Half-PPR mock drafts, my good friend!
My longest-running, started-in-high-school league is a .5PPR, two-flex league, making .5PPR mock drafts my go-to setting on the FantasyPros Draft Wizard.
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Fantasy Football Mock Draft: .5 PPR (2023)
Let’s talk draft position.
This year, more than any other in recent memory, I’m hearing experts and casuals alike saying they have no interest in the first overall pick. For that reason, we’re going to try drafting from pick four, see if we like our team, and decide if pick four leads us to the evasive elixir that is a perfect draft. We’ll use standard rosters: QB, two WRs, two RBs, TE, flex and four bench slots.
Pick 1.04
- Who I took: Cooper Kupp (WR – LAR)
- Who I considered: Ja’Marr Chase, Austin Ekeler, Travis Kelce
Full disclosure, if Justin Jefferson or Christian McCaffrey fell, I would have taken them. If Kupp got snagged instead of Nick Chubb, I’d probably be taking Austin Ekeler. However, Kupp targets are like highway traffic: it’s happening in Los Angeles, always and forever.
When Matthew Stafford and Kupp have been on the field together, Stafford has had Kupp blinders on, and I don’t see him taking those off. In Sean McVay’s offense, with Kupp running routes from all over the field, Kupp’s floor is about as high as you can get.
Pick 2.09
- Who I took: Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR – DET)
- Who I considered: Davante Adams, Jaylen Waddle
Amon-Ra is one of my biggest risers this offseason. I want his stock. His role in Ben Johnson‘s offense in Detroit is, like Kupp, another extremely high-floor role. As long as he’s on the field, he’s seeing targets. The Lions were the fifth-highest-scoring team in the league last year. I’m going to assume that pace doesn’t drop precipitously and lock in their ascending and unquestioned WR1.
Pick 3.04
- Who I took: Jaylen Waddle (WR – MIA)
- Who I considered: Patrick Mahomes, Cam Akers, Mark Andrews
I always preach to let the draft come to you. Here, I took my own advice. Three WRs in the first three rounds wasn’t the plan, but the firepower here is undeniable.
Pick 4.09
- Who I took: Cam Akers (RB – LAR)
- Who I considered: Javonte Williams, Rachaad White, Lamar Jackson
Again, I didn’t plan to walk away with two Rams in the first five rounds, but by all indications, Cam Akers is in line to be their lead back this season.
Pick 5.04
- Who I took: James Conner (RB – ARI)
- Who I considered: Dameon Pierce, Kyle Pitts, Rachaad White
If Kyler Murray returns sooner rather than later, this offense might actually not be terrible. Conner’s stock is this low because most people are projecting the Cardinals to be one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league. I won’t be so quick to project that, but even if that’s Conner’s floor, he’s still their RB1 who catches passes and gets the ball near the goal line.
Pick 6.09
- Who I took: Trevor Lawrence (QB – JAC)
- Who I considered: Brandon Aiyuk
I’m usually team wait-on-QB, but Lawrence at the end of the sixth in a .5PPR league is a different story. Calvin Ridley‘s in Jacksonville, Travis Etienne is another year older, and the other ancillary weapons are still in place. Lawrence is on the ascension, and I’m glad I grabbed hold here. I find his prospects much more intriguing than a middling running back or wide receiver here.
Pick 7.04
- Who I took: James Cook (RB – BUF)
- Who I considered: AJ Dillon, Marquise Brown
The Bills took James Cook in the second round last year, and their pass-catching RB (Nyheim Hines) just went down for the season. I’ll take the shot here and assume the worst-case scenario is his touches aren’t where we want them to be, but he’s still catching passes.
Pick 8.09
- Who I took: Damien Harris (RB – BUF)
- Who I considered: Greg Dulcich, David Njoku, Jordan Addison, Khalil Herbert
Maybe this is the year the Bills incorporate running backs into their high-octane offense? If it is, I have both RBs. If it’s not, we’re cutting one!
Pick 9.04
- Who I took: Cole Kmet (TE – CHI)
- Who I considered:
We waited on TE, so our options are limited. However, we didn’t overpay for one, so let’s have some fun, take two guys, and see if either one carves out a role in the first few weeks of the season.
Pick 10.09
- Who I took: Dalton Schultz (TE – HOU)
- Who I considered:
Now that DeAndre Hopkins is a Titan, Schultz strikes me as a more interesting commodity than Chig Okonkwo.
Pick 11.04
- Who I took: Jordan Addison (WR – MIN)
- Who I considered:
I love Addison as a late-round flier. He has as good a shot as any to be the second target on the Vikings, with plenty of room to make plays when Justin Jefferson is blanketed by opposing defenses.
The Verdict Is…
C-!
Man, the experts were not a fan of this one! Shoutout to the ever-optimistic Derek Brown for giving me an 87/100 though. This is the second mock draft in a row where he’s been my biggest proponent.
I was docked heavily for drafting Kupp over Austin Ekeler. To me, both players are surefire early first-rounders. I give Kupp the edge because Quentin Johnston could slightly eat into Ekeler’s target share. Ultimately, Kupp is getting his targets in Los Angeles no matter what.
Ekeler isn’t always a fantasy stud in the Chargers’ losses. We’re picking hairs, though. Both players are great first-round picks.
Here’s the full draft board.
Mock Drafts
- PPR: 12-Team, Early Pick (v2, v3)
- PPR: 12-Team, Middle Pick (v2, v3, v4)
- PPR: 12-Team, Late Pick (v2)
- PPR: 12-Team Superflex Early Pick
- PPR: 12-Team Superflex Late Pick
- PPR: 10-Team Superflex
- PPR: 12-Team 2QB
- Half-PPR: 12-Team, Superflex
- Half-PPR: 12-Team, Early Pick
- Half-PPR: 12-Team, Middle Pick (v2)
- Half-PPR: 12-Team, Late Pick
- Standard: 12-Team, Middle Pick (v2)
- Standard: 12-Team, Late Pick
- Standard: 10-Team, Middle Pick
- FFPC: Middle Pick
- FFPC: Late Pick
- FFPC Expert Mock Draft
- 2QB Mock Draft
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