Fantasy Football 2017: Updated Fantasy Football Mock Draft

One of my favorite draft tips seems like nothing more than a suggestion until disaster strikes. Every year, I tell everyone to wait to hold your draft to avoid as many preseason pitfalls as possible. You can gather more information to differentiate training camp hype and legitimate, role-solidifying performances. Most importantly, you don’t have to sweat through games and practices hoping your players stay healthy.  

Those who drafted Julian Edelman before or during last Friday night’s preseason action learned just how detrimental meaningless games can be to a fantasy roster. According to Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com, Edelman suffered a torn ACL and will miss the 2017 season. While that may boost the fantasy values of Brandin Cooks and Chris Hogan, it takes away a player firmly in the WR2 range.

On the same night, the Kansas City Chiefs saw veteran running back Spencer Ware go down with a knee injury. According to BJ Kissel of Chiefs.com, the team's head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder said Ware has a torn PCL in addition to other damage. Ware will get a second opinion, but the injury is expected to end his season. That opens the door for rookie Kareem Hunt to lead the way, which is a huge boost to his fantasy value. 

Since this is only a mock draft, I will note it was conducted a day before the injuries to Edelman and Ware, so it’s hard to truly assess the values of any players affected by those situations. 

This is a 12-team, points-per-reception format with a starting lineup of one QB, two RB, three WR, one TE, one FLEX (RB/WR/TE), one K and one D/ST. It includes a collection of my Twitter followers, as well as myself picking out of the No. 7 spot. You can check out the full results of the draft here. 

In addition to analyzing each round, I’ll take you inside my head to explain the strategy and process for each of my picks.

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Round 1

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Jordy Nelson

Round 1 

1. RB Le’Veon Bell, PIT
2. RB David Johnson, ARI
3. WR Antonio Brown, PIT
4. WR Julio Jones, ATL
5. WR Odell Beckham, NYG
6. WR Mike Evans, TB
7. WR Jordy Nelson, GB
8. WR Michael Thomas, NO
9. WR A.J. Green, CIN
10. RB LeSean McCoy, BUF
11. RB Melvin Gordon, LAC
12. RB Devonta Freeman, ATL

The Wide Receiver Sandwich

In almost every draft I’ve seen, some combination of Bell and Johnson kicks things off with Brown usually going in the No. 3 spot. After that, it becomes personal preference of Jones or Beckham, although with Beckham’s ankle injury, I fully expected him to drop lower than Jones and possibly further.

Last season’s concerns about taking an RB early seem to have disappeared in the various drafts I’ve monitored, yet the safety of taking a wide receiver was more alluring for those picking in the middle of this round. The bad vibes in Buffalo likely pushed McCoy down the board, which is certainly fair.

Inside the Mind 

The consensus has Evans as the fourth WR behind Brown, Jones and Beckham, but I have Nelson in that spot just ahead of Evans, mostly because I’m slightly concerned about Evans’ targets dropping off a little and I’d rather trust Aaron Rodgers over Jameis Winston. 

Luckily, I didn’t have to wrestle with any decision when my pick came up, as Nelson was the highest player left on my board. It’s easy to take the top passing target for one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL.

Round 2

The Tennessean-USA TODAY Sports

Christian McCaffrey

Round 2

1. RB Jordan Howard, CHI
2. RB Ezekiel Elliott, DAL
3. RB Jay Ajayi, MIA
4. RB DeMarco Murray, TEN
5. WR Dez Bryant, DAL
6. RB Christian McCaffrey, CAR
7. WR Amari Cooper, OAK
8. TE Rob Gronkowski, NE
9. RB Todd Gurley, LAR
10. WR Doug Baldwin SEA
11. WR T.Y. Hilton, IND
12. WR Brandin Cooks, NE

The Push

The first round produced seven WRs, which means first-round talent at the RB position becomes a nice value for those picking in the early part of the second round. Obviously, the six-game suspension for Elliott justified his slip down the board, although No. 14 overall still seems too high.

Taking Gronkowski could give you the ultimate advantage at tight end, but it’s tough not to be concerned about his injury history. Personally, I’d have a hard time taking Gronk so early knowing the amount of talent still left at WR, like Baldwin or Cooks. Cooks’ value has since shot up following the loss of Edelman, as he’ll likely move to the end of the first or beginning of the second round in any drafts going forward.

Inside the Mind

I’ve had a hard time ranking the RBs outside of the top eight, and McCaffrey comes in at No. 9. With a veteran like Nelson already on my team, I seriously contemplated taking Cooper for a great one-two WR combination as the cornerstones of my team, yet ultimately decided to take the rookie RB in Carolina. 

As you’ll see in the unpredictable, upcoming rounds, there’s no easy way to navigate through a bunch of players who can easily be picked apart, which makes it hard to find a player you can truly trust. Even though McCaffrey hasn’t taken a snap in a regular-season game, I’m willing to roll with him and what should be a high ceiling.

Round 3

Associated Press

Leonard Fournette

Round 3

1. WR DeAndre Hopkins, HOU
2. WR Demaryius Thomas, DEN
3. RB Dalvin Cook, MIN
4. WR Keenan Allen, LAC
5. RB Isaiah Crowell, CLE
6. QB Aaron Rodgers, GB
7. RB Leonard Fournette, JAC
8. RB Marshawn Lynch, OAK
9. WR Terrelle Pryor, WAS
10. TE Travis Kelce, KC
11. RB Joe Mixon, CIN
12. QB Tom Brady, NE

Now What?

Other than Rodgers, Kelce and Brady, you could make serious arguments against the rest of these players. And when it comes to taking a pair of QBs and a TE so early in the draft, strategies have to change for those teams since they’ve already settled those positions in their starting lineups.

Inside the Mind

It might not look surprising, but with my selection of Fournette here in the third, I went against my usual strategy of taking just one RB in the first four rounds. I’m very high on Pryor and if you asked me again to choose between him and Fournette with the team I had coming into this round, my answer might change.

I attribute Fournette's drop into the third round and to RB14 due to the foot injury that kept him out of practice in recent weeks. Luckily, Fournette returned to practice over the weekend, according to Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union, so this pick looks like a bargain with Fournette on track to play in Week 1.

Round 4

Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Stefon Diggs

Round 4

1. RB Lamar Miller, HOU
2. WR Davante Adams, GB
3. WR Tyreek Hill, KC
4. RB Carlos Hyde, SF
5. RB Ameer Abdullah, DET
6. WR Stefon Diggs, MIN
7. TE Jordan Reed, WAS
8. RB Ty Montgomery, GB
9. WR Alshon Jeffery, PHI
10. RB Bilal Powell, NYJ
11. RB C.J. Anderson, DEN
12. WR Michael Crabtree, OAK

Make a Case 

This round includes talented players coming off disappointing seasons (Miller, Jeffery, Anderson), some who came out of nowhere to become fantasy assets (Adams, Hill) and a couple with a lot to prove (Abdullah, Montgomery). 

You can make a compelling case to take any of the players knowing you’d have to ignore some concerns. Even though you’re in the process of building the foundation of your team, the pressure to make the proper selection weighs heavily since there’s so much volatility in ranking the RBs and WRs typically available in these spots.

Inside the Mind

My fantasy crush on Diggs nearly caused me to take him in the third round, but with a good read on the rest of the participants in this draft, I talked myself into practicing patience and was rewarded with a potential top-15 WR in 2017. It’s not often you target a player in this crazy part of the draft and land him. So far, I went against my normal philosophy and it’s paying off after four rounds.

Round 5

Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

Golden Tate

Round 5 

1. QB Drew Brees, NO
2. WR Allen Robinson, JAC
3. WR Kelvin Benjamin, CAR
4. WR Sammy Watkins, LAR
5. WR Larry Fitzgerald, ARI
6. RB Spencer Ware, KC
7. WR Golden Tate, DET
8. WR Brandon Marshall, NYG
9. WR Jarvis Landry, MIA
10. WR Martavis Bryant, PIT
11. TE Jimmy Graham, SEA
12. TE Greg Olsen, CAR

Remember When

I see a lot of fond fantasy football memories when I look at the 12 players in this round. I also see plenty of broken dreams and serious questions about rebound seasons. 

Can Robinson get some stability from the QB position in Jacksonville? Will Benjamin become a reliable option for both fantasy players and Cam Newton? Will Watkins stay healthy and if he does, can we trust him to be a useful fantasy asset in Los Angeles? Is Bryant ready to raise his ceiling after missing all of last season due to suspension? 

The Ware pick doesn’t mean much now since it was made before his injury took place, yet I probably would have argued against it regardless of health since I felt Kareem Hunt had a better chance of being the top fantasy RB in Kansas City.

Inside the Mind

When in doubt, take Tate. I’m banking on him for another busy season after catching at least 90 balls in his first three years in Detroit. He is the No. 17 WR in my projections, but I got him at a great value as the 26th WR off the board and my WR3 behind Nelson and Diggs. So far, I’m very happy with my team.

Rounds 6-7

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

Pierre Garcon

Round 6 

1. WR Julian Edelman, NE
2. WR Jamison Crowder, WAS
3. WR Willie Snead, NO
4. RB Danny Woodhead, BAL
5. WR Emmanuel Sanders, DEN
6. RB Mark Ingram, NO
7. RB Doug Martin, TB
8. QB Matt Ryan, ATL
9. RB Mike Gillislee, NE
10. TE Tyler Eifert, CIN
11. TE Zach Ertz, PHI
12. RB Tevin Coleman, ATL

Round 7

1. RB LeGarrette Blount, PHI
2. WR DeVante Parker, MIA
3. RB Terrance West, BAL
4. RB Kareem Hunt, KC
5. WR Donte Moncrief, IND
6. WR Cameron Meredith, CHI
7. WR Pierre Garcon, SF
8. QB Russell Wilson, SEA
9. TE Kyle Rudolph, MIN
10. RB Adrian Peterson, NO
11. QB Andrew Luck, IND
12. WR Corey Davis, TEN

Assessment

The first half of what I consider the skill-position rounds (always take K/D in the final two rounds) is complete. That gives us a chance to see how deep we've gone into each position. 

Davis finished up the seventh round as the WR38, which is 16 spots higher than my projections for him at the position. Luck’s tumble down the draft board stopped as the sixth QB selected, which still seems too high for a QB with no set timetable for a return.

In the last two rounds, three TEs were chosen, bringing the total to eight for the draft. Peterson (RB32) went nine spots after Blount (RB29) in this round, which seems ridiculous, especially since Blount won’t get the same scoring opportunities with the Eagles that he got with the Patriots.

Inside the Mind

I knew I could fill just about any spot on my team in these two rounds, but it felt too early for a QB or a TE, so I wound up with solid options in Ingram and Garcon. By this point, I’m likely opening the season with one of them on my bench and the other in my flex spot, which is excellent depth. It shows how you can build your team with talent and balance at RB and WR knowing you can wait to get a QB.

Rounds 8-9

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Kirk Cousins

Round 8 

1. WR Randall Cobb, GB
2. QB Marcus Mariota, TEN
3. QB Derek Carr, OAK
4. QB Cam Newton, CAR
5. RB Derrick Henry, TEN
6. QB Kirk Cousins, WAS
7. RB Theo Riddick, DET
8. WR Jeremy Maclin, BAL
9. QB Jameis Winston, TB
10. QB Ben Roethlisberger, PIT
11. WR Tyrell Williams, LAC
12. WR DeSean Jackson, TB

Round 9

1. TE Delanie Walker, TEN
2. RB Duke Johnson, CLE
3. RB Darren McFadden, DAL
4. TE Hunter Henry, LAC
5. RB Frank Gore, IND
6. WR Rishard Matthews, TEN
7. WR Adam Thielen, MIN
8. TE Martellus Bennett, GB
9. WR Jordan Matthews, BUF
10. WR Eric Decker, TEN
11. RB Thomas Rawls, SEA
12. WR Corey Coleman, CLE

The Run

As you can see, I wasn’t the only one with the idea to wait on my QB, and truthfully, it cost me the player I really wanted in the eighth round because I wasn’t paying attention to the needs of the other teams. If I paid attention, I could have predicted the run that came before my turn. The goal was to get Mariota, as I didn’t think Carr would be there, yet I failed.

You can start to see a dividing line between players who will firmly be in your starting lineup and those either filling the last spot in your lineup or the top option off your bench.

Inside the Mind

By failing to recognize the other teams who were also waiting on a QB, I had to settle for Cousins instead of Mariota or Carr. It’s hard to complain about Cousins, as he’s my No. 9 QB, but I was shooting for a higher ceiling with Carr and the bonus of legs with Mariota. 

Even though my selection of Thielen means I unintentionally locked down the top WRs in Minnesota, I don’t mind since we saw how well Thielen played last season and the offense looks to be in better shape heading into 2017.

Rounds 10-11

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Alvin Kamara

Round 10 

1. D/ST Broncos, DEN
2. RB Paul Perkins, NYG
3. RB C.J. Prosise, SEA
4. RB Rob Kelley, WAS
5. D/ST Chiefs, KC
6. RB Jamaal Williams, GB
7. D/ST Texans, HOU
8. RB Samaje Perine, WAS
9. WR Kenny Britt, CLE
10. RB Jonathan Stewart, CAR
11. RB Eddie Lacy, SEA
12. WR Marvin Jones, DET

Round 11

1. RB James White, NE
2. QB Matthew Stafford, DET
3. WR Zay Jones, BUF
4. RB Jeremy Hill, CIN
5. WR Cooper Kupp, LAR
6. RB Rex Burkhead, NE
7. RB Alvin Kamara, NO
8. PK Justin Tucker, BAL
9. QB Dak Prescott, DAL
10. WR John Brown, ARI
11. WR Mike Wallace, BAL
12. PK Stephen Gostkowski, NE

Shoot Your Shot

Unless you need a QB or TE, the double-digit rounds are where I like to take my shots on upside players or those with specific roles. Unfortunately, others decided to use these two rounds to take care of kickers and defenses. By doing that, you overrate the significance of those players. Plus, you miss out on potential sleepers. Luckily, I did not.

Inside the Mind

My love of rookie RBs continued with a serious sleeper in Williams. I don’t trust Ty Montgomery to handle the responsibilities of a lead back, specifically carrying the ball 15-plus times and protecting the QB. While I’m not saying Williams is ready for such an important role, he could be used as a two-headed monster where Montgomery is the primary pass-catcher and Williams leads the way on the ground.

Kamara fits the description of a player with a specific role. In a backfield that already has Mark Ingram and Adrian Peterson, the majority of carries should be accounted for between those two. Kamara should get plenty of chances to contribute as a receiver out of the backfield, which should work out nicely in this PPR format. If I’m in a pinch and need someone to sub into the lineup, he should be a safe option.

Rounds 12-13

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Darren Sproles

Round 12 

1. QB Philip Rivers, LAC
2. WR Kenny Golladay, DET
3. WR Josh Doctson, WAS
4. WR John Ross, CIN
5. TE Eric Ebron, DET
6. TE Jack Doyle, IND
7. TE Evan Engram, NYG
8. RB Jacquizz Rodgers, TB
9. RB D’Onta Foreman, HOU
10. WR Ted Ginn, NO
11. D/ST Seahawks, SEA
12. TE Austin Hooper, ATL

Round 13

1. RB James Conner, PIT
2. WR Robby Anderson, NYJ
3. TE Cameron Brate, TB
4. RB Marlon Mack, IND
5. D/ST Patriots, NE
6. WR Cole Beasley, DAL
7. RB Darren Sproles, PHI
8. TE O.J. Howard, TB
9. D/ST Giants, NYG
10. WR Sterling Shepard, NYG
11. WR Taylor Gabriel, ATL
12. QB Carson Wentz, PHI

Getting Ugly

If you’re still looking for sleepers, the pool is running thin. Golladay and Doctson were obvious choices, but Hooper doesn’t have the same kind of buzz despite a chance to carve out a role in his second year with the Falcons. Wentz feels like the only true sleeper at QB this season and the signs of life from the Eagles offense have been encouraging.

Inside the Mind

Waiting for a TE cost me, so I had to settle for Doyle. While I think he can be a decent fantasy starter, the questions about Andrew Luck’s return from a shoulder injury remain, namely, when he’ll actually play in a game. TE is clearly a weak spot on my team. 

When the Eagles traded Jordan Matthews, I tried to think outside the box how they could replace his targets. Instead of banking on Nelson Agholor to take Matthews’ entire role, I boosted the catch total for Sproles. LeGarrette Blount may have been brought in to lead the ground game, but I still believe Sproles is the team’s best back. Keeping him involved only helps Wentz.

Rounds 14-16

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C.J. Fiedorowicz

Round 14

1. QB Andy Dalton, CIN
2. RB Wendell Smallwood, PHI
3. RB Matt Forte, NYJ
4. PK Matt Bryant, ATL
5. QB Eli Manning, NYG
6. TE C.J. Fiedorowicz, HOU
7. PK Dan Bailey, DAL
8. WR Tyler Lockett, SEA
9. WR Dede Westbrook, JAC
10. PK Will Lutz, NO
11. RB Jonathan Williams, BUF
12. D/ST Cardinals, ARI

Round 15

1. PK Mason Crosby, GB
2. RB Joe Williams, SF
3. RB Shane Vereen, NYG
4. D/ST Vikings, MIN
5. PK Matt Prater, DET
6. QB Tyrod Taylor, BUF
7. D/ST Ravens, BAL
8. WR Kevin White, CHI
9. WR Mike Williams, LAC
10. PK Cairo Santos, KC
11. D/ST Jaguars, JAC
12. TE Coby Fleener, NO

Round 16 

1. QB Carson Palmer, ARI
2. PK Adam Vinatieri, IND
3. D/ST Eagles, PHI
4. RB Latavius Murray, MIN
5. QB Deshaun Watson, HOU
6. PK Sebastian Janikowski, OAK
7. TE David Njoku, CLE
8. TE Dwayne Allen, NE
9. PK Chris Boswell, PIT
10. D/ST Panthers, CAR
11. PK Caleb Sturgis, PHI
12. QB Joe Flacco, BAL

Winding Down

If you’re not taking your kicker or defense in these final rounds, it’s time to go after a lottery ticket you had saved until now. I’m talking the type of player who has talent but may not have a clear or big role and would need some help to open up more chances. Smallwood, Westbrook and Njoku are the best examples in these final three rounds.

Inside the Mind

Knowing I waited too long for a TE, I don’t feel great about Doyle, especially if he doesn’t have Luck, so I went against my typical philosophy yet again and actually drafted a second TE to be a backup. Fiedorowicz came through when healthy last season despite a bad situation at QB for the Texans. If I have to mix and match with him and Doyle, so be it.

Final Roster

QB: Kirk Cousins

RB: Christian McCaffrey, Leonard Fournette, Mark Ingram, Jamaal Williams, Alvin Kamara, Darren Sproles

WR: Jordy Nelson, Stefon Diggs, Golden Tate, Pierre Garcon, Adam Thielen

TE: Jack Doyle, C.J. Fiedorowicz

D/ST: Ravens

K: Sebastian Janikowski