I’ve been participating in a few mock drafts lately and wanted to share some of my thoughts and a few things that I’ve been noticing:
- In one of the drafts, I tried picking Tom Brady with my first round pick at the 6th slot. It turned out to be pretty tough to draft a well rounded team because there were 3 WR slots. If there are 3 WRs or some Flex positions, I just can’t draft a QB in the first round no matter who it is.
- Adrian Peterson is the clear #2 pick this year and rightfully so. But what about Chester Taylor? He can easily be grabbed in the later rounds. Why not? Chester is one AP hit away from carrying your team to the fantasy championship.
- Marvin Harrison is being drafted very, very late. You could even see him in the 5th or 6th round. This is a guy who could make or break a fantasy team this year…A high risk and high reward pick indeed.
- Maurice Jones-Drew, Chad Johnson, and Willie Parker are also some notable players that are being drafted relatively late.
- Some players that were being drafted a bit too early included: Frank Gore, Earnest Graham, Ryan Grant, and Greg Jennings.
- People seem to think that Marshawn Lynch is worth a pick as high as #7 overall, but I’m not buying it.
What have you guys been noticing?
very true I have noticed the same. I think a lot of guys are dropping — as some do every year — and becoming great value picks.
I took Brady as a 10th pick in a draft recently, and while the draft is ongoing, it hasn’t hurt me too badly. While I personally would prefer to take him in the 2nd, I was particularly damaged with one of my teams last season because of lack of a solid QB. At 10th, he had the most upside of any player available. I think it doesn’t hurt as bad if you take him late in the 1st round, but that isn’t a proven theory just yet. The RBs start to have about the same upside there.
I would disagree with you a bit about Lynch and Grant.
Lynch should see a lot of work this year for three downs with Buffalo, and he would have been rookie of the year if not for Adrian Peterson. As long as defenses don’t key in on stopping him because the passing game is a flop, he should put up some very good numbers this year. I would feel comfortable taking him late first, early second. (I do agree that 7 is a bit early).
Grant is one RB who has the potential to break into the top 10 or even top 5 this year. Realizing that there is always hype around these guys who perform for half a season, he still has a lock on the Green Bay job, and we saw what he could do under pressure in the playoffs. With a young QB under center (or at least first-time starter), I think that Green Bay will be leaning on the passing game. Even if Brandon Jackson gets some time, I like Grant as a 2nd round pick (or 3rd round if you can wait on him) who could pay off big time.
I would agree with you though that Gore is a risky pick and Graham is being taken FAR too early for a guy that hasn’t showed up to practice yet.
Jacob of FantasyFootballFools.com
my thoughts I think until he can show he is back, Harrison is a guy to avoid. I think the upside is with Gonzalez in that lineup. 2nd year WR!
Gore: I like him this year and I think he is more of a sure thing than guys like Grant, Barber, etc. Martz will help this offense a lot and Gore will have more passes thrown his way. I have no doubt Gore will be the centerpiece of this offense with Martz here, not the other way around.
Grant: I like him as a high second round pick, the team will still go to him and mix the pass and the run. I don’t think the Rodgers-effect will be that debilitating as some think.
MJD: This guy is a stud, I’d be happy to take him end of first round/early second in a 12 team draft and would love it if he could fall to me even later than that. He’s got first round production in him this year, I believe.
- Freddie Footballer
MJD he’s going to go crazy this year…Grant will be a bust. Harrison has at least one more season in him…
correction…running not passing game Just realized that I said “leaning on the passing game” about Green Bay.
Hopefully, most of you glazed over that. I meant to say leaning on the RUNNING game with Ryan Grant.
@FantasyMonster
Really? Grant a bust? Obviously, he’s a risk, but I don’t see him completely failing on you. His floor is still pretty high for a guy with so much upside.
As far as MJD, I like him, but he is almost as risky these days. I wouldn’t want his slow start from last year to happen again, but he’s a great snag in the 2nd where he is currently going.
I prefer Grant because I like RBs who carry the full load rather than those that are set to share time, but maybe this year is the year that MJD starts to escape Fred Taylor’s shadow. For now, I will respectfully disagree.
Happy drafting everyone.
Jacob of FantasyFootballFools.com