arizona Cardinals
9.02) Christian Kirk, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
9.03) Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
9.04) David Montgomery, RB, Detroit Lions
9.05) Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos
9.06) Marquise Brown, WR, Arizona Cardinals
9.07) Dalvin Cook, RB, New York Jets
9.08) Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks
9.09) Rachaad White, TB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
9.10) Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Pick Analysis: I entered this draft with the intent to only start two running backs weekly, and with two strong options already on my roster, I was happy to buy the dip on Kamara.
He is suspended for the first three weeks of the season … three weeks in which I will not need him. I’m playing the long game here. He gives me running back depth for when we get to bye-week season or when injuries pop up.
Yates took the opposite approach, and it’s up to you who the smarter Kyle is. He opted for Cook, a running back we expert to peak early and potentially lose value with time.
While I think there’s a decent chance Cook earns extended work in September and holds it through the end of the season, I feel better about Kamara’s winter role, and that’s why I went that direction.
Round 10
10.01) George Pickens, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
10.02) Jordan Addison, WR, Minnesota Vikings
10.03) Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
10.04) Gabe Davis, WR, Buffalo Bills
10.05) Bryce Young, QB, Carolina Panthers
10.06) JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, New England Patriots
10.07) David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns
10.08) Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens
10.09) James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills
10.10) Evan Engram, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars
Pick Analysis: Yates took my pick here in Davis, a receiver we fight daily about who likes him more. He wins this time around, but I’ll be smarter next time!
While I was disappointed that Davis was off the board, Flowers was a nice consolation prize. He’s my favorite to lead this crowded WR room in targets, and considering that I have Lamar Jackson winning the NFL MVP, that’s a role I very much deem valuable.
I love the WR talent that came off the board in this round, and that should serve as comforting for any of you out there that end up RB-heavy in the early rounds. This general range offers plenty of upside at the receiver position — I’d bet on three of the four drafted in this round providing reasonable weekly value by season’s end.
Round 11
11.01) Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers
11.02) Treylon Burks, WR, Tennessee Titans
11.03) Kenny Pickett, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
11.04) Pat Freiermuth, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
11.05) Jahan Dotson, WR, Washington Commanders
11.06) Kadarius Toney, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
11.07) Khalil Herbert, RB, Chicago Bears
11.08) Brandin Cooks, WR, Dallas Cowboys
11.09) AJ Dillon, RB, Green Bay Packers
11.10) Quentin Johnston, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Pick Analysis: This is where I think taking QB3 makes sense. I like Pickett more than you, but it’s the idea of Pickett more than the specific player … I want a guy that I am comfortable will start the entire season (assuming health) so that I am never left without a quarterback to plug into the Superflex spot.
Some managers will go without a QB3, knowing that starting two signal-callers isn’t technically required. Mistake.
Round 12
12.01) Brian Robinson, RB, Washington Commanders
12.02) Zack Charbonnet, RB, Seattle Seahawks
12.03) Antonio Gibson, RB, Washington Commanders
12.04) Elijah Moore, WR, Cleveland Browns
12.05) Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans Saints
12.06) Rashaad Penny, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
12.07) Samaje Perine, RB, Denver Broncos
12.08) De’Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins
12.09) Dalton Schultz, TE, Houston Texans
12.10) Jameson Williams, WR, Detroit Lions
Pick Analysis: Both Yates and I had a similar train of thought here: cheap exposure to an above-average offense. Neither one of us is going to even consider starting our Round 12 picks any time soon, but both carry the potential to work into Flex consideration if they can produce early on.
You either want offensive upside or role potential at this point, if not both. That is why I like both Commander RBs going in this round — either could dominate the usage and turn into a top-20ish RB. Or they could bust … but at this point, the direct path to a viable role is all you can realistically ask for.
2023 Fantasy Football Mock Draft | Round 13
13.01) Elijah Mitchell, RB, San Francisco 49ers
13.02) Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Baltimore Ravens
13.03) Courtland Sutton, WR, Denver Broncos
13.04) Jamaal Williams, RB, New Orleans Saints
13.05) Chigoziem Okonkwo, TE, Tennessee Titans
13.06) Dalton Kincaid, TE, Buffalo Bills
13.07) Skyy Moore, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
13.08) Cole Kmet, TE, Chicago Bears
13.09) Tyler Higbee, TE, Los Angeles Rams
13.10) Greg Dulcich, TE, Denver Broncos
Pick Analysis: I’ve turned into the Sutton guy here, and … life comes at you fast. Do I think he ousts Jerry Jeudy for the WR1 role in Denver? I don’t, but I’m a man of probability, and the industry is currently giving him basically no chance to do that. That’s not right. I’ll happily gamble on a young receiver with a creative offensive mind taking over — in any format.
Yates doubled down on Moores and keeps the trend going of wanting cheap exposure to elite offenses. I support this pick — Marquez Valdes-Scantling is my Chiefs receiver of choice, but directionally, I agree with what he’s doing here.
Round 14
14.01) Allen Lazard, WR, New York Jets
14.02) Jerick McKinnon, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
14.03) Rashod Bateman, WR, Baltimore Ravens
14.04) Hunter Henry, TE, New England Patriots
14.05) Damien Harris, RB, Buffalo Bills
14.06) Kendre Miller, RB, New Orleans Saints
14.07) Jakobi Meyers, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
14.08) Juwan Johnson, TE, New Orleans Saints
14.09) Tank Bigsby, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
14.10) Tyler Allgeier, RB, Atlanta Falcons
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Pick Analysis: Our game of TE chicken ends here with both of us finally addressing the position. This draft had a strange number of TEs go, and that left us holding the bag to a degree, but we both stand by the darts we threw.
We are talking last-round picks, so we understand that we are going to have to be comfortable with the idea of streaming the position. Know your league. If it’s unlikely that managers will draft multiple TEs, I think you’re more than fine with waiting until the very end to address the position in a 10-teamer.
