It may be the middle of July, but it is never too early to take a look at fantasy football mock drafts. This league was 12 teams with standard scoring.
*Bold indicates my selection*
Round 1
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Carolina’s catalyst, Christian McCaffrey is the only truly established weapon in the offense. McCaffrey is both an excellent runner and pass catcher, pumping up his incredible value. Likely to reach the 2,000-yard mark on yards from scrimmage, McCaffrey is an easy selection in the first round.
Round 2
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Cook may be an injury risk, but the upside is enough to snag him with the 22nd pick in the draft. With a new-look offense, Cook should be locked in as the bellcow back in Minnesota with Latavius Murray going off to New Orleans. Alexander Mattison might steal some rush attempts if Cook struggles, but Cook offers plenty of upside as a runner and a pass catcher.
Round 3
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Kittle set the NFL record for most receiving yards in a season by a tight end in 2018. In 2019, Kittle will have more offensive weapons around him. While the other weapons could prevent Kittle from getting to his yards total from 2018, it will make scoring touchdowns easier. In 2018, Kittle only found the end zone five times, a paltry amount considering Kittle’s place as a clear-cut fantasy starting tight end. In 2019, Kittle should post double-digit touchdowns in addition to 1,100 or more yards.
Round 4
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Johnson had his moments as a rookie. He averaged 5.4 yards per carry, an elite clip. However, Johnson only registered 118 carries, under 12 per game. In 2019, the Lions could lean on Johnson more if he is healthy. Johnson has also shown a glimpse of being an effective pass catcher, hauling in a total of 32 catches. A full slate of games could enable Johnson to be a RB1 option.
Round 5
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A popular break-out candidate in 2019, Golladay posted a healthy 1,063 yards plus five touchdowns in 15 games in 2018. If Golladay continues to consume targets at an increasing rate, he could post numbers along the lines of 100 catches, 1,500 yards, and 10 touchdowns. Golladay is a high upside option in an offense which projects to be pass-heavy. If the Lions struggle to win games, Golladay might be a tremendous garbage time option as the clear-cut number one wide receiver in the Motor City.
Round 6
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While Kupp is recovering from a torn ACL, his role as Jared Goff’s favorite target should not change. Kupp has produced 14 yards per catch over his 23 career games while scoring 11 touchdowns. Even if he is not 100 percent, Kupp should receive up to 10 targets on a weekly basis. He will have plenty of opportunities to score points, especially if the Rams have a less effective run game.
Round 7
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Another popular breakout candidate, Godwin should be the second wide receiver in a pass-heavy offense. In 2018, Godwin received 95 targets, turning them into 59 catches for 842 yards and 7 touchdowns. Obvious upside stems from a relatively high touchdown count. Godwin should be a 1,000-yard receiver with 10 touchdowns in 2019, especially if Bruce Arians is able to work his quarterback magic with Jameis Winston.
Round 8
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Henderson lit the college gridiron on fire, averaging 8.9 yards per carry over his last two seasons. That is not a typo; Henderson almost averaged a first down on every carry. While Henderson will not be as explosive, he has a high upside due to the health problems surrounding Todd Gurley. If Henderson becomes the number one running back in LA, he will be an RB1 immediately.
Round 9
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Sutton was targeted 84 times in 2018, catching 42 passes thrown his way for 704 yards and a quartet of touchdowns. With Demaryius Thomas gone for good and Emmanuel Sanders recovering from an Achilles injury, Sutton is suddenly the likely number one wideout in Denver. While quarterback Joe Flacco is not the most conducive to an explosive campaign from Sutton, he should receive the bulk of the targets in 2019.
Round 10
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Jones had a train wreck of a 2018 campaign, totaling just 23 carries over nine games. Averaging under two yards per carry, Jones must improve in 2019. However, it is worthwhile to take a chance on the former USC Trojan due to his potential to be the unquestionable number one back in Tampa Bay.
Round 11
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Samuel is likely the number two wide receiver in Carolina, placing fourth on the overall totem pole of target-earners behind Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, and Greg Olsen. Samuel recorded seven touchdowns in 2018, and he could be a serious big play threat for the Panthers in the 2019 season, hence his selection in the 11th round.
Round 12
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Williams has quite the pedigree of a life-long number two wide receiver. He recorded 1,000 yards in 2016 along with seven touchdowns. While 2017 and 2018 were not as fruitful, Williams was stuck behind the likes of Keenan Allen and a variety of pass catching running backs in a run-based offense. In Oakland, Williams should be the third best offensive weapon behind Antonio Brown and Josh Jacobs.
Round 13
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Breida has been an effective option for the 49ers over the last two seasons. He has averaged 5.0 yards per carry over the course of 258 career rushes. He has scored eight touchdowns in two seasons. While he currently sits behind Jerick McKinnon and Tevin Coleman on the depth chart, Breida will be lurking in case either player proves to be a bust in Santa Clara.
Round 14
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Garoppolo has never played more than six games in a season, totaling 10 career starts in five seasons. While he is a major injury risk in 2019, Garoppolo will have a variety of weapons at his disposal (and I’ve drafted two of them). With an improving wide receiver unit as well as the legendary George Kittle, Garoppolo will produce in fantasy if he actually plays 16 games.
Round 15
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Badgley hit on 15 of 16 field goals in 2018. If he is the year-long starter in Los Angeles, Badgley will be one of the best fantasy kickers due to the offense fueling his leg.
Round 16
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The Cowboys finished in the top 10 of the NFL in terms of yards allowed and points allowed. With Jaylon Smith and Leighton Vander Esch improving, it is likely the Cowboys play even better. Turnovers will be the boom-or-bust value with the Cowboys, but Dallas should force enough turnovers to be a consistent fantasy option.
Roster recap:
QB-Jimmy Garoppolo
RB1-Christian McCaffrey
RB2-Dalvin Cook
WR1-Kenny Golladay
WR2-Cooper Kupp
TE-George Kittle
FLEX-Kerryon Johnson
D/ST-Cowboys
K-Mike Badgley
Bench-Chris Godwin (WR)
Bench-Darrell Henderson (RB)
Bench-Courtland Sutton (WR)
Bench-Ronald Jones (RB)
Bench-Curtis Samuel (WR)
Bench-Tyrell Williams (WR)
Bench-Matt Breida (RB)
