Starting on July 7th, we began drafting (at least) one fantasy football team per day using the 2018 Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator and we will continue to do so up until the start of the 2018 NFL season.
Each day, we will switch things up -- e.g., PPR vs. standard scoring, league size, draft slot, 2-QB leagues, auction leagues, etc.
In addition, we will centralize links to our daily fantasy football mock drafts for an easy way to keep track of our mock drafts.
Details of today's mock draft:
- Scoring: 2-QB PPR-scoring league
- # of Teams: 12
- Draft Slot: 3
- Starters: 2 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, TE, Flex (RB/WR/TE), K, DST
- Bench Size: 6
With that said, here are the results of today's mock draft:
1.03 - Todd Gurley, RB, Los Angeles Rams: Leading all running backs in fantasy points scored, Gurley compiled 2,093 yards from scrimmage and 19 touchdowns, both of which led the NFL. Repeating those lofty numbers in back-to-back seasons may be unreasonable for Gurley (or any NFL player), but I'm happy to land Gurley at No. 3 with Le'Veon Bell and Aaron Rodgers off the board at 1.01 and 1.02, respectively.
2.10 - A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals: After missing three-plus games in two of the previous three seasons, Green played a full 16-game slate and posted a 75/1,078/8 stat line in 2017. Aside from 2016 (career-high 96.4 YPG but six missed games), Green has exceeded the 1,000-yard mark in his other six NFL seasons.
- MORE: Cincinnati Bengals 2018 Fantasy Football Projections
3.03 - Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta Falcons: Missing two-plus games last season, Freeman still managed to finish as the RB13 after much better seasons in 2015 (RB1) and 2016 (RB6). Over the past three seasons, only Gurley (4,599), Bell (4,522) and LeSean McCoy (4,396) have more yards from scrimmage than Freeman (4,357) and his 35 touchdowns are tied with Gurley for the most over that stretch.
4.10 - Amari Cooper, WR, Oakland Raiders: After beginning his career with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, Cooper posted a disappointing 48/680/7 line over 14 games. Still only 24 years old, it's possible that Cooper bounces back and sets career highs with Michael Crabtree — the 1(b) to his 1(a) — now in Baltimore.
5.03 - Philip Rivers, QB, Los Angeles Chargers: Except for 2012 (21st) and 2016 (14th), Rivers has finished as a top-12 fantasy quarterback in the eight of his past 10 NFL seasons. In addition, Rivers has thrown for at least 4,286 yards and 28 touchdowns in each of the past five seasons. I'm more than comfortable with Rivers as my QB1.
6.10 - Michael Crabtree, WR, Baltimore Ravens: During his three-year span in Oakland, Crabtree scored 25 touchdowns -- eight-plus in each of the past three seasons. The move to Baltimore means that Crabtree now becomes his team's clear No. 1 wideout.
- MORE: Michael Crabtree 2018 Fantasy Football Profile
7.03 - Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Denver Broncos: While Sanders missed four games, his 2017 numbers (47/555/2) were nearly half of his 2016 production (79/1,032/5). Before last season, however, Sanders had three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and there is a reasonable chance that he approaches that level of production with improved quarterback play.
8.10 - Marcus Mariota, QB, Tennessee Titans: After throwing 45 touchdowns to 19 interceptions in his first two seasons combined, Mariota threw more interceptions (career-high 15) than touchdowns (career-low 13). Given a more aggressive philosophy from the new coaching staff, Mariota could have a bounce-back season. One concern: Rivers and Mariota share a Week 8 bye so I'll be scrambling for a bye-week replacement to start along Eli Manning (selected later).
9.03 - Lamar Miller, RB, Houston Texans: Miller has two 1,000-yard seasons since 2014, but he was even less efficient in 2017 (career-low 3.7 YPC) than he was in 2016 (4.0). The Texans have one of the league's worst offensive lines (actually the worst if you go by PFF rankings) and the line won't be markedly better in 2018. That said, Miller offers some value in Round 9.
10.10 - Royce Freeman, RB, Denver Broncos: It's more than possible that Freeman becomes that the lead guy at some point during the season even if he doesn't begin the season in that role. A four-year starter for the Ducks, the 230-pound back rushed for 5,621 (5.9 YPC) yards and 60 touchdowns in his career while adding 79/814/4 receiving.
11.03 - Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants: With a healthy receiving corps, stud rookie running back and improved offensive line, Eli will have a chance to bounce back in 2018 after finishing outside the top-20 fantasy quarterbacks in back-to-back seasons.
12.10 - Rishard Matthews, WR, Tennessee Titans: After hauling in 945 yards and nine touchdowns in his first season with the Titans, Matthews posted a 53/795/4 season in 2017. While he will (or should) take a back seat to Davis, Matthews has the potential for another top-40 season.
13.03 - David Njoku, TE, Cleveland Browns: Playing less than half of the team's offensive snaps as a rookie, Njoku posted a 32/386/4 stat line in 2017. Coach Hue Jackson says that he expects a big jump from Njoku in Year 2.
14.10 - Jared Cook, TE, Oakland Raiders: Cook led the Raiders in receiving yards (688) and 20-yard receptions (10) and finished second in receptions (54), but he had just two touchdowns. Finishing as a top-12 fantasy tight in PPR formats, Cook has top-10 upside with better red-zone success.
15.03 - Philadelphia Eagles D/ST
16.10 - Darren Sproles, RB, Philadelphia Eagles: Obviously better in PPR formats, Sproles has finished as a top-36 fantasy running back in five of the previous six seasons before last year's injury-shortened campaign. NJ.com's Eliot Shorr-Parks wrote in May that "it would not be surprising at all to see Sproles near the top -- if not at the top -- of snaps" (among the team's RBs). Either way, I love his value at the end of Round 16.
17.03 - Greg Zuerlein, K, Los Angeles Rams
- View full mock draft results here
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