Before you know it, it will be fantasy football draft time. During the next few weeks, I will be conducting several mock drafts. During the drafts, I will pick in all 12 positions, with all sorts of scenarios.
As a rule, I prefer to draft two starting running backs within the first four rounds. It is a tried-and-true strategy, which has done me well for 25-plus years. The mock drafts I do will all assume 12 teams are in the league (unless otherwise noted) with the following positions: quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, tight end, a flex (running back, wide receiver or tight end), kicker, team defense and six bench spots. So, it is a 16-round snake draft.
Here is scenario No. 4. (See Also: No. 1 pick, No. 2 pick, No. 3 pick)
I have the fourth overall pick; let’s see how it all works out. In this format, we are playing in a half-point-per-reception league (Half-PPR), meaning every reception is worth a half-point.
You can see the entire draft by clicking here.
Here is my roster:
Round 1, Pick 4: Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Round 2, Pick 9: Derrick Henry, RB, Baltimore Ravens
Round 3, Pick 4: Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
Round 4, Pick 9: Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders
Round 5, Pick 4: D’Andre Swift, RB, Chicago Bears
Round 6, Pick 9: Chris Godwin Jr., WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Round 7, Pick 4: Makai Lemon, WR, Philadelphia
Round 8, Pick 9: Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Round 9, Pick 4: Jacory Croskey-Merritt, RB, Washington Commanders
Round 10, Pick 9: Kyle Pitts Sr., TE, Atlanta Falcons
Round 11, Pick 4: Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers
Round 12, Pick 9: Deebo Samuel, WR, Free Agent
Round 13, Pick 4: Houston Texans Defense
Round 14, Pick 9: Brandon Aubrey, K, Dallas Cowboys
Round 15, Pick 4: Tre Harris, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Round 16, Pick 9: Demond Claiborne, RB, Minnesota Vikings
Some observations:
Many will not like this team. In fact, FantasyPros gave me a C+ and said this team would not be a playoff team.
On one hand, I drafted four players ranked in the top two at their positions: Puka Nacua (WR2), Josh Allen (QB1), Houston Texans (DST1) and Brandon Aubrey (K1). I also got Kyle Pitts (TE7) and Brock Purdy (QB12) two rounds below their ADP. So, all in all, it’s a solid group.
My starting running backs of Derrick Henry and D’Andre Swift are solid top-20 backs. Nacua anchoring my receiver room is never a negative. Who is in my FLEX, you may ask? This team needs a breakout from either Kenneth Gainwell or Makai Lemon.
Deebo Samuel in Round 12 is a great no-risk pick. My mistake was probably taking Brock Purdy in Round 11, as Josh Allen will never be on my bench. Passing up Jonah Coleman there could be nothing, but I probably should have selected a back or receiver there.
What do you think? Let me know by leaving a comment or contacting me on Twitter @KZfansfantasy.
You can sign up for a free mock draft simulator by clicking here. Practice makes perfect!
Photo Credit: Kenya AllenPressBox