Written By: George Haraktsis @Blitzalytics
This week I’m drafting from pick 7 in a 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 2QB 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. Let’s see who we drafted!
Final Roster:
QB Andrew Luck IND
RB Alvin Kamara NO
RB Kenyan Drake MIA
WR A.J. Green CIN
WR Stefon Diggs MIN
WR Michael Crabtree BAL
TE Trey Burton CHI
FLX Robert Woods LAR
DST Minnesota Vikings
K Matt Prater DET
Bench:
WR Jamison Crowder WAS
RB Dion Lewis TEN
RB Marshawn Lynch OAK
QB Ben Roethlisberger PIT
RB Devontae Booker DEN
WR Michael Gallup DAL
Overview:
The 7th pick is usually a crapshoot, but I love the guys I got here. Grabbing Kamara and his monster potential output with my first pick secured my first RB slot and allowed me to concentrate on guys with high upside and lower risk like Drake, Lewis and Lynch. My WRs are probably the strength of my team. Green, Crabtree, and Woods provide the consistency that you need while Diggs, Crowder, and Gallup have huge upside and could bust out in their new circumstances. It’s a perfect mixture. I love my upside pick of Luck at QB and the safety net of Roethlisberger only solidifies that notion. Overall, The team is deep and full of potential across the board and I would be thrilled if my actual roster turned out this way!
Round 1:
1) Todd Gurley RB — LAR
2) Antonio Brown WR — PIT
3) Deandre Hopkins WR — HOU
4) Le’veon Bell RB — PIT
5) Ezekiel Elliott RB — DAL
6) David Johnson RB — ARI
7) Alvin Kamara RB — NO
8) Odell Beckham WR — NYG
9) Saquon Barkley RB — NYG
10) Julio Jones WR — ATL
11) Kareem Hunt RB — KC
12) Leonard Fournette RB — JAC
Analysis: A tough pick here with Beckham still on the board, but I had to go with Kamara. The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year proved last year that he could not only affect the game on the ground (728 yards) but through the air as well (81 for 826). He was still fantasy football’s RB3 last year even while getting out touched by fellow backfield mate Mark Ingram, but now Kamara will start the first four games off as the lead back with Ingram on suspension.
While he may not be as efficient as his record setting 7.7 yards per touch in 2018, I expect his increased usage in the offense to cover an inefficiency he may have. Even in a Standard format Kamara has a chance to finish as a top 5 back again, and I was stoked to land him at 7.
Round 2:
13) Michael Thomas WR — NO
14) Melvin Gordon RB — LAC
15) Dalvin Cook RB — MIN
16) Devonta Freeman RB — ATL
17) Keenan Allen WR — LAC
18) A.J. Green WR — CIN
19) Davante Adams WR — GB
20) Lesean Mccoy RB — BUF
21) Mike Evans WR — TB
22) T.Y. Hilton WR — IND
23) Larry Fitzgerald WR — ARI
24) Rob Gronkowski TE — NE
Analysis: 79 receptions, 1,173 yards, and 8 touchdowns. That’s A.J.Green’scareer averages in the receiving game. The Bengals’ offense was a dumpster fire last year, and had one of the worst offensive lines in the league. Even with this catastrophe at his hands Green still managed to post 7 TDs and 1,078 yards on 75 receptions. With Bill Lazor now having a full offseason as offensive coordinator under his belt, Greens only three 100 yard games came after Lazor took over as OC, Green and company have a chance to bounce back as a whole. Green will continue to see his healthy target share in the offense and projects to be a top receiver again in 2018.
Round 3:
25) Aaron Rodgers QB — GB
26) Tyreek Hill WR — KC
27) Doug Baldwin WR — SEA
28) Christian Mccaffrey RB — CAR
29) Adam Thielen WR — MIN
30) Jerick Mckinnon RB — SF
31) Stefon Diggs WR — MIN
32) Zach Ertz TE — PHI
33) Josh Gordon WR — CLE
34) Mark Ingram RB — NO
35) Amari Cooper WR — OAK
36) Jordan Howard RB — CHI
Analysis: I’m alway a fan of drafting a young talented player in his contract year, and Diggs is a guy I’m very high on. Diggs led the Vikings in receiving touchdowns in 2018 with 8, but failed to eclipse the 1,000 yard mark for the third time in his career. Drafting a receiver in the fourth round who has never eclipsed 1000 yards or 60 receptions in a season would probably worry most owners, but not me. The addition of franchise quarterback Kirk Cousins should excite Diggs, who should now see more targets coming his way. Playing with game manager Case Keenum last year did not exploit Diggs strengths. Under Cousins, he should be more of a field stretcher that can separate at multiple levels of the field. While some would think Thielen is the better option in the Vikings receiving corps, Diggs will emerge with that distinction. I love pairing his big play ability him with Green’s consistency on my team.
Round 4:
37) Alshon Jeffery WR — PHI
38) Brandin Cooks WR — LAR
39) Travis Kelce TE — KC
40) Juju Smith-Schuster WR — PIT
41) Joe Mixon RB — CIN
42) Kenyan Drake RB — MIA
43) Allen Robinson WR — CHI
44) Jimmy Graham TE — GB
45) Greg Olsen TE — CAR
46) Jarvis Landry WR — CLE
47) Demaryius Thomas WR — DEN
48) Derrick Henry RB — TEN
Analysis: Some pundits are not so high on Kenyan Drake, but I do not feel the same way. Yes, Drake saw a measly 57 touches in his first 11 games of 2017, but once he was thrust into a bigger role he put up huge totals in the pass and run games. He does have Frank Gore and Kalen Ballage eating into his carries, but Drake owners shouldn’t be worried. It’s his backfield to lose. He’s a good candidate for a 250+ touch season and a RB2 designation.
Round 5:
49) Golden Tate WR — DET
50) Alex Collins RB — BAL
51) Jay Ajayi RB — PHI
52) Pierre Garcon WR — SF
53) Marvin Jones WR — DET
54) Derrius Guice RB — WAS
55) Michael Crabtree WR — BAL
56) Russell Wilson QB — SEA
57) Chris Hogan WR — NE
58) Dez Bryant WR — FA
59) Evan Engram TE — NYG
60) Emmanuel Sanders WR — DEN
Analysis: Crabtree who was the Raiders number two WR, was cut by the team this offseason and signed by the Ravens to be their number one option, not a bad trade off. Crabtree certainly has a lot left in the tank and should fit nicely as Joe Flacco’s go-to option. While I don’t think Crabtree will finish has a WR1, mostly because Flacco has never targeted one receiver more than 137 times in a season, I think he has a great shot to finish as a WR2 or at worst a WR3-of which either would be a welcomed addition on my team!
Round 6:
61) Corey Davis WR — TEN
62) Julian Edelman WR — NE
63) Tom Brady QB — NE
64) Sammy Watkins WR — KC
65) Lamar Miller RB — HOU
66) Robert Woods WR — LAR
67) Deshaun Watson QB — HOU
68) Devin Funchess WR — CAR
69) Jordy Nelson WR — OAK
70) Ronald Jones RB — TB
71) C.J. Anderson RB — CAR
72) Will Fuller WR — HOU
Analysis: Robert Woods was a fantastic surprise last year on the league’s best offense. He provides great depth at my WR spot and is always a threat to score on McVays explosive offense. If Crabtree doesn’t pan out then Woods will fill in just fine.
Round 7:
73) Kyle Rudolph TE — MIN
74) Kirk Cousins QB — MIN
75) Carson Wentz QB — PHI
76) Rashaad Penny RB — SEA
77) Cooper Kupp WR — LAR
78) Robby Anderson WR — NYJ
79) Jamison Crowder WR — WAS
80) Delanie Walker TE — TEN
81) Drew Brees QB — NO
82) Jordan Reed TE — WAS
83) Marquise Goodwin WR — SF
84) Cam Newton QB — CAR
Analysis: This pick felt high, and it probably was. Jamison Crowder had more fumbles than he did touchdowns last year for god sakes! While I’m not thrilled with where I got him, I am excited that I did get him. Crowder is the Redskins’ most talented wide receiver on the roster and should shine in the slot under new QB Alex Smith, who loves to throw those short and intermediate routes. While this pick could blow up in my face, it’s a risk I’m okay taking.
Round 8:
85) Randall Cobb WR — GB
86) Jimmy Garoppolo QB — SF
87) Devante Parker WR — MIA
88) Sony Michel RB — NE
89) Desean Jackson WR — TB
90) Dion Lewis RB — TEN
91) Rex Burkhead RB — NE
92) Jared Goff QB — LAR
93) Matthew Stafford QB — DET
94) Mike Gesicki TE — MIA
95) Carlos HydeRB — CLE
96) Nelson Agholor WR — PHI
Analysis: Dion Lewis set career highs in rushing yards (896), total TDs (9), and carries (180) as a Patriot in 2017. This along with his 5.0 yards per carry and 32 receptions earned him a 4-year, $20 million deal from the Titans. This deal makes Lewis the NFL’s 12th highest paid RB in terms of average annual salary. While the split in workload between him and Derrick Henry is a mystery, Lewis is a set to handle the majority of the pass-catching work and then some. You don’t give someone that kind of contract and have them ride the pine. Great depth pick here.
Round 9:
97) Jacksonville Jaguars DST — JAC
98) Duke Johnson RB — CLE
99) Chris Thompson RB — WAS
100) Sterling Shepard WR — NYG
101) Tevin Coleman RB — ATL
102) Royce Freeman RB — DEN
103) Marshawn Lynch RB — OAK
104) Marlon Mack RB — IND
105) Allen Hurns WR — DAL
106) Jamaal Williams RB — GB
107) Tarik Cohen RB — CHI
108) Rishard Matthews WR — TEN
Analysis: Speaking of depth pick, why not take a flier on one of the only RB1s left on the board. Lynch did have a down year according to his standards in 2017, but a lot of that can be attributed to his team and especially his offensive lines uneven play. Free agent Doug Martin will firmly serve as a backup, so this should not worry Lynch owners. If new head coach Jon Gruden can manage to get the best out of Lynch for just one more year, this could be my drafts biggest steal.
Round 10:
109) Kenny Stills WR — MIA
110) Isaiah Crowell RB — NYJ
111) Kelvin Benjamin WR — BUF
112) D.J. Moore WR — CAR
113) Aaron Jones RB — GB
114) Trey Burton TE — CHI
115) George Kittle TE — SF
116) Los Angeles Rams DST — LAR
117) D’onta Foreman RB — HOU
118) Kerryon Johnson RB — DET
119) Marqise Lee WR — JAC
120) Nick Chubb RB — CLE
Analysis: Trey Burton in the ninth round? Sign me up. He has a ton of fantasy upside and talent that he flashed in Philly’s offense last year. He just signed a huge deal in free agency and will be going to Chicago to pair up with second-year QB Mitch Trubisky-We know how much young QBs love their tight ends. To be able to draft a guy who could finish as a top-5 guy at his position is hard to pass up. If for some reason Burton doesn’t work out then losing on a tenth rounder isn’t the worst thing in the world. I can always stream guys on waivers, it will not signal the demise of my team.
Round 11:
121) Cole Beasley WR — DAL
122) Cameron Meredith WR — NO
123) Legarrette Blount RB — DET
124) Josh Doctson WR — WAS
125) Martavis Bryant WR — OAK
126) Tyler Lockett WR — SEA
127) Andrew Luck QB — IND
128) Mohamed Sanu WR — ATL
129) Calvin Ridley WR — ATL
130) Doug Martin RB — OAK
131) Kenny Golladay WR — DET
132) Jack Doyle TE — IND
Analysis: A potential Top 5 QB in the 11th round? Sure!!! As you can see this area of the draft is where I take a lot of my swings! There’s no denying Luck’s talent, but his health is what dropped him this far. We haven’t seen him throw a football in over a year, but the upside is just too much to pass up. When he’s on, Luck is a potential MVP candidate. With an improved roster, and more importantly and improved offensive line, Luck could shine and finish as a top fantasy QB, but make sure you have a backup plan just in case….
Round 12:
133) James White RB — NE
134) Matt Ryan QB — ATL
135) Danny Amendola WR — MIA
136) Mike Williams WR — LAC
137) Theo Riddick RB — DET
138) Ben Roethlisberger QB — PIT
139) Tyrell Williams WR — LAC
140) Ty Montgomery RB — GB
141) Philip Rivers QB — LAC
142) Tyler Eifert TE — CIN
143) David Njoku TE — CLE
144) Paul Richardson WR — WAS
Analysis: Roethlisberger leads one of the league’s most explosive offenses and is a solid contingency plan for the Luck experiment. Over the past three seasons, Big Ben has delivered 20-plus Fantasy points 27 times in 41 games, a 65.8 percent success rate. It’s a mark only beaten by Tom Brady (68.2 percent). If Luck doesn’t pan out then I’m happy having Big Ben as his replacement.
Round 13:
145) Chris Carson RB — SEA
146) Cameron Brate TE — TB
147) Patrick Mahomes QB — KC
148) Bilal Powell RB — NYJ
149) Dak Prescott QB — DAL
150) O.J. Howard TE — TB
151) Devontae Booker RB — DEN
152) Anthony Miller WR — CHI
153) Austin Seferian-Jenkins TE — JAC
154) Ameer Abdullah RB — DET
155) Ted Ginn WR — NO
156) Giovani Bernard RB — CIN
Analysis: A lot of folks think rookie Royce Freeman will be handed the starting duties in the Broncos’ backfield come September, but don’t sleep on Booker. He knows the offense and was a relatively high pick only two years ago. In the 13th round I look for guys with low risk and high-upside and Booker fits that bill.
Round 14:
157) Nyheim Hines RB — IND
158) Latavius Murray RB — MIN
159) Jameis Winston QB — TB
160) Corey Clement RB — PHI
161) Wayne Gallman RB — NYG
162) Minnesota Vikings DST — MIN
163) Philadelphia Eagles DST — PHI
164) Frank Gore RB — MIA
165) Donte Moncrief WR — JAC
166) Peyton Barber RB — TB
167) Spencer Ware RB — KC
168) Samaje Perine RB — WAS
Analysis: This late in the draft I was thrilled to snag one of the league’s best defenses. If they don’t pan out, well I got them in the 14th. It’s easy to find a defense on waivers and even easier to stream them week by week.
Round 15:
169) Christian Kirk WR — ARI
170) Los Angeles Chargers DST — LAC
171) Houston Texans DST — HOU
172) Seattle Seahawks DST — SEA
173) Dede Westbrook WR — JAC
174) Jordan Matthews WR — NE
175) Michael Gallup WR — DAL
176) Denver Broncos DST — DEN
177) Baltimore Ravens DST — BAL
178) New England Patriots DST — NE
179) New Orleans Saints DST — NO
180) Pittsburgh Steelers DST — PIT
Analysis: Another high upside pick here. The Cowboys receiving corps is a mess. Gallup is a talented rookie who could secure some production based solely on the opportunity that presents itself in Dallas. I like to look for a mixture of opportunity and talent around this area of the draft and Gallup has both.
Round 16:
181) Stephen Gostkowski K — NE
182) Greg Zuerlein K — LAR
183) Justin Tucker K — BAL
184) Matt Bryant K — ATL
185) Wil Lutz K — NO
186) Matt Prater K — DET
187) Robbie Gould K — SF
188) Jake Elliott K — PHI
189) Dan Bailey K — DAL
190) Kai Forbath K — MIN
191) Chris Boswell K — PIT
192) Harrison Butker K — KC
Analysis: To be blunt, I’m not going to get overly excited about a kicker pick and nor should you. Kickers should be drafted based on how their offense performs, shoot for a kicker who’s offense has top 10 potential, like Prater’s, and you’ll be set.