Fantasy: 10-team mock draft

The only thing more fun than a fantasy draft is a fantasy mock draft, which gives owners a chance to test their skills and strategies against human competition.

Last week, theScore staff participated in a 10-team, 15-round mock to help provide a glimpse at what your drafts might look like and to give some insight on what to watch for in each round.

This is a standard (non-PPR) scoring league with the following roster spots: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, FLEX, DEF, K, BN, BN, BN, BN, BN.

Draft Participants: Justin Boone, Esten McLaren, Josh Wegman, Josh Ghatak, Andrew Joe Potter, James Bisson, Jason Wilson, Ken Conrad, David Chernish, David P. Woods.

Round 1

Round 1: Peterson went a little higher than you'll likely see him go in most drafts, but outside of that, it was a fairly standard opening round ... While it may seem weird to have a WR going off the board first overall, Brown deserves the honor this season.

Round 2

Round 2: You want to take as few risks as possible in the first couple rounds, so a pick like Freeman could be a dangerous one. The Falcons have suggested they plan to reduce his workload with Tevin Coleman taking on a bigger role ... Elliott lasted until the second round here, but he'll likely be a first-round pick come August as the hype around him grows.

Round 3

Round 3: After his outstanding 2015 campaign, Newton is worthy of being the first QB selected, but in a 10-team league, the third round is extremely early to grab a passer. At this point in the draft, you should still be loading up on starting RBs and WRs. There's great value at quarterback in the later rounds ... If Ryan Fitzpatrick re-signs with the Jets, Marshall could be a steal in the third round. He finished third among fantasy wideouts last year.

Round 4

Round 4: Rawls and Watkins head into the year surrounded by uncertainty due to their injuries. Being able to properly diagnose a player's recovery can be one of the best ways to find value in drafts. If Rawls and Watkins are healthy early in the season, they could win your league as fourth-round picks ... Taking Maclin at the end of the round allowed me to solidify my receiving corps early before the drop-off at the position happens in the next couple rounds.

Round 5

Round 5: Normally you can wait on TE, but with no values available at running back, I chose to lock down an elite player at the position. Despite his lengthy and serious injury history, Reed is the clear No. 2 fantasy tight end in my rankings, in a tier by himself below Gronk, but above everyone else ... DeMarco Murray will struggle to return value as the RB16 in this draft. Murray didn't look good a year ago and will share his workload with rookie Derrick Henry. I would much rather have one of the other backs taken after him in this round.

Round 6

Round 6: This round was full of upside, with several players who could outproduce their draft slots, like Ajayi, Floyd, Mathews, Fitzgerald, Moncrief, and Dion Lewis ... This is the point where the fantasy value at WR falls off dramatically. Floyd, Fitzgerald, and Moncrief are solid options, but there aren't many safe picks among the remaining pass catchers after they go off the board.

Round 7

Round 7: The combination of Lewis and Jones at the six-seven turn is exactly why fantasy owners should be going WR-heavy early in the draft. Jones faces little competition for carries in Washington, and has high-end RB2 upside if he corrects the fumbling problems that plagued him in his rookie season ... This still seems early to look at QB, but Wilson is worth considering since he will almost certainly finish in the top five for a third straight year.

Round 8

Round 8: During a forgettable 2015 campaign for fantasy running backs, Woodhead finished as the RB10 in standard leagues. He may not match that this season, but getting him anywhere outside the top 25 running backs is a steal ... White is a complete wild card heading into his second season. It's possible he makes an immediate impact coming off his lost rookie season, but it's tough to make a case for him over players like Parker or Lockett.

Round 9

Round 9: Palmer has a good chance to finish among the top five quarterbacks again, which could make him a league-winner as a ninth-round pick ... Brady is just as intriguing as Palmer, but his four-game suspension will force Team Wegman to draft a second quarterback ... Fleener is one of my favorite targets at TE. Drew Brees makes stars out his tight ends and Fleener has enough talent to be the latest success story ... Very odd to see Kendall Wright go in the ninth round. If I was ranking Titans receivers, I'd rather have both Dorial Green-Beckham and Rishard Matthews over Wright.

Round 10

Round 10: Baltimore dominated this round, with four Ravens being taken. Forsett and Dixon are being drafted close to each other, but Forsett was playing well before his injury last year and will get the first chance at starting duties when camp opens ... Some interesting high-upside receivers went off the board in the 10th, including Aiken, Snead, and Torrey Smith.

Round 11

Round 11: The first defense goes off the board in the 11th round. It's early, but I'm not against jumping on a defense at this point if you feel extremely confident in them. It is a questionable move for Team Ghatak, however, since they only took three running backs in the first 10 rounds ... Yeldon and Henry will have to fight for touches on their respective teams, but an injury to their competition could turn either into fantasy stars.

Round 12

Round 12: Team Wegman let himself be seduced into taking a kicker before the final two rounds. The staff around the office will definitely help remind him not to make that mistake again ... Manning is another great value at quarterback, as a player with a late ADP and top-five upside thanks to Odell Beckham ... Team McLaren took a chance on Gordon being reinstated before the season. It's a risky move, especially for a team that only has two running backs on their roster up to this point.

Round 13

Round 13: I was very happy to fill out my RB depth with DeAngelo Williams and Washington at the 12-13 turn. Williams showed last year that he's an instant RB1 if Le'Veon Bell goes down, while Washington has received a ton of praise from the Raiders' coaching staff and might challenge Latavius Murray for touches behind one of the best offensive lines in the league ... This is a smart time to consider grabbing a defense in order to beat the rush in the final two rounds. The Cardinals' D could join the elite this season.

Round 14

Round 14: In a round loaded with defenses, I was happy to see the Vikings' D fall to me. Few defenses boast the skill Minnesota has at each level. ... In a 10-team league there is still talent to be mined in the late rounds, which is clear when someone like Sims is still available. The Bucs' backup ended last season as the 22nd running back in standard leagues and is a Doug Martin injury away from being a possible RB1.

Round 15

Round 15: The final round is filled with kickers, as it should be. When deciding on a kicker, you’re aiming for a team that will have a high-scoring offense, but you should also pick a player on a team you’ll want to watch. There’s nothing worse than being forced to sit through a bad game right till the end because your kicker is involved.