Fantasy: 10-team mock draft with analysis
Over the last week, theScore staff participated in a 10-team, 12-round mock to help provide a glimpse at what your drafts might look like and to give some insight on what to watch for in each round.
This is a standard (non-PPR) scoring league with the following roster spots: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, FLEX, BN, BN, BN, BN. We left off defenses and kickers since they normally get selected in the final two rounds.
Draft Participants: Dan Wilkins, Jack Browne, Caitlyn Holroyd, David. P. Woods, Michael Amato, Justin Boone, Arun Srinivasan, Mitch Sanderson, Michael McClymont, Gino Bottero.
View the full rosters for each team here.
Round 1
Pick | Player | Owner |
---|---|---|
1 | David Johnson (RB1) | Wilkins |
2 | Le'Veon Bell (RB2) | Browne |
3 | Antonio Brown (WR1) | Holroyd |
4 | Odell Beckham Jr. (WR2) | Woods |
5 | Ezekiel Elliott (RB3) | Amato |
6 | Julio Jones (WR3) | Boone |
7 | LeSean McCoy (RB4) | Srinivasan |
8 | Mike Evans (WR4) | Sanderson |
9 | A.J. Green (WR5) | McClymont |
10 | Melvin Gordon (RB5) | Bottero |
Round 1: Every roster in a 10-team fantasy league looks good after the draft. That starts with a first round where there aren't any bad options. ... Johnson and Bell are the clear-cut top two, but after that the No. 3-6 picks could really be shuffled up and reordered in almost any fashion. ... While still a top-five pick, the shine has come off Elliott slightly due to his off-field issues and concerns about the changes on his offensive line. ... McCoy has settled in as the RB4 in most drafts. ... It's important to note that Team Bottero is making his picks while on a trip to Las Vegas, so we should be ready for anything from the No. 10 spot moving forward.
Round 2
Pick | Player | Owner |
---|---|---|
11 | Jordan Howard (RB6) | Bottero |
12 | Jay Ajayi (RB7) | McClymont |
13 | Amari Cooper (WR6) | Sanderson |
14 | T.Y. Hilton (WR7) | Srinivasan |
15 | Jordy Nelson (WR8) | Boone |
16 | Michael Thomas (WR9) | Amato |
17 | Devonta Freeman (RB8) | Woods |
18 | Demarco Murray (RB9) | Holroyd |
19 | Dez Bryant (WR10) | Browne |
20 | Rob Gronkowski (TE1) | Wilkins |
Round 2: It's still early in the day in Vegas, as Team Bottero opens strong by going RB-RB at the turn and securing a pair of top-10 fantasy backs from 2016. Hopefully both players can replicate their breakout seasons from a year ago. ... A.J. Green-Jay Ajayi is one of my favorite combos to start the draft. They'll be anchoring Team McClymont. ... I still tend to lean WR early when I can, so I was ecstatic to get Julio Jones and Jordy Nelson with my first two selections. ... Dez Bryant is the riskiest pick so far. He's missed 10 games over the last two seasons and often fades to the background as the Cowboys turn to their running game to close out wins. ... Where Gronk gets taken is always interesting in mocks. While I'd prefer to wait till the third, I don't blame anyone for pulling the trigger at the end of the second.
Round 3
Pick | Player | Owner |
---|---|---|
21 | DeAndre Hopkins (WR11) | Wilkins |
22 | Leonard Fournette (RB10) | Browne |
23 | Doug Baldwin (WR12) | Holroyd |
24 | Todd Gurley (RB11) | Woods |
25 | Alshon Jeffery (WR13) | Amato |
26 | Lamar Miller (RB12) | Boone |
27 | Demaryius Thomas (WR14) | Srinivasan |
28 | Christian McCaffrey (RB13) | Sanderson |
29 | Allen Robinson (WR15) | McClymont |
30 | Keenan Allen (WR16) | Bottero |
Round 3: Two rookie backs go off the board in the third round. The hype around McCaffrey might be louder at the moment, but this is a standard scoring league which makes Fournette a much more desirable asset. Fournette will get a chance to be a workhorse back in Jacksonville and I expect him to succeed in that role, making him worth the price tag here. ... Gurley was one of the biggest disappointments of 2016, but upgrades to the offensive line and a new scheme could help get him back to RB1 status. ... Every team decided to go with a balanced approach through three rounds. This allows everyone to remain flexible and hunt for values at any position as the draft progresses.
Round 4
Pick | Player | Owner |
---|---|---|
31 | Spencer Ware (RB14) | Bottero |
22 | Brandin Cooks (WR17) | McClymont |
33 | Jarvis Landry (WR18) | Sanderson |
34 | Aaron Rodgers (QB1) | Srinivasan |
35 | Isaiah Crowell (RB15) | Boone |
36 | C.J. Anderson (RB16) | Amato |
37 | Sammy Watkins (WR19) | Woods |
38 | Carlos Hyde (RB17) | Holroyd |
39 | Larry Fitzgerald (WR20) | Browne |
40 | Davante Adams (WR21) | Wilkins |
Round 4: Team Bottero's time in Vegas might be getting to him. With two running backs already on his roster, he reaches for Ware, who faded as the season went on a year ago and is going to face serious competition from rookie Kareem Hunt. Some beat writers have projected Hunt to lead the Chiefs backfield this season. ... Speaking of reaches, Team Srinivasan grabs the first quarterback of the draft and even though he selected the best fantasy QB, this is simply too high to address the position in a 10-team draft. ... The receivers taken this round appear to offer more upside than the running backs. The exception to that might be Crowell, who had a sneaky good campaign in 2016 and will be running behind an offensive line that became one of the best in the league after some key offseason additions.
Round 5
Pick | Player | Owner |
---|---|---|
41 | Marshawn Lynch (RB18) | Wilkins |
42 | Travis Kelce (TE2) | Browne |
43 | Terrelle Pryor (WR22) | Holroyd |
44 | Julian Edelman (WR23) | Woods |
45 | Greg Olsen (TE3) | Amato |
46 | Michael Crabtree (WR24) | Boone |
47 | Ty Montgomery (RB19) | Srinivasan |
48 | Jordan Reed (TE4) | Sanderson |
49 | Joe Mixon (RB20) | McClymont |
50 | Golden Tate (WR25) | Bottero |
Round 5: A small run on tight ends takes place in the fifth round, with Kelce, Olsen, and Reed being selected. After this group there's a distinct drop-off in talent at tight end, so if you miss out feel free to wait a while before seriously looking at the position. ... In a 10-team league having top-end talent is key. With fewer teams you can take more chances on upside players in hopes they deliver elite numbers. Picks like Lynch, Pryor, Montgomery, and Mixon all offer huge rewards if they hit.
Round 6
Pick | Player | Owner |
---|---|---|
51 | Donte Moncrief (WR26) | Bottero |
52 | Emmanuel Sanders (WR27) | McClymont |
53 | Ameer Abdullah (RB21) | Sanderson |
54 | Stefon Diggs (WR28) | Srinivasan |
55 | Paul Perkins (RB22) | Boone |
56 | Jamison Crowder (WR29) | Amato |
57 | Derrick Henry (RB23) | Woods |
58 | Dalvin Cook (RB24) | Holroyd |
59 | Pierre Garcon (WR30) | Browne |
60 | Doug Martin (RB25) | Wilkins |
Round 6: As we move into the middle rounds of the draft, a series of intriguing running backs were left on the board for owners to scoop up here. Every back in this round has an RB1 ceiling if things fall their way. ... I found my third running back, who can give me solid depth behind my pair of second tier starters. Perkins continues to be passed over by many in the fantasy community. He faces little competition in the Giants backfield and has an underrated skill set which should allow him to lead the G-Men in rushing this season.
Round 7
Pick | Player | Owner |
---|---|---|
61 | Martavis Bryant (WR31) | Wilkins |
62 | Mark Ingram (RB26) | Browne |
63 | Tyler Eifert (TE5) | Holroyd |
64 | Kelvin Benjamin (WR32) | Woods |
65 | Adam Thielen (WR33) | Amato |
66 | Willie Snead (WR34) | Boone |
67 | Brandon Marshall (WR35) | Srinivasan |
68 | Jordan Matthews (WR36) | Sanderson |
69 | Eddie Lacy (RB27) | McClymont |
70 | Frank Gore (RB28) | Bottero |
Round 7: Bryant is one of the better gambles to take this year, if you can get him at a reasonable spot and the seventh round definitely qualifies. Bryant is an automatic WR2 if he manages to get his career back on track. ... Thielen has been my most owned player in MFL10 drafts this year, but that's because he's being selected outside of the top-40 receivers. Seventh round is too rich for me to buy in. ... I'm happy to have Snead fall to me. With Brandin Cooks' departure, Snead should see a little bump in targets. If he can ever become a red-zone option, his stock would soar. ... Lacy at the end of Round 7 is basically stealing.
Round 8
Pick | Player | Owner |
---|---|---|
71 | Tom Brady (QB2) | Bottero |
72 | Danny Woodhead (RB29) | McClymont |
73 | Jonathan Stewart (RB30) | Sanderson |
74 | Adrian Peterson (RB31) | Srinivasan |
75 | Tevin Coleman (RB32) | Boone |
76 | Matt Ryan (QB3) | Amato |
77 | Samaje Perine (RB33) | Woods |
78 | Bilal Powell (RB34) | Holroyd |
79 | DeSean Jackson (WR37) | Browne |
80 | DeVante Parker (WR38) | Wilkins |
Round 8: Four rounds after our first quarterback went off the board, we finally have our second. Super Bowl hero and the man they refer to as the G.O.A.T. is set up for another monster fantasy campaign and is an incredible value in the eighth round after your roster is mostly filled out. ... I'm still choosing to wait on QB and TE, instead filling my bench with a home run swing like Coleman. He's one injury away from being a fantasy RB1. ... This seems a little early for Stewart, who will be sharing the backfield with star rookie McCaffrey both in real life and on Team Sanderson's roster.
Round 9
Pick | Player | Owner |
---|---|---|
81 | Tyreek Hill (WR39) | Wilkins |
82 | Andrew Luck (QB4) | Browne |
83 | Drew Brees (QB5) | Holroyd |
84 | Kareem Hunt (RB35) | Woods |
85 | Dion Lewis (RB36) | Amato |
86 | Mike Gillislee (RB37) | Boone |
87 | Delanie Walker (TE6) | Srinivasan |
88 | Theo Riddick (RB38) | Sanderson |
89 | Jimmy Graham (TE7) | McClymont |
90 | Randall Cobb (WR40) | Bottero |
Round 9: Team Sanderson's master plan is now revealed as he selects Riddick, giving him two full backfields (Lions, Panthers). This is an interesting move in today's NFL where running backs seem to get injured every week, but I'd prefer to diversify my depth in hopes of hitting on multiple players. I'm also not convinced that these four players won't cannibalize each other on their respective teams. ... Waiting on QB proves to be the wise move for Team Browne and Team Holroyd, who get Luck and Brees in the ninth round. You're not going to do much better than that. ... If there were one team that should have been looking to handcuff a back, it was Team Bottero, who missed out on a chance to pair Hunt with his earlier pick of Ware. I suppose at this point we should just be happy that he's still making picks, it's our only sign that he's surviving in Vegas.
Round 10
Pick | Player | Owner |
---|---|---|
91 | Kyle Rudolph (TE8) | Bottero |
92 | Russell Wilson (QB6) | McClymont |
93 | Cam Newton (QB7) | Sanderson |
94 | Matt Forte (RB39) | Srinivasan |
95 | Martellus Bennett (TE9) | Boone |
96 | Latavius Murray (RB40) | Amato |
97 | Hunter Henry (TE10) | Woods |
98 | Corey Davis (WR41) | Holroyd |
99 | Eric Decker (WR42) | Browne |
100 | C.J. Prosise (RB41) | Wilkins |
Round 10: Since we've elected to skip defenses and kickers in this mock, the final rounds are a mix of teams taking guys with immense potential and teams filling out their QB and TE positions with late-round values. ... Rudolph finished as the TE3 in fantasy last year and led all tight ends with 8.3 targets per game. That number increased to 10.6 per game over the final six weeks. He's a big part of the Vikings' offense. ... C.J. Prosise is certainly interesting here, but I'm mostly aiming to get him in PPR leagues.
Round 11
Pick | Player | Owner |
---|---|---|
101 | Derek Carr (QB8) | Wilkins |
102 | Alvin Kamara (RB42) | Browne |
103 | Corey Coleman (WR43) | Holroyd |
104 | Jameis Winston (QB9) | Woods |
105 | J.J. Nelson (WR44) | Amato |
106 | John Brown (WR45) | Boone |
107 | Kenneth Dixon (RB43) | Srinivasan |
108 | Mike Williams (WR46) | Sanderson |
109 | LeGarrette Blount (RB44) | McClymont |
110 | Cameron Meredith (WR47) | Bottero |
Round 11: More great value to be had at quarterback in this round. With so many new weapons in Tampa Bay, Winston could be in for a breakout year and Carr was a top-10 QB in 2016, despite missing the final game of the season. ... If he's healthy, Brown is going to outproduce his draft slot here. ... Blount won't replicate his Patriots success, but he's more than capable of being a force on early downs and near the goal line in an Eagles offense that's pointing up.
Round 12
Pick | Player | Owner |
---|---|---|
111 | Jeremy Maclin (WR48) | Bottero |
112 | Mike Wallace (WR49) | McClymont |
113 | Jeremy Hill (RB45) | Sanderson |
114 | Sterling Stepard (WR50) | Srinivasan |
115 | Marcus Mariota (QB10) | Boone |
116 | Marvin Jones (WR51) | Amato |
117 | Breshad Perriman (WR52) | Woods |
118 | James White (RB46) | Holroyd |
119 | Joe Williams (RB47) | Browne |
120 | Duke Johnson (RB48) | Wilkins |
Round 12: Both Ravens receivers are interesting in this round. Wallace is a steady veteran who consistently finishes in the top 30, while Perriman is a first-round talent who may be ready to take the next step. ... Williams is a favorite of the 49ers' coaching staff and has been talked up as a candidate to unseat current starter Carlos Hyde as early as this season. ... As this mock comes to a close, we can report that Team Bottero has returned from his Vegas trip with only a couple of bad picks to answer for.
View the full rosters for each team here.