2014 Fantasy Football IDP Mock Draft
NFL training camps don't open until later this month, but it's never too early to look ahead to the upcoming season of fantasy football. Twelve Athlon editors and fantasy contributors did just that in early May.
Keep in mind that since this was done more than a month ago, that the picks reflect rosters and teams as they stood then. For example, even though he was not drafted, Atlanta linebacker Sean Weatherspoon (ruptured Achilles) was healthy when this mock draft took place.
Below is a complete breakdown of the 12-team, 20-round IDP mock draft we conducted, along with some analysis of my own. This mock draft also can be found in this year's Fantasy Football Magazine, which also features 419 in-depth player reports including projected stats, a 280-player big board and team-by-team analysis from NFL beat writers. Other content in this year's edition includes a "Who's No. 1?" and Johnny Manziel-centric debate, along with the introduction of a new advanced statistic, Opportunity-adjusted Touchdowns (OTD), courtesy of Pro Football Focus' Mike Clay, who also participated in this mock draft. And if that's not enough, there's also a rundown of potential breakout candidates, injury concerns and fantasy busts from 2013 who may or may not bounce back in '14.
12-team, 20-round serpentine-style mock draft based on Athlon Sports standard scoring (see below):
Starting lineup: 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 Flex (RB/WR), 1 K, 1 DEF/ST, 1 DL, 1 LB, 1 DB, 1 Flex IDP (DL/LB/DB), 6 bench spots
Round 1 Analysis: No real surprises here. If I was picking second, I would have gone LeSean McCoy over Adrian Peterson, but that’s just a matter of preference (think McCoy’s upside as a pass-catcher puts him ahead of Peterson). I thought about taking Megatron with the sixth pick, but figured Lacy would be the safer choice as I consider him a true workhorse RB, provided he stays healthy. I also have no issue with Braden being the only one to take a QB, although I certainly didn’t think at the time we wouldn’t see another come off of the board until Round 5.
Round 2 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 13 | Dez Bryant | WR | DAL | Mike Clay |
2 | 14 | Le'Veon Bell | RB | PIT | John Hansen |
3 | 15 | Zac Stacy | RB | STL | Braden Gall |
4 | 16 | Alfred Morris | RB | WAS | Eric Mack |
5 | 17 | Giovani Bernard | RB | CIN | Steven Lassan |
6 | 18 | A.J. Green | WR | CIN | Corby Yarbrough |
7 | 19 | Julio Jones | WR | ATL | Mark Ross |
8 | 20 | Brandon Marshall | WR | CHI | Nathan Rush |
9 | 21 | Jordy Nelson | WR | GB | Matt Schauf |
10 | 22 | Montee Ball | RB | DEN | Jamey Eisenberg |
11 | 23 | Alshon Jeffery | WR | CHI | Brandon Funston |
12 | 24 | Arian Foster | RB | HOU | David Gonos |
Round 2 Analysis: I prefer Giovani Bernard and Montee Ball over Zac Stacy and Alfred Morris, but the real wild card at RB in this round is Arian Foster. Everyone knows what Foster is capable of, when healthy, but he’s coming off of back surgery and will now operate in a different offense under new Texans head coach Bill O’Brien. Combine those factors with the uncertainty at quarterback and it wouldn’t surprise me if Foster continued to slip in the rankings in the coming months.
Round 3 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 25 | Antonio Brown | WR | PIT | David Gonos |
2 | 26 | Randall Cobb | WR | GB | Brandon Funston |
3 | 27 | Larry Fitzgerald | WR | ARI | Jamey Eisenberg |
4 | 28 | C.J. Spiller | RB | BUF | Matt Schauf |
5 | 29 | Chris Johnson | RB | NYJ | Nathan Rush |
6 | 30 | Keenan Allen | WR | SD | Mark Ross |
7 | 31 | Rob Gronkowski | TE | NE | Corby Yarbrough |
8 | 32 | Andre Johnson | WR | HOU | Steven Lassan |
9 | 33 | Pierre Garcon | WR | WAS | Eric Mack |
10 | 34 | Reggie Bush | RB | DET | Braden Gall |
11 | 35 | Shane Vereen | RB | NE | John Hansen |
12 | 36 | Andre Ellington | RB | ARI | Mike Clay |
Round 3 Analysis: The RBs and WRs continue to fly off the board with Rob Gronkowski the only outlier. As tantalizing and tempting a fantasy asset Gronk may be, I most likely won’t end up with him on any of my teams this season. Fourteen missed games over the last two seasons and the severity of his injuries are hard for me to overlook, especially when it comes to using a high draft pick on a TE not named Jimmy Graham. I’m also not expecting big things from Chris Johnson in a Jets uniform. For starters, he’s no lock for an RB1-worthy workload.
Round 4 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 37 | Vincent Jackson | WR | TB | Mike Clay |
2 | 38 | Julius Thomas | TE | DEN | John Hansen |
3 | 39 | Vernon Davis | TE | SF | Braden Gall |
4 | 40 | Victor Cruz | WR | NYG | Eric Mack |
5 | 41 | Roddy White | WR | ATL | Steven Lassan |
6 | 42 | Ryan Mathews | RB | SD | Corby Yarbrough |
7 | 43 | Percy Harvin | WR | SEA | Mark Ross |
8 | 44 | Wes Welker | WR | DEN | Nathan Rush |
9 | 45 | Joique Bell | RB | DET | Matt Schauf |
10 | 46 | Bishop Sankey | RB | TEN | Jamey Eisenberg |
11 | 47 | Cordarrelle Patterson | WR | MIN | Brandon Funston |
12 | 48 | Michael Crabtree | WR | SF | David Gonos |
Round 4 Analysis: Four rounds in and Corby finally takes a RB. He could certainly do worse than Ryan Mathews as his RB1, but I would encourage other fantasy GMs to think twice before employing a similar strategy. The top five RBs last season averaged 293.6 fantasy points (Athlon scoring). For nos. 5-10 that average plummets to 221.3. Mathews finished as the No. 12 fantasy RB in 2013 with 197.4 fantasy points. That said, Mathews is certainly safer than Bishop Sankey, who was the first rookie at any position to be taken. Sankey appears to have a great opportunity in Tennessee, but it’s not like highly touted rookies haven’t panned out before, right? Remember Tavon Austin or even Montee Ball last season?
Round 5 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 49 | Aaron Rodgers | QB | GB | David Gonos |
2 | 50 | Rashad Jennings | RB | NYG | Brandon Funston |
3 | 51 | Julian Edelman | WR | NE | Jamey Eisenberg |
4 | 52 | Michael Floyd | WR | ARI | Matt Schauf |
5 | 53 | Frank Gore | RB | SF | Nathan Rush |
6 | 54 | Drew Brees | QB | NO | Mark Ross |
7 | 55 | Ray Rice | RB | BAL | Corby Yarbrough |
8 | 56 | Ben Tate | RB | CLE | Steven Lassan |
9 | 57 | Andrew Luck | QB | IND | Eric Mack |
10 | 58 | T.Y. Hilton | WR | IND | Braden Gall |
11 | 59 | Jeremy Maclin | WR | PHI | John Hansen |
12 | 60 | DeSean Jackson | WR | WAS | Mike Clay |
Round 5 Analysis: Forty-nine picks in and we finally have a second quarterback taken! Credit to David for pouncing on Aaron Rodgers with the first pick here. I jumped next with Drew Brees, but Eric was the only other to follow suit (Andrew Luck). Has the general perception on QB value changed? Perhaps, but I still think there’s a clear distinction between the elite and next tier. Although Peyton Manning lapped the field with his record-breaking season, Brees still posted 435.7 fantasy points, which was 81.6 points more than the No. 3 scorer (Andy Dalton). And while 14 QBs averaged 20 or more fantasy points per game, only 10 of those played more than 13 games. Not saying you can’t wait on a QB, just don’t wait too long especially if Rodgers or Brees is still out there.
Round 6 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 61 | Steven Jackson | RB | ATL | Mike Clay |
2 | 62 | Trent Richardson | RB | IND | John Hansen |
3 | 63 | Torrey Smith | WR | BAL | Braden Gall |
4 | 64 | Josh Gordon | WR | CLE | Eric Mack |
5 | 65 | Kendall Wright | WR | TEN | Steven Lassan |
6 | 66 | Matthew Stafford | QB | DET | Corby Yarbrough |
7 | 67 | Knowshon Moreno | RB | MIA | Mark Ross |
8 | 68 | Cam Newton | QB | CAR | Nathan Rush |
9 | 69 | Terrance Williams | WR | DAL | Matt Schauf |
10 | 70 | Golden Tate | WR | DET | Jamey Eisenberg |
11 | 71 | Toby Gerhart | RB | JAC | Brandon Funston |
12 | 72 | Maurice Jones-Drew | RB | OAK | David Gonos |
Round 6 Analysis: A couple of more QBs go, but the proceedings continue to be dominated by RBs and WRs. RBs in particular have really thinned out by this point. I know Knowshon Moreno isn’t in Denver any more, but it’s not like he’s joining a crowded backfield in Miami and the Dolphins invested heavily in overhauling their offensive line. I’m also curious to see what Toby Gerhart does in Jacksonville with his first opportunity to be the top ball-carrier. Probably goes without saying, but Josh Gordon’s draft value will be tied directly to how many games he gets suspended. I for one will be very surprised if it’s no fewer than eight. After that it’s simply a matter of risk tolerance. Depending on how you used your previous picks, I have no issue with someone taking a chance on half a season of Gordon in Round 6.
Round 7 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 73 | Jason Witten | TE | DAL | David Gonos |
2 | 74 | Jordan Cameron | TE | CLE | Brandon Funston |
3 | 75 | Stevan Ridley | RB | NE | Jamey Eisenberg |
4 | 76 | Robert Griffin III | QB | WAS | Matt Schauf |
5 | 77 | Sammy Watkins | WR | BUF | Nathan Rush |
6 | 78 | Darren Sproles | RB | PHI | Mark Ross |
7 | 79 | Emmanuel Sanders | WR | DEN | Corby Yarbrough |
8 | 80 | DeAngelo Williams | RB | CAR | Steven Lassan |
9 | 81 | Eric Decker | WR | NYJ | Eric Mack |
10 | 82 | Carlos Hyde | RB | SF | Braden Gall |
11 | 83 | Pierre Thomas | RB | NO | John Hansen |
12 | 84 | Marques Colston | WR | NO | Mike Clay |
Round 7 Analysis: Two more rookies get their names called in this round. Sammy Watkins looks a lot like this year’s Tavon Austin – a dynamic, all-purpose threat who is expected to become a focal point of the offense right away. However, as has already been mentioned, that didn’t happen with Austin in 2013. Whether history will repeat itself with Watkins remains to be seen, but it wouldn’t surprise me one bit to see his draft value fluctuate dramatically as we get closer to the start of the season. I am more bullish on Watkins as a rookie than Carlos Hyde. Frank Gore’s age and wear and tear notwithstanding, San Francisco doesn’t lack for options in its backfield. Don’t completely ignore Hyde, but don’t forget about Kendall Hunter, LaMichael James or even Marcus Lattimore either.
Round 8 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 85 | Darren McFadden | RB | OAK | Mike Clay |
2 | 86 | Colin Kaepernick | QB | SF | John Hansen |
3 | 87 | Brandin Cooks | WR | NO | Braden Gall |
4 | 88 | Mike Wallace | WR | MIA | Eric Mack |
5 | 89 | Reggie Wayne | WR | IND | Steven Lassan |
6 | 90 | Mike Evans | WR | TB | Corby Yarbrough |
7 | 91 | Tavon Austin | WR | STL | Mark Ross |
8 | 92 | Anquan Boldin | WR | SF | Nathan Rush |
9 | 93 | J.J. Watt | DL | HOU | Matt Schauf |
10 | 94 | Matt Ryan | QB | ATL | Jamey Eisenberg |
11 | 95 | Robert Quinn | DL | STL | Brandon Funston |
12 | 96 | Danny Woodhead | RB | SD | David Gonos |
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Round 8 Analysis: The QBs continue to trickle out, but we also see the first IDPs taken. Not surprised that J.J. Watt and Robert Quinn are first two to go, but it’s usually pretty difficult for any IDP, but especially a DL, to perform well enough to justify such a lofty draft status. Just be willing to accept potentially less ROI should you consider being one of the first to pull the trigger. Also, count me in the camp that thinks Brandin Cooks could end up with the best fantasy numbers of any rookie wide receiver this season. The Biletnikoff winner appears to be an ideal fit for Drew Brees and the Saints’ passing attack.
Round 9 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 97 | Luke Kuechly | LB | CAR | David Gonos |
2 | 98 | Cecil Shorts | WR | JAC | Brandon Funston |
3 | 99 | Dennis Pitta | TE | BAL | Jamey Eisenberg |
4 | 100 | Greg Olsen | TE | CAR | Matt Schauf |
5 | 101 | Antonio Gates | TE | SD | Nathan Rush |
6 | 102 | Jordan Reed | TE | WAS | Mark Ross |
7 | 103 | Chandler Jones | DL | NE | Corby Yarbrough |
8 | 104 | Kyle Rudolph | TE | MIN | Steven Lassan |
9 | 105 | Lavonte David | LB | TB | Eric Mack |
10 | 106 | Khiry Robinson | RB | NO | Braden Gall |
11 | 107 | Kenny Stills | WR | NO | John Hansen |
12 | 108 | Dwayne Bowe | WR | KC | Mike Clay |
Round 9 Analysis: Luke Kuechly is the first LB to be drafted, which makes sense considering the Panthers’ tackling machine is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year. However, similar to Patrick Willis, reputation and accolades don’t necessarily translate to fantasy success. Kuechly’s production is driven primarily by his tackle totals, but that I mean he’s not a lock to generate other plays (sacks, forced fumbles, INTs, etc.). This is just another factor to keep in mind when you put together your draft board. I also really like Saints RB Khiry Robinson as a sleeper this year, as the opportunity is certainly there with Darren Sproles now in Philadelphia.
Round 10 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 109 | Nick Foles | QB | PHI | Mike Clay |
2 | 110 | Marvin Jones | WR | CIN | John Hansen |
3 | 111 | Seattle | DST | SEA | Braden Gall |
4 | 112 | Tre Mason | RB | STL | Eric Mack |
5 | 113 | Vontaze Burfict | LB | CIN | Steven Lassan |
6 | 114 | Jeremy Hill | RB | CIN | Corby Yarbrough |
7 | 115 | Kiko Alonso | LB | BUF | Mark Ross |
8 | 116 | Tom Brady | QB | NE | Nathan Rush |
9 | 117 | Fred Jackson | RB | BUF | Matt Schauf |
10 | 118 | Greg Hardy | DL | CAR | Jamey Eisenberg |
11 | 119 | Russell Wilson | QB | SEA | Brandon Funston |
12 | 120 | DeAndre Hopkins | WR | HOU | David Gonos |
Round 10 Analysis: Raise your hand if you pegged Tom Brady for a 10th-round pick. Yeah me neither. Tom Terrific’s numbers have certainly gone in the wrong direction, but track record has to count for something right? Well it’s just a matter of if you think the Patriots’ offense can get back to its past levels of success. Considering the only help Brady got in free agency was the addition of former Carolina WR Brandon LaFell and the uncertainty surrounding Rob Gronkowski, the concerns of this occurring are well warranted. At the least, I would definitely lean Russell Wilson over Brady if both were still on the board. And while hindsight is certainly 20/20, I have some drafter’s remorse over making Kiko Alonso my first IDP taken. While I like Alonso just fine, I think I became smitten too much with his numbers and probably would have been better off taking someone more established like a Paul Poslusnzy or Karlos Dansby instead.
Round 11 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 121 | Jason Pierre-Paul | DL | NYG | David Gonos |
2 | 122 | Bobby Wagner | LB | SEA | Brandon Funston |
3 | 123 | Devonta Freeman | RB | ATL | Jamey Eisenberg |
4 | 124 | Paul Posluszny | LB | JAC | Matt Schauf |
5 | 125 | Patrick Peterson | DB | ARI | Nathan Rush |
6 | 126 | Alec Ogletree | LB | STL | Mark Ross |
7 | 127 | Hakeem Nicks | WR | IND | Corby Yarbrough |
8 | 128 | Tony Romo | QB | DAL | Steven Lassan |
9 | 129 | Terrance West | RB | CLE | Eric Mack |
10 | 130 | Jordan Matthews | WR | PHI | Braden Gall |
11 | 131 | Karlos Dansby | LB | CLE | John Hansen |
12 | 132 | Derrick Johnson | LB | KC | Mike Clay |
Round 11 Analysis: IDPs really coming into focus by this point, including the first DB off the board in Patrick Peterson. While I would not have made the same decision as Nathan, there’s no disputing Peterson’s talent, ability and upside. However, Peterson is a little too reliant on the big plays (turnovers in particular) for my tastes. I prefer a little more consistency when it comes to tackle numbers and across the board production. Also credit to Steven Lassan who was the last one to take a QB and still ended up with Tony Romo. Questions about his back aside, there’s nothing wrong with landing a potential top-10 QB in the 11th round.
Round 12 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 133 | Riley Cooper | WR | PHI | Mike Clay |
2 | 134 | Justin Hunter | WR | TEN | John Hansen |
3 | 135 | Cameron Jordan | DL | NO | Braden Gall |
4 | 136 | Earl Thomas | DB | SEA | Eric Mack |
5 | 137 | Jay Cutler | QB | CHI | Steven Lassan |
6 | 138 | DeMeco Ryans | LB | PHI | Corby Yarbrough |
7 | 139 | Philip Rivers | QB | SD | Mark Ross |
8 | 140 | Patrick Willis | LB | SF | Nathan Rush |
9 | 141 | Kelvin Benjamin | WR | CAR | Matt Schauf |
10 | 142 | Brian Cushing | LB | HOU | Jamey Eisenberg |
11 | 143 | Eric Berry | DB | KC | Brandon Funston |
12 | 144 | Markus Wheaton | WR | PIT | David Gonos |
Round 12 Analysis: Steven backs up his Tony Romo selection with Jay Cutler, another solid move, and I follow suit by taking Philip Rivers as my Drew Brees insurance. As important as RB and WR depth can be, if something happens to your No. 1 QB and you don’t have an adequate Plan B, your fantasy season could be ruined right then and there. Aaron Rodgers owners last season can certainly relate to this strategy.
Round 13 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 145 | San Francisco | DST | SF | David Gonos |
2 | 146 | Ladarius Green | TE | SD | Brandon Funston |
3 | 147 | Odell Beckham Jr. | WR | NYG | Jamey Eisenberg |
4 | 148 | Danny Amendola | WR | NE | Matt Schauf |
5 | 149 | Martellus Bennett | TE | CHI | Nathan Rush |
6 | 150 | Eric Ebron | TE | DET | Mark Ross |
7 | 151 | Lamar Miller | RB | MIA | Corby Yarbrough |
8 | 152 | Muhammad Wilkerson | DL | NYJ | Steven Lassan |
9 | 153 | Coby Fleener | TE | IND | Eric Mack |
10 | 154 | Mark Ingram | RB | NO | Braden Gall |
11 | 155 | Harrison Smith | DB | MIN | John Hansen |
12 | 156 | James Laurinaitis | LB | STL | Mike Clay |
Round 14 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 157 | Cameron Wake | DL | MIA | Mike Clay |
2 | 158 | Rob Ninkovich | DL | NE | John Hansen |
3 | 159 | Eric Reid | DB | SF | Braden Gall |
4 | 160 | Mario Williams | DL | BUF | Eric Mack |
5 | 161 | T.J. Ward | DB | DEN | Steven Lassan |
6 | 162 | Christine Michael | RB | SEA | Corby Yarbrough |
7 | 163 | Eric Weddle | DB | SD | Mark Ross |
8 | 164 | Bernard Pierce | RB | BAL | Nathan Rush |
9 | 165 | Dexter McCluster | WR | TEN | Matt Schauf |
10 | 166 | DeMarcus Ware | DL | DEN | Jamey Eisenberg |
11 | 167 | Andre Brown | RB | HOU | Brandon Funston |
12 | 168 | David Wilson | RB | NYG | David Gonos |
Rounds 13 and 14 Analysis: Nearly half of the picks in these two rounds are used on IDPs, as the GMs work towards filling out their starting lineups. I particularly liked the Rob Ninkovich pick by John, as the Patriot is an underappreciated fantasy stud. Capable of playing both LB and DL, Ninkovich was one of five DL-eligible players to finish with more than 100 fantasy points last season. Once again, name recognition carries little, if any, value when it comes to putting together a championship-caliber fantasy team. I also particularly liked the selections of Harrison Smith (13th) and T.J. Ward (14th) from the DB ranks.
Round 15 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 169 | Mark Barron | DB | TB | David Gonos |
2 | 170 | Arizona | DST | ARI | Brandon Funston |
3 | 171 | Bernard Pollard | DB | TEN | Jamey Eisenberg |
4 | 172 | Jerod Mayo | LB | NE | Matt Schauf |
5 | 173 | Denver | DST | DEN | Nathan Rush |
6 | 174 | Chris Ivory | RB | NYJ | Mark Ross |
7 | 175 | Zach Ertz | TE | PHI | Corby Yarbrough |
8 | 176 | Lawrence Timmons | LB | PIT | Steven Lassan |
9 | 177 | NaVorro Bowman | LB | SF | Eric Mack |
10 | 178 | Johnny Manziel | QB | CLE | Braden Gall |
11 | 179 | Tyler Eifert | TE | CIN | John Hansen |
12 | 180 | Morgan Burnett | DB | GB | Mike Clay |
Round 16 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 181 | Carolina | DST | CAR | Mike Clay |
2 | 182 | LeGarrette Blount | RB | PIT | John Hansen |
3 | 183 | Davante Adams | WR | GB | Braden Gall |
4 | 184 | Andy Dalton | QB | CIN | Eric Mack |
5 | 185 | Cincinnati | DST | CIN | Steven Lassan |
6 | 186 | St. Louis | DST | STL | Corby Yarbrough |
7 | 187 | Marqise Lee | WR | JAC | Mark Ross |
8 | 188 | Jadeveon Clowney | LB | HOU | Nathan Rush |
9 | 189 | Carson Palmer | QB | ARI | Matt Schauf |
10 | 190 | Ben Roethlisberger | QB | PIT | Jamey Eisenberg |
11 | 191 | Eli Manning | QB | NYG | Brandon Funston |
12 | 192 | Stevie Johnson | WR | SF | David Gonos |
Rounds 15 and 16 Analysis: If he’s able to come back 100 percent from his torn pectoral, Matt has an absolute steal in getting Jerod Mayo in the 15th round. When he’s played 16 games, Mayo has been a fantasy stud. Plenty of risk associated with the NaVorro Bowman selection, as he’s a fairly safe bet to start the season on the PUP list, meaning he will miss the first six games at minimum. And even though he was drafted as a QB2, I wouldn’t have been the one to take Johnny Manziel. Not with Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, Andy Dalton or Carson Palmer still on the board. For every Andrew Luck and Robert Griffn III that has come along there’s been just as many EJ Manuels and Geno Smiths when it comes to rookie quarterbacks.
Round 17 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 193 | Knile Davis | RB | KC | David Gonos |
2 | 194 | Jarrett Boykin | WR | GB | Brandon Funston |
3 | 195 | Daryl Smith | LB | BAL | Jamey Eisenberg |
4 | 196 | Rueben Randle | WR | NYG | Matt Schauf |
5 | 197 | Steve Smith | WR | BAL | Nathan Rush |
6 | 198 | Calais Campbell | DL | ARI | Mark Ross |
7 | 199 | Aaron Dobson | WR | NE | Corby Yarbrough |
8 | 200 | Roy Helu | RB | WAS | Steven Lassan |
9 | 201 | Isaiah Crowell | RB | CLE | Eric Mack |
10 | 202 | Mychal Kendricks | LB | PHI | Braden Gall |
11 | 203 | Ryan Tannehill | QB | MIA | John Hansen |
12 | 204 | Alex Smith | QB | KC | Mike Clay |
Round 18 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 205 | Donald Brown | RB | SD | Mike Clay |
2 | 206 | Tampa Bay | DST | TB | John Hansen |
3 | 207 | Danny Trevathan | LB | DEN | Braden Gall |
4 | 208 | Kansas City | DST | KC | Eric Mack |
5 | 209 | Robert Woods | WR | BUF | Steven Lassan |
6 | 210 | Chad Greenway | LB | MIN | Corby Yarbrough |
7 | 211 | Buffalo | DST | BUF | Mark Ross |
8 | 212 | Shonn Greene | RB | TEN | Nathan Rush |
9 | 213 | New England | DST | NE | Matt Schauf |
10 | 214 | Rod Streater | WR | OAK | Jamey Eisenberg |
11 | 215 | Jerrell Freeman | LB | IND | Brandon Funston |
12 | 216 | Charles Johnson | DL | CAR | David Gonos |
Rounds 17 and 18 Analysis: At this point in the draft, you are either filling out your starting lineup (except for kicker) or mining for diamonds in the rough. David wisely secured Kansas City’s backfield by grabbing Knile Davis after taking Jamaal Charles No. 1 overall. Jarrett Boykin fared well after Randall Cobb went down with an injury last season and now the No. 3 WR job in Green Bay is his for the taking with James Jones in Oakland. Roy Helu is more of pass-catching threat than Alfred Morris so he could carve out a nice role for himself in Jay Gruden’s offense in Washington. Isaiah Crowell, the undrafted rookie who started his college career at Georgia, seems to be a rather significant reach, but new lead back Ben Tate hasn’t exactly been durable in his career and the only other competition for carries in Cleveland seems to be fellow rookie Terrance West. Stranger things have happened. Among the IDP selections, I really like Danny Trevathan’s chances of breaking out this season with Wesley Woodyard and Shaun Phillips no longer on the Broncos.
Round 19 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 217 | Josh McCown | QB | TB | David Gonos |
2 | 218 | Matt Prater | K | DEN | Brandon Funston |
3 | 219 | Houston | DST | HOU | Jamey Eisenberg |
4 | 220 | Johnathan Cyprien | DB | JAC | Matt Schauf |
5 | 221 | Stephen Gostkowski | K | NE | Nathan Rush |
6 | 222 | Justin Tucker | K | BAL | Mark Ross |
7 | 223 | Antrel Rolle | DB | NYG | Corby Yarbrough |
8 | 224 | Andre Williams | RB | NYG | Steven Lassan |
9 | 225 | Jonathan Stewart | RB | CAR | Eric Mack |
10 | 226 | Steven Hauschka | K | SEA | Braden Gall |
11 | 227 | Phil Dawson | K | SF | John Hansen |
12 | 228 | Delanie Walker | TE | TEN | Mike Clay |
Round 20 |
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Pick | Overall | Player | POS | Team | Drafter |
1 | 229 | Mason Crosby | K | GB | Mike Clay |
2 | 230 | Nick Roach | LB | OAK | John Hansen |
3 | 231 | Green Bay | DST | GB | Braden Gall |
4 | 232 | Blair Walsh | K | MIN | Eric Mack |
5 | 233 | Dan Bailey | K | DAL | Steven Lassan |
6 | 234 | Robbie Gould | K | CHI | Corby Yarbrough |
7 | 235 | Ka'Deem Carey | RB | CHI | Mark Ross |
8 | 236 | Jurrell Casey | DL | TEN | Nathan Rush |
9 | 237 | Shayne Graham | K | NO | Matt Schauf |
10 | 238 | Adam Vinatieri | K | IND | Jamey Eisenberg |
11 | 239 | Doug Baldwin | WR | SEA | Brandon Funston |
12 | 240 | Matt Bryant | K | ATL | David Gonos |
Rounds 19 and 20 Analysis: Finally the kickers come off the board, but we know no one cares about them. The last two rookies taken in this mock draft – Andre Williams (19th) and Ka’Deem Carey (20th) – are certainly worth keeping an eye on once training camps open. Williams could see significant carries sooner rather than later because of David Wilson’s uncertainty regarding his neck injury while Carey has a pretty clear path to serving as Matt Forté’s backup, especially considering he has a similar skill set. Believe it or not, but Delanie Walker was a borderline top-10 fantasy TE last season, while Doug Baldwin probably enters the season as the Seahawks’ No. 2 WR with Golden Tate now in Detroit. Both are very solid picks in the final two rounds of this mock draft.