Written by: Phillip Salmo
Can you believe that we are almost at the beginning of July? The start of the NFL season is rapidly approaching! In anticipation of that, and with it the start of fantasy football drafts, Blitzalytics is here to give our insight in how you can strategize for your fantasy football drafts later this summer. This week I’m drafting from pick #6 in our 0.5 PPR format. In addition to 0.5 PPR, Blitz will be releasing mocks from all sorts of league types, including 2QB, Standard, Dynasty, and Auction. These mocks are done using Fantasy Pros’ Mock Draft Wizard, and the roster settings for today’s mock are as follows: 1QB, 2RB, 3WR, 1TE, 1Flex (RB/WR/TE), D/ST (team defense), and K, with 0.5 PPR. Make sure to be on the lookout for more mocks throughout the summer!
Final Roster:
QB: Baker Mayfield (CLE)
RB: Christian McCaffrey (CAR)
RB: Todd Gurley (LAR)
WR: T.Y Hilton (IND)
WR: Robert Woods (LAR)
WR: Alshon Jeffrey (PHI)
TE: David Njoku (CLE)
FLX: Lamar Miller (HOU)
DST: Cleveland Browns
K: Mason Crosby (GB)
Bench:
WR: Larry Fitzgerald (ARI)
RB: Ronald Jones II (TB)
QB: Philip Rivers (LAC)
WR: DaeSean Hamilton (DEN)
WR: Quincy Enunwa (NYJ)
TE: Trey Burton (CHI)
Overview: After having successfully completed drafts in the 0.5 PPR format that I felt very confident in, I had a fairly solid and predictable strategy for this week’s mock. Based on the somewhat added weight afforded to receptions in 0.5 PPR mocks versus standard drafts, it is essential to have excellent production from receivers and great depth at the position. While in this particular draft I drafted many wide receivers early on, there is also justification for taking early on a select few tight ends (about 3-4) in the NFL that have the type of production similar to the best wide receivers. However, based on the draft order and the options that I had in front of me, I ultimately decided to focus on receivers.
I am pleased with the starting receivers that I was able to pick up. T.Y Hilton had nearly 1,300 yards this past season, and is easily one of the highest-producing receivers in the game. In addition, Robert Woods and Alshon Jeffrey are poised to be amongst the top targets on their respective teams, making them solid choices in rounding my starting group of wide receivers. Woods is especially exciting, as he reached over 1,000 receiving yards for the first time in his career last season, and looks to build on that success this season. Despite neglecting the tight end position early on, I was pleased to pick up David Njoku as my starting TE. His production increased with the arrival of Baker Mayfield last season, and will likely continue to increase next season, despite the arrival of a plethora of weapons to the Cleveland offense.
While receiver is important, since starting-caliber running backs are few and far between (and since this is a 0.5 PPR and not a pure PPR one), it was important to strike a balance between high-producing receivers and running backs when taking my early picks. This is the reason why I took Christian McCaffrey with my first round pick, as he is poised to build on his nearly 2,000 yards of total offense (including over 1,000 yards rushing) from last season. In addition, despite the injury concerns and questions of deteriorating health around Todd Gurley, I believe that he can return to form this season. While his playing ability may start to decrease rapidly over the next few years due to the reported arthritis in his knee, there is still hope for him to be capable of producing close to his 2018 season totals of over 1,800 yards of offense and 21 total touchdowns this season. As the overall depth at running back is thin compared to that of wide receivers, it was important to bolster my starting two selections with Lamar Miller as my FLEX, who had nearly 1,000 yards rushing this past season.
These two elements of my draft strategy reduced the emphasis on finding a quarterback early on in the draft. This year may feature the deepest selection of starting quarterbacks ever, so I was able to find high-producing quarterbacks in later rounds of the draft. For my starting quarterback I took Baker Mayfield in the sixth round, who looks poised to build on his success from his rookie season with the arrival of new weapons, such as OBJ, to Cleveland. Later on, in the eleventh round, I was able to pick up Philip Rivers, a veteran starter who can still produce at a high level. Either of these quarterbacks would be a solid choice at starting quarterback. As this is a 1 QB mock instead of a 2 QB mock, the depth at QB was not as important as depth at other positions. Regardless of league format, a 1 QB mock will typically yield similar strategies with regards to picking up quarterbacks.
Very briefly, for defense and kicker strategy, wait until the last two rounds. The value simply isn’t there to get them any earlier, and to take them earlier would take away from the opportunity to draft at positions of much greater need.
Overall, I am pleased with how my draft turned out. I have great starting wide receivers, two excellent starting running backs, a solid TE, options at starting quarterback, a dependable defense, and depth at both the wide receiver and running back positions. Look out for Blitzalytics’ upcoming drafts in standard and PPR formats, as the strategies for these leagues differ from 0.5 PPR.
Round 1:
1) Saquon Barkley, RB - NYG
2) Ezekiel Elliott, RB - DAL
3) Alvin Kamara, RB - NO
4) Deandre Hopkins, WR - HOU
5) Davante Adams, WR - GB
6) Christian Mccaffrey, RB - CAR
7) Dalvin Cook, RB - MIN
8) Le'veon Bell, RB - NYJ
9) David Johnson, RB - ARI
10) Melvin Gordon, RB - LAC
11) Julio Jones, WR - ATL
12) James Conner, RB - PIT
Round 2:
13) Mike Evans, WR - TB
14) Keenan Allen, WR - LAC
15) Damien Williams, RB - KC
16) Antonio Brown, WR - OAK
17) George Kittle, TE - SF
18) Todd Gurley, RB - LAR
19) Travis Kelce, TE - KC
20) Michael Thomas, WR - NO
21) Nick Chubb, RB - CLE
22) Joe Mixon, RB - CIN
23) Odell Beckham, WR - CLE
24) Juju Smith-Schuster, WR - PIT
Round 3:
25) Zach Ertz, TE - PHI
26) Leonard Fournette, RB - JAC
27) Marlon Mack, RB - IND
28) Andrew Luck, QB - IND
29) Deshaun Watson, QB - HOU
30) T.Y. Hilton, WR - IND
31) A.J. Green, WR - CIN
32) Patrick Mahomes, QB - KC
33) Derrick Henry, RB - TEN
34) Adam Thielen, WR - MIN
35) Amari Cooper, WR - DAL
36) Devonta Freeman, RB - ATL
Round 4:
37) Aaron Jones, RB - GB
38) Chris Carson, RB - SEA
39) Cooper Kupp, WR - LAR
40) O.J. Howard, TE - TB
41) Chris Godwin, WR - TB
42) Robert Woods, WR - LAR
43) Kerryon Johnson, RB - DET
44) Kenny Golladay, WR - DET
45) Julian Edelman, WR - NE
46) Brandin Cooks, WR - LAR
47) Stefon Diggs, WR - MIN
48) Tyreek Hill, WR - KC
Round 5:
49) Tyler Lockett, WR - SEA
50) Dede Westbrook, WR - JAC
51) Sammy Watkins, WR - KC
52) Kenyan Drake, RB - MIA
53) Josh Jacobs, RB - OAK
54) Alshon Jeffery, WR - PHI
55) Calvin Ridley, WR - ATL
56) Sony Michel, RB - NE
57) Mike Williams, WR - LAC
58) Jarvis Landry, WR - CLE
59) Phillip Lindsay, RB - DEN
60) Robby Anderson, WR - NYJ
Round 6:
61) Tarik Cohen, RB - CHI
62) Will Fuller, WR - HOU
63) Evan Engram, TE - NYG
64) Tyler Boyd, WR - CIN
65) Mark Ingram, RB - BAL
66) Baker Mayfield, QB - CLE
67) Sterling Shepard, WR - NYG
68) Hunter Henry, TE - LAC
69) Allen Robinson, WR - CHI
70) D.j. Moore, WR - CAR
71) Aaron Rodgers, QB - GB
72) David Montgomery, RB - CHI
Round 7:
73) Corey Davis, WR - TEN
74) Cam Newton, QB - CAR
75) Matt Ryan, QB - ATL
76) Marvin Jones, WR - DET
77) James White, RB - NE
78) Lamar Miller, RB - HOU
79) Dante Pettis, WR - SF
80) Derrius Guice, RB - WAS
81) Russell Wilson, QB - SEA
82) Eric Ebron, TE - IND
83) Tevin Coleman, RB - SF
84) Carson Wentz, QB - PHI
Round 8:
85) Jared Goff, QB - LAR
86) Curtis Samuel, WR - CAR
87) Geronimo Allison, WR - GB
88) Jordan Howard, RB - PHI
89) Golden Tate, WR - NYG
90) Larry Fitzgerald, WR - ARI
91) Miles Sanders, RB - PHI
92) Christian Kirk, WR - ARI
93) Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR - GB
94) Drew Brees, QB - NO
95) Courtland Sutton, WR - DEN
96) N'keal Harry, WR - NE
Round 9:
97) Mecole Hardman, WR - KC
98) Emmanuel Sanders, WR - DEN
99) D.k. Metcalf, WR - SEA
100) Jerick Mckinnon, RB - SF
101) Latavius Murray, RB - NO
102) David Njoku, TE - CLE
103) Lesean Mccoy, RB - BUF
104) Chicago Bears, DST - CHI
105) Darrell Henderson, RB - LAR
106) Rashaad Penny, RB - SEA
107) Keke Coutee, WR - HOU
108) Anthony Miller, WR - CHI
Round 10:
109) Austin Ekeler, RB - LAC
110) Dion Lewis, RB - TEN
111) Los Angeles Rams, DST - LAR
112) Royce Freeman, RB - DEN
113) Desean Jackson, WR - PHI
114) Ronald Jones, RB - TB
115) Jameis Winston, QB - TB
116) Randall Cobb, WR - DAL
117) Donte Moncrief, WR - PIT
118) Kareem Hunt, RB - CLE
119) Michael Gallup, WR - DAL
120) Robert Foster, WR - BUF
Round 11:
121) James Washington, WR - PIT
122) Peyton Barber, RB - TB
123) Devin Funchess, WR - IND
124) Nyheim Hines, RB - IND
125) Matt Breida, RB - SF
126) Philip Rivers, QB - LAC
127) Marquise Brown, WR - BAL
128) Adrian Peterson, RB - WAS
129) D'onta Foreman, RB - HOU
130) Jacksonville Jaguars, DST - JAC
131) John Brown, WR - BUF
132) Marquise Goodwin, WR - SF
Round 12:
133) Ben Roethlisberger, QB - PIT
134) Ito Smith, RB - ATL
135) Carlos Hyde, RB - KC
136) Jamison Crowder, WR - NYJ
137) Tyrell Williams, WR - OAK
138) Daesean Hamilton, WR - DEN
139) Dak Prescott, QB - DAL
140) Kenny Stills, WR - MIA
141) Devante Parker, WR - MIA
142) Parris Campbell, WR - IND
143) Jack Doyle, TE - IND
144) Adam Humphries, WR - TEN
Round 13:
145) Jaylen Samuels, RB - PIT
146) Jared Cook, TE - NO
147) Tre'quan Smith, WR - NO
148) Duke Johnson, RB - CLE
149) Kalen Ballage, RB - MIA
150) Quincy Enunwa, WR - NYJ
151) Jamaal Williams, RB - GB
152) Rex Burkhead, RB - NE
153) Vance Mcdonald, TE - PIT
154) Delanie Walker, TE - TEN
155) C.j. Anderson, RB - DET
156) Austin Hooper, TE - ATL
Round 14:
157) Minnesota Vikings, DST - MIN
158) Mark Andrews, TE - BAL
159) Justice Hill, RB - BAL
160) Chris Herndon, TE - NYJ
161) Baltimore Ravens, DST - BAL
162) Trey Burton, TE - CHI
163) Marqise Lee, WR - JAC
164) Jason Witten, TE - DAL
165) Jordan Reed, TE - WAS
166) Devin Singletary, RB - BUF
167) Chris Thompson, RB - WAS
168) Elijah Mcguire, RB - NYJ
Round 15:
169) Zay Jones, WR - BUF
170) Los Angeles Chargers, DST - LAC
171) T.j. Hockenson, TE - DET
172) Houston Texans, DST - HOU
173) Mohamed Sanu, WR - ATL
174) Cleveland Browns, DST - CLE
175) New orleans Saints, DST - NO
176) Demaryius Thomas, WR - NE
177) New England Patriots, DST - NE
178) Kyler Murray, QB - ARI
179) Denver Broncos, DST - DEN
180) Indianapolis Colts, DST - IND
Round 16:
181) Robbie Gould, K - SF
182) Brett Maher, K - DAL
183) Adam Vinatieri, K - IND
184) Matt Prater, K - DET
185) Jake Elliott, K - PHI
186) Mason Crosby, K - GB
187) Wil Lutz, K - NO
188) Harrison Butker, K - KC
189) Stephen Gostkowski, K - NE
190) Ka'imi Fairbairn, K - HOU
191) Justin Tucker, K - BAL
192) Greg Zuerlein, K - LAR