📷Photo by Robert Robinson, Blitzalytics
Written By: Phillip Salmo
This week I’m drafting from pick #6 in our standard scoring format. In addition to standard scoring, Blitz also releases full, 12-team mocks from each draft position for standard, 0.5 PPR, and 2 QB standard leagues. These mocks were 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 standard scoring. Make sure to check out last week’s mocks, as well as the ones from the other draft formats that have been released this week!
Final Roster:
QB: Drew Brees (NO)
RB: LeSean McCoy (BUF)
RB: Mark Ingram (NO)
WR: Antonio Brown (PIT)
WR: Doug Baldwin (SEA)
WR: Pierre Garcon (SF)
TE: Zach Ertz (PHI)
FLX: Marshawn Lynch (SEA)
DST: Baltimore Ravens
K: Matt Prater (DET)
Bench:
WR: Rex Burkhead (NE)
WR: Sterling Shepard (NYG)
RB: Bilal Powell (NYJ)
WR: Kenny Golladay (DET)
WR: Ted Ginn (NO)
QB: Matt Ryan (ATL)
Overview: After completing my first draft for Blitz, I did some self-reflection prior to conducting my second mock to see areas in which I could improve in my approach. I realized that I needed to create a more concrete strategy with regards to how I looked upon running back, wide receiver, and quarterback talent. The fact that there was now only one starring QB also changed my view of the draft, as my previous mock draft conducted was 2QB Standard. I recognized that I had to place more emphasis on acquiring running back and wide receiver talent, and that the quarterback class was deep enough that I could get one in the fifth round or later and still get a productive player. I definitely emphasized health over sheer talent, which is something that I did not take into account with my first draft. I also decided that picking defenses later was a better strategy. Overall, I was pretty happy with the way that my draft turned out. I got two great starting running backs, three solid (if not better) wide receivers, and a great quarterback by implementing my strategy. I also got a very solid defense and great depth at the wide receiver position. Attaining Antonio Brown, LeSean McCoy, Drew Brees, and Zach Ertz were certainly the highlights of my draft.
Round 1:
Todd Gurley, RB — LAR
Ezekiel Elliott, RB — DAL
Le’veon Bell, RB — PIT
David Johnson, RB — ARI
Saquon Barkley, RB — NYG
Antonio Brown, WR — PIT
Deandre Hopkins, WR — HOU
Alvin Kamara, RB — NO
Odell Beckham, WR — NYG
Melvin Gordon, RB — LAC
Leonard Fournette, RB — JAX
Michael Thomas, WR — NO
Analysis: This was an easy choice for me with my first pick. While I would have gone with a top RB had one that I liked been available, literally every pick prior to mine was a running back. Wide receiver is arguably the second most valuable pick in fantasy, so I went with the best wide receiver in the league and what I perceived to be the best player still available. Antonio Brown should always be the first receiver taken, based simply on his consistent and mesmerizing performance year after year after year. I’m very happy that I was able to pick him up and I expect him to again lead the league in receiving yards this season.
Round 2:
A.J. Green, WR — CIN
Kareem Hunt, RB — KC
Dalvin Cook, RB — MIN
Julio Jones, WR — ATL
Keenan Allen, WR — LAC
Davante Adams, WR — GB
Lesean Mccoy, RB — BUF
Mike Evans, WR — TB
Christian Mccaffrey, RB — CAR
Devonta Freeman, RB — ATL
Josh Gordon, WR — CLE
Jordan Howard, RB — CHI
Analysis: Since great starting running backs are few and far between, I felt it necessary to pick up a solid player at the position in order to solidify my team. While some may have some concerns about a drop in production from Shady, he has been a top 10 (if not higher) running back for the last few seasons. He did after all rank fourth in total rushing yards gained last season with 1138 yards. I expect him to continue such levels of production this season, especially with the offense most likely emphasizing the running game this season with the arrival of rookie Josh Allen and average veteran A.J McCarron hired to bring the rookie along.
Round 3:
Tyreek Hill, WR — KC
T.Y. Hilton, WR — IND
Rob Gronkowski, TE — NE
Adam Thielen, WR — MIN
Aaron Rodgers, QB — GB
Doug Baldwin, WR — SEA
Jerick Mckinnon, RB — SF
Travis Kelce, TE — KC
Stefon Diggs, WR — MIN
Joe Mixon, RB — CIN
Derrick Henry, RB — TEN
Brandin Cooks, WR — LAR
Analysis: It was definitely important in my fantasy football strategy to maintain strong depth at the wide receiver position. Doug Baldwin is a top-15 wide receiver that fits into the role of my second wide receiver very well. He was just yards away from breaking the 1000 yard receiving mark, which he actually did in the 2016 season. He is still solidly Russell Wilson’s first option, so I expect his production to be around the same as last year.
Round 4:
Carlos Hyde, RB — CLE
Deshaun Watson, QB — HOU
Larry Fitzgerald, WR — ARI
Rashaad Penny, RB — SEA
Kenyan Drake, RB — MIA
Allen Robinson, WR — CHI
Zach Ertz, TE — PHI
Amari Cooper, WR — OAK
Derrius Guice, RB — WAS
Alex Collins, RB — BAL
Alshon Jeffery, WR — PHI
Jay Ajayi, RB — PHI
Analysis: Some may question why I drafted a tight end so early, but I feel as though the top-5 tight ends in the league produce so much for their respective teams that they can be valuable to the offense of a fantasy team. Ertz is normally ranked as the third or fourth best tight end in the league, so I felt that he was a good pickup in this round. He certainly played an important role in the Eagles Super Bowl-winning offense last season, and I expect him to match his production of a little more than 800 yards receiving and 8 touchdowns this season, if not better it.
Round 5:
Jarvis Landry, WR — CLE
Jimmy Graham, TE — GB
Juju Smith-Schuster, WR — PIT
Demaryius Thomas, WR — DEN
Sony Michel, RB — NE
Mark Ingram RB, NO
Marvin Jones, WR — DET
Golden Tate, WR — DET
Tom Brady, QB — NE
Devin Funchess, WR — CAR
Will Fuller, WR — HOU
Dez Bryant, WR — FA
Analysis: I was genuinely surprised that Ingram was still available here. A running back that gained over 1100 yards rushing (in addition to over 400 yards receiving) and 12 touchdowns still available in the fifth round? Kind of questionable from FantasyPros given the fact that great starting running backs are few and far between, but it aided me nonetheless by adding needed running back depth to my team. I expect Ingram to both be a top-10 running back and contribute to the Saints’ high-powered passing offense yet again this season.
Round 6:
Russell Wilson, QB — SEA
Sammy Watkins, WR — KC
Cam Newton, QB — CAR
Evan Engram, TE — NYG
Greg Olsen, TE — CAR
Ronald Jones, RB — TB
Drew Brees, QB — NO
Corey Davis, WR — TEN
Julian Edelman, WR — NE
Michael Crabtree, WR — BAL
Lamar Miller, RB — HOU
Carson Wentz, QB — PHI
Analysis: I felt that it was now time to draft a QB, given the fact that there is only one starting QB in this draft type (see the 2QB Standard draft from pick #6 from my boy Alexander Amir this week for more on that!). I had somewhat neglected the position thus far in this draft, because the QB class is very deep and the talent is simply more valuable at the receiver and running back positions. I’m very happy with this pickup though. I have no doubt that Drew Brees, barring any unexpected injury, will have another 4,500 yard and 25 touchdown+ season this year. He’s been doing it at an old age for a quarterback for years, so why stop this season?
Round 7:
Robert Woods, WR — LAR
Kyle Rudolph, TE — MIN
Kirk Cousins, QB — MIN
Delanie Walker, TE — TEN
Cooper Kupp, WR — LAR
Pierre Garcon, WR — SF
Matthew Stafford, QB — DET
Andrew Luck, QB — IND
Chris Hogan, WR — NE
Emmanuel Sanders, WR — DEN
Jordy Nelson, WR — OAK
Duke Johnson, RB — CLE
Analysis: Now, hear me out on this one. Garçon did have a neck injury last year which kept him out for the second half of the season. Neck injuries are always scary and potentially career-derailing, especially for a player such as Garçon who is going into his tenth season. However, all reports at this point seem to indicate that he has fully recovered and is now fully able to practice. He did have 500 yards in 8 games last season prior to his injury. I’m excited to see what he will able to do with Garoppolo this season (though I am little hesitant about jumping on that bandwagon given that the QB has only started 5 games for his new team). Still, after having all summer to build chemistry, they have the potential to be an explosive QB-receiver combo.
Round 8:
Chris Thompson, RB — WAS
Royce Freeman, RB — DEN
Marlon Mack, RB — IND
Dion Lewis, RB — TEN
Randall Cobb, WR — GB
Tevin Coleman, RB — ATL
Marshawn Lynch, RB — OAK
Devante Parker, WR — MIA
Ben Roethlisberger, QB — PIT
Marquise Goodwin, WR — SF
Marcus Mariota, QB — TEN
Jamison Crowder, WR — WAS
Analysis: So I have Lynch as my FLEX here, which I think could go either way for me. While Lynch had what I would call a comeback season last year with almost 900 yards and 7 rushing touchdowns after being out of the league for a year, he is still 32 years old, which is around the time that running backs starting needing to go into retirement homes. That being said, he definitely proved that he still has something left in the tank. The question is really how much is left. I’m of the opinion and hope that it’s enough to be a solid FLEX for me.
Round 9:
Tarik Cohen, RB — CHI
Jamaal Williams, RB — GB
Robby Anderson, WR — NYJ
Jacksonville Jaguars, DST — JAX
D.J. Moore, WR — CAR
Rex Burkhead, RB — NE
Nelson Agholor, WR — PHI
Los Angeles Rams, DST — LAR”
Isaiah Crowell, RB — NYJ
Allen Hurns, WR — DAL
Kelvin Benjamin, WR — BUF
Josh Doctson, WR — WAS
Analysis: I knew that I needed some depth at the running back position, as no one never knows when the injury bug may strike in the NFL. I felt that Burkhead was a fine pickup to fill this role. While he had a pretty pedestrian season last year (only 264 yards rushing) he did contribute 5 touchdowns on the ground and 3 more in the passing game. Obviously the hope is that I won’t have to use Burkhead, but if I do, he will be able to produce something for my team.
Round 10:
C.J. Anderson, RB — CAR
Kerryon Johnson, RB — DET
Martavis Bryant, WR — OAK
Ty Montgomery, RB — GB
James White, RB — NE
Kenny Stills, WR — MIA
Sterling Shepard, WR — NYG
Nick Chubb, RB — CLE
Cameron Meredith, WR — NO
Minnesota Vikings, DST — MIN
Rishard Matthews, WR — TEN
Aaron Jones, RB — GB
Analysis: A key part of my strategy is to have a great deal of depth at the wide receiver position. I feel as though one can get even starter-level wide receivers in the later rounds for ones bench. Shepard fits in well in this backup role. He had almost 60 catches for over 700 yards last season, despite playing only 11 games. If he is fully healthy, I would fully expect him to get near 1,000 yards receiving, especially with Barkley picking up some of the offense load this season and in turn taking some pressure off of the Giants’ passing game. I feel secure in Shepard as my backup in the unfortunate event that the injury bug strikes one of my wide receivers.
Round 11:
Jordan Reed, TE — WAS
Corey Clement, RB — PHI
Marqise Lee, WR — JAX
Calvin Ridley, WR — ATL
Mike Williams, WR — LAC
Bilal Powell, RB — NYJ
Trey Burton, TE — CHI
Desean Jackson, WR — TB
Devontae Booker, RB — DEN
Tyler Lockett, WR — SEA
Legarrette Blount, RB — DET
Chris Carson, RB — SEA
Analysis: Here again I definitely wanted some depth in my roster. While certainly all of the star running backs are long gone, there are still opportunities to pick up respectable starters to act as backups. Bilal Powell is just that player. In 15 games for the Jets last season, he rushed for 772 yards and 5 touchdowns. He will still continue to produce at this level this upcoming season. As with all of my backups, the hope is that I won’t have to use him. But, like with my previous pick, I feel secure in my roster depth.
Round 12:
Samaje Perine, RB — WAS
D’onta Foreman, RB — HOU
Doug Martin, RB — OAK
Jack Doyle, TE — IND
Giovani Bernard, RB — CIN
Matt Breida, RB — SF
Kenny Golladay, WR — DET
Courtland Sutton, WR — DEN
Nyheim Hines, RB — IND
Latavius Murray, RB — MIN
Tyrell Williams, WR — LAC
Dede Westbrook, WR — JAX
Analysis: Golladay had an average season for the Lions last year, finishing with 477 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. However, it was his rookie year, and he only played in 11 games. If he continues to grow and play the entirety of his second year, he could easily be a solid third option for Matthew Stafford that he started to be in his first year. I project that his performance will increase, and that he will prove to be a secure backup for me in the event that I need to use him.
Round 13:
Tyler Eifert, TE — CIN
Jordan Wilkins, RB — IND
Michael Gallup, WR — DAL
George Kittle, TE — SF
David Njoku, TE — CLE
Ted Ginn, WR — NO
Eric Ebron, TE — IND
Mohamed Sanu, WR — ATL
Chris Godwin, WR — TB
Cameron Brate, TE — TB
O.J. Howard, TE — TB
Charles Clay, TE — BUF
Analysis: Ginn played very well in the Saints offense this past season. He caught 53 balls for almost 800 yards. I except him to give similar production for his team this season, and continue to play very nicely in the role of Drew Brees’ third option in the Saints pass-heavy offense. He also has the added component of contributing to the return game. As long as Brees continues to play at a high level, I have no doubt that Ginn will have a solid season, and add a nice amount of depth at the wide receiver position for my team.
Round 14:
Austin Hooper, TE — ATL
Philadelphia Eagles, DST — PHI
Los Angeles Chargers, DST — LAC
Theo Riddick, RB — DET
Kenneth Dixon, RB — BAL
Frank Gore, RB — MIA
Baltimore Ravens, DST — BAL
Kalen Ballage, RB — MIA
Paul Perkin, RB — FA
Austin Ekeler, RB — LAC
Jimmy Garoppolo, QB — SF
Paul Richardson, WR — WAS
Analysis: While I undoubtedly value defense for a fantasy team, and this wasn’t my first choice for a defense, I am nonetheless very happy with this choice. The Ravens have been a strong defense since before I can remember, and will continue to be this year. They have been a top-10 defense, if not higher, consistently. I expect them to again play collectively at a high level this season, especially under the continued leadership of longtime coach John Harbaugh. Overall, the Ravens are defense that I can rely on.
Round 15:
Houston Texans, DST — HOU
Denver Broncos, DST — DEN
Jared Goff, QB — LAR
Philip Rivers, QB — LAC
New Orleans Saints, DST — NO
Matt Ryan, QB — ATL
Chicago Bears, DST — CHI
Danny Amendola, WR — MIA
Carolina Panthers, DST — CAR
Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE — JAX
Jordan Matthews, WR — NE
Seattle Seahawks, DST — SEA
Analysis: I felt it important that, with my last bench spot, I pick up a backup quarterback to give a bit of depth to that area of my roster. I was pleasantly surprised that Matt Ryan was still available in this round. This is certainly in part due to the 1 starting QB nature of this draft type, and proves my previous point about the depth of quarterbacks available. Matt Ryan is a consistent and productive starter (he was the MVP of two seasons ago after all). While this past season as a bit of a step back, as he only threw for a little over 4,000 yards and 20 touchdowns, this is still the bench spot that I feel the most secure about. I know that Ryan will undoubtedly continue to produce at a high level (not Brees’ levels, but impressive nonetheless).
Round 16:
Stephen Gostkowski, K — NE
Greg Zuerlein, K — LAR
Justin Tucker, K — BAL
Matt Bryant, K — ATL
Wil Lutz, K — NO
Jake Elliot, K — PHI
Matt Prater, K — DET
Dan Bailey, K — DAL
Harrison Butker, K — KC
Chris Boswell, K — PIT
Robbie Gould, K — SF
Mason Crosby, K — GB
Analysis: Not much to be said here in all honesty, other than that I’m very happy with this pick. Prater is a consistently-producing top-10 kicker in the league. He is very accurate, making 86% of his field goals last season, and has leg strength, hitting a long of 58 yards this past season. Fun Fact: Matt Prater holds the record for longest field goal made with a successful 64 yard kick. There is honestly not that much difference between starting kickers in the top 10, so anyone in that range is a solid pickup.