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Fantasy Football 2019: Latest Mock Draft Strategy and Funny Team Names
August 30, 2019
Now that the 2019 NFL preseason has officially reached its conclusion, it's time for most fantasy leagues to conduct their drafts.
Sure, many leagues have drafted already, but waiting until after the fourth preseason game is ideal. By now, it's clearer which players are likely to make rosters and which ones may not even suit up for the beginning of the regular season.
Two weeks ago, you may have targeted the Indianapolis Colts quarterback for your fantasy team. Oops.
With all four preseason weeks in the rearview, let's take a look at an updated mock draft, some helpful tips for draft day, and some funny team-name suggestions to add some fun—and a few chuckles—to your fantasy team.
2019 Mock Draft, Round 1 PPR
1.01: Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
1.02: Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers
1.03: Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
1.04: DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans
1.05: Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers
1.06: Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns
1.07: Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
1.08: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys
1.09: James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
1.10: Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons
1.11: Le'Veon Bell, RB, New York Jets
1.12: Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs
Beware of Players Holding Out
Week 1 of the regular season kicks off in less than a week. Some top fantasy players aren't going to be on the field for it, and you need to be wary of them. The two main players in this category are Ezekiel Elliott and Melvin Gordon, both of whom are holding out for new contracts.
Though the Dallas Cowboys have held out hope that a deal with Elliott would get done before the start of the season, they now appear resigned to the fact he won't be in uniform next weekend.
If you're willing to gamble on Elliott in Round 1, that's fine. He'll likely return to the team at some point because holding out for the entire season won't get him any closer to free agency. Just know that while you may have him for a playoff push, you won't have him to start the year.
Gordon, on the other hand, should be avoided anywhere early in the draft. The Los Angeles Chargers aren't close to getting a deal done, and they don't necessarily need him to operate their offense.
With Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson on the roster, the Chargers may not have a significant role for Gordon if he does eventually give in and return.
Eric Williams @eric_d_williamsTom Telesco on Melvin Gordon holdout: "I'm disappointed it has lasted this long. I pride myself in having solutions to problems, and I haven't solved this one yet. We know what he means to our team, and even bigger than that what he means to our organization (Continued)
Target Every-Down Backs as Often as Possible
Elliott is a prime example of the kind of back you want to target early in drafts. You're looking for backs who will be on the field for all three downs, or at least close to it. Because the Chargers have Ekeler and Jackson, this probably won't be Gordon even when/if he does return.
There are plenty of other every-down backs you can target, though.
Saquon Barkley and Christian McCaffrey are obvious targets early in Round 1. However, guys like Nick Chubb, Joe Mixon and even David Johnson are viable first-round targets because of their projected workload.
Looking past the first round, consider players like Oakland Raiders rookie Josh Jacobs and Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook. These are players who are in line for significant workloads in 2019, and they should carry added value in points-per-reception (PPR) formats.
Don't Draft a Quarterback Too High
Your early rounds should be spent focusing on starting running backs and premier wide receivers. Top tight ends like Travis Kelce and George Kittle also fall into the early-round picture. You should not, however, spend too much time thinking about quarterbacks inside of the first five or six rounds of your draft.
Sure, it'll be tempting to go after Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his 50-touchdown potential. However, there will be viable starters available much, much later in the draft.
Consider Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, for example. He actually led the NFL with 5,129 yards passing last season and had 34 touchdowns. Those are elite fantasy numbers.
His current average draft position (ADP) is just 113.1, according to Yahoo Fantasy. This means you should be able to land him in Round 8 or 9 with little trouble.
Is it really worth passing on a premier running back or receiver for Mahomes when a guy like Roethlisberger is available several rounds later? Probably not. Fill out the rest of your starting lineup first, then turn your attention to quarterback.
2019 Fantasy Team Names
Country Roads, Take Mahomes
All I Want is JuJu
Hooked on a Thielen
Baker, Baker One Nine
Hot Chubb Time Machine
There Can Be Only Saquon
That's Amari!
For Whom Odell Tolls
Chubbthumper
The Jameis Gang
Return of the Mack
Saquon is the Loneliest Number
Oh Henry!
Roethlisbergers in Paradise
Keenan on ah Come Up
Davante's Inferno
Kamara Chameleon
The Brady Bunch
Stairway to Evans
Mixon Cocktails
Kyler Instinct
Fournetter or Worse
Still can't figure out your fantasy football lineup for the week? Check out Your Fantasy Fire Drill with Matt Camp, where he answers your questions live. Submit your questions and and tune in every Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET, only on the B/R app.