Mock Draft: 12 Team Redraft – 10th Pick
June has mercifully faded into July and that means it is mock draft season! Many of you may have been mock drafting for the 2020 season as soon as the final whistle blew in Super Bowl 54. Oh, just me? Got it. You may not be sick in the head like me, but if you want to be successful in fantasy football this year you need to start mocking now.
I am going to be talking through a mock draft I participated in on July 5, 2020, from the 1.10 selection. This is one of at least three articles on GoingFor2 featuring strategy on early, mid, and late-round selections for redraft. I’m not entirely sure what possessed me to choose the late-round selection, but I’m pleased with the team I assembled. Do you have a middle of the round draft pick this year? Check out my colleague Derek Overby’s article on drafting from the 1.05!
I chose to complete the mock draft on Yahoo with random folks to experience the rawest mock draft possible. Things tend to go according to expert consensus when a bunch of fantasy football fanatics draft together. That will rarely be the case in your home leagues. The roster settings are 1 QB / 2 WR / 2 RB / 1 TE / 1 Flex / 1 K / 1 DST / 6 Bench. I’m going to detail my thought process on why I chose my players, who else was in consideration, good values, and general thoughts about that spot in the draft.
3, 2, 1… you’re on the clock!
1.01 – Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers
1.02 – Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants
1.03 – Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys
1.04 – Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
1.05 – Michael Thomas, WR, New Orlean Saints
1.06 – Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans
1.07 – Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings
1.08 – Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers
1.09 – Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
1.10 – Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
There aren’t many three-down backs left in the NFL as teams move toward a timeshare approach at the position, so having a couple of those RBs is a huge advantage for your team. My strategy in 2020 is to draft two or three RBs in the first four rounds that have guaranteed volume.
The “big six” went off the board as expected, so it was a choice between Mixon and Julio Jones. I am comfortable with the depth at WR this year, so Mixon is the choice here. He is going to see a ton of volume in the revamped Bengals offense. He should see lighter box counts provided Joe Burrow makes use of the plethora of receiving weapons at his disposal.
This is all for naught if Mixon decides to hold out. My advice is to mock draft as if he is going to play in 2020, but keep an eye on his situation and adjust accordingly.
1.11 – Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons
1.12 – Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns
2.01 – Kenyan Drake, RB, Arizona Cardinals
2.02 – DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Arizona Cardinals
2.03 – Miles Sanders, RB, Philadelphia Eagles
Embed from Getty ImagesI am not looking at WR or TE here unless Michael Thomas, Davante Adams, or Julio Jones fall. The same philosophy from the first round applies to the RB evaluation here. Look for RBs who have guaranteed volume and defined roles.
I was hoping Kenyan Drake would be here for me, but Sanders is the Rolls Royce of consolation prizes. He is the clear pick for me due to his talent, situation, and other options available.
You have to take in to account the extremely long wait between picks here. If you have to have a certain player who has a late second/early third-round ADP then reach and grab him here. Some people will lecture about always drafting value, but at the end of the day fantasy football is about constructing a team you love rooting for.
2.04 – Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers
2.05 – Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
2.06 – Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders
2.07 – George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers
2.08 – Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs
2.09 – Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2.10 – Kenny Golladay, WR, Detroit Lions
2.11 – Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs
2.12 – Allen Robinson, WR, Chicago Bears
3.01 – Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
3.02 – Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3.03 – Melvin Gordon III, RB, Denver Broncos
3.04 – Todd Gurley II, RB, Atlanta Falcons
3.05 – Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
3.06 – Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings
3.07 – James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
3.08 – Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns
3.09 – Chris Carson, RB, Seattle Seahawks
3.10 – JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
Embed from Getty ImagesI seriously considered going with Mark Andrews here and locking down the TE position. You have to draft a TE early or be willing to accept the possibility of hurting at the position all season. I decided to go risky here with JuJu Smith-Schuster and roll the dice at TE later.
Smith-Schuster is one of the most controversial WRs in 2020. He followed up his incredible 2018 campaign (111/1426/7) with an absolute dud in 2019 (42/552/3). He also missed weeks twelve through fifteen after dealing with knee and foot injuries nearly the entire season. Lots of fantasy players have a bad taste in their mouth after drafting him as the WR5 last season.
I’m banking on him being closer to the 2018 version than 2019. Ben Roethlisberger (if healthy) is a massive upgrade over the QB situation in 2019, he is coming into 2020 completely healthy after dealing with injuries all last season, and he’s just 23 years old going into his fourth pro season. You don’t have to draft him at his ceiling any more either as his ADP is WR14 at the moment.
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3.11 – Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
3.12 – Amari Cooper, WR, Dallas Cowboys
4.01 – Mark Andrews, TE, Baltimore Ravens
4.02 – Leonard Fournette, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
4.03 – David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears
Embed from Getty ImagesThere are a lot of options at the point in the draft. Moore, Kupp, and Lockett were WRs I considered with this selection. I ultimately ended up slightly reaching for Montgomery for two primary reasons.
1) Volume: He is projected for a combined 306 opportunities (rushing attempts + targets) based on his usage from weeks eight to seventeen in 2019.
2) TD opportunities: Top ten in 2019 in carries from inside the ten and five yard-lines.
He represents the last viable RB who has the potential to see 300+ opportunities.
4.04 – A.J. Brown, WR , Tennessee Titans
4.05 – D.J. Moore, WR, Carolina Panthers
4.06 – Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams
4.07 – Calvin Ridley, WR, Atlanta Falcons
4.08 – Raheem Mostert, RB, San Francisco 49ers
4.09 – DeVante Parker, WR, Miami Dolphins
4.10 – Tyler Lockett, WR, Seattle Seahawks
4.11 – Mark Ingram II, RB, Baltimore Ravens
4.12 – Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Redskins
5.01 – D’Andre Swift, RB, Detroit Lions
5.02 – Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
5.03 – Le’Veon Bell, RB, New York Jets
5.04 – David Johnson, RB, Houston Texans
5.05 – Devin Singletary, RB, Buffalo Bills
5.06 – Courtland Sutton, WR, Denver Broncos
5.07 – Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
5.08 – Cam Akers, RB, Los Angeles Rams
5.09 – Dak Prescott, QB, Dallas Cowboys
5.10 – Robert Woods, WR, Los Angeles Rams
Embed from Getty ImagesI know I want to grab my WR2 here. I’m not looking at QB yet as I like the value and depth at the position in the later rounds. My team is sporting three stud RBs and a risky WR1. No better way to balance a risky pick than with one of the safest picks in fantasy this season.
I was watching players come off the board and seeing Woods dropping closer and closer was making me nervous and excited. Woods is one of the hottest names in the fantasy community this off-season and for good reason. He finished the 2019 season on an absolute tear. He was the WR7 in fantasy points per game from weeks twelve to seventeen. He has finished as the WR11 and WR14 in his two healthy seasons with the Los Angeles Rams.
He doesn’t have the highest ceiling, but I’m extremely happy to pair him with Smith-Schuster for a high ceiling/high floor WR combination.
5.11 – D.J. Chark Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
5.12 – T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts
6.01 – Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks
6.02 – Darren Waller, TE, Las Vegas Raiders
6.03 – D.K. Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks
Embed from Getty ImagesI’m not taking a QB yet, there are RBs I like later in the draft, and there is one particular TE I think will fall to me at my next pick. D.K. Metcalf as the WR26 in this draft is a perfect example of how deep WR is in 2020. I’m running to the proverbial podium to select him.
The man is carved of stone, he has Russell Wilson throwing dimes to him all over the field, and he has a full season under his belt. Seattle is a run-first team, but they look to their receivers in the red zone. Metcalf tied for the eighth-most red-zone targets in 2019. According to Reception Perception, Metcalf was in the 85th percentile in success rate versus man coverage and 79th percentile in success rate versus press coverage. Rookie WRs typically struggle to adjust to those two coverages at the NFL level. His trajectory has him on a potential path to a break out in 2020. I want to be along for the ride and the fantasy points.
6.04 – Derrius Guice, RB, Washington Redskins
6.05 – Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals
6.06 – Marquise Brown, WR, Baltimore Ravens
6.07 – Deshaun Watson, QB, Houston Texans
6.08 – Kareem Hunt, RB, Cleveland Browns
6.09 – Hunter Henry, TE, Los Angeles Chargers
6.10 – Tyler Higbee, TE, Los Angeles Rams
6.11 – Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills
6.12 – Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills
7.01 – Jared Cook, TE, New Orleans Saints
7.02 – Damien Williams, RB, Kansas City Chiefs
7.03 – Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons
7.04 – Tyler Boyd, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
7.05 – Marlon Mack, RB, Indianapolis Colts
7.06 – Matt Breida, RB, Miami Dolphins
7.07 – Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints
7.08 – Evan Engram, TE, New York Giants
7.09 – Rob Gronkowski, TE, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
7.10 – Jordan Howard, RB, Miami Dolphins
Embed from Getty ImagesTeam eight sniped me! I was banking on Evan Engram being my starting TE. This is why you have to be flexible in a draft. I don’t like any of the options at WR and I’m still waiting on QB, so I’m between RB and TE here. I am way above consensus on Howard this year, so he is my round seven selection.
Howard’s PPR finishes in his three healthy seasons (2016-2018) were RB10, RB14, and RB20. He will be the primary ball carrier on first and second down and the goal line back. Sitting at an ADP of RB38, he is one of the biggest values in drafts right now.
7.11 – Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions
7.12 – Sony Michel, RB, New England Patriots
8.01 – San Francisco 49ers, DST
8.02 – Baltimore Ravens, DST
8.03 – Michael Gallup, WR, Dallas Cowboys
Embed from Getty ImagesI like Carson Wentz and Hayden Hurst here, but I still like the value at QB and TE later in the draft. I am going to continue to pound the RB and WR positions for depth. We have no idea the impact COVID-19 will have on the 2020 season, so I want to build as much depth as possible at the positions that start multiple players. That will allow me options once the season starts and players started testing positive.
I have a confession… I love Michael Gallup.
The Dallas Cowboys have the second most vacated targets (190) and air yards (1,713) available in 2020. CeeDee Lamb and Blake Jarwin aren’t going to combine for all of them. Gallup struggled with drops last year and still finished his sophomore campaign as the WR22. He’s being drafted as the WR32. Giddy up!
8.04 – Pittsburgh Steelers, DST
8.05 – Buffalo Bills, DST
8.06 – Chicago Bears, DST
8.07 – Justin Tucker, K, Baltimore Ravens
8.08 – Ke’Shawn Vaughn, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
8.09 – Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
8.10 – New England Patriots, DST
8.11 – Jarvis Landry, WR, Cleveland Browns
8.12 – Harrison Butker, K, Kansas City Chiefs
9.01 – Minnesota Vikings, DST
9.02 – Hayden Hurst, TE, Atlanta Falcons
9.03 – Wil Lutz, K, New Orleans Saints
9.04 – Phillip Linsay, RB, Denver Broncos
9.05 – A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Eagles
9.06 – Kansas City Chiefs, DST
9.07 – Greg Zuerlein, K, Dallas Cowboys
9.08 – Matt Prater, K, Detroit Lions
9.09 – Robbie Gould, K, San Francisco 49ers
9.10 – Will Fuller V, WR, Houston Texans
Embed from Getty ImagesI’m fully committed to waiting on QB until late and I see a few TE options I am happy to take in a round or two.
After round eight or nine I start swinging for the fences with high upside but high-risk players. Fuller is the epitome of that category of player. He is constantly injured, but when healthy he can be a week winner. For example; in 2019 week five versus Atlanta his receiving line was 14/217/3. He is the only projected starting WR on Houston to have an established rapport with Deshaun Watson. Look for him to be Watson’s favorite target during his patented scramble drills.
9.11 – Zane Gonzalez, K, Arizona Cardinals
9.12 – Michael Badgley, K, Los Angeles Chargers
10.01 – Julian Edeleman, WR, New England Patriots
10.02 – Diontae Johnson, WR, Pitssburgh Steelers
10.03 – Ronald Jones II, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Embed from Getty ImagesMy roster consists of four RBs and five WRs. I want to even that out and take my last RB of the draft. Every other team has a TE, so I’m going to gamble they don’t double up and I’ll be able to draft Mike Gesicki or Jonnu Smith in round eleven.
Ronald Jones II could very well be the starter on a potent Tampa Bay offense. Bruce Arians has a propensity to favor the veteran over the more talented rookie (David Johnson: 2015). This is purely an upside/hope pick. Jones showed improvement from his rookie season to his second year. Fun fact: He is younger than his backfield partner, Ke’Shawn Vaughn.
10.04 – Darius Slayton, WR, New York Giants
10.05 – John Brown, WR, Buffalo Bills
10.06 – Mike Gesicki, TE, Miami Dolphins
10.07 – Marvin Jones Jr., WR, Detroit Lions
10.08 – Los Angeles Rams, DST
10.09 – Jonnu Smith, TE, Tennessee Titans
10.10 – Tom Brady, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
10.11 – Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers
10.12 – Brandin Cooks, WR, Houston Texans
11.01 – J.K. Dobbins, RB, Baltimore Ravens
11.02 – Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
11.03 – Mike Williams, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
11.04 – Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers <– incredible value
11.05 – Ka’imi Fairbairn, K, Houston Texans
11.06 – James White, RB, New England Patriots
11.07 – Sterling Shepard, WR, New York Giants
11.08 – Emmanuel Sanders, WR, New Orleans Saints
11.09 – Kerryon Johnson, RB, Detroit Lions
11.10 – Austin Hooper, TE, Cleveland Browns
Embed from Getty ImagesMy plan did not work out and I’m forced into drafting Hooper who I’m not entirely sold on as a Cleveland Brown. In hindsight, I should’ve drafted Gesicki or Smith in round ten. You will likely have many teams double up on the QB and TE position during your home league draft. Be prepared and have a contingency plan in place. This mock draft has changed my strategy on TE in 2020. I’m looking in the seventh or tenth round and reaching on a player I feel comfortable starting.
There are too many hands that need targets in Cleveland for Hooper to come close to producing as he did in 2019 with the Atlanta Falcons. Cleveland threw the ball 145 less than Atlanta in 2019. I would be streaming the position or hoping to capitalize on a free agent pick up after training camp.
Example: Darren Waller in 2019.
11.11 – Christian Kirk, WR, Arizona Cardinals
11.12 – Darrell Henderson, RB, Los Angeles Rams
12.01 – Anthony Miller, WR, Chicago Bears
12.02 – Latavius Murray, RB, New Orleans Saints
12.03 – Jared Goff, QB, Los Angeles Rams
Embed from Getty ImagesIt’s time to pounce on a criminally undervalued QB who has a sizzling week one match up against the young and unproven Dallas Cowboys secondary. When I wait this late to take a QB I am looking primarily at the week one matchup and hoping to stream the position throughout the year.
Goff is one year removed from a QB7 finish and he hasn’t finished outside of QB13 since McVay became the head coach. He could turn into a weekly starter, but I’m ecstatic to roll into week one with him at QB.
Fun fact: The two QB1s from 2018 and 2019 were taken at QB16 and QB15, respectively.
12.04 – Jamison Crowder, WR, New York Jets
12.05 – Alexander Mattison, RB Minnesota Vikings
12.06 – Tevin Coleman, RB, San Francisco 49ers
12.07 – Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants
12.08 – T.J. Hockenson, TE, Detroit Lions
12.09 – Baker Mayfield, QB, Cleveland Browns
12.10 – Noah Fant, TE, Denver Broncos
12.11 – New Orleans Saints, DST
12.12 – Dallas Goedert, TE, Philadelphia Eagles
13.01 – Ryan Tannehill, QB, Tennessee Titans
13.02 – Younghoe Koo, K, Atlanta Falcons
13.03 – Tarik Cohen, RB, Chicago Bears
13.04 – Mecole Hardman, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
13.05 – CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
13.06 – Chris Herndon, TE, New York Jets
13.07 – Kirk Cousins, QB, Minnesota Vikings
13.08 – Jack Doyle, TE, Indianapolis Colts
13.09 – Blake Jarwin, TE, Dallas Cowboys
13.10 – Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
Embed from Getty ImagesMy last pick before DST and K is always designed for pure upside. I like to draft a player who I am comfortable dropping if there is a significant waiver wire addition after week one. Jefferson fits the bill for upside.
He is an explosive athlete who is the de facto number two receiver tied to an accurate QB. Adam Thielen has been trending downward ever since his explosive first half in 2018. He was injured for a significant portion of 2019 and he’ll be thirty years old to start the season. Jefferson could emerge as the number one target on Minnesota in his rookie year.
13.11 – Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, San Francisco 49ers
13.12 – Joe Burrow, QB, Cincinnati Bengals
14.01 – Eric Ebron, TE, Pittsburgh Steelers
14.02 – Greg Olsen, TE, Seattle Seahawks
14.03 – Los Angeles Chargers, DST
Embed from Getty ImagesNever, ever, ever draft DST early. There is so much in flux within organizations between personnel, coaching changes, and schedule that a dominant DST rarely repeats in fantasy. My strategy in drafting DST is similar to my approach when I stream QB. Find a favorable week one matchup and take advantage.
The Chargers are playing at Cincinnati in week one. That tremendous defense, which added Chris Harris Jr. and Kenneth Murray, is going to feast against a rookie QB and a weak offensive line. Takeaways and sacks are king for DST fantasy points and I expect Los Angeles to have plenty of both.
14.04 – Cam Newton, QB, New England Patriots
14.05 – Sam Darnold, QB, New York Jets
14.06 – Jerry Jeudy, WR, Denver Broncos
14.07 – Curtis Samuel, WR, Carolina Panthers
14.08 – Philip Rivers, QB, Indianapolis Colts
14.09 – Indianapolis Colts, DST
14.10 – Breshad Perriman, WR, New York Jets
14.11 – Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys
14.12 – Preston Williams, WR, Miami Dolphins
15.01 – Denver Broncos, DST
15.02 – Ian Thomas, TE, Carolina Panthers
15.03 – Dallas Cowboys, DST
15.04 – Jake Elliott, K, Philadelphia Eagles
15.05 – Philadelphia Eagles, DST
15.06 – New York Jets, DST
15.07 – Seattle Seahawks, DST
15.08 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers, DST
15.09 – Cincinnati Bengals, DST
15.10 – Matt Gay, K, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Embed from Getty ImagesI always save the kicker for the last round. I am looking for a kicker on a potent offense and not much else. It’s preferable if they play in a dome so they don’t deal with the elements.
Gay was fourth in extra point attempts in 2019. His extra point and field goal success rates were not great, but he was a rookie and Bruce Arians stuck with him throughout his struggles last season. He will see plenty of opportunities to score fantasy points.
15.11 – Cleveland Browns, DST
15.12 – Tennessee Titans, DST
Draft day is like Christmas for diehard fantasy football fans. Drafting without mock drafting is like waiting until December 23rd to go shopping for your family. Preparation can help you win your draft. You can’t win your league on draft day, but you can sure as hell lose it.
My complete team and the entire draft board is below.
QB: Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams
RB: Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals
RB: Miles Sanders, Philadelphia Eagles
WR: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Pittsburgh Steelers
WR: Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams
TE: Austin Hooper, Cleveland Browns
W/R/T: David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears
K: Matt Gay, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
DST: Los Angeles Chargers
BN: D.K. Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks
BN: Jordan Howard, RB, Miami Dolphins
BN: Michael Gallup, WR, Dallas Cowboys
BN: Will Fuller V, WR Houston Texans
BN: Ronald Jones II, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
BN: Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
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