Guys and gals, the only way to be truly prepared for a fantasy draft is by actually going through drafts. You should be going onto sites that allow you to do mock drafts against strangers and running them all the time, just to give you a general idea of how people react in drafts.
But getting inside the head of another fantasy player can help, too. So below, I’ve provided my 10-round mock draft for a 10-team league, along with a full walkthrough of how I would approach the draft.
The Mock Draft
The Mock Draft Walkthrough
So, what I want to do here is take you through how I would approach my draft assuming the picks played out in the general order I’ve laid them out in the top 100. We’ll assume this is a 10-man league and I have the No. 5 overall pick, which means I’ll also have the Nos. 16, 25, 36, 45, 56, 65, 76, 85 and 96 overall picks.
At No. 5, based on my board above, I’m going with DeMarco Murray by a hair over Le’Veon Bell, who is suspended for the first two games of the season. This is a tough one, because I know Murray is an injury risk after carrying the ball an incredible 436 times last year. I also know the Philadelphia Eagles have Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles in the backfield, so the touches will be spread around.
Head coach Chip Kelly said as much in an interview with Peter King of MMQB.com.
“Our plan all along was to get another running back with him,” Kelly noted, discussing the team’s decision to sign him this offseason. “I wanted to have two running backs, and that’s why we got Ryan [Mathews]. I don’t think you can have a guy carry it 370 to 400 times per season and be successful. We’re going to run it a lot—we always do—but we’ll have more than one guy doing it.”
So, no, Murray won’t get 400 carries this season. He might not get 350. Heck, last year’s feature back in Philly, LeSean McCoy, ran the ball 312 times. And he still managed to gain 1,319 yards. And his shake-and-bake, home run-hitting style was never a perfect fit for Kelly’s read-option attack, which works better with a downhill, one-cut runner like Murray.
Plus, McCoy was running behind an offensive line decimated with injuries. And he still rushed for 1,319 yards. See what I’m getting at here? Murray is a better fit for this offense and should have a healthier line in front of him. Even if he gets 100 less carries, which he likely will, he should be a top-five fantasy back.
And I’d rather have him for the first two weeks of the season than wait until Week 3 to roll out Bell.
OK, so we have our stud running back. At No. 16, the top player on the board is C.J. Anderson. Now I have a tough decision to make. Do I draft him, per my board, or take a player like Odell Beckham Jr., Julio Jones or A.J. Green?
Looking at the players who should be available in Round 3, I feel safer taking Anderson. He’s a huge risk, given we’ve only seen a partial season of production from him and he could always get stuck in a timeshare, but if he plays like he did last year he’ll be a top-10 producer.
On the other hand, I hate drafting players early in the draft who don’t have a proven track record. So, do I follow my board and take solace in the fact that I can get great value at wideout and quarterback in the later rounds, or do I go with a safer player at wide receiver?
In this case, I’m going with Anderson. His upside is so high and I know I can get studs at wide receiver in the next few rounds. Knowing that I’m set at running back with Murray and Anderson is a relief, especially given how unpredictable the position was last year.
At 25, the only real decision I have to make, given how my board is set up, is selecting between Alshon Jeffery and Randall Cobb. I could reach a few picks for Russell Wilson, but I know I can get value at quarterback later on. I can’t really go wrong here regardless.
I’m taking Jeffery, per my board. He really broke out last year and he’ll be Chicago’s top threat in the passing game this season. But honestly, between Jeffery and Cobb you can basically flip a coin.
At 36, I’m again sticking with my board, as Kelvin Benjamin is waiting for me. I could think about taking Ben Roethlisberger here, but I like the depth at quarterback and I’m willing to wait. The bigger temptation will be selecting Greg Olsen here, as I think there is a pretty big drop off at tight end after the top three options. But the chance of getting a value like Benjamin in the fourth round is too hard to pass up.
In Round 5 at pick No. 45, I would be hoping Olsen was still available, but that won’t be the case based on my board. This is where I’m really thinking about pouncing on a good quarterback or tight end if they fall to me. And I would be really, really bummed if Cam Newton went a pick before I was selecting.
So, do I stick with my board and go with Justin Forsett, who I sort of doubt will replicate his huge 2014? Or do I reach a bit for Matt Ryan even though I know I can wait a bit and maybe get Drew Brees, Matt Stafford or Tony Romo?
Because I have some doubts about Anderson, I’m going to pick Forsett here. My thinking will be that if Anderson is a bust, at least I have a solid option in Forsett I can throw into the mix. And if Forsett isn’t as great as he was in 2014, who cares? I used a fifth-round pick on him to be my RB3, so I’m not expecting him to be anything more than Anderson insurance and a reliable flex option. A fifth-round pick might seem a steep price to pay for that, but I’m confident in the quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends still on the board to go that route.
At No. 56, I’m really hoping to nab a quarterback or tight end. And, boy, do I have options. Do I go with Martellus Bennett, Travis Kelce, Julius Thomas or Drew Brees?
Decisions, decisions…
At this point, I can sense a run on tight ends coming, so I’ll stick with my board and nab Bennett. I like Kelce‘s upside, but I worry that Kansas City remains a Jamaal Charles-centric offense. And I certainly worry that Thomas will take a huge fantasy hit without Peyton Manning as his quarterback.
Bennett, meanwhile, has a rapport with Jay Cutler and is an excellent option in the red zone. He’s my guy here.
At No. 65, the board tells me to take a wide receiver. And if I could predict the future, I would, knowing that on my board I can wait on Matt Stafford for another round. But in a real draft, where I have unpredictable opponents, I’m not waiting another round to get a quarterback. I’m taking Stafford here, knowing that I’ll need to later grab a very solid QB2, but also that I’ve just gotten a quarterback in the seventh round that has top-five potential.
If it’s a reach, so be it. I have a lot of peace of mind knowing I have my starters in place.
At No. 76, I want the best player on the board, hopefully at wideout. I have a feeling Nelson Agholor is going to have a big rookie season in Philadelphia, playing the Jeremy Maclin role in this offense, so I’m rolling the dice on him.
At No. 85, I’m going with the best player on the board, though I’m not ready to take a QB2 just yet, so I’ll go wideout once again and take Michael Floyd, who I know might miss some time in the regular season but gives me four wideouts I feel very good about. Right now, I feel like I’m stacked to cover my flex position each week and to also survive the bye weeks.
That leaves picks No. 96. And would you look at that? I can handcuff Murray with Mathews. That’s a pretty easy decision right there.
Below, you can see some of the players I might look to fill my team out with after the first 10 rounds.
The Solid Middle-Round Values
- Quarterback: Sam Bradford, Philadelphia Eagles; Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals
- Running Back: Latavius Murray, Oakland Raiders; Joseph Randle, Dallas Cowboys
- Wide Receiver: Jordan Matthews, Philadelphia Eagles; Brandin Cooks, New Orleans Saints; Jarvis Landry, Miami Dolphins
- Tight End: Dwayne Allen, Indianapolis Colts; Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans
The Sleepers
- Quarterback: Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans
- Running Back: Duke Johnson, Cleveland Browns
- Wide Receiver: Allen Robinson, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Tight End: Tyler Eifert, Cincinnati Bengals
The Conclusion
I hope this look into my draft mentality helps you come draft day. As always, may the fantasy points be with you!
Read more Fantasy Football news on NerdyFootball.com
