2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Rankings, cheat sheets and analysis (2024)

  • Fantasy Staff

Sep 2, 2023, 08:00 AM ET

This page will be updated throughout the summer, so please continue to check back for the latest content.

Summer is in full swing and that means fantasy football draft season is upon us.

Whether you play in a casual redraft league, a serious, deep dynasty format or somewhere in between, we at ESPN Fantasy are here for you.

This draft guide will serve as a one-stop shop for all of our best material to ensure you make the best fantasy football picks you can in every draft you're in: rankings and cheat sheets for PPR and non-PPR, player projections, mock drafts for various league types, sleepers and busts for this season, and plenty of helpful information and tips from our expert team of fantasy football analysts.

It doesn't matter whether you have been doing this for years or are a fantasy first-timer. We have everything needed to help you draft a great team and start the season with a shot at a championship.

New to fantasy football, or know someone who is?

Start here with two offerings to help you learn how to play, quickly get up to speed on the basics and how to navigate a full season.

  • Fantasy football beginners guide

  • Field Yates' guide to fantasy football

  • How to stay competitive in 15 minutes per week

Fantasy football cheat sheets, mock drafts, projections

2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Rankings, cheat sheets and analysis (1) ESPN+ Cheat Sheet
Get all of our best fantasy intel, compiled on a printable cheat sheet to bring with you to your fantasy football drafts.

Cheat Sheet Central
A collection of downloadable, printable cheat sheets for the 2023 fantasy football season, including PPR, non-PPR, superflex and dynasty/keeper leagues. Perfect for your drafts.

Mock drafts
12-team, PPR (8/30) | 10-team, PPR superflex (8/24)
Fantasy Marathon: 10-team, PPR (8/15)
12-team, 1/2 PPR (8/10) | 10-team, PPR (8/3) | 8-team, PPR (7/27)
10-team, non-PPR (7/7) | 12-team, 1/2 PPR (6/13)

Mock draft trials
Travis Kelce in first round | WR with a top-five pick
Top-tier QB early | Hero-RB approach
Daniel Dopp employs different strategies in multiple mocks and provides top observations on how his rosters turned out.

2023 projections
Mike Clay's projected output for players at every fantasy position, sortable by specific category.

Depth charts: Offense | Defense

Positional rankings

These rankings represent the consensus among our fantasy football analysts for the 2023 season. Each analyst maintains a personal ranking for the top 25 quarterbacks, 50 running backs, 60 wide receivers, 25 tight ends, 20 kickers and 20 defense/special teams units. The players are then ranked by the average of those rankings. Each position can also be sorted by any individual analyst's rankings.

Overall rankings

Tristan H. co*ckcroft: PPR Top 200

Field Yates: PPR Top 150

Eric Karabell: Superflex Top 200

Tiered rankings

Karabell: Running backs | Wide receivers

Eric Moody: Quarterbacks | Tight ends

Mike Clay: "The 192" -- Players who should be drafted in 12-team leagues

Dynasty and keeper rankings

Clay: Dynasty Top 240 and Top 80 rookies

Moody: Keeper Top 200

IDP rankings

Clay, co*ckcroft and Moody: Top 50 DLs, LBs and DBs

2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Rankings, cheat sheets and analysis (2) Custom Dollar Value Generator

Input your league's scoring system and roster requirements to generate values for your fantasy football salary cap draft. Custom Dollar Value Generator

Lists and insight

NFL Nation: How will crowded backfields shake out?

2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Rankings, cheat sheets and analysis (3) Bowen: 16 favorite draft-day targets

2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Rankings, cheat sheets and analysis (4) Adam Schefter's Cheat Sheet: Value picks and sleepers to target

Roundtable: Rookies to watch, sleepers, strategy

Facts vs. Feelings: Liz Loza's biggest fantasy draft takeaways

co*ckcroft: Best picks from each draft slot in 10- and 12-team leagues

2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Rankings, cheat sheets and analysis (5) Yates: Field's Favorites for 2023

Fantasy staff: Sleepers, busts and breakouts for 2023

2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Rankings, cheat sheets and analysis (6) Karabell: Do Not Draft list

2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Rankings, cheat sheets and analysis (7) Karabell: 'Do Draft' list

2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Rankings, cheat sheets and analysis (8) Field Pass: Top storylines, rookies, sleepers for 2023

Bell: Injury watch -- Players to keep an eye on

Bowen/co*ckcroft: All-2026 Team: Bijan, Marvin Harrison Jr., more

co*ckcroft: Deep fantasy sleepers to watch

2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Rankings, cheat sheets and analysis (9)Bowen: "Have skills, need opportunity" team

Moody: Players who will outperform their ADP

Loza: Finding values in RB dead zone

Loza & Moody: Contract-year players to target

2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Rankings, cheat sheets and analysis (10) Bowen: Eight players with surprisingly high ceilings

2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Rankings, cheat sheets and analysis (11) Clay: Players who will score more TDs in 2023

2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Rankings, cheat sheets and analysis (12) Clay: Players who will score fewer TDs in 2023

Karabell: Players to not give up on yet

Moody: 10 WRs who should see more volume

Clay: Top 10 insurance RBs

Karabell: Players who won't bounce back in 2023

Clay: 2023 versions of last year's breakout players

Bowen: Eight players who benefit most from fantasy-friendly schemes

Clay & Yates: Players to avoid in 2023 drafts

Dopp: Six players being overvalued or undervalued

Bowen: Eight players who could be difference-makers

Karabell: Bounce-back candidates for 2023

Moody: RBs that get a boost from improved O-lines

Moody: 10 veterans to trade away in dynasty before they fall off

Karabell: Six toughest offenses to rank for fantasy

Strategy

2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Rankings, cheat sheets and analysis (13) Clay's Ultimate Draft Board: The best picks to aim for in each round

Clay's Playbook: Strategy tips to help you win your league

Dopp: How to get the most out of mock drafts

Karabell: Why it pays to wait to draft your starting QB

Bowen & co*ckcroft: Prioritize mobile QBs in your drafts

Karabell: How superflex differs from traditional standard leagues

co*ckcroft: The best way to draft and stream D/STs in fantasy football

Dopp: Why you should consider making the switch to a salary cap draft

Fantasy staff: Take a TE early or play the waiting game?

Individual player analysis

co*ckcroft: History says Bijan Robinson is worth a first-round fantasy pick

Clay: Which statistics mean the most in fantasy football?

co*ckcroft: At what age do players peak/decline in fantasy?

co*ckcroft: How to value 49ers' pass-catchers

Miscellaneous

co*ckcroft: Numbers you need to know before you draft

co*ckcroft: Will Josh Allen avoid the Madden Curse?

Clay: 13 Taylor Swift songs for 13 NFL players

Liz Loza's Pressing Questions

One fantasy question for all 32 teams, delivered in division-by-division fashion. Featured players listed below.

AFC East: James Cook, Tua Tagovailoa, Rhamondre Stevenson, Breece Hall
AFC North: J.K. Dobbins, Joe Mixon, Deshaun Watson, Diontae Johnson
AFC South: Dameon Pierce, Anthony Richardson, Christian Kirk, Calvin Ridley, Chig Okonkwo
AFC West: Javonte Williams, Kadarius Toney, Davante Adams, Justin Herbert
NFC East: Tony Pollard, Daniel Jones, D'Andre Swift, Rashaad Penny, Jahan Dotson
NFC North: DJ Moore, Jahmyr Gibbs, Christian Watson, Jordan Addison
NFC South: Bijan Robinson, Miles Sanders, Kendre Miller, Rachaad White
NFC West: Deebo Samuel, Marquise Brown, Cam Akers, Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Create, manage or join a league

Mock draft lobby
Practice makes perfect! Hop into a mock draft and prepare for the real thing against other ESPN Fantasy players.

Sign up for ESPN Fantasy Football
It's free to play! Create or join a league with friends, customize your settings and battle all season for the top spot.

2023 Fantasy Football Draft Guide: Rankings, cheat sheets and analysis (2024)

FAQs

What is statistically the best draft position in fantasy football? ›

In 12-Team Half-PPR, the best draft position is pick No. 1 or 2. Drafting optimally from the No. 1 or 2 spot in 12-team half-PPR drafts lands you on the same team through six rounds -- and a whopping 328.6 3D Value points.

Who is the best value pick in fantasy football 2023? ›

The Best Realistic Draft in 2023
Allen40.7
Evans26.1
Amon-Ra26.5
Keenan36.5
LaPorta24.5
7 more rows
Dec 27, 2023

Who should I pick #1 overall in fantasy football? ›

Standard League: Christian McCaffrey, RB (SF)

In standard leagues, he is the obvious 1.01 selection. The 49ers scored the third-most points in the NFL last season, and McCaffrey is the offense's focal point in the red zone – his 79 red zone touches ranked first at the position in 2023.

What is the best order to draft in fantasy football? ›

Some fantasy leaguers try to form a pre-draft plan of how to construct their roster by position. For example, they might intend to start with a running back in the first round, then a wide receiver in the second, another wide receiver in the third, and a second running back in the fourth.

What is the most successful draft position? ›

Which positions have produced the most NFL Draft picks? We analyzed 10 years of recruiting data
Pos.Players% Drafted
OT8752.9%
QB7240.3%
RB10640.6%
S7739.0%
8 more rows
Dec 6, 2023

What is the best spot to pick in the 10 team draft? ›

It's easier in a 10-team league for every manager to start out with a team he/she likes – especially if you only need to start 2 WRs and 2 RBs – than it is in a 12-team draft. So you can afford to go after a top QB and/or TE rather than stacking WRs and RBs basically whenever you think it makes sense.

What position to draft first in fantasy football in 2023? ›

What position should I draft first in fantasy football? Most managers should draft a WR with their first pick this season in fantasy football. Six of the top 12 players in our fantasy football rankings are WRs, 5 are RBs, and a single TE slipped into the top 12.

When should I draft a QB in fantasy football? ›

Many of the QBs listed in this range are all good targets for those who wait until after the sixth round to draft a starter in a one-QB league, although Love could be taken a round ahead of the rest.

Which pick is best in fantasy? ›

Fantasy Football: Safest pick in each round of fantasy drafts
  • Round 1: WR Ja'Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals.
  • Round 2: TE Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions.
  • Round 3: QB Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles.
  • Round 4: TE Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals.
  • Round 5: WR Amari Cooper, Cleveland Browns.
4 days ago

What positions to draft first in fantasy football 2024? ›

  • Round 1, Picks 10-12: Draft a wide receiver.
  • Round 2, Picks 13-15: Draft a running back or wide receiver.
  • Round 5, Picks 58-60: Draft a quarterback or tight end.
  • Round 6, Picks 61-63: Draft a wide receiver.
  • Round 7, Picks 82-84: Draft a running back.
  • Round 8, Picks 85-87: Draft a running back or wide receiver.
3 days ago

Who is number 1 in fantasy? ›

Player Rankings
RankPlayerNFL Fantasy Experts
1Christian McCaffrey RB - SF1
2Breece Hall RB - NYJ2
3Bijan Robinson RB - ATL3
4Saquon Barkley RB - PHI4
76 more rows

How many RB and WR should I draft? ›

Wait a long time at QB and you can still end up being stronger than average there. You have about a 12% chance of hitting big with each RB25 to RB35 you pick. So, a good plan for your first seven rounds is (1) Kelce, three WRs, three RBs. Or (2) four WRs then three RBs.

How to win fantasy football? ›

Fantasy Football Draft Strategy 2024
  1. Load up on running backs.
  2. Know the league rules.
  3. Know the ADPs of players during the draft.
  4. Wait on Tight Ends.
  5. Anchor your team with an ace QB.
  6. Balance your roster.
  7. Always back yourself up with depth.
  8. Be picky and use the “CUDDY” System when drafting.
4 days ago

How to pick a good fantasy football team? ›

Pick your 2024/25 Fantasy squad here!

A maximum of three players can be chosen from any one Premier League club. The main factors to consider when selecting an opening squad are players' form, fixtures and history - as well as their price and ownership.

What position is most important in NFL fantasy? ›

Running back: This is arguably the most important position in fantasy football. A great running back will far outscore a mid-tier running back. Running backs are often taken early in drafts and are hard to come by after the first few rounds.

Where is the best place to have a fantasy football draft? ›

7 best locations to hold a fantasy football draft in person
  • Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Strip. ...
  • NFL Stadium. ...
  • Buffalo Wild Wings. ...
  • Dave & Busters. ...
  • TopGolf. ...
  • At A League Member's House. ...
  • Any public park.
Jul 27, 2024

What round is best to draft a defense fantasy? ›

As a general rule, don't take a DST until the last three rounds of your draft, and don't panic if a run on defenses starts early. Waiting until the last round of the draft is still a winning recipe.

How many of each position is best for fantasy football? ›

You need enough depth at each position to account for all of this. Every fantasy manager should draft their Best Ball roster with the same basic starting point. You will take at least two quarterbacks, four running backs, five wide receivers, and two tight ends. Those are the minimums you should have at each position.

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