WEEK 13 SMART STARTS & PINE RIDERS

The last week of the Fantasy regular season is here and this could be a crucial one for many. Maybe even do or die for some of you. So hopefully I can lend a hand and help you guys make decisions to your lineups this week that can push you towards that victory. Good luck to all and I hope you enjoy the article.!

SMART STARTS

RUSSELL WILSON, SEA

Wilson has been on fire since week 5, throwing 18 touchdown passes and only 2 interceptions. And going up against a San Fran defense that has allowed 2+ passing touchdowns in all but two games this year, I see Wilson’s streak of multiple touchdowns per game continuing. I easily see him as a top 10 play this week.

JAMEIS WINSTON, TB

Yes, I had him as a smart start last week. Yes, I was correct. Yes, he will do it again. He is playing Carolina who has allowed 12 passing touchdowns in the past four weeks. And in the five games Jameis has started this year, he has thrown for over 300 yards three times and the Panthers have allowed that twice in the past three games. Winston should be flirting with top 5 QB numbers this week.

PHILLIP LINDSAY, DEN

Denver’s backfield is no longer a committee. Royce Freeman has been nothing because of the red hot undrafted rookie. Since week 7, Lindsay has at least 15 touches in each game. He also has 5 touchdowns during that span as well. And facing a disastrous Cincinnati rush defense who has allowed opposing backs to rush for 460 yards and five touchdowns in the past 3 weeks, I see Lindsay as a high end RB2 this week.

GUS EDWARDS, BAL

In the two weeks of Lamar Jackson starting, Gus has had at least 17 carries and broke the 115 yard mark in both games. There is a great chance he keeps it going, playing against Atlanta who has allowed 454 rushing yards in the past three weeks. As long as Lamar is out there, Gus should be in your lineups.

LARRY FITZGERALD, ARZ

The veteran and future Hall of Famer has been on the up ever since Byron Leftwich took over as OC. In those four weeks he has 4 touchdown catches versus only 1 in the first 7 games. Rosen has learned to look for Larry in the red zone and that should continue this week against the porous Packers secondary who have allowed 6 receiving touchdowns in the past five weeks. Look for Larry Legend to have a solid Sunday.

DJ MOORE, CAR

In the past three weeks, Moore has exploded as he has caught 19 passes out of 22 targets for 268 yards and one score. And this week he faces no challenge against Tampa who has allowed at least one score to opposing receivers in every game and 17 total this season. Moore has the potential to score WR2 numbers this week.

ERIC EBRON, IND

Now that Doyle is out for the rest of the season, Ebron should go back to his early season performance once again. Ebron leads all tight ends with 12 total TDs, the next best is Kelce with 7. And facing the Jags D who has allowed 6 receiving touchdowns to opposing TEs in the past 4 weeks, I see Ebron having a chance to be this weeks number one tight end.

PINE RIDERS

TOM BRADY, NE

The GOAT has an extremely tough matchup this week against the Vikings who have allowed only 4 passing touchdowns since week 6. And during that span, only two Quarterbacks have broken 200 passing yards. Plus with the Patriots looking more like a run first offense as of late, I see Brady outside of my top 12 QBs this week.

CARSON WENTZ, PHI

Wentz has not been great this year, after tearing his ACL late last season. And I see his woes continuing this week. Since the Eagles week off three weeks ago, Wentz has three touchdown passes and four interceptions thrown. And facing a Redskins D who have allowed only three passing touchdowns in the last three weeks, Wentz should be on the bench this week.

MARLON MACK, IND

Since coming back from an injury in week 6, Mack has been pretty consistent. Touching the ball at least 13 times in each game and finding the end zone 5 times. But facing a Jacksonville Defense who haven’t allowed a rushing touchdown or a 100 yard rusher since week 7, I would look somewhere else if possible this week.

LeGARRETTE BLOUNT, DET

It is looking like Kerryon Johnson will be sidelined once again this week, and you might be thinking another game for Blount to go off. But think again. Playing against the red hot Rams, the Lions should be down big for a great portion of the game. And that means Theo Riddick will be out there to catch passes, unlike last weeks Thanksgiving game where Blount feasted and had 20 touches. Blount is a very risky and TD dependent flex this week.

TY HILTON, IND

TY has been amazing in the past two weeks, catching 16 passes for 280 yards and two scores. But this week he faces Jalen Ramsey and the Jags, who, just three weeks ago, held TY to 3 catches for 77 Yards. I see the same kind of game from TY this week. Rank him as a boom or bust WR3 this week.

JOSH GORDON, NE

Gordon has been decent for the Pats since the trade, catching at least four passes since week 6. But he has managed to only find the end zone once in that time frame. And he faces a tough Vikings secondary this week, who have allowed one or less receiving touchdowns this year in all games but one. I rank Gordon as a low end Flex this week.

JIMMY GRAHAM, GB

Since the week 7 bye, Jimmy graham has surpassed 5 PPR fantasy points only twice and only has two touchdown receptions all year. And with his injured thumb, which you could tell affected him in last weeks game, I place Graham outside of my top 10 TEs this week.
– Tate Kennedy, WTF Sports Fantasy Writer

Edited by Scott Edwards

WEEK 12 SMART STARTS & PINE RIDERS

Better late than never, am I right? Hello Fantasy enthusiasts. I hope everyone’s season is going well as we are in the closing weeks of the fantasy regular season. In this article i’ll be letting you know who I think should easily have a spot in your lineup and who should take a seat this week. Hopefully I can be of some assistance in a very crucial part of the season and help everyone catch that W this week. Also, Happy Turkey Day to everyone! Eat up and watch some football! Hope y’all enjoy 🙂

SMART STARTS

QB

JAMEIS WINSTON, TB

The magic is gone down in Tampa and Jameis has a very easy matchup against a San Fran Defense who has allowed 2+ passing touchdowns in all but two games this year. Also, 7 out of 10 opposing QBs have scored at least 19 fantasy points against the Niners. Jameis should help you steal that win like the crab legs he stole back in 2014.

MITCH TRUBISKY, CHI

Just two weeks ago, Trubisky balled out against the Lions for 355 yards and 3 touchdowns and also scrambling for 18 yards and a score. And, it has been back to back weeks where the Lions have allowed 350+ yards and 3 touchdowns through the air as SuperCam did it last week as well. I expect Mitch to carve up the Lions D, just like a turkey on Thanksgiving.

RB

NICK CHUBB, CLE

Since week 6, the Bengals have allowed 8 rushing touchdowns. So Chubb has a very high chance of finding the End Zone at least once this week, especially because he has back to back weeks with a rushing touchdown. Not only this, but Cincinnati has allowed at least 86 rushing yards to opposing RBs since week 3, including 360 yards combined in the past to weeks. With Chubb’s high volume in a run heavy offense, I expect a great week.

MARLON MACK, IND

Mack has a very favorable matchup this week against the Dolphins. 7 out of 10 games this year Miami has allowed 100 yards rushing to opponents. In the 5 games Mack has played since returning from an ankle injury, he has 5 total touchdowns and three games with at least 80 rushing yards, including two games with over 120 yards. Mack should continue his success this week.

WR

JULIAN EDELMAN, NE

Since returning from a four game suspension, Edelman has scored under 16 fantasy points only twice in PPR leagues and has 24 catches in the past three games. As Brady’s number one target he should be started most weeks, but especially this week against a weak Jets secondary who just allowed 41 points to the Bills before there bye week.

DOUG BALDWIN, SEA

Baldwin told the media last Thursday that he woke up for the first time all season without pain in his right knee, and it showed. He caught 7 of a team high 10 targets for 1 touchdown, but could have had another if Wilson didn’t overthrow him while wide open in the endzone. And this week he is going against a Carolina defense who has allowed 5 TDs and 563 yards receiving in the past three weeks. Baldwin is flirting with becoming a WR2 once again.

TE

VANCE Mcdonald, PIt

With the tight end position being so slim this year, McDonald has turned into a possible viable starter, accumulating 10 targets and two touchdowns in the past two weeks. And going against the Broncos who have allowed a touchdown to tight ends in three straight games makes him a great start this week.

PINE RIDERS

QB

PHILIP RIVERS, LAC

Rivers now has 3 weeks in a row with less than 20 fantasy points and 3 interceptions in those three games. And going up against the Cardinals who have not gave up more than two passing touchdowns all year long, Rivers could easily struggle. Especially because of all the pressure he will face as Arizona has at least 4 sacks in three straight games.

DESHAUN WATSON, HOU

It is now five consecutive weeks where Watson has failed to break 240 passing yards and he has 5 games this year with only one passing touchdown. Even if you put aside his struggles, he has a tough matchup against the Titans who have allowed only 4 Qbs to score more than 20 fantasy points against them this year. Watson should be placed on the bench easily this week.

RB

LeSEAN McCoy, BUF

Despite McCoy going off two weeks ago against the Jets rushing for 113 yards and two scores, it has been an underwhelming season for the veteran back. And his troubles should continue this week against the Jags who have allowed only 4 rushing touchdowns all year and only 110 rushing yards in the past two weeks. Plus, it’s hard to trust any Bills player this year.

TEVIN COLEMAN, ATL

Coleman has struggled the past two weeks gathering just 19 carries for 102 yards rushing. And his slump very much could continue against the Saints this week. The most rushing yards the Saints have allowed a team to get in a game this year is 76 and that was week one against the Bucs. They have only allowed 6 scores on the ground as well. Tevin should have a quiet game this week.

WR

DEVIN FUNCHESS, CAR

In the past four weeks, Funchess only has caught 12 passes for 142 yards and no touchdowns. Yikes. This offense is truly McCaffrey’s with a sprinkle of Greg Olsen now that he is healthy. And if that isn’t bad enough, Seattle hasn’t allowed a receiving touchdown in two straight weeks and that was against Green Bay and the Rams. Funchess’ quietness should continue this week.

COREY DAVIS, TEN

Davis has been very up and down this year. For example, two weeks ago he goes 7 for 125 and a score, but comes back last week with only 2 catches for 30 yards. Very annoying. But I am predicting another down game for the second year wideout. Houston has not allowed a receiving score in four straight weeks and only six all year. Davis should easily be placed on the bench this week.

TE

ROB GRONKOWSKI, NE

The elite tight end has struggled to stay on the field yet again this year. But even when he was healthy he wasn’t the Gronk everyone was used to seeing, scoring only once back in week one. Plus, the Jets have allowed only 5 catches to tight ends in the past four games they have played. Look for another quiet one from Gronk.

– Tate Kennedy, WTF Sports Fantasy Writer

Edited by Scott Edwards

WTF Sports Fantasy: Week 1 Start’s

Twitter: scott_edwards18

What is up everyone? It’s finally that time of the year for football to return, and even more important, it is time for Fantasy Football to return. Last season with our fantasy writer, Tate Kennedy, created one of our more successful series of writing yet, “Smart Starts and Pine Riders’. And while I do believe that will be returning for you all this season, I will be giving it a go for the first week of the season. I will not be naming obvious people like Gurley or Gronk, because duh. And while I may not have the big creative name, I do have the knowledge that will hopefully help you be mindful before setting your lineup before this coming Sunday. Here we go:

STARTS: Quarterbacks

Philip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers

Rivers and his Chargers will be facing the Chiefs, who looks to be without Eric Berry with a defense who does not have a strong defensive back core anyways. Rivers was the QB7 last year, and with a full offseason to get chemistry with more of his players not named Keenan Allen, the numbers should burst off the box score for the Chargers QB on Sunday. And while I am at it, if you have a Charger… START THEM. This game on Sunday should be a shootout, making the Chargers real exciting. Start Rivers with confidence.

Projection: 23.5 Fantasy Points

Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams

The goal here was not to have both Los Angeles teams represented, but Jared Goff and the Rams are going to prey on the Raiders defense on Monday Night. While the Raiders defense was among the worst last season, it got a lot worse with the trade of Khalil Mack. The Rams at times last season were unstoppable and being able to replace a guy like Sammy Watkins with a burner like Brandin Cooks at WR can only make this offense better. I am playing Goff in any situation this week, expect big time numbers.

Projection: 25.2 Fantasy Points

STARTS: RBs

Start of the Week: James Conner, Pittsburgh Steelers

I feel like this one should be a layup, but you may even second guess it. The story of the week has been Le’Veon Bell, and it is a given that he will not be playing this Sunday. So next man up, right? James Conner has a phenomenal preseason and is now in the driver’s seat to start for the Steelers, meaning he should start for your fantasy team as well. The weather reports for Cleveland this Sunday? 100% chance of rain. And that thing where Big Ben stinks on the road will just be truer than ever. If you have Conner, he very well could finish the week as a top 10 back. Get him in your lineup.

Projection: 19.7 Fantasy Points

Royce Freeman, Denver Broncos

Time to let Rolls Royce loose people. There has not been a player I have been bigger on this preseason than Denver Broncos RB Royce Freeman. The rookie scored in all three games he played this offseason, leading to him being named starter by Broncos Head Coach Vance Joseph. While you may read a matchup against the Seahawks and tremble with fear, they just simply are not the same as they once were. After a tough offseason on the entire defense, Royce could have a big-time game in the first of his career. I expect the Broncos to have a steady attack, with Royce at the head of it. Start this man with all the confidence in the world.

Projection: 15.4 Fantasy Points

Chris Thompson, Washington Redskins

Yes, I know Adrian Peterson was named the starter for the Washington Redskins. Yes, I know Chris Thompson broke his leg last season. But did you know that Thompson played 10 games last season, scoring 15+ in 6 of them. And now, with Alex Smith at QB, it feels as though a lot of dump offs to the RB are in favor here, especially since it will be unlikely AP is ever out there for passing situations. He may rank more of a flex play than anything, but he will do enough to help you towards a win. He may be the most trustworthy guy on this list, so start Thompson knowing his floor should be at least 8 points because of his PPR prowess.

Projection: 12.9 Fantasy Points

STARTS: WRs

TY Hilton, Indianapolis Colts

While you probably have to start TY due to where you draft him, I consider him a big time start this week. This will be Andrew Luck’s first game back in over a season. And in this game, they will be facing the Cincinnati Bengals. The amount of speed he possesses and chemistry he has with Luck, I expect TY to have a big-time game. While a lot of people may have some trust issues with TY this season because of how inconsistent he was last year, just know that when Luck is under center, TY is a top 10 fantasy wideout. Start him with pride this week as a WR1.

Projection: 20.3 Fantasy Points

Emmanuel Sanders, Denver Broncos

Does anyone remember where Adam Thielen ranked just a season ago in points for a WR? 9^th. He ranked as a WR1 a season ago. His QB? Case Keenum. Keenum is now with the Broncos and has shown a real chemistry already with the 9^th year receiver has proven before that he can be a real good fantasy producer, and if he is the top choice for Case Keenum this season, his numbers could easily be top 20 in the league. With the top corner more than likely expected to be covering Demaryius Thomas, Sanders should thrive all season long, especially on Sunday in his first regular season game with Keenum under center. Roll Sanders on out this weekend.

Projection: 17.5 Fantasy Points

Kenny Stills, Miami Dolphins

Jarvis Landry is gone, DeVante Parker is out, and Ryan Tannehill is back under center. Someone has to become Tannehill’s new favorite receiver. While Danny Amendola does seem to fill into the role of Landry, I beg to differ. Sure, Amendola could have some nice numbers this season, but he is already being challenged by Albert Wilson to lose targets. So, enter Kenny Stills. Stills has been a big play player for years now, making things happen every single year and never really getting the appreciation. Well this season may be Kenny Stills breakout, starting game one of the season when he is the only receiver returning from the last time Tannehill played a regular season game. He faces this new Titans team, and I believe his numbers will be made through volume more than anything else. I expect the Dolphins to be playing from behind, leaving lots of chances for Stills to shine.

Projection: 11.9 Fantasy Points

STARTS: TE

Jordan Reed, Washington Redskins

For at least one moment, Jordan Reed his healthy for the season. Alex Smith is his QB. Alex Smith makes TEs top fantasy performers. Jordan Reed has a lot of talent that seems to never be shown because of injury. Well for now, his health is pretty good, so role him out there with pride while you have the chance. That is why this Is week to week, because Reed can at least make it on this list once this season. I expect a big day from Reed.

Projection: 16.7 Fantasy Points

So, there you have it, the starts of the week for week 1. I will do my best to get out a bust list for the week, but if not, this is truly what you need the most. Good luck this season, and especially this week. I hope it helps you out.

If you have any fantasy thoughts or questions, please feel free to comment or message me!

– Scott Edwards, Creator of WTF Sports

Fantasy Football Diaries – Danny Lovell

Monday, 8/20/2018

6:07pm

My dad leans back in his chair at the kitchen table, wipes his mouth with a napkin, and drops this bomb on me: “My fantasy football draft is this Saturday! I’ll have to draft from Vermont.”

My heart drops. No, I knew my dad was in a fantasy league, he’s been in one since 2006. High stakes, same group of guys since the 90’s, $1,000 buy-in. Serious stuff. No, it wasn’t that he was going to be in Vermont for the weekend either. I knew that. My sister was being dropped off for her final year at school, and they would be gone all weekend. No. When he drops this thing on me, it made me realize that it was already late-August, and I hadn’t even had a thought about my own fantasy implications in the fall.

I have been playing fantasy football every year since the 8th grade. I’m hooked. Why? Because I’m really good at it. My friends stopped playing with me because every year, I’d take their money and they’d never see it again. It’s not even that I read every blog and article and try to out-smart the room. Here’s the kicker: I go off of pure intuition. Yeah, I check some background stuff to make sure that I’m not going to draft a third string perennial ACL rupture candidate. But for the most part, if I like a guy, I draft him/play him.

Here’s a stat. For the past 6 years, I’ve played in 8 leagues, won 5 league titles, and have had a record of 91 wins and 19 losses. My worst year came when I went 7-7 in my inaugural campaign, winning that year’s championship.

I’m not here bragging about all this because I want to impress you, or make you think I’m a stupid prick. I desperately needed to find a league, because time was running out. And God-forbid, if I ever went a year without playing fantasy football, my head would explode.

Tuesday, 8/21/2018

9:35 am

I decided to make a Yahoo! account and start fresh. New site, new rules, new people. I want to be in a league that’s worth something, that requires me to gamble a bit. Why? It’s fun, and who doesn’t like a little heart racing experience when it’s the fourth quarter of Monday Night Football and you need your #2 running back to get you 4 more points? I pour myself a glass of grape soda and get myself all situated.

9:36 am

I just spit out my grape soda. Holy shit was it flat! Besides, who the hell drinks soda at 9 in the morning? I’ll spend my evening doing a little research. Not too much, (remember what I said yesterday). In the meantime, I’m going to go eat a bagel and brush my teeth before they rot out.

Wednesday 8/22/18

8:35 am

So, after doing a little research last night, I think I have my overall draft strategy. I think I’m drafting running back in the first 2 rounds, getting two wide receivers, my tight end, and then pray that Drew Brees is on the board. In my league a passing touchdown is only worth 4. This values passing yards over passing touchdowns, so someone who accumulates that stat like there’s no tomorrow is more valuable. If he’s gone, I may wait until the last 3 rounds to grab my QB. You’d be surprised about how many solid guys there are in late rounds (Phillip Rivers, Matt Stafford, Ryan Tannehill). Again, I don’t want to disrupt my philosophy, and over think this. I won’t give this much thought until tomorrow at 5 when we draft.

Thursday 8/23/18

2:31pm

So, change of plans. My draft is actually scheduled for 11pm instead of 5 so yay me! I’ll make a cup of extra strong dark roast and be prepared to be bright eyed and bushy tailed at 1am to draft my kicker… yay….

10:44pm

I’m about to enter the draft room. I pick third, and by the looks of it, I’m going to draft Todd Gurley if he’s still available. If not, I’ll shoot for an Ezekiel Elliott or a David Johnson. We’ll see…

Friday 8/24/2018

8:49 AM

Draft went pretty well last night. Due to an auto draft snafu I selected TE Delanie Walker a few rounds early. Not a big deal, I have a solid well-rounded team.

QB: Matt Ryan

RB: Devante Adams

RB: Amari Cooper

WR: Ezekiel Elliot

WR: Jordan Howard

TE: Kyle Rudolph

FLEX: Lamar Miller

K: Dan Bailey

D/ST: Los Angeles Chargers

BE: Delanie Walker

BE: Carson Wentz

BE: Robby Anderson

BE: Tarik Cohen

BE: D.J. Moore

Here’s to three weeks of needlessly tweaking and messing around with before the season starts!

Sunday 8/26/18

This will probably be my last entry for August, but I wanted to share my Yahoo! draft grade. So according to them, I had a C draft. I honestly think that’s a load of bull, but I’m hoping that I can prove them wrong. I’m strong at running back, quarterback, and wide receiver. As long as I don’t start anyone on a bye week, I’ll win my fair share of games.

Danny Lovell – Contributor – WTF Sports

Neville’s Top 50 Fantasy Football Rankings

On July 13th I made a much too early mock draft, where I covered how I would draft each pick for the first seven rounds. It worked out okay until the end, where it became more about positional needs than talent. Now I’m scratching the teams and just evaluating fantasy talent so you have what you need for your draft that should be coming up soon. Average Draft Position (ADP) will be based on Fantasy Pros, as they have the most accurate rankings. I will be using a half point per reception chart since that is the best way to play fantasy and a mix between PPR and Standard Leagues.

Neville’s 10-Team 7 Round Fantasy Half-PPR Mock Draft 1.0

RB Le’Veon Bell – ADP 2

Bell is the most versatile weapon in football and has been since joining the Steelers in 2013. Bell is extremely talented and has a guaranteed workload like no other with Mike Tomlin at the helm “He led the league in carries (321) by a large margin while missing a game in 2017. “He had 85 receptions which was 10^th in the NFL for any position, 1^st of all RBs.” (1.0 Mock) Le’Veon was third in rushing yards (1,291) and touchdowns (9) last season while missing a game. The only thing that could get in Bell’s way is his injury and suspension history. Overall, Bell is a slam dunk at pick one.

2. RB Todd Gurley – ADP 1

“Opportunity and talent are the two most important factors for a successful season in Fantasy Football. Todd Gurley has both. Gurley had 279 carries (4^th in NFL) in 15 games. He also has the 8^th highest yards per carry (4.7) in the league. Gurley is on a great offense run by the 2017 Coach of the Year in Sean McVay. He is the safest pick in the draft with little injury concern, guaranteed workload, and undeniable talent. The only negative for Gurley is that the Rams have the hardest strength of schedule in the league.” (1.0 Mock) Nothing to change here but I will throw in that he came in second in rushing yards in 2017 with 1,305 and lead all running backs with 13 touchdowns

3. RB David Johnson – ADP 4

In my original mock I had Johnson slipping all the way down to the sixth pick in the draft. Here was my take in July: “The Cardinals have a brand new head coach in Steve Wilkes; an Offensive Coordinator in Mike McCoy; Quarterback in Sam Bradford/Josh Rosen; and David Johnson is coming off a season long thumb injury that limited him to 11 rushes in 2017. Johnson is on a bad team with a situation that I have to see before I can fully get behind.” (1.0 Mock) Through two preseason games I like what I have seen out of the Quarterback play and rookie standout Christian Kirk. The offense appears to be better than expected, which gives me all the confidence in the world for DJ. Talent-wise, David Johnson is up there with Bell and Gurley. His team is the only thing holding him back.

4. WR Antonio Brown – ADP 5

“Antonio Brown is the best Wide Receiver in football, and it isn’t even close. Brown has stood the test of time as the most consistent WR in fantasy for years. Last season Brown led the league with 1,533 yards. He also had 9 TDs to pair with that. You cannot take Brown too high. I have no problem with someone drafting Antonio with the first pick in the draft. He is by far the safest WR to draft and just about the safest pick of any player – period.” (Mock 1.0)

5. RB Alvin Kamara – ADP 6

“With Mark Ingram suspended for four games for abusing PEDs, Kamara will get almost all of the workload early on. This will give him a chance to phase Ingram out of the offense this season, something he will probably do regardless. Kamara is a true three-down back with 120 carries and 81 receptions last season. He had to break into the offense early but proved he could run the ball and should expect around 250 carries in 2018 to go along with 100+ targets in the air. Kamara is one of the most talented and versatile RBs in the world and has the same scheme and coach as last season. Great pick here at five.” (Mock 1.0)

6. RB Ezekiel Elliot – ADP 3

Ezekiel Elliot is one of the most talented running backs in the league. To add to that he had 242 carries in 10 games (24.2 carries a game). 20 carries a game is a dream as a fantasy owner, especially when given to a truck like Zeke. Last season he led the NFL in rushing yards per game with 98.3. The only reason I have Zeke falling this far is because Dak Prescott hasn’t looked sharp, and they have no real weapons to take the pressure off Elliot. Opposing teams will stack the box all game and make Dak prove he can sling it, and I’m not so sure he can.

7. RB Saquon Barkley – ADP 7

“The Running Back barrage continues as we take the next rookie sensation at pick seven, right where his ADP projects. At this point in the draft, you have to take a shot on a guy that might be the best overall athlete in the NFL as far as a speed/power combo goes. Barkley has the instincts and vision to succeed at the next level. He also should have the keys to the castle handed to him with little competition for carries in the Giants typically underwhelming backfield.” (Mock 1.0) Saquon is a little hobbled but it should not impact his status for week one. Also watch his first snap in his NFL debut:

Welcome to the NFL @saquon! First game, first play!!! #CLEvsNYG pic.twitter.com/OpukgNsiJX

— New York Giants (@Giants) August 9, 2018

8. WR DeAndre Hopkins – ADP 8

“After a massive Running Back run it’s time to take value play here with DeAndre Hopkins. Last season, Hopkins had 1,378 receiving yards, 4^th most in the league. Hopkins also led the league in Touchdowns with 13. His workload is ensured as he led the league in targets last season with 174. More importantly, Deshaun Watson will be returning from an ACL injury who really impressed last season. Watson flashed in 2017 and could support a WR1.” (Mock 1.0) While I believe Melvin Gordon is going to have a great 2018 season, Hopkins has the potential to be the top Wide Receiver this season, and proved that he can still be elite in the worst-case scenario.

9. WR Odell Beckham Jr. – ADP 11

“Odell Beckham Jr. is typically chosen around pick five or six most years but has fallen after missing most of last season due to injury. Pair that with the acquisition of Saquon Barkley in the NFL Draft, and we have a slight drop in Odell’s Average Draft Position. Beckham Jr. is a great value at pick nine as he is flat out one of the best athletes in the league. In his last healthy season Odell had 1,367 yards and 10 TDs. Grab Beckham Jr. with your first pick here and plug him in every week.” (Mock 1.0)

10. RB Melvin Gordon – ADP 10

Gordon has fallen a bit, purely because there are some elite Wide Receivers in the late first/early second. While Gordon is a great back, I’d rather the second or third best Receiver over the seventh best running back. That said, Gordon had 284 carries which was third in the league last season. He also had 83 targets, 7^th most of in the RB class. Gordon managed 1,581 all-purpose yards and 12 TDs.

11. RB Kareem Hunt – ADP 9

“Kareem Hunt led the league in rushing yards last season with 1,327. He was fourth in yards per carry (4.9) and had 53 receptions for 455 yards (8.6 yards per carry). The only reason he isn’t higher on this list is due to his inconsistency last year. He has a ceiling as high as any on a weekly basis but can go dark for weeks at a time. Hunt is a great late first-rounder but not the most reliable choice.” (Mock 1.0)

12. WR Julio Jones – ADP 13

“For the first time in years Jones has fallen out of the first round in most drafts, averaging at pick 13. Julio’s drop was due to his lack of touchdowns (3). That said, Jones still had 1,444 yards, only trailing Antonio Brown. Yardage is more consistent year-to-year than touchdowns, and the Falcons are going into year two of their new scheme. The first year in a new scheme always causes abnormalities, which makes me feel like Jones will be a steal in the second round.” (Mock 1.0)

13. WR Keenan Allen – ADP 17

“People fear Allen because of his injury history. One thing we have never seen – Keenan Allen performing badly on a football field. As long as he stays healthy, he is a top receiver in any PPR format. Last year he caught 102 receptions (4^th) for 1,393 yards (3^rd).” (Mock 1.0) I could see Allen being one of the best value picks in the draft this year. Allen is an elite Wide Receiver going in the mid-second round in a lot of drafts. With Hunter Henry out, Allen is the only red-zone target on the team besides Mike Williams who has logged 11 receptions in the NFL. Expect Allen (a proven PPR weapon) to get fed the ball all season.

14. RB Leonard Fournette – ADP 12

Fournette ran for 1,040 yards in only 13 games as well as 36 receptions for 302 yards which is a nice way to boost his floor in PPR formats. The LSU standout is positioned on a great offense that will provide plenty of red-zone carries. Fournette trucked his way into the end-zone nine times last season and should get into double digit touchdowns this season. He will also have plenty of late game, run the clock out carries to rack up some yardage while the defense is gassed.

15. WR Michael Thomas – ADP 15

“Michael Thomas has a Hall of Fame QB in Drew Brees, and the stats to make him a very safe pick in round two. Can I interest you in 1,245 yards (6^th) in 104 receptions (3^rd) and a (69.8%) catch rate (10^th of WRs)? I think so.” (Mock 1.0)

16. RB Dalvin Cook – ADP 14

Dalvin Cook was a highly-touted prospect out of Florida State and did not disappoint when he arrived in Minnesota. Cook ran for 354 yards (88.5 yards per game) and two touchdowns before suffering a torn ACL, ending his season. Now Cook is back healthy and ready to tear it up as the undisputed starting running back for the Vikings.

17. RB LeSean McCoy – ADP 25

“Plug McCoy in every week knowing he will approach 300 carries and still has the ability to break tackles and be elusive. He had 287 carries (2^nd) in 2017 for 1,138 yards (4^th). He also had 59 receptions for 448 yards. He is the only weapon in Buffalo and will get a similar workload this upcoming season.” (Mock 1.0)

18. RB Christian McCaffery – ADP 16

Christian McCaffery is one of the most versatile athletes in the NFL. He was worked in slowly as a runner with 435 yards in 117 carries and two touchdowns. With Jonathan Stewart gone, and CJ Anderson not showing much in camp, expect roughly 200 carries for McCaffery. That is not the reason he is going in the second round, his value is in his PPR production. McCaffery had 80 receptions for 651 yards as a rookie. The Panthers’ offense is no longer built around Cam’s ability to run. The 2018 Carolina offense is built around McCaffery’s versatility – much like how the Steelers use Bell. It is apparent in the preseason and the reason McCaffery is a second round pick with unlimited potential.

18. WR Davante Adams – ADP 18

Adams is Aaron Rodgers’ number one receiver. He had 885 yards and 10 TDs last season. Expect him to have double-digit TDs in 2018 as well as at least 1,000 yards. Rodgers’ number one target is an automatic WR1, and Adams is an extremely talented athlete.

20. WR A.J. Green – ADP 19

“A.J. Green has played five seasons in the NFL and has four 1,000 yard seasons. His only exception? 2016 – where he played 10 games and missed the 1,000 yard mark by 36 yards. He is a consistent safe pick who racked up 1,078 yards last year with 8 TDs.” (Mock 1.0)

21. RB Devonta Freeman – ADP 20

Freeman is extremely talented and would be a borderline first round pick if it wasn’t for his timeshare with Tevin Coleman. That said, Freeman still managed 196 carries last season for 865 yards and 7 touchdowns. If Coleman were to get injured, Freeman would be a top-ten running back without question.

22. TE Rob Gronkowski – ADP 21

“Gronk gives a team the biggest positional advantage over his opponent. His problem obviously is injury-related. If Gronk could remain healthy, he would be valued as a high first round pick. Gronkowski is the biggest boom or bust player in the league.” (Mock 1.0) Last season Gronkowski had 69 receptions for 1,084 yards and 8 touchdowns. His receiving yards ranked 10th in the NFL, first among Tight Ends.

23. WR Adam Thielen – ADP 31

Thielen is one of the most underrated players in football. Last season Thielen had 91 receptions (8^th) for 1,276 yards (5^th) and 4 touchdowns. He is one of the best slot receivers in the NFL and will now be aided by Kirk Cousins

24. TE Travis Kelce – ADP 27

Kelce is the safest Tight End in football, considering Gronk’s injury history. Kelce caught 83 passes (11^th) for 1,038 yards (13^th) and 8 touchdowns. Patrick Mahomes will take over at Quarterback which could give the offense a boost. Regardless of who is under center, Kelce will be an elite Tight End giving teams a positional advantage over the rest of the league.

25. WR Larry Fitzgerald – ADP 34

At the age of 33, Fitzgerald had the second most receptions (109) in the NFL. He racked up 1,156 yards (8^th) and 6 touchdowns. At age 34, I expect more of the same. The Cardinals will be led by Sam Bradford to open the year, and possibly Josh Rosen to close it out. Bradford loves to throw the ball short to a slot guy/tight end. Fitzgerald is still a dominant receiver when placed in the slot, which bodes well for him. Rosen a rookie, will likely not want to air it out early and will depend on the Hall of Fame receiver he grew up watching. Fitzgerald is valued for his receptions, so he should not go nearly as high if you’re still playing in a standard league for some reason.

26. WR Tyreek Hill – ADP 28

Patrick Mahomes is the perfect Quarterback to throw to one of the most dynamic deep threats in Tyreek Hill. Mahomes will use his absolute cannon to target a speedster who racked up 1,183 yards (7^th) and 7 touchdowns. Hill will take advantage of this match made in heaven.

27. WR T.Y. Hilton – ADP 2

T.Y. was considered an elite fantasy option before Andrew Luck missed an entire season with a shoulder injury. Hilton has dropped below his typical ADP because fantasy owners are not sure how Luck will bounce back in 2018. The good news is that even without Luck, Hilton was able to reel in 57 receptions for 966 yards (18^th) and 4 touchdowns. Now that the offense is healthy, we can almost assure that Hilton will get over the 1,000 yard marker giving him a solid floor. As for a ceiling? He had 1,448 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2016 (His last season with Luck).

28. WR Mike Evans – ADP 22

I do not want anything to do with Evans at his current value. He will be without Jameis Winston for three games due to suspension. Also this team is projected to be awful which doesn’t bode well for red-zone targets. That said, Evans is one of the premier talents at his position and he will get plenty of targets in the Buccaneers offense. They are going to be down a lot, which means plenty of passing for Evans to take advantage of.

29. RB Jordan Howard – ADP 24

Howard is one of my favorite players in fantasy this season. He is extremely undervalued for someone with 1,122 yards (6^h) and 9 touchdowns. He had 276 carries last season which ranked 5th in the league. He has the numbers that a lot of the first- round running backs have, and you can get him with your third pick. Howard is in much better hands with Matt Nagy at the helm for the Bears this season.

30. WR Doug Baldwin – ADP 33

Baldwin is Russell Wilson’s favorite target, making Doug a valuable asset. Baldwin narrowly missed out on his third 1,000-yard season in a row, landing on 991 (16^th). He did reign in 8 touchdowns, which gives him some boom potential on a week-to-week basis.

31-50 Just Rankings:

31. WR Jarvis Landry – ADP 38

32. RB Jerick McKinnon – ADP 26

33. RB Kenyan Drake – ADP 37

34. RB Joe Mixon – ADP 23

35. RB Alex Collins – ADP 40

36. WR Stefon Diggs – ADP 30

37. TE Zach Ertz – ADP 36

38. WR Josh Gordon – ADP 49

39. WR Amari Cooper – ADP 35

40. WR Demaryius Thomas – ADP 41

41. RB Derrick Henry – ADP 39

42. WR JuJu Smith-Schuster – ADP 42

43. WR Allen Robinson – ADP 44

44. WR Golden Tate – ADP 45

45. RB Lamar Miller – ADP 50

46. RB Jay Ajayi – ADP 46

47. RB Royce Freeman – ADP 47

48. QB Aaron Rodgers – ADP 32

49. WR Brandin Cooks – ADP 43

50. QB Deshaun Watson – ADP 48

Scott Neville – Co-Owner – WTF Sports

Edwards’ 10-Team 5 Round Fantasy PPR Mock Draft 2.0

By: Scott Edwards

Hello all, and welcome to the second addition of my 10 Team, 5 Round Fantasy Football PPR Mock Draft. Here I make picks for ten separate teams, discussing what I think of each pick, and making each team fill needs through five rounds with players on the board. For the first round I discuss why I think these picks must happen where they do to make a good draft, and hopefully help you for your future drafts. Enjoy!

This will really help you as we enter true drafting time in the coming weeks. Slight changes will occur, and I will specify who has risen, who has fallen, who I may be high on, and who you may want to leave on the board come draft time. So, without further ado, here is 2.0.

Round 1

RB Le’Veon Bell, Team 1 (1.0 – Same)

Le’Veon Bell remains as my first choice here. Last season, he scored 341.6 points last season, carrying the ball a league lead 321 times for 1291 yards, while catching 85 balls for 655 yards. He added on 11 total TDs, resulting in yet another fantastic season, giving him the edge to be the first overall pick due to consistency. While he has informed the team, he will not report until after the preseason concludes, you know Bell has everything to prove in a legit contract season. I expect Bell to ball out and without a shadow of a doubt, should remain the first pick of the board.

RB Todd Gurley, Team 2 (1.0 – Same)

I firmly place Gurley and Bell in my top two for both editions simply due to the studs they are. And while everyone worries about the volume Gurley could lose on the offensive side of the ball, I do laugh. Mostly because all they really did was replace Sammy Watkins with Brandin Cooks. Yes a better player, however, not a change that makes Gurley lose touches by any means. Gurley scored a whopping 383.3 PPR points last season, rushing for 1305 yards, 13 (!) TDs adding on to his great receiving stats of 64 REC for 788 yards and 6 REC TDs. Just comes down to who is more of a guarantee, where I take Bell over him in that, however, Gurley must go in the top two in all drafts.

WR Antonio Brown, Team 3 (1.0 – Same)

Do not overthink your draft. If you don’t get the top two elite guys at RB, do not become afraid and pass on AB because you feel you need an RB. You can easily get one in the second round. You can lose your league overthinking, while AB can win you your league. He is far and away the most consistent player in fantasy for the past five seasons. Antonio Brown essentially missed three games last season and still finished ahead of the entire rest of the WR field with 310.3 PPR points. Being almost a sure-fire candidate for 100+ catches every season and over 1500+ yards, he is the sure fire, safest pick of the entire draft. Don’t be dumb, draft AB.

RB David Johnson, Team 4 (1.0 – 5^th Pick: Up 1)

The best overall player in the 2016 Fantasy Football season will make his return this season after breaking his wrist Week 1 last season and missing the rest of the season because of it. David Johnson wants to be a 1,000/1,000 guy, which he came incredibly close to doing in 2016. Johnson will look to bounce back this season and is projected an early first round pick for the 2018 drafts. He makes the jump over Zeke do to weapons on his respectable team compared to the weapons on the Cowboys. Johnson has an edge in pass catching and supporting cast around him. As long as Johnson stays healthy, he may be the best pick in the first round if he can be what he once was.

RB Ezekiel Elliott, Team 5 (1.0 – 4^th Pick: Down 1)

Zeke is the last of “the Big 5” in this second edition, after being the 4^th choice originally. After further examination and a deeper look, there is a fair chance the Cowboys get behind in a lot of games unless Dak can prove differently this season. Between other teams stacking the box and being down a lot, Zeke will have a tougher time to years prior. Not too tough, as he is still a great choice in drafts, especially early on, but David Johnson has become a better choice in the meantime. However, if Zeke is used more in the pass game, you could see the top scorer in fantasy in the form of Zeke. Take him over everyone else because he certainly is apart of the big 5.

RB Alvin Kamara, Team 6 (1.0 – Same)

All this stands for Kamara, still a stud who gets four weeks to himself and will continue to make plays for Drew Brees and the Saints. Kamara was winning everyone their championships if he didn’t get hurt in the first week of the playoffs on the first drive. He did not have a main role on the offense until week 4 when he lit the world on fire. Kamara finished with 320.4 PPR points on the season, being a rushing threat, and even more, a receiving threat all season long. He became the safe net for Drew Brees last season, getting 81 receptions that he turned into 826 yards. And with Mark Ingram suspended for the first four games of the season, it only makes Kamara more valuable. Take him with pride.

RB Saquon Barkley, Team 7 (1.0 – Same)

One preseason game, one beast run, this guy is the real deal. Due to his hamstring injury, he will not hope over Kamara in this edition, but if you were to consider him instead, I wouldn’t question it. Barkley is destined for greatness, take your chance to be apart of it.

WR DeAndre Hopkins, Team 8 (1.0 – Same)

2.0: Nuk remains here, with Watson back, expect elite numbers this season.

1.0: Well would you look what happens when you give DeAndre Hopkins a QB? He delivers. Hopkins proved last season more than ever that he doesn’t need a great QB to be one of the best in football, but what he does need is DeShaun Watson to be totally out of this world. That combo became one of the most fun parts of football for a few weeks there. He finished with 309.8 PPR points, 2^nd best among WRs and can only get better with Watson healthy. He is worthy of your first-round selection.

WR Odell Beckham Jr, Team 9 (1.0 – 12^th Pick: Up 3)

The health of Odell was in question when I made the first edition of this. Well, if you have known me long enough, I am huge on Odell in fantasy. I firmly believe he is the most talented receiver in this league and I feel there shouldn’t be any question either. His elite status has stuck with him since his rookie year and now that he is back and healthy, he should not be escaping the first round. While I stress the importance of RBs, I also stress the importance of ELITE. He is elite, take him and fly.

WR Keenan Allen, Team 10 (1.0 – Same)

2.0: Still do believe Keenan Allen is a borderline first round talent with his abilities. If you are taking him with the tenth pick, it could be considered a second round two. Regardless, with the back to back picks, don’t skip over him here.

Like him or hate him, Keenan Allen is one of the best WR when healthy every time he takes the field. The 2015 and 2016 seasons were tough on Keenan Allen, as he had season ending injuries in both, and yet he delivered every time he was on the field. In 2017, when health was on his side, he impressed the masses with multiple big games down the stretch. From Week 11 to Week 17, no other receiver duplicated what he did. Now coming into a season where he is as fresh as can be, Allen looks to have an even bigger season as the overall WR3 this season.

Round 2

RB Dalvin Cook, Team 10 (1.0 – Same)
RB Kareem Hunt, Team 9 (1.0 – 9th Pick: Down 3)
RB Melvin Gordon, Team 8 (1.0 – Same)
WR Julio Jones, Team 7 (1.0 – 16^th Pick: Up 2)
RB Leonard Fournette, Team 6 (1.0 – Same)
WR Michael Thomas, Team 5 (1.0 – 14^th Pick: Down 2)
WR AJ Green, Team 4 (1.0 – Same)
RB Christian McCaffrey, Team 3 (1.0 – Same)
WR Davante Adams, Team 2 (1.0 – Same)
WR Tyreek Hill, Team 1 (1.0 – 30^th Pick: Up 11)

Recap: Lots of changes in this round, with Kareem Hunt falling into the second, the swap of Julio Jones and Michael Thomas, and Tyreek Hill climbing up the ranks into the WR1 role while Adam Thielen tumbles. Jones in the second round has become a choice that I feel is a steal at any time. He is the 4^th overall receiver off the board with this change. Best pick of this one would be CMC once again in my mind. Tyreek Hill’s climb comes from incredible potential with his new QB and his number last season.

Round 3

RB Jerick McKinnon, Team 1 (1.0 – 28^th Pick: Up 7)
RB Devonta Freeman, Team 2 (1.0 – Same)
TE Rob Gronkowski, Team 3 (1.0 – Same)
WR TY Hilton, Team 4 (1.0 – Same)
WR Mike Evans, Team 5 (1.0 – Same)
WR Doug Baldwin, Team 6 (1.0 – Same)
TE Travis Kelce, Team 7 (1.0 – Same)
RB LeSean McCoy, Team 8 (1.0 – 21^st Pick: Down 7)
TE Zach Ertz, Team 9 (1.0 – Same)
WR Adam Thielen, Team 10 (1.0 – 20^th Pick: Down 11)

Recap: The rise of McKinnon is highlighted here, as he has rose more and more as the season approaches. He is a big time PPR RB this coming season. Adam Thielen took the tumble as we simply do not know who Kirk Cousins will be loving this season. Steal of this round will remain TY as long as he and Andrew Luck can stay healthy. I have seen TEs begin to fall in drafts, but Gronk at around the same price as the other TEs makes him a big time get in the third round. A healthy Gronk can win you a championship.

Round 4

RB Joe Mixon, Team 10 (1.0 – 36^th Pick: Up 5)
RB Jordan Howard, Team 9 (1.0 – 31^st Pick: Down 1)
WR Larry Fitzgerald, Team 8 (1.0 – 32^nd Pick: Down 1)
WR Demaryius Thomas, Team 7 (1.0 – 33rd Pick: Down 1)
WR Stefon Diggs, Team 6 (1.0 – 34th Pick: Down 1)
WR Allen Robinson, Team 5 (1.0 – 38^th Pick: Up 2)
RB Royce Freeman, Team 4 (1.0 – Unranked)
WR Josh Gordon, Team 3 (1.0 – 35th Pick: Down 3)
WR Golden Tate, Team 2 (1.0 – Same)
WR Alshon Jeffrey, Team 1 (1.0 – Same)

Recap: A lot of changes here, let me explain. Joe Mixon makes the big hop after looking through this again. He is expected to make a big jump this season, becoming the main horse in the backfield for the Bengals, giving his value a big rise of five spots. The switch of Allen Robinson and Josh Gordon comes from amount of touches in each offense. While Gordon is teamed with Jarvis Landry, who may be the number one for the Browns this season, while the Bears clear cut top guy is ARob. The biggest jump of this edition is Broncos RB Royce Freeman. Freeman has impressed in Training Camp and through preseason so far, proving he should get all the early down work for the new Broncos offense. The 4^th round provides real good value still at this time.

Round 5

QB Aaron Rodgers, Team 1 (1.0 – Same)
WR JuJu Smith Schuster, Team 2 (1.0 – Same)
QB Tom Brady, Team 3 (1.0 – 45^th Pick: Up 2)
WR Amari Cooper, Team 4 (1.0 – Same)
RB Derrick Henry, Team 5 (1.0 – Unranked)
WR Jarvis Landry, Team 6 (1.0 – Same)
RB Kenyan Drake, Team 7 (1.0 – 36th Pick: Down 11)
RB Jay Ajayi, Team 8 (1.0 – 49th Pick: Up 1)
RB Alex Collins, Team 9 (1.0 – 48th Pick: Down 1)
RB Marshawn Lynch, Team 10 (1.0 – Unranked)

Recap: Lots of changes here as well, as Kenyan Drake comes all the way from the 4^th round, dropping 11 spots due to a committee being in the works down in Miami. Bruisers Derrick Henry and Marshawn Lynch join the draft board after being unranked due to the overall volume they should have compared to the other players who have fallen off completely. I expect both to get a fair amount of early down work and TDs this season.

Who has fallen out of the Mock and Why:

– RB Derrius Guice (1.0 – 47^th) Torn ACL, lots of potential, hate to see it happen.

– RB Rashaad Penny (1.0 – 43^rd) Not the starter to be week one, still worth a choice, but not this high

– WR Robert Woods (1.0 – 50^th) With so many hands to feed, Woods should not be a starter for you unless it is a flex option until you know how the Rams will use him, Kupp, and Cooks. Tread lightly

Results –

Team 1: RB Bell, WR Hill, RB McKinnon, WR Jeffrey, QB Rodgers

Team 2: RB Gurley, WR Adams, RB D. Freeman, WR Tate, WR Smith-Schuster

Team 3: WR Brown, RB McCaffrey, TE Gronkowski, WR J. Gordon, QB Brady

Team 4: RB D. Johnson, WR Green, WR Hilton, RB R. Freeman, WR Cooper

Team 5: RB Elliott, WR M. Thomas, WR Evans, WR Robinson, RB Henry

Team 6: RB Kamara, RB Fournette, WR Baldwin, WR Diggs, WR Landry

Team 7: RB Barkley, WR J. Jones, TE Kelce, WR D. Thomas, RB Drake

Team 8: WR Hopkins, RB M. Gordon, RB McCoy, WR Fitzgerald, RB Ajayi

Team 9: WR Beckham Jr, RB Hunt, TE Ertz, RB Howard, RB Collins

Team 10: WR Allen, RB D. Cook, WR Thielen, RB Mixon, RB Lynch

Mock Draft 2.0 Recap – So there you have it, the second edition of my single person, 10 Team, 5 Round Mock Draft. Once again, it is all in PPR and made to help you come draft day. All these teams bring completely different dynamics, as I do feel I did this even better than last time by blindly looking. Of course, I am not here to change your draft strategy, but give you an opportunity to look at how your strategy make work in your upcoming draft. Certain players and where they were taken were personal favorites of mine, hoping that does work out in mine. 2.0 seems to be a success.

So, who was your favorite team? Who was your worst? Where would you like to pick? Let me know!

Also, starting next week, I will be doing a mailbag for any fantasy questions, along with different fantasy topics until the season begins. And if this helped you with your draft, let us know how!!!

– Scott Edwards, Creator of WTF Sports

Neville’s 10-Team 7 Round Fantasy Half-PPR Mock Draft 1.0

RB Le’Veon Bell – ADP 2 – Team 1

Le’Veon Bell has been the best Running Back in football for years. He is electric with the ball and has the largest guaranteed workload in football as the lead RB in a Mike Tomlin offense. He led the league in carries (321) by a large margin while missing a game in 2017. He also had 85 receptions which was 10^th in the NFL for any position, 1^st of all RBs. He is a PPR Machine and the best offensive weapon in football. His only downsides are his risk of injury and two previous suspensions. There is no player in the game more fun to watch play knowing he is on your fantasy team because he gets the ball seemingly every play and always does something with it.

2. RB Todd Gurley – ADP 1 – Team 2 Opportunity and talent are the two most important factors for a successful season in Fantasy Football. Todd Gurley has both. Gurley had 279 carries (4^th in NFL) in 15 games. He also has the 8^th highest yards per carry (4.7) in the league. Gurley is on a great offense run by the 2017 Coach of the Year in Sean McVay. He is the safest pick in the draft with little injury concern, guaranteed workload, and undeniable talent. The only negative for Gurley is that the Rams have the hardest strength of schedule in the league.

3. RB Ezekiel Elliot – ADP 4 – Team 3

Elliot is one of the best downhill runners in the game. He had 242 carries in only 10 games. That is 24.2 carries per game, an absolutely insane clip. Drafting Zeke is the safest move you could make all draft. His guaranteed workload is unmatched by anyone not named Bell, with less injury concern. He should also make 35+ receptions. He is on a solid team with an offense built around him. Elliot led the league last season in rushing yards per game with 98.3. Bell and Gurley have more boom potential but also more bust potential.

4. WR Antonio Brown – ADP 5 – Team 4

Antonio Brown is the best Wide Receiver in football, and it isn’t even close. Brown has stood the test of time as the most consistent WR in fantasy for years. Last season Brown led the league with 1,533 yards. He also had 9 TDs to pair with that. You cannot take Brown too high. I have no problem with someone drafting Antonio with the first pick in the draft. He is by far the safest WR to draft and just about the safest pick of any player period.

5. RB Alvin Kamara – ADP 6 – Team 5

This is a bit of a reach here with David Johnson on the board but it’s only July and I’m feeling bold. With Mark Ingram suspended for four games for abusing PED’s, Kamara will get almost all of the workload early on. This will give him a chance to faze Ingram out of the offense this season, something he will probably do regardless. Kamara is a true three-down back with 120 carries and 81 receptions last season. He had to break into the offense early but proved he could run the ball and should expect around 250 carries in 2018 to go along with 100+ targets in the air. Kamara is one of the most talented and versatile RBs in the world and has the same scheme and coach as last season. Great pick here at five.

6. RB David Johnson – ADP 3 – Team 6

Getting Johnson here at six would be a phenomenal value though he will not fall this far in most leagues. First off, watching David Johnson play is special. He is one of the most talented RBs in recent memory. He is not falling this far because of talent. He is falling purely because of his situation. The Cardinals have a brand-new head coach in Steve Wilkes, Offensive Coordinator in Mike McCoy, Quarterback in Sam Bradford/Josh Rosen and David Johnson is coming off a season long thumb injury that limited him to 11 rushes in 2017. Johnson is on a bad team with a situation that I have to see before I can fully get behind. Teams will stack the box knowing that Johnson is the only weapon the Cardinals have besides aging veteran Larry Fitzgerald.

7. RB Saquon Barkley – ADP 7 – Team 7

The Running Back barrage continues as we take the next rookie sensation at pick seven, right where his ADP projects. At this point in the draft, you have to take a shot on a guy that might be the best overall athlete in the NFL as far as a speed/power combo goes. Barkley has the instincts and vision to succeed at the next level. He also should have the keys to the castle handed to him with little competition for carries in the Giants typically underwhelming backfield.

8. WR DeAndre Hopkins – ADP 8 – Team 8

After a massive Running Back run it’s time to take value play here with DeAndre Hopkins. Last season, Hopkins had 1,378 receiving yards, 4^th most in the league. Hopkins also led the league in Touchdowns with 13. His workload is ensured as he led the league in targets last season with 174. More importantly, Deshaun Watson will be returning from an ACL injury who really impressed last season. Watson flashed in 2017 and could support a WR1. His catch percentage is a little alarming but the reasoning behind that has to be his lack of quality QB play. Drafting Hopkins in the first gives Team 8 an advantage at the WR position with the option to get a solid RB at the turn.

9. WR Odell Beckham Jr. – ADP 10 – Team 9

Odell Beckham Jr. is typically chosen around pick five or six most years but has fallen after missing most of last season due to injury. Pair that with the acquisition of Saquon Barkley in the NFL Draft and we have a slight drop in Odell’s Average Draft Position. Beckham Jr. is a great value at pick nine as he is flat out one of the best athletes in the league. In his last healthy season Odell had 1,367 yards and 10 TDs. Grab Beckham Jr. with your first pick here and plug him in every week.

10. RB Kareem Hunt – ADP 9 – Team 10

Kareem Hunt led the league in rushing yards last season with 1,327. He was fourth in yards per carry (4.9) and had 53 receptions for 455 yards (8.6 yards per carry). The only reason he isn’t higher on this list is due to his inconsistency last year. He has a ceiling as high as any on a weekly basis but can go dark for weeks at a time. Hunt is a great late first rounder but not the most reliable choice.

ROUND TWO

From this point forward, I will address certain targets but will not go into detail on each player.

11. WR Julio Jones – ADP 13 – Team 10

For the first time in years Jones has fallen out of the first round in most drafts, averaging at pick 13. Julio’s drop was due to his lack of touchdowns (3). That said, Jones still had 1,444 yards, only trailing Antonio Brown. Yardage is more consistent year to year than touchdowns, and the Falcons are going into year two of their new scheme. The first year in a new scheme always causes abnormalities, which makes me feel like Jones will be a steal in the second round. Anyone should be thrilled with Hunt and Jones at the turn.

12. RB Melvin Gordon – ADP 11 – Team 9

Gordon had 284 carries which was third in the league last season. He also had 83 targets, 7^th most of in the RB class. This makes him extremely dependable. He also had 1,581 all-purpose yards and 12 TDs. Absolute steal in the second round.

13. RB Leonard Fournette – ADP 12 – Team 8

Fournette ran for 1,040 yards in only 13 games as well as 36 receptions for 302 yards which is a nice way to boost his floor in PPR formats. Downhill runner who averages 20 carries a game and is a great second round pick to pair with DeAndre Hopkins.

14. WR Keenan Allen – ADP 16 – Team 7

People fear Allen because of his injury history. One thing we have never seen, Keenan Allen be bad on a football field. As long as he stays healthy he is a top receiver in any PPR format. Last year he caught 102 receptions (4^th) for 1,393 yards (3^rd). Allen is a steal in round two as I have no problem drafting him as high as pick seven or eight based on his ceiling.

15. WR Michael Thomas – ADP 15 – Team 6

Michael Thomas has a Hall of Fame QB in Drew Bree’s and the stats to make him a very safe pick in round two. Can I interest you in 1,245 yards (6^th) in 104 receptions (3^rd) and a (69.8%) catch rate (10^th of WRs)? I think so.

16. RB Dalvin Cook – ADP 14 – Team 5

Cook is interesting because he tore his ACL which limited him to four games yet was able to show his star potential. He is the lead back on a team that should have a potent offense with Kirk Cousins throwing to Stephan Diggs and Adam Thielen that will lead to RedZone carries for Cook. He is also a great pass-catcher and will get consistent workload all season.

17. WR Devante Adams – ADP 19 – Team 4

Adams is Aaron Rodgers number one receiver. He had 885 yards and 10 TDs. Expect him to have double digit TDs in 2018 as well as at least 1,000 yards. Easy pick here at 17 to pair with Antonio Brown and create the best WR duo in this Fantasy League.

18. WR A.J. Green – ADP 18 – Team 3

A.J. Green has played five seasons in the NFL and has four 1,000 yard seasons. His only exception? 2016 where he played 10 games and missed the 1,000 yard mark by 36 yards. He is a consistent safe pick who racked up 1,078 yards last year with 8 TDs.

19. TE Rob Gronkowski – ADP 23 – Team 2

Gronk gives a team the biggest positional advantage over his opponent. His problem obviously is injury related. If Gronk could remain healthy he would be valued as a high first round pick. Gronkowski is the biggest boom or bust player in the league.

20. RB LeSean McCoy – ADP 22 – Team 1

McCoy has dropped to a great value here at 20 overall. Getting a safe dependable player before the turn is a great feeling. Plug McCoy in every week knowing he will approach 300 carries and still has the ability to break tackles and be elusive. He had 287 carries (2^nd) in 2017 for 1,138 yards (4^th). He also had 59 receptions for 448 yards. He is the only weapon in Buffalo and will get a similar workload this upcoming season.

ROUND THREE

21. WR Tyreek Hill – ADP 27 – Team 1

Team One already has Bell and McCoy making Wide Receiver is the obvious play here. I don’t love anyone here, but Hill has a ton of upside with Mahomes II ability to throw the deep ball.

22. RB Devonta Freeman – ADP 20 – Team 2

Freeman extremely talented and would be a borderline first round pick if wasn’t for his timeshare with Tevin Coleman. Regardless he is a great option to pair with Gurley with this pick.

23. RB Christian McCaffery – ADP 17 – Team 3

McCaffery is one of the most entertaining players in the NFL to watch. He is essentially a RB2 and WR2 at the same time. I love McCaffery and have no problem drafting him earlier.

24. TE Travis Kelce – ADP 26 – Team 4

Team Four already has two WRs and the remaining RBs would be a stretch so Kelce here is the right move. He is the safest Tight End in football and also has a high ceiling.

25. WR Doug Baldwin – ADP 31 – Team 5

This is a slight reach but Team Five has two RBs and needed a receiver. Baldwin has been a consistent solid WR1 over the last few years with Wilson to ensure his floor.

26. RB Joe Mixon – ADP 25 – Team 6

Mixon has a ton of upside and should get the keys to the backfield this season. Pairing Mixon with David Johnson is a lethal backfield with Michael Thomas as a WR1.

27. RB Jerick McKinnon – ADP 24 – Team 7

McKinnon had success late last season and became the lead back in San Francisco.

28. WR Mike Evans – ADP 21 – Team 8

Evans is a supremely talented athlete that is falling due to his situation. Winston is out three games and has shown an inability to get Evans scoring opportunities at times; ton of upside.

29. WR T.Y. Hilton – ADP 32 – Team 9

T.Y. Hilton is at the mercy of Andrew Luck. If Luck is back to his old self, Hilton is a borderline first round pick. Otherwise he will be inconsistent but should be a quality WR in PPR Formats.

30. RB Jordan Howard – ADP 28 – Team 10

Howard had 276 carries (4^th), 1,122 rushing yards (6^th), and 9 TDs (3^rd). He’s an absolute steal this late and should be on everyone’s watchlist in the 3^rd round.

ROUND FOUR

WR Josh Gordon – ADP 35 – Team 10
Adam Theilen – ADP 29 – Team 9
WR Stefon Diggs – ADP 34 – Team 8
QB Aaron Rodgers – ADP 30 – Team 7
TE Zach Ertz – ADP 33 – Team 6
WR Amari Cooper – ADP 36 – Team 5
RB Darrius Guice – ADP 38 – Team 4
WR Larry Fitzgerald – ADP 37 – Team 3
WR Allen Robinson – ADP 41 – Team 2
QB Deshaun Watson – ADP 43 – Team 1

Round Four still has some serious firepower starting with star wideout Josh Gordon who should be a steal here. Cooper and Robinson are the only players I personally would avoid in this entire round due to some inconsistent play over the years. Overall great round.

ROUND FIVE

RB Derrick Henry – ADP 39 – Team 1
RB Kenyan Drake – ADP 40 – Team 2
RB Rashaad Penny – ADP 42 – Team 3
RB Jay Ajayi – ADP 46 – Team 4
WR Juju Smith-Schuster – ADP 44 – Team 5
WR Demaryius Thomas – ADP 45 – Team 6
WR Jarvis Landry – ADP 50 – Team 7
RB Alex Collins – ADP 47 – Team 8
QB Russel Wilson – ADP 51 – Team 9
WR Brandin Cooks – ADP 49 – Team 10

Round Five saw a huge RB run of solid dependable RB2’s as well as a group of wideouts that have unlimited upside. I love the safety of the RB position and boom potential of the WRs. Juju Smith-Schuster and Jarvis Landry stand out to me the most as steals in this round.

ROUND SIX

QB Tom Brady – ADP 55 – Team 10
RB Sony Michel – ADP 53 – Team 9
WR Golden Tate – ADP 48 – Team 8
TE Evan Engram – ADP 59 – Team 7
WR Alshon Jeffery – ADP 52 – Team 6
RB Ronald Jones II – ADP 56 – Team 5
QB Carson Wentz – ADP 60 – Team 4
TE Jimmy Graham – ADP 57 – Team 3
WR Marvin Jones – ADP 58 – Team 2
RB Mark Ingram – ADP 54 – Team 1

Round Six was influenced heavily by roster construction with a lot of QBs and TEs coming off the board by this point. Evan Engram and Carson Wentz are the steal of positional needs. This is where I typically would get a value on a guy like Alshon Jeffery or Golden Tate as I tend to draft QBs and TEs late. However, most people wont do that so I drafted accordingly.

ROUND SEVEN

TE Greg Olson – ADP 63 – Team 1
WR Sammy Watkins – ADP 66 – Team 2
WR Corey Davis – ADP 65 – Team 3
RB Dion Lewis – ADP 61 – Team 4
QB Cam Newton – ADP 64 – Team 5
RB Lamar Miller – ADP 62 – Team 6
RB Tevin Coleman – ADP 67 – Team 7
TE Delanie Walker – ADP 72 – Team 8
WR Julian Edelman – ADP 69 – Team 9
WR Devin Funchess – ADP 70 – Team 10

Round Seven has a ton of value and upside with guys like Corey Davis, Sammy Watkins, Julian Edelman, and Devin Funchess going off the board. Edelman is a PPR nightmare for opponents and the others are boom or bust deep threats that may finally break out.

RESULTS:

Team 1: RB Bell, RB McCoy, WR Tyreek Hill, QB D. Watson, RB D. Henry, RB Ingram, TE Olsen

Team 2: RB Gurley, TE Gronkowski, RB Devonta Freeman, WR A. Robinson, RB K. Drake, WR M. Jones, WR Watkins

Team 3: RB Elliot, WR Green, RB Christian McCaffery, WR Fitzgerald, RB R. Penny, TE Graham, WR C. Davis

Team 4: WR A. Brown, WR Adams, TE Travis Kelce, RB Guice, RB Ajayi, QB Wentz, RB Lewis

Team 5: RB Kamara, RB Cook, WR Doug Baldwin, WR Cooper, WR Smith-Schuster, RB Jones II, QB Newton

Team 6: RB D. Johnson, WR M. Thomas, RB Mixon, TE Ertz, WR D. Thomas, WR Jeffery, RB Miller

Team 7: RB Barkley, WR K. Allen, RB Jerick McKinnon, QB Rodgers, WR J. Landry, TE Engram, RB Coleman

Team 8: WR Hopkins, RB Fournette, WR M. Evans, WR Diggs, RB A. Collins, WR Tate, TE Walker

Team 9: WR Beckham Jr., RB Gordon, WR T.Y. Hilton, WR Thielen, QB Wilson, RB Michel, WR Edelman

Team 10: RB Hunt, WR J. Jones, RB Jordan Howard, WR J. Gordon, WR B. Cooks, QB Brady, WR Funchess

This Mock Draft turned out even better than I had hoped as most of these teams are balanced out. The mock showed that this year’s draft seems deeper than most. I think Team 10 was the strongest team with Teams 5, 6, and 7 in the conversation. Who do you think was the best team?

Edwards’ 10-Team 5 Round Fantasy PPR Mock Draft 1.0

Hello all, and welcome to the first addition of my 10 Team, 5 Round Fantasy Football PPR Mock Draft. Here I make picks for ten separate teams, discussing what I think of each pick, and making each team fill needs through five rounds with players on the board. For the first round I discuss why I think these picks must happen where they do to make a good draft, and hopefully help you for your future drafts. Enjoy!

1st Round

1. RB Le’Veon Bell, Team 1

Lots of fear comes in the first round, as everyone feels the need to avoid the flop. Especially with pick number one. While you can look at Todd Gurley from last season and think you cannot pass that up again, you may want to go for the safest pick out of the RBs in the first round. Le’Veon Bell is the one that you know will get all the touches you can expect. Last season, he scored 341.6 points last season, carrying the ball a league lead 321 times for 1291 yards, while catching 85 balls for 655 yards. He added on 11 total TDs, resulting in yet another fantastic season, giving him the edge to be the first overall pick due to consistency. I expect Bell to be the center of the Steelers offense once again, with his numbers to only improve this season.

2. RB Todd Gurley, Team 2
The player on the most Fantasy winning teams last season is Todd Gurley. Gurley went above and beyond the ADP he held last season, being the best overall player in all of fantasy football. In most drafts this season, Gurley is expected to go number one overall after his breakout season, however, I feel the need to go against the grain due to worries of so many hands to feed in Los Angeles this season. While I fully expect Gurley to be the bell cow once again of the Rams, I do feel he should be going second to see if he can prove consistency after his career year. Gurley scored a whopping 383.3 PPR points last season, rushing for 1305 yards, 13 (!) TDs adding on to his great receiving stats of 64 REC for 788 yards and 6 REC TDs. Gurley will go top two in all drafts.

3. WR Antonio Brown, Team 3
A lot of people are going RB early, understandably so. However, Antonio Brown may be the only WR that can win you games every single week. With Big Ben at the helm once again for the Steelers, it is hard to go against the grain and avoid Brown much longer than we have already. He is far and away the most consistent player in fantasy for the past five seasons. Antonio Brown essentially missed three games last season and still finished ahead of the entire rest of the WR field with 310.3 PPR points. Being almost a sure-fire candidate for 100+ catches every season and over 1500+ yards, he is the sure fire, safest pick of the entire draft.

4. RB Ezekiel Elliott, Team 4
Last season, going into fantasy drafts, the talk was all about Ezekiel Elliott and his suspension. He went from being top three in drafts to falling to the second round and even later because of fear of his suspension. However, he got to start his season Week One and owners were thrilled to think they stole Elliott from everyone else and got two first round picks in their draft. However, he ended up screwing people in the end, being out for two weeks of the Fantasy Playoffs serving his suspension. Elliott now is a free man who can play the entire season with nothing to worry about, meaning his stock is back at the top. He feels to be the forgotten man going into Fantasy Draft’s this season. Elliott has all the tools to be the first pick in the draft, and he will look to prove drafters right when he is now the best option in the Dallas offense by a lot, with Witten and Dez leaving.

5. RB David Johnson, Team 5
The best overall player in the 2016 Fantasy Football season will make his return this season after breaking his wrist Week 1 last season and missing the rest of the season because of it. David Johnson wants to be a 1,000/1,000 guy, which he came incredibly close to doing in 2016. Johnson will look to bounce back this season and is projected an early first round pick for the 2018 drafts. Personally, I have him fall to five here because of the situation he is in. He has a brand-new offense around him, including a new Head Coach and Quarterback. If it is Sam Bradford or Josh Rosen, it is still a completely new system that should revolve around Johnson, but we do not know. Regardless, knowing what he can do means that he remains in the top five of all drafts.

6. RB Alvin Kamara, Team 6
In a ton of rankings, most people have rookie RB Saquon Barkley over Alvin Kamara and I will not stand for that. Why? Kamara was winning everyone their championships if he didn’t get hurt in the first week of the playoffs on the first drive. He did not have a main role on the offense until week 4 when he lit the world on fire. Kamara finished with 320.4 PPR points on the season, being a rushing threat, and even more, a receiving threat all season long. He became the safe net for Drew Brees last season, getting 81 receptions that he turned into 826 yards. And with Mark Ingram suspended for the first four games of the season, it only makes Kamara more valuable.

7. RB Saquon Barkley, Team 7
The best all-around RB coming out of the draft in what it feels to be years. Barkley is now placed in an offense that could be among the best in the entire league. Barkley will be the bell cow of an offense that has been needing a RB for years, and improving their offensive line was all apart of the plan. I see big things in the future of Barkley clearly, as like a lot of fantasy analysts I have him going first round. Positioning him at pick number seven seems like the earliest it should be.

8. WR DeAndre Hopkins, Team 8
Well would you look what happens when you give DeAndre Hopkins a QB? He delivers. Hopkins proved last season more than ever that he doesn’t need a great QB to be one of the best in football, but what he does need is DeShaun Watson to be totally out of this world. That combo became one of the most fun parts of football for a few weeks there. He finished with 309.8 PPR points, 2nd best among WRs and can only get better with Watson healthy. He is worthy of your first-round selection.

9. RB Kareem Hunt, Team 9
I am going to stress how important RBs are this season with this one. As one to lose hope in Hunt at times last season, he was still the NFL’s leading rusher when it was all said and done. Hunt stormed onto the scene with the Chiefs last season when Spencer Ware went down with injury in the preseason. After the first few weeks, Hunt started to struggle a little, in the idea that he was not scoring TDs. Now in a new offense under a new QB, I can see Hunt bouncing back and being the top option in the run game once again. With a year under his belt, Andy Reid will make sure to utilize Hunt to his potential once again.

10. WR Keenan Allen, Team 10
Like him or hate him, Keenan Allen is one of the best WR when healthy every time he takes the field. The 2015 and 2016 seasons were tough on Keenan Allen, as he had season ending injuries in both, and yet he delivered every time he was on the field. In 2017, when health was on his side, he impressed the masses with multiple big games down the stretch. From Week 11 to Week 17, no other receiver duplicated what he did. Now coming into a season where he is as fresh as can be, Allen looks to have an even bigger season as the overall WR3 this season.

Round 2

11. RB Dalvin Cook, Team 10
12. WR Odell Beckham Jr, Team 9
13. RB Melvin Gordon, Team 8
14. WR Michael Thomas, Team 7
15. RB Leonard Fournette, Team 6
16. WR Julio Jones, Team 5
17. WR AJ Green, Team 4
18. RB Christian McCaffrey, Team 3
19. WR Davante Adams, Team 2
20. WR Adam Thielen, Team 1

Recap: For round 2, a lot of picks standout that could very well go in the first round. The value of a healthy Odell Beckham Jr. at 12th could pan out very well. I could see him going before Keenan Allen in a lot of drafts. Odell has always had the ability, thinking back to his rookie year and how he came out of nowhere to be the best. This could be the latest he goes the rest of his career. Also like the idea of getting McCaffrey at 18, pairing him with Antonio Brown sounds like a team that will thrive in PPR situations. On to round three.

Round 3

21. RB LeSean McCoy, Team 1
22. RB Devonta Freeman, Team 2
23. TE Rob Gronkowski, Team 3
24. WR TY Hilton, Team 4
25. WR Mike Evans, Team 5
26. WR Doug Baldwin, Team 6
27. TE Travis Kelce, Team 7
28. RB Jerick McKinnon, Team 8
29. TE Zach Ertz, Team 9
30. WR Tyreek Hill, Team 10

Recap: The WR with most potential in this round is Hilton. As Andrew Luck begins his return back to the gridiron, TY Hilton will be the one who can celebrate, as he is a completely different player when he has Luck passing to him. Expecting him to bounce back huge this season. Other picks I like in this round is Baldwin, Kelce, and McKinnon.

Round 4

31. RB Jordan Howard, Team 10
32. WR Larry Fitzgerald, Team 9
33. WR Demaryius Thomas, Team 8
34. WR Stefon Diggs, Team 7
35. WR Josh Gordon, Team 6
36. RB Joe Mixon, Team 5
37. RB Kenyan Drake, Team 4
38. WR Allen Robinson, Team 3
39. WR Golden Tate, Team 2
40. WR Alshon Jeffrey, Team 1

Round 5

41. QB Aaron Rodgers, Team 1
42. WR JuJu Smith Schuster, Team 2
43. RB Rashaad Penny, Team 3
44. WR Amari Cooper, Team 4
45. QB Tom Brady, Team 5
46. WR Jarvis Landry, Team 6
47. RB Derrius Guice, Team 7
48. RB Alex Collins, Team 8
49. RB Jay Ajayi, Team 9
50. WR Robert Woods, Team 10

Results –
Team 1: RB Bell, WR Thielen, RB, McCoy, WR Jeffrey, QB Rodgers
Team 2: RB Gurley, WR Adams, RB D. Freeman, WR Tate, WR Smith-Schuster
Team 3: WR Brown, RB McCaffrey, TE Gronkowski, WR Robinson, RB Penny
Team 4: RB Elliott, WR Green, WR Hilton, RB Drake, WR Cooper
Team 5: RB D. Johnson, WR Jones, WR Evans, RB Mixon, QB Brady
Team 6: RB Kamara, RB Fournette, WR Baldwin, WR Gordon, WR Landry
Team 7: RB Barkley, WR M. Thomas, TE Kelce, WR Diggs, RB Guice
Team 8: WR Hopkins, RB Gordon, RB McKinnon, WR D. Thomas, RB Collins
Team 9: RB Hunt, WR Beckham Jr, TE Ertz, WR Fitzgerald, RB Ajayi
Team 10: WR Allen, RB Cook, WR T. Hill, RB Howard, WR Woods

Mock Draft Recap – So, which team is your favorite out of the mix? First time doing a one-person mock, took some time to remember but I feel this is how most drafts may go this season with this mix of players. The teams that stand out to me the most are Team 5 and 6, as for once having the middle picks turned out well in this case. The rookie RBs not named Barkley began to sneak into this draft around Round 5, and that’s where I expect them to be until reports from Training Camp come out and we can get a real sense of who will be important to each roster.

So, who was your favorite team? Who was your worst? Where would you like to pick? Let me know!

– Scott Edwards, Creator of WTF Sports

How to Set Up a Fantasy Football League The Right Way

Starting up a Fantasy Football league is not as easy as it used to be. There are a ton of rules and formats to decide on. Here is everything you need to know to set up the best fantasy league possible.

What Website Should I Use?

ESPN and NFL Network are the most common options for Fantasy Football and the easiest to get league members to join. NFL Network the easiest to set up on a mobile device.

How Many People Should Be in the League?

You need at least 8 for a quality league. 10 is ideal and 12 would be the best-case scenario.

Standard Scoring or PPR?

Neither, the best format of scoring is Half Point Per Reception. Make sure instead of one point per reception it says 0.5. This is the best way to balance Running Backs and Wide Receivers. In Standard scoring RBs are overpowered and in Full Point PPR WRs are overpowered.

What Waiver Type Should I Use?

I feel like this is where a lot of leagues could have more fun and choose not to. Almost every league still uses the standard waiver settings that are based on standings or waiver order. Using Waiver Acquisition Budget or FAAB depending on the site is the best way to go. This is a format where each team gets a budget, typically $100 to bid on waiver wire pick-ups. Teams have to manage their budget throughout the season which allows for people to sign free agents based on investment. If your QB just went down and you need to grab Marcus Mariota on the waiver wire you should not be snubbed because someone lost last week and is higher on the waiver order. With FAAB you would bid $5 on a player and if your opponent only bids $3 you get the player and have $95 for the rest of the season; the losing bidder is not penalized so he would still have $100.

Should I Have Max Adds or Trades?

Absolutely not, less transactions means less activity and entertainment.

Should I use Fractional Points?

Yes.

Best App to Get an Edge Over My Opponents?

Sleeperbot gives the best breaking news and has the ability to create leagues as well with more advanced players.

When Should Playoffs End?

Week 16. NFL Teams sit their stars on Week 17 and ruin leagues. Imagine having David Johnson lead your team all the way to the championship and then find out the Cardinals decided to sit him because they snuck into a Wild Card Game and need him healthy. Week 17 Championship Games ruin the entire point of the league.

If you have any comments or questions leave them in the comments, or on Twitter/Facebook, I’d love to hear your feedback.

Scott Neville – Self Proclaimed Football Guy – WTF Sports