Written by: George Haraktsis @Blitzalytics Today we dive into a 12-team, 1/2 PPR mock draft at pick #12! Since the draft season is in full swing these mocks act as a gauge to see where you can snag some of your favorite players at their best values. These mocks were done using FantasyPros’ Mock Draft Wizard, and allow for a more accurate and quicker mock draft than most live lobbies. Let’s see who I chose!
Final Roster:
QB: Carson Wentz PHI
RB Melvin Gordon LAC
RB Dion Lewis TEN
WR Julio Jones ATL
WR Doug Baldwin SEA
WR Larry Fitzgerald ARI
TE Jordan Reed WAS
FLX Marshawn Lynch OAK
DST New England Patriots NE
K Stephen Gostkowski NE
Bench:
WR Cooper Kupp LAR
RB Duke Johnson CLE
RB Chris Carson SEA
TE Jack Doyle IND
WR Cole Beasley DAL
QB Marcus Mariota TEN
Final Analysis:
I really do like my roster as a whole. I think my WRs are about as deep as you can get with Jones, Baldwin, and Fitzgerald. These three are heavy volume guys who should see a ton of targets, and the group rounds out well with PPR monsters Beasley and Kupp. My TE should be no issue with the high upside Jordan Reed, and should be covered with Doyle if the Redskin decides to get injured. With my QB position, I could see some issues in the first few weeks if Mariota doesn’t take the step forward that I think he can, but it should round out into form with Wentz by the end of the year. As for my RBs, I love Melvin Gordon and believe he could finish as a top 5 back with ease but my RB2 spot leaves some cause for concern. I think Dion Lewis and Marshawn Lynch could round out into very solid RB2s but that is not a definite. While I don’t think its likely, I could foresee a future where both falter due to lack of playing time or injuries. Overall I give myself a B-, but lucky for me the game isn’t won at the draft. Check below for my pick by pick analysis!
Round 1
1) Le'veon Bell RB - PIT 2) David Johnson RB - ARI 3) Saquon Barkley RB - NYG 4) Ezekiel Elliott RB - DAL 5) Todd Gurley RB - LAR 6) Odell Beckham WR - NYG 7) Antonio Brown WR - PIT 8) Alvin Kamara RB - NO 9) Kareem Hunt RB - KC 10) Deandre Hopkins WR - HOU 11) Leonard Fournette RB - JAC 12) Julio Jones WR - ATL
Analysis: I’m thrilled to land a top 5 WR at the end of the first round. Jones was drafted as the WR3 last year and surprisingly finished up 2017 as the WR7 in fantasy, despite having 88 receptions and over 1,400 yards receiving. The decline can be attributed to his putrid 3 touchdowns, his lowest total since his injury-plagued 2013. The touchdowns have been and probably continue to be an issue for Jones in his career, as he’s averaged a lackluster 5.75 per season since 2014. However, where the touchdowns have been an issue, everything else he has done has been a strength. Julio has averaged 161 targets, 103 receptions, and almost 1,580 yards averaged over the last four seasons. He has one of the safest floors in all of fantasy football. You can’t ask for much more than that from your WR1.
Round 2
13) Melvin Gordon RB - LAC
14) Dalvin Cook RB - MIN
15) Michael Thomas WR - NO
16) Keenan Allen WR - LAC
17) Lesean Mccoy RB - BUF
18) Davante Adams WR - GB
19) T.Y. Hilton WR - IND
20) Jerick Mckinnon RB - SF
21) Mike Evans WR - TB
22) Christian Mccaffrey RB - CAR
23) A.J. Green WR - CIN
24) Devonta Freeman RB - ATL
Analysis: With the Chargers announcing that Gordon will be used in the passing game more, I’m landing a top 5 back at pick 13. Gordon has averaged 1,051 rushing yards, nine TDs, 49.5 receptions, and 448 yards receiving over the last two years. He has been one of the premiere RB1s in fantasy football over the last two years and is poised to build on his already impressive resume. With no one in line to steal carries away from Gordon, and with his projected uptick in the passing game ahead, his ceiling is as high as it’s ever been. The team will lean on him more than ever in 2018, and I think he could be the steal of my draft.
Round 3
25) Adam Thielen WR - MIN
26) Jordan Howard RB - CHI
27) Rob Gronkowski TE - NE
28) Joe Mixon RB - CIN
29) Kenyan Drake RB - MIA
30) Juju Smith-Schuster WR - PIT
31) Aaron Rodgers QB - GB
32) Tyreek Hill WR - KC
33) Stefon Diggs WR - MIN
34) Travis Kelce TE - KC
35) Derrick Henry RB - TEN
36) Doug Baldwin WR - SEA
Analysis: Baldwin fell into basically the fourth round due to a hamstring injury that will keep him out until the regular season. This allowed me to snag last year’s QB1’s favorite target as a WR2!!! With Jimmy Graham and Paul Richardson leaving the team, Baldwin will swallow up even more targets this year and is primed to have his best season to date, especially with how much the Seahawks will have to sling the ball in an attempt to make up for their expected poor defense this year. While it is a risk with the injury, and he could miss a couple of weeks, I believe my team is built to withstand that and I can weather the storm if his absence occurs.
Round 4
37) Larry Fitzgerald WR - ARI
38) Amari Cooper WR - OAK
39) Brandin Cooks WR - LAR
40) Zach Ertz TE - PHI
41) Allen Robinson WR - CHI
42) Alshon Jeffery WR - PHI
43) Demaryius Thomas WR - DEN
44) Jarvis Landry WR - CLE
45) Alex Collins RB - BAL
46) Tevin Coleman RB - ATL
47) Jay Ajayi RB - PHI
48) Golden Tate WR - DET
Analysis: This is precisely the reason I can weather the storm if Baldwin ever becomes an issue. Larry Fitz finished last year as the WR4 even after some terrible QB from the Arizona Cardinals. He secured his third consecutive 100 catch season and 1,000-yard season with at least 6 touchdowns at the age of 34. While he does turn 35 this season, he is showing no signs of slowing down. He now has the uber-accurate Sam Bradford at the helm who will look for him constantly out of the slot. I landed a top 10 WR in the fourth round!
Round 5
49) Lamar Miller RB - HOU
50) Sammy Watkins WR - KC
51) Josh Gordon WR - CLE
52) Marquise Goodwin WR - SF
53) Marvin Jones WR - DET
54) Chris Thompson RB - WAS
55) Rashaad Penny RB - SEA
56) Russell Wilson QB - SEA
57) Royce Freeman RB - DEN
58) Mark Ingram RB - NO
59) Michael Crabtree WR - BAL
60) Dion Lewis RB - TEN
Analysis: I’ll be the first to admit that this might be a shaky pick for my RB2. Lewis does not have the keys to the Titans backfield even after signing a huge deal with the team this offseason due to Henry’s presence. He most likely will steal all of the third-down work due to his pass catching ability, but there is a world where he scores very little goal-line TDs due to his partner in crime. This is a big swing, and one dependent on his heavy involvement in the passing game.
Round 6
61) Marshawn Lynch RB - OAK
62) Deshaun Watson QB - HOU
63) Sony Michel RB - NE
64) Chris Hogan WR - NE
65) Greg Olsen TE - CAR
66) Jimmy Graham TE - GB
67) C.J. Anderson RB - CAR
68) Robby Anderson WR - NYJ
69) Cam Newton QB - CAR
70) Jordy Nelson WR - OAK
71) Corey Davis WR - TEN
72) Emmanuel Sanders WR - DEN
Analysis: This pick made the Lewis pill much easier to swallow. Lynch has control over the Raiders backfield and looks to pick up where he left off towards the end of last year. He is one of the only RBs left on the board with a secure hold as the RB1 in the backfield, I’m not scared of Doug Martin. With Gruden coming in and Carr looking to rebound, this should be a great pick.
Round 7
73) Tom Brady QB - NE
74) Delanie Walker TE - TEN
75) Nelson Agholor WR - PHI
76) Kyle Rudolph TE - MIN
77) Drew Brees QB - NO
78) Patrick Mahomes QB - KC
79) Robert Woods WR - LAR
80) Devin Funchess WR - CAR
81) Kerryon Johnson RB - DET
82) Ronald Jones RB - TB
83) Evan Engram TE - NYG
84) Cooper Kupp WR - LAR
Analysis: Cooper Kupp quietly had an amazing Rookie season last year with 62 rec, over 800 yards, and 5 TDs! He was Goff’s most trusted option last year and figures to pick up where he left off last year and then some. In a .5 PPR league, he should be a consistent filler that I can rely upon for Byes and great matchups.
Round 8
85) Carson Wentz QB - PHI
86) Will Fuller WR - HOU
87) Kirk Cousins QB - MIN
88) Ben Roethlisberger QB - PIT
89) Carlos Hyde RB - CLE
90) Rex Burkhead RB - NE
91) D'onta Foreman RB - HOU
92) Pierre Garcon WR - SF
93) Kenny Stills WR - MIA
94) Matt Ryan QB - ATL
95) Andrew Luck QB - IND
96) Randall Cobb WR - GB
Analysis: I’ll probably have to find a replacement QB for the first week of the season, but this is still a fine pick. Wentz was in-line to be the NFL and fantasy MVP before a torn ACL derailed his 2018. He’s coming back to a very similar situation he had last year and should jump right back into it with his teammates. I do hate taking QBs early but In the 8th round, this is a steal and a risk I am more than willing to take.
Round 9
97) Jamaal Williams RB - GB
98) Jamison Crowder WR - WAS
99) Julian Edelman WR - NE
100) Allen Hurns WR - DAL
101) Aaron Jones RB - GB
102) Devante Parker WR - MIA
103) Jacksonville Jaguars DST - JAC
104) Rishard Matthews WR - TEN
105) D.J. Moore WR - CAR
106) Tarik Cohen RB - CHI
107) Kelvin Benjamin WR - BUF
108) Duke Johnson RB - CLE
Analysis: While I don’t think Duke Johnson will finish as a top 12 fantasy back again, I do believe he still has plenty of value and can manage a low-end RB2 or high-end flex finish. With Landry on the team and now Hyde and Chubb stealing away carries there is some cause for concern, but the Browns just gave Johnson a three-year extension so he is obviously in their future plans.
Round 10
109) Chris Carson RB - SEA
110) Sterling Shepard WR - NYG
111) Dez Bryant WR - FA
112) Isaiah Crowell RB - NYJ
113) Kenny Golladay WR - DET
114) Marlon Mack RB - IND
115) Mike Williams WR - LAC
116) Tyler Lockett WR - SEA
117) Marqise Lee WR - JAC
118) Anthony Miller WR - CHI
119) Peyton Barber RB - TB
120) Ty Montgomery RB - GB
Analysis: A starting RB in the 10th round? Sign me up. With Chris Carson tearing up the field this preseason, and Rashaad Penny injuring his fingers and expected to miss a good amount of time this pick is a steal. While I’m not thrilled with the offensive line in Seattle, an RB1 in the 10th is absurd value and I could not pass this up.
Round 11
121) Josh Doctson WR - WAS
122) Cameron Meredith WR - NO
123) Latavius Murray RB - MIN
124) Nyheim Hines RB - IND
125) George Kittle TE - SF
126) Trey Burton TE - CHI
127) Nick Chubb RB - CLE
128) Corey Clement RB - PHI
129) Desean Jackson WR - TB
130) Devontae Booker RB - DEN
131) LeGarrette Blount RB - DET
132) Jordan Reed TE - WAS
Analysis: Gotta take your swings folks. Jordan Reed was just that, a swing. He has one of the highest ceilings in fantasy but also one of the lowest floors. His history of injuries is long and scary and he could potentially get injured again but if he manages to stay on the field he is a top 5 option easy. Especially with new QB Alex Smith who loves to target his TEs now under center, Reed could be a huge threat this year.
Round 12
133) Jack Doyle TE - IND
134) David Njoku TE - CLE
135) Jimmy Garoppolo QB - SF
136) Matthew Stafford QB - DET
137) Austin Seferian-Jenkins TE - JAC
138) Frank Gore RB - MIA
139) Los Angeles Rams DST - LAR
140) O.J. Howard TE - TB
141) Eric Ebron TE - IND
142) Christian Kirk WR - ARI
143) Jared Cook TE - OAK
144) Ted Ginn WR - NO
Analysis: This was a bad pick. I didn’t like anyone on the board at the time, in retrospect, I should have taken James White here but I managed Jack Doyle. Don’t take back to back TEs folks. It is poor execution. While this could actually work in my favor if Reed gets injured and Luck plays well, but it’s still bad value after selecting a TE in Reed the pick before. I guess the Reed pick scared me more than I thought.
Round 13
145) Cameron Brate TE - TB 146) Philip Rivers QB - LAC 147) Jared Goff QB - LAR 148) Keelan Cole WR - JAC 149) Mike Wallace WR - PHI 150) Robert Kelley RB - WAS 151) Samaje Perine RB - WAS 152) Mohamed Sanu WR - ATL 153) Giovani Bernard RB - CIN 154) Calvin Ridley WR - ATL 155) Martavis Bryant WR - OAK 156) Cole Beasley WR - DAL
Analysis: This pick makes me feel a hell of a lot better. No matter what folks are saying out there, Cole Beasley is the Cowboys defacto number one WR. While it’s not in position that he’s the number one, he plays the slot, but rather the volume he will receive. There's not a doubt in my mind that he finishes as the Cowboys most targeted receiver, especially after Dak Prescott personally named him as his go-to receiver.
Round 14
157) Marcus Mariota QB - TEN 158) Doug Martin RB - OAK 159) Theo Riddick RB - DET 160) Minnesota Vikings DST - MIN 161) James White RB - NE 162) Jesse James TE - PIT 163) T.J. Yeldon RB - JAC 164) Jordan Wilkins RB - IND 165) Kenneth Dixon RB - BAL 166) Bilal Powell RB - NYJ 167) Matt Breida RB - SF 168) Tyler Eifert TE - CIN
Analysis: I need someone to replace Wentz for week one, and Mariota fits that bill perfectly. He’s got some new weapons around him, a new OC, and has a great week one matchup against the Dolphins. Even if Wentz injury keeps him out for longer, I believe Mariota can handle the load and act as a very serviceable QB this year.
Round 15
169) Los Angeles Chargers DST - LAC 170) Philadelphia Eagles DST - PHI 171) Houston Texans DST - HOU 172) Atlanta Falcons DST - ATL 173) Denver Broncos DST - DEN 174) Charles Clay TE - BUF 175) Danny Amendola WR - MIA 176) Baltimore Ravens DST - BAL 177) Chris Godwin WR - TB 178) New Orleans Saints DST - NO 179) Carolina Panthers DST - CAR 180) New England Patriots DST - NE
Analysis: Love having a defense that plays the AFC East six times a year. The Patriots added some nice pieces all across the defense this off-season and the team should look to be one of the better Patriots defenses we’ve seen over the last few years.
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) Dan Bailey K - DAL 187) Harrison Butker K - KC
188) Jake Elliott K - PHI 189) Matt Prater K - DET 190) Chris Boswell K - PIT 191) Mason Crosby K - GB 192) Brandon Mcmanus K - DEN
Analysis: He’s a kicker. I took the one on one of the best offenses in the league.