RotoBaller Staff Best Ball Mock Draft - Fantasy Football Draft Review

June 29, 2023

Jackson Sparks' 2023 fantasy football best ball mock draft analysis from the RotoBaller Staff mock draft. He analyzes the best ball draft picks from each round.

The 2023 NFL season will be here before we know it, meaning it's time to grind out mock drafts and prepare for the upcoming fantasy football season. There are now countless scoring systems and league setups, but best ball fantasy football leagues have become one of the most popular formats in the fantasy football world.

Some members of the RotoBaller staff recently took part in a best ball mock for 2023; you can find the link to the entire draft on Sleeper here. Remember, best ball formats take lineup decisions out of the picture, as your highest-scoring players will become "starters" at the conclusion of the week. For this league, each team will have one quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, one tight end, and one flex to enter into each lineup. The draft consisted of 16 rounds.

In many leagues, the fantasy draft isn't the "end all, be all" because there are trades and waiver wire pickups. However, in best ball leagues, in-season transactions usually aren't permitted. That said, the draft is quite literally everything! Without further ado, let's dive into the recap!

Team #1 - Ryan Larrison

Strengths - Ryan started his draft with a strong RB-WR-QB trio. He selected the favorite to lead all running backs in fantasy scoring (McCaffrey) and last year's QB1 in fantasy points per game (Hurts). Hurts should enter his lineup almost every week, meaning Matthew Stafford and Desmond Ridder just need a few spike weeks to make his QB advantage stick out. D'Andre Swift is likely to cause headaches for fantasy managers in traditional leagues, but in the Eagles' elite offense, the spike weeks could be glorious for best ball formats.

Question Marks - Chris Olave should be an adequate WR1 for his build, but the bulk of his receiving corps is tied to offenses we "know" will be bad or have a lot of question marks. The Broncos' pass-catchers have a wide range of outcomes so these selections could age very well, or extremely poorly.

Weaknesses - While waiting around on the tight end position is viable and popular, the duo of Greg Dulcich and Irv Smith Jr. leaves a lot to be desired. Both the Broncos and Bengals have crowded target pecking orders, potentially setting him up for plenty of single-digit weeks in his tight end slot. However, both have high upsides, so if things bounce his way, the duo could be serviceable.

Best Pick - Quentin Johnston at the 8.12 slot feels like a steal in best ball formats. Both Mike Williams and Keenan Allen have struggled mightily to stay healthy so Johnston is likely to see a handful of games as a top-two option in the high-powered Chargers' passing game led by Justin Herbert. Even if Allen and Williams stay relatively healthy, Johnston should provide boom weeks and smash this draft position.

Team #2 - Josh Constantinou

Strengths - In four of Josh's first six picks, he selected dynamic boom week specialists at wide receiver. Jefferson is a stud nearly every week while Christian Watson, DeVonta Smith, and Mike Williams are capable of posting 30-plus point games on occasion. The value on Dotson at 7.2 is also favorable and a late-round flyer on Marquez Valdez-Scantling is a low-risk, high-reward pick. After a monster season, Josh Jacobs is still being discounted, and he took advantage at the start of the third round. It's tough to get bonafide RB1s that late in a draft, but he accomplished it. The Justin Herbert-Mike Williams-Gerald Everett stack is one of the best QB-RB-TE builds that you can have.

Question Marks - Gerald Everett and Evan Engram both saw big-time target competition added to their offenses in Quentin Johnston and Calvin Ridley, respectively. As a result, both players have a wide range of outcomes for 2023.

Weaknesses - It's tough to poke a ton of holes in Josh's draft but the RB2 spot could prove to be a problem. Antonio Gibson, Khalil Herbert, and Jeff Wilson Jr. are all great best ball flyers, but their roles are uncertain in 2023, so he'll need precisely timed spike weeks to survive. However, his wideouts should be able to make up for any lackluster RB2 production weeks.

Best Pick - Tyler Boyd has the highest upside of any team's WR3 by being tied to Joe Burrow in the high-powered Bengals' offense. Josh got Boyd about a full round after his Underdog ADP, and as always, he has WR2 upside if Ja'Marr Chase or Tee Higgins were to miss any time. Boyd even has an occasional boom week with Chase and Higgins on the field, so he's a strong best ball asset.

Team # 3 - Dan Fornek

Strengths - Dan was likely going for the coveted Chase-Higgins-Burrow stack, but it ultimately fell through. However, it won't hurt to have the top two options in the Bengals' passing attack as the team rarely has a putrid offensive performance. Mark Andrews also provided some juicy value at 3.3. Dan is set up for massive scoring weeks in potential Bengals vs. Ravens shootouts.

Question Marks - Dobbins and Akers anchoring the running back position for Dan is worrisome but there is plenty of upside between the two young backs. Both have had injury struggles but have also flashed in spurts as big-time fantasy producers. David Montgomery has a ton of touchdown upside to complement the two, though.

Weaknesses - Although his QB spot is not necessarily a glaring weakness, I would've liked to see him take a shot on one more late-round flyer given the wide range of outcomes for Deshaun Watson and Daniel Jones. Many fantasy gamers prefer two-QB builds though, so it's likely not a big deal.

Best Pick - Deshaun Watson carries plenty of risk into the 2023 campaign but he also has top-five upside at the position. Cleveland has an elite offensive line and an above-average group of pass-catchers so Watson has a chance to return to his 2020 form. At No. 99 (QB11) overall, Watson could prove to be one the greatest steals of the draft. It's hard to do better when waiting until the ninth round to select a QB.

Team #4 - Brandon Murchison

Strengths - Kupp had the greatest fantasy season of all time in 2021 and was on track to have the second-greatest fantasy season in 2022 before suffering an ankle injury. Getting his upside at the 1.4 spot makes him worth any regression risk that comes with his 2023 profile. Joe Mixon has been dragged through the mud this offseason, but he's still on the Bengals' roster and the team didn't add much to the RB room. That said, he's a great value at 4.9. Needless to say, it's never a bad thing to have Patrick Mahomes on your fantasy team.

Question Marks - Stevenson saw more targets than every running back not named Christian McCaffrey or Austin Ekeler last season and was the first true workhorse Patriots running back in years. However, there's a chance Ty Montgomery, Pierre Strong Jr., and Kevin Harris are incorporated into the New England offense this season. Many will agree Stevenson should be the runaway lead back but there are very few workhorse roles remaining in the NFL. Additionally, the Pats' offense might not be effective enough to set Stevenson up for monster spike weeks that are worth a second-round selection.

Weaknesses - It's hard to find glaring weaknesses in Brandon's draft, but it's worth noting he likely could've snagged DeWayne McBride in the final round of this best ball draft. McBride is set to battle Ty Chandler for the Vikings' RB2 job behind Alexander Mattison, but the seventh-round pick from the 2023 NFL Draft isn't a lock to make the roster.

Best Pick - Brock Purdy seems to be the favorite to win the 49ers' starting QB job. But even if he doesn't, the shot was worth taking outside the top 180 picks. While Brandon likely won't need much from Purdy since he has Patrick Mahomes, the value was just too good to pass up given the elite group of skill players in the 49ers' offense. I also liked the Gabe Davis pick. Although his reputation has been tarnished, he has boom-week upside that rivals any wideout in the NFL. He is the epitome of best ball scoring.

Team #5 - Scott Engel

Strengths - Scott's Josh Allen-Damien Harris stack could guarantee him almost every rushing touchdown the Bills score this season, which can't hurt considering Buffalo had the sixth-most red zone trips in the NFL last year. The offense should continue to be one of the elite units in the NFL so this touchdown share could prove to be highly valuable.

Question Marks - Bijan Robinson is as close to a sure thing as prospects get coming out of college. However, taking him at the 1.5 means he has to finish no worse than the overall RB2 to pay dividends. While he has all the makings of an elite fantasy running back, there might be fewer targets headed his way than many expect since he's sharing an offense with Kyle Pitts and Drake London. Will an offense led by Desmond Ridder set Robinson up for ample touchdown opportunities? It's tough to think so. Robinson can prove Scott right, but it was a major dice roll with Travis Kelce, Austin Ekeler, and Tyreek Hill still on the board.

Weaknesses - Robinson, Miles Sanders, and Rachaad White form an enticing RB room for Scott, but all three of them are playing in offenses that are difficult to trust. The Falcons' offense could ascend mightily this season but it's tough to have faith in the Panthers and Buccaneers, who will be led by rookie Bryce Young and journeyman Baker Mayfield, respectively. Sanders and White might have solid floors but it's tough to see a path toward big-time upside. That said, he took several RB flyers in the later rounds who could provide spike weeks.

Best Pick - Calvin Ridley is usually going off the board in the early-to-mid third round, so getting him at the 5.5 spot is juicy. His ceiling as Lawrence's No. 1 wide receiver could be in the high-end WR1 territory, while Scott selected him as the 24th wide receiver off the board. Sure, he could severely disappoint given his extended absence from the playing field, but the name of the game is upside.

Team #6 - Brad Camara

Strengths - Having Travis Kelce has arguably been the biggest advantage in all of fantasy football for the last few seasons. Many have called for him to be the No. 1 overall pick, considering his production relative to other tight ends. Ultimately, it seems like there's never a bad draft slot to take Kelce, so I love the pick. Kelce and Tony Pollard leading your fantasy team in a league built on spike weeks is a promising start to a draft.

Question Marks - Breece Hall looked teed-up for a top-five fantasy RB season as a rookie before suffering an ACL tear, so the gamble in the third round is well worth it. However, there's always a chance he has a setback or a limited workload in his sophomore campaign so Hall will be a big factor in whether Brad's team competes for a championship or not.

Weaknesses - Terry McLaurin, Marquise Brown, George Pickens, ad Jakobi Meyers have all flashed fantasy upside in their respective careers, but all are set to catch passes from suspect QBs in largely mediocre offenses. This group has promise but Brad's wide receiver group as a whole seems to have a limited ceiling.

Best Pick - Michael Carter could see a major workload early in the season. While handcuffing your own running backs isn't always ideal, it's acceptable in best ball formats. Israel Abanikana and Zonovan Knight could have roles in the Jets' backfield, but Brad has the projected top two backs in the new-look Aaron Rodgers-led offense. In the 16th round, there's little consequence if Carter does get beat out. It's worth noting Ryan Tannehill is automatically a great pick if he starts more than half the season for Tennessee while Will Levis develops. He was a QB1 in 2021 and 2022.

Team #7 - Jackson Sparks

Strengths - Austin Ekeler was last year's RB1, so getting him as the third RB off the board is a fine value. Garrett Wilson, DK Metcalf, and Justin Fields should all be boom week specialists as well. The first four rounds should provide me with some heavy-hitting firepower to compete with the best teams in the league. Darren Waller could also smash his ADP as the Giants' No. 1 option in the passing game.

Question Marks - I took gambles on free agents DeAndre Hopkins, Leonard Fournette, and Kareem Hunt. All three are risky and have low floors and uncertain ceilings depending on where each player lands, but when you're drafting this early in the offseason, these are chances you can afford to take.

Weaknesses - I intentionally built my roster to have a "hero-RB" look with Ekeler anchoring my RB room, but there's a good chance none of the late-round RB flyers pay off. RB depth could be a significant issue and hold the roster back from real contention.

Best Pick - Tyler Lockett has posted at least 1,000 yards in the last four seasons and has been at least a top-15 fantasy wideout during that stretch. The Seahawks' selection of Jaxon Smith-Njigba is scaring fantasy gamers off, but it's almost a certainty Lockett will outplay his 7.7 draft position. He's another receiver with ridiculous boom-week potential in what should be a top offense in the NFC.

Team #8 - Dennis Clausen

Strengths - Dennis snagged the two running backs who could have the most total touches in 2023, pairing Jonathan Taylor and Derrick Henry to form one of the best possible fantasy RB duos. He went back to the well in the fourth round with Kenneth Walker so it'd be a shock if his RBs aren't one of the highest-scoring position groups in this league. While Trey Lance has uncertainty ahead, he would be the steal of the draft if he ends up starting for the Niners for most of the 2023 campaign.

Question Marks - Dennis' top-five drafted pass-catchers were Deebo Samuel, Kyle Pitts, Brandon Aiyuk, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Cole Kmet. While all of them are talented players, they're each set to play in low-volume passing offenses. Will their efficiency offset the lack of high-end volume? We shall see.

Weaknesses - Michael Gallup, Jonathan Mingo, Chase Claypool, and Allen Robinson are all weak options to be relied on as potential WR4s. If his top three receivers have cold stretches or get banged up, this will prove to be a real problem.

Best Pick - Brandon Aiyuk's ADP sits in the mid-fifth round, so Dennis got solid value on him a round later. Aiyuk has struggled to produce consistently since there are so many mouths to feed in Kyle Shanahan's offense but Dennis won't have to eat any of his down weeks in a best ball league.

Team #9 - Keith Hernandez

Strengths - Keith's first six selections consisted of players on some "good" offenses and a few on offensive attacks that could truly be elite in 2023. His running back stable of Saquon Barkley and Travis Etienne provide high floors and high ceilings while he guaranteed himself the Broncos' starting running back by taking Javonte Williams and Samaje Perine. The running back position should be no issue for this roster.

Question Marks - Michael Thomas has been the biggest mystery box asset in fantasy football over the past few seasons. Nothing is different heading into 2023.

Weaknesses - Amon-Ra St. Brown and Keenan Allen are volume monsters and could both post WR1 seasons, but if Cooks and Thomas are both "over the hill," his WR depth could prove to be very thin.

Best Pick -  Kyler Murray is one of my favorite targets in early fantasy football drafts. Keith needs Murray (torn ACL) to return by Trevor Lawrence's Week 9 bye to avoid taking a zero in the QB slot, but Murray has never finished lower than QB11 in fantasy points per game throughout his four-year career. Even in a mediocre Cardinals' offense, Murray can pay with rushing upside.

Team #10 - Jorden Hill

Strengths - A Tyreek Hill-A.J. Brown start is one of the best WR duos possible in redraft formats, so Jorden should reap the rewards of the dynamic pairing. He secured one of the league's few workhorse backs in Najee Harris and followed it up with T.J. Hockenson, who could join the high-upside tier of tight ends behind Travis Kelce. All of these picks are "safe," but provide plenty of upside as all four players could finish in the top five at their positions.

Question Marks - This roster might only go as far as the Colts' offense takes it, and that's a concern. Jorden stacked Anthony Richardson with Michael Pittman and Josh Downs in what could be one of the worst passing offenses in the NFL. That said, the trio could prove to be one of the best value stacks if things go right.

Weaknesses - Harris and Mattison are an adequate RB1/RB2 duo but the depth behind them is concerning. Brian Robinson is a fascinating player but he's set to be in a bad offense and isn't viewed as a real pass-catching option. Ezekiel Elliott, Gus Edwards, and Eric Gray could all be non-factors in 2023 and fail to ever enter his lineup. Given his strong start at wide receiver, I would've liked to see more high-upside RB flyers.

Best Pick - Tua Tagovailoa carries plenty of injury concerns with him into 2023, but Jorden selected him about two rounds after his average draft position AND stacked him with Tyreek Hill. Tagovailoa has top-eight upside if he can stay healthy -- and Jordan got him at one of the cheapest prices you'll see.

Team #11 - Phil Clark

Strengths - A Diggs-Lamb start to a 2023 fantasy draft looks to be one of the best possible outcomes as both have No. 1 WR overall ceilings. Chris Godwin and Jaxon Smith-Njigba make for great WR3 and WR4 options, too, so Phil's strength is clearly his wideout group.

Question Marks - David Njoku figures to be an exciting spike week player in what should be an improved Browns' offense. However, Njoku and Conklin might not have enough season-long juice to keep Phil afloat at the tight end spot.

Weaknesses - Jahmyr Gibbs should have plenty of spike weeks in the high-powered Lions offense, but Dameon Pierce, Isiah Pacheco, Kenneth Gainwell, and Chase Brown all have limited ceilings in 2023. Brown could be unlocked as a mid-level RB2 if something happens to Joe Mixon, but it's hard to see a path for Pierce, Pacheco, and Gainwell to have several spike weeks. If Phil fails to be a contender, it'll likely be his RB position that holds him back.

Best Pick - Jaxon Smith-Njigba carries a sixth-round ADP, so this selection was Phil's best value pick in the eighth round. JSN has plenty of target competition, but the talented rookie is more attractive in best ball and should have his fair share of double-digit target weeks.

Team #12 - Frank Dyevoich

Strengths - Frank grabbed three of the league's best target-earners in the first six rounds in Davante Adams, Amari Cooper, and Diontae Johnson. All three have incredibly high floors and should be safe bets to enter his lineup each week. Lamar Jackson has No. 1 overall QB upside in 2023 and Frank got him in the fourth round and later stacked him with Zay Flowers.

Question Marks - Dalvin Cook was released by the Vikings during the early rounds of his draft, but Frank put a stop to his fall at the 5.12 spot. Depending on where Cook lands, he has a wide range of outcomes, so this selection will age well or poorly. Alvin Kamara's early-season status is up in the air as he has a court date in late July, but that is bringing his cost down. Frank rolled the dice here, too.

Weaknesses - Aside from his top three wideouts mentioned in his strengths, his depth at the position is concerning. Zay Flowers, Romeo Doubs, John Metchie, and Tyquan Thornton could all be outside the top two or three passing game options on their teams and none are tied to elite pure passers.

Best Pick - Dallas Goedert is just outside the "big-5" or "big-6" tight ends, but he plays in one of the league's best offenses and there's a chance he has a top-three finish among tight ends. Frank waited patiently on the TE position but cashed in on a high upside play without reaching.

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