Fantasy Football Mock Draft: One rookie picked in 3-round mock
Can you feel that? That change in the air, it’s mystifying, exciting, electric. We’re in the endgame now, folks, the season is about to begin. We have football this week. Fantasy football is about to begin in less than a month as drafts are going to be underway! We did it, we made it another offseason!
I want to make this part short because as I put in the title, this is a fantasy football mock draft. My own version 1.0, at least the first 3 rounds of it. On one hand I am so excited to share this with you all, however, I also feel like I am giving away my own strategy to my league mates. Oh well, guess this is the sacrifice I make for the job I love.
There will be plenty of risers, fallers, locks, and reaches. That is what makes fantasy football so amazing and fun, the chaos of it. Don’t worry, if there is someone who I have way ahead of their current ADP, I will justify it, but to prepare you may want to look back at a few of my previous articles and get yourself ready to go!
Here we go, 3 rounds, 12 teams, no holds barred. Are you ready for some (fantasy) football!?
Fantasy Football mock draft: Round 1
1 Christian McCaffery
2 Alvin Kamara
3 Dalvin Cook
4 Saquon Barkley
5 Derrick Henry
6 Davante Adams
7 Ezekiel Elliot
8 Travis Kelce
9 Nick Chubb
10 Antonio Gibson
Why? Head Coach Ron Rivera has already come out and said he wants to get Gibson the ball in the passing game more, which is music to the ears of fantasy football owners. With the potential addition of PPR points, it is easy to see why Gibson is making the list of players prepared to break out in a big way.
The additions of Curtis Samuel and Ryan Fitzpatrick should only open up the running lanes for Gibson. I do worry about the loss of Morgan Moses, but I am sure a hard-nosed coach like Rivera won’t be too quick to abandon the run. Gibson should have more than enough opportunity to capitalize on a promising rookie year. Like Akers Gibson is being drafted at the 2.03 on average, so again, should you miss on the top guys while sitting on the turn, perhaps a pairing of Gibson and Akers could be a title-winning move! Gibson ranks in my top 10 at his position with upside potential of the top 5.
11 Tyreek Hill
12 Jonathan Taylor
Fantasy Football mock draft: Round 2
13 Stefon Diggs
14 Aaron Jones
15 Austin Ekeler – LOW
Why? I actually have to say I am surprised I have him this high, I kind of knocked him earlier this offseason, “I actually like Austin Ekeler the player, but as a first-round pick? I don’t think so.
When he is healthy the guy is a big-time producer, but that should be the tagline to his career. When healthy he is good. Ekeler seems fated to be a committee guy, Joe Lombardi is now the OC in LA and as we saw with Kamara in New Orleans, committees are this guy’s jam.
I haven’t heard specific “committee language” yet, but with a new system and a build that lends itself to a more outside runner/pass catcher type of back, there will certainly be a thunder to Ekeler’s lightning.
If your next thought is something along the lines of, “well Kamara did pretty great under this guy” I ask if you feel Austin Ekeler is as good as Alvin Kamara? I don’t want to make it seem like drafting him is a poor decision, but the ADP is scaring me off of him.
Josh Jacobs, Miles Sanders, Chris Carson, and David Montgomery are all going in the 3rd round. Maybe pass on Ekeler here and take a guy like DeAndre Hopkins or Stefon Diggs instead. Ekeler profiles as a top 15 guy to me, I feel that he is someone who is going to disappoint rather than surprise. The RB position is deep this year, don’t get fooled into missing out on elite guys.”
16 DeAndre Hopkins
17 Najee Harris
18 Joe Mixon
19 Darren Waller
20 Justin Jefferson
21 DK Metcalf
22 Miles Sanders – HIGH-ish
Why? Miles Sanders is the best runner in Philly and it isn’t close. People seem to have forgotten that injuries really derailed what was shaping up to be a stellar campaign. A home run threat waiting to happen, Sanders should be going in the 2nd round.
He will more than likely finish in the top 10 at his position and has a better chance of doing so than guys like Austin Ekeler. This guy averaged over 5 yards a carry, behind an offensive line that was completely decimated by injuries. Getting the line back to health is going to create holes, and you know what Sanders does with holes? HE HITS THEM!
Bank on him being a stud of a RB2, and if he is your RB1, you should still be fine. Especially if you get Najee later on (hint, hint). He profiles as a top 10 option, but at worst he is a top 15, the consistency is there and he will deliver the goods when teams have to worry about Jalen Hurts running as well. I am excited to see Sanders go to work on teams, you should be too.
23 Calvin Ridley
24 AJ Brown
Fantasy Football mock draft: Round 3
25 George Kittle
26 Terry McLaurin
27 David Montgomery
28 Chris Godwin – HIGH
Why? My favorite player for reasons I cannot seem to understand, Chris Godwin is just fun to watch play the receiver position.
He is tough, fast, can cut on a dime, and is strong enough to drag defenders. His intermediate route running is going to separate him this year, and while injuries robbed us of what he could have done last year, another offseason with TB12 can only help. At 6’1, 209 pounds, and light on his feet, Godwin is ready to once again be a WR1 this season.
He probably won’t replicate the year he ended as the number two scorer at the position, but the top 12 seems very reasonable. Draft him with confidence, even if that is at the back end of the 3rd. Contract years equal big numbers for a lot of guys, Godwin wants and deserves a big-time deal, get him on the discount.
Going behind Thielen, Julio Jones, and Mike Evans feels like a mistake you should let other people make.
29 D’Andre Swift – LOW
Why? This one actually hurts my soul to write. I love Swift’s talent, but the talent around him and the coaching he has to deal with really makes me think that the Lions are going to…well, be the Lions. Remember this is a franchise that caused Calvin Johnson and Barry Sanders to retire rather than play another down for them.
Head Coach Dan Campbell has already come out with the worrying statement that he sees fellow back Jamaal Williams as a special player. Offensive Coordinator Anthony Lynn has already said he plans on going with a “hot hand” approach to the backfield. I mean…ughhh.
Swift is so talented, and his 2.12 ADP isn’t offensive for the upside, but with guys like Justin Jefferson, George Kittle, and Michael Thomas going in the same range, you might want to pass on Swift and address another position of need. Swift profiles to me as a potential top 10 guy, but with the risk of not cracking the top 15.
30 Allen Robinson
31 Chris Carson
32 Keenan Allen
33 J.K Dobbins – LOW
Why? Dobbins is a victim of a committee for the most part. The other huge problem with him is that he isn’t the best runner on his team, that honor belongs to Lamar Jackson. Given that the Ravens want to throw more, and John Harbaugh is committed to…well committee backs… that doesn’t bode well for Dobbins.
If he falls into the late 3rd take him there, but the end of the 2nd where guys like Justin Jefferson, Keenan Allen, and Darren Waller are going? Too pricey for a guy who doesn’t know what his role will be week to week.
There will be weeks where you curse my name when he goes for 20+, but you’ll love me on those days where he has 7 total touches because Gus Edwards went bonkers, or Lamar is on fire, or the wind blew West and Harbaugh got grumpy about it.
He profiles as a very frustrating top 20 RB, but the lack of consistency is disqualifying him from 2nd round value.
34 Diontae Johnson – HIGH
Why? I am so mad I wasn’t working for FanSided last season when I was screaming that Diontae Johnson was going to be an absolute fantasy football stud. But, I wasn’t and I just have to make peace with that level of pain and hurt that now I am just another fantasy football writer falling in love with the talent in the Steel City.
Drops don’t scare me, size doesn’t scare me – Johnson is going to be a stud. If he can avoid injury he is going to be a monster. Look for him to put up a stat line that looks something like 100 receptions, 1,300 yards, and 10TD. Yep, I am that high on him.
He has the potential to finish the year as the #1 WR and I wouldn’t be shocked at all. Look for an Antonio Brown-like jump from him and prepare for your friends to curse you for getting him so late. Obviously, since there are guys who have actually done it, I don’t advise a 1st or 2nd round pick on Diontae, but a 3rd? I can get on board with that. 4th? Wow, you got a steal. 5th?! I don’t believe he will end with this ADP after the coverage he is getting.
The man is going to be elite, though, so pick him high and let him fly.
35 CeeDee Lamb
36 Josh Jacobs