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2019 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Overall Drafting Strategy and Cheat Sheet
August 25, 2019
Typically, teams use Week 3 of the preseason as a simulation of a regular-season game. Starters take a significant number of snaps to knock off the rust before wins and losses count. As a result, it's common for fantasy football commissioners to wait until after that dress rehearsal contest to conduct drafts, which would help managers to avoid potential injuries to key players.
With all but one Week 3 preseason contest in the books, we will take a look at an abbreviated three-round mock draft through the scope of a 10-team point-per-reception league.
In addition to a realistic mock, take a look at a few draft tips that will point you in the direction of fantasy football dominance. Which running back with an average draft position in the third round deserves top-10 pick consideration? Are experts too high on another starting running back?
Let's start with the three-round PPR mock draft.
3-Round Mock Draft
Round 1
Team 1: RB Saquon Barkley, NYG
Team 2: RB Alvin Kamara, NOR
Team 3: RB Le'Veon Bell, NYJ
Team 4: RB Christian McCaffrey, CAR
Team 5: RB Ezekiel Elliott, DAL
Team 6: RB James Conner, PIT
Team 7: WR DeAndre Hopkins, HOU
Team 8: WR Michael Thomas, NOR
Team 9: WR Julio Jones, ATL
Team 10: RB Chris Carson, SEA
Round 2
Team 10: WR Tyreek Hill, KC
Team 9: RB Dalvin Cook, MIN
Team 8: RB Joe Mixon, CIN
Team 7: RB David Johnson, ARZ
Team 6: WR Odell Beckham Jr., CLE
Team 5: WR Antonio Brown, OAK
Team 4: WR Davante Adams, GB
Team 3: RB Nick Chubb, CLE
Team 2: RB Todd Gurley, LAR
Team 1: WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, PIT
Round 3
Team 1: RB Damien Williams, KC
Team 2: WR Mike Evans, TB
Team 3: TE Travis Kelce, KC
Team 4: RB Devonta Freeman, ATL
Team 5: RB Kerryon Johnson, DET
Team 6: RB Josh Jacobs, OAK
Team 7: RB Mark Ingram, BAL
Team 8: RB Duke Johnson, HOU
Team 9: RB Aaron Jones, GB
Team 10: QB Patrick Mahomes, KC
Heighten Expectations for Chris Carson
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson will work with limited weapons on the perimeter. Wideout Doug Baldwin's apparent retirement leaves Tyler Lockett as the top playmaker at the position, and he's coming off his first season as a full-time starter.
The Seahawks don't expect DK Metcalf to miss extended time after undergoing knee surgery, but he must put his growing on-field rapport with Wilson on pause. According to Joe Fann of NBCS Northwest, wideout David Moore will sit out for an indefinite period with a shoulder injury:
Seattle may have to rely heavily on the ground game until the passing attack finds its groove. That's good news for running back Chris Carson, who was featured in the team's No. 1 rushing offense last year. He listed fifth leaguewide in yards (1,151) in 2018.
The Seahawks allowed Mike Davis to walk in free agency, and Rashaad Penny remains unproven as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. He logged just nine receptions for 75 yards during his rookie campaign. Offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer wants to see Carson involved in the passing game:
Furthermore, because of lackluster preseason performances, Fann sees a widening gap between Carson and Penny. "...I'm seeing a guy fall further behind Chris Carson, who has established himself as Seattle's clear No. 1 option," he wrote.
All signs point to Carson maintaining his stronghold on the lion's share of the rushing workload and adding a receiving component to his fantasy resume. He has a 3.09 average draft position, but managers can feel comfortable with him at the end of the first round.
Don't Go All-In on Nick Chubb
Cleveland Browns running back coach Stump Mitchell made comments that added some intrigue to Nick Chubb's fantasy outlook, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
"I think he's going to be special like he was last year," Mitchell said. "He'll be used a little more in the passing game than he was last year. Nick just continues to improve on the skillset that he has, and I think he has a fantastic skillset."
In addition to running back Duke Johnson's departure, Chubb seems like he could creep into the first round in some leagues. Unlike last year when he took a backseat to Carlos Hyde through Week 6, the Georgia product will open the 2019 campaign as the lead ball-carrier with opportunities to tack on receptions in the aerial attack.
Nonetheless, managers should consider running back Kareem Hunt a wild-card variable in the Browns offense. Just two years ago, he logged 1,782 yards and 11 touchdowns from scrimmage with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Once Hunt returns from an eight-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy, which stems from shoving and kicking a woman at a Cleveland hotel, he could take a decent number of touches from Chubb.
Ideally, you want less uncertainty surrounding picks in the first and second rounds. Managers who take Chubb as a foundational asset on their roster should proceed knowing his second-half production may taper off.
Don't Pass on a Stack with Patrick Mahomes
In fantasy football terms, stacking refers to drafting a quarterback and a running back, wide receiver or tight end on the same team. It's a risky strategy that can pay off with an explosive passing offense.
In 2018, the Chiefs finished with the No. 1 scoring offense, quarterback Patrick Mahomes threw for 5,097 yards, 50 touchdowns and just 12 interceptions. His top two pass-catchers, wideout Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce, each logged at least 1,300 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.
Mahomes won't have Hunt in the backfield for 11 games like the past season, but Damien Williams proved he's a dual-threat asset as well. He logged 397 yards and six touchdowns from scrimmage in the past five games of the 2018 campaign.
In most leagues, Mahomes will be one of the top two quarterbacks to come off the board. If you select Hill, Kelce or Williams, as Team 10 did above, draft the Chiefs quarterback for a strong stack.
Mahomes' growing connection with his pass-catchers should yield high fantasy point totals on both ends. As the lead wide receiver and one of the top pass-catching tight ends in the league, Hill and Kelce will have productive seasons if they stay healthy.
During the weeks when Kansas City's offense threatens to score 35-plus points, a roster with Mahomes and one of his pass-catchers would be hard to beat.