The latest NFL Fantasy LIVE Podcast features another round of "Hype Train or Smokescreen" and introduces a new segment -- "Can You Take Me High Enough?". For more fantasy content, check out the 2015 fantasy draft kit.
Don't look now, but the NFL season is just around the corner. And you know what that means. Fantasy football is right around the corner as well. Even though the final rosters and depth charts are far from set, we saw fit to have a little fun and conduct another fantasy football mock draft.
The standard scoring league consisted of NFL Fantasy LIVE members, producers, writers, and a few other NFL Media wild cards as indicated below. Each team needed to assemble a starting lineup of one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, one flex (RB/WR), one tight end, one kicker and one defense/special teams unit. Marcas Grant and I provided a little commentray and analysis in between each round to spice things up. So soak up all of the glory of this mock, and be sure to let us know how bad our teams are in the comments below or on Twitter.
Draft order
- Michael Fabiano - NFL.com Senior Fantasy Analyst
- Patrick Crawley - NFL.com Manager of Programming
- Dylan Milner - NFL Fantasy LIVE Senior Producer
- Alex Gelhar - NFL.com Fantasy Writer/Editor
- Matt Franciscovich (a.k.a. Franchise) - NFL.com Fantasy Writer/Editor
- Patrick Claybon - NFL Network News Update Anchor
- Marcas Grant - NFL.com Fantasy Editor
- Alex Wilk - NFL Fantasy LIVE Producer
- Heather Pink - NFL Fantasy LIVE Producer
- Adam Watson - NFL AM Producer
ROUND 1
- Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings - Fabiano
- Eddie Lacy, RB, Green Bay Packers - Crawley
- Arian Foster, RB, Houston Texans - Milner
- Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City Chiefs - Gelhar
- Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks - Franciscovich
- LeSean McCoy, RB, Buffalo Bills - Claybon
- Le'Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers - Grant
- Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers - Wilk
- Matt Forte, RB, Chicago Bears - Pink
- C.J. Anderson, RB, Denver Broncos - Watson
Alex Gelhar: So, it's July, and it's no surprise that we've completed another NFL Fantasy mock draft. What is surprising, is that Le'Veon Bell lasted until pick No. 7. Thoughts?
Marcas Grant: That's good news for me. It would have been even better news if it was a real draft. But I'll still take it. Nine RBs in the first round. Not really a surprise, is it?
AG: Nope. It was a pretty chalk first round.
ROUND 2
- Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers - Watson
- Dez Bryant, WR, Dallas Cowboys - Pink
- Jeremy Hill, RB, Cincinnati Bengals - Wilk
- Mark Ingram, RB, New Orleans Saints - Grant
- DeMarco Murray, RB, Philadelphia Eagles - Claybon
- Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions - Franciscovich
- Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots - Gelhar
- Odell Beckham Jr., WR, New York Giants - Milner
- Demaryius Thomas, WR, Denver Broncos - Crawley
- Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons - Fabiano
MG: If Round 1 belonged to the RBs, Round 2 definitely belonged to the WRs. And then there's Gronk.
AG: GRONK SMASH. The run on pass-catchers was fast and furious for sure. I love each of the WRs that went right after my Gronk pick, but his week-to-week advantage at TE was too great to pass up.
MG: I don't blame you. I would have taken one as well, but having Bell in the first round (and his three-game suspension) almost mandated that I backed up that pick with another running back.
ROUND 3
- Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay Packers - Fabiano
- T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts - Crawley
- Carlos Hyde, RB, San Francisco 49ers - Milner
- A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals - Gelhar
- Alshon Jeffery, WR, Chicago Bears - Franciscovich
- Lamar Miller, RB, Miami Dolphins - Claybon
- Randall Cobb, WR, Green Bay Packers - Grant
- Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Carolina Panthers - Wilk
- Andrew Luck, QB, Indianapolis Colts - Pink
- Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Watson
AG: A sound strategy indeed. Which NFL Media's Patrick Claybon decided to do three rounds in a row. However, as contrarian as this strategy sounds in an era of Zero RBs ... I kind of liked it.
MG: Agreed. Especially because he landed three pretty strong backs. I was a little surprised to see Carlos Hyde go as early as he did. But that could be the pessimistic 49ers fan in me talking.
AG: And the optimistic 49ers fan who drafted him. Hyde has the talent/opportunity to merit an early-round pick, but he isn't without risk. Evans at the end of Round 3 feels like a steal, but WR13 also feels just right. Guess that's just how the cookie crumbled. Moving on!
ROUND 4
- Justin Forsett, RB, Baltimore Ravens - Watson
- Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Denver Broncos - Pink
- Jimmy Graham, TE, Seattle Seahawks - Wilk
- Brandin Cooks, WR, New Orleans Saints - Grant
- Jordan Matthews, WR, Philadelphia Eagles - Claybon
- Alfred Morris, RB, Washington Redskins - Franciscovich
- DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans - Gelhar
- Latavius Murray, RB, Oakland Raiders - Milner
- Melvin Gordon, RB, San Diego Chargers - Crawley
- Frank Gore, RB, Indianapolis Colts - Fabiano
MG: First rookie off the board! The hopes are high for Melvin Gordon this year. To be honest with you, I'm down with that.
AG: Same. Would have been fine had he been taken ahead of Murray and Morris to be honest. I love the young WRs with huge ceilings that went in this round, especially because I drafted my favorite of the bunch in Hopkins.
MG: You got who you wanted in Hopkins. I got who I wanted in Brandin Cooks. Everybody wins!
ROUND 5
- Andre Ellington, RB, Arizona Cardinals - Fabiano
- Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks - Crawley
- DeSean Jackson, WR, Washington Redskins - Milner
- Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers - Gelhar
- Jarvis Landry, WR, Miami Dolphins - Franciscovich
- Amari Cooper, WR, Oakland Raiders - Claybon
- Joseph Randle, RB, Dallas Cowboys - Grant
- Joique Bell, RB, Detroit Lions - Wilk
- Rashad Jennings, RB, New York Giants - Pink
- Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots - Watson
AG: You know who didn't win? All of us who drafted a RB in Round 5. I like plenty of these guys, but man, do they come with some big question marks.
MG: That's the problem with fantasy running backs nowadays. If you don't get in early, you're um ... well you're not gonna be happy.
AG: I do like the Landry, Cooper and Edelman picks, though. Should be target/yardage monsters.
ROUND 6
- Todd Gurley, RB, St. Louis Rams - Watson
- Keenan Allen, WR, San Diego Chargers - Pink
- Jeremy Maclin, WR, Kansas City Chiefs - Wilk
- Kevin White, WR, Chicago Bears - Grant
- Andre Johnson, WR, Indianapolis Colts - Claybon
- T.J. Yeldon, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars - Franciscovich
- Sammy Watkins, WR, Buffalo Bills - Gelhar
- Brandon Marshall, WR, New York Jets - Milner
- C.J. Spiller, RB, New Orleans Saints - Crawley
- Vincent Jackson, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Fabiano
MG: Round 6 is when we truly fall into the abyss. It's that point in every draft where each pick could be great, terrible or perfectly mediocre. Somehow it's that last category that frightens me the most.
AG: "Mediocrity in the Middle (Rounds)" could be a fantasy sitcom. Let's pitch it to Fox. In reality, though, I think Spiller, White and Johnson all offer great value in the sixth. I'd be less thrilled with Watkins, but he's my WR3 so I'm very OK with that.
MG: Can our sitcom be about Frankie Muniz's career after the age of 13? If not, then Vincent Jackson's fantasy prospects seem like a suitable alternative plot.
ROUND 7
- Peyton Manning, QB, Denver Broncos - Fabiano
- Golden Tate, WR, Detroit Lions - Crawley
- Greg Olsen, TE, Carolina Panthers - Milner
- Ameer Abdullah, RB, Detroit Lions - Gelhar
- Giovani Bernard, RB, Cincinnati Bengals - Franciscovich
- Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers - Claybon
- Darren McFadden, RB, Dallas Cowboys - Grant
- Breshad Perriman, WR, Baltimore Ravens - Wilk
- Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs - Pink
- Chris Ivory, RB, New York Jets - Watson
AG: When Fabiano selected Manning, at first I was like, "WHOA. STOP THE PRESSES." But then I realized it was Round 7, which is not only tremendous value for The Sheriff, but right in line with Fabs' set-in-stone draft philosophy.
MG: I think everyone in our draft room had the same thought. Of course last season, Manning was Fabiano's downfall in championship week. So there's that. Then again, I took Darren McFadden so I might not be one to talk.
AG: You were just investing in the ENTIRE Dallas backfield, which is a strategy ... I guess. I probably would have taken Kelce had I not selected Gronk in Round 2, but I was more than happy to reach a bit for Abdullah.
ROUND 8
- Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints - Watson
- Isaiah Crowell, RB, Cleveland Browns - Pink
- LeGarrette Blount, RB, New England Patriots - Wilk
- Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons - Grant
- Ryan Mathews, RB, Philadelphia Eagles - Claybon
- Tre Mason, RB, St. Louis Rams - Franciscovich
- Tevin Coleman, RB, Atlanta Falcons - Gelhar
- Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions - Milner
- Torrey Smith, WR, San Francisco 49ers - Crawley
- Duke Johnson, RB, Cleveland Browns - Fabiano
MG: I feel like we started Round 8 and no one wanted to say the words "Drew Brees is still available" out loud. It was like talking about a no-hitter in progress. Then Adam Watson went and ruined it.
AG: So true. Everyone was praying that the rest of the drafters had overlooked Brees, so naturally when Watson scooped him up other QBs started flying off the board. I like your Ryan pick, but think Milner might have reached a bit early on Stafford.
MG: I like Claybon handcuffing Ryan Mathews in this round. He kept claiming he didn't know what he was doing, but I think he was sandbagging us. At least when it came to running backs.
ROUND 9
- Allen Robinson, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars - Fabiano
- Julius Thomas, TE, Jacksonville Jaguars - Crawley
- Doug Martin, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Milner
- John Brown, WR, Arizona Cardinals - Gelhar
- Nelson Agholor, WR, Philadelphia Eagles - Franciscovich
- Kyle Rudolph, TE, Minnesota Vikings - Claybon
- Jordan Cameron, TE, Miami Dolphins - Grant
- DeVante Parker, WR, Miami Dolphins - Wilk
- Steve Smith, WR, Baltimore Ravens - Pink
- Michael Floyd, WR, Arizona Cardinals - Watson
AG: Is it just me, or is the sun shining brightly down in Duval County? Two Jaguars are picked back-to-back to kick off Round 9? And what's crazier is that I was mad that both were taken a few picks before me!
MG: And Adam Rank was nowhere around. I wanted to be angry with Matt Franciscovich for taking Nelson Agholor, but he says it was because you snaked John Brown from him. So I guess you and I now have beef. Let's fight!
AG: What can I say? I mean, at least you got your USC homer pick in with Elliot Harrison ... I mean Jordan Cameron. If we must come to fisticuffs, let them be in the fantasy arena instead.
ROUND 10
- Zach Ertz, TE, Philadelphia Eagles - Watson
- Fred Jackson, RB, Buffalo Bills - Pink
- Victor Cruz, WR, New York Giants - Wilk
- David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals - Grant
- Dwayne Allen, TE, Indianpolis Colts - Claybon
- Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots - Franciscovich
- Shane Vereen, RB, New York Giants - Gelhar
- Martavis Bryant, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers - Milner
- Charles Johnson, WR, Minnesota Vikings - Crawley
- Martellus Bennett, TE, Chicago Bears - Fabiano
AG: Indeed. I had my eye on Tom Terrific, but decided to wait. I like the mix of established vets and high-upside youngsters in this round. I went with the former in Vereen, who I think could be huge in the Giants' offense, while you, Crawley and Milner opted for youth.
MG: At this point in the draft, I was all about upside. Considering what happened with Andre Ellington last year, David Johnson gives me hope.
ROUND 11
- David Cobb, RB, Tennessee Titans - Fabiano
- Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers - Crawley
- Alfred Blue, RB, Houston Texans - Milner
- Ryan Tannehill, QB, Miami Dolphins - Gelhar
- Brandon LaFell, WR, New England Patriots - Franciscovich
- Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta Falcons - Claybon
- Jaelen Strong, WR, Houston Texans - Grant
- Terrance West, RB, Cleveland Browns - Wilk
- Donte Moncrief, WR, Indianapolis Colts - Pink
- Seattle Seahawks D/ST - Watson
AG: Speaking of hope, I have the highest of hopes for David Cobb, and was severely rankled when Fabiano (who had downplayed Cobb on the podcast), sniped him three picks before me in Round 11! What gives?!
MG: That Fabiano ... he's a tricky one! Still, I like your Tannehill pick there. I have high hopes for him this season.
AG: Same. I'll scratch your fantasy back as well and commend the Jaelen Strong pick. There are a ton of targets to be had in Houston with Johnson gone. Speaking of A.J., his arrival in Indy (along with Phillip Dorsett) really puts a damper on Donte Moncrief for me, whom I had really liked heading into the offseason.
ROUND 12
- Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys - Watson
- Houston Texans D/ST - Pink
- Buffalo Bills D/ST - Wilk
- Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers - Grant
- Phillip Dorsett, WR, Indianapolis Colts - Claybon
- Carson Palmer, QB, Arizona Cardinals - Franciscovich
- Roddy White, WR, Atlanta Falcons - Gelhar
- Colin Kaepernick, QB, San Francisco 49ers - Milner
- Jay Ajayi, RB, Miami Dolphins - Crawley
- Eric Decker, WR, New York Jets - Fabiano
MG: I feel the same way about Moncrief. Just too many mouths to feed in Indianapolis. Meanwhile, in Round 12, we somehow allowed Watson to back up Drew Brees with Tony Romo. What were we doing?
AG: Um ... not paying attention? I guess we've been drinking a little too much of Fabiano's "Wait on a QB" Kool-aid. While we're on the topic of aging but effective QBs, I love Franchise's pick of Palmer here. I was thinking of backing up Tannehill with him in the following round, but alas, my plans were foiled.
MG: I'm not totally on board with waiting on quarterbacks, but it does speak to the depth of the position that guys like Romo, Palmer and Colin Kaepernick were still around this late.
ROUND 13
- Stephen Gostkowski, K, New England Patriots - Fabiano
- St. Louis Rams D/ST - Crawley
- Percy Harvin, WR, Buffalo Bills - Milner
- Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, Tennessee Titans - Gelhar
- Delanie Walker, TE, Tennessee Titans - Franciscovich
- Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego Chargers - Claybon
- Reggie Bush, RB, San Francisco 49ers - Grant
- Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Minnesota Vikings - Wilk
- Kenny Stills, WR, Miami Dolphins - Pink
- Adam Vinatieri, K, Indianapolis Colts - Watson
AG: We're nearing the end here in Round 13, so I'll be quick. Picks I liked: DGB, Rivers, Bridgewater, Stills. Picks I didn't like: PERCY HARVIN.
MG: I took Sir Reginald Alfred Bush II. Partly because Rivers was gone. But also because I wanted to type Sir Reginald Alfred Bush II.
AG: A totally acceptable rationale. I approve.
ROUND 14
- Mike Wallace, WR, Minnesota Vikings - Watson
- Matt Bryant, K, Atlanta Falcons - Pink
- Pierre Garcon, WR, Washington Redskins - Wilk
- Arizona Cardinals D/ST - Grant
- Randy Bullock, K, Houston Texans - Claybon
- Indianapolis Colts D/ST - Franciscovich
- Mason Crosby, K, Green Bay Packers - Gelhar
- Cody Parkey, K, Philadelphia Eagles - Milner
- DeAngelo Williams, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers - Crawley
- Antonio Gates, TE, San Diego Chargers - Fabiano
MG: All I have to say about Round 14 is ... Antonio Gates. Wow.
AG: All I have to say is ... whoops. But hey, he's ... old, I guess?
ROUND 15
- Green Bay Packers D/ST - Fabiano
- Dan Carpenter, K, Buffalo Bills - Crawley
- Philadelphia Eagles D/ST - Milner
- Baltimore Ravens D/ST - Gelhar
- Dan Bailey, K, Dallas Cowboys - Franciscovich
- Miami Dolphins D/ST - Claybon
- Justin Tucker, K, Baltimore Ravens - Grant
- Steven Hauschka, K, Seattle Seahawks - Wilk
- Charles Sims, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Pink
- Tyler Eifert, TE, Cincinnati Bengals - Watson
AG: Round 15 ... No SeaBass?
MG: The times, they are a-changing. Pour a little out for SeaBass.