The NFL preseason is underway, and just like the players on the field, the key to any successful season is preparation.
The same can be said for fantasy football. Whether you have the first overall pick or the last of the first round, having a sense of who will be available in each round is key.
I’ll be doing mock drafts throughout the summer, offering scenarios and feedback for each position, starting with the No. 1 pick. The point of these mocks is to prepare for the unexpected.
The mock drafts will assume that 12 teams are in the league with the following roster construction: quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, tight end, a flex (running back, wide receiver or tight end), defense, kicker and seven bench spots. It is a 16-round snake draft in a half-point-per-reception (half-PPR) league. We will mix in 10- and 16-team drafts at some point as well as Superflex and non-PPR (standard) drafts.
If you read my draft guide, you know I’m not a fan of drafting kickers and defense if it’s not necessary. I’d rather add a few running backs who could end up starters in the event of an injury. However, for the sake of this exercise, I’ll round out each draft by doing so. Remember, do not draft either before your final two picks!
Most important of all, be creative with your mock drafts. Do not take the same players in every mock. Your favorite sleeper is probably someone else’s too.
The draft is just the start of the season. If you are drafting early, work the waiver wire to your advantage if any major injuries arise. If you’re a fantasy nerd like me, turn on notifications from your favorite NFL insider for breaking news around the league. But the draft is where you build the foundation of your roster, and the goal is to have as deep a roster as possible.
We have reached the ninth pick with a lot more fantasy analysis upcoming.
(See also: No. 1 pick, No. 2 pick, No. 3 pick, No. 4 pick, No. 5 pick, No. 6 pick, Superflex, No. 7 pick, No. 8 pick)
Here is my roster:
Round 1, Pick 9: A.J. Brown, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
Round 2, Pick 4: Kyren Williams, RB, Los Angeles Rams
Round 3, Pick 9: Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
Round 4, Pick 4: Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Round 5, Pick 9: James Conner, RB, Arizona Cardinals
Round 6, Pick 4: Christian Kirk, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Round 7, Pick 9: Raheem Mostert, RB, Miami Dolphins
Round 8, Pick 4: Javonte Williams, RB, Denver Broncos
Round 9, Pick 9: Jake Ferguson, TE, Dallas Cowboys
Round 10, Pick 4: Chuba Hubbard, RB, Carolina Panthers
Round 11, Pick 9: Jakobi Meyers, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
Round 12, Pick 4: Jahan Dotson, WR, Washington Commanders
Round 13, Pick 9: Ricky Pearsall, WR, San Francisco 49ers
Round 14, Pick 4: Braelon Allen, RB, New York Jets
Round 15, Pick 9: Pittsburgh Steelers D/ST
Round 16, Pick 4: Matt Gay, K, Indianapolis Colts
Observations:
Most in the fantasy community agree that the top eight picks are as safe as they come, and no one would bat an eye in what order they go. A.J. Brown was the pick at No. 9 because I have no fears about his second-half letdown last season. The Eagles’ offense became predictable, but new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore designs his offense around playmaking receivers like Brown. (Saquon Barkley, another Eagle, rounds out my top 10.)
If you are a frequent reader of these mocks, you know how much I like Kyren Williams this year. Many have concerns after the Rams drafted Blake Corum this spring. However, Williams is not only the lead back but the one who gets nearly all the touches for Sean McVay. Take advantage of the lowered ADP.
This is the earliest I have selected a quarterback through the first nine mock drafts. I have landed Joe Burrow in the sixth round a couple times but have typically waited until the double-digit rounds to get my QB. Jalen Hurts is the rare exception because of the heavy goal-line usage, and I could not pass up stacking him with Brown. Josh Allen is the QB1 for most in fantasy, but I cannot justify that with all of the Bills’ losses at receiver. Hurts still has all his weapons, in addition to Barkley. While some worry Hurts won’t have the same number of “tush-push” touchdowns, the entire offense could go nuclear this season.
Drafting a quarterback this early means we should attack running backs and receivers thereafter. Cooper Kupp is going two rounds after Puka Nacua. I love the value because Kupp is still the No. 1 receiver when healthy. James Conner has plenty to prove in a contract year. Christian Kirk is the top wideout in Jacksonville once again. It is inexcusable that last year’s RB2 overall is ranked so low, but I will gladly take advantage of the value. Javonte Williams is another year removed from his ACL injury and a strong candidate to bounce back.
There was a tight end run that I missed out on, leaving me with a difficult decision about how to address the position. I could either take the best tight end available or punt totally at the position and draft someone with one of my final picks. Jake Ferguson is atop my third tier, but I like my teams more when I get one of the consensus top eight tight ends.
I could have doubled down at tight end, but my list of late-round sleepers continues to grow. I want Chuba Hubbard for the weeks without Jonathan Brooks, so I reached for him with no complaints. There are few starting running backs going at this stage of the draft. I like the upside potential with Jakobi Meyers, Jahan Dotson and Ricky Pearsall as the No. 2 receivers for their respective teams.
What do you think of this roster? Let’s discuss on Twitter @JoeSerp.
You can do your own mock draft in seconds by clicking here.
Photo Credit: Kenya Allen/PressBox