Fantasy Football 2021: 1st-Round Mock Draft, Team Names and Sleepers

The start of the 2021 NFL season is one week away. Next Thursday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys will be hitting the field and another year of football will begin.

So, if you haven't had your fantasy football draft, there isn't much time left. But this weekend could be an opportune time to hold it, considering the preseason is over and it's clear which players may have injury concerns heading into the start of the season.

If your league hasn't staged its draft yet, it's not too late for some last-minute preparation. And we're here to help.

Here's a look at a first-round mock, per the FantasyPros Mock Draft simulator, some team names to consider and several sleepers to keep an eye on in the later rounds of your draft.

1st-Round Mock Draft

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1. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers

2. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints

3. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings

4. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans

5. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys

6. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers

7. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns

8. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

9. Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

10. Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers

11. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

12. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

Team Names to Consider

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Home Sweet Mahomes

Run CMC

Hot Chubb Time Machine

Lights, Kamara, Action

Mr. Rodgers' Neighborhood

Cobra Kyler

Hurts So Good

Dak to the Future

Can't Stop the Thielen

Fantasy Football Team

Fresh Prince of Helaire

Jake Fromm State Farm

Fant Touch This

Pop Lockett Drop It

Catalina Wine Mixon

Jamaal Williams, RB, Detroit Lions

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The popular Detroit Lions running back to take in fantasy drafts this year is D'Andre Swift, who could be poised for a breakout season. However, Jamaal Williams is getting passed over when there's a strong chance he'll contribute to the offense, too, especially early in the year.

Swift, 22, missed substantial time during training camp due to a groin injury, which also caused him to miss all three of the Lions' preseason games. That's a cause for worry not only for fantasy managers but also for Detroit first-year head coach Dan Campbell.

"Swift concerns me a little bit, just with getting his wind back and being able to take a load, how much can he, where he's at," Campbell said last week, per ESPN's Eric Woodyard.

Even if Swift is healthy, Williams is likely to contribute; if Swift misses time, then Williams should be in line for a big workload to open the season. And when the 26-year-old got brief opportunities over his first four seasons with the Green Bay Packers, he showcased his potential in flashes.

Considering Williams' average draft position in points-per-reception leagues isn't until late in the eighth round, per Fantasy Football Calculator, he's a great option to have on your bench or to fill your flex spot in a pinch.

Phillip Lindsay, RB, Houston Texans

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It's been difficult to figure out how the Texans are going to split up carries out of their backfield in 2021. Phillip Lindsay, David Johnson and Mark Ingram II are all viable options, while even Rex Burkhead is a solid choice to get some touches.

That makes any Houston running back a risky pick in fantasy drafts. With Lindsay, though, that high risk could lead to a high reward. And if not early in the season, potentially later in the year.

Of the Texans' crowded backfield mix, the Colorado product seems to have the most breakout potential. He's still only 27 (the other three are 29 or older), and if he gets off to a strong start and can stay healthy, he could have an impressive season.

Lindsay eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in each of his first two seasons with the Denver Broncos, but injuries limited him to 11 games in 2020, when he had only 530 total yards. But don't be surprised if he gets back to producing at a higher level in 2021.

With an ADP late in the ninth round in PPR leagues (per Fantasy Football Calculator), Lindsay is another great option for RB depth early in the year who could provide a midseason boost later on.

Jakobi Meyers, WR, New England Patriots

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Perhaps you're a bit hesitant to draft Jakobi Meyers, and that would make sense, considering he's never scored a touchdown in 29 games over two NFL seasons. But the New England Patriots' offense is on the rise, so he could build off his experience and have a breakout showing in 2021.

Last year, New England didn't have much of a passing attack. Yet, the 24-year-old still had 59 receptions for a team-high 729 yards in 14 games. He wasn't relevant in fantasy because he didn't get into the end zone, but it's still impressive considering how much the Pats' offense struggled.

Rookie quarterback Mac Jones is taking over now, which should give the team a much-needed boost. And the Patriots have several solid receivers (such as Meyers, Nelson Agholor and Kendrick Bourne), but there's no clear No. 1 target.

That leaves plenty of opportunity for the North Carolina State product to step up and become a breakout playmaker while catching passes from Jones.

Meyers' ADP in PPR leagues is late in the 10th round, per Fantasy Football Calculator, making him a great WR to have on your bench who could work his way into a starting spot in your lineup.