Written by: Cody Manning
This week I’m drafting from pick 8 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 I drafted!
Final Roster:
QB Andrew Luck — IND
RB Kareem Hunt — KC
RB Royce Freeman — DEN
WR A.J. Green — CIN
WR Josh Gordon — CLE
WR Robby Anderson — NYJ
TE Travis Kelce — KC
FLX Marshawn Lynch — OAK
DST Detroit Lions
K Justin Tucker — BAL
Bench
RB Kerryon Johnson — DET
RB Duke Johnson — CLE
WR Josh Doctson — WAS
RB Corey Clement — PHI
WR Michael Gallup — DAL
RB Peyton Barber — TB
Overview:
The #8 draft slot can be difficult to navigate through as the players you may want in the next round could find themselves picked up before your next turn in up. Overall, I am happy with my roster, but I understand that it is filled with many risks and rewards. Sometimes when drafting with a late selection, it pays off to take gambles on players you believe have the potential to have a big season. I was happy to land Kareem Hunt with my first pick since he is coming off leading the NFL in rushing and should see a heavy workload once again. My starting receivers, Green, Gordon, and Anderson have tons of upside and could pay off with some huge numbers. Beyond Hunt, I have more running backs then I would have liked, but I went with players that could pay off as we head towards the end of the season, so I knew I had to overload on the position after passing up on my RB2 until the 5th round. Overall, I believe I have a lot of potential here and tons of assets that I could trade if most of them reach their ceilings in 2018.
ROUND 1:
Todd Gurley RB - LAR
Le'veon Bell RB - PIT
Ezekiel Elliott RB - DAL
David Johnson RB – ARI
Antonio Brown WR – PIT
Alvin Kamara RB – NO
Saquon Barkley RB – NYG
Kareem Hunt RB – KC
Deandre Hopkins WR – HOU
Leonard Fournette RB – JAC
Odell Beckham WR – NYG
Dalvin Cook RB – MIN
Analysis: I had a debate between Hunt and Hopkins here, I decided to go with Hunt because in standard leagues, I think it is smart to grab one of the top backs as your RB1 in your lineup with your first pick. If this were PPR, then I may have went with Hopkins. Andy Reid loves his running backs, so Hunt should continue to see tons of opportunities to continue his fantasy dominance in 2018. He also will dominate most of the touches out of the backfield since he doesn’t find himself in a running back by committee situation. I was happy to walk away with Hunt at the 8th pick.
ROUND 2:
Michael Thomas WR – NO
Keenan Allen WR – LAC
Melvin Gordon RB – LAC
Julio Jones WR – ATL
A.J. Green WR – CIN
LeSean McCoy RB – BUF
Davante Adams WR – GB
Devonta Freeman RB – ATL
Rob Gronkowski TE – NE
Jordan Howard RB – CHI
Mike Evans WR – TB
Christian McCaffery RB – CAR
Analysis: I like to keep my roster as balance as possible so after selecting Hunt I knew I wanted to find my WR1 for my roster in the next round. I was very happy to land Green because I believe he is set to have a big season. He still has the talent to be a top 5 receiver in the league and with unproven players behind him on the depth chart, plus a tight end (Tyler Eifert) who is injury-prone, I expect he will dominate most of the targets in Cincinnati’s offense. Don’t be surprised if he finishes as one of the best receivers in fantasy football this year.
ROUND 3:
Tyreek Hill WR – KC
Jerick McKinnon RB – SF
Doug Baldwin WR – SEA
Stefon Diggs WR – MIN
T.Y. Hilton WR – IND
Joe Mixon RB – CIN
Adam Thielen WR – MIN
Travis Kelce TE – KC
Zach Ertz TE – PHI
Derrius Guice RB – WAS
Alex Collins RB – BAL
Aaron Rodgers QB – GB
Analysis: I am normally not a fan of drafting a tight end this high in my draft, but I wasn’t a fan of any of the backs or receivers in this round and it is just way too early for me to pull the trigger on a quarterback. Kelce is a top-tier fantasy tight end and if you’re going to draft one in the third, it better be him or Rob Gronkowski. By landing Kelce in the third, I get a player I expect to be in my lineup every week. He should continue to see the same number of targets and should be a reliable player in your lineup.
ROUND 4:
Amari Cooper WR – OAK
Kenyan Drake RB – MIA
Allen Robinson WR – CHI
Larry Fitzgerald WR – ARI
Josh Gordon WR – CLE
Rashaad Penny RB – SEA
Derrick Henry RB – TEN
Alshon Jeffery WR – PHI
Tom Brady QB – NE
Juju Smith-Schuster WR – PIT
Mark Ingram RB – NO
Deshaun Watson QB – HOU
Analysis: After using one of my premium picks on a tight end, I would have liked to find my RB2 in this round, but after seeing the players I liked go off the board, I decided to bet on the potential of Josh Gordon. After having a full offseason to understand the offense and get into even better playing shape, the odds are in Gordon’s favor to return to the player we saw a few years ago. With a talent like that, no matter who Cleveland’s quarterback is, I expect Gordon to see plenty of opportunities to put up some numbers this year.
ROUND 5:
Demaryius Thomas WR – DEN
Marvin Jones WR – DET
Jay Ajayi RB – PHI
Golden Tate WR – DET
Ronald Jones RB – TB
Brandin Cooks WR – LAR
Jarvis Landry WR – CLE
Royce Freeman RB – DEN
Dion Lewis RB – TEN
Chris Hogan WR – NE
Lamar Miller RB – HOU
Evan Engram TE – NYG
Analysis: Since I didn’t address my RB2 position over the past 4 rounds, I knew I had to leave this round with a running back. I had my debate between Freeman, Lewis, and Miller. Lewis is splitting reps with Derrick Henry and I am just not a fan of Miller for the 2018 season. Freeman is one of my fantasy running back sleepers for this fantasy football year. He may have to split duties when the season starts, but I believe he will be the lead back in Denver as we head toward fantasy football playoff season. I am betting on the payoff in the end with this pick.
ROUND 6:
Sony Michel RB – NE
Russell Wilson QB – SEA
Cam Newton QB – CAR
Jimmy Graham TE – GB
Marshawn Lynch RB – OAK
Greg Olsen TE – CAR
Devin Funchess WR – CAR
Carson Wentz QB – PHI
Tevin Coleman RB – ATL
Will Fuller WR – HOU
Julian Edelman WR – NE
Corey Davis WR – TEN
Analysis: After taking the gamble on Freeman in the previous round, I knew I should address the running back position again to help add depth just in case he takes time to take over as the lead back. Lynch was a perfect pick because I think he could have a RB2-type of fantasy season. He doesn’t find himself sharing the load and after a season of getting back into the swing of things, I think he is set to show some flashes of the Beast Mode we saw in Seattle. He allows me to move around my roster if Freeman isn’t ready to roll Week 1 as the lead guy.
ROUND 7:
Michael Crabtree WR – BAL
Kirk Cousins QB – MIN
Drew Brees QB – NO
Pierre Garcon WR – SF
Delanie Walker TE – TEN
Kyle Rudolph TE – MIN
Matthew Stafford QB – DET
Robby Anderson WR - NYJ
Tarik Cohen RB – CHI
Sammy Watkins WR – KC
Emmanuel Sanders WR – DEN
Robert Woods WR – LAR
Analysis: Anderson is entering his third-year and is set to be the leading receiver in the Jets receiving corps. He showed he could be the top guy last season, Anderson could have a huge season as their number one guy in their passing game. I am trusting my gut that this is his year to shine and cement his place in the fantasy football realm.
ROUND 8:
David Njoku TE – CLE
Cooper Kupp WR – LAR
Jamison Crowder WR – WAS
Ben Roethlisberger QB – PIT
Andrew Luck QB – IND
Randall Cobb WR – GB
Jimmy Garoppolo QB – SF
Rishard Matthews – TEN
Marlon Mack RB – IND
Jordy Nelson WR – OAK
Jamaal Williams RB – GB
Marquise Goodwin WR - SF
Analysis: I felt like this was the perfect round to address my starting quarterback. Luck’s ceiling puts him as an elite fantasy quarterback, after the reports of him ready to roll for training camp, I am fully confident of drafting him to be my year-long starter. If for any reason an unfortunate setback happens, I am willing to accept the repercussions for not selecting a backup quarterback and address that if it comes to it. I think when healthy, Luck is a matchup-proof starter and you could get tremendous value if he lasts to the 8th round in your draft.
ROUND 9:
Devante Parker WR – MIA
D.J. Moore WR – CAR
Allen Hurns WR – DAL
Jacksonville Jaguars DST – JAC
Isaiah Crowell RB – NYJ
Sterling Shepard WR – NYG
Los Angeles Rams DST – LAR
Kerryon Johnson RB – DET
Chris Thompson RB – WAS
Nelson Agholor WR – PHI
Kelvin Benjamin WR – BUF
Nick Chubb RB – CLE
Analysis: This is another pick where I am betting on the upside of a rookie running back coming in to take over the lead role with his fresh legs. The Lions are hoping Johnson is the answer to their running back woes after selecting him in the 2nd round of this year’s NFL Draft. Like Freeman, Johnson may start the season splitting reps, but as he becomes more comfortable within the offense, he should see his role expand. For a bench slot, I don’t mind on taking my chances on a player that could explode as the season goes along.
ROUND 10:
Calvin Ridley WR – ATL
Rex Burkhead RB – NE
C.J. Anderson RB – CAR
Carlos Hyde RB – CLE
Duke Johnson RB – CLE
Dez Bryant WR – FA
Aaron Jones RB – GB
Bilal Powell RB – NYJ
Kenny Golladay WR – DET
Trey Burton TE – CHI
D’onta Foreman RB – HOU
Jordan Reed TE – WAS
Analysis: Typically, I like to avoid crowded backfields, but I wanted to add depth to my running back position, so I decided to take a swing on Johnson. The Browns gave him an extension this offseason and teams typically won’t give away money to players they don’t plan on using. While he will be battling for touches with Carlos Hyde and Nick Chubb, I don’t think his role in the offense will be influenced by the two. He is a different style of back and the team will use his skill set to the best way it can benefit their offense.
ROUND 11:
Ty Montgomery RB — GB
Martavis Bryant WR — OAK
LeGarrette Blount RB — DET
Matt Breida RB — SF
Devontae Booker RB — DEN
Marqise Lee WR — JAC
Kenny Stills WR — MIA
Josh Doctson WR — WAS
Cameron Meredith WR — NO
Mike Williams WR — LAC
Desean Jackson WR — TB
Minnesota Vikings DST — MIN
Analysis: As I started to round out the bottom part of my roster I knew I needed to address some depth at my receiver position. Doctson is one of my personal fantasy sleepers at the receiver position and a big part of that is because I am a big believer in third-year receivers maturing into the player they were drafted to be. After showing flashes of his potential last year, I think he could be a steal in the later rounds.
ROUND 12:
Chris Carson RB — SEA
Ted Ginn WR — NO
Anthony Miller WR — CHI
Nyheim Hines RB — IND
Corey Clement RB — PHI
James White RB — NE
Tyler Eifert TE — CIN
Jack Doyle TE — IND
Quincy Enunwa WR — NYJ
Los Angeles Chargers DST — LAC
Danny Amendola WR — MIA
Philadelphia Eagles DST — PHI
Analysis: As I alluded to earlier, I am comfortable with my quarterback and tight end, so I wanted to take another swing on a running back that could payoff for me. Clement is currently the backup running back behind Jay Ajayi while competing for touches with Darren Sproles. He is one of my sleeper fantasy backs and I am just continuing to take my chances that one of these young backs will pay off for me.
ROUND 13:
Giovani Bernard RB — CIN
George Kittle TE — SF
O.J. Howard TE — TB
James Conner RB — PIT
Mohamed Sanu WR — ATL
Jared Goff QB — LAR
Tyler Lockett WR — SEA
Michael Gallup WR — DAL
Matt Ryan QB — ATL
Cameron Brate TE — TB
Vance McDonald TE — PIT
Christian Kirk WR — ARI
Analysis: After overloading on backs I knew I needed to address my receiver depth. Gallup gives me tons of potential to put up a lot of points this season. With the release of Dez Bryant, there is an open opportunity for someone to be the top guy in the Cowboys receiving corps. Gallup can be a major contributor as a rookie and could pay off as the season goes along.
ROUND 14:
Austin Ekeler RB — LAC
Theo Riddick RB — DET
Latavius Murray RB — DET
Paul Richardson WR — WAS
Peyton Barber RB — TB
Kenneth Dixon RB — BAL
Doug Martin RB — OAK
Philip Rivers QB — LAC
Jordan Matthews WR — NE
Spencer Ware RB — KC
Charles Clay TE — BUF
Chris Ivory RB — BUF
Analysis: The irony of this selection is that I took a back that could dominate most of the touches at the beginning of the season then lose the job to a highly drafted rookie running back. Barber was the only bright spot on the Bucs running game last year and he could help fill in at the beginning of the season while becoming expendable if I hit on one the previous backs selected.
ROUND 15:
Austin Seferian-Jenkins TE — JAC
Houston Texans DST — HOU
Patrick Mahomes QB — KC
Tyrell Williams WR — LAC
Denver Broncos DST — DEN
Baltimore Ravens DST — BAL
Jared Cook TE — OAK
Justin Tucker K — BAL
New Orleans Saints DST — NO
New England Patriots DST — NE
Pittsburgh Steelers DST — PIT
Courtland Sutton WR — DEN
Analysis: Tucker has the best leg in the game which allows the Ravens offense to have a shorter field to put themselves in position for field goal range. I trust his accuracy to hit long range field goals to give him a shot. If the offense can’t give him enough shots, then I will address that if it happens.
ROUND 16:
Greg Zuerlein K — LAR
Stephen Gostkowski K — NE
Matt Bryant K — ATL
Harrison Butker K — KC
Detroit Lions DST — DET
Wil Lutz K — NO
Jake Elliott K — PHI
Matt Prater K — DET
Dan Bailey K — DAL
Robbie Gould K — SF
Chris Boswell K — PIT
Mason Crosby K — GB
Analysis: It may be risky when you find yourself in a deeper league, but I always stream defenses. The Lions face the Jets Week 1, so I like their chances of creating turnovers either against an aging quarterback in Josh McCown, a quarterback who hasn’t had significant experience in a couple years in Teddy Bridgewater, or a young, inexperienced quarterback in Sam Darnold. I like my chances of streaming Detroit’s defense opening week.