The NFL preseason has kicked off, marking the unofficial start of fantasy football draft season. When preparing for the big day, use mock drafts with the roster configurations and settings similar to your league to predict player placement and strategy options.
In this piece, we’ll dissect a 12-team PPR mock draft with perspective from the No. 12 slot, featuring ESPN standard leagues with rosters with 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 FLEX, 1 DST, 1 K, and six on the bench.
2023 Fantasy football mock draft review: 12-team PPR
Strategy
I would much rather sit in the middle (pick 5-7) rather than the tail end of a 12-team PPR draft. However, we were able to put together a solid team that started with Falcons RB Bijan Robinson and Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb. I would’ve liked to grab Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs in the 12 spot, but he was scooped up at No. 8 overall.
Three wide receivers were on my roster in the first five rounds, and I’m cool with that strategy in a PPR league. After the sixth round, I had my quarterback, three receivers, one tight end, and one running back. From here, I went for quantity at the running back position while hoping to string together RB2 or FLEX starts from guys like James Cook, Isiah Pacheco, Miles Sanders, and Jamaal Williams.
Best picks
1.12 — Bijan Robinson
4.01 — Amari Cooper
8.01 — James Cook
I believe that Robinson is a Tier 1 running back this season. He’s below the trio of Christian McCaffrey, Austin Ekeler, and Saquon Barkley — but not by much. I was excited to snag him at the No. 12 overall pick without hesitation.
Grabbing Cooper to start the fourth round makes for great value. He’s a high-volume guy who will see plenty of targets, and his fantasy ceiling rises if QB Deshaun Watson gets close to his superstar form prior to the suspension.
Buffalo Bills’ RB James Cook and was happy to snag him in the eighth round. While Damien Harris and Josh Allen might handle goal-line plays, Cook is poised to be a versatile back, getting receptions and offering big-play capability in his second NFL season.
Worst picks
7.12 — Isiah Pacheco
10.01 — Jamaal Williams
Neither of these selections were bad at the time. In fact, both represent fine value relative to their ADP. Despite that, if I could press the “redo button”, it would be because of these selections.
I needed a running back when I selected Pacheco. However, I failed to consider that there were an abundance of similar running backs to be drafted in the coming rounds while the pool for viable receivers was waning. I should’ve snagged an upside receiver like Brandin Cooks, Jordan Addison, or Jaxon Smith-Njigba here.
The same holds true for Williams. Sure, he could be a solid running back for a 10th-round selection. However, I already had four running backs and could’ve used depth at receiver instead. If I could go back in time, I would’ve grabbed a WR like Tyler Boyd, Adam Thielen, K.J. Osborn, Allen Lazard, or Romeo Doubs instead.
Final thoughts
I’m relatively happy with how this draft turned out. Picking from the No. 12 spot isn’t fun, but you can build a strong foundation in a 12-team PPR league.
My top three receivers are solid, but the lack of depth beyond that bothers me (as noted above). I’ll need to scour the waiver wire or hope for a breakout from players like Michael Gallup or Alec Pierce.
Full mock draft results
1.12 — Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons
2.01 — CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
3.12 — Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens
4.01 — Amari Cooper, WR, Cleveland Browns
5.12 — Drake London, WR, Atlanta Falcons
6.01 — Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
7.12 — Isiah Pacheco, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
8.01 — James Cook, RB, Buffalo Bills
9.12 — Rashaad Penny, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
10.01 — Jamaal Williams, RB, New Orleans Saints
11.12 — David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns
12.01 — Michael Gallup, WR, Dallas Cowboys
13.12 — Alec Pierce, WR, Indianapolis Colts
14.01 — Justin Tucker, K, Baltimore Ravens
15.12 — New Orleans Saints, DEF