Fantasy Football Picks 2016: 2-Round Mock Draft and Top Players to Grab Early

Fantasy football feels strange this year with Calvin Johnson gone.

Alas, the fantasy realm goes on, swapping out names like Megatron for the next generation, one headed up by DeAndre Hopkins and Todd Gurley.

The key to fighting through the minefield that is the first round of fantasy drafts isn't easy to figure out. Injury concerns (Jamaal Charles), usage questions (Ezekiel Elliott) and names that are new to the scene make it an uphill battle.

Below, let's mock out how a typical standard draft should unfold. Rather than rehash guys such as Antonio Brown and Adrian Peterson, let's look at some of the newer top players to draft early, as fans will need to keep up with the power transition of the league to stand a chance. 

Pick	Player	Position	Team
Round 1
1.01	Antonio Brown	WR	PIT
1.02	Odell Beckham Jr.	WR	NYG
1.03	Todd Gurley	RB	LA
1.04	Julio Jones	WR	ATL
1.05	Adrian Peterson	RB	MIN
1.06	DeAndre Hopkins	WR	HOU
1.07	Ezekiel Elliott	RB	DAL
1.08	A.J. Green	WR	CIN
1.09	Rob Gronkowski	TE	NE
1.10	Devonta Freeman	RB	ATL
1.11	Dez Bryant	WR	DAL
1.12	David Johnson	RB	ARI
Round 2
2.01	Jamaal Charles	RB	KC
2.02	Le'Veon Bell	RB	PIT
2.03	Allen Robinson	WR	JAC
2.04	Lamar Miller	RB	HOU
2.05	Jordy Nelson	WR	GB
2.06	Alshon Jeffery	WR	CHI
2.07	Doug Martin	RB	TB
2.08	Brandon Marshall	WR	NYJ
2.09	LeSean McCoy	RB	BUF
2.10	Cam Newton	QB	CAR
2.11	Mark Ingram	RB	NO
2.12	Mike Evans	WR	TB

Top Players to Draft Early

Todd Gurley, RB, Los Angeles Rams 

One could go on for days about how Peterson will still be a workhorse in Minnesota or throw around theoretical usage rates for Elliott in Dallas despite his rookie status.

Gurley, though, seems like the closest thing fantasy owners have to a sure thing at running back.

The No. 10 pick in the 2015 draft is the reason why many have hopes for Elliott. Gurley played in only 13 games last year but finished fifth among running backs in scoring, going for double-digit output in 10 games.

A bruiser of a back, Gurley averaged 4.8 yards per carry on his way to 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns. This year seems like it will be even better, too, which Gurley isn't shy about pointing out.

“No. 1 overall for sure,” Gurley said on NFL Network when asked where owners should draft him, according to Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith. “You maybe could choose Antonio Brown over me, but no one else. Maybe Cam [Newton]. That’s it.”

It's hard to argue, as Gurley is now the face of the Los Angeles Rams and will have to compensate for either Case Keenum or rookie Jared Goff under center. Gurley finishing as the top scorer at the position isn't out of the question.

DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans 

Ben Margot/Associated Press

Is Hopkins a household name yet?

It's hard to say, but he shouldn't have any problems becoming one after this year.

For those out of the loop, Hopkins is the Houston Texans wideout with an insane and perhaps growing usage rate. His numbers over the past two years do the talking in a big way:

SEASON	REC	TGTS	YDS	TD
2014	76	127	1,210	6
2015	111	192	1,521	11

Hopkins finished sixth in scoring at wideout last year. Keep in mind he earned his numbers despite playing with four different quarterbacks—Ryan Mallett and Brandon Weeden among them.

Hopkins actually gets an upgrade at quarterback this year thanks to Brock Osweiler, who was supposed to replace Peyton Manning in Denver before he hit free agency this offseason and saw a chance to play with a talent like Hopkins (probably).

The Texans will run a good amount with Lamar Miller also jumping on board, but Jaelen Strong and Will Fuller won't do much to take targets away from Hopkins, better known as Nuk. He's a top-five wideout in the league, and fantasy owners need to get used to the idea he's a must-draft player right behind Brown, if not alongside him.

David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Like Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals running back David Johnson isn't the biggest fantasy name just yet.

Give it time. Johnson was effective last year for the Cardinals as a rookie, but the team felt it best to give the bulk of the work to veteran Chris Johnson, with a bit of Andre Ellington sprinkled in for good measure.

This year, the proverbial gloves project to come off. Johnson finished seventh in scoring at running back, a clear indicator of his effectiveness. He carried the ball 125 times for 581 yards and eight touchdowns while catching 36 passes for 457 yards and four scores.

"A lot of people have compared him to Marshall Faulk, and our coaches had Marshall Faulk in Indy," general manager Steve Keim said, according to ESPN.com's Dan Graziano. "I think he's very similar in some ways athletically and in terms of ball-catching skills to Marshall."

Owners need to believe in the hype. With 36-year-old Carson Palmer aging at quarterback, Arizona has one last chance to take a serious shot at a title this year. This means putting the best players on the field at all times, with Johnson's versatility assuring him major usage.

Johnson has a high floor and a sky-esque ceiling, so he's well worth the roll of the dice on draft day.

All scoring info courtesy of ESPN standard leagues, as are points-against info and ownership stats. Statistics courtesy of ESPN.com. Average draft position (ADP) courtesy of Fantasy Football Calculator.