I have my eye on Colin Kaepernick this season. In what round would you draft him? - @MattHealey (via Twitter)
Michael Fabiano: I was in an experts league draft this week, and Kaepernick lasted until the seventh round. Of course, the first quarterback (Aaron Rodgers) wasn't drafted until the first selection of the fifth round, so that league might not be the best example of what most fantasy drafts will resemble. I jumped onto the Kaepernick bandwagon last season, and I'm not about to leave it after what he did both on the gridiron and in the stat sheets. The fact that he was so successful in the 2012 postseason could cause some people to reach for him in one of the first three or four rounds, but I would feel more comfortable taking the Nevada product in Round 5.
How do you feel about Maurice Jones-Drew this season? Can he re-emerge into a No. 1 fantasy running back? - J. Goodwin (via Facebook)
M.F.: Barring any setbacks from a foot operation and entering a contract year, "Pocket Hercules" could be a terrific draft bargain in the second or third round. At 28, he still has some gas left in his statistical tank -- he's also coming off a season that saw him tote the football a mere 86 times due to the bum foot. So if nothing else, Jones-Drew should be fresher than past seasons. The rehab from a Lisfranc surgery isn't simple, though, so it will be important to monitor his status right up until the preseason begins.
In what round is it safe to draft Robert Griffin III? Would you consider him prone to injuries? - @mytommyd (via Twitter)
M.F.: All of the reports about RG3's rehab from major knee reconstruction have been positive, and that's good news. However, it's difficult to make a concrete judgement on his 2013 status and draft value until he's back out on the field participating in football activities. In the aforementioned experts draft, Griffin III didn't come off the board until Round 9. That could be an absolute steal if he returns in time for Week 1 and posted similar numbers to his rookie totals. In a best-case scenario where he's expected to be under center right out of the gate, RG3 would come off the board in one of the first three to four rounds of almost every draft that's held this summer.
I saw that you had a fantasy experts draft this week. Is that viewable? What does your team look like? - V. Rinaldi (via Facebook)
M.F.: The draft isn't viewable online at this point -- it was for the Pro Forecast Magazine that will be on newsstands later this summer. I had the No. 10 overall pick in the 12-team PPR league and was able to land Marshawn Lynch in the first round. Here's how the rest of my team looks: Brandon Marshall (Rd. 2), Reggie Wayne (Rd. 3), Darren McFadden (Rd. 4), Greg Jennings (Rd. 5), Chris Ivory (Rd. 6), Andrew Luck (Rd. 7), Vernon Davis (Rd. 8), Denarius Moore (Rd. 9), DeAngelo Williams (Rd. 10), Marcel Reece (Rd. 11), Michael Vick (Rd. 12), Fred Davis (Rd. 13), Greg Little (Rd. 14), Packers defense (Rd. 15), Michael Bush (Rd. 16), Malcom Floyd (Rd. 17), Justin Tucker (Rd. 18). This draft won't mirror a lot of leagues because quarterbacks didn't start coming off the board in Round 5, but it does prove that you can wait until the middle rounds and still land a solid signal-caller.
Does the addition of Carson Palmer make Larry Fitzgerald a No. 1 fantasy wide receiver again? - @JoeDeFuria (via Twitter)
M.F.: There is no doubt about it. Much like he did with Wayne last season in Indianapolis, I think new Cardinals coach Bruce Arians is going to revitalize Fitzgerald's statistical levels in his first season. He's pledged to move the stud wideout all over the field -- Fitzgerald has even seen some time in the slot during OTAs -- and the presence of Palmer just makes him even more attractive. Sure, the veteran quarterback might be past his prime at the age of 33, but would you rather have one of the quartet of Kevin Kolb, John Skelton, Ryan Lindley or Brian Hoyer throwing Fitzgerald the football? I have the future Hall of Famer ranked among the 10-best players at his position and expect him to be drafted in the second or third round.
What are your thoughts on Le'Veon Bell? - T. Perugini (via Facebook)
M.F.: I'm definitely a fan. He's the No. 1 fantasy rookie on my board heading into June. While he might not have been the most gifted runner in the 2013 class, Bell is a great fit for Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley. A bruiser with skills as a pass catcher, I would be shocked if he doesn't enter the 2013 season as the No. 1 running back in Pittsburgh. I'd draft him in the middle rounds as a high-end flex starter with No. 2 runner potential.
In what round would you target a tight end? What about once Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham and Tony Gonzalez are drafted? - @Danatello_7 (via Twitter)
M.F.: Honestly, I am not big on going after a tight end -- unless it's Gronkowski or Graham -- in one of the first five rounds. Talk about a position with question marks! Former stars like Antonio Gates, Vernon Davis and Jermichael Finley were major disappointments last season, and finding a consistent point producer at the position was quite difficult. Even Gronkowski, who is coming off multiple forearm surgeries, isn't what you would call a sure-fire selection because of his injuries. If you don't land one of the big two at the position, I'd sit back and wait until after the fifth round. You should be able to land someone like Aaron Hernandez, Jason Witten or Gonzalez in that area in most standard leagues.
When will we start seeing mock drafts on NFL.com. I think we are ready for them! - M. Sotello (via Facebook)
M.F.: There is no set date on when mock drafts will be available, but I would guess they'll be live at some point in the middle of June. The NFL Fantasy LIVE crew will be doing a mock draft next Monday, May 20th starting at 10 am PST that you'll be able to follow on Twitter and view in our upcoming draft kit.
What kind of fantasy value will Felix Jones have in Philadelphia? - @Sean_10NSU (via Twitter)
M.F.: I don't think he'll have much, to be honest. Eagles coach Chip Kelly utilizes his running backs in a prominent offensive fashion, so I don't see "Fragile Felix" as much more than depth at the position. He does own a respectable 4.8 yards-per-carry average in five NFL seasons, so the Eagles didn't mind taking a flier on him. LeSean McCoy and Bryce Brown still remain first and second in terms of the backfield rotation, with the former seeing the biggest workload. I'd be surprised to see Jones selected in most standard fantasy leagues in 2013.
Where would you draft Justin Blackmon? I know he's suspended for the first four games, but does it make sense to take him in the late rounds? - D. Lawrence (via Facebook)
M.F.: If you have the roster room to draft and stash him for the first quarter of the season, then it makes all the sense in the world to take Blackmon in the later rounds. He was a ninth-round selection in the experts league draft I had this week, which might have even been a little too soon to take him, but he clearly still has draft value. In a best-case scenario, Blackmon will be like having a hot free agent on your bench once he's eligible to return in the first week of October.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Have a burning question on anything fantasy related? Tweet it to _**@MichaelFabiano**_ or send a question via **Facebook**!
