Fantasy: 10-team mock draft with analysis after every round

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theScore staff took part in a 10-team, 12-round mock to offer some insight on what to watch for in each round.

This is a PPR (point per reception) scoring league with the following roster spots: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, FLEX, BN, BN, BN, BN. We omitted defenders and kickers, as they normally get selected in the final two rounds.

Draft participants: Justin Boone, Gino Bottero, Caitlyn Holroyd, Jack Browne, Daniel Valente, Matt Washington, Caio Miari, Alex Moretto, Taylor Rohaly, Ian Dalley.

Round 1

Round 1: The first round wasn't just dominated by running backs - it was completely consumed by them. All 10 picks went to the position, as managers scrambled to get an RB1 before the well ran dry in the early rounds. While you can nitpick the order they came off the board, every player in this round has top-five upside. The only back inside my top 10 that didn't appear here is Cam Akers.

Round 2

Round 2: Anyone questioning whether a tight end deserves to be selected this early needs to remember Travis Kelce was a cheat code in fantasy last season. In addition to finishing as the No. 1 tight end for the fifth straight year, Kelce averaged nearly 10 points per game more than the TE3. His 20.9 points per game would have made him the WR3 in 2020.

After being surprised Akers wasn't one of the running backs taken in the opening round, I was ecstatic to see him fall to me at the end of the second. The Rams continue to talk about the former second-rounder as an every-down option, which is a rare commodity these days. And that's exactly how they deployed him over the final month - he saw at least 22 touches in three of his last four outings.

Round 3

Round 3: Darren Waller was the only tight end who came anywhere near Kelce's production last season and he warrants consideration as a third-round pick (maybe even second) this year. Waller also averaged top-10 WR numbers for fantasy, and as the unchallenged top receiving weapon in the Raiders' offense, the 28-year-old is headed for another monster campaign. He gets the slight nod over George Kittle, who's dealing with target competition, injury history, and a potential run-heavy offense once rookie quarterback Trey Lance gets under center. Regardless, investing in one of the elite tight ends is something I'm trying to do in as many drafts as possible this season.

Round 4

Round 4: With two strong running backs and a difference-making tight end already on the roster, my focus shifted to backfilling at receiver. Fortunately, there's plenty of talent left in Round 4 and beyond - when the other two positions fall off a cliff. D.J. Moore is a 24-year-old wideout who's accumulated 153 receptions, 2,368 yards, and eight touchdowns over the last two seasons while playing with average passers. Even if Sam Darnold doesn't pan out in Carolina, Moore will be fine.

Round 5

Round 5: This is your annual reminder to wait on a quarterback. With so many quality options available, there's no value in taking Patrick Mahomes before the fifth round in a 10-team league.

Kyle Pitts will be one of the most intriguing players in fantasy this season. Though rookie tight ends rarely deliver in their debut season, the 20-year-old is the best prospect we've ever seen at the position and will be asked to help fill the void left by Julio Jones in Atlanta. He's a risky pick in redraft leagues, with a massive ceiling that could put him in the elite fantasy tight end conversation but a low floor that could leave us looking foolish for passing on other talents in this range at running back and receiver. Even so, I'm in on Pitts breaking the mold as a top-five tight end right out of the gate.

Round 6

Round 6: Over the last three rounds, my receiving corps had come together with Moore, Ja'Marr Chase, and now Kenny Golladay. Like Pitts, Chase is a special prospect with the potential to make an immediate impact on fantasy lineups. Paired with his college quarterback Joe Burrow, he's a high-upside WR2 as a rookie. Meanwhile, Golladay joins a Giants offense in need of a strong No. 1 option on the outside. Target competition could lower his ceiling, but he's just one season removed from back-to-back 1,000-yard efforts with the Lions - including a 65-catch, 1,190-yard, 11-touchdown campaign in 2019.

Round 7

Round 7: Concerns about Travis Etienne's usage have pushed his redraft ADP down in recent weeks, but I'm willing to take my chances on a home run hitting, first-round ball carrier carving out a big role in the Jaguars' attack. Urban Meyer's insistence on having Etienne spend time practicing with the receiving corps will only increase his value in PPR formats.

You could make a pretty good argument for any of Josh Allen, Kyler Murray, Dak Prescott, or Lamar Jackson being the second-best fantasy quarterback this year. Waiting and taking whoever falls is a smart move.

Round 8

Round 8: We don't have a clear picture of what the new offense in Jacksonville will look like under Meyer and offensive coordinator Darrel Bevell. That makes it hard to project D.J. Chark and Laviska Shenault. Both could emerge as stars if Trevor Lawrence delivers on the hype, but deciding which one will lead this receiving corps isn't as simple. Chark has a 1,000-yard season on his NFL resume already, while Shenault is a breakout candidate who flashed as a rookie and wowed beat writers during recent OTA practices. They're both excellent upside picks in this area of the draft.

Round 9

Round 9: My plan to find value at receiver in the middle rounds continued to pay dividends as I secured rookie DeVonta Smith in the ninth. Despite his size concerns, Smith should get every opportunity for volume in an unproven Eagles receiver room.

Team Washington was also chasing rookie upside. After selecting Pitts and Javonte Williams earlier, he went with Elijah Moore - the best player at Jets minicamp, according to many beat writers. Taking so many chances on rookies can be dangerous, but that risk is mitigated in the middle rounds.

Round 10

Round 10: Even this far into the draft, there were still receivers who could be full-time fantasy starters in 2020. Michael Pittman has a chance to step up as Carson Wentz's top target, Mike Williams is generating buzz due to his expanded role in the new offense, Jaylen Waddle was the sixth overall pick in April, and Antonio Brown averaged the 27th-most fantasy points among wideouts in the second half of the season.

Round 11

Round 11: We finally got some positive news about MeCole Hardman, with The Athletic's Nate Taylor identifying the former second-rounder as the favorite to be the WR2 in Kansas City this year. Though Hardman will still have to earn that role in training camp, it's enough to put him back on our radar as a late-round option with big-time potential.

Damien Harris might be the most interesting pick of the round. As the lead back in New England, his value will get a nice boost whenever Mac Jones takes over as the Patriots quarterback. Unlike Cam Newton, who vultured goal-line work, Jones is a more traditional passer and the Pats will need to lean on their run game as he develops. Harris is a sneaky starting-caliber fantasy pick who will be available deep into drafts.

Round 12

Round 12: Despite waiting until the final pick of the 12th round to take a QB, I still had my pick of Jalen Hurts, Matthew Stafford, Tom Brady, Ryan Tannehill, and more. Hurts was my choice based on his immense rushing upside, but I likely would have used my 13th-round pick to pair him with one of the other QBs on that list.

Since this is a 10-team league, we didn't even get to the rounds filled with high-upside backup running backs, but some managed to sneak in Tony Pollard (11th round) and Darrell Henderson (12th round). Remember, once your starting lineup is filled out, your goal in the later rounds should be pure upside - players whose value could skyrocket if things go their way.