Fantasy Football Early 2023 Mock Draft: Rounds 2-6

April 30, 2023

The second through sixth rounds in any fantasy football draft can help you build a championship-caliber foundation. Andersen Pickard looks at a very early 2023 fantasy football mock draft.

A brand new NFL season is upon us, which is great news for fantasy football managers. Even if you finished in the basement of your league in 2022, it's a new year and everybody has an equal chance to win some hardware. It's never too early to run through a mock draft and identify the players who might be available when you're on the clock, regardless of whether you were blessed with the top pick or find yourself picking later.

Today, we will be examining what the second through sixth rounds of 2023 fantasy football drafts will look like in the coming months. Robert Lorge already mocked the first round, which you can find here. For this exercise, we will be using a single-quarterback, full-PPR scoring method.

The second round gives fantasy managers plenty of versatility with their selections. Do you diversify your lineup with a wide receiver or running back? Do you double up on the position you pursued in the first round? Perhaps you're even bold enough to pursue a tight end or quarterback. Without further ado, let's dive into each round.

Second Round (2.01 to 2.06)

The first round featured a fairly even split between running backs and wide receivers, and the second round kicked off in a similar fashion. We continue to see players who are expected to finish towards the top of the league in touch or target share this season.

At running back, there was a clear emphasis on volume and goal-line upside. While none of these backs offer much receiving upside, fantasy managers know that they can count on Walker, Henry, or Chubb to touch the ball 20 times per game while being their offense's focal point around the goal line. Walker went ahead of Henry due to youth and a slightly larger role in the passing game, while Henry went ahead of Chubb given how the latter disappointed once Deshaun Watson took over at quarterback in 2022.

At wide receiver, the round kicked off with Brown joining a roster that already had Jonathan Taylor. Both of these players have big-play, high-scoring upside, and it's clear that this manager was swinging for the fences with their first two picks. Moving on, Lamb and Higgins face more competition in their respective offenses, but they have managed to record incredibly high volume in years past. They should finish as top-eight receivers in fantasy this coming season.

Second Round (2.07 to 2.12)

The manager at 2.07 took its first running back in Hall who, by all indications, should be 100 percent by Week 10. The Jets' backfield belongs to Hall, and with Aaron Rodgers under center, New York should have no trouble moving down the field. Hall offers tremendous value following the upgrade at quarterback.

The two receivers taken in this range are both flashy players but have their respective concerns. Waddle will continue to play second-fiddle to Hill, and his value could plummet if Tua Tagovailoa's injuries persist. Meanwhile, St. Brown also faces competition from former first-rounder Jameson Williams, as well as a three-headed backfield that suddenly contains Jahmyr Gibbs, D'Andre Swift, and David Montgomery. Both wideouts have top-six upside but shouldn't be taken any earlier due to the aforementioned concerns.

Finally, we saw a brief run on tight ends. Andrews struggled playing with Tyler Huntley, but when Lamar Jackson was healthy, he looked incredible. With Jackson signed to a big new extension, expect these two to link up for plenty of huge plays in 2023. Meanwhile, Kittle might be the best pure athlete out of all tight ends in the NFL, so if he can stay healthy, he'll live up to his late-second-round value.

Third Round (3.01 to 3.06)

The emphasis on youth at wide receiver continues with Wilson and Smith. The former should take another huge step forward with newfound stability at quarterback in the form of Rodgers. Meanwhile, the latter remains a central option in one of the league's most flashy offenses.

At running back, we see more players who should handle large volumes in both the rushing and passing attacks. Pollard leads the way given how his role will grow in the post-Ezekiel Elliott era, but all three are strong options. You can't go wrong with any of them as your RB1 in Week 1.

It would be foolish to proceed without mentioning Hockenson's name. He became a target hog and showed just how much his high volume and red-zone efficiency translated to fantasy prosperity.

Third Round (3.07 to 3.12)

The run at running back kicks off with the first rookie off the board. While the presence of Tyler Allgeier could deter some fantasy managers from drafting Robinson, draft capital cannot be ignored. Atlanta spent the eighth overall pick on Robinson, so you can bet he'll be their every-down back come Week 1. Harris, Mixon, Jones, and White also project as backs who figure to see significant volume and plenty of goal-line opportunities.

The round closes with Olave, who showed big-play potential quite often as a rookie in 2022. He goes all out to make catches, and he might not score as many touchdowns as some of the other receivers available, he racks up targets and yardage at a high clip. His value should only rise as he enters Year 2 and links up with a more reliable quarterback in Derek Carr.

Fourth Round (4.01 to 4.06)

The round in which the first quarterback is selected will vary from league to league, but anywhere from the early portion of the third to the middle of the fourth makes sense. Allen is generally viewed as the top quarterback available, but as you can see over the next four picks, Hurts and Mahomes also make a strong case with their elite level of play.

Metcalf and Samuel are physical playmakers. While their offenses have plenty of mouths to feed, they both can offer fantasy value in your lineup as a fringe low-end WR1.

Robinson used 2022 to pass Antonio Gibson on the Commanders' depth chart. While he might not have a whole lot of receiving upside, don't be surprised to see Washington give him plenty of carries as they take pressure off of Sam Howell.

Fourth Round (4.07 to 4.12)

It can be intimidating to draft a wide receiver who hasn't had much of an impact over the last two years, but Ridley is still young, does not have any injury concerns, and might just be in the best situation of his career. It would not come as a surprise whatsoever to see Ridley's 2023 campaign look similar to 2020 when he finished as the WR5 overall.

Burrow doesn't have the same rushing upside as the three quarterbacks taken before him, but he is arguably the NFL's best passer and has an elite group of weapons around him. Meanwhile, Evans and Goedert have high upside as players who should see a significant target share and decent usage around the goal line. The only disclaimer here is that Evans will now be catching passes from Baker Mayfield rather than Tom Brady.

Dobbins and Pacheco represent a clear step down in terms of running back tiers. The former has a significant and notable knee injury history, but it's hard to judge him by the 2022 season considering he was rushed back into action and never had a chance to fully recover. If he can return to full health this offseason, he offers clear upside in a Baltimore offense that can do great things with its rushing attack. Two picks later, the round concluded with Pacheco, who came on strong toward the end of last season. He's a fine RB2 option.

Fifth Round (5.01 to 5.06)

It's no secret that you want to draft running backs on good teams, but when you get to this part of the draft, Pierce, Akers, and Conner are mighty fine options. Pierce flashed immense potential last season as someone who can break off big runs and move the ball down the field, and the addition of Devin Singletary shouldn't impede his role too much. All the while, the addition of a flashy new quarterback in C.J. Stroud could make the offense a more productive place for Pierce to succeed.

Akers looked like a whole new player at the end of 2022, so it's worth taking a flier on him here. Meanwhile, Conner has been a steady source of production over the last two seasons with Arizona.

At wide receiver, your options are starting to thin out. The three players taken in this range are all solid producers but remain very susceptible to dud games.

Fifth Round (5.07 to 5.12)

When Jackson is on the field, he can be nearly unstoppable. There is always going to be some injury fear when drafting him, but the risk outweighs the reward. Fields offers a similar appeal as a stereotypical Konami quarterback, but questions persist about his ability to throw the football. On a positive note, the Bears added Moore to their receiving corps.

It's reasonable to have some concerns about Smith-Njigba considering he has to compete with two established receivers in Metcalf and Tyler Lockett. However, he was also the best wide receiver in the draft and should get peppered with targets as Seattle's new top slot threat.

Hopkins offers immense experience and should be a steady WR2 on most fantasy rosters. It looks like he's staying in Arizona for at least another season, so although he might have to open the year catching passes from a backup quarterback, at least managers won't have to worry about him adapting to a new offense.

Kamara and Sanders are very interesting names to monitor as the season inches closer. They both face some competition in their respective backfields, and can their offenses do enough to keep them relevant in fantasy? Until the answer is a clear "yes," both backs project as low-end RB2 options.

Sixth Round (6.01 to 6.06)

Gibbs' projected draft slot has already risen with D'Andre Swift traded to the Eagles. The Lions absolutely love Gibbs and will feature him as a central part of their offense in 2023.

The two Broncos players here (Jeudy and Williams) have both shown upside in the past but will need Denver's offense to be more efficient if there's any chance for their value to exceed their draft position.

Waller is looking for a fresh start with the Giants after he let fantasy managers down in 2022. He's no longer a top option at the tight end position, but he's still worth drafting in the sixth round. Meanwhile, Freiermuth put on a show in the second half of last season and now finds himself as a weekly must-start.

Finally, Lawrence took enormous strides last season; both the Jaguars and fantasy managers benefited from his improved awareness and decision-making. His value will only increase in 2023 with Ridley on the roster.

Sixth Round (6.07 to 6.12)

Wide receiver and tight end are key areas of focus in this area draft, in large part due to the infamous running back dead zone. Lockett and Aiyuk are both decent FLEX options while the jury is still out on Pitts' ability to be a TE1.

Fantasy managers are tasked with making a tough decision at quarterback in this range of the draft. On one hand, Herbert and Prescott are proven players in successful offenses, so big-yardage games and touchdowns won't be hard to come by. At the same time, though, is it worth taking one of them here when you could wait a little while for someone like Tua Tagovailoa, Kirk Cousins, or Deshaun Watson? That's for you to decide.

The sixth round concludes with Cook in a selection symbolic of the running back dead zone. While he flashed potential as a rookie towards the end of last season, he might have trouble fending off the skill set of Damien Harris and Josh Allen around the goal line.

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