With the turn of the calendar to July and just a few short months until the start of the regular season, the fantasy football chatter is heating up across the NFL landscape. Who will be the biggest bust? Who will make the biggest rookie impact? Which player's value is on the rise? Knowledge is power, of course, and knowing which players to draft and when to draft them is paramount to your championship hopes. So is practicing your draft strategies, and you can do that right here at NFL.com as mock drafts are now open! I'll give you a look into how those mocks might look with a mock of my own, as we continue our #MockDraftMonday campaign to get you prepped for the upcoming season.
This bad boy is 10 rounds and based on a PPR scoring system that rewards four points for touchdown passes and six points for all other touchdowns. I've also build a theme with each of the mock "teams." Team 1 went with the best player on the board but avoided drafting a quarterback and took a tight end (Rob Gronkowski) in Round 3. This will show you what your running backs and wideouts might look like when one of your first three picks is a tight end. Teams 2, 3 and 9 went running back-running back with the first two picks, so it's interesting to see what wide receivers were on the board with their third and fourth picks. Team 3 didn't take its first wide receiver until Round 4, which gives owners an idea of what wideouts might be available in that scenario.
For those of you who like wide receivers (this is a PPR league, after all), Teams 4, 5, 7, 8, and 10 grabbed a member of that position with two of their first three overall picks. Team 10 drafted just one running back with its first five picks, siding with wideouts and a tight end instead. What's left at the running back spot in Round 6 might (or might not) make you avoid this sort of strategy. Team 9 was the first to pick a quarterback (Aaron Rodgers), and that wasn't until Round 6 (because why would you draft one earlier than that?). You'll see how that left the rest of the team's offensive roster.
Enjoy!
Round 1
1.1) Team 1 - Le'Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers: I can make an argument for at least five different players to be the No. 1 pick, but I'm going with Bell. He was a top-10 PPR running back 12 times and ranked in the top 20 in more than 50 percent of his starts last season. The potential for another camp holdout is a cause for concern, so Bell could move down a spot or two in future mocks.
1.2) Team 2 - Todd Gurley, RB, Los Angeles Rams: Gurley went bananas last season, finishing as a top-10 PPR runner in 12 of his 15 games. Furthermore, he averaged 25.5 points per game and scored 20-plus points 10 times including seven games with more than 25 points. While I do expect there to be some regression after what was a career campaign, Gurley won't fall past the second overall pick.
1.3) Team 3 - Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys: Am I sometimes a Cowboys homer? Yup. But how can you pass on Zeke as a top-three pick? In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he leads the position in fantasy points next season. Elliott missed six games due to a suspension in 2017 but he averaged the third-most PPR points (20.3 PPG) among backs who played at least seven games (Gurley and Bell).
1.4) Team 4 - David Johnson, RB, Arizona Cardinals: Johnson scored over 400 PPR points in 2016 and was the consensus top pick last season, but an injured wrist sidelined him for most of the 2017 campaign. He'll be back at 100 percent for the start of camps, however, and he'll be fresh after missing significant time. New coach Steve Wilks is going to run Johnson a ton too, so expect a rebound.
1.5) Team 5 - Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers: The best wide receiver in fantasy football, Brown led his position with 1,533 yards and six top-five finishes in 14 games. He also scored 25-plus PPR points in half of his games and led all receivers in points-per-game average (22.2). I can see A.B. being the top overall pick in some PPR drafts, but this running back truther has him at No. 5.
1.6) Team 6 - Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints: As a rookie, Kamara thrived once the Saints traded Adrian Peterson. In fact, he had a six-week stretch where he ranked no worse than ninth among PPR backs including five top-4 finishes and three No. 1 finishes. With Mark Ingram being suspended for the first four games of 2018, Kamara could end up being a top-three overall selection in PPR formats.
1.7) Team 7 - Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants: A few years ago, many fantasy fans were worried about drafting Zeke in Round 1 simply because he was a rookie. That was then, this is now ... and no one should have any concern with Barkley as a top-10 pick. A three-down runner at the next level, I'm projecting the Penn State product to make a big impact in 2018. Don't fear the hype ... believe it.
1.8) Team 8 - DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Houston Texans: Hopkins, a massive disappointment for owners in 2016, exploded for 96 receptions, 1,378 yards, 13 touchdowns and the second-most PPR fantasy points among wide receivers last season. In seven games with Deshaun Watson under center, Nuk ranked in the top five at his position three times (43 percent) and in the top 10 four times (57 percent). Giddy up.
1.9) Team 9 - Melvin Gordon, RB, Los Angeles Chargers: Gordon proved that his sophomore campaign was no fluke, as he scored 12 touchdowns and ranked fifth in PPR points among running backs this past season. He also tied for fourth in top-5 finishes (5), and just five other runners averaged more PPR points. Flash also scored 20-plus points five times, including four different games with 25-plus points.
1.10) Team 10 - Kareem Hunt, RB, Kansas City Chiefs: Hunt was a fantasy machine as a rookie, posting seven top-10 PPR finishes while also ranking as a top-20 runner 10 different times. He was able to reach these heights despite a five-game stretch where he ranked no higher than 24th at the position. While Spencer Ware (knee) could be back in the mix, Hunt isn't about to lose his featured role in K.C.
Round 2
2.11) Team 10 - Odell Beckham Jr., WR, New York Giants: Beckham Jr. was playing at a high level before suffering a gruesome leg injury last season, as he scored 20-plus PPR points in two of his four games. Barring a setback in his return to the gridiron, OBJ figures to be a top-12 overall pick and won't last past the top 15 in most formats. He looked pretty good in a recent video on social media.
2.12) Team 9 - Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings: Cook, who missed all but four games as a rookie due to an injured knee, had two top-10 performances in three full contests. Vikings general manager Rick Spielman believes Cook will be fine for the start of training camp, so look for him to reclaim a featured role. With Jerick McKinnon no longer on the roster, I like Cook as a surefire top-15 selection.
2.13) Team 8 - Leonard Fournette, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars: A superstar rookie back, Fournette scored 10 total touchdowns and averaged 17.7 PPR points in 13 games. While he finished as a top-five runner just twice, he also ranked in the top 15 in PPR points 10 times. Fournette will continue to shine as the centerpiece of the Jaguars offense, so expect to hear his name called in the top 20 choices.
2.14) Team 7 - Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons: A first-round pick last season, Jones has fallen into the second round of these 2018 mock drafts. While his final numbers looked good, the veteran ranked outside of the top 20 PPR wideouts in 11 of his 16 games, and 20 percent of his total fantasy points came in just one game. He's just too inconsistent to be considered a first-round selection at this point.
2.15) Team 6 - Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers: The 2017 NFL Comeback Player of the Year, Allen returned from a torn ACL to produce career bests in catches (102) and receiving yards (1,393) last season. He also finished third behind Brown and Hopkins among wideouts in PPR leagues, making him a massive asset. In what will remain a potent offense, Allen will be a top-20 overall choice in PPR drafts.
2.16) Team 5 - LeSean McCoy, RB, Buffalo Bills: McCoy had another successful season in the stat sheets, as he ranked seventh among PPR running backs with six top-10 finishes. He also had four games where he ranked fifth or better. Based on the high number of talented, young players at his position and the fact that McCoy will turn 30 this summer, I'm projecting him as a second-round pick in PPR formats.
2.17) Team 4 - Michael Thomas, WR, New Orleans Saints: Thomas wasn't much of a touchdown scorer last season, but he did finish third in receptions (104) and sixth in receiving yards (1,245) among wideouts. He was very reliable in his final 11 contests too, as Thomas ranked in the top-20 eight times (72.7 percent) including five top-12 finishes and a pair of top-four ranks in the fantasy postseason.
2.18) Team 3 - Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta Falcons: Freeman ranked 13th among backs in PPR scoring this past season, which is his worst finish since 2014. He was still a reliable option for owners though, as he finished with double-digit points 12 times and was a top-20 performer in seven of his 14 games. Still just 25 years old, the veteran will be a high-end No. 2 fantasy runner in 10-team PPR leagues.
2.19) Team 2 - Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers: McCaffrey ran for just 435 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie, but his 80 catches, 651 yards and five scores as a receiver made him a top-10 fantasy back in PPR leagues. He did lose a bit of his luster when the Panthers added C.J. Anderson, but Run CMC should still see more than his share of chances as a pass catcher and remains a top-20 PPR pick.
2.20) Team 1 - A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals: Green is another in a long line of unreliable fantasy wideouts from a season ago. While he did have four top-10 finishes and seven top-20 finishes among receivers, most of his success came in the first half of the season. In fact, Green ranked 35th or worse at his position in four of his final seven games and was better than 17th once during that time.
Round 3
3.21) Team 1 - Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots: Gronkowski will be back on the gridiron for his ninth NFL season, so he'll also be back as a top-30 PPR overall pick in fantasy land. In fact, I have the big man as the first tight end off the board (big shocker). Last season, the New England touchdown machine recorded nine top-10 finishes and had eight top-5 finishes at the tight end position.
3.22) Team 2 - Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers: Adams was extremely inconsistent in his first eight games, but he finished with four top-12 PPR finishes including two top-10 ranks in his final five full games before being injured in Week 15. I can see him being picked in the second round after the release of Jordy Nelson, but Adams is locked and loaded as no worse than a third-round PPR selection.
3.23) Team 3 - Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs: An argument can be made that Kelce, and not Gronkowski, should be the first tight end pick in 2018 drafts. After all, he has been the highest-scoring player at the position for two straight seasons, He also finished no worse than 13th in all but three games, and he failed to post top-20 totals just once. You have to like that high level of production.
3.24) Team 4 - Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings: While Blue Swede came to our minds when we heard his name, Thielen was making sweet fantasy music for owners last season. He finished eighth in PPR scoring despite scoring just four times, and now he'll have Kirk Cousins throwing him the football. You like that? Thielen should lead the Vikings in targets in what will be a fun offense to watch.
3.25) Team 5 - Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers: The Buccaneers were a fantasy disappointment as a team last season, and Evans was the main perpetrator. A top-10 wide receiver in four of his first six games, the talented veteran went on to rank better than 23rd in PPR points at his position in just seven of his final nine games. He'll start the 2018 campaign without Jameis Winston for a few games.
3.26) Team 6 - Jerick McKinnon, RB, San Francisco 49ers: The biggest mover after the free-agency frenzy, McKinnon is now a legitimate top-30 pick in PPR leagues. New coach Kyle Shanahan, who has had a top-8 PPR runner in three straight seasons, will use McKinnon much like he did Freeman in Atlanta. McKinnon, a solid pass-catcher, should haul in 50-plus receptions and receive oodles of touches in 2018.
3.27) Team 7 - T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts: I have Hilton ranked in the top 30 based on the assumption that Andrew Luck (shoulder) will be back under center for the Colts in Week 1. In that scenario, Hilton could be a steal in some drafts. A potential target hog with Donte Moncrief now in Jacksonville, I can see the talented veteran hitting the 80-catch mark with relative ease ... and lots of "Luck."
3.28) Team 8 - Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals: Fitzgerald might be getting up there in age, but that hasn't curbed his level of production. In fact, the future Hall of Famer was second in receptions behind Jarvis Landry last season. Whether it's Sam Bradford or Josh Rosen under center, they're both an upgrade over Blaine Gabbert, right? I'm betting on another nice season from Fitzgerald.
3.29) Team 9 - Doug Baldwin, WR, Seattle Seahawks: Baldwin made his fantasy owners angry with some inconsistent stat lines a season ago, but he still finished 13th in PPR scoring among wideouts. With Jimmy Graham and Paul Richardson no longer in the mix, the veteran should be in for a bounce-back season in the stat sheets. He's a borderline No. 1 fantasy wideout across the board and a top-30 pick.
3.30) Team 10 - Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs: Hill ranked in the top-20 nine times last season, including four different games in the top 10. He was also a star down the stretch, putting up three top-11 finishes over his final four games of the fantasy season. I wouldn't expect his value to change much with Patrick Mahomes under center, so look for Hill to be a top-35 selection next season.
Round 4
Round 5
5.41) Team 1 - Josh Gordon, WR, Cleveland Browns: I sure love Gordon's skills on the gridiron. What I don't love is the presence of Jarvis Landry and a new-look offense with lots of options.
5.42) Team 2 - Lamar Miller, RB, Houston Texans: Miller could turn into one of the better bargains in all fantasy drafts, especially if D'Onta Foreman (Achilles) isn't ready for Week 1.
5.43) Team 3 - Amari Cooper, WR, Oakland Raiders: Cooper could be a bargain, as new coach Jon Gruden will use him as a top offensive weapon. I'd target him as a borderline WR2/WR3 in 2018.
5.44) Team 4 - Jay Ajayi, RB, Philadelphia Eagles: Entering a contract year and slated to be the Eagles' early-down and goal-line workhorse, Ajayi has a lot of upside in the stat sheets.
5.45) Team 5 - Jarvis Landry, WR, Cleveland Browns: The Browns suddenly have a ton of offensive weapons, so I'm expecting a slight regression from Landry compared to his monster 2017 year.
5.46) Team 6 - JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers: The trade that sent Martavis Bryant to Oakland makes the talented Smith-Schuster an even more attractive fantasy option for 2018.
5.47) Team 7 - Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans: Henry still has the potential to become a nice No. 2 runner, but the addition of pass-catcher Dion Lewis hurts his ceiling for this season.
5.48) Team 8 - Mark Ingram, RB, New Orleans Saints: Yes, you'll lose the first four games due to a suspension ... but imagine having Ingram in your lineup as a flex starter when he returns?
5.49) Team 9 - Derrius Guice, RB, Washington Redskins: Guice figures to take the lead back duties in Washington, making him a nice flex starter with upside in coach Jay Gruden's offense.
5.50) Team 10 - Alshon Jeffery, WR, Philadelphia Eagles: Jeffery should continue to make big plays for the Eagles offense. However, there's still a lot of mouths to feed in the pass attack.
Round 6
6.51) Team 10 - Royce Freeman, RB, Denver Broncos
6.52) Team 9 - Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers
6.53) Team 8 - Michael Crabtree, WR, Baltimore Ravens
6.54) Team 7 - Marvin Jones, WR, Detroit Lions
6.55) Team 6 - Dion Lewis, Rb, Tennessee Titans
6.56) Team 5 - Marlon Mack, RB, Indianapolis Colts
6.57) Team 4 - Pierre Garcon, WR, San Francisco 49ers
6.58) Team 3 - Brandin Cooks, WR, Los Angeles Rams
6.59) Team 2 - Greg Olsen, TE, Carolina Panthers
6.60) Team 1 - Chris Thompson, RB, Washington Redskins
Round 7
7.61) Team 1 - Randall Cobb, WR, Green Bay Packers
7.62) Team 2 - Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Denver Broncos
7.63) Team 3 - Sony Michel, RB, New England Patriots
7.64) Team 4 - Evan Engram, TE, New York Giants
7.65) Team 5 - Ronald Jones, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
7.66) Team 6 - Jimmy Graham, TE, Green Bay Packers
7.67) Team 7 - Marshawn Lynch, RB, Oakland Raiders
7.68) Team 8 - Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots
7.69) Team 9 - Corey Davis, WR, Tennessee Titans
7.70) Team 10 - Tevin Coleman, RB, Atlanta Falcons
Round 8
8.71) Team 10 - Rex Burkhead, RB, New England Patriots
8.72) Team 9 - Robert Woods, WR, Los Angeles Rams
8.73) Team 8 - Duke Johnson, RB, Cleveland Browns
8.74) Team 7 - Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks
8.75) Team 6 - Deshaun Watson, QB, Houston Texans
8.76) Team 5 - Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers
8.77) Team 4 - Isaiah Crowell, RB, New York Jets
8.78) Team 3 - Chris Hogan, WR, New England Patriots
8.79) Team 2 - Jamison Crowder WR, Washington Redskins
8.80) Team 1 - Devin Funchess, WR, Carolina Panthers
Round 9
9.81) Team 1 - Tarik Cohen, RB, Chicago Bears
9.82) Team 2 - Jamaal Williams, RB, Green Bay Packers
9.83) Team 3 - Kerryon Johnson, RB, Detroit Lions
9.84) Team 4 - Robby Anderson, WR, New York Jets
9.85) Team 5 - Will Fuller, WR, Houston Texans
9.86) Team 6 - DeVante Parker, WR, Miami Dolphins
9.87) Team 7 - Sterling Shepard, WR, New York Giants
9.88) Team 8 - Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams
9.89) Team 9 - Delanie Walker, TE, Tennessee Titans
9.90) Team 10 - Carson Wentz, QB, Philadelphia Eagles
Round 10
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. Do you want the most up-to-date fantasy news and analysis? You can follow Michael on **Twitter**, **Facebook** and **Instagram**!
