March Madness is in full effect right now ... well, unless you're a fan of the Michigan State Spartans or Arizona Wildcats. But for fantasy football dorks like me, the madness began with the start of the NFL's free-agency period earlier in the month. And with most of the big-name free agents signed and a few trades consummated, we're getting a clearer look at how some player values have been altered as a result. So what better time to hold my second one-man, five-round mock draft for 2016. You'll notice some risers and fallers, not to mention a few new names added to the list.
This mock draft is based on NFL.com's standard 10-team leagues with a basic (non-PPR) scoring system that rewards four points for touchdown passes and six points for all other touchdowns scored. Each numbered position represents an individual fantasy team, so no more than one quarterback, three running backs, three wide receivers or one tight end will be selected per roster.
Round 1
1. Le'Veon Bell, RB, Steelers: It's March, so Bell's status for the start of training camp is somewhat of a mystery after he injured the MCL and PCL in his right knee last November. If he's able to return without setbacks, he's the top player to draft in 2016. His rehab from these knee injuries will be a hot topic of conversation throughout the offseason.
2. Todd Gurley, RB, Rams: Gurley didn't start his first NFL game until Week 4, which makes his 1,106 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns and 187.4 fantasy points even more impressive during his rookie year. If Bell's status for camp comes into question, the Georgia product would become a popular choice at the top of all drafts. Gurley is a superstar in the making.
3. Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings: Peterson, who just turned 31, has had over 2,300 career regular-season carries at the NFL level. With that said, the typical rules of an older back don't apply to one of the all-time greats at the position. It's difficult to envision a scenario where Peterson doesn't remain the true centerpiece of Minnesota's offense.
4. Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers: Brown has been the top-scoring wide receiver in fantasy football in each of the last two seasons, making him a virtual lock to be drafted in the top five next season. I could even see him picked No. 1 overall, especially in leagues that reward points for receptions. Brown has put up 100-plus catches in three straight years.
5. Julio Jones, WR, Falcons: Jones busted out in the stat sheets in 2015, posting career bests in catches (136) and yards (1,871) to go along with eight touchdowns. He also recorded more fantasy points than every single running back in the league not named Devonta Freeman (also his teammate). At the age of 27, Jones is now entering the prime of his NFL career.
6. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Giants: OBJ did see his fantasy points per game average dip in his sophomore season, but he still had a tremendous campaign with 96 catches, 1,305 yards and 12 scores. He has also recorded the second-most fantasy points of any wideout in his first two NFL seasons (behind Randy Moss) ... and OBJ missed a combined five games.
7. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Texans: Nuk exploded in his third NFL season, posting career bests in catches (111), yards (1,521) and touchdowns (11) despite the fact that Houston lacked a stable quarterback situation. Hopkins has also seen his important fantasy totals increase in each of his first three years, and the addition of Brock Osweiler should be a positive.
8. Rob Gronkowski, TE, Patriots: Gronkowski is far and away the most valuable tight end in fantasy football, and he's the lone player at his position who's worth a top-30 selection. The veteran out of Arizona has put up 1,100-plus yards and double-digit touchdowns in each of his last two years. I don't expect the addition of Martellus Bennett to hurt his targets or numbers.
9. David Johnson, RB, Cardinals: Johnson started a mere five games as a rookie, but he still finished seventh in fantasy points among running backs on the strength of his 12 total touchdowns. Whether he turns into the next Zac Stacy or Jeremy Hill remains to be seen, but Johnson will be a top-10 pick based on his upside and the lack of depth at his position.
10. Devonta Freeman, RB, Falcons: Freeman came out of nowhere to lead all running backs in fantasy points last season. He also had an historic four-game stretch where he found the end zone a combined nine times and put up 25-plus points in each contest. There is some bust concern as a result, but Freeman is still worth a look late in the first round in 2016.
Round 2
11. Dez Bryant, WR, Cowboys: Forget about what happened to Bryant last season ... he was never 100 percent and had to catch passes from the likes of Kellen Moore. Heading into 2015, Bryant had put up 88 or more catches, 1,200-plus yards and double-digit touchdowns in his previous three campaigns. With Tony Romo back under center, Bryant will rebound.
12. Allen Robinson, WR, Jaguars: Robinson was one of last season's true breakout candidates in fantasy football, posting career bests across the board in what became quite a prolific Jacksonville pass attack. The Penn State product was also consistent in the stat sheets for owners, scoring 10-plus points in 12 games with at least one score in 10 contests.
13. Lamar Miller, RB, Texans: Miller finished sixth in fantasy points among runners last season, and he did it despite carrying the football fewer than 200 times. His move to the Texans made him an even more valuable asset, as he should be the lead back in an offense that wants to run the football. Miller is clearly in a position to have his best statistical campaign.
14. Doug Martin, RB, Buccaneers: I have to admit to being a bit worried about Martin, who has not been the most durable or reliable fantasy running back in his four seasons at the NFL level. Still, he has produced 1,400-plus rushing yards twice in his career and should remain the featured runner in Tampa Bay after signing a contract to remain with the franchise.
15. Jamaal Charles, RB, Chiefs: Charles averaged more than five yards per attempt last season before suffering his second torn ACL in the last five years, so he didn't look like a back who was on the verge of a statistical decline. There's some risk in drafting him coming off a second ACL procedure, but Charles is worth that risk at this point in your draft.
16. Mark Ingram, RB, Saints: I like everything about Ingram from a statistical perspective, and I could see him moving up in future mock drafts throughout the offseason. The one concern is the fact that Ingram has never started more than 10 games in a season due to injuries. He's also been absent in least three games in four of his five years at the pro level.
17. LeSean McCoy, RB, Bills: McCoy's first season in Buffalo was a modest one overall, as he averaged 12 fantasy points per game but missed four contests due to injuries. He also lost important work to Karlos Williams, who scored nine touchdowns compared to McCoy's five. Regardless, he's still a borderline No. 1 fantasy runner at what is a very thin position.
18. A.J. Green, WR, Bengals: Green had an up and down 2015 campaign, posting fewer than eight fantasy points seven times. Regardless, the veteran still finished with 1,200-plus yards and double-digit touchdowns ... that's the third time he's done that in his last four seasons. Green could see more targets with Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu out of the mix, too.
19. Thomas Rawls, RB, Seahawks: Rawls was a beast in the stat sheets in the absence of Marshawn Lynch last season, averaging almost 16 fantasy points per game. He also averaged 117.6 scrimmage yards with five touchdowns in his seven starts. Barring any setbacks in his return from an injured ankle, Rawls will have massive potential in a run-based Seattle offense.
20. Matt Forte, RB, Jets: Forte might be entering his age-30 season, but I still see him as a borderline No. 1 or 2 fantasy runner. That won't change in New York, where he figures to be the featured back in an offense that turned Chris Ivory into a top-10 fantasy back last season. I don't see Bilal Powell or Khiry Robinson putting a huge dent into his touches.
Round 3
21. Alshon Jeffery, WR, Bears: Jeffery suffered through an injury-plagued 2015 campaign that saw him miss seven games and post disappointing numbers. Still, he averaged 89.6 yards in the nine games he played and would have projected to score almost 190 fantasy points over a full season.
22. Demaryius Thomas, WR, Broncos: Thomas finished 13th in fantasy points among wideouts in 2015, which was a disappointment considering his second-round price. With Peyton Manning and Osweiler out and without a solid replacement, I fear Thomas could be a potential bust in 2016.
23. Brandon Marshall, WR, Jets: Marshall went nuts in the stat sheets in his first season with Gang Green, posting 1,502 yards with 14 touchdowns while finishing third in fantasy points among wideouts. It will be tough to duplicate those totals, but Marshall should remain a top-25 choice.
24. Keenan Allen, WR, Chargers: Allen was on pace to put up 134 catches and 1,400-plus yards last season before he suffered a lacerated kidney and was forced to miss the final eight contests. Entering the final year of his rookie deal, Allen could be on the verge of a big fantasy performance.
25. Sammy Watkins, WR, Bills: Watkins had a slow start to the 2015 campaign, but his numbers soared after he called for the football in the media. In fact, he averaged almost nine targets per game after he made the statement. Watkins has No. 1 wideout potential next season.
26. Julian Edelman, WR, Patriots: Edelman was enjoying a monster 2015 season before suffering a busted foot that cost him the final seven games. A PPR machine, he would have projected to finish with 108 catches based on his final totals. Edelman is still a borderline No. 1 or 2 wideout.
27. DeMarco Murray, RB, Titans: Murray, a massive fantasy bust last season, should rebound after being traded to the Titans. Now a featured back in an offense that wants to run the football, the Oklahoma product could return high-end RB2 numbers ... as long as he can avoid injuries.
28. Amari Cooper, WR, Raiders: Cooper finished outside of the top 20 in fantasy points among wideouts as a rookie, but the sky is the limit for this über-talented receiver out of Alabama. In fact, he'll be on the high-end No. 2 fantasy receiver radar in almost all leagues for 2016.
29. Jordy Nelson, WR, Packers: Nelson blew out his knee during the 2015 preseason, so he'll have had more than enough time to rehab and recover heading into training camp. Heading into his age-31 season and with Aaron Rodgers under center, Nelson could turn into a nice very bargain.
30. Cam Newton, QB, Panthers: The No. 1 fantasy player from 2015 drafted ... in Round 3? Yessir. The quarterback position is deep, and chances are pretty good that Newton will see a 40-60 point decline in production in 2016. If he weren't such a productive runner, I'd pass on him here.
Round 4
Round 5
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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**!
