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 will 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 a Superflex draft.
If you read my draft guide, you know I am not a fan of drafting kickers and defense if it’s not necessary. I would rather add a few running backs who could end up being a starter in case of an injury. However, for the sake of this exercise, I will 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 are a fantasy nerd like me, make sure to 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 back half of the first round at 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, No. 7 pick, No. 8 pick, Superflex)
Here is my roster:
Round 1, Pick 9: Ashton Jeanty, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
Round 2, Pick 4: De’Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins
Round 3, Pick 9: George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
Round 4, Pick 4: Jalen Hurts, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
Round 5, Pick 9: Courtland Sutton, WR, Denver Broncos
Round 6, Pick 4: Rome Odunze, WR, Chicago Bears
Round 7, Pick 9: Stefon Diggs, WR, New England Patriots
Round 8, Pick 4: J.K. Dobbins, RB, Denver Broncos
Round 9, Pick 9: Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Round 10, Pick 4: Jordan Mason, RB, Minnesota Vikings
Round 11, Pick 9: Christian Kirk, WR, Houston Texans
Round 12, Pick 4: Wan’Dale Robinson, WR, New York Giants
Round 13, Pick 9: Braelon Allen, RB, New York Jets
Round 14, Pick 4: Jaylen Wright, RB, Miami Dolphins
Round 15, Pick 9: Detroit Lions D/ST
Round 16, Pick 4: Chris Boswell, K, Pittsburgh Steelers
Observations:
I had plenty of options at the ninth pick. I can find a top receiver in the back half of the first round. This is also where Christian McCaffrey and Ashton Jeanty go off the board. I have Jeanty ranked ahead of CMC because of the injuries that have piled up on the 49ers’ star back the last couple seasons. Jeanty should be the Raiders’ workhorse right out of the gate. He has the potential to finish as the top player in all of fantasy.
It was not my plan entering this draft to go with the Zero WR strategy, but again, that is why we do these mock drafts. The Zero WR is the same as Zero RB: Pass on the position in the early rounds and aggressively add running backs, a quarterback and a tight end. This is a plan that works for half-PPR leagues with just two starting receivers. I do not recommend it in full-PPR and three-receiver leagues.
De’Von Achane fell to me in the second round. George Kittle and Jalen Hurts were easy choices in the third and fourth rounds. All three picks have the potential to finish as the leader of their respective positions. Achane’s involvement in the passing game makes him an elite back. Kittle was TE1 on a points-per-game basis last season. If Hurts falls to the fourth round, draft him. I should have an advantage at RB, TE and QB in most matchups.
With those positions set, it was time to get aggressive at receiver, with six of the next eight picks being pass-catchers. I am content with Courtland Sutton and Rome Odunze as my starting receivers. Sutton is criminally underrated every year. Odunze is entering his second year in the league, and I am expecting a major breakout for him. If for some reason neither pans out, Stefon Diggs, Emeka Egbuka, Christian Kirk and Wan’Dale Robinson have high floors.
I mixed in some backs I believe will outperform their current average draft position (ADP). Rookie R.J. Harvey is going in the fifth round, but J.K. Dobbins is listed as the starting running back for the Broncos. Jordan Mason is available in the 10th round and will reportedly split touches with Aaron Jones. My final two picks were Braylon Allen and Jaylen Wright, a pair of running backs who could have standalone FLEX value in deep leagues. They’re instant starters in the event of injury.
This is the first time I have tried the Zero WR strategy and I can see myself implementing it more moving forward. The depth at wide receiver allows this to be possible. There are only 12-15 backs you can feel comfortable starting each week, and having two of them gives you a huge advantage. There are still plenty of starting-caliber receivers in the middle rounds that give you the upside to win a championship.
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