Mock drafting is my favorite part of the fantasy football offseason. I use the FantasyPros’ NFL Draft Wizard website on my laptop and app on my phone. As the season gets closer I’ll do two or three a day because the final rosters and depth charts become easier to predict and mock drafting is more like the real thing.
I believe that if anyone wants to get better at drafting in fantasy football they should do mock drafts. They’re a phenomenal tool because you can try different strategies as you draft. In one draft you can take running backs with your first three picks and wait on wide receivers, or you can take three wide receivers instead. The possibilities are endless and there are no consequences in mock drafts.
This was a 12-team, half-point per reception, format draft. I’ll list my picks down below along with some notes, but I will also have the draftboard to make everything clear.
Pick 1.06 – DeAndre Hopkins/WR/Houston Texans
Top-3 receiver at the 1.06? Yes, please.
Have to hope a top-tier running back falls to me couple picks later.
If his production can be anywhere near as good as last year, I’ll gladly spend my first rounder on him.
Pick 2.07 – LeSean McCoy/RB/Buffalo Bills
Top-tier running back falls to me.
Bills’ offense runs through McCoy and hope that a new quarterback takes pressure off running game and gives McCoy potential in passing game as well.
Pick 3.06 – Jordan Howard/RB/Chicago Bears
Great value for a top-tier running back.
Offense getting better, and an improved passing game would take pressure off Howard and the running game.
Pick. 4.07 – Stefon Diggs/WR/Minnesota Vikings
Starting receiver for the Vikings.
Acquiring a better quarterback makes Diggs a flashy pick.
Pick 5.06 – Evan Engram/TE/New York Giants
I wanted to lock down my TE before grabbing a lesser-talented FLEX option.
Eyed WR Robert Woods and RB Lamar Miller, I had to hope either would fall to 6.07 where I could get a better value.
Pick 6.07 – Robert Woods/WR/Los Angeles Rams
Not a bad value for a receiver likely to be the number-one option.
Got good value, locked up my tight end beforehand and was more than happy to snag Woods here.
Pick 7.06 – Lamar Miller/RB/Houston Texans
ADP in this format is 5.01 which means I got a decent value for him.
Grabbing a starting running back in the seventh round is a great pickup.
Pick 8.07 – Aaron Jones/RB/Green Bay Packers
May or may not have had to do with Jones being on the Packers.
Jones has the potential to be a starter, which would be a great value at the 8.04 pick.
Pick 9.06– Kelvin Benjamin/WR/Buffalo Bills
I like his size and a new, talented quarterback gives me hope that Benjamin will realize his potential.
Benjamin also has potential to be the team’s number-one option.
Pick 10.07 – Jimmy Garoppolo/QB/San Francisco 49ers
I believe in always waiting until the later rounds to draft my quarterback.
11/12 teams had quarterbacks, so I felt confident in waiting.
I’m going to ride that Jimmy G hype train until it crashes, especially if I can get him in the back of the tenth round.
Pick 11.06 – D.J. Moore/WR/Carolina Panthers
Just getting bench players at this point, so I took a flyer on a rookie with starter potential (he really only needs to beat Devin Funchess)
Panthers took him with their first-round pick so I’ll follow the capital.
Pick 12.07 – Calvin Ridley/WR/Atlanta Falcons
Ridley also has high possibility to be a starter/red zone threat in an offense that should improve this season.
Pick 13.06 – Los Angeles Rams/DST
Call me crazy, but I love having a solid, top-tier defense on my roster over a 13th-round flyer.
Pick 14.07 – Terrelle Pryor/WR/New York Jets
Not much thought involved with such a late pick, just get a player with decent upside.
Pick 15.06– Jake Elliott/K/Philadelphia Eagles
No thought involved, just a kicker in a mock draft.
Conclusions
I’m very pleased with how the end result turned out. I believe waiting on a quarterback until the later rounds worked out in this case as I was able to snag Jimmy Garoppolo with my 10th pick. I think I covered all of my starters well, but my bench could have used some better depth. Perhaps I pulled the trigger on a tight end too soon, but of course we would only know based on how Evan Engram performs this season compared to the other tight ends taken after.
Sconnie Sports Talk 