By: Jett Rosenstein
Twitter: @rosey_jett
Welcome back to the 2nd edition of “Mock Draft Monday.” I hope everyone had a great 4th of July. This week I will be picking from the 2nd spot in the draft order. Like every draft, these league settings consist of 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 W/R/T, 1 K, 1 D/ST, 6 BN. A 10-team PPR league. As always, these drafts take place through FantasyPros' Draft Wizard. Let’s get right into it. Happy Draft Season!
Pick 1.2: Dalvin Cook (RB-MIN)
I firmly believe Dalvin Cook should be the number 2 player taken in fantasy drafts behind CMC. Even with him not being able to stay healthy early on in his career, he is pretty much a lock to show out every time he takes the field. Minnesota is a run-first team and Cook will continue to get fed the ball and he will be a fantasy stud once again.
Picks 2.9 & 3.2: DK Metcalf (WR-SEA) & Antonio Gibson (RB-WFT)
DK Metcalf has put on a show to begin his NFL career and he is only going to get better. Besides the fact that he is a legit deep threat, he is going to be the premiere red zone target for the Seahawks once again. A nice start to my WR corps with a player who is guaranteed to put up numbers on a weekly basis.
Antonio Gibson was one of those guys I targeted in the mid-rounds of my fantasy drafts last year and he proved his worth very fast. Now, with a year under his belt, he will be the focal point of an up-and-coming Washington Football Team. Even with some of the questions surrounding his lack of involvement in the passing game, I fully expect Gibson to get even better in 2021 and prove he deserves a workhorse role in the NFL.
Picks 4.9 & 5.2: Amari Cooper (WR-DAL) & Chris Carson (RB-SEA)
Amari Cooper is the focal point of the Dallas Cowboys receiving room. Even with all of the mouths to feed, he is still Dak’s guy and will continue putting up the numbers. Sure, there may be some games where Cooper plays second fiddle but with some of the other options available (Evans, Moore, Thielen) at this point in the draft, I will take him at this pick all day.
Even with how undervalued Chris Carson seems to be year after year in fantasy drafts, I was still very hesitant to pull the plug on him. Running backs will really start to dry up at this point in the draft so I am more than happy with sticking him at my Flex spot and watch him put up high-end RB2 numbers even with health being a concern at times.
Picks 6.9 & 7.2: Courtland Sutton (WR-DEN) & TJ Hockenson (TE-DET)
Courtland Sutton has the potential to be my biggest payoff. Everyone is forgetting how good he was in 2019 (1,112 YDS and 6 TDs). However, he does have to battle back from an ACL injury suffered in Week 2 of 2020. I could have taken the flashy rookie in Ja’Marr Chase or seasoned vet in Tyler Lockett, but I am optimistic of Sutton returning to his former self and showing out in his comeback season.
After missing out on the “Big 3” at TE, I thought I would just wait until the end of the draft to snag one of the remaining guys. But, then I saw TJ Hockenson continuing to fall so I grabbed him while I could. A value pick for sure. He should be able to develop a nice rapport with Jared Goff and will soak up all the targets in a receiver room that has a ton of questions.
Picks 8.9 & 9.2: Javonte Williams (RB-DEN) & Justin Herbert (QB-LAC)
If you are not already aware of how I feel about Javonte Willams, check out my previous article here. With all of the question marks surrounding RB at this point in the draft, why not take someone with a ton of upside. Williams adds to my depth at RB with the potential to crack my starting lineup if he usurps carries from Melvin Gordon as I expect.
The only missing piece in my lineup at this point in the draft was my QB spot. I could have potentially waited on a QB even longer or just tightened up my depth, but I could not let Justin Herbert fall through my fingers. He was outstanding in Year 1 and should only continue to get better. With all of the weapons he has, I would not be surprised if he finishes within the Top 5 QBs at year's end.
Picks 10.9 & 11.2: Michael Carter (RB-NYJ) & Mike Williams (WR-LAC)
Just like Javonte Williams, Michael Carter is another one of the guys I’ve constantly raved about. There is no point in taking a RB like Tarik Cohen or Jamaal Williams where you know what you are getting. At this point in the draft, swing for the fences and hope that the stars align.
Mike Williams has never been a guy I targeted in drafts in years past and hasn’t really done anything on the field to make me feel any differently. However, at this point in the draft, there are not many guys that have the upside that Williams possesses. If he can stay healthy and prove he is the guy he was drafted to be, this could be a steal.
Picks 12.9 & 13.2: Alexander Mattison (RB-MIN) & Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR-DET)
There are only a few guys worth drafting as a handcuff. Mattison is one of them. Even though he has struggled at times in Cook’s absence, he still remains a Top-5 handcuff. Cook has had issues staying healthy so this pick is for pure insurance.
Once again an instance where I have the opportunity to draft one of “my guys.” I encourage everyone to do the same, even if you have to reach a little. I have talked about St. Brown before and while this is a dart throw, there is no risk in making this pick and if he emerges from the WR room, you may have yourself a league-winner.
Picks 14.9 & 15.2: Colts D/ST & Younghoe Koo (K-ATL)
RECAP: I really love how this draft turned out. I always want to make sure I have an ample amount of RB depth (Carson, Williams, Carson) cause we know how fragile the RB position is. I like the mix of guys with proven production and potential upside. Sure, I may run into issues at WR2 if Cooper does not get the volume or Sutton is not the player he was. However, WR is a relatively quick fix with plenty of talent available on the waiver wire. One thing to point out that was unintentional was the number of guys from similar teams that I drafted (Herbert & Williams, Metcalf & Carson, etc.). This should not affect me too much even if their respective offenses have down weeks. Let me know what you think @rosey_jett on Twitter!
OVERALL GRADE: A- 91 out of 100