Fantasy: 12-team mock draft analysis
Fantasy mock drafts have become an important training tool to get you ready for the real thing. Well, as real as fantasy football can get.
At theScore offices, we decided to hold our very own mock draft to help give you a glimpse into the minds of 12 hardcore fantasy football owners... and because it's just generally a fun thing to do.
Along the way, we learned a few valuable lessons, which we will share with you over the next 13 rounds. A few things to keep in mind, don't be afraid to wait on quarterbacks, don't be rattled when the player you wanted gets taken one spot ahead of you, and don't even joke about picking a kicker before the final two rounds.
This is a standard scoring league with the following roster spots: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, DST, K, BN, BN, BN, BN.
Round 1
1. Caitlyn Holroyd - LeSean McCoy, RB, Eagles
2. Mike Dickson - Jamaal Charles, RB, Chiefs
3. Greg Warren - Calvin Johnson, WR, Lions
4. Gino Bottero - Matt Forte, RB, Bears
5. Blake Murphy - Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings
6. Dan Toman - Eddie Lacy, RB, Packers
7. Dan Wilkins - Peyton Manning QB - Broncos
8. Michael Amato - Aaron Rodgers QB, Packers
9. David P. Woods - Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seahawks
10. Josh Gold-Smith - Drew Brees, QB, Saints
11. James Bisson - Jimmy Graham, TE, Saints
12. Justin Boone - Julio Jones, WR, Falcons
Round 1: Watching Peterson fall to fifth was a stunner. Megatron is the league's best receiver and Forte has a chance to play in an offense that could be special this season, but I'm still taking AP over both of them... It was a bit surprising to see three quarterbacks go off the board in the first round, but it's hard to argue with Manning, Rodgers and Brees. They offer the sort of consistency that few players can deliver... Picking last, I decided to put a WR-early strategy into motion taking my second ranked wideout. A healthy Jones is about to light the league on fire.
Round 2
13. Boone - Demaryius Thomas, WR, Broncos
14. Bisson - DeMarco Murray, RB, Cowboys
15. Gold-Smith - Dez Bryant, WR, Cowboys
16. Woods - A.J. Green, WR, Bengals
17. Amato - Montee Ball, RB, Broncos
18. Wilkins - Brandon Marshall, WR, Bears
19. Toman - Matthew Stafford, QB, Lions
20. Murphy - Jordy Nelson, WR, Packers
21. Bottero - Alshon Jeffery, WR, Bears
22. Warren - DeSean Jackson, WR, Redskins
23. Dickson - Arian Foster, RB, Texans
24. Holroyd - Julius Thomas, TE, Broncos
Round 2: Sticking with my plan, I selected my third-ranked receiver in Demaryius Thomas. Having shares in the Broncos prolific offense is never a bad thing... Things got crazy in the middle of the round when Stafford went two rounds above his ADP. The Lions have a plethora of weapons, and Stafford will need a career year to justify that draft slot... Stafford wasn't even the craziest pick of the round. That award belongs to Jackson, who went three rounds above his ADP. I would listen to someone make a case for Jackson, but not over Antonio Brown.
Round 3
25. Holroyd - Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers
26. Dickson - Andrew Luck, QB, Colts
27. Warren - Pierre Garcon, WR, Redskins
28. Bottero - Le'Veon Bell, RB, Steelers
29. Murphy - Rob Gronkowski, TE, Patriots
30. Toman - Zac Stacy, RB, Rams
31. Wilkins - Doug Martin, RB, Buccaneers
32. Amato - Andre Ellington, RB, Cardinals
33. Woods - Giovani Bernard, RB, Bengals
34. Gold-Smith - Alfred Morris, RB, Redskins
35. Bisson - Randall Cobb, WR, Packers
36. Boone - Vincent Jackson, WR, Buccaneers
Round 3: The number of quarterbacks off the board obviously worried some owners, as Luck was claimed two rounds earlier than he would in most drafts. Stafford and Luck round out the top-5 at the position, but you should be able to wait a little while longer to get them in most drafts. Every league is different though, and this is the kind of unpredictability you will need to deal with on draft day... Gronkowski falls to the third round and could be a great value there if he stays healthy... Garcon is the second Redskins receiver taken in the first 27 picks. Keep that in mind as we move forward... I round out my starting receivers with Jackson, who should get improved quarterback play this season.
Round 4
37. Boone - Toby Gerhart, RB, Jaguars
38. Bisson - Victor Cruz, WR, Giants
39. Gold-Smith - Frank Gore, RB, 49ers
40. Woods - Keenan Allen, WR, Chargers
41. Amato - Michael Crabtree, WR, 49ers
42. Wilkins - Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Cardinals
43. Toman - Cordarelle Patterson, WR, Vikings
44. Murphy - Torrey Smith, WR, Ravens
45. Bottero - Andre Johnson, WR, Texans
46. Warren - Reggie Bush, RB, Lions
47. Dickson - Roddy White, WR, Falcons
48. Holroyd - T.Y. Hilton, WR, Colts
Round 4: Gerhart may struggle as a lead back in Jacksonville, but a player with his skills who is guaranteed the vast majority of carries in his backfield is hard to pass up at this point... Is this the year Torrey Smith takes his game to the next level? If you are spending a fourth round pick on him, you better hope so. The same can be said for Patterson, who has loads of potential, yet hasn't put it all together.
Round 5
49. Holroyd - Colin Kaepernick, QB, 49ers
50. Dickson - Michael Floyd, WR, Cardinals
51. Warren - Tom Brady, QB, Patriots
52. Bottero - Percy Harvin, WR, Seahawks
53. Murphy - Wes Welker, WR, Broncos
54. Toman - Vernon Davis, TE, 49ers
55. Wilkins - Bishop Sankey, RB, Titans
56. Amato - Marques Colston, WR, Saints
57. Woods - C.J. Spiller, RB, Bills
58. Gold-Smith - Julian Edelman, WR, Patriots
59. Bisson - Ryan Mathews, RB, Chargers
60. Boone - Jordan Cameron, TE, Browns
Round 5: Kaepernick becomes the latest quarterback taken far too soon. The 49ers are a run-first team, which will prevent their exciting young quarterback from joining the fantasy elite... His teammate Davis is an equally disappointing fifth round pick, with so many players with more value left at his position... Spiller is the first steal of the draft, falling almost 20 spots from his ADP. A healthy Spiller can make noise in Buffalo, but his owners would be wise to handcuff Fred Jackson in the later rounds... With Josh Gordon facing a year-long suspension, Cameron could be one of the few tight ends who leads his team in receiving. I will happily take that chance at the end of the fifth round.
Round 6
61. Boone - Joique Bell, RB, Lions
62. Bisson - Matt Ryan, QB, Falcons
63. Gold-Smith - Kyle Rudolph, TE, Vikings
64. Woods - Jeremy Maclin, WR, Eagles
65. Amato - Mike Wallace, WR, Dolphins
66. Wilkins - Reggie Wayne, WR, Colts
67. Toman - Terrance Williams, WR, Cowboys
68. Murphy - Rashad Jennings, RB, Giants
69. Bottero - Ben Tate, RB, Browns
70. Warren - Chris Johnson, RB, Jets
71. Dickson - Eric Decker, WR, Jets
72. Holroyd - Shane Vereen, RB, Patriots
Round 6: I secured a potential RB2 in Bell, a player the Lions could use as their goal line back. He is also an excellent placeholder as I wait for one of my running back lottery tickets to hit... Rudolph doesn't often go ahead of Jason Witten, but by the end of the season Rudolph will be well worth this pick... Jennings has an ADP that puts him in the late third round, so seeing him still on the board near the end of the sixth represents great value. Jennings is a solid all-around back and rookie Andre Williams isn't quiet ready to steal his job yet.
Round 7
73. Holroyd- Golden Tate, WR, Lions
74. Dickson - Jason Witten, TE, Cowboys
75. Warren - Greg Olsen, TE, Panthers
76. Bottero - Cam Newton, QB, Panthers
77. Murphy - Nick Foles, QB, Eagles
78. Toman - Hakeem Nicks, WR, Colts
79. Wilkins - Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Raiders
80. Amato - Zach Ertz, TE, Eagles
81. Woods - Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Panthers
82. Gold-Smith - Brandin Cooks, WR, Saints
83. Bisson - Jordan Reed, TE, Redskins
84. Boone - Ray Rice, RB, Ravens
Round 7: The Colts plan to spread the ball around, so investing in one of their top three receivers is a smart move. However, Nicks could have been had a few rounds later... Ertz has caught the eye of many, and anyone that was hoping to snag him deeper into the draft was saddened by his selection in the seventh round... Rice was one of the running backs I was considering with my last pick, so seeing him still on the board gives me a rare opportunity to acquire the Ravens backfield back-to-back.
Round 8
85. Boone - Bernard Pierce, RB, Ravens
86. Bisson - Lamar Miller, RB, Dolphins
87. Gold-Smith - Stevan Ridley, RB, Patriots
88. Woods - Jay Cutler, QB, Bears
89. Amato - Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Broncos
90. Wilkins - Martellus Bennett, TE, Bears
91. Toman - Tony Romo, QB, Cowboys
92. Murphy - Terrance West, RB, Browns
93. Bottero - Dennis Pitta, TE, Ravens
94. Warren - Seahawks DST
95. Dickson - 49ers DST
96. Holroyd - Riley Cooper, WR, Eagles
Round 8: In a move that I haven't pulled off in any previous mocks, I get Rice and Pierce on the turn in the seventh and eighth rounds. Pierce will fill in for Rice during his two-game suspension and ideally one will take the lead as the season goes on... It was very sad to see Cutler get snatched up, since he is one of the prime quarterbacks targets this season. With 11 passers already selected, I am confident I can get Robert Griffin III or Russell Wilson with one of my next picks... The Seahawks DST isn't an awful pick this early because of their consistency, but the 49ers aren't a lock to be as dominant as they have been in years past.
Round 9
97. Holroyd - Christine Michael, RB, Seahawks
98. Dickson - Kendall Wright, WR, Titans
99. Warren - Trent Richardson, RB, Colts
100. Bottero - Justin Hunter, WR, Titans
101. Murphy - Cecil Shorts, WR, Jaguars
102. Toman - Shonn Greene, RB, Titans
103. Wilkins - Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers
104. Amato - Broncos DST
105. Woods - Ladarius Green, TE, Chargers
106. Gold-Smith - Sammy Watkins, WR, Bills
107. Bisson - DeAngelo Williams, RB, Panthers
108. Boone - Robert Griffin III, QB, Redskins
Round 9: Wright had 94 receptions and 1,079 yards last year. Sure he only had two touchdowns, but aren't you willing to roll the dice on a player like that in the ninth round?... Sticking with the Titans, if you aren't a Bishop Sankey believer, then Greene makes a great gamble later in the draft. He could split carries and get the goal line work over the rookie... Much like Rudolph and Ertz, another sleeper tight end Ladarius Green sees his stock rise a few rounds and for good reason... Regardless of his quarterback situation, Watkins will be worth more than a ninth round pick... Just as predicted, RG3 falls to me at the end of the ninth round.
Round 10
109. Boone - Carlos Hyde, RB, 49ers
110. Bisson - Markus Wheaton, WR, Steelers
111. Gold-Smith - Dwayne Allen, TE, Colts
112. Woods - Andre Williams, RB, Giants
113. Amato - Pierre Thomas, RB, Saints
114. Wilkins - Rams DST
115. Toman - Steve Smith, WR, Ravens
116. Murphy - Panthers DST
117. Bottero - Fred Jackson, RB, Bills
118. Warren - Brian Hartline, WR, Dolphins
119. Dickson - Steven Jackson, RB, Falcons
120. Holroyd - Charles Clay, TE, Dolphins
Round 10: Much to the chagrin of fellow drafter and long-time 49ers fan, James Bisson, I grab one of my favorite running back lottery tickets in Hyde. Frank Gore will break down someday and I'm willing to bet a 10th round pick it's this year... Veteran backs Fred and Steven Jackson aren't the most exciting names to highlight on draft day, but they are both great choices at this stage.
Round 11
121. Holroyd - Bengals DST
122. Dickson - Philip Rivers, QB, Chargers
123. Warren - Andy Dalton, QB, Bengals
124. Bottero - Rueben Randle, WR, Giants
125. Murphy - DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Texans
126. Toman - Ravens DST
127. Wilkins - Jordan Matthews, WR, Eagles
128. Amato - Eric Ebron, TE, Lions
129. Woods - Devonte Freeman, RB, Falcons
130. Gold-Smith - Patriots, DST
131. Bisson - Knowshon Moreno, RB, Dolphins
132. Boone - Josh Gordon, WR, Browns
Round 11: Randle hasn't generated the preseason hype you would hope, but he should be the Giants best red zone weapon outside of Cruz... Matthews is in an excellent situation in Chip Kelly's creative offense, playing behind two injury-prone receivers... Spending an 11th round pick on Gordon may be a waste, but if the ruling on his potential suspension hasn't come down before your draft, take him over a kicker and adjust your lineup before Week 1.
Round 12
133. Boone - Kenny Britt, WR, Rams
134. Bisson - Cardinals DST
135. Gold-Smith - Matt Prater, K, Broncos
136. Woods - Texans DST
137. Amato - Donald Brown, RB, Chargers
138. Wilkins - Darren McFadden, RB, Raiders
139. Toman - Stephen Gostkowski, K, Patriots
140. Murphy - Jeremy Hill, RB, Bengals
141. Bottero - Steven Hauschka, K, Seahawks
142. Warren - Greg Zuerlein, K, Rams
143. Dickson - Heath Miller, TE, Steelers
144. Holroyd - Justin Tucker, K, Ravens
Round 12: If Gordon doesn't work out, Britt represents a nice fallback option. He will likely be the top option for Sam Bradford and is still young at 26 years old... One little shoulder injury and the Jeremy Hill bandwagon crashed. He should be taken before the 12th round... if you think you are taking a kicker that will give you an advantage, you can do so in the second-to-last round. I would still advise waiting or not even drafting a kicker and then dropping your worst player before Week 1.
Round 13
145. Holroyd - Mark Ingram, RB, Saints
146. Dickson - Mason Crosby, K, Packers
147. Warren - Tyler Eifert, TE Bengals
148. Bottero - Chiefs DST
149. Murphy - Robbie Gould, K, Bears
150. Toman - Darren Sproles, RB, Eagles
151. Wilkins - Phil Dawson, K, 49ers
152. Amato - Dan Bailey, K, Cowboys
153. Woods - Matt Bryant, K, Falcons
154. Gold-Smith - Danny Woodhead, RB, Chargers
155. Bisson - Blair Walsh, K, Vikings
156. Boone - Saints DST
Round 13: Ingram has looked good this preseason and if the Saints let him, he could be fantasy relevant this year. It's more likely that the club continues with their RBBC approach... Sproles appears to be the back to own behind McCoy in Philadelphia. When McCoy left Thursday's game with a thumb injury, Sproles took over and even got a goal line carry.
Notable Undrafted Players
Dwayne Bowe, WR, Chiefs
Anquan Boldin, WR, 49ers
Khiry Robinson, RB, Saints
LeGarrette Blount, RB, Steelers
Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, Colts
Jonathan Stewart, RB, Panthers