Fantasy Mock Draft: 12-team PPR league

The U.S. Coast Guard uses the motto semper paratus, which means "always prepared." That's a good motto for a fantasy football owner to have, too. Of course, you've been preparing already with rankings, cheat sheets and sleeper lists. but one of the best ways to prepare is to participate in mock drafts. They give you a sense of where your favorite players are going off the board so that when your real draft day rolls around, you can dominate

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DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT:  Ultimate 2019 Fantasy Cheat Sheet

Recently, I participated in a mock draft hosted by Walter Cherepinsky of WalterFootball.com. It was a PPR, 12-team league. I took the 11th pick in this mock. My hope was to grab two of our top-tier WRs on the turn.

As best I could, I hoped to follow our top 200 PPR rankings, since this was my first PPR mock of the summer. As the draft wore on, I realized that running backs who rely on pass catching were being undervalued compared to our rankings, so I tried to make that my backfield strategy and see how my team turned out. In addition, I again chose to wait on QB and TE, figuring I'd still be OK in the latter half of the draft.

2019 STANDARD RANKINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide Receiver | Tight End | D/ST | Kicker | Top 200

Here's a round-by-round look at the mock draft. You can access the full mock draft board here.

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Fantasy Mock Draft: 12-Team PPR league

Top Fantasy Football Picks

FIRST ROUND

Best Pick: RB Saquon Barkley, Giants (Round 1, Pick 2) - Barkley has an argument to be the top choice in PPR drafts. The first picker didn't go wrong by selecting Christian McCaffrey, who should approach 100 catches again. Barkley just brings so much built-in value with his rushing that a 90-plus catch season with OBJ out of town could be a league-winning campaign.

Worst pick: WR Michael Thomas, Saints (1.9) - There are no bad picks in this first round, but we have Thomas ranked behind Julio Jones and Tyreek Hill, both of whom he went ahead of.

My pick: WR Tyreek Hill, Chiefs (1.11) - With Hill's potential to be suspended (hopefully) behind him, he works very well at the No. 11 pick in this PPR mock. He brings the perfect blend of explosiveness and touches to maintain his value among other highly targeted wideouts. 

2019 PPR RANKINGS:
Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | Top 200

SECOND ROUND

Best pick: RB Dalvin Cook, Vikings (2.24) - Cook has the potential to be a top-five scorer among running backs if he stays healthy. For the owner who started his draft with McCaffrey to get Cook on the way back is a win for him.

Worst pick: RB Nick Chubb, Browns (2.21) - Sure, Chubb figures to catch more passes in the first half with Duke Johnson Jr. out of town, but with Kareem Hunt due back in Week 10, there's also no telling if he'll even have the lead-back role down the stretch.

My pick: WR Antonio Brown, Raiders (1.14) - This pick obviously comes with the hope/assumption that Brown's frostbitten feet aren't an issue come Week 1. I came into this draft wanting two of our top-eight WRs, and Brown was the last one remaining at this selection, so the first part of my draft strategy played out as hoped.

SEASON PREVIEW PODCASTS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST

THIRD ROUND

Best pick: TE Zach Ertz, Eagles (3.36) - Ertz caught 116 balls last season, making him a PPR monster. Travis Kelce went in the middle of the second round, which might be a touch too early, but Ertz at the end of the third is good value. This owner will have the better tight end in all but maybe one matchup.

Worst pick: RB Marlon Mack, Colts (3.26) - Mack will never be as valuable in PPR formats due to the presence of Nyheim Hines to catch all the passes. Indy also brought in D'Onta Foreman, a talented back in Mack's mold. Leonard Fournette went the pick before Mack, a similar RB who doesn't get receptions, but at least Fournette is really the only option Jacksonville has.

My pick: RB Tarik Cohen, Bears (3.35) - As we approached this turn, I realized that I might be able to embrace the best pass-catching backs that the NFL has to offer. Cohen ranks 26th in our PPR rankings, but he and others like him slid later than where they should've all draft long. You'll see a pattern soon.

DRAFT STRATEGY AND RANKINGS TIERS: 
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end | D/ST

FOURTH ROUND

Best pick: QB Patrick Mahomes II, Chiefs (4.40) - Mahomes has been selected on average near the end of second rounds in drafts. To get the obvious best quarterback in fantasy football in the middle of the fourth round is great value. There are arguments to be made for waiting on QB, but if you could guarantee Mahomes repeated last season, he'd go first overall.

Worst pick: RB Josh Jacobs, Raiders (4.37) - Jacobs likely won't be the main pass-catching back in Oakland (that job falls to Jalen Richard). He also has veterans behind him that Jon Gruden would happily plug in if Jacobs struggled. This is a case of the cool rookie running back getting too much helium. (Side note: David Montgomery went in the third round and could've dueled Mack for worst pick. That's more rookie running back hype.)

My pick: RB James White, Patriots (4.38) - White didn't receive 100 carries last year, yet he finished seventh among RBs in fantasy points. That's how valuable these scat backs are in PPR formats while still being mightily undervalued. I got two of last year's top-11 PPR running backs despite using my top two selections on wideouts. White might not score as many touchdowns this year, but he should still see plenty of receptions and overall touches.

FANTASY SLEEPERS: 
8 QBs | 14 RBs | 11 WRs | 11 TEs | 6 D/STs | One from each team

FIFTH ROUND

Best pick: TE Evan Engram, Giants (5.57) - This isn't some immense value, but I would've taken Engram if he made it to me two slots later, so obviously I like this pick. There's a perception of him as a big-play guy, which isn't wrong, but as a top option in New York this season he should also be flooded with targets.

Worst pick: WR D.J.Moore, Panthers (5.54) - There's more and more buzz surrounding Curtis Samuel in Carolina, and there's not tons of proof Moore is a stud No. 1 WR, anyway. There were just a number of safer PPR wideouts on the board at this point, including Jarvis Landry and Will Fuller V.

My pick: RB Tevin Coleman, 49ers (5.59) - If White had been picked before my fourth-round selection, I would've picked Coleman. There's some uncertainty in the San Francisco backfield, but Coleman is the heavy favorite to lead it in touches even if Jerick McKinnon gets more receiving-back reps. Coleman is a good receiver, though, and slots in as the No. 30 overall player in our PPR rankings, making this an immense value.

FANTASY CONSISTENCY RATINGS:
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end

SIXTH ROUND

Best pick: WR Will Fuller V, Texans (6.70) - There's an argument to be made that Fuller is a borderline top-20 fantasy WR. He went 29th among wideouts in this draft. Houston is gonna throw the ball a ton, and Fuller will always get favorable coverage with DeAndre Hopkins on the other side.

Worst pick: WR Christian Kirk, Cardinals (6.72) - Kirk is super risky to pick here. He's probably Arizona's third offensive option behind David Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald. He has a rookie quarterback and an untested offensive scheme. He's not particularly made to be a high-volume pass catcher, either. 

My pick: WR Jarvis Landry, Browns (6.62) - If Julian Edelman didn't exist, Landry would be the poster child for WRs that gain value in PPR leagues. His volume might decline a bit with OBJ in town, but not enough to prevent him from reaching 100 catches. He fell more than 20 spots from where we have him ranked.

MORE: 12-team standard mock | Mock Draft Simulator

SEVENTH ROUND

Best pick: RB Austin Ekeler, Chargers (7.75) - By current draft boards, this might not be a crazy value, but sometimes you have to take a shot when you're drafting -- and that's what this is. If Melvin Gordon's holdout continues into the season, Ekeler could put up James White-level numbers despite being acquired four rounds later. He'll be a PPR option even with Gordon around, but it's that non-Gordon scenario that makes Ekeler such a worthwhile risk.

Worst pick: RB Latavius Murray, Saints (7.77) - This drafter had already taken three RBs, so it's not like he had to reach. Murray will assume the Mark Ingram role in New Orleans, but he's never going to catch passes and he'll always be second fiddle to Alvin Kamara. He's the opposite of the backs I've been pursuing in this mock, someone whose supposed standard-league value overrates him in PPR.

My pick: WR Corey Davis, Titans (7.83) - If there's one player who will catch passes in Tennessee, it's Davis. Maybe he's not a huge TD threat or deep-ball weapon, but he consistently gets open. He was the No. 28 PPR wideout in 2018 and is still getting better. Getting him as my fourth WR works out nicely. At this point in the mock, I also decided to wait on QB until the next turn to try to prove its depth.

MORE: Dollar values | IDP rankings | Best ball tips | Team names

EIGHTH ROUND

Best pick: QB Matt Ryan, Falcons (8.95) - I ended up with Ryan in the first mock draft I did this summer, a round earlier than this. He's our No. 3 QB, but he went as the ninth off the board in this mock. If I hadn't been waiting on the position, Ryan would've been my pick earlier in the eighth round.

Worst pick: L.A. Rams D/ST (8.85) - The Rams aren't even the consensus best defense in fantasy football (that's the Bears), yet they went first among D/ST in this mock. It's also the eighth round and fantasy defense production is way too unpredictable to spend a pick on this high, especially in a PPR league.

My pick: RB Nyheim Hines, Colts (8.86) - At this point I'm all in on snagging receiving backs in PPR leagues. Hines finished within 20 points of Marlon Mack as a rookie and shouldn't see his role change this year, yet he went 60 selections later.

NINTH ROUND

Best pick: RB LeSean McCoy, Bills (9.103) - McCoy's 2018 was disappointing, but this is about as late as you could possibly expect to receive a team's top RB. Plus, if there's one thing McCoy always added, it was receptions. He's 70th on our PPR top 200.

Worst pick: Chicago Bears D/ST (9.101) - Sorry, guys. This is just philosophy. For what it's worth, this is about when you'd have to pick the Bears if you want them on your team. There's just too much variance at the position to rely on picking one this high. Remember the Jaguars last year? They went this high, too, and didn't deliver at all. 

My pick: QB Philip Rivers, Chargers (9.107) - Rivers has thrown at least 26 TDs in 11-straight seasons. He's our No. 10 QB. Every other team in this mock draft had already filled their starting quarterback slot, so getting Rivers here is the perfect sweet spot after already taking four RBs and four WRs.

10th ROUND

Best pick: RB Jaylen Samuels, Steelers (10.116) - I have a feeling that next year we'll be talking about Samuels in nearly the same vein as Hines and Cohen. Samuels was a tight end in college but has been used all over by Pittsburgh in camp. The only thing holding him back is that James Conner isn't a bad receiver himself.

Worst pick: RB Justice Hill, Ravens (10.113) - Hill is a rookie back in Baltimore with players seemingly ahead of him for every role. Mark Ingram is the lead back. Gus Edwards is Ingram's backup. Kenneth Dixon seems in line to catch passes. It's hard to see where Hill fits in, at least this year.

My pick: TE Trey Burton, Bears (10.110) - Burton came off the board as the 11th tight end in this mock and completes my offensive starting lineup. He's sort of where the TE options flip from having some upside to being old, unexciting, or risky/unproven. Passing on Burton would've meant settling for someone like Austin Hooper, Delanie Walker, or Greg Olsen.

11th ROUND

Best pick: RB Justin Jackson, Chargers (11.128) - Again, this is predicated on Gordon not starting the season in the Chargers' backfield. If so, Jackson will be the early-down back in a good offense. If we knew today that he'd have that role all season, Jackson would go in the top four rounds. So, that low-risk, high-reward proposition in the 11th is worthwhile.

Worst pick: L.A. Chargers D/ST (11.129) - I really tried to find a worse pick here to avoid writing about a defense again. This round actually went OK, though. DeSean Jackson is a classic PPR faller, but getting him in the 11th isn't bad. Kalen Ballage and Matt Breida at least have some upside as backups. On the plus side, we really like the Chargers D/ST -- just not in the 11th round.

My pick: RB Dion Lewis, Titans (11.131) - My PPR mock draft persona wouldn't be complete without one more good receiving back. Lewis was the No. 28 RB in PPR scoring last year, and he's a top-70 player on our PPR board. Having all RBs who rely so much on receiving could make for an interesting season. I'd probably have to really pay attention to probable game flow for teams that would be behind and need to pass more, but the point potential from all five running backs on my roster is great.

12th ROUND

Best pick: QB Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers (12.144) - This drafter ended up with Roethlisberger and Drew Brees as his quarterbacks. That's a perfect way to take advantage of owners' propensities to go for the shiny new thing. Instead, this drafter has two of the 12 best fantasy quarterbacks and didn't have to overpay to get either.

Worst pick: TE Tyler Eifert, Bengals (12.141) - We'll avoid criticizing the drafting of the Jacksonville and Baltimore D/STs here. Eifert probably isn't even the TE to own in Cincinnati with C.J. Uzomah having shown himself to be a solid player in 2018. Health is also a massive question mark with Eifert, of course. If this person really wanted Eifert, it's very likely he would've been available two or three rounds later.

My pick: WR Golden Tate, Giants (12.134) - Tate's expected to miss the first four games of the season due to suspension, pending an appeal. He's a borderline PPR starter when on the field, though, averaging the 32nd-most points among WRs in 2018. To get him as a fifth receiver who shouldn't be needed early in the season but can be useful later on is a great deal.

13th ROUND

Best pick: WR James Washington, Steelers (13.145) - If Washington can claim the No. 2 WR job in Pittsburgh, he should be looking at nearly 150 targets. No one else this late even has the possibility of that.

Worst pick: K Justin Tucker, Ravens (13.152) - Another public service announcement: Don't pick kickers until the final round. Yes, Tucker might be the best, but on a week-to-week basis, variability is too high at this position.

My pick: QB Kirk Cousins, Vikings (13.155) - Cousins should've been the first backup quarterback off the board, based on our rankings. It was predictable that he'd slide further than that based off of ADP data, and he gives me a second proven passer on my roster. 

14th ROUND

Best pick: WR Jakobi Meyers, Patriots (14.159) - We'll give some love to the undrafted receiver setting Pats' Twitter ablaze during training camp. I have no clue whether Meyers will be relevant in a month, but he's exactly the type of guy to use a late pick on. If he hits, you're a genius; if not, you're not dropping a guy you invested very much in.

Worst pick: Philadelphia Eagles D/ST (14.162) - This is our No. 17 defense, yet they'll be the starter for this drafter. There is merit to this pick based on their Week 1 matchup with the weak Redskins, but overall we're still not fans.

My pick: New England Patriots D/ST (14.158) - New England is our No. 4 defense but came off the board after six others. With potentially the easiest schedule in football, the Patriots' D should be a safe play almost every week, especially early in the season after Week 1.

FIFTEENTH ROUND

Best pick: WR Tyrell Williams, Raiders (15.173) - Williams ended up on my team in a standard-league mock, and while he might lose a bit of value in a PPR league, he's a fine 15th-round flier. That's especially true if Antonio Brown misses time due to his frostbitten feet, which would make Williams the No. 1 in Oakland.

Worst pick: WR Josh Gordon, Patriots (15.180) - Admittedly, if you're going to take the indefinitely suspended Gordon, the last pick of the draft is the time. It's just hard to believe in him anymore, and because of his past successes, it will be ever so slightly harder to drop him for the next new thing  because you'll fear missing out.

My pick: K Giorgio Tavecchio, Falcons (15.179) - Tavecchio was the best kicker left on our board, and it feels good to get involved in as good an offense as Atlanta.

MORE: 12-team standard league mock draft

By the end of the draft, this is what my team looked like:

Starters

QB Philip Rivers, Chargers
RB Tarik Cohen, Bears
RB James White, Patriots
WR Tyreek Hill, Chiefs
WR Antonio Brown, Raiders
TE Trey Burton, Bears
FLEX Tevin Coleman, 49ers
D/ST Patriots
K Giorgio Tavecchio, Falcons

Bench

WR Jarvis Landry, Browns
WR Corey Davis, Titans
RB Nyheim Hines, Colts
RB Dion Lewis, Titans
WR Golden Tate, Giants
QB Kirk Cousins, Vikings

This lineup is basically the extreme example of how to draft to your format. I would be terribly disappointed in this roster in a standard league, but in a PPR league, many of these players have much higher value. I'm not sure what the perfect in-season strategy for the running backs will be, seeing as they aren't just bellcows who get 15-20 carries every week. There will probably be merit to predicting game flow to see which teams are coming from behind because those will be the pass-catching backs that see the most snaps. 

Waiting on quarterback worked fine again, allowing me to end up with two borderline fantasy starters but giving me a chance to select players like Landry, Davis and Hines in the middle of the draft instead of a passer. The depth I accumulated early on at wide receiver also allowed me to stash Golden Tate on my bench, expecting him to contribute after his four-game absence.

To see the full results of the mock draft, including who I passed on, how some other teams were built, and some more analysis about the picks, head over to WalterFootball.com!