Training camp is officially underway, which means fantasy football managers are firing up their laptops and starting to mock draft. Mock drafts are the best way to figure out where the chips are falling at your respective pick. It also gives managers the best sense of where they will have to reach for players, or when they can possibly wait for value to fall in their lap. Let’s make it simple, and look at three MUST draft players in 2023.

Nick Chubb

The RB5 in standard leagues and RB6 in PPR starts off this list of three players you MUST draft in 2023. Besides his rookie season, Chubb has been consistent fantasy gold. In standard leagues, he has never finished outside the top 10 at his position, and in PPR leagues has been a rock-solid RB1 when he is on the field. He is a touchdown-scoring machine, having eight house calls or more in every season. Chubb is one of the few true workhorse backs in this league and has rushed for over 1,000 yards in every season since 2019. Coming off a 1,500-yard, 12-TD season, there are no signs of slowing down for the 27-year-old back.

What makes Chubb an even better fantasy asset is where he is going in drafts. Right now, Chubb has an ADP of 16.9, putting him in the early to mid-second round of fantasy drafts. This is a great value for a consistent running back to anchor your team all year long as an RB1. Pairing him with a great wide receiver in the first such as Stefon Diggs, CeeDee Lamb, or even Cooper Kupp would give your team a lethal 1-2 punch.

Najee Harris

Yet another running back finds himself as the second of three must-draft players in 2023. Najee got off to a slow start in 2022. A lisfranc injury at the beginning of the season was clearly hindering the 25-year-old back to start the season. He looked slow and feeble at the beginning of the year, yet still played every game of his sophomore season. Najee’s toughness might have cost his fantasy stock to dip entering the 2023 season. He currently sits with an ADP of 31.5, placing him in the middle of the third round. Drafters should not hesitate to draft Najee Harris at his ADP, and should especially not let him slip into the fourth round.

Despite playing through the lingering injury, Najee still finished as the RB12 in standard leagues and RB14 in PPR leagues. He started to really find his groove late in the year. In the last five games of 2022, Najee averaged 15.56 fantasy points per game in PPR settings. The Steelers took to free agency and boosted their offensive line by signing Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig. A boost in the trenches is huge for Najee’s fantasy upside. Throw in another year of familiarity in the system with young signal caller Kenny Pickett, signing veteran wide receiver Allen Robinson, and this Steelers offense could be more potent than people believe. Najee has always had a solid floor as a fantasy back, but with these improvements on top of Najee’s perceived health and promising finish to 2022, he should be an easy draft at his ADP of mid third round.

Darren Waller

Surprisingly, a tight end rounds out this list of must-draft players in 2023. Waller finds himself a new home in the Big Apple after being traded by the Raiders to the New York Giants. A change of scenery might be just what the doctor ordered. The last two seasons have not been great for the veteran tight end. After finishing as the TE2 in PPR in 2020, Waller has not been able to stay on the field. However, a portion of his absence was contract-related and dissatisfaction with the Raiders organization. He now finds himself healthy, and on a new team where he will be the clear number-one target for quarterback Daniel Jones.

Waller has been getting nothing but praise from his teammates and coaches throughout off-season workouts. He enters the 2023 mock draft season with an ADP around 67. This places him in the middle to late sixth round of your draft. We’ve seen what “The Walrus” can do as the featured pass catcher in Vegas, having top-three finishes in both 2019 and 2020. If Waller can replicate his previous performances, he will be an incredible steal this late in the draft. Daniel Jones seems to already have great chemistry with him, and there is virtually no competition for targets outside of Saquon Barkley. Opportunity, on top of Waller’s talent, makes him an easy draft in the mid to late sixth round.

No Need to Overthink

Every fantasy manager wants to hit a home run and find steals everywhere on the draft board. This can lead to inconsistent rosters, and also allow league mates to have an easy selection of good players that are passed on. The key to a successful draft is to have a balance of consistency with the potential for upside. The three players mentioned in this article have the perfect blend of both and are of great value at their current ADPs. Do not overthink things on draft day and grab these three must-draft players in 2023.

About the Author

Paul Orlando is a die-hard Ravens and Orioles fan and a fantasy football junkie. Paul is co-host of The Eye Test: A Fantasy Football Podcast on Youtube and has recently begun writing for Belly Up Sports. He gives expert advice in both Dynasty and Redraft settings, and loves finding the sleepers no one else talks about. Find all things fantasy football on Belly Up Fantasy Sports. Watch the full video of The Eye Test’s Three Must Draft Players to get more insight.