Fantasy football mock draft series: July takeaways

A mock draft review from a recent July gathering of professionals.

Here we are in late July with another fantasy football mock draft review. Feel free to compare and contrast the previous two — May and June — to see what has changed. The July draft involved a different group of participants from those two, so I’ve decided not to directly compare them but rather give thoughts on the picks and some rationale for my selections.

Before getting into my individual picks, here are a few positional observations from this 12-team, PPR draft.

  • Like in the June draft, Patrick Mahomes was a third-round pick (31st) overall. He and Josh Allen were the only two quarterbacks to go in the first four rounds. Eleven QBs were chosen in the first 100 picks.
  • Nine of the Round 1 choices were running backs. The position represented 14 of the first 24 chosen players. Among the first 100 picks, 40 running backs came off the board.
  • Wide receiver claimed 41 of the first 100 selections, splitting nearly even with 20 receivers in the first 50 spots. Among the 24 choices in Rounds 2 and 3, half went to the position.
  • Eight tight ends were chosen in the first 100 picks, and only two of them came off the board in the first 42 selections.

Below is a snapshot of the first 10 rounds broken down by number of positional picks from both the June and July drafts, including the change by round and overall. As mentioned, these drafts included different participants, so it may not be an entirely fair comparison. Note: This draft took place right before Cam Akers was injured.

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June draft results July draft results Change +/-
Rnd QB RB WR TE Rnd QB RB WR TE QB RB WR TE
1 0 9 2 1 1 0 9 2 1 0 0 0 0
2 0 6 5 1 2 0 5 6 1 0 -1 1 0
3 1 3 7 1 3 1 5 6 0 0 2 -1 -1
4 0 4 7 1 4 1 5 5 1 1 1 -2 0
5 1 6 5 0 5 2 2 8 0 1 -4 3 0
6 1 2 7 2 6 2 3 3 4 1 1 -4 2
7 2 2 7 1 7 2 7 3 0 0 5 -4 -1
8 2 5 4 1 8 2 3 6 1 0 -2 2 0
9 2 4 5 1 9 3 4 4 1 1 0 -1 0
10 0 8 4 0 10 1 0 8 3 1 -8 4 3
Total 9 49 53 9 Total 14 43 51 12 5 -6 -2 3

Round-by-round picks

Pick Rnd Player Tm Pos Pos rnk Pick Rnd Player Tm Pos Pos rnk
1 1.1 Christian McCaffrey CAR RB RB1 101 9.5 Tyler Boyd CIN WR WR42
2 1.2 Dalvin Cook MIN RB RB2 102 9.6 Nyheim Hines IND RB RB41
3 1.3 Alvin Kamara NO RB RB3 103 9.7 Dallas Goedert PHI TE TE9
4 1.4 Saquon Barkley NYG RB RB4 104 9.8 Joe Burrow CIN QB QB12
5 1.5 Derrick Henry TEN RB RB5 105 9.9 J.D. McKissic WAS RB RB42
6 1.6 Ezekiel Elliott DAL RB RB6 106 9.1 Jalen Hurts PHI QB QB13
7 1.7 Jonathan Taylor IND RB RB7 107 9.11 Tony Pollard DAL RB RB43
8 1.8 Travis Kelce KC TE TE1 108 9.12 Will Fuller MIA WR WR43
9 1.9 Nick Chubb CLE RB RB8 109 10.1 Jaylen Waddle MIA WR WR44
10 1.1 Tyreek Hill KC WR WR1 110 10.2 Tyler Higbee LAR TE TE10
11 1.11 Davante Adams GB WR WR2 111 10.3 Marquise Brown BAL WR WR45
12 1.12 Aaron Jones GB RB RB9 112 10.4 Henry Ruggs III LV WR WR46
13 2.1 Cam Akers LAR RB RB10 113 10.5 Matt Ryan ATL QB QB14
14 2.2 Joe Mixon CIN RB RB11 114 10.6 Laviska Shenault Jr. JAX WR WR47
15 2.3 Antonio Gibson WAS RB RB12 115 10.7 Antonio Brown TB WR WR48
16 2.4 DeAndre Hopkins ARI WR WR3 116 10.8 Robert Tonyan GB TE TE11
17 2.5 Najee Harris PIT RB RB13 117 10.9 Michael Gallup DAL WR WR49
18 2.6 Stefon Diggs BUF WR WR4 118 10.1 Mike Williams LAC WR WR50
19 2.7 Calvin Ridley ATL WR WR5 119 10.11 Hunter Henry NE TE TE12
20 2.8 Austin Ekeler LAC RB RB14 120 10.12 Corey Davis NYJ WR WR51
21 2.9 A.J. Brown TEN WR WR6 121 11.1 Chuba Hubbard CAR RB RB44
22 2.1 D.K. Metcalf SEA WR WR7 122 11.2 Denzel Mims NYJ WR WR52
23 2.11 Justin Jefferson MIN WR WR8 123 11.3 T Y Hilton IND WR WR53
24 2.12 Darren Waller LV TE TE2 124 11.4 Kenyan Drake LV RB RB45
25 3.1 Terry McLaurin WAS WR WR9 125 11.5 Cole Beasley BUF WR WR54
26 3.2 Josh Jacobs LV RB RB15 126 11.6 Trevor Lawrence JAX QB QB15
27 3.3 Clyde Edwards-Helaire KC RB RB16 127 11.7 Marvin Jones JAX WR WR55
28 3.4 Chris Carson SEA RB RB17 128 11.8 Phillip Lindsay HOU RB RB46
29 3.5 Michael Thomas NO WR WR10 129 11.9 Russell Gage ATL WR WR56
30 3.6 Keenan Allen LAC WR WR11 130 11.1 Jamaal Williams DET RB RB47
31 3.7 Patrick Mahomes KC QB QB1 131 11.11 AJ Dillon GB RB RB48
32 3.8 Allen Robinson CHI WR WR12 132 11.12 Tevin Coleman NYJ RB RB49
33 3.9 David Montgomery CHI RB RB18 133 12.1 Darnell Mooney CHI WR WR57
34 3.1 D’Andre Swift DET RB RB19 134 12.2 Mecole Hardman KC WR WR58
35 3.11 Robert Woods LAR WR WR13 135 12.3 Elijah Moore NYJ WR WR59
36 3.12 Mike Evans TB WR WR14 136 12.4 Javian Hawkins ATL RB RB50
37 4.1 J.K. Dobbins BAL RB RB20 137 12.5 Giovani Bernard TB RB RB51
38 4.2 CeeDee Lamb DAL WR WR15 138 12.6 Mike Gesicki MIA TE TE13
39 4.3 Miles Sanders PHI RB RB21 139 12.7 Pittsburgh Steelers PIT Def/ST DT1
40 4.4 Julio Jones TEN WR WR16 140 12.8 Zach Ertz PHI TE TE14
41 4.5 Mike Davis ATL RB RB22 141 12.9 Rob Gronkowski TB TE TE15
42 4.6 Chris Godwin TB WR WR17 142 12.1 Irv Smith Jr. MIN TE TE16
43 4.7 George Kittle SF TE TE3 143 12.11 Marlon Mack IND RB RB52
44 4.8 Myles Gaskin MIA RB RB23 144 12.12 Kirk Cousins MIN QB QB16
45 4.9 Josh Allen BUF QB QB2 145 13.1 Los Angeles Rams LAR Def/ST DT2
46 4.1 Kenny Golladay NYG WR WR18 146 13.2 Emmanuel Sanders BUF WR WR60
47 4.11 Cooper Kupp LAR WR WR19 147 13.3 Carson Wentz IND QB QB17
48 4.12 Chase Edmonds ARI RB RB24 148 13.4 Latavius Murray NO RB RB53
49 5.1 Adam Thielen MIN WR WR20 149 13.5 Nelson Agholor NE WR WR61
50 5.2 James Robinson JAX RB RB25 150 13.6 Jakobi Meyers NE WR WR62
51 5.3 Kyler Murray ARI QB QB3 151 13.7 Baker Mayfield CLE QB QB18
52 5.4 Brandon Aiyuk SF WR WR21 152 13.8 Tyrell Williams DET WR WR63
53 5.5 Lamar Jackson BAL QB QB4 153 13.9 Jared Cook LAC TE TE17
54 5.6 Kareem Hunt CLE RB RB26 154 13.1 Evan Engram NYG TE TE18
55 5.7 Amari Cooper DAL WR WR22 155 13.11 Alexander Mattison MIN RB RB54
56 5.8 Courtland Sutton DEN WR WR23 156 13.12 Darrell Henderson LAR RB RB55
57 5.9 Tyler Lockett SEA WR WR24 157 14.1 Salvon Ahmed MIA RB RB56
58 5.1 Diontae Johnson PIT WR WR25 158 14.2 Washington FB Team WAS Def/ST DT3
59 5.11 Odell Beckham Jr. CLE WR WR26 159 14.3 Jalen Reagor PHI WR WR64
60 5.12 D.J. Moore CAR WR WR27 160 14.4 Jameis Winston NO QB QB19
61 6.1 Kyle Pitts ATL TE TE4 161 14.5 Adam Trautman NO TE TE19
62 6.2 Dak Prescott DAL QB QB5 162 14.6 Baltimore Ravens BAL Def/ST DT4
63 6.3 T.J. Hockenson DET TE TE5 163 14.7 Justin Tucker BAL K PK1
64 6.4 Mark Andrews BAL TE TE6 164 14.8 Tua Tagovailoa MIA QB QB20
65 6.5 JuJu Smith-Schuster PIT WR WR28 165 14.9 Joshua Kelley LAC RB RB57
66 6.6 Travis Etienne JAX RB RB27 166 14.1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers TB Def/ST DT5
67 6.7 Justin Herbert LAC QB QB6 167 14.11 Cleveland Browns CLE Def/ST DT6
68 6.8 Raheem Mostert SF RB RB28 168 14.12 Anthony Firkser TEN TE TE20
69 6.9 Noah Fant DEN TE TE7 169 15.1 Harrison Butker KC K PK2
70 6.1 Damien Harris NE RB RB29 170 15.2 Rodrigo Blankenship IND K PK3
71 6.11 Tee Higgins CIN WR WR29 171 15.3 Tyler Bass BUF K PK4
72 6.12 Ja’Marr Chase CIN WR WR30 172 15.4 Younghoe Koo ATL K PK5
73 7.1 Russell Wilson SEA QB QB7 173 15.5 Greg Zuerlein DAL K PK6
74 7.2 Javonte Williams DEN RB RB30 174 15.6 James White NE RB RB58
75 7.3 D.J. Chark JAX WR WR31 175 15.7 Tre’Quan Smith NO WR WR65
76 7.4 Chase Claypool PIT WR WR32 176 15.8 New England Patriots NE Def/ST DT7
77 7.5 David Johnson HOU RB RB31 177 15.9 Indianapolis Colts IND Def/ST DT8
78 7.6 Michael Carter NYJ RB RB32 178 15.1 Miami Dolphins MIA Def/ST DT9
79 7.7 Melvin Gordon DEN RB RB33 179 15.11 Ryan Succop TB K PK7
80 7.8 James Conner ARI RB RB34 180 15.12 Buffalo Bills BUF Def/ST DT10
81 7.9 Trey Sermon SF RB RB35 181 16.1 Wil Lutz NO K PK8
82 7.1 Jerry Jeudy DEN WR WR33 182 16.2 Daniel Jones NYG QB QB21
83 7.11 Zack Moss BUF RB RB36 183 16.3 Daniel Carlson LV K PK9
84 7.12 Ryan Tannehill TEN QB QB8 184 16.4 Jason Sanders MIA K PK10
85 8.1 Deebo Samuel SF WR WR34 185 16.5 Joey Slye CAR K PK11
86 8.2 Ronald Jones II TB RB RB37 186 16.6 Matt Gay LAR K PK12
87 8.3 DeVonta Smith PHI WR WR35 187 16.7 Cole Kmet CHI TE TE21
88 8.4 Matthew Stafford LAR QB QB9 188 16.8 San Francisco 49ers SF Def/ST DT11
89 8.5 Robby Anderson CAR WR WR36 189 16.9 Denver Broncos DEN Def/ST DT12
90 8.6 Leonard Fournette TB RB RB38 190 16.1 Breshad Perriman DET WR WR66
91 8.7 Brandin Cooks HOU WR WR37 191 16.11 Austin Hooper CLE TE TE22
92 8.8 DeVante Parker MIA WR WR38 192 16.12 Tarik Cohen CHI RB RB59
93 8.9 Michael Pittman Jr. IND WR WR39
94 8.1 Logan Thomas WAS TE TE8
95 8.11 Aaron Rodgers GB QB QB10
96 8.12 Devin Singletary BUF RB RB39
97 9.1 Jarvis Landry CLE WR WR40
98 9.2 Tom Brady TB QB QB11
99 9.3 Gus Edwards BAL RB RB40
100 9.4 Curtis Samuel WAS WR WR41

Results by position

Pick Rnd Player Tm Pos Pos rnk Pick Rnd Player Tm Pos Pos rnk
31 3.7 Patrick Mahomes KC QB QB1 10 1.1 Tyreek Hill KC WR WR1
45 4.9 Josh Allen BUF QB QB2 11 1.11 Davante Adams GB WR WR2
51 5.3 Kyler Murray ARI QB QB3 16 2.4 DeAndre Hopkins ARI WR WR3
53 5.5 Lamar Jackson BAL QB QB4 18 2.6 Stefon Diggs BUF WR WR4
62 6.2 Dak Prescott DAL QB QB5 19 2.7 Calvin Ridley ATL WR WR5
67 6.7 Justin Herbert LAC QB QB6 21 2.9 A.J. Brown TEN WR WR6
73 7.1 Russell Wilson SEA QB QB7 22 2.1 D.K. Metcalf SEA WR WR7
84 7.12 Ryan Tannehill TEN QB QB8 23 2.11 Justin Jefferson MIN WR WR8
88 8.4 Matthew Stafford LAR QB QB9 25 3.1 Terry McLaurin WAS WR WR9
95 8.11 Aaron Rodgers GB QB QB10 29 3.5 Michael Thomas NO WR WR10
98 9.2 Tom Brady TB QB QB11 30 3.6 Keenan Allen LAC WR WR11
104 9.8 Joe Burrow CIN QB QB12 32 3.8 Allen Robinson CHI WR WR12
106 9.1 Jalen Hurts PHI QB QB13 35 3.11 Robert Woods LAR WR WR13
113 10.5 Matt Ryan ATL QB QB14 36 3.12 Mike Evans TB WR WR14
126 11.6 Trevor Lawrence JAX QB QB15 38 4.2 CeeDee Lamb DAL WR WR15
144 12.12 Kirk Cousins MIN QB QB16 40 4.4 Julio Jones TEN WR WR16
147 13.3 Carson Wentz IND QB QB17 42 4.6 Chris Godwin TB WR WR17
151 13.7 Baker Mayfield CLE QB QB18 46 4.1 Kenny Golladay NYG WR WR18
160 14.4 Jameis Winston NO QB QB19 47 4.11 Cooper Kupp LAR WR WR19
164 14.8 Tua Tagovailoa MIA QB QB20 49 5.1 Adam Thielen MIN WR WR20
182 16.2 Daniel Jones NYG QB QB21 52 5.4 Brandon Aiyuk SF WR WR21
1 1.1 Christian McCaffrey CAR RB RB1 55 5.7 Amari Cooper DAL WR WR22
2 1.2 Dalvin Cook MIN RB RB2 56 5.8 Courtland Sutton DEN WR WR23
3 1.3 Alvin Kamara NO RB RB3 57 5.9 Tyler Lockett SEA WR WR24
4 1.4 Saquon Barkley NYG RB RB4 58 5.1 Diontae Johnson PIT WR WR25
5 1.5 Derrick Henry TEN RB RB5 59 5.11 Odell Beckham Jr. CLE WR WR26
6 1.6 Ezekiel Elliott DAL RB RB6 60 5.12 D.J. Moore CAR WR WR27
7 1.7 Jonathan Taylor IND RB RB7 65 6.5 JuJu Smith-Schuster PIT WR WR28
9 1.9 Nick Chubb CLE RB RB8 71 6.11 Tee Higgins CIN WR WR29
12 1.12 Aaron Jones GB RB RB9 72 6.12 Ja’Marr Chase CIN WR WR30
13 2.1 Cam Akers LAR RB RB10 75 7.3 D.J. Chark JAX WR WR31
14 2.2 Joe Mixon CIN RB RB11 76 7.4 Chase Claypool PIT WR WR32
15 2.3 Antonio Gibson WAS RB RB12 82 7.1 Jerry Jeudy DEN WR WR33
17 2.5 Najee Harris PIT RB RB13 85 8.1 Deebo Samuel SF WR WR34
20 2.8 Austin Ekeler LAC RB RB14 87 8.3 DeVonta Smith PHI WR WR35
26 3.2 Josh Jacobs LV RB RB15 89 8.5 Robby Anderson CAR WR WR36
27 3.3 Clyde Edwards-Helaire KC RB RB16 91 8.7 Brandin Cooks HOU WR WR37
28 3.4 Chris Carson SEA RB RB17 92 8.8 DeVante Parker MIA WR WR38
33 3.9 David Montgomery CHI RB RB18 93 8.9 Michael Pittman Jr. IND WR WR39
34 3.1 D’Andre Swift DET RB RB19 97 9.1 Jarvis Landry CLE WR WR40
37 4.1 J.K. Dobbins BAL RB RB20 100 9.4 Curtis Samuel WAS WR WR41
39 4.3 Miles Sanders PHI RB RB21 101 9.5 Tyler Boyd CIN WR WR42
41 4.5 Mike Davis ATL RB RB22 108 9.12 Will Fuller MIA WR WR43
44 4.8 Myles Gaskin MIA RB RB23 109 10.1 Jaylen Waddle MIA WR WR44
48 4.12 Chase Edmonds ARI RB RB24 111 10.3 Marquise Brown BAL WR WR45
50 5.2 James Robinson JAX RB RB25 112 10.4 Henry Ruggs III LV WR WR46
54 5.6 Kareem Hunt CLE RB RB26 114 10.6 Laviska Shenault Jr. JAX WR WR47
66 6.6 Travis Etienne JAX RB RB27 115 10.7 Antonio Brown TB WR WR48
68 6.8 Raheem Mostert SF RB RB28 117 10.9 Michael Gallup DAL WR WR49
70 6.1 Damien Harris NE RB RB29 118 10.1 Mike Williams LAC WR WR50
74 7.2 Javonte Williams DEN RB RB30 120 10.12 Corey Davis NYJ WR WR51
77 7.5 David Johnson HOU RB RB31 122 11.2 Denzel Mims NYJ WR WR52
78 7.6 Michael Carter NYJ RB RB32 123 11.3 T Y Hilton IND WR WR53
79 7.7 Melvin Gordon DEN RB RB33 125 11.5 Cole Beasley BUF WR WR54
80 7.8 James Conner ARI RB RB34 127 11.7 Marvin Jones JAX WR WR55
81 7.9 Trey Sermon SF RB RB35 129 11.9 Russell Gage ATL WR WR56
83 7.11 Zack Moss BUF RB RB36 133 12.1 Darnell Mooney CHI WR WR57
86 8.2 Ronald Jones II TB RB RB37 134 12.2 Mecole Hardman KC WR WR58
90 8.6 Leonard Fournette TB RB RB38 135 12.3 Elijah Moore NYJ WR WR59
96 8.12 Devin Singletary BUF RB RB39 146 13.2 Emmanuel Sanders BUF WR WR60
99 9.3 Gus Edwards BAL RB RB40 149 13.5 Nelson Agholor NE WR WR61
102 9.6 Nyheim Hines IND RB RB41 150 13.6 Jakobi Meyers NE WR WR62
105 9.9 J.D. McKissic WAS RB RB42 152 13.8 Tyrell Williams DET WR WR63
107 9.11 Tony Pollard DAL RB RB43 159 14.3 Jalen Reagor PHI WR WR64
121 11.1 Chuba Hubbard CAR RB RB44 175 15.7 Tre’Quan Smith NO WR WR65
124 11.4 Kenyan Drake LV RB RB45 190 16.1 Breshad Perriman DET WR WR66
128 11.8 Phillip Lindsay HOU RB RB46 163 14.7 Justin Tucker BAL PK PK1
130 11.1 Jamaal Williams DET RB RB47 169 15.1 Harrison Butker KC PK PK2
131 11.11 AJ Dillon GB RB RB48 170 15.2 Rodrigo Blankenship IND PK PK3
132 11.12 Tevin Coleman NYJ RB RB49 171 15.3 Tyler Bass BUF PK PK4
136 12.4 Javian Hawkins ATL RB RB50 172 15.4 Younghoe Koo ATL PK PK5
137 12.5 Giovani Bernard TB RB RB51 173 15.5 Greg Zuerlein DAL PK PK6
143 12.11 Marlon Mack IND RB RB52 179 15.11 Ryan Succop TB PK PK7
148 13.4 Latavius Murray NO RB RB53 181 16.1 Wil Lutz NO PK PK8
155 13.11 Alexander Mattison MIN RB RB54 183 16.3 Daniel Carlson LV PK PK9
156 13.12 Darrell Henderson LAR RB RB55 184 16.4 Jason Sanders MIA PK PK10
157 14.1 Salvon Ahmed MIA RB RB56 185 16.5 Joey Slye CAR PK PK11
165 14.9 Joshua Kelley LAC RB RB57 186 16.6 Matt Gay LAR PK PK12
174 15.6 James White NE RB RB58 139 12.7 Pittsburgh Steelers PIT D/ST DT1
192 16.12 Tarik Cohen CHI RB RB59 145 13.1 Los Angeles Rams LAR D/ST DT2
8 1.8 Travis Kelce KC TE TE1 158 14.2 Washington FB Team WAS D/ST DT3
24 2.12 Darren Waller LV TE TE2 162 14.6 Baltimore Ravens BAL D/ST DT4
43 4.7 George Kittle SF TE TE3 166 14.1 Tampa Bay Buccaneers TB D/ST DT5
61 6.1 Kyle Pitts ATL TE TE4 167 14.11 Cleveland Browns CLE D/ST DT6
63 6.3 T.J. Hockenson DET TE TE5 176 15.8 New England Patriots NE D/ST DT7
64 6.4 Mark Andrews BAL TE TE6 177 15.9 Indianapolis Colts IND D/ST DT8
69 6.9 Noah Fant DEN TE TE7 178 15.1 Miami Dolphins MIA D/ST DT9
94 8.1 Logan Thomas WAS TE TE8 180 15.12 Buffalo Bills BUF D/ST DT10
103 9.7 Dallas Goedert PHI TE TE9 188 16.8 San Francisco 49ers SF D/ST DT11
110 10.2 Tyler Higbee LAR TE TE10 189 16.9 Denver Broncos DEN D/ST DT12
116 10.8 Robert Tonyan GB TE TE11
119 10.11 Hunter Henry NE TE TE12
138 12.6 Mike Gesicki MIA TE TE13
140 12.8 Zach Ertz PHI TE TE14
141 12.9 Rob Gronkowski TB TE TE15
142 12.1 Irv Smith Jr. MIN TE TE16
153 13.9 Jared Cook LAC TE TE17
154 13.1 Evan Engram NYG TE TE18
161 14.5 Adam Trautman NO TE TE19
168 14.12 Anthony Firkser TEN TE TE20
187 16.7 Cole Kmet CHI TE TE21
191 16.11 Austin Hooper CLE TE TE22

My team

1:09) RB Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns: I had hoped somehow Jonathan Taylor would fall to me, but that was wishful thinking. The selection of Chubb gives me a legitimate RB1 with double-digit TD potential in a run-heavy offense.

2:04) WR DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals: There would have been an internal debate over Nuk and Washington RB Antonio Gibson in this spot, until the latter was taken a pick beforehand. Hopkins is arguably the safest WR1 in the game today, and his selection gives me two elite players to anchor the lineup.

3:09) RB David Montgomery, Chicago Bears: If I’m being candidate, Montgomery worries me to a degree. He will have more competition for touches this year, and I’m not keen on what may happen if Andy Dalton loses the starting job at some point to a rookie. Even still, I chose Monty for variety and because he should still shoulder the load. D’Andre Swift was a consideration here.

4:04) WR Julio Jones, Tennessee Titans: If healthy, Jones is a dynamic WR2 behind Hopkins. The selection of Baltimore RB J.K. Dobbins a few picks before made my decision much easier. The former Falcons star could put my team over the top.

5:09) WR Tyler Lockett, Seattle Seahawks: This selection would have been Courtland Sutton, but in classic fantasy fashion, he went one pick ahead of me. Lockett is a slightly safer choice anyway and still has upper-end WR2 potential as my third.

6:04) TE Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens: While tight ends usually are not my thing this early, Andrews is basically the WR1 of this offense and gives me a plug-n-play starter. T.J. Hockenson would have been the guy if he hadn’t gone the with the prior pick.

[lawrence-related id=459383]

7:09) RB Trey Sermon, San Francisco 49ers: There is no running back I rather gamble on in 2021 drafts than the rookie. I’m not convinced Raheem Mostert will be even the “1a” of the backfield, and his durability concerns could make Sermon as close to a workhorse as possible in a Kyle Shanahan offense.

8:04) QB Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams: The weaponry and system are in place for Stafford to be dominant. Even though Round 8 may be a hair on the early side for my tastes, I wasn’t going to miss out on him after eight other QBs had been chosen.

9:09) RB J.D. McKissic, Washington Football Team: After taking a chance on Sermon, it was time to practice what I’ve been preaching all offseason: McKissic is a steal, even with Curtis Samuel’s addition to the roster. Last year’s RB17 is going in the RB40+ range. Huge discount.

10:04) WR Henry Ruggs III, Las Vegas Raiders: Forget last year’s unmitigated disaster of a rookie campaign. There’s little concern when making a 10th-round investment while already having three strong wideouts rostered.

11:09) WR Russell Gage, Atlanta Falcons: A season after filling in admirably for an injured Julio Jones, Gage gets an opportunity to become the team’s No. 2. Strong PPR potential at a low-cost price tag. Late-rounders like Gage help win fantasy championships.

12:04) RB Javian Hawkins, Atlanta Falcons: Consecutive Dirty Birds may not be appealing to many drafters, yet I couldn’t pass on the upside of Hawkins in PPR. He may turn out to be nothing at all, which is perfectly fine in Round 12 as my RB5.

13:09) TE Jared Cook, Los Angeles Chargers: It is quite rare for me to draft two tight ends, especially after investing early in my first one. However, Cook’s reunion with new Bolts OC Joe Lombardi has my interest piqued. LA has all of the factors in place to make Cook a borderline starting option.

14:04) QB Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints: The former Buccaneer vs. Daniel Jones was my decision here. Timing couldn’t have been much worse, since Michael Thomas surgery news broke shortly thereafter.