Matt Barbato | Wed, Aug 9th 2023, 7:24am EDT

Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Standard, 12-Team, Early Pick (2023)

Can you feel it? Mock draft season is upon us. The first preseason game of the 2023 season is in the books. And for many, August represents the time to really get dialed into the upcoming fantasy football campaign.

Today, using our Draft Wizard, I’ll be walking you through each pick in a 12-team standard league with the third overall pick to give you a sense of what to expect if you’re picking at the top of your upcoming draft. Let’s dive into our latest fantasy football mock draft. Practice makes perfect, and the best way to prepare is by using our FREE fantasy football mock draft simulator.

Snake Draft Pick Strategy: Early | Middle | Late
Draft Targets for Every Round: Early | Middle | Late
Fitz’s Draft Primers: QB | RB | WR | TE
2023 Fantasy Football Draft Kit

12-Team Standard Mock Draft with Early Pick (2023 Fantasy Football)

Mock Draft with Third Overall Pick

Pick 1.03: Nick Chubb (RB – CLE)

There’s a movement within the fantasy football community to bypass the top running backs and go with Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase at the top of drafts. But I simply can’t get behind that strategy in a standard format. The format is also the reason I pass on Austin Ekeler for Chubb, who is a slam-dunk pick, regardless of format.

Pick 2.10: Josh Jacobs (RB – LV)

Jacobs’ holdout is certainly a concern. But like many offseason standoffs, I expect this one to be resolved by the time the season kicks off. Jacobs is just too good to let slip past me, and there are plenty of wide receivers I’m comfortable with in the third round.

Pick 3.03: Tee Higgins (WR – CIN)

I’ll happily take Chase’s running mate in Cincinnati two rounds later. Higgins isn’t as talented as Chase, but he’s pretty darn close and has the added motivation of a contract year, one of the rare narratives I’ll at least take into account as a tiebreaker between players. I suspect Joe Burrow will be just fine, and Higgins will have low-end WR1 upside most weeks.

Pick 4.10: Calvin Ridley (WR – JAC)

Running backs fly off the board in the long wait between these picks. But with my Chubb-Jacobs foundation, I’m just fine with that. I’m thrilled to get one of the highest-upside receivers in the draft in Ridley. There’s admittedly plenty of risk in taking a player we haven’t seen in practically two years. But I’m enough of a believer in what I saw before Ridley missed time. Plus, he gets an upgrade at QB in Trevor Lawrence. Ridley is the perfect high-upside companion for Higgins, who doesn’t have the highest of ceilings as my WR1.

Pick 5.03: Cam Akers (RB – LAR)

Seven quarterbacks have been taken through the first four rounds of this draft, which is just insane. But that gives us an opportunity to scoop up value at more scarce positions. While D.J. Moore is still on the board and awfully enticing, there are plenty of receivers down the board who I’d be comfortable targeting in the sixth round.

I turn my attention back to running back, where I’m left with a tough decision between Akers and James Conner. I do feel Conner is being undervalued in drafts due to the sentiment surrounding Arizona’s offense. But I have a feeling Akers will continue where he left off in 2022. This pick could ultimately decide my team’s fate.

Pick 6.10: James Cook (RB – BUF)

I actually like a lot of the options available to me here. Javonte Williams, James Cook, Drake London, Marquise Brown, Diontae Johnson and even Mike Evans and Chris Godwin are guys I’m happy to end up with here.

Johnson is my favorite player in this group, as he’s an incredible talent who suffered from insanely bad touchdown luck. But I’m going to take a risk and hope he doesn’t get taken in the next five picks.

Instead, I’ll roll the dice on another upside running back in Cook and pray Ken Dorsey isn’t lying to us when he said Cook has three-down ability. Because if he does, he could vault into RB2 territory this year.

Pick 7.03: Diontae Johnson (WR – PIT)

My prayers were answered. Johnson is still on the board with this pick. I scampered to the podium to take him.

Pick 8.10: Khalil Herbert (RB – CHI)

I know I still need a quarterback. But I opt for another running back in Herbert. Chicago’s tailback depth chart is pretty uncertain. But if talent prevails, Herbert has a leg up over the plodding D’Onta Foreman and rookie Roschon Johnson. Watch Herbert in his limited starts in relief of David Montgomery, and tell me you aren’t impressed by his contact balance.

Pick 9.03: Dallas Goedert (TE – PHI)

I normally wait until the very last second to draft a tight end. But I’m pretty surprised to see Goedert’s lasted this far, and it’s at the point in the draft where he offers plenty of value compared to the wideouts and tailbacks on the board. We will wait on quarterback a bit longer!

Pick 10.10: Kirk Cousins (QB – MIN)

Kirk Cousins is far from a prolific fantasy quarterback. But he’s finished inside the top 12 in seven of the last eight seasons. He’s got the best receiver in the game, not to mention T.J. Hockenson and exciting rookie Jordan Addison. Kevin O’Connell runs a pass-friendly scheme. Cousins won’t finish as a top 5 QB, but top 10 is certainly in play.

Pick 11.03: Skyy Moore (WR – KC)

It’s fascinating to me how Moore is an afterthought in drafts after one lackluster rookie season. Kansas City’s receiving corps isn’t much better than it was a year ago. And with Kadarius Toney injured, the opportunity is there for Moore to ascend into a more solidified role behind Travis Kelce in this passing game.

Pick 12.10: Anthony Richardson (QB – IND)

Richardson is a pure stash-and-see, as I’ve got a reliable starter in Kirk Cousins. However, if Richardson blossoms in his rookie year, he’ll instantly overtake Cousins as my starter, given his rushing ability. I don’t typically endorse taking two quarterbacks in a 1QB format, but if you end up with someone like Cousins, Tua Tagovailoa or Daniel Jones, I’m more amenable to taking a flyer on Richardson.

Pick 13.03: Zamir White (RB – LV)

Pure Jacobs insurance.

Pick 14.10: New England Patriots D/ST

Pick 15.03: Younghoe Koo (K – ATL)

DraftWizard Mock Draft Grade: 96/100 (A)

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