Each year it’s a job in itself to figure out what position you like drafting from prior to your official drafts. I can’t lie, I do enjoy playing out the different scenarios and building a team I know I would be happy with if it where the real draft day. My wife tells me I am addicted to mock drafts. Every night before bed I will start one and she hears that initial “ding” and gives me her best groan.
In my first mock to share with you all, I am using the Sleeper app and it will be a 12-team half PPR draft with a single QB. I made it only 12 rounds to save time and not worry about the hassle of drafting kickers or a defense. I am drafting from the 1.06, so right in the middle. I will break this down round-by-round for my team and give you some clarity on my thought process, and what was going on around me. I was snipped a time or two. Be on the lookout for the draft board that will be uploaded at some point.
ROUND 1
1.6 – Jahmyr Gibbs (RB-DET)
Easy enough decision I would say. Top 3 wide receivers were taken, and Saquan and Bijan were gone. Not much else to say here. He is a tier above for me over the next best wide receiver.
ROUND 2
2.7 – Johnathan Taylor (RB-IND)
Call me a homer, but again, he was a tier above for me over the next option at wide receiver. My options there were Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ladd McConkey, or take my swing on Josh Allen. If you know me, that is not how I draft. If I take Josh Allen here, I miss out on studs at running back and wide receiver.
ROUND 3
3.6 – Tee Higgens (WR-CIN)
I couldn’t go another round without taking my first wide receiver. I didn’t love my options at running back like Breece Hall or James Cook, with the way my team was formulating in the first two rounds. Plus, after Tee I wasn’t confident with the options at wide receiver when it came back around to me in the fourth. When healthy, Higgens is an absolute stud. So, with that, I took my first wide receiver.
ROUND 4
4.7 – DJ Moore (WR-CHI)
Here is my first pick I made that I didn’t love. I could have taken another running back like taking a shot on the rookie Omarion Hampton or older gentlemen like Walker, Mixon, or Kamara but I went with an offense with upside. I’ve mentioned the Bears offense before, and I just wanted to take a swing on the best wide receiver option for Williams. I really started focusing on the ADP here as well and kind of game planned what I thought I could land in the next few rounds.
ROUND 5
5.6 – Xavier Worthy (WR-KC)
All signs point to a Rashee Rice suspension. At the end of the year, ah-la the super bowl, Worthy showed his true potential and with no Rashee Rice he should be the WR1 for Mahomes. I just really liked the value here for someone who is the WR1 in the fifth round, and that’s just where I like Worthy here. I would prefer him as a WR3 myself.
ROUND 6
6.7 – Jaylen Waddle (WR-MIA)
This was my first time drafting Waddle in a mock this year, but again, I just really loved the value here in the sixth round. Latest rumors going around in Miami is that he’s looking more like a WR1 as well. So again, I thought a bargin in the 6th and this ended my WR run. I just couldn’t help but grin with my wide recivers being Higgens, Moore, Worthy, and Waddle.
ROUND 7
7.6 – Kaleb Johnson (RB-PIT)
I didn’t love having to draft the rookie as my RB3 but getting a little wide reciever happy the previous 4 rounds somewhat forced my hand. It would hurt me a little if one of my top two guys went down early. However, Kaleb Johnson will get his run with the 1’s and as the season goes on I think his value rises.
ROUND 8
8.7 – Josh Downs (WR-IND)
It wasn’t shaking out quite right for me yet to snag a TE and the tier of running backs in this mock wasn’t something that enticed me. It was Charbonnet or a run down Javonte Williams in a RB time share in Dallas with a bad offensive line. So I snag the value in a talented wide reciver.
ROUND 9
9.6 – David Njoku (TE-CLE)
I also have not yet drafted Njoku anywhere in drafts, but in this mock he kept sliding and to get him in almost the double digit rounds I thought the value was there. He has proven when healthy, it doesn’t matter who his quarterback is, he is talented enough so I took him here in the ninth.
ROUND 10
10.7 – J.K Dobbins (RB-DEN)
Here is where I played the ADP game. The round before I figured Dobbins would make it back to me so I went tight end there, knowing I could snag Dobbins in the next round. I desperately needed a running back with the way I built this team in the first 6 rounds. So this was a slam dunk pick for me thinking I would land the quarterback I wanted in the next round.
ROUND 11
11.6 – Tre Harris (WR-LAC)
Well, as you can read, I didn’t select a quarterback in this round. I played the ADP game, and you play stupid games, you win stupid prizes. I wanted Dak Prescott here, and he was taken the pick right before me. So, I figured I would wait and select my quarterback with my last pick in the twelfth round. Tre Harris is a dog, and I have talked about him before in my sleepers post. I was fine with the value, just was hoping for a quarterback here.
ROUND 12
12.7 – Tua Tagovailoa (QB-MIA)
Well, my least favorite pick of the draft comes with my last pick. I chose Tua for the small stack I would have with him and Waddle. There is oppurtunity here if Tua can get any sort of protection and avoid anymore injury or concussion. Remember it was just two seasons ago he was the QB9 throwing for almost 5,000 yards. So I took my swing on him.