NFL
Fantasy Football Mock Draft: First-Round Receivers, an Early Running Back Run, Quarterbacks Fall

Mock drafts never go quite like the real thing, but they're a great exercise to keep your fantasy skills nimble.

Your season isn't made just by having a good-on-paper draft, and starting off poorly isn't the end of your season, but there's no reason not to get in some practice reps before the real thing.

It can also help just to view mock drafts done by other people to see how they're approaching their roster construction in a similar format to what you'll be drafting. Heck, sometimes it's just fun to see what other players come up with in a draft.

So I gathered up 11 other writers and editors for the site for a 12-team, half-PPR draft with one quarterback and one tight end, two running backs and two receivers, and one flex position (running back, wide receiver, or tight end). Here's what happened.

Draft Order

1. Neil Dutton, @ndutton13
2. Jim Sannes, @JimSannes
3. Kenyatta Storin, @KenyattaStorin
4. Austan Kas, @AustanKas
5. Tom Vecchio, @DFS_Tom
6. Sam Hoppen, @SamHoppen
7. Ryan McCrystal, @Ryan_McCrystal
8. Eli Weiner, @EWeinerFantasy
9. Jason Schandl, @JasonSchandl
10. Aidan McGrath, @ffaidanmcgrath
11. JJ Zachariason, @LateRoundQB
12. Brandon Gdula, @gdula13

Round 1

Overall Team Selection Pos Code
1 Neil Dutton Ezekiel Elliott RB1
2 Jim Sannes Saquon Barkley RB2
3 Kenyatta Storin Christian McCaffrey RB3
4 Austan Kas Alvin Kamara RB4
5 Tom Vecchio David Johnson RB5
6 Sam Hoppen DeAndre Hopkins WR1
7 Ryan McCrystal Julio Jones WR2
8 Eli Weiner Davante Adams WR3
9 Jason Schandl Le'Veon Bell RB6
10 Aidan McGrath Odell Beckham WR4
11 JJ Zachariason Michael Thomas WR5
12 Brandon Gdula JuJu Smith-Schuster WR6


- The first round went about as expected, with the big four running backs going first off the board. The difficult decision always comes at pick five, and Tom Vecchio went with David Johnson in a bounce-back spot in 2019. With the top five backs off the board, just one other running back went: Le'Veon Bell to Jason Schandl. Jason is on record as a believer in Bell with the New York Jets.

- The back half of the first round is filled receivers, which is to be expected. Everyone has their preference. Even at pick 12 and after DeAndre Hopkins and some other studs went off the board, I was more than fine getting JuJu Smith-Schuster as my first pick. JuJu is my WR5.

Round 2

Overall Team Selection Pos Code
13 Brandon Gdula Joe Mixon RB7
14 JJ Zachariason Travis Kelce TE1
15 Aidan McGrath Dalvin Cook RB8
16 Jason Schandl James Conner RB9
17 Eli Weiner Nick Chubb RB10
18 Ryan McCrystal Mike Evans WR7
19 Sam Hoppen Damien Williams RB11
20 Tom Vecchio Aaron Jones RB12
21 Austan Kas Melvin Gordon RB13
22 Kenyatta Storin Antonio Brown WR8
23 Jim Sannes T.Y. Hilton WR9
24 Neil Dutton Keenan Allen WR10


- Joe Mixon is really the only back outside the top six I feel confident in to maintain a full workhorse role, so pairing him with Smith-Schuster was kind of a no-brainer. Not taking him here meant a ZeroRB construction, which I'm never opposed to at the back half of the first round.

- JJ taking Travis Kelce might be surprising -- it's probably the most surprising pick in the second round -- but he's our consensus top tight end for a reason.

- Jason, Austan, and Tom each have two running backs through two rounds. Ryan has two receivers.

Round 3

Overall Team Selection Pos Code
25 Neil Dutton Derrick Henry RB14
26 Jim Sannes Leonard Fournette RB15
27 Kenyatta Storin Todd Gurley RB16
28 Austan Kas Devonta Freeman RB17
29 Tom Vecchio Patrick Mahomes QB1
30 Sam Hoppen Zach Ertz TE2
31 Ryan McCrystal George Kittle TE3
32 Eli Weiner A.J. Green WR11
33 Jason Schandl Adam Thielen WR12
34 Aidan McGrath Marlon Mack RB18
35 JJ Zachariason Stefon Diggs WR13
36 Brandon Gdula Amari Cooper WR14


- Derrick Henry's half-PPR ADP is currently 32nd overall on FantasyFootballCalculator, but clearly, Neil is buying into the hype this season. Todd Gurley could be a huge value, as his ADP is 15th overall. Kenyatta snared him 27th.

- The first quarterback (Patrick Mahomes) and the other two top-three tight ends (Zach Ertz and George Kittle) all went in the third round, as expected.

Round 4

Overall Team Selection Pos Code
37 Brandon Gdula Julian Edelman WR15
38 JJ Zachariason Kerryon Johnson RB19
39 Aidan McGrath Brandin Cooks WR16
40 Jason Schandl Josh Jacobs RB20
41 Eli Weiner Tyreek Hill WR17
42 Ryan McCrystal Sony Michel RB21
43 Sam Hoppen David Montgomery RB22
44 Tom Vecchio Kenny Golladay WR18
45 Austan Kas Robert Woods WR19
46 Kenyatta Storin Chris Godwin WR20
47 Jim Sannes Cooper Kupp WR21
48 Neil Dutton Calvin Ridley WR22


- I'm a fan of both Amari Cooper and Julian Edelman this season, so the turn was an easy one for me. Sniping JJ was also a fun time, but he added Kerryon Johnson to the mix. Even if Johnson doesn't take the next step, he grades out as a firm RB2. In this case, he's JJ's RB1 on a team with two stud receivers and Kelce.

- With the draft underway before the update on Tyreek Hill, he fell to Eli at 41st overall, compared to a current half-PPR ADP of 17th.

Round 5

Overall Team Selection Pos Code
49 Neil Dutton Andrew Luck QB2
50 Jim Sannes Chris Carson RB23
51 Kenyatta Storin Mark Ingram RB24
52 Austan Kas Phillip Lindsay RB25
53 Tom Vecchio O.J. Howard TE4
54 Sam Hoppen Kenyan Drake RB26
55 Ryan McCrystal Tarik Cohen RB27
56 Eli Weiner Tyler Lockett WR23
57 Jason Schandl Hunter Henry TE5
58 Aidan McGrath D.J. Moore WR24
59 JJ Zachariason Allen Robinson WR25
60 Brandon Gdula Lamar Miller RB28


- Kenyatta keeps soaking up value, taking Mark Ingram 51st. His ADP is 42nd right now, and our algorithm puts him 45th overall.

- Two more tight ends came off the board in the fifth, and JJ planted his flag in Allen Robinson at 59th overall. Robinson's ADP is currently 77th. JJ has him ranked 51st overall, and Jim Sannes is even higher at 38th overall.

Round 6

Overall Team Selection Pos Code
61 Brandon Gdula Deshaun Watson QB3
62 JJ Zachariason James White RB29
63 Aidan McGrath Christian Kirk WR26
64 Jason Schandl Jarvis Landry WR27
65 Eli Weiner Evan Engram TE6
66 Ryan McCrystal Rashaad Penny RB30
67 Sam Hoppen Robby Anderson WR28
68 Tom Vecchio Mike Williams WR29
69 Austan Kas Tyler Boyd WR30
70 Kenyatta Storin Darrell Henderson RB31
71 Jim Sannes Tevin Coleman RB32
72 Neil Dutton Alshon Jeffery WR31


- Typically someone who waits long on quarterback,I went with Deshaun Watson to kick off the sixth round. To me, Watson has legitimate QB1 upside, which shouldn't surprise anyone. I'd stake my claim on Watson being this year's QB1 overall, an in the sixth round, I can live with the opportunity cost.

- The best value pick relative to ADP here is Mike Williams to Tom at 68th overall. Williams is being taken 10 spots earlier, on average. However, our algorithm ranks him 75th overall.

Round 7

Overall Team Selection Pos Code
73 Neil Dutton Dante Pettis WR32
74 Jim Sannes Sammy Watkins WR33
75 Kenyatta Storin Will Fuller WR34
76 Austan Kas Miles Sanders RB33
77 Tom Vecchio Baker Mayfield QB4
78 Sam Hoppen Aaron Rodgers QB5
79 Ryan McCrystal Derrius Guice RB34
80 Eli Weiner Latavius Murray RB35
81 Jason Schandl Matt Ryan QB6
82 Aidan McGrath Corey Davis WR35
83 JJ Zachariason Royce Freeman RB36
84 Brandon Gdula Vance McDonald TE7


- Corey Davis is a polarizing pick, going 100th overall on average. Aidan jumped 18 spots overall from that ADP to select the Tennessee Titans' wide receiver. Davis actually ranks 82nd overall in our projections. Further, JJ, Jim, and I all have Davis 81st or better in our rankings.

Round 8

Overall Team Selection Pos Code
85 Brandon Gdula Sterling Shepard WR36
86 JJ Zachariason Curtis Samuel WR37
87 Aidan McGrath Ronald Jones RB37
88 Jason Schandl Jordan Howard RB38
89 Eli Weiner Carlos Hyde RB39
90 Ryan McCrystal Dede Westbrook WR38
91 Sam Hoppen Marvin Jones WR39
92 Tom Vecchio Geronimo Allison WR40
93 Austan Kas Kyler Murray QB7
94 Kenyatta Storin Courtland Sutton WR41
95 Jim Sannes Jared Cook TE8
96 Neil Dutton Austin Ekeler RB40


- Curtis Samuel has breakout appeal this season, and JJ took advantage of it, taking Samuel 86th (his ADP is 115th). Both JJ and I have Samuel in our top 90 overall.

- Similar to Samuel, Ryan took Dede Westbrook well ahead of his ADP (116th). Westbrook ranks top-90 for JJ, Jim and I, and he's 104th per numberFire's algorithm.

- Neil may have gotten a steal with Austin Ekeler 96th overall. Given the uncertain status of Melvin Gordon, Ekeler's ADP has climbed a full round over the past week.

Round 9

Overall Team Selection Pos Code
97 Neil Dutton Keke Coutee WR42
98 Jim Sannes Cam Newton QB8
99 Kenyatta Storin Eric Ebron TE9
100 Austan Kas David Njoku TE10
101 Tom Vecchio N'Keal Harry WR43
102 Sam Hoppen Marquez Valdes-Scantling WR44
103 Ryan McCrystal Drew Brees QB9
104 Eli Weiner Carson Wentz QB10
105 Jason Schandl Golden Tate WR45
106 Aidan McGrath Damien Harris RB41
107 JJ Zachariason Larry Fitzgerald WR46
108 Brandon Gdula Ito Smith RB42


- Kenyatta got Eric Ebron 99th overall, yet his ADP is 73rd. Our algorithm puts him 105th, more in line with where Kenyatta drafted him but well off the pace of his ADP. He was a value in this draft by being taken at his more correct cost.

- Drew Brees and Carson Wentz both have top-90 ADPs but were taken a full round later, typical of a mock draft with a de-emphasis on quarterbacks.

- I reached for Ito Smith, but to this point, I had just Mixon and Lamar Miller. I like Ito as a spell back, and in the off chance Devonta Freeman gets hurt, Smith could handle a full workload. However, he's not the type of "handcuff" who should only have value in case of an injury. I could be wrong there, but Ito has standalone merit to me.

Round 10

Overall Team Selection Pos Code
109 Brandon Gdula Jaylen Samuels RB43
110 JJ Zachariason D'Onta Foreman RB44
111 Aidan McGrath Austin Hooper TE11
112 Jason Schandl Devin Funchess WR47
113 Eli Weiner Peyton Barber RB45
114 Ryan McCrystal LeSean McCoy RB46
115 Sam Hoppen Devin Singletary RB47
116 Tom Vecchio Jerick McKinnon RB48
117 Austan Kas Kareem Hunt RB49
118 Kenyatta Storin Adrian Peterson RB50
119 Jim Sannes Donte Moncrief WR48
120 Neil Dutton Noah Fant TE12

Round 11

Overall Team Selection Pos Code
121 Neil Dutton Nyheim Hines RB51
122 Jim Sannes Kenny Stills WR49
123 Kenyatta Storin James Washington WR50
124 Austan Kas D.K. Metcalf WR51
125 Tom Vecchio Anthony Miller WR52
126 Sam Hoppen Dion Lewis RB52
127 Ryan McCrystal Marquise Brown WR53
128 Eli Weiner Alexander Mattison RB53
129 Jason Schandl DeSean Jackson WR54
130 Aidan McGrath Justice Hill RB54
131 JJ Zachariason Justin Jackson RB55
132 Brandon Gdula Emmanuel Sanders WR55

Round 12

Overall Team Selection Pos Code
133 Brandon Gdula Kalen Ballage RB56
134 JJ Zachariason Tre'Quan Smith WR56
135 Aidan McGrath Jared Goff QB11
136 Jason Schandl Albert Wilson WR57
137 Eli Weiner DaeSean Hamilton WR58
138 Ryan McCrystal John Brown WR59
139 Sam Hoppen Tyrell Williams WR60
140 Tom Vecchio Marquise Goodwin WR61
141 Austan Kas Parris Campbell WR62
142 Kenyatta Storin Michael Gallup WR63
143 Jim Sannes Matt Breida RB57
144 Neil Dutton Duke Johnson RB58

Round 13

Overall Team Selection Pos Code
145 Neil Dutton Robert Foster WR64
146 Jim Sannes Deebo Samuel WR65
147 Kenyatta Storin Devante Parker WR66
148 Austan Kas Andy Isabella WR67
149 Tom Vecchio T.J. Hockenson TE13
150 Sam Hoppen Darwin Thompson RB59
151 Ryan McCrystal Malcolm Brown RB60
152 Eli Weiner Russell Wilson QB12
153 Jason Schandl Jamaal Williams RB61
154 Aidan McGrath Tony Pollard RB62
155 JJ Zachariason Jamison Crowder WR68
156 Brandon Gdula A.J. Brown WR69

Round 14

Overall Team Selection Pos Code
157 Brandon Gdula Randall Cobb WR70
158 JJ Zachariason Lamar Jackson QB13
159 Aidan McGrath Mark Andrews TE14
160 Jason Schandl Josh Doctson WR71
161 Eli Weiner Trey Quinn WR72
162 Ryan McCrystal Zay Jones WR73
163 Sam Hoppen Ryquell Armstead RB63
164 Tom Vecchio Giovani Bernard RB64
165 Austan Kas Chris Thompson RB65
166 Kenyatta Storin Jameis Winston QB14
167 Jim Sannes Chase Edmonds RB66
168 Neil Dutton Ted Ginn Jr. WR74

Team-by-Team Results

RoundNeil DuttonJim SannesKenyatta Storin
1Ezekiel Elliott, RB1Saquon Barkley, RB2Christian Mccaffrey, RB3
2Keenan Allen, WR10T.Y. Hilton, WR9Antonio Brown, WR8
3Derrick Henry, RB14Leonard Fournette, RB15Todd Gurley, RB16
4Calvin Ridley, WR22Cooper Kupp, WR21Chris Godwin, WR20
5Andrew Luck, QB2Chris Carson, RB23Mark Ingram, RB24
6Alshon Jeffery, WR31Tevin Coleman, RB32Darrell Henderson, RB31
7Dante Pettis, WR32Sammy Watkins, WR33Will Fuller, WR34
8Austin Ekeler, RB40Jared Cook, TE8Courtland Sutton, WR41
9Keke Coutee, WR42Cam Newton, QB8Eric Ebron, TE9
10Noah Fant, TE12Donte Moncrief, WR48Adrian Peterson, RB50
11Nyheim Hines, RB51Kenny Stills, WR49James Washington, WR50
12Duke Johnson, RB58Matt Breida, RB57Michael Gallup, WR63
13Robert Foster, WR64Deebo Samuel, WR65Devante Parker, WR66
14Ted Ginn Jr., WR74Chase Edmonds, RB66Jameis Winston, QB14


RoundAustan KasTom VecchioSam Hoppen
1Alvin Kamara, RB4David Johnson, RB5DeAndre Hopkins, WR1
2Melvin Gordon, RB13Aaron Jones, RB12Damien Williams, RB11
3Devonta Freeman, RB17Patrick Mahomes, QB1Zach Ertz, TE2
4Robert Woods, WR19Kenny Golladay, WR18David Montgomery, RB22
5Phillip Lindsay, RB25O.J. Howard, TE4Kenyan Drake, RB26
6Tyler Boyd, WR30Mike Williams, WR29Robby Anderson, WR28
7Miles Sanders, RB33Baker Mayfield, QB4Aaron Rodgers, QB5
8Kyler Murray, QB7Geronimo Allison, WR40Marvin Jones, WR39
9David Njoku, TE10N'Keal Harry, WR43Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR44
10Kareem Hunt, RB49Jerick Mckinnon, RB48Devin Singletary, RB47
11D.K. Metcalf, WR51Anthony Miller, WR52Dion Lewis, RB52
12Parris Campbell, WR62Marquise Goodwin, WR61Tyrell Williams, WR60
13Andy Isabella, WR67T.J. Hockenson, TE13Darwin Thompson, RB59
14Chris Thompson, RB65Giovani Bernard, RB64Ryquell Armstead, RB63


RoundRyan McCrystalEli WienerJason Schandl
1Julio Jones, WR2Davante Adams, WR3Le'Veon Bell, RB6
2Mike Evans, WR7Nick Chubb, RB10James Conner, RB9
3George Kittle, TE3A.J. Green, WR11Adam Thielen, WR12
4Sony Michel, RB21Tyreek Hill, WR17Josh Jacobs, RB20
5Tarik Cohen, RB27Tyler Lockett, WR23Hunter Henry, TE5
6Rashaad Penny, RB30Evan Engram, TE6Jarvis Landry, WR27
7Derrius Guice, RB34Latavius Murray, RB35Matt Ryan, QB6
8Dede Westbrook, WR38Carlos Hyde, RB39Jordan Howard, RB38
9Drew Brees, QB9Carson Wentz, QB10Golden Tate, WR45
10Lesean Mccoy, RB46Peyton Barber, RB45Devin Funchess, WR47
11Marquise Brown, WR53Alexander Mattison, RB53Desean Jackson, WR54
12John Brown, WR59Daesean Hamilton, WR58Albert Wilson, WR57
13Malcolm Brown, RB60Russell Wilson, QB12Jamaal Williams, RB61
14Zay Jones, WR73Trey Quinn, WR72Josh Doctson, WR71



RoundAidan McGrathJJ ZachariasonBrandon Gdula
1Odell Beckham, WR4Michael Thomas, WR5Juju Smith-Schuster, WR6
2Dalvin Cook, RB8Travis Kelce, TE1Joe Mixon, RB7
3Marlon Mack, RB18Stefon Diggs, WR13Amari Cooper, WR14
4Brandin Cooks, WR16Kerryon Johnson, RB19Julian Edelman, WR15
5D.J. Moore, WR24Allen Robinson, WR25Lamar Miller, RB28
6Christian Kirk, WR26James White, RB29Deshaun Watson, QB3
7Corey Davis, WR35Royce Freeman, RB36Vance Mcdonald, TE7
8Ronald Jones, RB37Curtis Samuel, WR37Sterling Shepard, WR36
9Damien Harris, RB41Larry Fitzgerald, WR46Ito Smith, RB42
10Austin Hooper, TE11D'Onta Foreman, RB44Jaylen Samuels, RB43
11Justice Hill, RB54Justin Jackson, RB55Emmanuel Sanders, WR55
12Jared Goff, QB11Tre'Quan Smith, WR56Kalen Ballage, RB56
13Tony Pollard, RB62Jamison Crowder, WR68A.J. Brown, WR69
14Mark Andrews, TE14Lamar Jackson, QB13Randall Cobb, WR70

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