Fantasy Football 2023: Ideal Strategy for Each Spot in 12-Team Mock Drafts (2024)

Based on the name alone, you might think the biggest help a mock draft can give fantasy football managers is the actual experience of being in a draft room with other managers and making picks on a time clock.

That's certainly a beneficial part of the process, but the true value of a mock draft is found in the information it can provide. If you participate in multiple mocks, you can start to identify trends in terms of who's being pushed up or down the draft board and which positions are going where. You're also allowed to experiment some, which might open your eyes to new strategies to employ during your league's actual draft.

Since kickoff of the 2023 NFL season is forever creeping closer, let's help sharpen your mock-drafting skills by identifying strategic advice for each spot in the opening round of a 12-team mock. Since making picks is a part of this exercise, we'll base on our selections on the point-per-reception format.

1. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

2. Christian McCaffrey, RB, San Francisco 49ers

3. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

4. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

In mock drafts, there are times to experiment, take risks and think outside the box. This isn't one of those times.

This early in the process, the obvious choice is almost always the right one. Switch something up at this point, and you risk distorting the draft results to the degree that all of the information gleaned from here forward will feel a little—or, depending on your fellow mock drafters, maybe a lot—off.

These first four names should almost always lead your draft, though the exact order could differ. In my eyes, you basically have two coin flips: first between Jefferson and McCaffrey, then between Chase and Ekeler.

Follow the consensus here, and there's a better chance your mock stays close enough to reality to deliver results you can trust.

5. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons

6. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

7. Tyreek Hill, WR, Miami Dolphins

8. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams

While you'll have plenty to track during a mock draft, some specific selections should pop the second they are made.

Robinson is one of those picks. He is the first rookie to be drafted, so that's notable in itself. But if you're a fan of his potential, you need to know how early he's likely to go. He might occasionally slip toward the back end of the top 10, but this mock is closer to what you typically see. If you want him, you better hope you have a top-six pick.

Kelce is another name to note, because he's the first tight end off the board. Production-wise, though, he's more like an elite wide receiver than an awesome tight end. There are very few actual wideouts who should go in front of them. In this mock, only Jefferson and Chase made the cut.

If your mock matches the first six picks, then pick No. 7 becomes super revealing. What do other fantasy managers want in this spot: the best wide receiver remaining or the top running back on the board? Here, it was back-to-back wideouts, meaning only three running backs are gone after the first eight picks.

9. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

10. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills

11. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

12. Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys

If you have an early-round plan of attack, this is where it's easiest to trust that over the average draft position. If you have to reach a spot or two to add a specific position, that's fine. Taking Nick Chubb or Derrick Henry over one of the receivers listed here is less of a risky play than taking Hill or Cupp over one of those top two running backs (McCaffrey and Ekeler).

Tiers get wider the further down the draft board you go, so personal preference becomes more important. If drafting running backs with your first two picks is a tried-and-true method for you, you can make that happen. Pair Barkley or Pollard with Chubb or Henry, and that strategy is off to a great start.

Again, though, mock drafts are as much about the picks made by others as they are your own selections, so there are some players to watch in this range.

What's the general feeling on Pollard now that Dallas' backfield is his? How far does Jonathan Taylor slide given the uncertainty of his situation in Indy? Where do run-first backs like Chubb and Henry land in PPR mocks? If you can find answers to these types of questions during mock-draft season, you'll be much better prepared when your actual draft arrives.