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Background: Deep fertilization is effective for improving crop yield and fertilizer use efficiency. However, its impact on mechanized direct‐seeded rapeseed and the optimal fertilization depth are poorly understood. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the fertilization depth effect on mechanized direct‐seeded rapeseed growth. Five treatments were designed: surface broadcast fertilizer, no fertilization, and fertilizer banded placement at soil depths of 5 (D5), 10 (D10), and 15 cm (D15). Results: Compared with surface broadcast fertilizer, deep fertilization generally increased seed yield and partial factor productivity by 11.0%, agronomic efficiency (AE) by 22.7%, and recovery efficiency (RE) by 79.2% due to the increase of root mass density (16.8%), plant height (8.6%), height of the first branch (10.6%), stem diameter (22.4%), shoot biomass (16.1%), and shoot nitrogen (35.7%), phosphorus (29.7%), and potassium (26.2%) uptake. D10 had the highest seed yield, oil yield, fertilizer use efficiency, and economic benefits at different fertilization depth treatments. Compared with D5 and D15 respectively, D10 increased seed yield by 5.4% and 46.0%, oil yield by 7.7% and 50.5%, partial factor productivity by 5.4% and 46.0%, AE by 9.0% and 99.5%, RE of nitrogen by 48.9% and 34.9%, RE of phosphorus by 83.1% and 38.0%, and RE of potassium by 57.5% and 32.5%. The economic benefits of D10 were CNY 867.31 ha−1 and CNY 4864.23 ha−1 higher than D5 and D15 respectively. Conclusion: Considering rapeseed growth and its economic benefits, this study shows that 10 cm is an appropriate placement depth with regard to mechanized direct‐seeded winter rapeseed production. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]