Round 1, Pick 3: Matt Forte, RB, Chicago Bears - With Adrian Peterson and LeSean McCoy already off the board, it made my choice a lot eaiser. Another season in Marc Trestman's offense should make the whole group of Bears weapons more productive. Plus the concerns about the offensive line in Kansas City made me a little wary about taking Jamaal Charles in that spot.
Round 2, Pick 18: DeMarco Murray, RB, Dallas Cowboys - I didn't have the intention of going with back-to-back running backs to start the draft, but when Murray was still available at the end of the second round it was too good to pass up. The Cowboys will be involved in plenty of high-scoring games this season and Murray will be one of the focal points of their attack. If he can stay healthy to the degree he did last year, I like my starting fantasy backfield.
Round 3, Pick 23: Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers - Needing a receiver at this point, I was stuck deciding between Brown and Jordy Nelson. I sided with the Steelers receiver because he is the unquestioned No. 1 target in Pittsburgh while Nelson could have to fend off Randall Cobb for opportunities in Green Bay.
Round 4, Pick 38: Keenan Allen, WR, San Diego Chargers - I filled out my No. 2 receiver spot with San Diego's No. 1 wideout. Allen has the makings of a wideout poised for big things in 2014. More and more second-year receivers are making the leap and Allen plays alongside one of the NFL's most efficient quarterbacks. Moreover, last year's rookie sensation is looking to be a greater deep threat this season. There is plenty of upside here.
Round 5, Pick 43: Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts - I could have waited on a quarterback, but why do that when Luck was still on the board nearly 10 picks later than his current NFL.com ADP? The Colts star should challenge to be in the top three at his position this year. Surely, that's worth a fifth-round pick, right? I thought so.
Round 6, Pick 58: T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts - After snagging Luck in the previous round, it made sense to scoop up the player who could end up as his top target by the end of the year. Last season, Hilton proved his bona fides as a No. 1 target after Reggie Wayne's injury. This season, he could take a big step forward as a star in Indianapolis' offense.
Round 7, Pick 63: Vernon Davis, TE, San Francisco 49ers - Admittedly this was a reach here, but Davis was the second-best fantasy tight end in 2013 during a season in which he struggled to stay completely healthy. He'll be hard pressed to duplicate his 13 touchdowns from last season, but his reception and yardage totals could rise if he is truly over his injury issues.
Round 8, Pick 78: Eric Decker, WR, New York Jets - Landing on Gang Green's runway did a lot to shoot down Decker's value this season. But he's still likely to be the top target for Geno Smith in the Jets' offense. That's worth something. And as the fourth receiver on my roster, it was worth the risk to use Decker as a matchup-based option.
Round 9, Pick 83: Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons - Some people might have considered this too early to go after a second quarterback, but now I'm stocked at the position with two players I wouldn't mind starting every week. That gives me leverage to make a trade later in the season if I find that I'm weak at a particular position.
Round 10, Pick 98: Danny Woodhead, RB, San Diego Chargers - We spend so much time talking about Woodhead in reference to PPR leagues that it's easy to overlook that he was still a top-20 running back in non-PPR formats. I'm a fan of dual-threat running backs and Woodhead fits that bill to a tee.
Round 11, Pick 103: Carolina Panthers D/ST - After stocking the cupboard, it was time to grab a defense. There are certainly questions about the Panthers' secondary after some losses in the offseason, but they're still a formidable enough unit that I'm comfortable with them. Chances are I'm going to stream a few different defenses during the season anyway, so this arrangement isn't permanent.
Round 12, Pick 118: Justin Tucker, K, Baltimore Ravens - I have a kicker. He scores points. If he's the same kicker I'm rolling with by the end of the season, it'll be an upset.
Round 13, Pick 123: Tavon Austin, WR, St. Louis Rams - At this point, it was time to take some end-of-draft fliers on players. Austin has had a full season to get acclimated to Brian Schottenheimer's playbook and his dual-threat ability means he can produce in multiple ways. Here's to hoping he can be one of the second-year breakout receivers.
Round 14, Pick 138: Martellus Bennett, TE, Chicago Bears - Taking Bennett at this point was merely a function of my belief that the Bears offense is primed for big things in 2014. If the Black Unicorn doesn't take off, I won't feel bad about going to the waiver wire for help.
Round 15, Pick 143: Brian Hartline, WR, Miami Dolphins - It's easy to forget that Brian Hartline had 1,000-yard seasons in 2012 and 2013. That's pretty solid production for a receiver who might not see my lineup all that often. If Mike Wallace continues to underachieve, Hartline could earn more looks from Ryan Tannehill.
