Fantasy Football Picks 2018: 2-Round Mock Draft and Strategy Breakdown

Prepare to make some changes to your NFL fantasy football draft queue as projections fluctuate day-to-day based on injuries, roster moves and practice reports.

For the most part, the first two rounds feature notable names who should remain within the top 24 selections in point-per-reception leagues. As we inch closer to the regular season, the order may vary depending on preference.

We'll focus on major decisions in the early rounds. Who should be the first wide receiver off the board? Does a tight end belong in the first two rounds? Which quarterback should owners consider in the top 24? 

The mock draft below illustrates a snake format, which means the last pick in the first round has the first selection in the following round. The decisions are made with PPR settings in mind.

2-Round Mock Draft 

Round 1

Team 1: RB Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams

Team 2: RB Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys

Team 3: RB David Johnson, Arizona Cardinals

Team 4: RB Le'Veon Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers

Team 5: RB Melvin Gordon, Los Angeles Chargers

Team 6: RB Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs

Team 7: RB Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

Team 8: RB Saquon Barkley, New York Giants

Team 9: WR DeAndre Hopkins, Houston Texans

Team 10: WR Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers

Team 11: RB Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers

Team 12: WR Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants

Round 2

Team 12: RB Leonard Fournette, Jacksonville Jaguars

Team 11: WR Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons

Team 10: RB Jordan Howard, Chicago Bears

Team 9: RB Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals

Team 8: WR Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints

Team 7: WR Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers

Team 6: WR A.J. Green, Cincinnati Bengals

Team 5: RB Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings

Team 4: TE Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots 

Team 3: WR Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers 

Team 2: QB Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks 

Team 1: RB Devonta Freeman, Atlanta Falcons

Strategy Breakdown

Why Choose DeAndre Hopkins Over Antonio Brown?

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Fantasy football owners may think there's no alternative for Antonio Brown as the No. 1 wide receiver selected on draft day. Let's pump the brakes for a second. The four-time All-Pro finished third in the 2016 campaign and second last year in total points in standard Yahoo leagues. 

While he's a safe pick, managers can roll the dice on another wideout who could top Brown in the upcoming season. DeAndre Hopkins led the position in points last year, and he's primed to do it again. 

Before quarterback Deshaun Watson arrived on the scene in Houston, Hopkins recorded 1,521 yards and 11 touchdowns with a combination of Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallet, T.J. Yates and Brandon Weeden starting at quarterback. 

Once the Texans unleashed Watson, Hopkins saw an immediate spike in touchdowns and led the league with 13 last year. Assuming the second-year signal-caller stays healthy, expect those scoring opportunities to hold.

Brown should finish the season top five in yards, but his touchdown total may take a hit due to second-year wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster's emergence as the Steelers' No. 2 option and rookie second-rounder James Washington, who has looked exceptional in preseason action. 

When considering Le'Veon Bell's proven track record as a receiver out of the backfield, Brown has more viable receivers capable of chipping into his target volume. Only Will Fuller V and running back Lamar Miller pose threats to Hopkins' targets.

Grab Rob Gronkowski Early

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Don't push tight end Rob Gronkowski down the list of must-haves because of his position. The ninth-year veteran should come close to single-season career highs. 

Quarterback Tom Brady hasn't shown significant signs of slowing down despite going into his age-41 season. The offense continues to heavily rely on his arm, and he led the league in pass attempts (581) and yards (4,577) in 2017.

Wideout Julian Edelman will serve a four-game suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy, which may elevate Gronkowski's receiving numbers through September.

Edelman's return shouldn't hurt Gronkowski's value. He's racked up at least 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns in three of the last four seasons.

Pick Up Quarterback Russell Wilson at the End of the 2nd Round 

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Running backs, wide receivers and Gronkowski make sense in the first two rounds. For managers who want to claim a quarterback early, go with Russell Wilson at the end of the second round. 

Most fantasy gurus would recommend waiting until the third or fourth rounds to choose a quarterback, but Wilson could separate himself from the bunch with a big year after leading the league in touchdown passes in 2017.

The Seahawks haven't figured out how to establish the ground attack over the last two seasons, ranking 25th and 23rd in yards in 2016 and 2017, respectively.

Rashaad Penny, the team's rookie first-round running back, broke his index finger during training camp. Even though he's expected to suit up for Week 1, per ESPN.com's Brady Henderson, it's still not ideal for a first-year player to miss time in the offseason. 

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It may take a few weeks for Penny to see significant carries out of the backfield. In the meantime, Wilson may continue to supplement the ground attack. He's logged 500-plus rushing yards in four of his six seasons. 

Even though Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton provides more to his rushing offense than Wilson to Seattle's, the latter has developed into a better passer, throwing for 4,000-plus yards and 34 touchdowns in two of the last three campaigns. Newton hasn't logged a 4,000-yard season since his rookie term and has only eclipsed 25 scores through the air once in seven years.

If you're looking to take the first quarterback off the board, Wilson's passing and rushing numbers look ideal for a late second-round pick.