Fantasy Football 2019: Early Mock Draft Heading into Training Camp

Great news, NFL fans! Training-camp season is upon us, which means the preseason—and shortly after that, the regular season—is on the horizon. For most football fans, this means their favorite teams are closer to being ready for meaningful game action.

For fantasy football enthusiasts, however, the arrival of training camps means we're one step closer to learning which players are set to see starting or significant roles.

Camp battles can go a long way toward helping you win the middle rounds of your fantasy draft. After all, players who emerge as draft sleepers and steals are often those who aren't viewed as every-down guys before the start of camp.

Here, we'll examine some potential 2019 fantasy football sleepers, along with a four-round mock draft.

This is a 12-team points-per-reception draft that includes all players currently on an NFL roster.

2019 NFL Fantasy Mock Draft

1.01 Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

1.02 Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys

1.03 Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers

1.04 Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints

1.05 DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans

1.06 David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals

1.07 Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons

1.08 Melvin Gordon, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

1.09 Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers

1.10 Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans Saints

1.11 Le'Veon Bell, RB, New York Jets

1.12 Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns

2.01 Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

2.02 Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns

2.03 JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

2.04 Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

2.05 Todd Gurley, RB, Los Angeles Rams

2.06 James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

2.07 Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings

2.08 Antonio Brown, WR, Oakland Raiders

2.09 Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

2.10 Damien Williams, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

2.11 Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2.12 George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

3.01 Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia Eagles

3.02 Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

3.03 O.J. Howard, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

3.04 Amari Cooper, WR, Dallas Cowboys

3.05 Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings

3.06 A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals

3.07 T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts

3.08 Stefon Diggs, WR, Minnesota Vikings

3.10 Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta Falcons

3.11 Robert Woods, WR, Los Angeles Rams

3.12 Josh Jacobs, RB, Oakland Raiders

4.01 Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

4.02 Leonard Fournette, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars

4.03 Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams

4.04 Deshaun Watson, QB, Houston Texans

4.05 Kerryon Johnson, RB, Detroit Lions

4.06 Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans

4.07 Kenny Golladay, WR, Detroit Lions

4.08 Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts

4.09 Marlon Mack, RB, Indianapolis Colts

4.10 Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots

4.11 Calvin Ridley, WR, Atlanta Falcons

4.12 Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks

Potential 2019 NFL Fantasy Sleepers

RB Rashaad Penny, Seattle Seahawks

Elaine Thompson/Associated Press

Heading into training camp, Seattle Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny is likely second on the depth chart behind 2018 starter Chris Carson. There's good reason for this, as Carson rumbled for 1,151 yards rushing and nine touchdowns last season, while Penny struggled to even get on the field early. 

However, Penny did have himself a breakout game against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 10, in which he racked up 108 yards rushing and a touchdown. He finished the season with 419 yards on the ground, 75 receiving yards, two touchdowns and an impressive 4.9 yards-per-carry average.

Past production, though, isn't why Penny is a sleeper this year. It's the reality that he is a former first-round pick the Seahawks expect to become a special back. He'll be given every chance to take the starting job from Carson in training camp, and if he does, fantasy owners who draft him could be richly rewarded.

What further makes the 23-year-old an enticing option is the fact former No. 2 back Mike Davis is now a member of the Chicago Bears. He was responsible for 514 yards rushing, 34 receptions, 214 yards receiving and five total touchdowns—production that may now end up on Penny's stat sheet.

Consider Penny a mid-round target with the floor of a weekly flex option and the ceiling of Seattle's new No. 1 runner.

WR Geronimo Allison, Green Bay Packers

Morry Gash/Associated Press

Though the Green Bay Packers had a less-than-desirable season in 2018, quarterback Aaron Rodgers remains one of the league's top passers. This is why No. 1 wideout Davante Adams is trending as a first-round fantasy selection.

The question for fantasy owners is which Packers receiver will emerge as the clear No. 2 target in training camp. There are several candidates, including Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Equanimeous St. Brown, Geronimo Allison and Jake Kumerow.

Valdes-Scantling, who amassed 581 yards, was often Rodgers' No. 2 target in 2018. However, there's reason to believe Allison could emerge as the No. 2 receiver—or, at least as the 2B—in Matt LaFleur's offense.

Adams recently lauded Allison's offseason efforts and his potential role for the coming season.

"I think Matt has really tested him or challenged him to widen it out so he can play multiple spots," Adams said, via the team's official website."...Him being able to move around right now and be healthy, be himself and just play, being able to have all those things, it's going to be dangerous."

Allison should be considered a mid-round target with legitimate WR3 upside.

TE David Njoku, Cleveland Browns

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Plenty has been made this offseason about the Cleveland Browns and the addition of wideout Odell Beckham Jr.

His addition should help quarterback Baker Mayfield take another step toward becoming an elite fantasy passer, but he isn't the only Browns player set to benefit.

Running back Nick Chubb, for example, won't see as many loaded boxes with guys like Beckham, Jarvis Landry and Antonio Callaway stretching the field. Similarly, tight end David Njoku should see plenty of one-on-one matchups underneath in 2019.

Njoku already had a bit of a coming-out party last season. He finished with 56 receptions, 639 yards and four touchdowns. He should see even better numbers this year as Mayfield's safety valve underneath and as a premier red-zone target.

The 23-year-old finished eighth among tight ends in both receptions and yards. He has the potential to crack the top five this season, though he may actually be drafted lower due to the number of other options on Cleveland's roster.

You can probably land Njoku in the middle rounds after tight ends such as Evan Engram, Kyle Rudolph and Jimmy Graham—and he may be a more reliable weekly starter than any of them.