The NFL preseason is almost over, 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 11th 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, No. 9 pick, No. 10 pick)
Here is my roster:
Round 1, Pick 11: Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
Round 2, Pick 2: Saquon Barkley, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Round 3, Pick 11: Nico Collins, WR, Houston Texans
Round 4, Pick 2: Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
Round 5, Pick 11: Zay Flowers, WR, Baltimore Ravens
Round 6, Pick 2: Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders
Round 7, Pick 11: Christian Watson, WR, Green Bay Packers
Round 8, Pick 2: Jake Ferguson, TE, Dallas Cowboys
Round 9, Pick 11: Chuba Hubbard, RB, Carolina Panthers
Round 10, Pick 2: Jerome Ford, RB, Cleveland Browns
Round 11, Pick 11: Jerry Jeudy, WR, Cleveland Browns
Round 12, Pick 2: Ray Davis, RB, Buffalo Bills
Round 13, Pick 11: Jermaine Burton, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Round 14, Pick 2: Taysom Hill, TE, New Orleans Saints
Round 15, Pick 11: Kansas City Chiefs D/ST
Round 16, Pick 2: Jake Elliott, K, Philadelphia Eagles
Observations:
I’ve used my first two picks on running backs in a few drafts, but there is a level of confidence when I land two players in my top 12 overall. Jonathan Taylor and Saquon Barkley are lead backs who will rarely leave the field. If there is a concern for both it’s that the quarterbacks on their respective teams are also a factor at the goal line, but both are safe bets to rush for 1,000 yards and flirt with double-digit touchdowns.
The Houston Texans are getting a lot of love heading into this season. The player I want most out of the receiving trio is Nico Collins. Stefon Diggs was the big acquisition this summer, but don’t forget who got paid like a No. 1 WR. Collins is the alpha receiver on that offense.
Quarterbacks started to fly in the third round, with the team at the turn selecting Patrick Mahomes after Jalen Hurts, Josh Allen and even C.J. Stroud were all drafted in the top 36 picks of this mock. That is entirely too high for Stroud, but you are telling me I could draft Lamar Jackson, QB2 in my rankings, as the fifth quarterback taken? It was a move that made too much sense.
Taking running backs with the first two picks and a quarterback so high made it imperative to address receivers with the next three picks. The beauty of the position this year are there are still plenty of quality options in the middle rounds. Stacking Zay Flowers with Jackson is a no-brainer, especially considering he saw a 24 percent target share last season and could be in store for more with Odell Beckham Jr.’s vacated targets up for grabs. Terry McLaurin is as consistent as they come, finishing with 77, 77 and 79 receptions and more than 1,000 yards in each of the past three seasons. Christian Watson is the prototypical receiver with elite size and speed. When healthy, he is the Packers’ top receiver.
I have punted on tight end in many of these mock drafts. In doing so, Jake Ferguson has become one of my top choices in this range. He’s not flashy, but he’s the second option in the Cowboys’ passing game. I added Taysom Hill later in the draft solely because he’s a cheat code with how he’s utilized in the Saints’ offense. Sure, he’s going to have weeks that amount to nothing, but he’s finished as top-10 tight end in consecutive seasons. That’s extremely valuable with your final picks.
My strategy when I have one of the final three picks of the opening round is to take advantage of the few elite running backs because few teams will be able to match you at RB2. You can always find high-caliber receivers in middle rounds, while running backs are bigger question marks there. I like to typically wait for both quarterback and tight end, but if there is a position I am more inclined to get earlier, it is quarterback.
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