Your annual fantasy football draft will be here before you know it. There is no better way to prepare for a draft than by going through a mock draft. Here, I will break down a 15-round mock from the fourth overall selection. This draft was a 10-team, non-superflex draft with half-PPR scoring. The starting lineup features one quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, one FLEX, one defense, and one kicker.
This will be a series with a new mock draft every eight days leading up to the draft. You can find all of the other mocks at this link. The series will feature eight total mocks ranging by format (half-PPR, full PPR, 10-team, 12-team, superflex, and non-superflex).
Pick 1.04: Nick Chubb (RB4)
Chubb is one of “my guys,” and I currently have him ranked over Henry. For starters, Arthur Smith is gone, so Henry’s workload might get reduced slightly. Darrnyton Evans is expected to have more usage while Julio Jones adds another mouth to feed, too. Meanwhile, in Cleveland, I have no concerns about Chubb sharing time with Kareem Hunt because the two proved to have very different roles last season.
Also Considered: Derrick Henry
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Pick 2.07: Antonio Gibson (RB9)
Gibson looked phenomenal as a rookie last season, and I just wish we could have seen a full season from him without the foot injury. Assuming he is healthy this year, he should finish as a top-12 running back. He possesses upside as both a runner and receiver, and reports even indicate that he has taken on a larger role in the passing game through preliminary offseason workouts.
Also Considered: A.J. Brown, Calvin Ridley, Najee Harris
Pick 3.04: Calvin Ridley (WR4)
Getting my fourth-ranked wide receiver in the third round feels like a steal. Ridley was a beast last year and he proved that he can succeed even if Julio Jones isn’t there to lure coverage onto himself. The Atlanta wideout provides youth and incredible playmaking ability. He is going to be peppered with targets this year and should be able to turn catches into big plays.
Also Considered: Keenan Allen, Justin Jefferson, Clyde Edwards-Helaire
Pick 4.07: Chris Carson (RB16)
Carson wasn’t a flashy pick here, but he still provided value at the specific slot. The opportunity to select someone who is as reliable as he is doesn’t come often, so I had to pounce on this opportunity to use him in a FLEX spot. The biggest question mark will be his health. Staying healthy is an absolute must for the Seahawks running back this season.
Also Considered: Mike Evans, DJ Moore, Josh Allen
Pick 5.04: DJ Moore (WR13)
DJ Moore finds himself in a great situation this year. Curtis Samuel is gone, there’s a new quarterback in town, and the Carolina Panthers’ offense is more organized this year. Touchdowns have always been a concern for Moore and that will continue to be the case in 2021, but he’s going to turn a boatload of volume into tremendous production this year.
Also Considered: Kyler Murray, Dak Prescott
Pick 6.07: Dak Prescott (QB4)
You can argue about the ranking all you want, and I would not be shocked if many people view Prescott as the QB5 (and Lamar Jackson as QB4). Regardless, Prescott is on track for a top-five finish this year and will have the weapons to do so. Ezekiel Elliott will open up the offense while Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb form one of the best receiving corps in football. Even if one of them needs a breather, players like Michael Gallup, Blake Jarwin, and Dalton Schultz can all step up and be capable pass-catchers.
Also Considered: Odell Beckham Jr., Cooper Kupp, T.J. Hockenson
Pick 7.04: Odell Beckham Jr. (WR21)
I’m on the Beckham hype train this year, and while I am still timid about drafting him, using my seventh-round pick on him means I can deploy him as my third receiver behind Ridley and Moore. I am more than comfortable doing so and perhaps it will pay off.
Also Considered: Damien Harris, Dallas Goedert
Pick 8.07: Damien Harris (RB25)
Zack Moss was tempting here, but I ultimately settled on Harris. The New England Patriots running back appeared to secure a firm grip on the starting job last season. The fact that New England declined Sony Michel‘s fifth-year option and parted with Rex Burkhead indicates Harris will be a staple of the offense this year. In fact, while Michel and James White are still in town, it’s actually Rhamondre Stevenson who I am most concerned about. The rookie profiles as someone who could vulture goal-line touches this year. Still, I feel comfortable taking Harris as my fourth running back.
Also Considered: Noah Fant, Zack Moss, Mike Gesicki
Pick 9.04: Noah Fant (TE8)
Missing out on Dallas Goedert earlier in the draft was upsetting but landing Fant in the ninth around helped to alleviate some of my frustration. The Denver Broncos tight end has shown flashes of potential and might be one big game away from NFL stardom. It’s a fairly crowded offense with Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Melvin Gordon, and Javonte Williams, but having a reliable tight end could be very valuable for Drew Lock‘s development. As such, Fant should see action quite often.
Also Considered: Zack Moss, Mike Gesicki, DeVonta Smith
Pick 10.07: Jaylen Waddle (WR32)
The Miami Dolphins needed to get younger on offense and they accomplished just that by adding Tua Tagovailoa and Jaylen Waddle in back-to-back drafts. It will be interesting to see which of Miami’s wideouts (Waddle, Will Fuller, and DeVante Parker) see the biggest workload, but there is no doubt that Waddle will be on the receiving end of many passes from his old college quarterback.
Also Considered: Mike Williams, James Conner, Tony Pollard
Pick 11.04: Mike Williams (WR36)
Mike Williams might be in the best situation he’s ever witnessed. He’s catching passes from one of the league’s top quarterbacks and is set to play in an offense led by a new coaching regime. Health has been an issue for Williams, but he could easily turn in a top-24 finish if he stays on the field.
Also Considered: Tony Pollard, Nyheim Hines, Darrell Henderson
Pick 12.07: Tony Pollard (RB38)
Ezekiel Elliott should thrive with Prescott back under center, but that doesn’t mean the Cowboys can’t look down the road. Pollard could certainly take over as the lead running back in a few years. Plus, Dallas will deploy him more often in 2021 to both get him acclimated to a bigger workload and take some of the weight off of Elliott’s shoulders. Finally, if Elliott does go down this year, Pollard instantly becomes a must-start in fantasy.
Also Considered: Darrell Henderson, Evan Engram
Pick 13.04: Darrell Henderson (RB42)
Much like Pollard, Henderson represents a stash pick. Cam Akers came on strong to end the season, but the Los Angeles Rams operated with a committee in the backfield for a good chunk of the year. With Malcolm Brown gone, Henderson should have a more clear role this year. He can both spell the rookie and take over if Akers’s injury concerns carry over into 2021.
Also Considered: Evan Engram, Latavius Murray, J.D. McKissic
Pick 14.07: Rodrigo Blankenship (K3)
Sleeper’s auto-draft feature selects kickers before defenses, so to keep with the trend, I snagged Blankenship. He had a strong showing as a rookie last season and should continue to see volume with the Indianapolis Colts’ offense set to be strong once again this year. Plus, how can you pass on a LEGO-loving guy who wears stylish goggles?
Also Considered: Daniel Carlson, Ryan Succop
Pick 15.04: Los Angeles Rams (D/ST2)
With three defenses off the board, I was thrilled to land the Rams here. Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald are arguably the best players at their respective positions. Darious Williams shone in 2020 while key linebacker Leonard Floyd re-signed with the team this past offseason.
Also Considered: Baltimore Ravens, Washington Football Team
Parting Thoughts
Overall, I feel pretty good about the way this draft fell. Getting both Chubb and Gibson is awesome, and the addition of both Ridley and Prescott will help solidify my roster. My most nerve-wracking pick was Beckham, who remains a question mark this year. With that said, you have to make some sacrifices in fantasy drafts, so the fact that Beckham was my scariest pick really just speaks to how confident I am in the rest of my selections.
Two other nagging afterthoughts keep coming to mind, too. For starters, I keep debating whether I should have taken Zack Moss over Damien Harris (I didn’t). Further, it would have been nice to add some tight end depth behind Fant in case the Broncos’ offense is absolutely incompetent this year.
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