RotoBaller Staff PPR Mock Draft Review - Each Team's Best Picks, Strengths and Weaknesses

August 21, 2023

Andrew Ball reviews a PPR mock draft from the RotoBaller team, assessing each roster and handing out awards for the best draft pick, best stack, and best team.

Draft season is officially upon us. If you haven't yet drafted, a mock draft is one of the most informative and enjoyable ways to familiarize yourself with player rankings and average draft positions. 

Some of the RotoBaller staff got together to complete another mock draft and see which players are rising, and which are falling. Here you will find a Link To The Draft On Sleeper with all of the picks.

For this draft, managers will need to start three wide receivers, two running backs, one quarterback, two flexes, a kicker, and a defense. It's a redraft league with full-PPR scoring. Below you'll receive a breakdown of the format options and an overview of each team. After we dive into team-by-team analysis, we'll take a look at who is moving up or down draft boards. You'll also find a list of awards, including the best overall draft pick, the best stack, and the best team.

Fantasy Football Mock Draft Format

Each of the format variations can impact your draft strategy in a different way.

Redraft (managed) - You have the ability to make transactions throughout the season such as trades or waiver wire acquisitions to improve your roster. This increases the importance of your starters with slightly less depth required.

Full-PPR - This creates a higher ceiling for wide receivers and pass-catching running backs. This tends to promote starting wide receivers in your flex spot, making it beneficial to roster more of them.

Two Flex - Typically, leagues will have one flex spot where you can either play a running back, wide receiver, or tight end. We opened up another spot, allowing for further roster flexibility. You’ll see that it allowed managers to take different approaches to building their rosters.

Below you'll find the draft board, showing every player selected.

Fantasy Football Mock Draft Board

Next up is the team-by-team recap where you will find not only a list of the players each team drafted and at which pick, but also a chart showing the positional composition of each team.

Team #1 - Andrew Ball

Overview - In a league where you’re required to start at least three WRs, the 1.01 was easily Justin Jefferson. I prioritized getting my top RB at the end of round two, where I was lucky enough to have Derrick Henry slip a bit. At 3.01, I didn’t love any of the wideouts left in that range. With the current question marks surrounding Jonathan Taylor and Josh Jacobs, I went safe with Josh Allen. If we knew Taylor or Jacobs were playing Week 1, either would have been the selection there. 

Strengths - Josh Allen was on pace to be the QB1 before injuring his elbow last season, and Justin Jefferson did finish as the WR1. Derrick Henry, despite age concerns, is routinely amongst the top running backs. That’s three players with top-end talent.

Weaknesses - Most of the running backs on my roster are not very involved in the passing game. Henry had a career season in 2022 with 33 receptions, but that was 14 more than he has ever had in a previous season. David Montgomery was solid catching the ball in Chicago, but Jahmyr Gibbs figures to take most of the RB target share in Detroit. Isiah Pacheco, Tank Bigbsy, Zamir White, and Gus Edwards all figure to be used more in the running game than through the air.

Stacks - I doubled up on the Titans’ offense, selecting WR DeAndre Hopkins in the 4th round, two rounds after Derrick Henry. It’s not ideal to rely on a below-average offense, but Hopkins and Drake London (the following pick) were the only two WRs left in that tier.

Best Pick - Isiah Pacheco (9.01). Even though Pacheco isn’t very involved in the passing game, grabbing a starting RB on one of the league’s best offenses in the ninth round is good value.

Team #2 - Kyle Lindemann

Overview - After selecting Ja’Marr Chase with the second overall pick, Kyle went for a onesie position in round two, taking tight end Mark Andrews. He then took the gamble on Jonathan Taylor, before filling out his WR room. Kyle decided to wait on a quarterback, pairing veterans Daniel Jones and Geno Smith together late in the draft.

Strengths - Mark Andrews, the consensus TE2, is a definite strength. Six of his first nine picks were at the wide receiver position, giving him a lot of options for what is likely to be five weekly starters. His depth gives him some time to start Brandin Cooks and Skyy Moore early in the season, while rookie Jaxon Smith-Njigba figures out the NFL game.

Weaknesses - Running back could be a really big problem for Kyle if Jonathan Taylor decides he does not want to, or can’t, play for the Colts. That would leave D’Andre Swift and a plethora of backups taking turns in Kyle’s lineup. If Taylor does play, it’s still Kyle’s weakest position, but the outlook is a whole lot better.

Stacks - Geno Smith and Smith-Njigba are both on Kyle’s roster, giving him a sneaky, high-potential stack.

Best Pick - Daniel Jones (11.02) and Geno Smith (12.11). This is exactly how to pull off punting on the QB position. Kyle loaded up on other positions and still ended up with two quarterbacks that finished in the top 10 in fantasy scoring in 2022.

Team #3 - Nick Rodriguez

Overview - Similar to other teams at the top of the draft, Nick targeted wide receivers early. The four-pack of Cooper Kupp, Jaylen Waddle, Christian Watson, and Diontae Johnson is probably the strongest wide receiver group in the league. Jahmyr Gibbs will be his primary guy at running back, and Cam Akers will start the season as his RB2.

Strengths - Cooper Kupp was the WR1 before suffering his injury in 2022. Jaylen Waddle led the league in yards per reception, while Christian Watson finished 10th. Diontae Johnson set the NFL record for most receptions without a touchdown, a stat that surely won’t be repeated. The trio of Elijah Moore, Rashod Bateman, and Jakobi Meyers offers both upside and a steady hand for Nick’s second flex spot.

Weaknesses - When I selected Evan Engram at the end of the eighth round, Nick sent a message in the chat, conceding to punting on the tight end position. It was the right call. He waited for another three rounds and selected Greg Dulcich. He also grabbed Tyler Higbee a few rounds later. Both could be good streaming options to start the season, while he searches for a weekly starter.

Stacks - Nick did not heavily target a certain team, but did claim the top wide receiver (Kupp) and running option (Akers) on the Rams.

Best Pick - Diontae Johnson (6.10). With Waddle and Watson offering weekly boom potential, selecting Johnson as his WR4 gave him consistency. With Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett under center, Johnson’s catch rate dropped below 60% for the first time in his career. Expect that to rebound with Pickett showing improvement in year two, and as written above, positive touchdown regression has to be in the cards for Johnson.

Team #4 - Robert Lorge

Overview - Robert was the first manager to break the wide receiver mold, grabbing Christian McCaffrey as the first running back off the board. After that, Rob hammered the WR position, picking three straight (DeVonta Smith, Tee Higgins, and Terry McLaurin) and seven in his first ten picks. The rest of his starting lineup consists of J.K. Dobbins, Joe Burrow, and one of two rookie tight ends.

Strengths - All six of Rob’s initial WR selections (DeVonta Smith, Tee Higgins, Terry McLaurin, Marquise Brown, Treylon Burks, and Michael Thomas) offer something a little different. Higgins and McLaurin give high-level consistency. Smith finished in the top 10 in 2022 when the Eagles led consistently and did not need to rely on their passing game. Michael Thomas provides a decent upside if he can stay healthy. Burks will surely improve as a wide receiver in his sophomore season, despite the addition of DeAndre Hopkins.

Weaknesses - Robert is starting the season relying on a rookie tight end, which historically is not a recipe for success. Only five rookie tight ends in NFL history have caught at least 60 passes. He’ll have to hope either Dalton Kincaid (a first-round pick by Buffalo) or Sam LaPorta (a second-round pick by Detroit) buck the trend.

Stacks - Robert has one of the better stacks in the league, pairing Tee Higgins and Joe Burrow together. He also picked up insurance for McCaffrey. Elijah Mitchell, if healthy, will open the season as the immediate backup in San Francisco. 

Best Pick - J.K. Dobbins (6.09). Dobbins hadn’t yet appeared at Ravens’ training camp when the draft was conducted, allowing him to slip to the back half of the sixth round. Now that he's there, Robert snagged the lead running back on a run-heavy offense.

Team #5 - Phil Clark

Overview - Like most of the teams before him, Phil decided to use his first-round pick on the WR position, selecting Tyreek Hill at 1.05. In the second round, he had his choice of a trio of young, promising wideouts, and picked Chris Olave over Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle. Justin Fields was named his starting QB after a short run on the position that left that tier thin. His tight end is Pat Freiermuth, a solid, consistent option in PPR formats.

Strengths - Hill is locked in as a top option, Olave offers massive upside, and Amari Cooper finished as a top-10 wide receiver in 2022. All three will be weekly, set-and-forget, starters. 

Weaknesses - Phil put together a roster with no glaring weaknesses. Despite selecting wide receivers in the first two rounds, his running back room (Rhamondre Stevenson, Miles Sanders, Brian Robinson, and Jerick McKinnon) is solid. Freiermuth is not a top TE option, but he’s good enough that it won’t force him to stream the position. Jordan Addison is a high-upside WR4, but things do get shaky after that, relying on rookie Marvin Mims Jr. and Darius Slayton as the other wide receivers off his bench.

Stacks - Phil snuck in a sneaky stack in round 12, grabbing Justin Fields’ tight end Cole Kmet. Kmet is his second tight end, so the payout for the stack will not be very common.

Best Pick - Miles Sanders (6.08). Just like Rob, Phil found his RB2 in the sixth round. Sanders has been earning some buzz out of Panthers’ training camp, prior to tweaking his groin. If he’s ready to play Week 1, he’ll command a lion’s share of the work. That’s good value in the middle of the sixth round.

Team #6 - Jackson Sparks

Overview - Jackson has the team that you hate to see when you go to look at who you’re playing this week (unless it’s Week 10 when the Chiefs are on bye). Sacrificing your top two picks to take a TE and a QB is incredibly risky, but Jackson recovered very nicely to put together what may be the strongest roster. If Josh Jacobs is back for Week 1, this is a definite playoff team, barring major injuries.

Strengths - Is there even a question here? Scoring the QB1 and TE1 in consensus rankings is about as strong as you can be, even at that price.

Weaknesses - Josh Jacobs is holding out of training camp, and Ken Walker just returned from a groin injury. His third running back, Dalvin Cook, wasn’t on a roster when he drafted him, but has since been signed by the Jets. If the situations break his way, and he has Walker and Jacobs starting Week 1, plus Cook, he’s in great shape. If Jacobs never shows up and Walker's groin continues to give him problems, his RB group is shaky at best.

Stacks - Patrick Mahomes. Travis Kelce. It’s probably the best stack in fantasy football. The cost is very steep and it’s not a strategy that works every time, but Jackson may have pulled it off.

Best Pick - Keenan Allen (4.07). Despite skipping on the position needed the most in this format through the first three rounds, Jackson still found Allen in round four. In PPR, Allen has great value, as long as he stays healthy.

Team #7 - Tommy Adamopoulos

Overview - Tommy went against consensus rankings, opting to select rookie Bijan Robinson over the veteran Austin Ekeler. In the second round, he had his choice of the younger, great wide receivers (Chris Olave, Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith, and Garrett Wilson) and selected the latter. His team is littered with players who can provide week-winning performances (Travis Etienne, Deebo Samuel, Kyle Pitts, and De’Von Achane).

Strengths - We’ve yet to see Bijan Robinson on an NFL field. Garrett Wilson flashed elite WR ability in his rookie season and now has a future Hall of Fame quarterback throwing him the ball. Deebo Samuel is only one year removed from an All-Pro season. Jaguars’ coach Doug Pederson is pushing Travis Etienne to aim for the 1,600-yard mark. Alexander Mattison takes over the lead backfield role in Minnesota, who produced a top-10 running back in Dalvin Cook in 2022. That is a team full of potential.

Weaknesses - Courtland Sutton struggled mightly in 2022, and while there’s hope that the Broncos’ offense will improve under new coach Sean Payton, continuing to build his roster on potential may have been his better play. George Pickens, Zay Flowers, and Gabe Davis all went later that round, and each offer a higher upside than Sutton.

Stacks - Both of the quarterbacks on Tommy’s roster (Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson) are paired with a wide receiver from their real-life team (Donovan Peoples-Jones and Courtland Sutton). Neither, however, are the top receiving option, so the stacks aren’t particularly exciting. He also has two of the top weapons in Atlanta, selecting Robinson and Pitts.

Best Pick - Deshaun Watson (8.06). Eight of the 12 managers in the league decided to spend one of their top five picks on a quarterback. Tommy was not one of them, opting to build the rest of his roster and grab a serviceable starter later on. He landed Deshaun Watson, who could shake off the rust that we saw last season and offers a high-rushing floor.

Team #8 - Ryan Goodman

Overview - Snagging the consensus RB2, Austin Ekeler, at pick 1.08 is an immediate win to start the draft for Ryan’s team. Davante Adams is dependable as a WR1, and then Ryan swung for the upside fences with Lamar Jackson and Calvin Ridley. David Njoku in the 8th round is a sneaky, fun option at tight end. 

Strengths - Ekeler, Dameon Pierce, and James Conner form a strong trio at running back. All three will get a majority of their team’s backfield snaps. That gives Ryan a high-opportunity floor at the position.

Weaknesses - Davante Adams is great, but there are concerns about the quarterback position in Las Vegas. There are sky-high expectations for Calvin Ridley, but we haven’t seen him on a football field in nearly two years. His third wide receiver, Michael Pittman, has even more quarterback question marks than Adams and the Raiders. Passing on Lamar Jackson (I have him in the same tier as the quarterbacks taken in the fifth round) to better build out his WR room may have been a smarter play.

Stacks - Zero stacks to see here, let’s move along.

Best Pick - James Conner (6.05). I’ll preach this again. Getting a full-time, every-down running back in the sixth round, even on a below-average offense, is a great value.

Team #9 - Brad Camara

Overview - From top to bottom, Brad’s team has very few holes. He began the draft going back-to-back wide receivers in Stefon Diggs and Ceedee Lamb. In the end, that didn’t hurt him too much at the running back position. He was able to snag two opportunity kings, Najee Harris, and Joe Mixon, in rounds three and four. Trevor Lawrence in the fifth round is a tad rich for my liking, but he is the final quarterback in that tier.

Strengths - Three of his four starting wide receivers (Diggs, Lamb, and JuJu Smith-Schuster) finished in the top 30 at the position in 2022. The same can be said about his running backs. The quartet of Mixon, Harris, Alvin Kamara, and Jamaal Williams also all finished in the top 16. That won’t happen again, given Kamara and Williams now share the same backfield, but we have seen the production out of both of them. 

Weaknesses - Najee Harris finished in the top-12 in PPR scoring last season but only had one or two boom weeks. Mixon, as well, also struggled with efficiency. As long as both backs stay healthy, they will have plenty of opportunities but won't offer many game-winning performances.

Stacks - Other than the occasional, inevitable Taysom Hill touchdown, Brad should get credit for nearly all of the Saints’ offensive scores. Kamara, Williams, and Derek Carr all appear on his roster.

Best Pick - Alvin Kamara (8.04). This is the pick that received the biggest reaction in the chat. Nearly everyone agreed that the value there was tremendous, despite the suspension. Kamara has been vocal about improving on his down year in 2022. Word out of camp is that he’s walking the walk, not just talking the talk. Just two picks later, Brad secured the Saints’ backfield, selecting Jamaal Williams to start through Kamara’s suspension.

Team #10 - Dawn Tepper

Overview - One of the most buzzworthy names in drafts this year, Amon-Ra St. Brown, went tenth overall in this draft. It’s hard to argue the logic, even over guys like A.J. Brown and Ceedee Lamb. Jalen Hurts, Jerry Jeudy, Javonte Williams, and T.J. Hockenson round out the top five picks. A pair of rookie wide receivers (Zay Flowers and Rashee Rice) could be great picks if they take over as the WR1 on their respective teams.

Strengths - Jalen Hurts was the first quarterback off the board, selected at the 2.03 spot. The Eagles’ signal caller was the QB1 overall in weekly scoring average, before suffering an injury that sidelined him in Weeks 16 and 17. 2.03 may have been a bit of a reach for me, especially in a league where starting three wide receivers is a requirement, but Dawn likely would not have gotten Hurts in the third round. If you like a guy, go get him. Dawn did just that and grabbed a weekly positional advantage over a majority of the league.

Weaknesses - Spending high picks on onesie positions can work, but you’ll need to then hammer the RB and WR positions. Instead of continuing to stockpile options there, Dawn selected two backup quarterbacks and another tight end later in the draft. That left her Week 1 flex options as Antonio Gibson, Zach Charbonnet, and Rashee Rice.

Stacks - There isn't a traditional stack, but Dawn is putting a lot of stock into a bounce-back season from the Broncos’ offense. Jerry Jeudy and Javonte Williams were both picked in the first four rounds.

Best Pick - Zay Jones (16.03). Jones became a serviceable fantasy option at wide receiver in 2022 but plummeted down draft boards when the Jaguars signed Calvin Ridley. In the 16th round, however, Jones is essentially free. He figures to still play an important role in what could be one of the best offenses in the NFL.

Team #11 - Josh Constantinou

Overview - Josh oscillated between wide receivers and running backs for his first five picks. Selecting A.J. Brown, Tony Pollard, DK Metcalf, Breece Hall, and Brandon Aiyuk at the top of the draft is a very strong start, especially if Hall is ready to play Week 1. After snagging his starting tight end and quarterback, Josh still was able to grab starting running backs in James Cook and Khalil Herbert.

Strengths - With question marks surrounding Hall’s ACL recovery, Josh grabbed two backs later in the draft that are the favorites to start Week 1. If Hall is healthy and ready to start the season, Josh may have the best RB room in the league, in addition to a trio of solid wide receivers.

Weaknesses - Tua Tagovailoa isn’t the strongest starting quarterback, especially his injury concerns, but he was drafted at an appropriate spot. However, pairing the high-upside potential of Anthony Richardson with a veteran like Tagovailoa is the exact strategy to follow if you have your eye on Richardson.

Stacks - Josh did grab a stack with his backup quarterback (Anthony Richardson) and seventh wide receiver (Alec Pierce), but it likely won’t make much of an impact in his weekly lineup.

Best Pick - James Cook (8.02). Cook’s upside may be limited in the touchdown department, but he seems like a near-lock to play a majority of snaps. That will include work in the passing game. Being able to grab a starting running back on a high-powered offense in round 8 is a steal.

Team #12 - Dan Stephens

Overview - While everyone else was targeting wide receivers early, Dan zagged, selecting three straight running backs to begin the draft. The choice to pick George Kittle in round four pushed receivers down even further, resulting in Mike Williams as his WR1. Tyler Lockett and Gabe Davis round out his starting trio. Dan waited on a quarterback, grabbing veteran Kirk Cousins in the 11th round.

Strengths - When you select three straight running backs to start the draft, you make the decision for it to be your strength. Barkley and Chubb both have realistic paths to finishing the season in the top five, and Jones will continue to get work both in the running and passing games in Green Bay. To ensure he gets all the work out of the Packers’ backfield, Dan also drafted AJ Dillon.

Weaknesses - Wide receiver is the obvious weak link here, but waiting on selecting a quarterback helped mitigate that issue. Lockett and Davis are serviceable options at WR2 and 3 (although I’d prefer them to be WR3 and 4), but Mike Williams as his WR1 is concerning. He did grab some depth with Allen Lazard and Kadarius Toney later in the draft.

Stacks - Another minor stack in this draft, with Dan rostering both Kirk Cousins and K.J. Osborn. Like others before him, Osborn won’t be in his starting lineup often, so the payout isn’t worth much.

Best Pick - Kadarius Toney (10.01). If, and it’s a big if, Toney can return by Week 1 and stay healthy for an extended period of time, he’ll likely be the top WR option on the Chiefs. If that happens, this pick is an absolute steal. If he continues to show that he can’t stay on the field, Toney could find himself on the waiver wire.

Major Changes From Early Mock Draft

About two months ago, RotoBaller writers held an early mock draft. Here you will find a Link To The Draft On Sleeper with all of the picks. A lot has changed since then, and it’s reflected in some of the picks.

Notable QB Risers - Patrick Mahomes (4.01 to 2.07), Jalen Hurts (4.02 to 2.03), and Deshaun Watson (13.07 to 8.06)

As a whole, the top quarterbacks went a couple of rounds later in the first draft. On the second time around, teams were eager to secure a top option. More fantasy football players are buying into Watson rebounding from his rough return to football.

Notable QB Fallers - Kyler Murray (12.7 to 16.7)

Reports that Murray won’t be ready to start the season have pushed his ADP even lower.

Notable RB Risers - Alexander Mattison (9.05 to 5.07), Javonte Williams (6.05 to 4.03), and Aaron Jones (5.10 to 3.12)

Mattison taking over the Vikings’ backfield is propelling him up draft boards. Similarly, positive news about Javonte Williams’ recovery from his knee injury last season is pushing him back into the RB2 range.

Notable RB Fallers - Jonathan Taylor (1.02 to 3.02), Breece Hall (2.04 to 4.02), Dalvin Cook (3.08 to 9.06), Kenneth Walker (3.09 to 5.06), Alvin Kamara (4.11 to 8.04), and Isiah Pacheco (6.02 to 9.01)

At the time of the draft, Jonathan Taylor had yet to practice, amid ongoing contract disputes and an ankle injury. His ADP has continued to slip since the June draft. Hall was activated from the PUP list after the draft had finished. Dalvin Cook was not on any roster when he was selected. Kenneth Walker suffered a groin injury in camp, and there are concerns about a split workload with rookie Zach Charbonnet. Clarity on Alvin Kamara’s suspension caused him to slip, but the league agreed that he may have slipped a little too far in this mock.

Notable WR Risers - Jerry Jeudy (5.03 to 3.10), Calvin Ridley (5.08 to 4.05), and Skyy Moore (10.07 to 9.02)

Some of the fantasy community is starting to buy into a resurgence for the Russell Wilson-led Broncos’ offense, and that’s vaulting Jeudy into another tier. Ridley, returning from his suspension, is garnering rave reviews at Jaguars’ camp. Skyy Moore is earning the most reps with the first offense out of all of Kansas City's wide receivers.

Notable WR Fallers - Treylon Burks (6.12 to 8.09) and Kadarius Toney (8.05 to 10.01)

Since the June draft, the Titans signed DeAndre Hopkins, and Toney hurt himself again, pushing both of the young receivers down draft boards.

Notable TE Risers - David Njoku (14.03 to 8.05) and George Kittle (7.03 to 4.01)

Like Watson, Njoku is rising on tight end rankings lists as optimism around Cleveland’s offense grows. Other than personal preference, I can’t explain the jump for George Kittle.

Notable TE Fallers - Chigoziem Okonkwo (9.08 to 11.10)

Just like Treylon Burks, the addition of DeAndre Hopkins has tanked the value of Okonkwo in Tennessee.

Awards

Best draft pick - If all the managers had a say, I think the answer would be Alvin Kamara. The Saints' offense should improve with Derek Carr under center and reports out of camp say that Kamara has returned to his old form. The three-game suspension looms, but Kamara still seems like more of a sixth-round pick than an eighth-rounder.

Best stack - The league didn’t actually draft a lot of stacks this time around, but even if they had, the answer is still very clearly Mahomes and Kelce.

Best team - This came down to three teams: Phil (Team 5), Jackson (Team 6), and Brad (Team 9). Both Brad and Phil left zero weak spots in their starting lineups, although Brad has the edge when it comes to bench depth. A ton rides on the contract situation with Josh Jacobs, but if Jackson has him and a healthy Kenneth Walker, alongside Mahomes, Kelce, Keenan Allen, Christian Kirk, and Mike Evans, he’s a playoff lock. If Jacobs sits out, things could get tough. With the assumption that Jacobs eventually shows up, Jackson is rewarded the best team. If he does not, that honor goes to Brad.

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