Table of Contents
  1. League Notes
  2. Round 1
  3. Round 2
  4. Round 3
  5. Round 4
  6. Round 5
  7. Round 6
  8. Round 7
  9. Round 8
  10. Round 9
  11. Round 10
  12. Round 11
  13. Round 12

The 2023 fantasy season is already behind us, but it’s never too early to look ahead to next year.

The Fantasy Life team got together for a “Way Too Early” 2024 mock draft. The league specifics are listed below, as is a breakdown, similar to how we formatted the last.

How do you think we did? Which roster is your favorite? Don’t forget to check out Matthew Berry’s Way, Way Too Early Top 50 Rankings for 2024!

League Notes

  • League Size and Scoring: 12-team, 0.5 PPR
  • Site ADP: Sleeper
  • Starting Roster: 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 2 Flex, 1 K, 1 DEF

Round 1

1.01 - Christian McCaffrey (Marcas)

Remember when so many people talked themselves into NOT drafting Christian McCaffrey last year? Unbelievable. Now, this seems like the safest, more sure pick in the draft. The 2023 RB1 finished as a weekly RB1 an absurd 13 times (81% of games). He handled 76% of the rushing attempts, saw a 75% route participation mark, and earned a 17% target share on the best offense in the league. Don’t overthink it next year.

You can start drafting McCaffrey at 1.01 as soon as best ball lobbies open for next year on Underdog Fantasy, where you can get a 100% deposit match of up to $100 when you sign up below with promo code LIFE!

1.02 - Tyreek Hill (Chris)

It’s wild to think that Tyreek Hill has posted his two best seasons without Patrick Mahomes throwing him the ball. The speedy veteran hauled in 119 of his gaudy 171 targets for 1,799 yards and 13 TDs. Like CMC, he offered you weekly upside. He finished as a top-16 wideout in 13 games and commanded 30% of the targets to go along with 42% of the air yards for Miami.

1.03 - Justin Jefferson (Freedman)

The season could not have started any better for Justin Jefferson. Through Week 4, he was averaging a route participation rate of 99% and was commanding both a 34% target share to go along with his 48% air yards share. He also finished as a top-7 wideout in all four games. Injuries cost him much of the season, but he finished strong when he averaged 11 targets per game from Weeks 15-18. His Week 18 performance of 12 / 192 / 1 reminds us that it doesn’t matter who his QB is next year.

1.04 - Ja’Marr Chase (Dwain)

Like Jefferson, injuries plagued 2023 for Ja’Marr Chase, except his was solely because of missing Joe Burrow. Even so, the third-year wideout is now averaging 135 targets, 1,239 yards, and 9 TDs per season in his career. With Burrow locked up long term, and with Chase expected to sign his own record-breaking deal soon, he remains one of the safest picks in all of fantasy football.

1.05 - CeeDee Lamb (Jake)

Say what you will about the Dallas playoff loss (I’m a Packer fan so I’m all about it), but CeeDee Lamb truly erupted this year and it was glorious. He topped 400 fantasy points (PPR) by way of his line of 135 / 1,749 / 12 on 181 targets. He earned an absurd 100 more targets than the next closest wideout (Brandin Cooks) and 79 more than No. 2 pass-catcher Jake Ferguson. Like Hill, Jefferson, and Chase, Lamb is locked into a weekly role where he provides the floor/ceiling combination that fantasy managers covet.

CeeDee Lamb Utilization

1.06 - Breece Hall (Pete)

The Jets were front and center in the news this season but not for the reasons they were hoping after they landed Aaron Rodgers last offseason. Still, it was a successful season for Breece Hall, who cemented himself as an elite fantasy tailback. Despite the atrocious play at QB, he finished as a top-12 RB nine times and four times in his final five weeks. Hall also commanded a 17% target share and his 95 targets paced all RBs. From Week 6 on, he played 66% of the snaps and handled 66% of the rushing attempts. He’s locked into an every-down role on what should be a better offense under Rodgers next year.

1.07 - A.J. Brown (Waz)

You really can’t feel bad about any of these early draft picks. Each player offers the unique blend of floor/ceiling that you want in your first-round stud. However, it was a tale of two seasons for both A.J. Brown and the Eagles. From Weeks 3-9, Brown never finished outside of the top-12 and was averaging an elite 93% route participation, 34% target share, and 49% air yards share. He also scored six TDs in that span. From Weeks 10-18, he only scored once and finished outside the top-20 six times. He’s still elite and will earn his keep, but the Philly offense needs to get right next year.

1.08 - Amon-Ra St. Brown (Kendall)

Before the season, our own Matthew Berry made Amon-Ra St. Brown his 2024 “Ride or Die” pick and he couldn’t have been more right.

Talk about a guy who just keeps on elevating his game to greater heights each season. The “Sun God” was arguably the MVP of the fantasy playoffs. From Weeks 15-17, here were his per-game averages:

  • 10.3 targets
  • 8.3 receptions
  • 102 receiving yards
  • 1 TD
  • 25 PPG

Simply elite. He’s ready to be valued in the same tier as the other WRs drafted ahead of him in this mock draft.

1.09 - Bijan Robinson (Sam W)

Depending on how this offseason goes, this pick feels like a bit of a tier-break, so I was somewhat disappointed. Still, having the choice between Bijan Robinson and the next few players isn’t a bad place to be. While I never wish for someone to lose their job, I’m glad Robinson is free of Arthur Smith. Despite the inept coaching, the talented rookie still finished as the RB9 thanks to his 214 / 976 / 4 on the ground to go along with 58 / 487 / 4 through the air. His ceiling is RB1 next season with the right usage. Let’s hope that happens.

1.10 - Garrett Wilson (Ian)

What a world we live in where two Jets players are being drafted in the first round. Garrett Wilson was a popular breakout candidate this season with Rodgers coming in at QB. While that didn't pan out, Wilson mustered as good of a season as he could despite only 67% of his targets being deemed catchable. His underlying metrics are still elite. 97% route participation, 30% target share, and 44% air yards share put him in rarified air. Let’s hope the QB situation allows him to truly break out in 2024.

1.11 - Puka Nacua (Cooter)

If it wasn’t for CJ Stroud, fifth-round rookie Puka Nacua would be the easy pick for Rookie of the Year. He literally exploded onto the scene by tallying 35 targets, 25 receptions, and 266 yards in his first two games. There was no putting the genie back in the bottle after that. His metrics stack up well against some of the best in the game and he did it while playing alongside a recent triple-crown winner in Cooper Kupp.

Rams WR Player Comparison

1.12 - Jahmyr Gibbs (Jonathan)

Another rookie (and another Lion) snuck into Round 1 of this “Way Too Early" mock draft. Jahmyr Gibbs began his season slowly, much to the frustration of fantasy managers. He didn’t crack 60% of the snaps until Week 7 and then, from Weeks 7-18, he only averaged 61% of the snaps. Teammate David Montgomery handled 45% of the rushing attempts to just 37% for Gibbs. Still, when you watch the tape, you see how dynamic he is. He’s a great pick at the turn.

Round 2

2.01 - Travis Etienne (Jonathan)

Round 2 is always so exciting because the clear-cut studs are gone and managers need to start making decisions about going for proven veterans vs younger, potentially more exciting options. We see both ends of that spectrum in this round.

Travis Etienne

Dec 31, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) runs the ball against Carolina Panthers linebacker Kamu Grugier-Hill (54) in the fourth quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports

Travis Etienne was about the only bright spot for a disappointing Jaguars offense this season. Trevor Lawrence and Co. were expected to take the next step as one of the premier AFC franchises, but it just never materialized. Still, Etienne was the prototypical “workhorse” option for fantasy managers. He was No. 4 in rushing attempts (267), No. 7 in rushing TDs (11), and No. 7 in targets (73). He handled 73% of the rushing attempts with 17% (D’Ernest Johnson) being the next closest. This backfield belongs to Etienne.

2.02 - Deebo Samuel (Cooter)

There’s no way around it; Deebo Samuel is a man among boys on the field. There aren’t many true dual-threat RBs or WRs in the league, but Samuel is arguably the most dangerous.

  • Rushing - 37 / 225 / 5
  • Receiving - 60 / 892 / 7

The only “downside” to Samuel (and the 49ers' offense as a whole) is how dangerous and versatile this team is. San Francisco had four players with 60+ receptions and 6+ TDs. We know CMC is always going to get his, but between Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle, and Samuel, it was a bit of a toss-up each week. Samuel is certainly still talented, but it’s worth noting he hasn’t played a full season yet in his career.

2.03 - Jonathan Taylor (Ian)

Jonathan Taylor is in a unique spot. He’s four years into his career and, after consecutive top-6 finishes in 2020 & 2021, he’s been the RB33 each of the last two seasons. He’s also played in just 11 and 10 games respectively in that time. Still, when he’s healthy and on the field, he quickly reminds us why he’s one of the best in the game.

Week 7 was the first time he received double-digit carries, and he topped 10 rushing attempts in every active game the rest of the season. He handled 67% of the rushing attempts during that span and dominated the short down and distance snaps along with attempts inside the five yard line. The return of Anthony Richardson will shake things up, but Taylor remains a safe-ish bet.

Jonathan Taylor

2.04 - Stefon Diggs (Sam W)

Spending high draft capital on a player only for them to underperform throughout the season is frustrating. That’s what happened with Stefon Diggs this season. From Weeks 10-18, he only had two top-20 finishes and was regularly outside the top-36. However, a closer look at the utilization and underlying metrics paints a more favorable picture.

On the season, Diggs still finished with 91% route participation, 30% target share, and 35% air yards share. Those are elite numbers. The lack of production wasn’t all on Diggs. Josh Allen threw the fewest TDs (29) and most INTs (18) since 2019. The overall offensive output took a dip this year which could depress Diggs’s value heading into 2024.

2.05 - Kyren Williams (Kendall)

Something about the Rams and fifth-round picks just makes sense. Kyren Williams was joined by Nacua as another Day 3 pick who set the fantasy world on fire this season. He’s a great example of why PPG is a critical metric. Overall, he finished as the RB7, but he only appeared in 12 games. On a per-game basis, he was the RB2 (21.1) behind only CMC (24.5). He averaged north of five yards per carry and scored 15 total TDs. He also finished as a top-14 RB 10 times and never finished lower than RB27.

Kyren Williams

2.06 - Saquon Barkley (Waz)

When putting this together, I couldn’t believe that Saquon Barkley had just finished up his sixth year in the league. Time really does move quickly. Let’s make sure to enjoy it!

Anyway, similar to Taylor (Colts), the veteran tailback is in a unique situation. Barkley saw his rushing production and efficiency take a dip this season. He finished under 3.9 yards per carry and only scored six times on the ground. The rotation of QBs didn’t help the overall offensive environment. Daniel Jones (6 games), Tommy DeVito (6), and TyRod Taylor (5) just about evenly split starts. However, Barkley’s involvement in the passing game (41+ receptions three straight seasons) and lack of backfield competition keep him as a strong RB candidate.

2.07 - De’Von Achane (Pete)

I mentioned we hit the whole youth/veteran spectrum in this round and it’s amazing. De’Von Achane came in at No. 4 in our Rookie RB Model and didn’t disappoint when he was on the field this season. His coming out party began in Week 3 when he ripped off some truly incredible performances.

  • Week 3 - 18 / 203 / 2 (rushing) AND 4 / 30 / 2 (receiving)
  • Week 4 - 8 / 101 / 2 (rushing)
  • Week 5 - 11 / 151 / (rushing)

That’s three straight games that he averaged more than 11 yards per carry. His 4.32-speed was on full display. Perhaps even more impressive? Raheem Mostert (RB4) and Achane (RB5) both finished in the top-5 in PPG. Mostert defied Father Time and scored 21 total TDs at 31 years old, but he’s unlikely to repeat that performance with Achane on the rise.

2.08 - DJ Moore (Jake)

For much of his career, we knew who DJ Moore was. He was a solid, stable, safe WR2 who rattled off annual finishes of WR16, WR23, WR18, and WR24 heading into 2023. Then, despite all the offensive challenges of the Bears, Moore jumped up and finished as the WR6. He set career-high marks in receptions (96), receiving yards (1,364), and TDs (8). He also asserted himself as the alpha of Chicago with his 96% route participation, 29% target share, and 42% air yards share. It remains to be seen who his QB will be, but he’s locked in as an ascending player.

2.09 - Cooper Kupp (Dwain)

It feels like just yesterday when Cooper Kupp set the world on fire with his 2021 line of 145 / 1,947 / 16. An injury cut short his 2022 campaign and injuries, again, derailed portions of this season. The emergence of Nacua certainly pushes Kupp down the board as the latter will be 31 years old next fall. Still, Kupp could become a value come draft day. As shown above, his metrics, while not as strong as Nacua's, still reflect high-end potential.

His route participation, TPRR, target share, and air yards share don’t indicate that he’s totally lost it. It might actually be good for Kupp if defenses have to account for Nacua. Keep an eye on Kupp’s ADP in the coming months.

Cooper Kupp

2.10 - Travis Kelce (Freedman)

You know a position is top-heavy when finishing as the TE3 is a “down” year for Travis Kelce. Still, you can’t blame fantasy managers for wanting more when you consider the investment of draft capital that was made to acquire him. TE3 was his lowest finish since 2015 and he was at, or near, his lowest marks in targets, receptions, receiving yards, and TDs since 2016-2017.

The Chiefs’ struggles with pass-catchers this season were well-documented. Even Kelce couldn’t shoulder the same workload as he had in the past. Moving forward, Kelce is still an elite player at a shallow position who, when Mahomes is in his bag, can single-handedly win you your fantasy matchup in a given week.

2.11 - Chris Olave (Chris)

I can’t think of Chris Olave without immediately remembering this next-level insight from our own Ian Hartitz.

Ultimately, Olave (1,912) finished No. 2 in air yards behind DeAndre Hopkins (1,968). Needless to say, fantasy managers were left wanting more from Olave. It wasn’t all bad, though. He set new high-water marks in targets, receptions, receiving yards, and TDs in just his second season. For now, Derek Carr is his QB (not terrible, tbh) heading into the offseason and beyond. The talent and opportunity are there. Let’s hope the ball finds its way to Olave more often moving forward.

2.12 - Nick Chubb (Marcas)

In Week 1, Nick Chubb turned 22 touches into 127 total yards. Unfortunately, he went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 2 and that was a wrap on his 2023 campaign. Now 28 years old, we’ll have to wait and see what his recovery looks like this offseason. We know what he can do when healthy, but it’s his health that will determine how we should approach Chubb on draft day.

Round 3

Kelce was the only non-RB/WR selected in the first two rounds, but Ian got the QB party started by taking Josh Allen with the 3.10. A pair of TEs also came off the board in Sam LaPorta and Mark Andrews.

LaPorta came into the league ranked No. 3 in our Rookie TE Model and has already done enough to warrant consideration as the overall dynasty TE1. He finished 2023 as the No. 1 TE thanks, in part, to his 10 receiving TDs. He also finished inside the top 5 at the position in targets, receptions, and receiving yards.

Nico Collins

Jan 20, 2024; Baltimore, MD, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (12) runs the ball against Baltimore Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens (21) during the second quarter of a 2024 AFC divisional round game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

I also have to give a nod to the Nico Collins pick. Dwain called it back in the preseason when he highlighted just how effective he was with CJ Stroud, despite the small sample size. Following the loss of Tank Dell for the season, Dwain noted the following:

“On snaps without Dell, Collins’ target share climbs from 20% to 31%, and his air yards share balloons from 25% to 41%. While he won’t likely sustain a 31% target share, it is in the range of outcomes, and any increase from his current 22% could push him into mid-range WR1 territory…Based on 12-year utilization and efficiency data, the average for a WR with Collins’ profile is 19.8 points with a WR5 finish — assuming he takes a small step forward in target share. If his target earning doesn’t take a step forward, the comp group average is WR20 at 14.3 points.”

Collins flashed the elite upside you want by finishing as a top-5 WR five times.

Round 4

Veterans were the theme of Round 4. Despite the yearly fascination with rookies and younger players, veterans like Mike Evans, Keenan Allen, and Amari Cooper continue to remind us that they’re still capable of massive weeks. In fact, despite only playing through Week 14, Allen already set a career-high mark in receptions (108) and was well on pace to break his top marks in targets (159 / 2017), receiving yards (1,393 / 2017), and TDs (8 / 2020).

Pete (Lamar Jackson) and Dwain (Jalen Hurts) added their QBs, but otherwise, this round felt pretty by the book. We really start to see the draft board get exciting in the next round.

Round 5

Rookies, veterans, QBs, and a banged-up TE all showed up in Round 5. Justin Fields could remain with the Bears, or land elsewhere. Patrick Mahomes will hopefully get some WR help before next season rolls around, and T.J. Hockenson will spend this offseason rehabbing his knee.

Rashee Rice, Jordan Addison, and Dell took the league by storm as they boosted their respective offenses. Addison was the WR2 per our Rookie WR Model while Rice (WR10) and Dell (WR11) were further down. Still, it’s hard not to be excited about these players in both redraft and dynasty.

Rookie WR Comparison

The other big move in this round came with veteran RBs. Aaron Jones, Joe Mixon, Rhamondre Stevenson, Najee Harris, and Alvin Kamara all came off the board. They all have at least one more year remaining on their current contracts so there’s some hope that, despite the varying concerns, they’ll return some value in 2024.

Round 6

Three more TEs and Rookie of the Year candidate C.J. Stroud highlighted the sixth round. Trey McBride jumps off the screen as a newcomer to the upper echelon of TEs. He first cracked 60% route participation in Week 8 and never looked back.

Trey McBride

From that point forward, he ran 84% of the routes and commanded a sterling 29% target share to go along with 26% of the air yards. Similar to other players we’ve highlighted, he offered the ideal blend of floor/ceiling production with six finishes in the top 7 during this stretch.

A fun mental exercise is not just thinking, “Would I rather have Player A or B?” but factoring in the specific cost/round it will require. If you can land McBride in the sixth as opposed to, let’s say, Andrews in the third, that’s a much more fun conversation and discussion to have.

Rookies Jayden Reed and Jaxon Smith-Njigba also went off the board here. The former has been a significant part of the Packers’ success this season while the latter is still trying to establish himself next to his veteran Seattle teammates. At this price point, both are still a value.

We’ve hit the halfway points and these are my two favorite teams thus far. Both are taking a different approach to their early build, but, as you’ll see over the second half of the mock draft specifically, I really like how they’re both coming together.

Shoutout to Dwain McFarland (1.4) and Pete Overzet (1.06)!

Dwain and Pete mock draft

Round 7

It’s worth noting that Dwain took his first RB (Isiah Pacheco) at 7.04. The only other manager to wait to take their first RB until after the first three rounds was Cooter when she took Tony Pollard in the fourth.

ZeroRB for the win.

Veteran WRs abound with Christian Kirk, Diontae Johnson, Chris Godwin, Tyler Lockett, and Marquise Brown making up almost half the round. While we still want to secure high-end talent at the position, it’s helpful to know there are viable wideouts at this stage.

Anthony Richardson is going to be a fun one to watch in the coming months. The promising rookie only appeared in four games but accounted for seven total TDs. He also topped 14% in designed rushing attempts three times and posted a pair of top-4 finishes. We know the upside is there if he can stay on the field.

Anthony Richardson

His range of outcomes remains pretty wide, so calling your shot on him could be the type of move that makes or breaks your fantasy season.

Round 8

I’m banking on a healthy Joe Burrow next season, so this felt like a good time to pull the trigger on adding a QB to my squad. Evan Engram and David Njoku, TE2 / TE6 this season respectively, also found their way onto rosters. While Engram quietly led the position in targets and receptions, it was awesome to see Njoku go on a run with Joe Flacco under center.

TE Player Comparison

Both should remain key components of their offenses next season, although the QB situation in Cleveland will be worth monitoring this offseason.

Jakobi Meyers remains perpetually underrated and shouldn’t have much of an issue beating his ADP (again) by the end of next season.

Finally, the Derrick Henry offseason will be fascinating to watch unfold. He’s almost certainly done in Tennessee as the free agent said he wants to go somewhere that gives him the best shot of winning a Super Bowl. Can’t fault him for that after everything he’s done in his career.

That leaves the door open for Tyjae Spears to assume a larger role. He came in at No. 5 in our Rookie RB Model and finished this season as the RB34 by way of his 100 / 453 / 2 on the ground to go along with 52 / 385 / 1 through the air on 70 targets.

Round 9

We’re getting to the point in the draft where there are fewer “sure things” and certainly more question marks. That also creates opportunity for savvy managers who subscribe to the Fantasy Life Newsletter to assert their dominance over their leaguemates.

Dak Prescott, Trevor Lawrence, and Jordan Love all went within four picks of each other. Prescott had a near-MVP season while Lawrence didn’t quite take the step forward that so many were hoping for.

The Love story in Green Bay remains one of the best stories of the season. In what was supposed to be a rebuilding year, he was one of the best QBs in the league over the second half of the season. It’s going to be an exciting time for the Green & Gold for many years.

Jordan Love

Despite being ranked as our TE1 in our Rookie TE Model, Dalton Kincaid didn’t have a “bad” season. He was just overshadowed by fellow rookie LaPorta. The Bills' offense also struggled through the air over the final weeks of the season as their change at OC was likely more impactful than many thought. If this mock draft is any indication, Kincaid could be a value next fall if he’s going in this range.

Round 10

I’m willing to give Quentin Johnston another chance, especially in the tenth round. Same with Treylon Burks, who will be working with a new HC and likely a full season with soon-to-be sophomore QB Will Levis. Also, not to keep going back to the Packers, but based on the trajectory of this offense, Romeo Doubs would be an easy pick here as well. While the team lacks a true No. 1, it’s looking like anyone could be asked to step up on a given week.

J.K. Dobbins didn’t make it out of Week 1 before he went down with a season-ending injury, so his progress will be closely monitored in the months ahead. Also, I didn’t mention it before, but Dameon Pierce went in the eighth round. I would much rather have Devin Singletary here in the tenth. From Weeks 12-18, Singletary dominated the backfield both on the ground and through the air. Keep an eye on those crowded backfields throughout the offseason to get a sense of how they are splitting reps.

Devin Singletary

Round 11

We’re officially in the end game now. Backup RBs and depth WRs are the name of the game. All but one team finished Round 10 with both their QB and TE, so we’re just filling out our flex and bench spots with high-upside stashes.

Ty Chandler looked awesome when given a full workload (23 / 132 / 1 in Week 15). Staying in the NFC North, I’m still in on Roschon Johnson. On a per-touch basis, he was as good as Bijan Robinson in college.

Adam Thielen started the season strong through Week 11 and was one of the few bright spots for the Panthers this year.

Adam Thielen

During Love’s incredible run from Week 11-18, here are how his wideouts performed.

In a situation like Dontayvion Wicks, you might be best served by grabbing the cheapest option from the group if there is no clear-cut No. 1 option.

Packers WR Comp

Round 12

In our final round, Cooter became the final manager to secure her TE when she snagged Dallas Goedert.

Jonathan Mingo, Demario Douglas, and Chase Brown all jump off the page as guys who could carve out a significant role for themselves next season if all goes well. The Panthers need to surround Bryce Young with as much help as possible, the Patriots don’t have many options outside of Douglas, and Brown did enough on limited touches to hopefully convince the Bengals that keeping him on the field is in their best interests.

I mentioned Dwain & Pete as two teams that I liked at the midpoint of this mock. Here’s how they finished up.

Dwain and Pete mock draft

Both emphasized securing a high-end QB and TE. They also both stacked RBs at different stages of the draft and then went hard on WRs the rest of the way. I don’t need to remind you that both are experienced, talented drafters, but it was still awesome to see them at work in this mock draft.

Stay tuned for more mock draft content throughout the fantasy offseason!

Way too early 2024 mock draft
Sam Wallace
Sam Wallace
Sam Wallace has contributed to Dynasty Football Factory, RotoViz, FTN, and the Fantasy Life Newsletter with a primary focus being on dynasty fantasy football. He has a Masters Degree in Educational Administration and Curriculum and is currently a high school teacher. When not writing about fantasy football (or teaching), he loves spending time with his beautiful wife and two wonderful children.
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