Draft Guide: Rankings, cheat sheets and analysis

Draft Guide: Rankings, cheat sheets and analysis
  • 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 cheat sheets, mock drafts, projections

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. Cockcroft: 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, Cockcroft and Moody: Top 50 DLs, LBs and DBs

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?

Bowen: 16 favorite draft-day targets

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

Cockcroft: Best picks from each draft slot in 10- and 12-team leagues

Yates: Field’s Favorites for 2023

Fantasy staff: Sleepers, busts and breakouts for 2023

Karabell: Do Not Draft list

Karabell: ‘Do Draft’ list

Field Pass: Top storylines, rookies, sleepers for 2023

Bell: Injury watch — Players to keep an eye on

Bowen/Cockcroft: All-2026 Team: Bijan, Marvin Harrison Jr., more

Cockcroft: Deep fantasy sleepers to watch

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

Bowen: Eight players with surprisingly high ceilings

Clay: Players who will score more TDs in 2023

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

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 & Cockcroft: Prioritize mobile QBs in your drafts

Karabell: How superflex differs from traditional standard leagues

Cockcroft: 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

Cockcroft: History says Bijan Robinson is worth a first-round fantasy pick

Clay: Which statistics mean the most in fantasy football?

Cockcroft: At what age do players peak/decline in fantasy?

Cockcroft: How to value 49ers’ pass-catchers


Miscellaneous

Cockcroft: Numbers you need to know before you draft

Cockcroft: 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.

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