Scott Engel's 1st Round Fantasy Football Draft Guide: The King's Pick-By-Pick Draft Strategy

Scott Engel delivers the ultimate guide to the first round of 2023 fantasy football drafts, focusing on who to pick at every slot.

At this time of year, the biggest question in the fantasy football universe is naturally, “Who do I take in the first round?” As an annual feature, I identify the best potential selections at every draft slot in the first round. We tell you who to consider and why in the first round of a 12-team PPR draft.

Ideal picks at every draft position are provided, with in-depth insights on why you should strongly consider certain players and ultimately what should be the ultimate pick to make.

My evaluations are heavily based on my latest PPR rankings, which are available here. My rankings in all formats and positions are part of the RotoBaller Fantasy Football Season Pass. Enter promo code KING at checkout for an additional discount

Editor's Note: Prepare for draft day with RotoBaller’s expert Fantasy Football Mock Drafts and strategy tips. Use our free Fantasy Football Mock Draft Tool and Draft Assistant to explore player trends, ADP insights, and winning roster builds for every league format.

#1 Pick - Fantasy Football Draft Guide

Pick No. 1: The apparent consensus is to go with Justin Jefferson, and while taking Ja’Marr Chase is worth thinking about, I would only pivot if you play in so many leagues that diversification makes sense. Those FFPC and NFFC types who participate in leagues that are in double-figure totals are the ones who should and will spread out their options at every draft slot.

If you consider moving off Jefferson otherwise, then that just might be because the pick seems so easy. Just take Jefferson and start thinking about who you will target in the second and third rounds.

Ideal Pick: Justin Jefferson
Top Alternative: Ja’Marr Chase

#2 Pick - Fantasy Football Draft Guide

Pick No. 2: Chase has the most touchdown upside of any wide receiver in fantasy football. He was a top 4 WR in fantasy for the first seven games of the 2022 season before a hip injury interrupted his continued rise.

Chase has caught 22 TD passes in 29 NFL games in his first two seasons. Taking Chase over Jefferson certainly is not crazy, but the presence of Tee Higgins does make me lean to Jefferson slightly.

Ideal Pick: Ja’Marr Chase
Top Alternatives: Travis Kelce, Christian McCaffrey

#3 Pick - Fantasy Football Draft Guide

Pick No. 3: While he may slip to the middle of the first round in many drafts, I am simply not passing on Travis Kelce at third overall. I took him at No. 4 in a higher-stakes league this past weekend and did not blink.

If you can get Kelce anywhere from the third to seventh slots I strongly endorse the move. The Chiefs superstar scored over 100 PPR points more than any other tight end in 2022. He averaged 18.6 fantasy points per game when no one else at TE averaged more than 13.5.

If Kelce was a wide receiver, he would have finished fifth at that position last season. You get a WR1 at the thinnest position in fantasy football when going with Kelce, so just do it.

Ideal Pick: Travis Kelce
Top Alternatives: Christian McCaffrey, Tyreek Hill

Only tight ends with at least 14 catches of 20+ yards in 2023 ⤵️

Travis Kelce - 29
George Kittle - 20
Hunter Henry - 15
Chigoziem Okonkwo - 14

— FantasyPros (@FantasyPros) August 24, 2023

#4 Pick - Fantasy Football Draft Guide

Pick No. 4: McCaffrey played 17 games last season and eased injury concerns heading into 2023 fantasy football drafts. So he is a more comfortable top 5 pick than he was last year.

But Kelce’s obvious advantages over the rest of his position make me want him instead, and McCaffrey does have a past injury history that does not fully go away when making a tight decision inside the top 5.

I don’t have any major opposition to taking McCaffrey here, but if you are a zero-RB drafter, then Tyreek Hill should also be very strongly considered.

Ideal Pick: Christian McCaffrey
Top Alternative: Tyreek Hill

#5 Pick - Fantasy Football Draft Guide

Pick No. 5: If Tua Tagovailoa actually plays a full season in 2023, Hill can challenge to be the No. 1 WR in fantasy football.

He may not fall past this spot in many drafts and no other player at the position still on the board has as much superstar upside as Hill. The only way I pivot off Hill is if Kelce is still available.

Ideal Pick: Tyreek Hill
Top Alternative: Kelce if he is still available, which gives you a tough call, but my personal lean is to the TE who owns his own elite tier.

#6 Pick - Fantasy Football Draft Guide

Pick No. 6: You just can’t let Hill slip any further than the middle of the first round, but I would be prepared to see him picked in the top 5. Take it as a nice bonus if he is available at No. 6.

Austin Ekeler is so dependable for outstanding production on an annual basis that he doesn’t even seem like a sexy pick. He has also played full seasons in three of the past four years.

Ideal Pick: Austin Ekeler
Top Alternative: Stefon Diggs

#7 Pick - Fantasy Football Draft Guide

Pick No. 7: Cooper Kupp was a popular pick in this first-round range before his injury setback this week. Now Diggs has become my clearly preferred target at this spot. You could consider another top WR, but I will take the safe high-level guy who has three consecutive seasons of 100-plus receptions, 1,200 yards with 29 TDs during that span.

Ideal Pick: Stefon Diggs
Top Alternative: Ekeler if he is available and you prefer having the top 2 RB.

Stefon Diggs doing Stefon Diggs things.

🖐️#BillsMafia @BuffaloPlus pic.twitter.com/vproGYylUv

— Dan Fetes (@danfetes) August 30, 2023

#8 Pick - Fantasy Football Draft Guide

Pick No. 8: I want to get one of my top 9 WRs first as my fantasy WR1, and if you are a zero-RB drafter, you may be able to get off to a nice start with two WR1s in the first two rounds from this point of the first round and beyond. I like the RBs that fall to this region in the second round, though. Lamb seems to be getting better every year. He is on the verge of becoming a bigger star.

Ideal Pick: CeeDee Lamb
Top Alternative: A.J. Brown

#9 Pick - Fantasy Football Draft Guide

Pick No. 9: You might be deciding whether to pick a top 4 RB or a top 9 WR here and knowing that the next pick is not far away, I recommend taking the WR. Saquon Barkley is my highest-ranked player at this point, even above Lamb, but consistent draft flow dictates you should lean to a WR at the 8 and 9 slots.

Maybe you won’t get Barkley or Bijan Robinson in the second round, but the first-round WR pick should prove to be satisfying while the top 5-6 RBs will be available to this drafter in the second round.

Ideal Pick: A.J. Brown
Top Alternatives: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Garrett Wilson, Saquon Barkley, Bijan Robinson

#10 Pick - Fantasy Football Draft Guide

Pick 1o: Barkley is my highest-ranked player on the board, but he or another prime RB will probably be available to you in the second round. I want to get one of the top 9 WRs first as my fantasy WR1, and if you are a zero-RB drafter, you may be able to come away with two WR1s in the first two rounds from this point of the first round and beyond. I like the RBs that fall to this region in the second round, though

Ideal Pick: Amon-Ra St. Brown
Top Alternatives: Bijan Robinson, Garrett Wilson, Saquon Barkley

#11 Pick - Fantasy Football Draft Guide

Pick 1o: If you want Robinson and he is still available, then the move has to be made by this pick or the next one, and there should still be a chance to get a top 10 WR just three picks later.

You also may be able to get Barkley in the second round or could walk into a good zero-RB pair of WRs from this slot in round 2 when opting for Garrett Wilson here.

Pick That Must Be Made To Get Your Guy: Bijan Robinson
Top Alternatives: Garrett Wilson, Saquon Barkley

Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs were both taken as Top 12 Picks in the NFL Draft

And every RB drafted that high since 2012 finished as the RB11 or better as a rookie

— Alex Caruso (@AlexCaruso) August 28, 2023

#12 Pick - Fantasy Football Draft Guide

Pick 12: If you want to take Garrett Wilson over Robinson one spot ahead of this pick, go for it. I endorse it. The Jets lack a true No. 1 WR and Wilson is going to dominate targets with an obviously significant QB upgrade.

We are now at the back end of my preferred fantasy WR1 types, and you can pair Wilson with Barkley to open the second round here, or double up on the two best WRs left for a strong zero-RB start to the draft.

Ideal Pick: Garrett Wilson
Top Alternatives: Bijan Robinson if he is still available and you are targeting him, Saquon Barkley, Davante Adams.

Scott Engel's fantasy and betting analysis is also featured at The Game Day.

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