Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 12-Team, PPR Picks & Predictions (2023)

Today I used our mock draft tool to complete a point per reception (PPR) redraft mock draft, which I picked from the 1.03 spot. I started this draft with three receivers, giving this team a nice combination of floor and ceiling. It leaves the running back position a little bit thin, but that is an area where you are most likely to get a viable starter off the waiver wire.

With each pick here, I am going to give a few notes as to why I selected that specific player. I am also adding some footnotes if I considered someone else and why. While every draft room is different, you have to take a stance on certain players and be above or below their average draft position (ADP). I think a good process to follow with any mock is to see how the board fell after you make your selection in each round. Using our platform allows you to go back to the final draft board any time you like, which is a nice feature. Think of it as a film study session for your draft strategy. Practice for your draft with fast mocks against realistic opponents.

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12-Team PPR Mock Draft (2023 Fantasy Football)

A few takeaways from this mock before diving into the picks:

The anchor running back strategy in PPR is going to be popular in 2023. This roster build has made a comeback in the last two years, but I still think this position offers enough depth to take someone like Justin Jefferson or Ja’Marr Chase in the first round.
Quarterbacks are going earlier than we’ve ever seen them go. There were six off the board in the first six rounds, including three who went in Round 4.
Tight end is still the most challenging position to figure out from a positional value perspective. I think if you miss on Travis Kelce or Mark Andrews, waiting until late and throwing two darts is viable. I also believe Darren Waller is a better value than George Kittle or Dallas Goedert.

1.03 – Justin Jefferson (WR – MIN)

There is not much analysis with this pick. Justin Jefferson is coming off a season where he put a 128/1809/8 receiving line and was named AP Offensive Player of the Year. I think in a PPR format, there is a strong argument for him to be the 1.01 in redraft leagues. Getting him at the 1.03 seems like a gift.

Also Considered: None

2.10 – A.J. Brown (WR – PHI)

Oh yes. Pairing A.J. Brown with Jefferson here gives this roster a monster one-two punch at receiver. There are a handful of offenses in the NFL that we should try to be getting a piece of at all costs, and Philadelphia is one of those. Brown experienced a renaissance last year with the Eagles, hauling in 88 passes for 1,496 yards — both career-bests. With Jalen Hurts back and poised to continue his development as a passer, the sky is the limit for this offense. I am thrilled to get Brown this late in the second round.

Also Considered: I thought about Amon-Ra St. Brown because of the PPR format. I lean toward Brown here because he is tied to Jalen Hurts as opposed to Jared Goff.

3.03 – Jaylen Waddle (WR – MIA)

I was ready to click on Najee Harris here, but he went the pick before this one. Going with Jaylen Waddle as my WR3 might seem like overkill, but this now gives my receiving corps a combined baseline projection of 300 receptions and 4,500 yards. Waddle may not average 18 yards per reception again this season, but there is no reason to think he won’t catch more than 75 balls. If Tua Tagovailoa stays upright, Miami’s offense will score plenty of points making Waddle a nice value in Round 3. This pick leaves this roster a little light at running back, but it is a worthwhile risk to get this much upside at receiver.

Also Considered: Aaron Jones was available here, and given the first two picks of this draft, he would be a viable choice. My main concern there is with the Green Bay offense, which is what pushed me off of him and onto Waddle.

4.10 – Jahmyr Gibbs (RB – DET)

At this point, Jahmyr Gibbs was by far the best option on the board. The PPR format suits his skillset, and now we just have to hope Detroit uses him the way they should. There are some concerning data points with how the Lions used their running backs last year, however. David Montgomery could be the short yardage and goalline back, which would cap Gibbs’ considerable upside. I am hoping Detroit gives Gibbs 15 touches a game, so I still think in a PPR format, he can push for RB1 status. By August, this might look like a bargain.

Also Considered: None

5.03 – Drake London (WR – ATL)

Rather than force a selection of the best of what’s left at running back (Alvin Kamara, Rachaad White), I went with Drake London to fill my flex spot. London is coming off a strong rookie season, finishing with 72 receptions for 866 yards. He was virtually unchallenged for targets last year, but he will have to contend with a healthy Kyle Pitts and the addition of Bijan Robinson. Even so, the Falcons have a chance to be solid on offense and have arguably the best skill group in their division. Adding London to the fold gives this roster another receiver with a strong chance to eclipse 1,000 yards this season.

Also Considered: In hindsight, going Kyle Pitts here probably makes more sense. He and London have similar projections, but given the positional scarcity at tight end, Pitts should be considered the more valuable of the two.

6.10 – Justin Fields (QB – CHI)

Normally I wouldn’t consider taking a quarterback ahead of Round 8, but the scoring at the position is changing my stance. Justin Fields has the rushing upside we covet, and while Fields has strides to make as a passer, Chicago has tried to get additional weapons for him. I don’t know that I would want to invest heavily in the ancillary pieces of this offense, but Fields has proven to have the ceiling of the overall QB1 for fantasy. I am fine taking him as the sixth quarterback off the board.

Also Considered: Javonte Williams was available at this pick, but running backs coming off significant knee injuries aren’t something I typically invest heavily in.

7.03 – Darren Waller (NYG – TE)

The Giants don’t have a true WR1 on their roster, which should open up plenty of targets for Darren Waller, making him a nice value pick in Round 7. If Daniel Jones is going to take another step forward, he will need Waller to be a big part of the offense. The Giants did not get much production out of their tight ends last year, and Waller works in an area of the field that could work well with Jones’ abilities outside the pocket. There is injury risk here, but I plan on having plenty of Darren Waller this year around this ADP.

Also Considered: Jahan Dotson crossed my mind, but filling a need at a shallow position was far more important at this stage of the draft. As I mentioned in the opening, Waller is one of the better values at tight end this season.

8.10 – James Cook (BUF – RB)

This pick is one I will be holding my breath on until Week 1 rosters are finalized. Right now, James Cook is shaping up to be one of the better running back values on the board. He has some competition in the way of Damien Harris, but Cook will have an elite receiving role in this backfield. As long as Buffalo doesn’t bring in someone like Dalvin Cook or Leonard Fournette over the summer, getting Buffalo’s top running back (who has second-round draft capital) in the eighth round is a strong pick with this roster construction.

Also Considered: Alexander Mattison was available and, in hindsight, probably should have been the pick here. His potential role in that offense is a better situation than Cooks has.

9.03 – Alexander Mattison (MIN – RB)

Getting Alexander Mattison outside of the top 100 probably won’t happen by the end of June. Dalvin Cook’s status with the Vikings is up in the air, making Mattison a great speculative pick at this stage of the draft. Minnesota is up against the cap but still managed to re-sign Mattison for $6.35 million guaranteed over the next two seasons. The worst-case scenario is they bring back Cook at a reduced rate, and Mattison takes on a bigger role. The best case is that Mattison owns this backfield and is the best bargain pick of this mock.

Also Considered: None

10.10 – Quentin Johnston (WR – LAC)

Much of what has been written about Quentin Johnston outlines what a terrific athlete he is. At 6-foot-2, 212 pounds, he ran in the high 4.4 range, and he tested in the 90th percentile or better across the board at the combine. He ended up with the Chargers, where he will be the third receiver in the offense, but that could turn into much more. He is probably a better dynasty buy right now, but we’ve seen plenty of rookie receivers end up in high-volume roles because of injuries. Mike Williams and Keenan Allen both have extensive histories, so Johnston could find himself seeing a big-time target share at some point in 2023.

Also Considered: I thought about going with Allen Lazard here, but I think we have enough data points to know what he is. I’d rather take the upside with Johnston and see if his role expands as the year progresses.

11.03 – Devon Achane (RB – MIA)

I will end up being above the field on Devon Achane‘s ADP, and I think he has an outside shot at outproducing every rookie running back not named Bijan Robinson. His landing spot was cherry relative to his skill set. Miami will capitalize on his speed in its outside-zone running scheme. He only has Raheem Mostert and Jeffrey Wilson to beat out, both of whom are injury prone and well past their prime. For his potential, Achane isn’t being talked about nearly enough in redraft for this year.

Also Considered: I wanted a running back here, and Kenneth Gainwell was available, but like the Johnston pick, I would prefer to see if Achane can develop a bigger role.

12.10 – Chigoziem Okonkwo (TE – TEN)

If Chigoziem Okonkwo continues to go this late, he will be on a lot of my rosters this year. A second-year breakout candidate, Okonkwo averaged 14.1 yards on 32 receptions in 2022. The Titans use him all over the formation, and he has only Treylon Burks to compete with for targets. Despite the Titans being one of the most run-heavy teams in the NFL, Okonkwo could produce TE1 numbers. In the 12th round, that will do just fine.

Also Considered: None. I am all about getting Chiggy with it.

For the last four picks, I went with all upside and also managed to draft the top kicker in fantasy, Justin Tucker. Chase Claypool could be a nice stacking target with Justin Fields, while Chubba Hubbard is one Miles Sanders hamstring tweak from 20 touches per game. I did not draft a defense, as I normally wait until right before Week 1 kicks off to pick up a streaming option.

Link to the draft board here.

Jason Kamlowsky is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Jason, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @JasonKamlowsky.

Mock Drafts NFL Justin Jefferson Ja’Marr Chase Travis Kelce Mark Andrews Darren Waller George Kittle Dallas Goedert A.J. Brown Jalen Hurts Amon-Ra St. Brown Jared Goff Najee Harris Jaylen Waddle Tua Tagovailoa Aaron Jones Jahmyr Gibbs David Montgomery Alvin Kamara Rachaad White Drake London Kyle Pitts Bijan Robinson Justin Fields Javonte Williams Daniel Jones Jahan Dotson James Cook Damien Harris Dalvin Cook Leonard Fournette Alexander Mattison Mike Williams Keenan Allen Allen Lazard Devon Achane Raheem Mostert Jeffrey Wilson Kenneth Gainwell Chigoziem Okonkwo Treylon Burks Justin Tucker Chase Claypool Miles Sanders