Dynasty Startup Mock Draft – January 2020 (Part 2)

Dynasty Startup Mock Draft – January 2020 (Part 1)

Format: Dynasty, 12 teams
Rosters: (1) QB, (2) RB,  (3) WR, (1) TE, (3) R/W/T, (1) Q/R/W/T
Scoring: PPR, TE Prem (1.5)

Participants/Draft Position:

1. Tommy Mo – @2on1FFB – 2on1: Fantasy Sports
2. Randal K – @FF_Terminator – The Undroppables
3. JetPack Galileo – @JetPackGalileo – Fantasy Football Astronauts
4. Chalk – @101chalk – The Undroppables
5. Andrew Hall – @AndrewHallFF – Pro Football Network
6. Scott – @DynoGameTheory – Create-A-Rank
7. Tommy Garrett – @TommyGarrettPFN – Pro Football Network
8. Travis Seel – @TSeel14 – True North Fantasy Football
9. Dan – @AWLSabermetrics – 2on1: Fantasy Sports
10. Jake – @DaBeezyBFF – The Undroppables
11. Paul Lundgaard – @PauliesSleepers – The Undroppables
12. D Brown – @DBrownFF88 – The Undroppables

ROUND 5

5.01 – Tyler Lockett (WR, Seattle Seahawks)
(Tommy Mo – @2on1FFB – 2on1: Fantasy Sports)

Tyler Lockett was a WR1 lock for the entire #2on1Crew coming into 2019, as all of us were super high on Tyler. While Lockett wasn’t a disappointment as he improved on his 2018 numbers, he just barely missed WR1 territory at WR13 in PPR formats due to inconsistent games (5 out of 15 games under 10 points), the emergence of D.K. Metcalf, and a fluke injury (missed week 13). Even with DK performing like the freak athlete his workout pictures showed, Lockett still had plenty of big games to win weeks and prove he’s still a major factor in this offense. 

At 27 years old, he’s also not a young buck anymore, but like Allen Robinson, I feel they both have at least 2-3 solid years of high-level production left in their tanks. Which for me, is all I’m really looking for in dynasty as I’m in a constant “win-now” mode only looking a few years down the road. I also feel there’s always time in the distant future to blow up a team and rebuild. I’m projecting another 1,000+ yard season for Lockett, barring injury, given his 90% weekly average snap share and continued usage as the team’s WR1. 

5.02 – Calvin Ridley (WR, Atlanta Falcons)
(Randal K – @FF_Terminator – The Undroppables)

Calvin Ridley ended his sophomore season with the same workmanlike stat line he managed as a rookie… but in three fewer games! I don’t think it’s any coincidence that 27% of Julio Jones’ production came in the final three weeks of 2019. When Ridley was sidelined with an abdominal injury. The offseason should allow him to heal nicely and reclaim his spot in one of the games most prolific passing offenses. We may be witnessing a changing of the guard here and even if Julio manages to stave off Father Time for a couple more seasons, a bad defense and shaky running game ensure there are plenty of balls to go around in Atlanta. 

5.03 – Mark Andrews (TE, Baltimore Ravens)
(JetPack Galileo – @JetPackGalileo – Fantasy Football Astronauts)

Lamar Jackson is straight fire and Greg Roman knows how to deploy the tight end. Mark Andrews was a touchdown stud this season and a fantasy anomaly with a crazy high amount of points per snap. While regression is possible in 2020, I am concerned here with only one number: 23 – The age of both our Pro Bowl heroes, Lamar Jackson and Mark Andrews. Like quarterback, tight end is a position where I’m happy to settle with a top-end option that I can plug and forget. Andrews owners will be able to do just that with the youngest QB-TE pairing in the league.

5.04 – Jimmy Garoppolo (QB, San Francisco 49ers)
(Chalk – @101chalk – The Undroppables)

In Superflex startup drafts, I rarely leave the 5th (or at the latest 6th) round without having two QBs as a foundation. Depending on what position you are drafting from, a single QB run can cripple an unprepared fantasy owner’s team for years. In fact, I may or may not have started such a run myself with my selection of Jimmy G here. As I started with Mahomes at the top of the draft, I looked for a safe QB2 with a decent floor and stable situation.

The 49ers may be a run-dominant team but Kittle and Deebo are playmakers with the ball in their hands, capable of taking any reception to the house. Additionally, Garoppolo threw for nearly 4,000 yards (3,978) with 27 touchdowns and 13 interceptions on a team that plays good defense and runs the ball with 3 running backs. Although those are not eye dropping numbers, they’re solid and were good for a QB14 finish. That also seems like a nice floor for my QB2. I debated going with a younger (and more promising) QB in Jones or Darnold as I actually have them slightly higher in my dynasty rankings, but I wanted to lean a little more “win-now” with a player in a more stable situation.

5.05 – Daniel Jones (QB, Carolina Panthers)
(Andrew Hall – @AndrewHallFF – Pro Football Network)

At this stage of the draft, having my first position player at each starting position, I decided to go back to quarterback since it’s a Superflex league and QBs will most likely be taken more often between this pick and my next, and there aren’t that many left that I’d like to start on a weekly basis. There are a few veteran options available but I really want to build this team for the long haul, and seriously consider Daniel Jones to be one of those pieces that are in my lineup for years, so he’s my pick at 5.05.

I know what you’re thinking, this is a little early and probably a reach, but I honestly think he’s got the skills and surrounding cast to grow in value in 2020 and beyond. Add to that the stack with my 3rd round pick in Evan Engram and it was a no brainer for me. There were others I considered, but I wanted to focus on QBs earlier than other positions given how hard good ones are to find. Welcome to the team, Mr. Jones!

5.06 – Sam Darnold (QB, New York Jets)
(Scott – @DynoGameTheory – Create-A-Rank)

In a Superflex Dynasty startup, you can certainly still choose to wait on Quarterback, but don’t try and get too cute. When the value shows itself, jump in it. Darnold is my QB8 in dynasty and I land him here as QB14. I like that a lot. Picking in the middle of the pack is an advantage because the runs on various positions don’t get too far out of reach. I just didn’t want to push my luck too much. I also considered drafting Todd Gurley here. I don’t think he will make it back to me, but I just wasn’t too sure about his future role. There are a slew of nice WRs that I have in a similar tier, so I’m sure one of them will be there for me on the comeback. 

5.07 – Jared Goff (QB, Los Angeles Rams)
(Tommy Garrett – @TommyGarrettPFN – Pro Football Network)

Knowing how to read a draft lobby and see when a run will start is a crucial skill and can make your pick for you before it even gets to you turn. That’s what happened here as I knew the QB run was about to hit. Three QBs went before me that were all in the range of guys I wanted. Behind me, 3 of the five teams only had one or none quarterbacks on their roster. My pick became easy at this point. Take who was left of that tier and move on. That ended up being Jared Goff of the Los Angeles Rams.

At QB15 off the board, I’m perfectly happy with this pick. I don’t need a stud quarterback for my Superflex spot. I need a reliable QB who has talent around him with upside. That is precisely what Goff gives me. Goff finished the year as QB13 on the season even though he tied for 1st in attempts (626) and was 3rd in passing yards (4,638). What kept him from being another top-10 finish was the reduction in touchdowns from 2018, throwing 22 last year. Some of the most talented players in the NFL surround Goff, and he is on offense that ran the 8th most passing plays in 2019 (62%). He is locked up on the Rams through 2024, and I expect to see solid QB2 production the entire way.

5.08 – Jameis Winston (QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
(Travis Seel – @TSeel14 – True North Fantasy Football)

Generally, if you’d ask me whether I wanted a 26-year-old QB who just threw more than 30 touchdowns and had the 8th best passing yardage season of all time, I’d say sign me up. When you tell me that quarterback is Jameis Winston…hesitations arise. Along with those 30+ touchdowns, Jameis is the inaugural member of the 30 and 30 club. He’s the first QB of all time to throw for at least 30 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. A dubious distinction.

With that said, I think Jameis, the QB5 in fantasy this season, will be going back to the Buccaneers in 2020. Despite the interceptions, Winston fits well in Bruce Arians’ scheme. He can and will (clearly) throw the ball all over the yard, and we saw that lead to fantasy success. From a dynasty lens, at best, Winston sticks with the Bucs, continuing to produce in a high octane passing offense. At worst, Jameis will still be fantasy relevant as a shorter-term, potential journeyman in the mold of Ryan Fitzpatrick. YOLO quarterback play is in his blood, and I’m here for it.

5.09 – Kirk Cousins (QB, Minnesota Vikings)
(Dan – @AWLSabermetrics – 2on1: Fantasy Sports)

I was the first person to take the dive into three quarterbacks, hell some teams don’t even have one yet! This was a pick that I didn’t NEED to make, but it was something I’ve been wrestling with dynasty Superflex startups after getting in a few over the summer. Having a strong third quarterback option was something that showed to be very important to the best teams. Whether it be to protect yourself with injuries, or if another team needs a viable starter, having three very startable quarterbacks allows me to feel safe in my team. Now, I am not a proponent of starting your draft with 4,5,6… straight QB picks, I don’t think that is a successful strategy, three in the first five rounds even is a bit much for me. But, being able to completely solidify my QB room before any other team makes me feel good with the most important position in SuperFlex leagues. Also, this is fantasy, I don’t care about prime times wins and losses, I’ve had people argue with me over Cousins because he can’t win big games, but until fantasy starts giving points to primetime wins, I couldn’t care less about his W/L record. As long as he puts up points and is a viable fantasy QB, I will continue to draft when I he makes it around to me. 

Kirk Cousins was also someone for me who was at a tier-break over the next options. He is still relatively young at 31 years old and no real health concerns, is a set-in starter and just had his worst career fantasy finish as a starter at QB18 overall, prior to that he has always been a QB1. If the Vikings started the season actually passing the ball, I’d be willing to bet he could have made up the 21 total points separating him and the QB12 overall. I suspect the offensive play calling to be more balanced/ look more like weeks five and on, rather than the early season of 2019. He finished last season with 425 completions, this season he only had 444 attempts! This was a down year for him fantasy-wise, and I expect a return to his previous QB1 ways starting next year. 

5.10 – Matt Stafford (QB, Detroit Lions)
(Jake – @DaBeezyBFF – The Undroppables)

I went after the value at RB and WR early in the draft but here I realized that I had to get a QB and Matthew Stafford was the clear-cut guy. Although he only played in 8 games this year, he looked good in those appearances. Detroit is trying to find an identity and as much as they want to be a ground and pound team it’s not how they win games. With Kj, Golladay, Jones, Hockenson all coming back Stafford is going to have to put the ball in the air for them to keep pace in the games. I’m looking for them to add a few playmakers this offseason as well putting Stafford value on the rise.

5.11 – Todd Gurley – (RB, Los Angeles Rams)
(Paul Lundgaard – @PauliesSleepers – The Undroppables)

Here is where I usually start looking for QBs in a Superflex format.  This past season, I drafted guys like Lamar Jackson, Kirk Cousins, Dak Prescott, and Josh Allen in this area.  Well, there was a 7 QB run prior to my pick and all of the QBs I would consider in that “tier” are now gone.

Once again, no worries.  I won championships this year with the Jackson/Allen combo as well as with a Cousins/Fitzpatrick combo.  Anyway, I couldn’t pass on Todd Gurley with this pick as my RB2.  At only 25 years old, Gurley should still have several more productive seasons.  I believe his 2019 decline was more due to awful offensive line play and a shift in schemes midseason more than it had to do with the arthritis issue.  He still ended the season with 12 touchdowns and will continue to be the go-to guy in goal to clutch situations. 

5.12 – Michael Gallup (WR, Dallas Cowboys)
(D Brown – @DBrownFF88 – Sons of Dynasty, The Undroppables)

In 2019, Gallup had the breakout many were hoping for by eclipsing 1,000 yards with an impressive 16.8 yards per catch (10th). He more than doubled his 2018 production as we continued to see Amari Cooper perform with weekly inconsistency. The Cowboys will have to decide if they want to sign Cooper long term. In my opinion, the Cowboys should tag him in a “prove it” year. If the Cowboys decide to move on, Gallup becomes the WR1 in Dallas. 

The creativity that Kellen Moore brought to Dallas as OC is evident when looking at the numbers. The Cowboys set a franchise record for most yards (6,904) and most passing yards (4,751) in a season. We have seen Dak’s pass attempts go up every year since entering the league and should be good for 600+ attempts in 2020. Gallup is 23 years old and a top 20 Dynasty WR with room to grow. 

ROUND 6

6.01 – Devin Singletary (RB, Buffalo Bills)
(D Brown – @DBrownFF88 – Sons of Dynasty, The Undroppables)

As the 2019 season unfolded one thing became clear, Singletary is the new workhorse back in Buffalo. From week 8 on, he averaged 70+% of snaps, and received a minimum of 15 carries in 6 of 8 of those games. With only Frank “Father Time” Gore taking touches away, Singletary will take over this backfield completely in no time. 

We have seen the benefits of having dual threat QB Josh Allen, creating lanes for the young playmaker out of Florida Atlantic. Singletary averaging 5.1 yards per carry, ranks 3rd in “Big Run Rate” (7.3%), and 3rd in “Juke Rate” (33.3%) showing just how dangerous he can be in the open field. 

The Bills found success in 2019 and have one of the stoutest defenses in the NFL, offering upside to the rushing game. Singletary is a Top 15 back in dynasty formats and a solid RB2.

6.02 – Zach Ertz (TE, Philadelphia Eagles)
(Paul Lundgaard – @PauliesSleepers – The Undroppables)

If you follow me on Twitter, you know I was very high on Michael Gallup and Devin Singletary last summer.  Both were the next two players on my list but this is what happens when you draft with sharks and DBrown scooped them both up.  But look who is still available somehow. Zach Ertz, in a TE premium format! The last TE drafted was Evan Engram at the 3.05 and I’m now getting Ertz with my 6.02.  This is my best value pick so far. Ertz isn’t on contract after next year and that is probably why he slipped but he shouldn’t have slipped that far.

People say Dallas Goedert caps Ertz’ value but I don’t see it that way as Ertz still sees a whopping 90% of snaps.  I look at this like a WR1/WR2 situation similar to Julio and Ridley in Atlanta. Does Ridley take away from Julio? Hell no, he doesn’t.

6.03 – Austin Ekeler (RB, Los Angeles Chargers)
(Jake – @DaBeezyBFF – The Undroppables)

So looking to add a bit more to the RB core, I was stoked to see Ekeler sitting there. The biggest question mark here is what do the Chargers to replace Gordon who may be gone in free agency. Ekeler finished as a top 5 back in PPR and showed he could handle the load. He saw 132 attempts for 557 yards and 3 touchdowns. The money though is the 92 receptions on 108 targets for 993 receiving and 8 scores through the air. I believe they move forward with the 1-2 punch of Ekeler and Jackson and Ekeler’s usage in the pass game gives him a safe floor and a high ceiling going into 2020. 

6.04 – D.K. Metcalf (WR, Seattle Seahawks)
(Dan – @AWLSabermetrics – 2on1: Fantasy Sports)

I had a few running backs in mind here, but I thought at least one or two would drop to me in the seventh. It turns out they didn’t but I can make it work- no worries. Wide Receiver wise the few that went after my pick were really all in play for me. I really like F1, Deebo is going to be a steal for people, Kirk in the Arizona offense should really pop, and Boyd a few picks away is also someone I really like. To be honest I could have really gone with any of them and been happy. But, I decided to go with Metcalf for a couple reasons, not least of which was the Wilson stack. I believe Wilson will continue to be an elite Quarterback for years to come and Metcalf at only 22 years old (a year younger or more from the next few wide receivers off the board) should be a major benefactor throughout Wilson’s career. Now he was obviously aided playing time wise and option wise with the injury to Dissly (especially in the endzone), but he still saw 100 targets and put up 900 yards and 7 touchdowns, all with a pretty dismal catch rate of 58%. A little less volume, but more efficient with his looks seem very realistic to me. And what is nice, we already have a great example of that with his counterpart Tyler Lockett. Wilson may not throw as much as others, but he does throw a very fantasy friendly pass, and stacking recipients of those passes is something I would like to do. O and for what it’s worth, Lockett is set to be a free agent after the 2021 season at 29/30 years old for 2022. Metcalf could find himself as the WR1 for Wilson in the not so distant future.

6.05 – Terry McLaurin (WR, Washington Redskins)
(Travis Seel – @TSeel14 – True North Fantasy Football)

What a season for Terry F1 McLaurin! Missing 2 games due to injury, McLaurin finished 2019 as the WR27 with 58 receptions on 93 targets for 919 yards and 7 touchdowns. That performance cannot be discounted when you consider he endured season long Quarterback uncertainty on an offense not only stuck, but camped out in the mud.

While Washington historically has an appetite for dysfunction, they believe they have a future franchise quarterback in Dwayne Haskins (McLaurin’s college teammate in case you didn’t know) and their recent hiring of Ron Rivera as Head Coach is an encouraging sign for them gaining stability. Washington will surely look to add passing game weapons which should only help McLaurin as he seemed like the only show in town at times this season and could benefit from another threat drawing defensive attention. Second year breakouts for Wide Receivers are becoming a common trend so I wanted to make sure I was a year early on McLaurin’s because his price is only going to go up!

Roster build wise, Terry McLaurin as my WR2 feels risky given the current state of the offense. I was happy to bet on the talent and thought I’d be able to adequately stock up in the coming rounds. Having McLaurin’s youth and upside will be great for my team’s long term outlook.

6.06 – Deebo Samuel (WR, San Francisco 49ers)
(Tommy Garrett – @TommyGarrettPFN – Pro Football Network)

I’ll be honest; I love this pick so much. I needed a WR2 to pair with A.J. Brown and to grab Deebo Samuel in the 6th to be that guy is as good as I could have hoped. Once he got rolling in San Francisco, Samuel was a yardage monster. Samuel finished the season as the second-best wide receiver in yards after the catch/reception at 8.3 yards, only behind A.J. Brown (8.9). He finished the regular season with 57 catches for 802 yards, 159 rush yards, and six touchdowns, highlighted by an eight-game stretch with 697 scrimmage yards to end the year. Samuel fits everything I want in a WR when building a team. Young, advanced route tree, hyper-talented, and doesn’t require red zone targets to have a solid week. Take him in this range and enjoy the production for years to come.

6.07 – Cam Newton (QB, Carolina Panthers)
(Scott – @DynoGameTheory – Create-A-Rank)

Risk/Reward and positional scarcity. These are the two main reasons for taking Cam Newton in this spot. Unless you think he is never playing again, Cam will be back and given a full opportunity to lead a team. If it’s Carolina, I’d like that. DJ, CMC and crew are a great supporting cast. But even if it’s somewhere else, he still has QB1 upside and with his rushing history, he has a pretty safe floor. The injuries are scary as hell, but they are baked into the price here. Cam at QB19 is never happening if we know he is fully healthy. 

The QBs are getting a little thin and I always want to leave a Superflex dynasty startup with at least 3 starting QBs. And with only 32 to go around, it gets thin quickly. 

6.08 – Christian Kirk (WR, Arizona Cardinals)
(Andrew Hall – @AndrewHallFF – Pro Football Network)

Back on the clock and looking for a WR. I full expect Larry Fitzgerald to retire this off-season, but even if he doesn’t, WR Christian Kirk should be a perfect WR2 for my team. He’s young and growing alongside a young gunslinging quarterback on a high-powered offense. Kirk had a quiet 2019 but I think he’s in for big things in dynasty and should be considered a high upside WR2 in most formats.

On top of that, pairing him with Thomas puts my WR corps in a good place. I could have picked Thielen or Hilton but both of them are just as risky and are a few years older. When building a new dynasty team everyone tends to prefer youth, so the odds of Kirk making it back to me feel low. Gotta get my guy here.

6.09 – Marlon Mack (RB, Indianapolis Colts)
(Chalk – @101chalk – The Undroppables)

As I inadvertently went “Zero RB” for the first 5 rounds, focusing on the core pieces of QB and TE along with some young WR talent, I decided to seek the best RB value on the board and came across the intersection of the next 2 picks (Hunt and Carson). Along with Mack, these 3 backs are in the same tier, each possessing immense upside coupled with potentially troublesome question marks. Mack finds himself in a struggling offense and lacks pass-catching upside. At the same time, Mack posted over 1,000 yards rushing while averaging over 17 touches a game and never coughed up the ball. Hunt is a restricted free agent under the Browns control and without a lead role, he is stuck as a low-end RB2 at best. I am just a little concerned that the Browns do something terrible and overpay another talented (but unnecessary) RB. And I love Carson but the guy just can’t hold onto the ball and that is a pet-peeve of mine which caused me to go with Mack (although in hindsight, Carson was probably the right call here).

6.10 – Kareem Hunt (RB, Cleveland Browns)
(JetPack Galileo – @JetPackGalileo – Fantasy Football Astronauts)

After locking up studs at each position, I feel comfortable gambling here. Instead of gambling on injury (Chris Carson) I’m rolling the dice on talent in Kareem Hunt. Although it is risky, I believe a team will make a trade for the Pro Bowler. Soon as he touched the field in Cleveland, he found fantasy relevance as a “second stringer.” Kareem had a phenomenally high snap share over the last 8 games at 59.9% (compared to Nick Chubb’s 63.9%). He even outsnapped Chubb 3 times. As incompetent as Kitchens was, he knew he had to give Kareem reps, the talent is undeniable. At just 24 years old, my risk is minimized by Kareem’s youth. Whether 2020 or 2021, Kareem will be on a new team and find himself back in elite territory. 

6.11 – Chris Carson (RB, Seattle Seahawks)
(Randal K – @FF_Terminator – The Undroppables)

Despite missing the seasons final week with a fractured hip, Seattle’s Bell Cow closed 2019 with 1,498 yards and 9 total touchdowns. I’m beyond thrilled to have waited this long to address the running back position and wind up with a guy as solid as Carson. Some of my competitors wondered loudly what my strategy would look like after waiting this long and I actually considered waiting one more round, but with Tommy having already spent a 3rd round pick on Travis Kelce I was confident my second option (TE Austin Hooper)  would come back to me. 

What many of my competitors seem to have forgotten is that in this hypothetical dynasty league we still have a rookie draft to navigate. And it is loaded with running back talent! And If the last few years have taught us anything it’s that rookie running backs almost always have an immediate impact. And they are much easier to find/replace than stud quarterbacks. So with the combination of a steady vet or two and some rookies, I believe I’ll have more than enough punch from my RBs!

6.12 – Le’Veon Bell (RB, New York Jets)
(Tommy Mo – @2on1FFB – 2on1: Fantasy Sports)

My strategy for drafting is always to go with consistency for a minimum of 5 rounds, but ideally as long as you can with consistent players still on the board. After that, go upside. And you might be wondering where Le’veon Bell fits into that strategy, but a talented RB like Bell is bound to have a resurgence in his 2nd year back in the game. Even though 2019 wasn’t stellar for Bell, he was still the RB16 in PPR formats and his numbers should improve in 2020 either because Gase finally figures out how to use a RB, or because Bell feels even more comfortable running behind this O Line. 

I’ve now drafted my 3rd player 26+ years old in the first 6 rounds of this dynasty startup draft, which is risky and a strategy some people avoid completely. But again, if I can get 3 years of high production out of those players I’m happy. Additionally, since I like to build teams with 3 solid RBs, Bell still has the running and pass-catching ability to put up RB1/2 numbers. With plenty of skill position players on the roster, an offseason investment in the offensive line would bode extremely well for Bell and Darnold. Plus, worst case scenario, Gase doesn’t want Bell back next year and he lands on a team that can really use his talent, a low risk move since he’s the RB3 on my team. 

Many people predicted an Austin Hooper breakout coming in 2019 and those of you who snagged him late in drafts were not disappointed. Not even a late season MCL sprain could keep him from posting the best season of his career to date. Hooper finished with 75 receptions for 787 yards and six touchdowns in just 13 games. And was the overall TE1 through the seasons first nine weeks. The 25 year old California native is set to become a free agent in March, and perhaps that’s why he fell down the board a bit as the Falcons have yet to engage him in talks. But no matter where he spends his future he will almost certainly be productive and snagging him this late in a TE premium league feels like stealing.

8.01 – Phillip Lindsay (RB, Carolina Panthers)
(D Brown – @DBrownFF88 – Sons of Dynasty, The Undroppables)

The Broncos had a new OC, a banged-up offensive line, and a QB carousel in 2019. Still, Lindsay found a way to make history by becoming the first ever undrafted NFL RB to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons. Lindsay is no doubt, a special talent, and has a story that you can’t help but root for. 

Coming off a wrist surgery Lindsay looks to be in full health heading into 2020. Lindsay will be entering a contract year in 2020, so I expect the Broncos organization to restructure the current contract in order to lock up their stud RB for the future.

So long as Royce Freeman is splitting the backfield, Lindsay’s ceiling will be capped, but even with limited touches, Lindsay has produced steadily. Lindsay is just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. Broncos have a stout defense and no sure thing at QB, which should keep the offensive game plan close to the line of scrimmage. This is bound to leave a plethora of touches to be had moving forward.

The combination of youth and talent make Lindsay a great RB3 for my team that already boasts Nick Chubb and Devin Singletary. I’ll plan to continue adding RB depth in the upcoming rookie draft. Having Lindsay as my oldest RB at age 25 has my team stacked nicely with youth for the future. 

8.02 – Gardner Minshew (QB, Jacksonville Jaguars)
(Paul Lundgaard – @PauliesSleepers – The Undroppables)

OK, it’s finally time to pull the trigger on a QB.  I have a plan and it includes 1 or possibly 2 other QBs starting ahead of Minshew but I’m ok rolling him out there.  His 3,271 yard campaign with a 21/6 TD/INT ratio and 67 rushes for 344 yards in only 14 games has really flown under the radar in my opinion and based on how the town has embraced this kid and how marketable he is, he will be the starter in 2020.  Remember he was a 6th round pick and wasn’t supposed to see the field this year. He has heart and moxy and that, along with his impressive first-year stats, makes me comfy taking him as my first QB off the board. Just wait, kids. I’ll be OK. Trust me.

8.03 – Derek Carr (QB, Oakland Raiders)
(Jake – @DaBeezyBFF – The Undroppables)

QBs are getting slim so taking my shot here on Carr. Is he the future for the franchise? No idea.  He’s been a bag of mixed results, only throwing for over 4000 yds twice in his career so he’s not a sure-fire stud but if they choose to build around him, add playmakers, improve the o line I do think he could finish as a top 12 QB in 2020. As my QB2, he is risky but the wait on QB could pay off a bit.

8.04 – Adam Thielen (WR, Minnesota Vikings)
(Dan – @AWLSabermetrics – 2on1: Fantasy Sports)

I think people kind of forget about Thielen to be honest. 2017- WR8 (239 points), 2018- WR 7 (307 points), and was the WR9 this season before getting injured and sputtering the rest of the season. So in the 8th round I can land someone that was a WR1 the past two seasons, and was on pace to continue that streak, ya I will take that. Not for nothing, in case something happens in my QB slot, I can now stack Cousins and Thielen too which is nice, though that wasn’t really a big factor with this pick, just an added bonus. He is 29 but that doesn’t scare me too much, still should have a few more years of strong production, and seems like someone that could be in store for contract restructuring after the 2020 season

8.05 – Mark Ingram (RB, Baltimore Ravens)
(Travis Seel – @TSeel14 – True North Fantasy Football)

For this pick, I went down to B-More, outside the Bank, and put some BIG TRUSS into this Baltimore offense! This rushing attack was stellar this year. We all know the history Lamar Jackson made across the board, but Mark Ingram has been a huge part of the Ravens’ success.

The RB11 in PPR formats, Ingram cleared 1000 yards rushing for the third time in his career and set a new career high with 15 touchdowns (10 rushing, 5 receiving). Looking at whether those touchdowns are sustainable, we see that Ingram totaled the 10th most red zone carries in the league with 40, and 14 of his 15 total touchdowns came from inside the 20. In fact, Ingram, Lamar Jackson, and Gus Edwards were all top 36 in the NFL in red zone carries, which tells me that when they’re near pay dirt, they want to run the ball. So, while Ingram’s 15 touchdowns are likely to regress, he will still be put in a position to succeed being given high leverage touches. From a dynasty lens, the potential loss of Greg Roman, and insertion of Justice Hill into meaningful carries, did give me some pause but this is an offense I want pieces of with Lamar Jackson at the helm. And in the 8th round I couldn’t pass Ingram up. He may only have 2-3 years of high-level production left, but with Aaron Jones and Kerryon Johnson on my team already, there is potential volatility atop my depth chart. I expect similar volume in 2020, and attached to that QB….I’m bout dat. WOO WOO!

8.06 – Sony Michel (RB, New England Patriots)
(Tommy Garrett – @TommyGarrettPFN – Pro Football Network)

Do you know how you say every draft that you won’t draft a New England Patriots running back and end up doing anyway? Yeah, that’s this pick right here. I don’t love it, and I don’t hate it at the ADP and need for my team. Going RB/RB with my first two picks, gave me some leeway to address other needs before coming back. I wanted this to be either Derrius Guice or Kenyan Drake, but given the group of drafters, didn’t happen. I needed a solid RB3, and Michel gives me that after back to back seasons where he finished above RB36. At only 24 years old, there is still plenty of time for him to develop. In 2019, Michel saw 15 or more touches in 11 games, showing the volume is there. With all the uncertainty surrounding the Patriots for the first time in decades, it seems, relying on a rushing game is an easy way to help with a transition. 

8.07 – Dwayne Haskins (QB, Washington Redskins)
(Scott – @DynoGameTheory – Create-A-Rank)

Haskins joins Darnold and Cam in my quarterback stable. He is drafted as the QB24 and that is value in my book. Haskins remains a very low cost starting QB. He is only 22 years old and entering his second season he will be greeted with more stability. Ron Rivera will be leading the team and with Terry McLaurin and other young weapons taking another step forward, I think Haskins value will rise during 2020. 

Which hits on one more strategy I try to keep in mind with every pick.  “Will this player be worth more in 12 months from now?” I want that answer to be ‘Yes’ for as many picks as possible. In dynasty, these players are not only point scorers for you team, they are also assets that behave like currency. Make sure your team has more ‘arrow up’ guys than not. 

8.08 – Mike Williams (WR, Los Angeles Chargers)
(Andrew Hall – @AndrewHallFF – Pro Football Network)

I considered a few options at this pick, but it was mainly between RB and WR since I have two of each. There are some bench QBs left and plenty of TE options, even for a TE premium league, so I didn’t see the urgency in either of those positions for this pick. Given that it’s a PPR league and wide receivers are generally more valuable in dynasty leagues anyway, I went with the WR position.

Once I knew what position it was between a few players at that position: TY Hilton, Mike Williams, or Devante Parker. I think all three have immense value as a WR3 but the youth factor puts Mike Williams at the top of the list for me. I’m not sure I can trust Parker for the long haul, especially if Fitz-magic leaves the Dolphins, and TY Hilton is a WR1 when healthy, but we aren’t certain how long that will be. GImme MikeWill and my WR3 slot is set.

8.09 – Marquise Brown (WR, Baltimore Ravens)
(Chalk – @101chalk – The Undroppables)

As long as I have at least two QBs after the 6th round, I tend to look for high upside WRs and RBs who might be an injury away from winning leagues. A rash of quarterbacks and running backs left some WR value so I hit the button on Hollywood Brown. Tied to the MVP-favorite for years to come, Brown boasts an incredibly high ceiling with his blazing speed which allows him to take the top of the defense on any given play. Brown only had 44 receptions for 569 yards but he saw nearly 20% of the Ravens’ red zone targets (12) and also posted a respectable 14.6% HOG Rate (5.6 targets per game). Jackson and Brown have a strong connection as noticed from the target distribution and things should only improve from a WR44 finish in 2019 where Hollywood averaged 11 PPR points per game. I consider Brown a low-end WR3 with the potential to develop into a perennial top 25 WR over the next couple of years.

8.10 – Jarvis Landry (WR, Cleveland Browns)
(JetPack Galileo – @JetPackGalileo – Fantasy Football Astronauts)

After taking James Conner in the 5th round, I quickly realized how crazy deep running back is this year. I expected Drake and Lindsay types to go in the 5th/6th, but after seeing them fall two whole rounds, we see that the strong rookie RB class has deflated the cost of some of the tailend RB2s. 

Jarvis Landry is a basic value grab, a young, consistent WR2 whose playstyle can offer another 5+ years of fantasy relevance. He’s a true WR2/3 lacking WR1 upside with Odell there, but again, circumstances change, 27 year old talent does not. I’m not concerned with rostering two Browns receivers either. Landry’s 138 targets rank 9th in the NFL and he actually received more opportunities than Beckham (135).  If needed, Landry will be an easy flip when Cleveland adds an offensive-minded head coach to right the ship. 

8.11 – N’Keal Harry (WR, New England Patriots)
(Randal K – @FF_Terminator – The Undroppables)

This kid has loads of talent and this will most likely be the lowest his value will ever be. He fortifies an already impressive receiving corp and If He develops the way many of us think, we could be talking about a second round pick two years from now. There are suddenly questions surrounding the QB position in New England and that might have contributed to his fall. But the beauty of this pick is that I don’t need immediate production from him and the Patriots brain trust usually gets it right.

8.12 – Curtis Samuel (WR, Carolina Panthers)
(Tommy Mo – @2on1FFB – 2on1: Fantasy Sports)

I’m going all upside here as the 3rd year wideout didn’t have the 3rd year breakout that many of us in the fantasy football community were expecting. Still, at 23 years old with a ton of speed and talent, he had over 100 targets in 2019 and averaged an impressive 11.6 yards per catch. Samuel’s 2020 outlook isn’t amazing currently with a new Head Coach, new QB, and D.J. Moore taking the reigns as the team’s WR1. However, the opportunity will definitely be there as Samuel averaged an 86% snap share in 2019, which he turned into 54 catches for 627 yards and 6 TDs. The only problem with Samuel’s game is it’s all based on volume as he’s not going to take the top off a defense as a deep threat and he failed to hit the century mark even once this past season. However, at this point in the draft, I can take a chance on a young player because I’ve chosen to draft consistency while sacrificing youth. But a new HC, play-caller and dynamic QB could be a serious game changer for Curtis. 

ROUND 9

Selected 42nd overall (before Dallas Goedert) in the 2018 draft by Miami, Gesicki had a quiet rookie season with 22 receptions 202 yards. 

In 2019 the year started quietly again for Gesicki as he and Fitzpatrick struggled to connect. But after rookie stand out Preston Williams was lost for the season, we saw Fitz look to Gesicki as he accumulated 64 targets over the last 9 weeks of the season. The second year tight end made strides in 2019 and appears to be a part of the rebuild in Miami. The Dolphins might invest in a franchise QB in April who may tend to lean on his TE as many rookie signal callers do. Or they may roll another year with an aging veteran while they groom their future QB. Either way, Gesicki is locked into a starting role on a team that finds themselves trailing in games often. 

A raw athlete that is growing more comfortable with one hand in the dirt, Gesicki is moving up the dynasty ranks with room to grow. I don’t mind taking a chance on him at the end of the 9th Round. 

10.01 – Sterling Shepard (WR, New York Giants)
(D Brown – @DBrownFF88 – Sons of Dynasty, The Undroppables)

Shepard only managed to be available for 10 games in 2019 due to injuries/concussion. Still, he managed to receive 83 targets in those games which ends up north of 120 targets on a 16 game pace. 

The Giants have found their future at QB with rookie Daniel Jones who impressed most of us this year after heavy mockery of the organization from critics who thought it was a major reach. I liked what I saw out of the Eli Manning replacement and believe it bodes well for the Giants’ weapons moving forward. While Golden Tate may have a few years left, his best days are behind him. This leaves Shepard and rookie D Slayton room to grow, with Daniel Jones in a new look Giants offense. 

As my WR4, behind Golladay, Gallup, and Woods, I’ll take the 120 targets and the upside that Shepard could be a top 25 WR in 2020.

10.02 – Ryan Fitzpatrick (QB, Miami Dolphins)
(Paul Lundgaard – @PauliesSleepers – The Undroppables)

Since this was only slated to be a 10 round mock (we later decided to keep going to play it out but only write up the first 10 rounds), I wanted to further solidify my QB situation and take the Beard.  This is typical of what I would do in a startup of this format at both the QB and TE positions. If I am forced to “punt”, I will take three in a row to reach a certain comfort level.

Right before my pick, it was announced that Chan Gailey would be coming out of retirement to be the Dolphins new OC.  This move makes a lot of sense as Gailey invented the “spread” offense and would be a perfect OC for Tua Tagovailoa after the Dolphins draft him and “redshirt” his 2020 season to get healthy from his hip injury and learn this offense.  Gailey and Fitzpatrick are reunited as they were together for a combined 5 seasons with the Bills and the Jets. Fitz knows this spread offense well and will be a great fill in while Tua develops and a great mentor as well.  

Side note:  As mentioned, the draft has continued now and over the last few days there have been rumblings about my Colts going after Philip Rivers in FA.  So I picked up Rivers in the 11th round as my QB4.  

10.03 – Raheem Mostert (RB, San Francisco 49ers)
(Jake – @DaBeezyBFF – The Undroppables)

Going into the 10th I felt like it was time for the upside picks. Mostert who was an afterthought going into 19 took over the RB1 role in Shanahan’s offense midseason and never looked back. Hes shown hes a perfect fit for the system. He had 137 attempts for 772 yds and averaged a little over 5 yards a carry. 10 total Tds on the year. He has shown a 3 down ability as well.  With Breida likely gone he’s the front runner to lead the backfield in 20 and if there’s a lead back in San Fran I want him on my roster.

10.04 – Will Dissly (TE, Seattle Seahawks)
(Dan – @AWLSabermetrics – 2on1: Fantasy Sports)

I’ll be honest, I made this pick because I really wanted to write about Dissly, and I think his ADP is going to skyrocket in the upcoming months once people remember the beginning of the 2019 season (his ADP on Sleeper is still very low and has not bumped up for 2020). Like I spoke about in my Dallas Goedert write up, that was a bit of hopeful future pick with Ertz’s future possibly in limbo in Philly. So, I wanted to solidify my TE position before getting too far in the weeds in the TE position in case Ertz sticks around a little longer. 

Through nine weeks of the 2019 season, Dissly was a TE 1, which is pretty good considering he only played in the first 5 games before injuring his Achilles only a few snaps into week 6. Through those five weeks, Dissly was the 5th tight end overall, and only 11 points behind Hooper for TE1 overall. In those five games, Dissly had 23 receptions on 27 targets for 262 yards (11.4avg) and 4 touchdowns and another one on the ground. Though those numbers are a great start in general, what was very exciting about Dissly was his connection with Wilson inside the Red Zone. All four of his receiving touchdowns came inside the 20, and was clearly the top target when it came time to score. Lockett and Metcalf finished the season strong in this category (Locket #1, Metcalf #14 in RZ targets), but it stands to reason their numbers would be several targets, catches, and touchdowns less if Dissly was healthy for the full season. In regards to health, Seahawks Wire wrote in mid-October the Dissly’s surgery went well and is expected back for Training Camp which is a great outlook. As people continue to reflect on the 2019 season, expect to see Dissly to catch a serious bump in ADP and hype. Being able to snag someone I believe will be a TE1 and stack with Wilson was a great way for me to end the write-up portion of this draft. 

10.05 – Marvin Jones (WR, Detroit Lions)
(Travis Seel – @TSeel14 – True North Fantasy Football)

Yet another veteran receiver added to this core. Jones was the pick for me as I feel he can insulate the high variance of Terry McLaurin and Brandin Cooks on my roster. Marvin Jones is perpetually underappreciated as a strong WR2 in fantasy football. He’s 2019’s WR20 on a Points per Game basis with 14.9 PPG, and through week 14, prior to his injury, Jones was the WR16 in PPR formats. He got all this work done while having a true alpha playing across from him in Kenny Golladay, and amidst Quarterback turmoil after Matt Stafford’s season was cut short through 9 games.

Jones’ usage is simply stellar. Even missing 3 games to finish the year, Jones soaked up 14 red zone targets, 1 shy of Golladay’s season total and tied for 20th among NFL wide receivers. On those 14 targets inside the 20, Jones hauled in 8 touchdowns, 5 of which were from inside the 5 yard line. This red zone usage, his chemistry with Stafford, as well as his propensity for big plays are why I think Marv still has a couple seasons of solid production left. It may not be the greatest long term play, but I think I secured a solid day 1 contributor for my team who should easily return on the 10th round investment.

10.06 – Tyler Higbee (TE, Los Angeles Rams)
(Tommy Garrett – @TommyGarrettPFN – Pro Football Network)

I said earlier when I drafted Hunter Henry that my goal was to make sure I get another tight end with a high upside. After seeing the rest of the players I would be willing to take go by, I made my move to ensure I got someone I wanted in Tyler Higbee. 

He was the equivalent of waiver wire gold for owners in the fantasy playoffs and showed what he could be when given the targets. In Week 17, Higbee fell 16 yards short of becoming the first tight end to have five straight games with at least 100 receiving yards in NFL history. The Rams have him under contract through 2023, giving security to his locating for years to come. After seeing what he can do when getting the majority of looks at the TE position for the Rams, It would be foolish of them to shy away from him in 2020. I’ll take this upside in a TE premium league in the 10th round all day long.

10.07 – Mitchell Trubisky (QB, Chicago Bears)
(Scott – @DynoGameTheory – Create-A-Rank)

Darnold, Cam and Haskins. Not exactly an awesome group of fantasy QBs. Trubisky, for all his faults, is at least a very high ceiling play in the right matchups.  Securing 4 starting QBs also gives me some flexibility to make trades down the line. 

I am not confident that Trubisky is the answer in Chicago, but it sounds like they are gonna give him another shot to prove it in 2020. That’s good enough for me. 

10.08 – Rashaad Penny (RB, Seattle Seahawks)
(Andrew Hall – @AndrewHallFF – Pro Football Network)

Looking at my roster it’s obvious that I need another running back. I went WR in the last two rounds which left me light at RB, but again, in a startup I tend to worry more about WR more than RB, since you can almost always draft a RB in the first round of rookie drafts that can produce right away while WRs take longer.

Looking at what’s left at RB and here is who I’m considering: Rashaad Penny, James White, Tarik Cohen, and Tevin Coleman. White and Cohen are great PPR options but both have their own kinds of risk as well. Coleman is in a crowded backfield and hasn’t been able to establish the role for himself, so I don’t know if I can lean on him at all for a bye week fill in. Penny seems like a good fit as he should take over the lead back role for Seattle in the next year or two, and has bye week value in the meantime. Keep in mind that this draft is for vets only, so I would likely be targeting a RB in the early rounds of the rookie draft anyway, or could trade back and get one before the season starts anyway. Penny’s injury worries me but it doesn’t sounds fatal, so he becomes the obvious choice for my tenth pick. (EDIT: This pick was made prior to learning about Penny’s ACL injury)

10.09 – Preston Williams (WR, Miami Dolphins)
(Chalk – @101chalk – The Undroppables)

As our mock draft neared its end, I went full upside with my Preston Williams pick. The undrafted rookie receiver burst onto the scene, leading the Dolphins with 428 receiving yards and 3 TDs on 32 receptions. Williams ranked fourth among all rookies in receiving yards behind DK Metcalf, Terry McLaurin, and A.J. Brown when he was lost to a season-ending torn ACL. Miami is rebuilding and will likely draft a new franchise QB, which is hopefully a positive for Williams. There are a lot of needs for the team, and although WR isn’t necessarily one of them with the emergence of Williams and Devante Parker, we don’t know exactly how Brian Flores is going to build his new offense. On the other hand, Williams made his presence felt and the only reason he went undrafted out of Colorado State was his off-field issues which appear to be behind him now. At this point in any startup draft, you’re looking for young, high upside players and Preston is one to take a flyer on.

10.10 – Will Fuller (WR, Houston Texans)
(JetPack Galileo – @JetPackGalileo – Fantasy Football Astronauts)

As with James Conner, I’m betting on another injury bounce back in Will Fuller. Young and talented, Fuller is the key that unlocks the Texans passing game. DeAndre Hopkins will always be the top option in Houston, but Fuller allows Watson to let loose. Fuller gives Watson access to the entire field and any game can be a fantasy home run. His dominant 53.7 point performance against the Falcons is the 9th best performance for a wide receiver in the history of football. In games where he was fully healthy, Fuller average 7.5 targets and 14.3 PPG, a number that is better than highly valued players like Diggs (4.09), Sutton (4.02), Boyd (7.07). 

As for the injury history, the concerns are very valid. Will has never played a full season during his four year career. It is not uncommon for athletes to take an additional season to truly recover from their ACL injuries, take a look at Dalvin Cook and Derrius Guice, each at different stages of recovery. All 3 of these athletes struggled with hamstring injuries in their first season after ACL reconstruction, but Dalvin shows that the extra offseason of strength building can bring you back to 100% form. I am projecting a Dalvin Cook type of recovery for Will Fuller and am satisfied to be taking that risk in the 10th round.

10.11 – James White (RB, New England Patriots)
(Randal K – @FF_Terminator – The Undroppables)

The New England Patriots have always seemed to find success with running backs on the “short” end of the stick. (Kevin Faulk, Shane Vereen, Danny Woodhead) And White is no exception. More slot receiver than running back, the Wisconsin product has tallied 159 receptions 1,396 yards and 12 touchdowns the last two years. Proving himself a reliable RB2 for fantasy teams. And his role shouldn’t change much next year… even if Tom Brady’s uniform does. 

10.12 – Julian Edelman (WR, New England Patriots)
(Tommy Mo – @2on1FFB – 2on1: Fantasy Sports)

This pick was made before the recent news of Jules tying one on in Beverly Hills and getting arrested for a misdemeanor for jumping on the hood of, and damaging, someone’s car. Now, this is not saying that Edelman’s career will coming crashing down in flames. But, near the end of Wes Welker’s career he started to get into minor trouble too. That being said, as the last pick of this mock draft, I chose to still select the 100 reception 1,000 yard performer in 2019 because as long as TB12 is throwing the rock in New England, I believe he’ll continue to feed his favorite WR. Edelman maybe has 1-3 years left in his career and that’s enough for me to take a chance on drafting my 4th WR that is a great plug-in at Flex in ppr leagues. Plus there’s a lot worse you can do as Mr. Irrelevant in the draft than Julian Edelman.

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