Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Participating in mock fantasy football drafts can benefit players in two main ways. For fantasy players, it has been six months since the weekly excitement is added to your itinerary. The mock draft brings back those butterflies in your stomach and gets the blood pumping through your veins.
More importantly, a mock draft lets fantasy players take an early assessment of approximately where each player will be drafted so you’ll get a basic feel for how the upcoming season’s draft will go. The second mock draft for Rant Sports went very well and on behalf of the participants, it was a success.
Personally, I was randomly selected for the first overall pick in this draft. While many fantasy players would love to have the first overall pick, this season is slightly different than most and I would much rather have a later-round pick. Having the first overall pick, I was forced to wait 19 picks after I selected my first player until I had two straight picks. You can find a slideshow covering the entire draft here.
Round 1 (1st) – Adrian Peterson: This season, the first overall pick in nearly all fantasy drafts will be Peterson. He nearly broke the single-season rushing record last season and has high hopes of continuing his success this year. This is a no-brainer.
Round 2 (20th) – Brandon Marshall: After waiting for what seemed like hours (but was a matter of minutes), I had two straight picks to add some high-level talent to my team. I went with Marshall simply because I believe he will have a bigger season than Calvin Johnson, who was already off the board anyway. Last season, Marshall finished only a few fantasy points behind Johnson and he will put up great numbers again this season.
Round 3 (21st) – Drew Brees – After acquiring a top running back and a top receiver, the level of top-tier talent was minimal and therefore I decided to take one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Brees has shown no signs of slowing down and after a disappointing season last year from his team, they will be back to prove they are a force to be reckoned with and bring major fantasy points to Brees’ stat line.
Round 4 (40th) – Montee Ball – This is what I think is a huge gamble in the fourth round since we have not seen one NFL snap from Ball. The first-year running back has the talent to have a breakout rookie year and with Peyton Manning as his quarterback, Ball could have big-time success with catching passes out of the backfield.
Round 5 (41st) – Rob Gronkowski – Gronk was the second overall tight end taken in this mock draft and if you can’t grab either him or Jimmy Graham, it’s not worth taking a tight end until later. I’m not afraid of the nagging elbow injury for Gronk and when he’s on the field, he’s a major factor.
Round 6 (60th) – DeSean Jackson – Jackson isn’t the most liked fantasy receiver, but I believe this year will bring about unseen highs to his stats. With the injury to Jeremy Maclin, Jackson will have a bigger role and a revamped coaching staff will only benefit him. I like Jackson’s potential this season and he could prove to be a fantastic pick.
Round 7 (61st) – Ahmad Bradshaw – This is a player I have never really been a fan of because of his arrogance, ability to underperform and ability to succumb to injuries. The only reason Bradshaw could have his best year yet is because he finds himself on a new team. The drama should be toned down and he can focus more on performing rather than whining. If he plays up to his potential, I’ll be glad he’s on my team.
Round 8 (80th) – BenJarvus Green-Ellis – The more running backs you can add to your team, the better this season. While the starting running back caliber fantasy players are gone at this point in the draft, Green-Ellis can aid your team as the season goes on. Once he is comfortable in his new offense, Green-Ellis is worth a flex position start depending on his weekly matchup.
Round 9 (81st) – James Jones – Last season was a high point in Jones’ career and while he most likely won’t produce the same amount of fantasy points, he will be involved in the Green Bay Packers’ offense heavily. This is another player to look towards, depending on his weekly matchup.
Round 10 (100th) – Eli Manning – Brees would be my starting quarterback every week, but it’s not a bad option to have a solid producer like Manning on the bench. I was sold on Manning mainly because I’ve drafted some solid running backs and wide receivers and don’t want to see Manning on another team. While this may be an odd strategy, I know I don’t want to play against Manning any week of the season.
Round 11 (101st) – Lance Moore – Moore was one of the last 1,000-plus yard receivers left on the board and with Brees as my starting quarterback, I can double dip in points by starting both Moore and Brees in the same week.
Round 12 (120th) Emmanuel Sanders – With Mike Wallace now gone from the Pittsburg Steelers, Big Ben has to throw to somebody right? Sanders has the talent to be the next big receiver for the Steelers and could prove to be a nice late-round rick.
Round 13 (121st) – Broncos D/ST – It might be a little early to take a defense in a mock draft, but the Denver Broncos‘ D is one of the best out there. They hold their opponents to about 17 PPG and create multiple turnovers throughout the season.
Round 14 (140th) – Shonn Green – The Tennessee Titans will not bench Chris Johnson but if he happens to get hurt, Green will step up and be the go-to back. He’s been able to get the job done throughout his career and was only drafted as a just-in-case scenario.
Round 15 (141st)- Toby Gerhart – At this point in the draft, you’re grasping at straws in the running back department. Since I drafted Peterson, I took Gerhart as a handcuff in case Peterson aggravates that knee injury this season.
Round 16 (160th) David Akers – With the last pick in the entire draft, it’s time to fill that kicker spot. You can change kickers from week to week, but I like to go with a somewhat consistent guy who I don’t have to worry about searching through free agents to replace.
Overall, I was pretty happy with my team. I drafted some extremely talented players who will bring big points to my team each and every week. I was also able to add some fliers and guys that I could play as a flex depending on how they perform as the season progresses. Be sure to stay tuned for next week’s mock draft, which is rumored to be a PPR format draft.
Tristen Challe is a Fantasy Writer for Rantsports. Follow him on Twitter @TristenChalle
