Fantasy football mock draft: The Globe’s experts make their picks
The Globe is here to help you get on the right track.
We know you’re preparing to dominate your fantasy league, and the Globe is here to help you get on the right track. We conducted a seven-round mock draft, based on 12-team leagues with point per reception (PPR) scoring system. We didn’t assemble a team — picks were made based on average draft position (ADP). Simply, look for value.
The picks were made by deputy sports editor Scott Thurston, gambling and fantasy football correspondent Ed Ryan, deputy digital sports editor Gary Dzen, and Boston.com staff writer Hayden Bird.
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Round 1
1. Bird: Todd Gurley, RB, Rams
2. Dzen: Le’Veon Bell, RB, Steelers
3. Ryan: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys
4. Thurston: David Johnson, RB, Cardinals
5. Bird: Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers
6. Dzen: DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Texans
7. Ryan: Melvin Gordon, RB, Chargers
8. Thurston: Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints
9. Bird: Saquon Barkley, RB, Giants
10. Dzen: Odell Beckham. Jr., WR, Giants
11. Ryan: Kareem Hunt, RB, Chiefs
12. Thurston: Julio Jones, WR, Falcons
Analysis of the round: No surprises in our first round, particularly with the first five picks. Four productive, high-volume runners flew off the board and the best receiver in the game — Brown — followed suit. After that, it’s a matter of preference. Gordon is running behind a great offensive line and he’s catching more passes every year — important for a PPR league. Everyone has a player with enormous upside, now the trick is building a high-scoring, balanced team. It’s also worth noting the enormous value placed upon Hopkins, now that Deshaun Watson is back under center with the Texans. — Ed Ryan
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Round 2
13. Thurston: Dalvin Cook, RB, Vikings
14. Ryan: Leonard Fournette, RB, Jaguars
15. Dzen: Michael Thomas, WR, Saints
16. Bird: A.J. Green, WR, Bengals
17. Thurston: Keenan Allen, WR, Chargers
18. Ryan: Rob Gronkowski, TE, Patriots
19. Dzen: Devonta Freeman, RB, Falcons
20. Bird: Davante Adams, RB, Packers
21. Thurston: Christian McCaffrey, RB, Panthers
22. Ryan: Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers
23. Dzen: T.Y. Hilton, WR, Colts
24. Bird: Joe Mixon, RB, Bengals
Analysis of the round: I was a McCaffrey owner in 2017 and while he frustrated at times, his dual-threat capabilities made him a worthwhile fantasy starter. Now, it’s his show in Carolina. Jonathan Stewart, now with the Giants, is no longer around to vulture goal line touchdowns and McCaffrey is already getting goal line work in the preseason. The Bengals may have issues at quarterback and elsewhere, but Green is reliable, particularly in a full PPR league. Evans is just as good with Ryan Fitzpatrick — Fitzy will start the first three games of the season in Tampa Bay — as he is with Jameis Winston. — Ed Ryan
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Round 3
25. Bird: Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Cardinals
26. Dzen: Amari Cooper, WR, Raiders
27. Ryan: Jordan Howard, RB, Bears
28. Thurston: Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs
29. Bird: Adam Thielen, WR, Vikings
30. Dzen: Tyreek Hill, WR, Chiefs
31. Ryan: LeSean McCoy, RB, Bills
32. Thurston: Jerick McKinnon, RB 49ers
33. Bird: Zach Ertz, TE, Eagles
34. Dzen: Stefon Diggs, WR, Vikings
35. Ryan: Jarvis Landry, WR, Browns
36. Thurston: Doug Baldwin, WR, Seahawks
Analysis of the round: We have completed three rounds and no one has selected a quarterback. I approve! Cooper and Howard were fittingly selected back-to-back: the 26th pick seems like a reach for Cooper but he stands to gain from a new coaching staff in Oakland, as does Howard in Chicago. Kelce is the second tight end taken after Gronkowski and the only concern for his owners is that Kansas City is breaking in a new quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. McCoy slipped for two reasons: Potential off-field issues and his team is potentially a disaster. Otherwise, he’s a stud. Seven out of these 12 third-round picks were wide receivers. Now things get interesting. — Ed Ryan
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Round 4
37. Thurston: Alex Collins, RB, Ravens
38. Ryan: Derrick Henry, RB, Titans
39. Dzen: Demaryius Thomas, WR, Broncos
40. Bird: Golden Tate, WR, Lions
41. Thurston: Allen Robinson, WR, Bears
42. Ryan: Marshawn Lynch, RB, Raiders
43. Dzen: Ronald Jones, RB, Buccaneers
44. Bird: Royce Freeman, RB, Broncos
45. Thurston: Kenyan Drake, RB, Dolphins
46. Ryan: Chris Hogan, WR, Patriots
47. Dzen: Lamar Miller, RB, Texans
48. Bird: JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Steelers
Analysis of the round: Who’s reaching more: Me taking Lynch, or Gary Dzen selecting Jones? Picks like this — high upside, low floor — are why things start to get interesting (chaotic?) in the fourth round. It’s no coincidence that seven running backs were selected this round — if you’re going to scoop up a starting back who should lead his team in touches, it’s now or never. Tate provides tremendous fourth-round value. He’s in a contract year and usually good for 90 catches. I don’t believe in Thomas. His total catches have decreased for four straight seasons and he’s a working with yet another quarterback (Case Keenum). Catching balls from Peyton Manning seems like a long time ago. — Ed Ryan
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Round 5
49. Bird: Alshon Jeffery, WR, Bears
50. Dzen: Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers
51. Ryan: Robby Anderson, WR, Jets
52. Thurston: Brandin Cooks, WR, Rams
53. Bird: Dion Lewis, RB, Titans
54. Dzen: Jay Ajayi, RB, Eagles
55. Ryan: Marvin Jones, WR, Lions
56. Thurston: Josh Gordon, WR, Browns
57. Bird: Corey Davis, WR, Titans
58. Dzen: Mark Ingram, RB, Saints
59. Ryan: Kerryon Johnson, RB, Lions
60. Thurston: Greg Olsen, TE, Panthers
Analysis of the round: We have completed five rounds and one quarterback is now off the board as Gary Dzen snagged Rodgers with the 50th pick. Interestingly, we didn’t have a run of quarterback selections after Rodgers. Maybe that will occur in the sixth round. I may have reached for Anderson, but he seems to have a real quarterback in rookie Sam Darnold. Ajayi is another guy I don’t believe in. He produced only two 100-yard games last season and he seems to be living off a few monster performances he had with Miami in 2016. Gordon was bound to be selected at some point, but prior to the fifth round would have been a mistake. Everyone knows what he did in 2013 and most everyone saw the pictures of him shirtless this summer, but his off-field issues render him a huge question mark. — Ed Ryan
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Round 6
61. Thurston: Tom Brady, QB, Patriots
62. Ryan: Will Fuller, WR, Texans
63. Dzen: Michael Crabtree, WR, Ravens
64. Bird: Duke Johnson Jr., RB, Browns
65. Thurston: Marquise Goodwin, WR, 49ers
66. Ryan: Delanie Walker, TE, Titans
67. Dzen: Sony Michel, RB, Patriots
68. Bird: Rex Burkhead, RB, Patroits
69. Thurston: Rashaad Penny, RB, Seahawks
70. Ryan: Robert Woods, WR, Rams
71. Dzen: Evan Engram, TE, Giants
72. Bird: Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Broncos
Analysis of the round: If you want Brady quarterbacking your fantasy squad, the sixth round isn’t a bad place to get him. Still, through six rounds, only two quarterbacks are off the board. Two of Brady’s running backs, Michel and Burkhead, were taken back-to-back. Who is the better pick? Burkhead is the Pats’ top back right now and may hold that title throughout the season, but as we all know, Bill Belichick hates your fantasy team. Michel’s knee procedure leaves his short-term availability in doubt but he’s the better long-term play. I passed on Burkhead because I was waiting on Michel, and I ended up with neither. Fuller was explosive when he played with Deshaun Watson — taking him in the sixth round is a calculated gamble that both can stay healthy. — Ed Ryan
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Round 7
73. Bird: Jimmy Graham, TE, Packers
74. Dzen: Randall Cobb, WR, Packers
75. Ryan: Pierre Garcon, WR, 49ers
76. Thurston: Jamaal Williams, RB, Packers
77. Bird: Sammy Watkins, WR, Chiefs
78. Dzen: Keelan Cole, WR, Jaguars
79. Ryan: Nelson Agholor, WR, Eagles
80. Thurston: Tarik Cohen, RB, Bears
81. Bird: Julian Edelman, WR, Patriots
82. Dzen: Giovani Bernard, RB, Bengals
83. Ryan: Deshaun Watson, QB, Texans
84. Thurston: Jamison Crowder, WR
Analysis of the round: Based on his 19 touchdown passes in seven games in 2017, I couldn’t allow Watson to get by me in the seventh round. We’re all making bets in the seventh round: I took Watson as the third quarterback off the board, Scott Thurston is gambling that Williams will remain the starter in Green Bay, Hayden Bird is gambling that Edelman won’t suffer suspension and post-ACL regression, and Gary Dzen is gambling that Cole’s fantastic finish to 2017 will carry over to 2018. — Ed Ryan
