The Bears moved on from Robert Quinn before the trade deadline, so they'll be in the market for an edge rusher this offseason. Will Anderson Jr. is in the same pre-draft conversations as Chase Young and Nick Bosa when it comes to best non-QB players in a class.

Bryce Young might be historically undersized by successful NFL QB standards, but we don't care. He's been that good for Alabama, dragging that team to victory just about every week. And he did it with none of the playmakers that made life so much easier for Tua Tagovailoa and Mac Jones in previous years.

The more you watch of Tyree Wilson, the more you love his game. Not only what he put on tape at Texas Tech, but his upside 2-3 years down the road. He's long, has the frame to add weight if needed, and is a dominant, high-motor pass rusher who can take over games.

Since Andrew Luck's retirement, the Colts have had little success turning to QBs nearing the end of their careers, and it's safe to assume that owner Jim Irsay will be looking for the team's next face of the franchise. C.J. Stroud has flown under the national-media radar all season, but some NFL teams will tell you he'll be in the running for QB1, and his performance in the College Football Playoff semifinal game vs. Georgia showed that he can beat you with his arm and his legs.

Jalen Carter, who was arguably the best defender on a '21 Georgia D that had five first-round picks, would fill a huge void in Seattle, where the defense has struggled getting after the quarterback.

Myles Murphy turned 21 in early January, and while we'd like to see him play with more consistency ... he just turned 21 in early January. He has all the physical tools you look for in an elite edge defenders and it's easy to see him in a few years being dominant. And that, in large part, is what makes him such an interesting prospect.

It's hard to imagine that Jarrett Stidham is in the team's long-term plans as a starter. And with Derek Carr set to be somewhere else in 2023 -- and Tom Brady officially-for-now retired, drafting a QB seems to be a high priority. Levis, who definitely looks the part, was plagued by injuries and poor play all fall. That said, NFL teams love how he projects to the next level, but he'll be a controversial talking point in the coming months.

Joey Porter Jr. is the prototypical big, physical cornerback who looks like he belongs in the NFL. He can sometimes get a little too handsy downfield, but he checks many of the boxes of what teams look for when drafting DBs.

Anthony Richardson is one of the most exciting prospects in this class. The problem: he's short on experience, and while his physical tools are rare, the Panthers are in dire need of a starting QB right now. David Tepper could choose to go the free agency route (again), but that has been, shall we say, a crapshoot. At the end of the day, Carolina may have to move inside the top 5 if it wants to get a quarterback with Day 1 starter potential.

Jordan Addison isn't a big target, but he's one of the most dynamic players in the country who can line up anywhere. The only question is whether Addison or Quentin Johnston will be WR1. Two different body types, two different playing styles -- both dominant.

Paris Johnson, who played left tackle for the Buckeyes this season, also has experience on the interior; either way, he is a Day 1 starter.

Peter Skoronski is solid and consistent, which are two of the best things you can say about an offensive lineman. The biggest issue he'll face during the pre-draft process will be arm length and whether his NFL future is at tackle or guard.

O'Cyrus Torrence transferred from Louisiana and didn't miss a beat. He was dominant for Florida last fall, he was dominant during Senior Bowl practices, and if history is any guide, he'll be dominant in the NFL, too.

Quentin Johnston's an above-the-rim playmaker whose athleticism and contested-catch abilities make him in the running for WR1. Mac Jones has a new offensive coordinator and now he gets a new downfield target.

Lukas Van Ness never started a game at Iowa, but that's not the point. The point is that NFL teams love his size, his athleticism, and where his game could be a couple of years from now. Purdue's George Karlaftis went at the end of Round 1 a year ago, and USC's Drake Jackson went a round later; both players were high-upside prospects who exceeded expectations as rookies. Van Ness is in the same conversation but could be the best of the bunch.

Devon Witherspoon had a great season for the Illini, and while there will be questions about his slight frame, you wouldn't know it watching him play.

Brian Branch isn't the first name you hear about when the conversation turns to Alabama's defense, but maybe he should be. He's a sure tackler, can blitz off the edge, and is solid in coverage. And if Nick Saban trusts him, that's all you need to know about his NFL prospects.

Maryland teammate and fellow CB Jakorian Bennett got much of the buzz in the fall, but Deonte Banks put together the type of season that will land you in the top-50 conversation. He's a fluid athlete who is also a big, physical corner who can run with NFL wide receivers.

Christian Gonzalez, a Colorado transfer, is a big-time athlete who is still growing into the position. He has the size, strength and speed to line up against NFL wide receivers; he just needs to Boost in run support.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba barely saw the field during the 2022 season because of injuries, but he's still one of the top wideouts in the class. And with Geno Smith about to get paid, the Seahawks might as well get him some more weapons.

There was some thought that Harrison might return to Oklahoma for an NIL deal that was too good to pass up, but he's instead opted for the NFL. He's one of the top tackles in the class, and now the question is whether he finds his way into Round 1 or goes early on Day 2.

Bijan Robinson is special, and while he is probably one of the best players in this class, he could still be around late in Round 1 because he's a running back. And while the Ravens and offensive coordinator Greg Roman have parted ways, it's fair to assume that the team will still revolve around Lamar Jackson and the run game. J.K. Dobbins showed flashes after returning from ACL surgery, but there isn't a lot of depth behind him. A backfield of Jackson, Dobbins and Robinson is a problem for the rest of the AFC, even if Baltimore has more pressing needs here.

Drew Sanders is a former five-star who transferred from Alabama after the 2021 season, and all he did was show out for the Razorbacks. He was an edge rusher for the Crimson Tide, but he lined up all over the defense for Arkansas. He's a one-man wrecking crew when he's on the field.

We'll see if Dawand Jones ultimately finds his way into the first round, but it's hard to overlook just how dominant he was in one day of practice at the Senior Bowl. Yes, his footwork needs some fine-tuning, but his huge frame, long arms and enormous wingspan more than make up for what he lacks in quickness. He's block-out-the-sun big, even when standing next to his offensive linemates.

The Georgia-to-first-round pipeline continues. A year after five Bulldogs went in Round 1, expect a handful this time around, too. Kelee Ringo is a long, physical corner who has matched up against some of the best players in the country.

Jalin Hyatt wasn't in the first-round conversation heading into the 2022 season, but he's a great example of a player taking advantage of his opportunities, thanks in large part to Hendon Hooker's Heisman Trophy campaign. Hyatt is a bona-fide deep threat who consistently ran past defensive backs who were helpless to do much about it all season.

Michael Mayer is more Gronk than Kelce, but that's not a bad thing. And in Green Bay, he'll get plenty of chances, whether it's with Aaron Rodgers, Jordan Love, or the QB behind Door No. 3.

Broderick Jones had had a strong '22 campaign for the Bulldogs, where he has faced some of the best defensive players in the country every day at practice for the last two years. He's not yet a finished product, but he has the athleticism and strength to be a difference-maker when he puts it all together.

Jahmyr Gibbs has drawn comparisons to Dalvin Cook and Alvin Kamara as both a runner and a receiver. The Saints have big needs at QB, for sure, but they're not going to find one at this point in the first round. Instead, they double up on Kamara-type talents in the backfield.

James Bradberry will be a free agent in a few weeks, and while there are very few holes on this defense, there will be depth needs in the secondary. Cam Smith is a first-round talent who can be a Day 1 contributor.

Luke Musgrave was getting some late-first/early Day-2 buzz down at the Senior Bowl, and while he didn't have a great week, it was certainly easy to see why teams like him. He missed most of '22 with an injury, but he's well built, long, and has the athleticism to consistently separate from both safeties and linebackers. His blocking is a work in progress, but he'll be a contributor in the passing game from Day 1.

FANTASY RANKINGS: 📈 Top 250

Mock draft 1.0 | Strategy: rounds 1-4

PROJECTIONS: 🔮 F | D | G

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FANTASY MOCK DRAFT 2.0

NOTES: This is a non-keeper mock draft with standard categories (goals, assists, plus/minus, power-play points, shots on goal, hits for skaters; wins, goals-against average, save percentage, shutouts for goalies). Yahoo Fantasy forward position eligibility for this season is listed below, and potential 2023 unrestricted free agents (*) are noted. Roster size is 20 players: three centers, three left wings, three right wings, four defensemen, two goalies, one utility spot (UTIL) and four bench spots (BN). PJ, AD, NA, DS and JH indicate the manager (Pete Jensen, Anna Dua, Nick Alberga, David Satriano, James Harding) who selected each of the 10 teams (T1-T10) in this mock draft, which was conducted Sept. 11, 2022.

ROUND 1

1. Connor McDavid, C, EDM (T1-JH)
2. Leon Draisaitl, C/LW, EDM (T2-PJ)
3. Cale Makar, D, COL (T3-DS)
4. Nathan MacKinnon, C, COL (T4-AD)
5. Auston Matthews, C, TOR (T5-NA)
6. Kirill Kaprizov, LW, MIN (T6-JH)
7. Igor Shesterkin, G, NYR (T7-PJ)
8. Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, TBL (T8-DS)
9. Mikko Rantanen, C/RW, COL (T9-AD)
10. Nikita Kucherov, RW, TBL (T10-NA)

ROUND 2

11. Jonathan Huberdeau, LW, CGY (T10-NA)
12. Victor Hedman, D, TBL (T9-AD)
13. Aleksander Barkov, C, FLA (T8-DS)
14. Kyle Connor, LW, WPG (T7-PJ)
15. Matthew Tkachuk, RW, FLA (T6-JH)
16. Mitchell Marner, RW, TOR (T5-NA)
17. Adam Fox, D, NYR (T4-AD)
18. Artemi Panarin, LW, NYR (T3-DS)
19. Alex Ovechkin, LW, WSH (T2-PJ)
20. Roman Josi, D, NSH (T1-JH)

ROUND 3

21. Sidney Crosby, C, PIT (T1-JH)
22. Jacob Markstrom, G, CGY (T2-PJ)
23. David Pastrnak, RW, BOS* (T3-DS)
24. Frederik Andersen, G, CAR* (T4-AD)
25. Steven Stamkos, C/LW, TBL (T5-NA)
26. Mika Zibanejad, C, NYR (T6-JH)
27. J.T. Miller, C/LW, VAN (T7-PJ)
28. Brady Tkachuk, LW, OTT (T8-DS)
29. Juuse Saros, G, NSH (T9-AD)
30. Ilya Sorokin, G, NYI (T10-NA)

ROUND 4

31. Thatcher Demko, G, VAN (T10-NA)
32. John Carlson, D, WSH (T9-AD)
33. Aaron Ekblad, D, FLA (T8-DS)
34. Patrick Kane, RW, CHI* (T7-PJ)
35. Jack Campbell, G, EDM (T6-JH)
36. Andrei Svechnikov, LW, CAR (T5-NA)
37. Moritz Seider, D, DET (T4-AD)
38. Marc-Andre Fleury, G, MIN (T3-DS)
39. Quinn Hughes, D, VAN (T2-PJ)
40. Jake Oettinger, G, DAL (T1-JH)

ROUND 5

41. Sebastian Aho, C, CAR (T1-JH)
42. Timo Meier, LW/RW, SJS (T2-PJ)
43. Gabriel Landeskog, C/LW, COL (T3-DS)**
44. Chris Kreider, LW/RW, NYR (T4-AD)
45. Kris Letang, D, PIT (T5-NA)
46. Jack Eichel, C, VGK (T6-JH)
47. Brent Burns, D, CAR (T7-PJ)
48. Jake Guentzel, LW, PIT (T8-DS)
49. Johnny Gaudreau, LW, CBJ (T9-AD)
50. Jack Hughes, C, NJD (T10-NA)

INJURY UPDATE: Landeskog (lower body) is likely to be out for the start of the season.

ROUND 6

51. Alex DeBrincat, LW, OTT (T10-NA)
52. Elias Lindholm, C, CGY (T9-AD)
53. Nikolaj Ehlers, LW/RW, WPG (T8-DS)
54. Evander Kane, LW, EDM (T7-PJ)
55. Morgan Rielly, D, TOR (T6-JH)
56. Connor Hellebuyck, G, WPG (T5-NA)
57. Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, STL* (T4-AD)
58. Tristan Jarry, G, PIT* (T3-DS)
59. Brad Marchand, LW, BOS - INJ. (T2-PJ)
60. Mark Stone, RW, VGK (T1-JH)

ROUND 7

61. Sergei Bobrovsky, G, FLA (T1-JH)
62. Jeremy Swayman, G, BOS (T2-PJ)
63. Devon Toews, D, COL (T3-DS)
64. Darcy Kuemper, G, WSH (T4-AD)
65. Elias Pettersson, C/LW, VAN (T5-NA)
66. Jason Robertson, LW, DAL (T6-JH)
67. MacKenzie Weegar, D, CGY (T7-PJ)
68. Joe Pavelski, C/RW, DAL* (T8-DS)
69. Nazem Kadri, C, CGY (T9-AD)
70. Thomas Chabot, D, OTT (T10-NA)

ROUND 8

71. Filip Forsberg, LW, NSH (T10-NA)
72. Josh Norris, C, OTT (T9-AD)
73. Kevin Fiala, LW/RW, LAK (T8-DS)
74. Evgeny Kuznetsov, C, WSH (T7-PJ)
75. Sam Reinhart, C/RW, FLA (T6-JH)
76. Alexandar Georgiev, G, COL (T5-NA)
77. Patrik Laine, LW/RW, CBJ (T4-AD)
78. Mark Scheifele, C, WPG (T3-DS)
79. William Nylander, LW/RW, TOR (T2-PJ)
80. Pavel Buchnevich, LW/RW, STL (T1-JH)

ROUND 9

81. Tim Stützle, C/LW, OTT (T1-JH)
82. Brayden Point, C, TBL (T2-PJ)
83. Teuvo Teravainen, LW/RW, CAR (T3-DS)
84. Claude Giroux, C/RW, OTT (T4-AD)
85. Dougie Hamilton, D, NJD (T5-NA)
86. Zach Werenski, D, CBJ (T6-JH)
87. Patrice Bergeron, C, BOS* (T7-PJ)
88. Cam Talbot, G, OTT* (T8-DS)
89. Drew Doughty, D, LAK (T9-AD)
90. John Tavares, C, TOR (T10-NA)

ROUND 10

91. Anze Kopitar, C, LAK (T10-NA)
92. Drake Batherson, RW, OTT (T9-AD)
93. Darnell Nurse, D, EDM (T8-DS)
94. Evgeni Malkin, C, PIT (T7-PJ)
95. Roope Hintz, C, DAL (T6-JH)
96. Cole Caufield, LW/RW, MTL (T5-NA)
97. Jakub Vrana, LW, DET (T4-AD)
98. Robert Thomas, C, STL (T3-DS)
99. Evan Bouchard, D, EDM (T2-PJ)
100. Spencer Knight, G, FLA (T1-JH)

ROUND 11

101. Miro Heiskanen, D, DAL (T1-JH)
102. Rasmus Dahlin, D, BUF (T2-PJ)
103. Matty Beniers, C, SEA; rookie (T3-DS)
104. Noah Dobson, D, NYI (T4-AD)
105. Mathew Barzal, C, NYI (T5-NA)
106. Jonathan Quick, G, LAK* (T6-JH)
107. Mason McTavish, LW, ANA; rookie (T7-PJ)
108. Trevor Zegras, C, ANA (T8-DS)
109. Zach Hyman, LW/RW, EDM (T9-AD)
110. Semyon Varlamov, G, NYI* (T10-NA)

ROUND 12

111. Shea Theodore, D, VGK (T10-NA)
112. Elvis Merzlikins, G, CBJ (T9-AD)
113. Jesper Bratt, RW, NJD (T8-DS)
114. Logan Thompson, G, VGK; rookie (T7-PJ)
115. Jordan Kyrou, LW/RW, STL (T6-JH)
116. Blake Wheeler, C/RW, WPG (T5-NA)
117. Dylan Larkin, C, DET* (T4-AD)
118. Bryan Rust, RW, PIT (T3-DS)
119. Charlie McAvoy, D, BOS - INJ. (T2-PJ)
120. Mats Zuccarello, RW, MIN (T1-JH)

ROUND 13

121. Alex Pietrangelo, D, VGK (T1-JH)
122. Matt Duchene, RW, NSH (T2-PJ)
123. Jacob Trouba, D, NYR (T3-DS)
124. Brock Boeser, RW, VAN - INJ. (T4-AD)
125. Tony DeAngelo, D, PHI (T5-NA)
126. Torey Krug, D, STL (T6-JH)
127. Jordan Binnington, G, STL (T7-PJ)
128. Owen Power, D, BUF; rookie (T8-DS)
129. Bowen Byram, D, COL (T9-AD)
130. David Perron, RW, DET (T10-NA)

ROUND 14

131. Ryan O'Reilly, C, STL* (T10-NA)
132. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C/LW, EDM (T9-AD)
133. Sam Bennett, C, FLA (T8-DS)
134. Lucas Raymond, RW, DET (T7-PJ)
135. Tyler Toffoli, LW/RW, CGY (T6-JH)
136. Pierre Luc Dubois, C, WPG (T5-NA)
137. Erik Karlsson, D, SJS (T4-AD)
138. Valeri Nichushkin, LW/RW, COL (T3-DS)
139. Tage Thompson, C, BUF (T2-PJ)
140. Matt Boldy, LW/RW, MIN (T1-JH)

ROUND 15

141. Brayden Schenn, C/LW, STL (T1-JH)
142. Jonathan Marchessault, LW/RW, VGK (T2-PJ)
143. Juraj Slafkovsky, LW, MTL; rookie (T3-DS)
144. Michael Bunting, LW, TOR* (T4-AD)
145. Tyler Seguin, C/RW, DAL (T5-NA)
146. Rasmus Andersson, D, CGY (T6-JH)
147. Jake Sanderson, D, OTT; rookie (T7-PJ)
148. Pavel Francouz, G, COL (T8-DS)
149. Troy Terry, RW, ANA (T9-AD)
150. John Klingberg, D, ANA* (T10-NA)

ROUND 16

151. Tom Wilson, RW, WSH - INJ. (T10-NA)
152. Ville Husso, G, DET (T9-AD)
153. Mikhail Sergachev, D, TBL (T8-DS)
154. Vasily Podkolzin, LW/RW, VAN (T7-PJ)
155. Bo Horvat, C, VAN* (T6-JH)
156. Taylor Hall, LW, BOS (T5-NA)
157. Tomas Hertl, C, SJS (T4-AD)
158. Hampus Lindholm, D, BOS (T3-DS)
159. Vincent Trocheck, C, NYR (T2-PJ)
160. Jaccob Slavin, D, CAR (T1-JH)

ROUND 17

161. Carter Verhaeghe, LW, FLA (T1-JH)
162. Ilya Samsonov, G, TOR (T2-PJ)
163. Linus Ullmark, G, BOS (T3-DS)
164. John Gibson, G, ANA (T4-AD)
165. Vitek Vanecek, G, NJD (T5-NA)
166. Cal Petersen, G, LAK (T6-JH)
167. Cole Perfetti, C/RW, WPG; rookie (T7-PJ)
168. Adrian Kempe, LW/RW, LAK (T8-DS)
169. Alexis Lafrenière, LW/RW, NYR (T9-AD)
170. Alex Tuch, RW, BUF (T10-NA)

ROUND 18

171. Nick Suzuki, C, MTL (T10-NA)
172. Ryan Hartman, C, MIN (T9-AD)
173. Chandler Stephenson, C/RW, VGK (T8-DS)
174. Jakob Chychrun, D, ARI (T7-PJ)
175. Andrew Mangiapane, LW/RW, CGY (T6-JH)
176. Clayton Keller, LW/RW, ARI (T5-NA)
177. Dawson Mercer, C/RW, NJD (T4-AD)
178. Mason Marchment, LW/RW, DAL (T3-DS)
179. Justin Faulk, D, STL (T2-PJ)
180. Boone Jenner, C, CBJ (T1-JH)

ROUND 19

181. Oliver Bjorkstrand, RW, SEA (T1-JH)
182. Seth Jarvis, LW/RW, CAR (T2-PJ)
183. Brock Nelson, C, NYI (T3-DS)
184. Gustav Forsling, D, FLA (T4-AD)
185. Calen Addison, D, MIN; rookie (T5-NA)
186. Viktor Arvidsson, LW/RW, LAK - INJ. (T6-JH)
187. Andre Burakovsky, LW/RW, SEA (T7-PJ)
188. Ross Colton, C/LW, TBL (T8-DS)
189. Andrei Kuzmenko, LW, VAN (T9-AD)
190. Seth Jones, D, CHI (T10-NA)

ROUND 20

191. Ondrej Palat, LW, NJD (T10-NA)
192. Shane Wright, C, SEA; rookie (T9-AD)
193. Sean Durzi, D, LAK (T8-DS)
194. Simon Edvinsson, D, DET; rookie (T7-PJ)
195. Nico Hischier, C, NJD (T6-JH)
196. Tyler Bertuzzi, LW/RW, DET* (T5-NA)
197. Pavel Zacha, C/LW, BOS (T4-AD)
198. Phil Kessel, RW, VGK* (T3-DS)
199. Alex Newhook, C/LW, COL (T2-PJ)
200. Dylan Strome, C/RW, WSH (T1-JH)

Key injuries: Max Pacioretty, LW, CAR*; Carey Price, G, MTL; Nicklas Backstrom, C, WSH; Anthony Duclair, RW, FLA; Robin Lehner, G, VGK (out for season)

---

MOCK DRAFT 2.0 ROSTERS

TEAM 1 (JH)

C1: Connor McDavid, C, EDM
C2: Sidney Crosby, C, PIT
C3: Sebastian Aho, C, CAR
LW1: Tim Stützle, C/LW, OTT
LW2: Pavel Buchnevich, LW/RW, STL
LW3: Brayden Schenn, C/LW, STL
RW1: Mark Stone, RW, VGK
RW2: Mats Zuccarello, RW, MIN
RW3: Matt Boldy, LW/RW, MIN
D1: Roman Josi, D, NSH
D2: Miro Heiskanen, D, DAL
D3: Alex Pietrangelo, D, VGK
D4: Jaccob Slavin, D, CAR
G1: Jake Oettinger, G, DAL
G2: Sergei Bobrovsky, G, FLA
UTIL: Carter Verhaeghe, LW, FLA
BN1: Spencer Knight, G, FLA
BN2: Boone Jenner, C, CBJ
BN3: Oliver Bjorkstrand, RW, SEA
BN4: Dylan Strome, C/RW, WSH

TEAM 2 (PJ)

C1: Leon Draisaitl, C/LW, EDM
C2: Brayden Point, C, TBL
C3: Tage Thompson, C, BUF
LW1: Alex Ovechkin, LW, WSH
LW2: Brad Marchand, LW, BOS (INJ.)
LW3: Jonathan Marchessault, LW/RW, VGK
RW1: Timo Meier, LW/RW, SJS
RW2: William Nylander, LW/RW, TOR
RW3: Matt Duchene, RW, NSH
D1: Quinn Hughes, D, VAN
D2: Evan Bouchard, D, EDM
D3: Rasmus Dahlin, D, BUF
D4: Charlie McAvoy, D, BOS (INJ.)
G1: Jacob Markstrom, G, CGY
G2: Jeremy Swayman, G, BOS
UTIL: Vincent Trocheck, C, NYR
BN1: Ilya Samsonov, G, TOR
BN2: Justin Faulk, D, STL
BN3: Seth Jarvis, LW/RW, CAR
BN4: Alex Newhook, C/LW, COL

TEAM 3 (DS)

C1: Matty Beniers, C, SEA; rookie
C2: Mark Scheifele, C, WPG
C3: Robert Thomas, C, STL
LW1: Artemi Panarin, LW, NYR
LW2: Gabriel Landeskog, C/LW, COL
LW3: Valeri Nichushkin, LW/RW, COL
RW1: David Pastrnak, RW, BOS*
RW2: Teuvo Teravainen, LW/RW, CAR
RW3: Bryan Rust, RW, PIT
D1: Cale Makar, D, COL
D2: Devon Toews, D, COL
D3: Jacob Trouba, D, NYR
D4: Hampus Lindholm, D, BOS
G1: Marc-Andre Fleury, G, MIN
G2: Tristan Jarry, G, PIT*
UTIL: Juraj Slafkovsky, LW, MTL; rookie
BN1: Mason Marchment, LW/RW, DAL
BN2: Brock Nelson, C, NYI
BN3: Phil Kessel, RW, VGK*
BN4: Linus Ullmark, G, BOS

TEAM 4 (AD)

C1: Nathan MacKinnon, C, COL*
C2: Claude Giroux, C/RW, OTT
C3: Dylan Larkin, C, DET*
LW1: Patrik Laine, LW/RW, CBJ
LW2: Jakub Vrana, LW, DET
LW3: Michael Bunting, LW, TOR*
RW1: Chris Kreider, LW/RW, NYR
RW2: Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, STL*
RW3: Brock Boeser, RW, VAN
D1: Adam Fox, D, NYR
D2: Moritz Seider, D, DET
D3: Noah Dobson, D, NYI
D4: Erik Karlsson, D, SJS
G1: Frederik Andersen, G, CAR*
G2: Darcy Kuemper, G, WSH
UTIL: Tomas Hertl, C, SJS
BN1: John Gibson, G, ANA
BN2: Dawson Mercer, C/RW, NJD
BN3: Gustav Forsling, D, FLA
BN4: Pavel Zacha, C/LW, BOS

TEAM 5 (NA)

C1: Auston Matthews, C, TOR
C2: Mathew Barzal, C, NYI
C3: Pierre Luc Dubois, C, WPG
LW1: Steven Stamkos, C/LW, TBL
LW2: Andrei Svechnikov, LW, CAR
LW3: Elias Pettersson, C/LW, VAN
RW1: Mitchell Marner, RW, TOR
RW2: Cole Caufield, LW/RW, MTL
RW3: Blake Wheeler, C/RW, WPG
D1: Kris Letang, D, PIT
D2: Dougie Hamilton, D, NJD
D3: Tony DeAngelo, D, PHI
D4: Calen Addison, D, MIN; rookie
G1: Connor Hellebuyck, G, WPG
G2: Alexandar Georgiev, G, COL
UTIL: Clayton Keller, LW/RW, ARI
BN1: Tyler Seguin, C/RW, DAL
BN2: Taylor Hall, LW, BOS
BN3: Vitek Vanecek, G, NJD
BN4: Tyler Bertuzzi, LW/RW, DET*

TEAM 6 (JH)

C1: Mika Zibanejad, C, NYR
C2: Jack Eichel, C, VGK
C3: Roope Hintz, C, DAL
LW1: Kirill Kaprizov, LW, MIN
LW2: Jason Robertson, LW, DAL
LW3: Tyler Toffoli, LW/RW, CGY
RW1: Matthew Tkachuk, RW, FLA
RW2: Sam Reinhart, C/RW, FLA
RW3: Jordan Kyrou, LW/RW, STL
D1: Morgan Rielly, D, TOR
D2: Zach Werenski, D, CBJ
D3: Torey Krug, D, STL
D4: Rasmus Andersson, D, CGY
G1: Jack Campbell, G, EDM
G2: Jonathan Quick, G, LAK*
UTIL: Bo Horvat, C, VAN*
BN1: Calvin Petersen, G, LAK
BN2: Andrew Mangiapane, LW/RW, CGY
BN3: Viktor Arvidsson, LW/RW, LAK (INJ.)
BN4: Nico Hischier, C, NJD

TEAM 7 (PJ)

C1: J.T. Miller, C/LW, VAN
C2: Evgeny Kuznetsov, C, WSH
C3: Patrice Bergeron, C, BOS*
LW1: Kyle Connor, LW, WPG
LW2: Evander Kane, LW, EDM
LW3: Mason McTavish, LW, ANA; rookie
RW1: Patrick Kane, RW, CHI*
RW2: Lucas Raymond, RW, DET
RW3: Vasily Podkolzin, LW/RW, VAN
D1: Brent Burns, D, CAR
D2: MacKenzie Weegar, D, CGY*
D3: Jake Sanderson, D, OTT; rookie
D4: Jakob Chychrun, D, ARI
G1: Igor Shesterkin, G, NYR
G2: Logan Thompson, G, VGK; rookie
UTIL: Evgeni Malkin, C, PIT
BN1: Jordan Binnington, G, STL
BN2: Cole Perfetti, C/RW, WPG; rookie
BN3: Andre Burakovsky, LW/RW, SEA
BN4: Simon Edvinsson, D, DET; rookie

TEAM 8 (DS)

C1: Aleksander Barkov, C, FLA
C2: Trevor Zegras, C, ANA
C3: Sam Bennett, C, FLA
LW1: Brady Tkachuk, LW, OTT
LW2: Jake Guentzel, LW, PIT
LW3: Kevin Fiala, LW/RW, LAK
RW1: Nikolaj Ehlers, LW/RW, WPG
RW2: Joe Pavelski, C/RW, DAL*
RW3: Jesper Bratt, RW, NJD
D1: Aaron Ekblad, D, FLA
D2: Darnell Nurse, D, EDM
D3: Owen Power, D, BUF; rookie
D4: Mikhail Sergachev, D, TBL
G1: Andrei Vasilevskiy, G, TBL
G2: Cam Talbot, G, OTT*
UTIL: Adrian Kempe, LW/RW, LAK
BN1: Chandler Stephenson, C/RW, VGK
BN2: Ross Colton, C/LW, TBL
BN3: Sean Durzi, D, LAK
BN4: Pavel Francouz, G, COL

TEAM 9 (AD)

C1: Elias Lindholm, C, CGY
C2: Nazem Kadri, C, CGY
C3: Josh Norris, C, OTT
LW1: Johnny Gaudreau, LW, CBJ
LW2: Zach Hyman, LW/RW, EDM
LW3: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C/LW, EDM
RW1: Mikko Rantanen, C/RW, COL
RW2: Drake Batherson, RW, OTT
RW3: Troy Terry, RW, ANA
D1: Victor Hedman, D, TBL
D2: John Carlson, D, WSH
D3: Drew Doughty, D, LAK
D4: Bowen Byram, D, COL
G1: Juuse Saros, G, NSH
G2: Elvis Merzlikins, G, CBJ
UTIL: Ryan Hartman, C, MIN
BN1: Ville Husso, G, DET
BN2: Alexis Lafrenière, LW/RW, NYR
BN3: Andrei Kuzmenko, LW, VAN
BN4: Shane Wright, C, SEA; rookie

TEAM 10 (NA)

C1: Jack Hughes, C, NJD
C2: John Tavares, C, TOR
C3: Anze Kopitar, C, LAK
LW1: Jonathan Huberdeau, LW, CGY
LW2: Alex DeBrincat, LW, OTT
LW3: Filip Forsberg, LW, NSH
RW1: Nikita Kucherov, RW, TBL
RW2: David Perron, RW, DET
RW3: Alex Tuch, RW, BUF
D1: Thomas Chabot, D, OTT
D2: Shea Theodore, D, VGK
D3: John Klingberg, D, ANA*
D4: Seth Jones, D, CHI
G1: Ilya Sorokin, G, NYI
G2: Thatcher Demko, G, VAN
UTIL: Nick Suzuki, C, MTL
BN1: Semyon Varlamov, G, NYI*
BN2: Ryan O'Reilly, C, STL*
BN3: Tom Wilson, RW, WSH (INJ.)
BN4: Ondrej Palat, LW, NJD

---

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Starting your own medical practice is an exciting way to take the practice of medicine into your own hands. However, it’s also complicated and challenging. For your medical business to be successful, you need a clear and detailed plan at the outset to keep things moving on schedule. This step-by-step guide can help you start a private medical practice, from obtaining funding to welcoming the first patients.

How to start a medical practice

There is no universal formula for starting a medical practice. It might be worth your while to hire a professional consultant who has started medical practices before, is aware of the pitfalls and challenges, and can advise you on medical malpractice insurance and workers’ compensation. After all, the specific details of starting up vary by specialty, and some laws and regulations differ by state. 

A professional consultant will understand the variables and help you plan accordingly. Some new practices might need to hire contractors to outfit their new offices, while others might find a turnkey location. Overall, however, many common items must be on your checklist when building a practice from the ground up. Here’s how to start a private medical practice, step by step.

1. Obtain funding.

With so much to do, you might be asking yourself where to begin. In a word – financing.

The actual dollar amount needed depends on your unique situation, but in general, you should aim to secure at least $100,000 to cover equipment and startup costs, said David J. Zetter, founder and president of Zetter Healthcare and a member of the National Society of Certified Healthcare Business Consultants. In addition, Zetter said, you should try to obtain a $100,000 line of credit to cover payroll and bills until your revenue stream is established and stable, which will take some time. [See our recommendations for the best payroll providers.]

“If you’re not independently wealthy, or you just have enough money to set out the cost to open but also need to have operating capital until revenue comes in, then you need a loan,” he said.

So, how can you convince a bank to front you the money you’ll need?

2. Create a pro forma. 

To figure out your financing, make a pro forma. A pro forma is the lighter version of a full-blown business plan, with revenue and debt projections grounded in reality. In your pro forma, account for all your medical clinic expenses, debt and anticipated revenues. Bankers can tell which projections are realistic and which aren’t; it’s their job to make wise investments, so you’ll want to back up any numbers you use if you’re going to pursue a bank loan. A strong pro forma will project at least three years into the future and sometimes as far as five years out.

“The first thing you need to do is build a pro forma, which basically tells the story of what your revenue will be from the first until at least the third year, because you need to go out and get financing,” said Zetter. “You need to include the costs to set up the practice, your lease’s cost per square foot, your [electronic health record system] expense, medical supplies and office supplies. You’re building a crystal ball of what the practice looks like, and you have to be able to tell how all of those numbers came into being.”

Obtaining financing through a traditional bank loan can be tricky, especially considering that many healthcare providers have a negative net worth after taking on debt to attend medical school. That’s where a solid, realistic pro forma comes in. Max Reiboldt, president and CEO of the Coker Group consulting firm and author of Starting, Buying, and Owning a Medical Practice, explained the importance of a rational business plan and the absolute need for startup financing.

“You’re not going to get capital to start your business without a solid business plan,” Reiboldt said. “We show cash flow needs and debt projections by month, or at least by quarter. Furthermore, in healthcare, you don’t get paid very much when you perform the services. You’re really at the mercy of the insurance companies and the government. So, there is a tremendous lag … on cash flow on top of this tremendous capital investment you’re making.”

Here are some financing tips.

1. Find the specialists. Submit your pro forma and loan request to the medical/dental division of the bank, if it has one. This division specializes in the healthcare industry and understands the risks, expenses and revenue models of that sector.
2. Shop around. Submit your pro forma and loan request at five to 10 banks. That way, you’ll receive several offers, each with slightly different terms. Decide which terms are most important to you – interest rate, amortization schedule, etc. – and make your selection based on those priorities.
3. Stay conservative. When creating your pro forma, take a conservative approach to purchasing equipment and furniture, and stick to it. You don’t need leather chairs and cutting-edge machinery just yet. All of that will come with time and success; right now you should focus on setting yourself up for that success.
4. Use the waiting period wisely. While the banks review your pro forma and considering whether to approve your loan request, prepare to tackle some of the next crucial steps, like signing a lease, determining whether you’ll need to hire a contractor to modify your space, filing articles of incorporation, obtaining a tax ID, buying liability and medical malpractice insurance, and credentialing with your payers.

Key takeaway: The best business loans can help finance your medical practice.

3. Purchase equipment and staff your practice.

Once you’ve obtained a loan and opened a line of credit, you’re ready to start hiring your team and purchasing the office and medical equipment you’ll need. This task is easier said than done, and ample research is necessary for each decision. But again, with a little planning and the right information, setting yourself up for success is just a matter of effort. Here are some of the aspects you’ll want to consider.

Electronic health record systems

Electronic health record (EHR) systems, also known as electronic medical records (EMR) systems, are essential tools of the trade for medical providers. Digitizing records and streamlining communication is a high priority for the modern healthcare provider. An all-inclusive EHR serves as a one-stop shop for your patients’ records and histories, communications with other providers, lab and prescription orders, and information on your revenue cycle. 

Editor’s note: Looking for the right electronic medical record system for your business? Fill out the below questionnaire to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs.

Moreover, you’ll need a well-functioning EHR system to qualify for federal incentive payments. Learn how to choose an EHR/EMR system and see our recommendations for the best EHR/EMR medical software.

Practice management systems

Your practice management system (PMS) is the lifeblood of your practice. Integrated with your EHR system, practice management software keeps track of all your front-office information and facilitates operations. Chief among its uses is conducting and monitoring billing and collecting. 

Not only will your staff use the practice management system to bill patients and send claims to payers, but any relevant information will be shared between the EHR system and the practice management software, eliminating the need to duplicate records. 

Medical billing services

You can always outsource your billing to a third-party company. You’d still need a practice management system, but at least your staff wouldn’t have to deal with overseeing the billing process. Not only is submitting claims time-consuming and complex, but your team would also be responsible for responding to rejected or denied claims to get the money due to your practice. When you opt for a third-party billing service, that burden shifts to the company you’ve contracted with. Still, there are potential downsides with a third-party biller to consider as well. For information on choosing a vendor that meets your needs, visit our guide to the best medical billing services.

Medical transcription software 

Think about how medical transcription fits into your practice. There are typically three ways a medical business performs transcription: in-house with a staff member, via voice recognition software or outsourced to a medical transcription service. The key aspects are timeliness and accuracy; you want your dictations returned in print quickly, but only if they’re accurate, especially if they’re going to another healthcare provider or will be uploaded into your EHR system. If you’re considering medical transcription and wondering which method is right for you, consult our roundup of the top medical transcription companies.

Background check services

Medical practices are founded on trust. Not only do they handle a lot of sensitive patient information every day, but people are literally trusting the practice with their lives. That extends beyond exams, diagnoses and treatments. You’ll want to know and be able to trust your staff, which means employing a background check system. 

You’ll be interested in candidates’ criminal and employment histories, but healthcare providers have more to consider beyond what the average background check provides. There are also required certifications and licenses to consider. Failure to ensure your staff is properly credentialed could result in big problems for your practice. Visit our overview of highly rated background check services to find the right provider for your practice.

Credit card processors

Although you’ll be making most of your money through payers like insurance companies and Medicare, your practice will need a credit card processor for when patients need to pay at the point of care. Not only has the world of credit card processing changed lately, with the addition of EMV chips and other security measures, but some systems are more suited to the medical field than others. You’ll want to select a credit card processing company that offers additional security and participates in the American Medical Association’s Member Value Program, which partners with vendors to provide discounts and perks to medical practitioners. Discover the best credit card processors that can aid your practice.

Office managers

As you assemble your front-office team, you’ll need a reliable office manager to run the day-to-day operations of your practice. This person must be responsible and dedicated, but those qualities aren’t enough. You’ll need someone who also has the necessary experience.

“You need to decide how you’re going to staff your practice. Who’s going to help you run your practice? A friend? A nurse? Your spouse?” said Zetter. “The office manager needs vision and to take strategic actions to build the practice properly.”

You might also consider hiring a professional consultant to occasionally take stock of your practice once it opens and report back on its operations. A trustworthy office manager is a huge asset, but not a certain of a successfully run office. A professional firm contracting with your practice, however, has a financial stake in delivering an honest appraisal of how your practice is running. 

Tip: Ensure your office is set up with one of the top business phone systems to help manage daily operations.

Ancillary services

Consider any ancillary services you may want to offer your patients based on your specialty and their needs. These services could be a great way to make some extra money, as well as to differentiate yourself from the competition and keep your patients happy. 

For example, Reiboldt said offering a service such as bone density tests on-site might be in your best interest, even though the necessary medical equipment and training for staff represent an additional expense. Additionally, certain EMR and PMS providers such as CareCloud can provide you tools to build an e-commerce arm into your medical practice. Read our full CareCloud medical software review to learn more.

“Many specialists and some primary care providers will want those ancillary services,” Reiboldt said. “Why? It’s a convenience thing for the patient, No. 1, and secondarily, it adds income to the practice, but it also adds expense.”

4. Prepare to open.

You must complete several logistical steps before you can open your doors, and they should be carried out in conjunction with the preceding actions. provide yourself plenty of time to get incorporated as a legal entity, obtain insurance and establish policies and procedures before you launch. Credentialing, for example, can take quite a while and depends on the pace at which other organizations operate.

Incorporating as a legal entity and obtaining a tax ID

This one is self-explanatory, but extraordinarily important. The main reason for incorporation is limited liability, which means if you’re sued, only the assets held by the company are subject to any risk. If you don’t incorporate, you’ll open up your personal assets to the threat of a lawsuit. 

Moreover, certain tax benefits are associated with each type of entity. Whether you incorporate as an S-corp or LLC, a C corp, or a general partnership, do your research on each type of entity and the potential advantages it offers your practice. To figure out which business entity is right for you, read our articles on choosing the best legal structure for your business and the process of becoming a corporation.

Credentialing physicians with payers

You will also need to get your practice’s healthcare providers credentialed to submit claims to the payers you’ll be working with. The credentialing process can take up to three months, but you may want to provide yourself up to five months in case something goes awry. 

You’ll need to navigate the process for each payer you plan on submitting claims to, which includes offering up information on each physician’s work history, proof of malpractice insurance, hospital privileges and attestations. It’s a time-consuming process, but certain medical billing services such as CareCloud can handle it for you. Read our full CareCloud medical billing review to learn more.

Establishing policies, procedures and compliance documentation

A set of responsible, current and verifiable policies and procedures, in addition to compliance with all legal regulations, is vital to your practice’s success. These standards should cover all your daily operations, including data entry, billing and interactions with patients. Since the healthcare environment is always changing, you’ll want to periodically update your policies and procedures as well to make sure they don’t become antiquated and ineffective.

Purchasing insurance

Every business owner understands the importance of insurance, but for medical professionals, it’s even more crucial. First, you’ll want medical malpractice insurance coverage. Beyond that, the bank issuing your loan will likely require you to adopt additional coverage such as workers’ compensation. “You have to start thinking about insurance,” Zetter said. “[You’ll need] malpractice and general liability. You will probably at least need life and liability insurance, just because bankers will require it.”

5. Open your doors and evaluate practice performance.

Congratulations! If you’ve reached this point, you’ve put in plenty of blood, sweat and tears and haven’t yet seen a dime in compensation for it. But your labor will all be worth it when you get the chance to cut that ribbon and welcome your first patients to your very own medical practice. It’s an accomplishment plenty of healthcare providers don’t get to enjoy in the modern medical industry, so pat yourself on the back.

Once your practice is established and running smoothly, you’ll want to put a mechanism for accountability into place. Sure, you’ve hired an office manager you trust, but how can you hold them to task, especially if you’re busy seeing patients day in and day out? Hire a consultant or an accountant who has experience monitoring medical practices to occasionally review operations and report back to you.

“After you set up a practice, there needs to be oversight of the practice beyond the office manager,” Zetter said. “How do you know every dime made it to the bank? You need to check that, so who makes sure that happens? Benchmark your practice and ensure there’s oversight.”

Why you should open your own medical practice

The inherent risk, upfront expenses and difficulty of opening your own medical practice may explain the breakneck pace of consolidation within the healthcare industry. According to the American Hospital Association, 3,483 U.S. hospitals belong to a multihospital system or diversified single hospital system. That trend is likely to continue through 2025, when the healthcare industry is projected to reach $6.99 billion in value.

The influence of large enterprise systems and big-name hospitals over smaller healthcare providers has grown as control of the industry has become concentrated in fewer hands. For many providers, joining these conglomerates seems to be the realistic choice. After spending so much money and time attending medical school, why go through the risk and trouble of starting a medical practice on your own when you could simply step into a well-paying corporate job, where business operations are already established and there are no overhead or startup costs for you?

For starters, when smaller, private practices open, it means more competition and a more widespread distribution of profits throughout the health industry. It also means that more healthcare providers are granted more autonomy, becoming free to determine their own workflows. Another byproduct of smaller practices is that they help expand healthcare access to local areas that might currently be underserved.

Also, the ability to be your own boss is a large draw for entrepreneurial providers who choose to enter private practice. The sense of ownership and agency that comes with running your own practice is unmatched in a bigger hospital system.

The good news is that, as difficult as it can be to get your practice started, it’s within reach if you have the right information and commit to the steps outlined above.

Types of medical practices to consider starting

When you decide that starting a private practice is in the cards for you, you have five types of medical practices to consider.

Solo practice

When you start a solo medical practice, you take on almost all the responsibility. This gives you full control of how your practice operates, but you may encounter higher startup costs for marketing and medical equipment, and you’ll certainly have to put in more hours since you’ll be working on both the business and clinical sides. On top of that, you’ll take on all the other risks of starting a business.

Group practice

With a group medical practice, you share the work burden with other medical professionals, so you’ll likely work less. These shorter hours come at the expense of the full control you have with a solo medical practice, but you may have easier access to working capital, thereby lowering your startup costs.

Hospital-owned practice

If you start a medical practice within a hospital network, you’ll work on a schedule and be subject to certain employee constraints, but you’ll have the hospital’s working capital and marketing resources at your disposal. You’ll also minimize the risk involved in starting a new business, though you may not have as much personal flexibility and freedom; you’ll likely have to work within boundaries set by a medical board. Joint ventures with hospitals account for an increasing percentage of urgent care clinic ownership, so hospital-owned businesses may be right for you if you’re interested in urgent care.

Federally qualified health center

If you want to start a medical practice within a federally qualified health center, your launch process will work almost the same as it does when you go the hospital-owned route. With federally qualified health centers, you may run up against slight caps on working capital based on federal resource allocation.

Academic health center

As with hospital-owned practices, when you start a medical practice within an academic health center, you minimize risk while sacrificing autonomy. Unlike with a federally qualified health center, though, you’ll experience few caps on working capital.

Medical practice considerations to keep in mind

Here are a few things to keep in mind while you deal with the whirlwind of starting your own medical practice. These are issues that can slow down or completely derail your progress leading up to opening day – or take you by surprise when you think your practice is up and running smoothly.

1. Construction needs 

If you need to perform construction on your office space, start as early as possible. Otherwise, you might find yourself well past your target opening date without a workable space. It’s always best to find a turnkey location where you can immediately set up shop, but those spaces are not always available. Evaluate your location early on and determine how much work needs to be done, then start hiring the contractors who will do it. With luck and planning, construction will be complete by the time you’re ready to start purchasing equipment.

“There are so many variables if you have to do a fit-out,” Zetter said. “It’s guaranteed: Construction always delays things. Even if you start planning in January that you’ll open in June, be prepared for August [if you have to do construction].”

2. Changing regulations and payer rules 

The healthcare industry is a highly regulated one, with complex rules surrounding virtually everything a provider does. For a small practice that doesn’t have legions of attorneys on retainer like a large hospital system does, it can be challenging to navigate the web of legal requirements and payer rules. However, it’s extremely important to understand what it takes to be in compliance. In fact, the rules governing the healthcare industry are constantly being changed and updated, so even if you’re in compliance right now, you’ll have to keep an eye on the future.

“There are very specific compliance manners for medical practices, mostly tied to government regulations, like privacy with HIPAA, and certainly being in compliance with the way you bill and treat Medicare and Medicaid patients,” Reiboldt said.

For example, HIPAA requires all healthcare IT products to abide by a certain level of security standards to safeguard patient data, which has become especially critical as digitization of the healthcare industry has increased, as has the likelihood of cyberattacks. It’s your job to ensure that every product you select meets HIPAA standards. Learn more about HIPAA and medical records retention.

Did you know?: SRFax is one of the best online fax services for medical practices because its communication technology adheres to HIPAA regulations.

3. Marketing 

With all the necessary preparation for opening day, followed by the hustle and bustle of treating patients once you do open, it can be easy to forget about marketing. Marketing and advertising are as fundamental to starting a private medical practice as they are to any new business, particularly for general practitioners who won’t be able to rely on a referral network for their patients.

“One thing you would plan for prior to opening and then continuously do after opening is marketing,” Reiboldt said. “This is a patient-caring, disease-treating business, but with that said, it is a business, and a practice needs to know how to market itself.” After all, how can you be a successful practice without attracting patients?

4. Advisors 

This guide for launching a medical practice, however informative, is certainly not exhaustive, and no amount of research can prepare you for everything that might happen as you get started. For that, you need real experience, and there are plenty of professionals who have experience in spades. Zetter said hiring a consultant with plenty of experience opening medical practices will save you money in the end and help you avoid costly and time-consuming mistakes.

“The biggest advice I can provide is [to] think about who are going to be your advisors,” said Zetter. “Yes, you will spend more money, but if you do it smart, you will set yourself up for success and spend less in the wrong. You want somebody who wants to be doing business with you 20 years from now when you’re ready to retire and sell your practice.”

Paul Inselman, a doctor and founder of the Creative Coaching medical marketing firm, listed a handful of advisors and professionals that it’s wise to retain in perpetuity.

• Certified public accountant
• Business attorney
• Business coach
• Insurance agent
• Financial planner
• Investment advisor

“Opening a new medical practice will be the most exhilarating and scary thing that you will ever do in your career,” Inselman said. “When we coach our clients on opening up a medical, dental chiropractic or any other healthcare practice, the first thing we advise is to assemble your team.”

5. Meaningful Use standards 

The healthcare industry has been undergoing a period of digitization, largely focused on the adoption of EMR and practice management software. Now known as Promoting Interoperability, the Meaningful Use standards prescribed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services lay out exactly what is expected of a medical practice’s use of an EMR system. You have to not only ensure that your EMR vendor is capable of meeting these demands, but that you implement the technology in such a way that your medical business is functioning up to the required standards. Otherwise, you could face reimbursement penalties.

Why opening a medical practice is daunting – but not impossible

Starting a private medical practice isn’t like starting any other type of business. After all, most other types of companies don’t literally have their customers’ lives in their hands, not to mention all the regulatory concerns this endeavor entails. With this guide, you have the fundamentals of what you need to know to start your practice. The journey will be long and arduous, but now, it’ll be easier – and likely worth it.

Adam Uzialko contributed to the reporting and writing in this article. Some source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.

The ESPN fantasy baseball crew conducted their first fantasy baseball mock draft of the season, using the new default standard head-to-head points league scoring and roster settings.

That meant drafting rosters of 19 players per team (down from 26 in previous years), which put more of the spotlight on star-caliber baseball talents. Our fantasy experts also accounted for ESPN's scoring tweaks for pitchers; wins, previously worth 5 points, are now worth 2 apiece, while losses, previously worth minus-5, are now minus-2 points. Holds joined the fray with a 2-point valuation.

Default rosters now include 16 starters: seven pitchers of any kind along with a C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, three outfielders and a utility player (can be any position, and is also the only slot to allow a DH-only player). Bench spots are cut down to three.

Hitters score one point for every base reached via hits (total bases), as well as each walk, run, RBI and stolen base, and lose one point when they strike out. Pitchers earn a point for every out they record (three per inning) and an extra point for a strikeout, as well as five points for a win or a save. Pitchers lose two points per run allowed, one point per baserunner (hit or walk) and five points for a loss.

This draft was held on Monday., Feb. 13 and included Todd Zola, Eric Karabell, Jim McCormick, David Schoenfield, Derek Carty, AJ Mass, Pierre Becquey, Tristan H. Cockcroft, Kyle Soppe and James Best.

If you'd like to conduct your own mock drafts, check out the Mock Draft Lobby, select one of several league types and sizes available, and you'll be mock drafting in minutes. Ready for the real thing? Create or join a fantasy baseball league for free.

Round 1

1. Shohei Ohtani, LAA (DH1) -- Zola
2. Juan Soto, SD (OF1) -- Karabell
3. Jose Ramirez, CLE (3B1) -- McCormick
4. Aaron Judge, NYY (OF2) -- Schoenfield
5. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR (1B1) -- Carty
6. Freddie Freeman, LAD (1B2) -- Mass
7. Gerrit Cole, NYY (SP1) -- Becquey
8. Corbin Burnes, MIL (SP2) -- Cockcroft
9. Mookie Betts, LAD (OF3) -- Soppe
10. Max Scherzer, NYM (SP3) -- Best

Round 2

11. Sandy Alcantara, MIA (SP4) -- Best
12. Manny Machado, SD (3B2) -- Soppe
13. Yordan Alvarez, HOU (OF4) -- Cockcroft
14. Trea Turner, PHI (SS1) -- Becquey
15. Shane Bieber, CLE (SP5) -- Mass
16. Jacob deGrom, TEX (SP6) -- Carty
17. Kyle Tucker, HOU (OF5) -- Schoenfield
18. Aaron Nola, PHI (SP7) -- McCormick
19. Justin Verlander, NYM (SP8) -- Karabell
20. Matt Olson, ATL (1B3) -- Zola

Round 3

21. Kevin Gausman, TOR (SP9) -- Zola
22. Jose Altuve, HOU (2B1) -- Karabell
23. Francisco Lindor, NYM (SS2) -- McCormick
24. Julio Rodriguez, SEA (OF6) -- Schoenfield
25. Carlos Rodon, NYY (SP10) -- Carty
26. Rafael Devers, BOS (3B3) -- Mass
27. Pete Alonso, NYM (1B4) -- Becquey
28. Spencer Strider, ATL (SP11) -- Cockcroft
29. Brandon Woodruff, MIL (SP12) -- Soppe
30. Marcus Semien, TEX (2B2) -- Best

Round 4

31. Corey Seager, TEX (SS3) -- Best
32. Fernando Tatis Jr., SD (SS4) -- Soppe
33. Alex Bregman, HOU (3B4) -- Cockcroft
34. Dylan Cease, CWS (SP13) -- Becquey
35. Bo Bichette, TOR (SS5) -- Mass
36. Luis Castillo, SEA (SP14) -- Carty
37. Shane McClanahan, TB (SP15) -- Schoenfield
38. Mike Trout, LAA (OF7) -- McCormick
39. Paul Goldschmidt, STL (1B5) -- Karabell
40. Nolan Arenado, STL (3B5) -- Zola

Round 5

41. Zack Wheeler, PHI (SP16) -- Zola
42. Austin Riley, ATL (3B6) -- Karabell
43. Ronald Acuna Jr., ATL (OF8) -- McCormick
44. Wander Franco, TB (SS6) -- Schoenfield
45. Kyle Schwarber, PHI (OF9) -- Carty
46. Tyler Glasnow, TB (SP17) -- Mass
47. Will Smith, LAD (C1) -- Becquey
48. Ozzie Albies, ATL (2B3) -- Cockcroft
49. Alek Manoah, TOR (SP18) -- Soppe
50. Jose Abreu, HOU (1B6) -- Best

Round 6

51. Steven Kwan, CLE (OF10) -- Best
52. Robbie Ray, SEA (SP19) -- Soppe
53. Edwin Diaz, NYM (RP1) -- Cockcroft
54. Bobby Witt Jr., KC (SS7) -- Becquey
55. Triston McKenzie, CLE (SP20) -- Mass
56. Bryan Reynolds, PIT (OF11) -- Carty
57. Emmanuel Clase, CLE (RP2) -- Schoenfield
58. Cristian Javier, HOU (SP21) -- McCormick
59. Julio Urias, LAD (SP22) -- Karabell
60. Jake Cronenworth, SD (2B4) -- Zola

Round 7

61. Anthony Santander, BAL (OF12) -- Zola
62. Carlos Correa, MIN (SS8) -- Karabell
63. Max Fried, ATL (SP23) -- McCormick
64. Zac Gallen, ARI (SP24) -- Schoenfield
65. Xander Bogaerts, SD (SS9) -- Carty
66. Michael Harris II, ATL (OF13) -- Mass
67. George Springer, TOR (OF14) -- Becquey
68. Devin Williams, MIL (RP3) -- Cockcroft
69. Joe Musgrove, SD (SP25) -- Soppe
70. Cedric Mullins, BAL (OF15) -- Best

Round 8

71. Gunnar Henderson, BAL (3B7) -- Best
72. Josh Bell, CLE (1B7) -- Soppe
73. Adley Rutschman, BAL (C2) -- Cockcroft
74. Framber Valdez, HOU (SP26) -- Becquey
75. Josh Hader, SD (RP4) -- Mass
76. Raisel Iglesias, ATL (RP5) -- Carty
77. Logan Webb, SF (SP27) -- Schoenfield
78. Luis Arraez, MIA (1B8) -- McCormick
79. Yu Darvish, SD (SP28) -- Karabell
80. Logan Gilbert, SEA (SP29) -- Zola

Round 9

81. Masataka Yoshida, BOS (OF16) -- Zola
82. Corbin Carroll, ARI (OF17) -- Karabell
83. Dansby Swanson, CHC (SS10) -- McCormick
84. Vinnie Pasquantino, KC (1B9) -- Schoenfield
85. Yandy Diaz, TB (3B8) -- Carty
86. Daulton Varsho, TOR (C3) -- Mass
87. Nestor Cortes, NYY (SP30) -- Becquey
88. Brandon Nimmo, NYM (OF18) -- Cockcroft
89. Luis Robert, CWS (OF19) -- Soppe
90. Randy Arozarena, TB (OF20) -- Best

Round 10

91. J.T. Realmuto, PHI (C4) -- Best
92. Eloy Jimenez, CWS (OF21) -- Soppe
93. Felix Bautista, BAL (RP6) -- Cockcroft
94. Kyle Wright, ATL (SP31) -- Becquey
95. Lucas Giolito, CWS (SP32) -- Mass
96. Rhys Hoskins, PHI (1B10) -- Carty
97. George Kirby, SEA (SP33) -- Schoenfield
98. Tommy Edman, STL (2B5) -- McCormick
99. Jordan Romano, TOR (RP7) -- Karabell
100. Kris Bryant, COL (OF22) -- Zola

Round 11

101. Pablo Lopez, MIN (SP34) -- Zola
102. Ryan Pressly, HOU (RP8) -- Karabell
103. Chris Bassitt, TOR (SP35) -- McCormick
104. Jeff McNeil, NYM (2B6) -- Schoenfield
105. Charlie Morton, ATL (SP36) -- Carty
106. Brandon Lowe, TB (2B7) -- Mass
107. Ketel Marte, ARI (2B8) -- Becquey
108. Willy Adames, MIL (SS11) -- Cockcroft
109. Blake Snell, SD (SP37) -- Soppe
110. Salvador Perez, KC (C5) -- Best

Round 12

111. Brady Singer, KC (SP38) -- Best
112. Taylor Ward, LAA (OF23) -- Soppe
113. Ryan Helsley, STL (RP9) -- Cockcroft
114. Luis Garcia, HOU (SP39) -- Becquey
115. Triston Casas, BOS (1B11) -- Mass
116. Luis Severino, NYY (SP40) -- Carty
117. Nathaniel Lowe, TEX (1B12) -- Schoenfield
118. Christian Walker, ARI (1B13) -- McCormick
119. Ty France, SEA (1B14) -- Karabell
120. Oneil Cruz, PIT (SS12) -- Zola

Round 13

121. Jordan Montgomery, STL (SP41) -- Zola
122. Nick Castellanos, PHI (OF24) -- Karabell
123. Kenley Jansen, BOS (RP10) -- McCormick
124. Alejandro Kirk, TOR (C6) -- Schoenfield
125. Max Muncy, LAD (3B9) -- Carty
126. Starling Marte, NYM (OF25) -- Mass
127. MJ Melendez, KC (C7) -- Becquey
128. Anthony Rizzo, NYY (1B15) -- Cockcroft
129. Nick Lodolo, CIN (SP42) -- Soppe
130. Amed Rosario, CLE (SS13) -- Best

Round 14

131. Jose Berrios, TOR (SP43) -- Best
132. Jorge Polanco, MIN (2B9) -- Soppe
133. Teoscar Hernandez, SEA (OF26) -- Cockcroft
134. Alex Verdugo, BOS (OF27) -- Becquey
135. Andrew Vaughn, CWS (OF28) -- Mass
136. Willson Contreras, STL (C8) -- Carty
137. Andres Munoz, SEA (RP11) -- Schoenfield
138. Clayton Kershaw, LAD (SP44) -- McCormick
139. Camilo Doval, SF (RP12) -- Karabell
140. Sean Manaea, SF (SP45) -- Zola

Round 15

141. Keibert Ruiz, WSH (C9) -- Zola
142. Lance Lynn, CWS (SP46) -- Karabell
143. Jeffrey Springs, TB (SP47) -- McCormick
144. Hunter Greene, CIN (SP48) -- Schoenfield
145. Chris Sale, BOS (SP49) -- Carty
146. Lance McCullers Jr., HOU (SP50) -- Mass
147. Adolis Garcia, TEX (OF29) -- Becquey
148. Kodai Senga, NYM (SP51) -- Cockcroft
149. Sean Murphy, ATL (C10) -- Soppe
150. Rowdy Tellez, MIL (1B16) -- Best

Round 16

151. Merrill Kelly, ARI (SP52) -- Best
152. Jon Gray, TEX (SP53) -- Soppe
153. Christian Yelich, MIL (OF30) -- Cockcroft
154. A.J. Minter, ATL (RP13) -- Becquey
155. David Bednar, PIT (RP14) -- Mass
156. Byron Buxton, MIN (OF31) -- Carty
157. Jose Miranda, MIN (1B17) -- Schoenfield
158. Jordan Walker, STL (3B10) -- McCormick
159. Scott Barlow, KC (RP15) -- Karabell
160. Tim Anderson, CWS (SS14) -- Zola

Round 17

161. Jesse Winker, MIL (OF32) -- Zola
162. Freddy Peralta, MIL (SP54) -- Karabell
163. Gleyber Torres, NYY (2B10) -- McCormick
164. Lars Nootbaar, STL (OF33) -- Schoenfield
165. Paul Sewald, SEA (RP16) -- Carty
166. DJ LeMahieu, NYY (3B11) -- Mass
167. Brandon Drury, LAA (3B12) -- Becquey
168. Jesus Luzardo, MIA (SP55) -- Cockcroft
169. Joe Ryan, MIN (SP56) -- Soppe
170. J.D. Martinez, LAD (DH2) -- Best

Round 18

171. Alex Cobb, SF (SP57) -- Best
172. Jazz Chisholm Jr., MIA (2B11) -- Soppe
173. Vaughn Grissom, ATL (2B12) -- Cockcroft
174. Thairo Estrada, SF (2B13) -- Becquey
175. Shea Langeliers, OAK (DH3) -- Mass
176. Clay Holmes, NYY (RP17) -- Carty
177. Evan Phillips, LAD (RP18) -- Schoenfield
178. Oscar Gonzalez, CLE (OF34) -- McCormick
179. Tyler Stephenson, CIN (C11) -- Karabell
180. Tony Gonsolin, LAD (SP58) -- Zola

Round 19

181. Drew Rasmussen, TB (SP59) -- Zola
182. Andrew Painter, PHI (SP60) -- Karabell
183. Danny Jansen, TOR (C12) -- McCormick
184. Andres Gimenez, CLE (2B14) -- Schoenfield
185. Tyler O'Neill, STL (OF35) -- Carty
186. A.J. Puk, MIA (RP19) -- Mass
187. Daniel Bard, COL (RP20) -- Becquey
188. Alexis Diaz, CIN (RP21) -- Cockcroft
189. Jack Flaherty, STL (SP61) -- Soppe
190. Tyler Mahle, MIN (SP62) -- Best

Team rosters are presented in first-round pick order. Primary position is used. If a player qualifies at more than one position, all positions are included in parentheses. Pick is displayed as "Round.Pick".

Team Zola

C1 Keibert Ruiz, WSH (Pick: 15.1)
1B1 Matt Olson, ATL (Pick: 2.10)
3B1 Nolan Arenado, STL (Pick: 4.10)
2B1 Jake Cronenworth, SD (Pick: 6.10 | 2B/1B)
SS1 Oneil Cruz, PIT (Pick: 12.10)
SS2 Tim Anderson, CWS (Pick: 16.10)
OF1 Anthony Santander, BAL (Pick: 7.1)
OF2 Masataka Yoshida, BOS (Pick: 9.1)
OF3 Kris Bryant, COL (Pick: 10.10)
OF4 Jesse Winker, MIL (Pick: 17.1)
DH1 Shohei Ohtani, LAA (Pick: 1.1 | DH/SP)
SP1 Kevin Gausman, TOR (Pick: 3.1)
SP2 Zack Wheeler, PHI (Pick: 5.1)
SP3 Logan Gilbert, SEA (Pick: 8.10)
SP4 Pablo Lopez, MIN (Pick: 11.1)
SP5 Jordan Montgomery, STL (Pick: 13.1)
SP6 Sean Manaea, SF (Pick: 14.10)
SP7 Tony Gonsolin, LAD (Pick: 18.10)
SP8 Drew Rasmussen, TB (Pick: 19.1)

Team Karabell

C1 Tyler Stephenson, CIN (Pick: 18.9)
1B1 Paul Goldschmidt, STL (Pick: 4.9)
1B2 Ty France, SEA (Pick: 12.9)
3B1 Austin Riley, ATL (Pick: 5.2)
2B1 Jose Altuve, HOU (Pick: 3.2)
SS1 Carlos Correa, MIN (Pick: 7.2)
OF1 Juan Soto, SD (Pick: 1.2)
OF2 Corbin Carroll, ARI (Pick: 9.2)
OF3 Nick Castellanos, PHI (Pick: 13.2)
SP1 Justin Verlander, NYM (Pick: 2.9)
SP2 Julio Urias, LAD (Pick: 6.9)
SP3 Yu Darvish, SD (Pick: 8.9)
SP4 Lance Lynn, CWS (Pick: 15.2)
SP5 Freddy Peralta, MIL (Pick: 17.2)
SP6 Andrew Painter, PHI (Pick: 19.2)
RP1 Jordan Romano, TOR (Pick: 10.9)
RP2 Ryan Pressly, HOU (Pick: 11.2)
RP3 Camilo Doval, SF (Pick: 14.9)
RP4 Scott Barlow, KC (Pick: 16.9)

Team McCormick

C1 Danny Jansen, TOR (Pick: 19.3)
1B1 Luis Arraez, MIA (Pick: 8.8 | 1B/2B)
1B2 Christian Walker, ARI (Pick: 12.8)
3B1 Jose Ramirez, CLE (Pick: 1.3)
3B2 Jordan Walker, STL (Pick: 16.8)
2B1 Tommy Edman, STL (Pick: 10.8 | 2B/SS)
2B2 Gleyber Torres, NYY (Pick: 17.3)
SS1 Francisco Lindor, NYM (Pick: 3.3)
SS2 Dansby Swanson, CHC (Pick: 9.3)
OF1 Mike Trout, LAA (Pick: 4.8)
OF2 Ronald Acuna Jr., ATL (Pick: 5.3)
OF3 Oscar Gonzalez, CLE (Pick: 18.8)
SP1 Aaron Nola, PHI (Pick: 2.8)
SP2 Cristian Javier, HOU (Pick: 6.8)
SP3 Max Fried, ATL (Pick: 7.3)
SP4 Chris Bassitt, TOR (Pick: 11.3)
SP5 Clayton Kershaw, LAD (Pick: 14.8)
SP6 Jeffrey Springs, TB (Pick: 15.3 | SP/RP)
RP1 Kenley Jansen, BOS (Pick: 13.3)

Team Schoenfield

C1 Alejandro Kirk, TOR (Pick: 13.4)
1B1 Vinnie Pasquantino, KC (Pick: 9.4)
1B2 Nathaniel Lowe, TEX (Pick: 12.7)
1B3 Jose Miranda, MIN (Pick: 16.7 | 1B/3B)
2B1 Jeff McNeil, NYM (Pick: 11.4 | 2B/OF)
2B2 Andres Gimenez, CLE (Pick: 19.4)
SS1 Wander Franco, TB (Pick: 5.4)
OF1 Aaron Judge, NYY (Pick: 1.4)
OF2 Kyle Tucker, HOU (Pick: 2.7)
OF3 Julio Rodriguez, SEA (Pick: 3.4)
OF4 Lars Nootbaar, STL (Pick: 17.4)
SP1 Shane McClanahan, TB (Pick: 4.7)
SP2 Zac Gallen, ARI (Pick: 7.4)
SP3 Logan Webb, SF (Pick: 8.7)
SP4 George Kirby, SEA (Pick: 10.7)
SP5 Hunter Greene, CIN (Pick: 15.4)
RP1 Emmanuel Clase, CLE (Pick: 6.7)
RP2 Andres Munoz, SEA (Pick: 14.7)
RP3 Evan Phillips, LAD (Pick: 18.7)

Team Carty

C1 Willson Contreras, STL (Pick: 14.6)
1B1 Vladimir Guerrero Jr., TOR (Pick: 1.5)
1B2 Rhys Hoskins, PHI (Pick: 10.6)
3B1 Yandy Diaz, TB (Pick: 9.5)
3B2 Max Muncy, LAD (Pick: 13.5 | 3B/2B)
SS1 Xander Bogaerts, SD (Pick: 7.5)
OF1 Kyle Schwarber, PHI (Pick: 5.5)
OF2 Bryan Reynolds, PIT (Pick: 6.6)
OF3 Byron Buxton, MIN (Pick: 16.6)
OF4 Tyler O'Neill, STL (Pick: 19.5)
SP1 Jacob deGrom, TEX (Pick: 2.6)
SP2 Carlos Rodon, NYY (Pick: 3.5)
SP3 Luis Castillo, SEA (Pick: 4.6)
SP4 Charlie Morton, ATL (Pick: 11.5)
SP5 Luis Severino, NYY (Pick: 12.6)
SP6 Chris Sale, BOS (Pick: 15.5)
RP1 Raisel Iglesias, ATL (Pick: 8.6)
RP2 Paul Sewald, SEA (Pick: 17.5)
RP3 Clay Holmes, NYY (Pick: 18.6)

Team Mass

C1 Daulton Varsho, TOR (Pick: 9.6 | C/OF)
1B1 Freddie Freeman, LAD (Pick: 1.6)
1B2 Triston Casas, BOS (Pick: 12.5)
3B1 Rafael Devers, BOS (Pick: 3.6)
3B2 DJ LeMahieu, NYY (Pick: 17.6 | 3B/1B/2B)
2B1 Brandon Lowe, TB (Pick: 11.6)
SS1 Bo Bichette, TOR (Pick: 4.5)
OF1 Michael Harris II, ATL (Pick: 7.6)
OF2 Starling Marte, NYM (Pick: 13.6)
OF3 Andrew Vaughn, CWS (Pick: 14.5 | OF/1B)
DH1 Shea Langeliers, OAK (Pick: 18.5)
SP1 Shane Bieber, CLE (Pick: 2.5)
SP2 Tyler Glasnow, TB (Pick: 5.6)
SP3 Triston McKenzie, CLE (Pick: 6.5)
SP4 Lucas Giolito, CWS (Pick: 10.5)
SP5 Lance McCullers Jr., HOU (Pick: 15.6)
RP1 Josh Hader, SD (Pick: 8.5)
RP2 David Bednar, PIT (Pick: 16.5)
RP3 A.J. Puk, MIA (Pick: 19.6)

Team Becquey

C1 Will Smith, LAD (Pick: 5.7)
C2 MJ Melendez, KC (Pick: 13.7 | C/OF)
1B1 Pete Alonso, NYM (Pick: 3.7)
3B1 Brandon Drury, LAA (Pick: 17.7 | 3B/1B/2B)
2B1 Ketel Marte, ARI (Pick: 11.7)
2B2 Thairo Estrada, SF (Pick: 18.4 | 2B/SS)
SS1 Trea Turner, PHI (Pick: 2.4)
SS2 Bobby Witt Jr., KC (Pick: 6.4 | SS/3B)
OF1 George Springer, TOR (Pick: 7.7)
OF2 Alex Verdugo, BOS (Pick: 14.4)
OF3 Adolis Garcia, TEX (Pick: 15.7)
SP1 Gerrit Cole, NYY (Pick: 1.7)
SP2 Dylan Cease, CWS (Pick: 4.4)
SP3 Framber Valdez, HOU (Pick: 8.4)
SP4 Nestor Cortes, NYY (Pick: 9.7)
SP5 Kyle Wright, ATL (Pick: 10.4)
SP6 Luis Garcia, HOU (Pick: 12.4)
RP1 A.J. Minter, ATL (Pick: 16.4)
RP2 Daniel Bard, COL (Pick: 19.7)

Team Cockcroft

C1 Adley Rutschman, BAL (Pick: 8.3)
1B1 Anthony Rizzo, NYY (Pick: 13.8)
3B1 Alex Bregman, HOU (Pick: 4.3)
2B1 Ozzie Albies, ATL (Pick: 5.8)
2B2 Vaughn Grissom, ATL (Pick: 18.3)
SS1 Willy Adames, MIL (Pick: 11.8)
OF1 Yordan Alvarez, HOU (Pick: 2.3)
OF2 Brandon Nimmo, NYM (Pick: 9.8)
OF3 Teoscar Hernandez, SEA (Pick: 14.3)
OF4 Christian Yelich, MIL (Pick: 16.3)
SP1 Corbin Burnes, MIL (Pick: 1.8)
SP2 Spencer Strider, ATL (Pick: 3.8 | SP/RP)
SP3 Kodai Senga, NYM (Pick: 15.8)
SP4 Jesus Luzardo, MIA (Pick: 17.8)
RP1 Edwin Diaz, NYM (Pick: 6.3)
RP2 Devin Williams, MIL (Pick: 7.8)
RP3 Felix Bautista, BAL (Pick: 10.3)
RP4 Ryan Helsley, STL (Pick: 12.3)
RP5 Alexis Diaz, CIN (Pick: 19.8)

Team Soppe

C1 Sean Murphy, ATL (Pick: 15.9)
1B1 Josh Bell, CLE (Pick: 8.2)
3B1 Manny Machado, SD (Pick: 2.2)
2B1 Jorge Polanco, MIN (Pick: 14.2)
2B2 Jazz Chisholm Jr., MIA (Pick: 18.2)
SS1 Fernando Tatis Jr., SD (Pick: 4.2)
OF1 Mookie Betts, LAD (Pick: 1.9)
OF2 Luis Robert, CWS (Pick: 9.9)
OF3 Eloy Jimenez, CWS (Pick: 10.2)
OF4 Taylor Ward, LAA (Pick: 12.2)
SP1 Brandon Woodruff, MIL (Pick: 3.9)
SP2 Alek Manoah, TOR (Pick: 5.9)
SP3 Robbie Ray, SEA (Pick: 6.2)
SP4 Joe Musgrove, SD (Pick: 7.9)
SP5 Blake Snell, SD (Pick: 11.9)
SP6 Nick Lodolo, CIN (Pick: 13.9)
SP7 Jon Gray, TEX (Pick: 16.2)
SP8 Joe Ryan, MIN (Pick: 17.9)
SP9 Jack Flaherty, STL (Pick: 19.9)

Team Best

C1 J.T. Realmuto, PHI (Pick: 10.1)
C2 Salvador Perez, KC (Pick: 11.10)
1B1 Jose Abreu, HOU (Pick: 5.10)
1B2 Rowdy Tellez, MIL (Pick: 15.10)
3B1 Gunnar Henderson, BAL (Pick: 8.1)
2B1 Marcus Semien, TEX (Pick: 3.10)
SS1 Corey Seager, TEX (Pick: 4.1)
SS2 Amed Rosario, CLE (Pick: 13.10)
OF1 Steven Kwan, CLE (Pick: 6.1)
OF2 Cedric Mullins, BAL (Pick: 7.10)
OF3 Randy Arozarena, TB (Pick: 9.10)
DH1 J.D. Martinez, LAD (Pick: 17.10)
SP1 Max Scherzer, NYM (Pick: 1.10)
SP2 Sandy Alcantara, MIA (Pick: 2.1)
SP3 Brady Singer, KC (Pick: 12.1)
SP4 Jose Berrios, TOR (Pick: 14.1)
SP5 Merrill Kelly, ARI (Pick: 16.1)
SP6 Alex Cobb, SF (Pick: 18.1)
SP7 Tyler Mahle, MIN (Pick: 19.10)

The Yahoo fantasy baseball analysts — Andy Behrens, Scott Pianowski and Dalton Del Don — took part in a first-round mock draft. Each analyst gets four picks in the first (to represent a 12-team league). But don't worry, this is just the first iteration of this mock — Rounds 2 and 3 are coming soon.

[Batter up: Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Baseball league for free today]

Now, on to the picks:

He's hit .311 over the past four seasons with elite speed, power and run production — a perfect fantasy profile. — Behrens

Acuña Jr. already has a near-40/40 season to his credit, and he just turned 25. — Behrens

Ramirez is now firmly established as a player who will finish among the category leaders in four of the five standard fantasy stats. — Behrens

It should go without saying that a guy coming off a 62-homer season is a decent choice pretty much anywhere in the first round. — Behrens

The super soph brings category juice, unknown upside, and fun. The Mariners have built a solid lineup around Rodriguez, too — Pianowski

We still haven't seen his best season; Tucker's upside is AL MVP. One of the rare players capable of grabbing all five categories. — Pianowski

I know upside is the fun word, but floor matters, too. When has Mookie Betts ever let you down? He's the favorite to lead the league in runs scored for the fourth time. — Pianowski

Round 1, Pick 8: Yordan Alvarez, OF, Houston Astros

He's not a runner, but the rest of the Alvarez Statcast page is gloriously pinned to the right. As silly as Alvarez's stats were last year, he was actually unlucky with his batted-ball fortune. If that luck balances out, he can break the game. — Pianowski

Story continues

[2023 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | SP | RP]

Still just 23 years old, Vlad is the favorite to lead MLB in batting average and will benefit from Toronto's new park dimensions. — Del Don

There's concern he'll stop running, and he's UTIL only, but Ohtani's bat is good enough to go here regardless. — Del Don

Round 1, Pick 11: Bo Bichette, SS, Toronto Blue Jays

Still just 24 years old, Bichette has said he wants to run more in 2023, and he'll also get a big boost from Toronto moving in its fences. — Del Don

Round 1, Pick 12: Gerrit Cole, SP, New York Yankees

He was incredibly unlucky last year for multiple reasons and should bounce back as fantasy's top pitcher in 2023. — Del Don

Stay tuned for the next iterations of our Expert Fantasy Baseball Mock Draft for 2023!

RB Bijan Robinson, Texas

Reed Hoffmann/AP Photos

Sam Hodde/AP Photos

WR Jordan Addison, USC

Mark J. Terrill/AP Photos

CB Cam Smith, South Carolina

Artie Walker Jr./AP Photos

CB Deonte Banks, Maryland

Julio Cortez/AP Photos

CB Christian Gonzalez, Oregon

Godofredo A. Vásquez/AP Photos

WR Jalin Hyatt, Tennessee

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WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State

Jay LaPrete/AP Photos

© Provided by College Football News

2023 NFL Draft: The first 27 picks are set with the last four to be determined after the playoffs are over with three games to go. Here’s our first look mock draft for the entire first round.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews | @PeteFiutak

2023 NFL Draft Underclassmen. Early Entrants

QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | OTs | OG/Cs

Edge | DEs/DTs | LBs | CBs | Safeties

Top 100 2023 NFL Draft Early Entrants

2023 NFL Draft Early Entrants By College

Now that we know what the first 28 picks are in the 2023 NFL Draft – the order of the last four doesn’t matter that much considering the teams involved and their respective needs – here’s our first look what the whole first round might be.

As always, the mock drafts will change many, many times over before this gets going on April 27th. Until it actually happens and Chicago trades away the No. 1 overall pick – if it trades down to a quarterback-starved team – we’re going to play it straight.

The last four – 28 through 31 – are in alphabetical order.

29-31 Cincinnati Bengals

2023 Mock Draft First Call: OT Jaelyn Duncan, Maryland

28-31 Denver Broncos (from San Francisco)

2023 Mock Draft First Call: OT Anton Harrison, Oklahoma

28-31 Kansas City Chiefs

2023 Mock Draft First Call: EDGE Isaiah Foskey, Notre Dame

28-31 Philadelphia Eagles

2023 Mock Draft First Call: EDGE Andre Carter, Army

27 Buffalo Bills

2023 Mock Draft First Call: OG O’Cyrus Torrence, Florida

26 Dallas Cowboys

2023 Mock Draft First Call: WR Kayshon Boutte, LSU

25 New York Giants

2023 Mock Draft First Call: WR Jordan Addison, USC

24 Jacksonville Jaguars

2023 Mock Draft First Call: DE Lukas Van Ness, Iowa

23 Minnesota Vikings

2023 Mock Draft First Call: CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois

22 Baltimore Ravens

2023 Mock Draft First Call: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State

21 Los Angeles Chargers

2023 Mock Draft First Call: OT Broderick Jones, Georgia

Miami forfeited the pick that would’ve been the 21

20 Seattle Seahawks

2023 Mock Draft First Call: DT Siaki Ika, Baylor

19 Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2023 Mock Draft First Call: RB Bijan Robinson, Texas

18 Detroit Lions

2023 Mock Draft First Call: S Brian Branch, Alabama

17 Pittsburgh Steelers

2023 Mock Draft First Call: DT Bryan Bresee, Clemson

16 Washington Commanders

2023 Mock Draft First Call: CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia

15 Green Bay Packers

2023 Mock Draft First Call: TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame

14 New England Patriots

2023 Mock Draft First Call: CB Cam Smith, South Carolina

13 New York Jets

2023 Mock Draft First Call: OT Paris Johnson, Ohio State

12 Houston Texans (from Cleveland)

2023 Mock Draft First Call: WR Quentin Johnston, TCU

11 Tennessee Titans

2023 Mock Draft First Call: OT Peter Skoronski, Northwestern

10 Philadelphia Eagles (from New Orleans)

2023 Mock Draft First Call: CB Christian Gonzalez, Oregon

9 Carolina Panthers

2023 Mock Draft First Call: QB Anthony Richardson, Florida

8 Atlanta Falcons

2023 Mock Draft First Call: EDGE Tyree Wilson, Texas Tech

7 Las Vegas Raiders

2023 Mock Draft First Call: QB CJ Stroud, Ohio State

6 Detroit Lions (from Los Angeles Rams)

2023 Mock Draft First Call: CB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State

5 Seattle Seahawks (from Denver)

2023 Mock Draft First Call: EDGE Myles Murphy, Clemson

4 Indianapolis Colts

2023 Mock Draft First Call: QB Will Levis, Kentucky

3 Arizona Cardinals

2023 Mock Draft First Call: EDGE Will Anderson, Alabama

2 Houston Texans

2023 Mock Draft First Call: QB Bryce Young, Alabama

1 Chicago Bears

2023 Mock Draft First Call: DT Jalen Carter, Georgia

2023 NFL Draft Underclassmen. Early Entrants

QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | OTs | OG/Cs

Edge | DEs/DTs | LBs | CBs | Safeties

Top 100 2023 NFL Draft Early Entrants

2023 NFL Draft Early Entrants By College

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