Fantasy: 10-team mock draft with analysis after every round
Find positional rankings, additional analysis, and subscribe to push notifications in the NFL Fantasy News section.
theScore staff took part in a 10-team, 12-round mock to provide a glimpse into what your drafts could look like and offer some insight on what to watch for in each round.
This is a PPR (point per reception) scoring league with the following roster spots: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, FLEX, BN, BN, BN, BN. We omitted defenders and kickers, as they normally get selected in the final two rounds.
Draft participants: Justin Boone, Sean Tomlinson, David P. Woods, Mike Alessandrini, Alex Chippin, Caitlyn Holroyd, Lanny Foster, Gino Bottero, Taylor Rohaly, Ian Dalley.
Round 1| Pick | Player | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christian McCaffrey (RB1) | Boone |
| 2 | Saquon Barkley (RB2) | Tomlinson |
| 3 | Dalvin Cook (RB3) | Woods |
| 4 | Michael Thomas (WR1) | Alessandrini |
| 5 | Ezekiel Elliott (RB4) | Chippin |
| 6 | Alvin Kamara (RB5) | Holroyd |
| 7 | DeAndre Hopkins (WR2) | Foster |
| 8 | Davante Adams (WR3) | Bottero |
| 9 | Derrick Henry (RB6) | Rohaly |
| 10 | Nick Chubb (RB7) | Dalley |
Round 1: No real surprises in the opening round other than DeAndre Hopkins going ahead of Davante Adams, which isn't even that much of shock since Hopkins is likely to remain a top-five fantasy wideout in Arizona. With the Packers failing to add a receiver in the draft, Adams should out-target Hopkins and may challenge Michael Thomas for the fantasy receiver crown in 2020. ... With the depth at wide receiver, expect to see a lot of running backs taken in the first round of fantasy drafts this year.
Round 2| Pick | Player | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Tyreek Hill (WR4) | Dalley |
| 12 | Chris Godwin (WR5) | Rohaly |
| 13 | Julio Jones (WR6) | Bottero |
| 14 | Joe Mixon (RB8) | Foster |
| 15 | Austin Ekeler (RB9) | Holroyd |
| 16 | Travis Kelce (TE1) | Chippin |
| 17 | Lamar Jackson (QB1) | Alessandrini |
| 18 | George Kittle (TE2) | Woods |
| 19 | Mike Evans (WR7) | Tomlinson |
| 20 | Kenyan Drake (RB10) | Boone |
Round 2: The second round is loaded with talent, including several high-end pass-catchers who warrant first-round consideration. Julio Jones is a perfect example since the veteran has finished as a top-six fantasy receiver in five consecutive seasons. Starting RB-WR is one of the best ways to approach your draft this year. ... For as dominant as Lamar Jackson was in 2019, investing at quarterback this early makes it hard for him to return value in a 10-team league where you start one QB. The amount of quality options at the position allows you to wait before settling on a starter. ... Despite a long list of potential breakout candidates at tight end, George Kittle and Travis Kelce offer a ceiling and consistency that others can't match. In a shallower league, they provide a massive advantage week to week.
Round 3| Pick | Player | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Aaron Jones (RB11) | Boone |
| 22 | Josh Jacobs (RB12) | Tomlinson |
| 23 | Miles Sanders (RB13) | Woods |
| 24 | Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB14) | Alessandrini |
| 25 | Cooper Kupp (WR8) | Chippin |
| 26 | Kenny Golladay (WR9) | Holroyd |
| 27 | Todd Gurley (RB15) | Foster |
| 28 | Leonard Fournette (RB16) | Bottero |
| 29 | Patrick Mahomes (QB2) | Rohaly |
| 30 | Amari Cooper (WR10) | Dalley |
Round 3: Though I planned to come away with at least one WR in the first three rounds, Aaron Jones being available at the beginning of the third forced me to reconsider. This pick gives me three running backs who finished inside the top 10 in PPR scoring over the second half of the year in Christian McCaffrey (RB1), Kenyan Drake (RB4), and Jones (RB10). Thankfully, the depth at the other three positions affords me the opportunity to go heavy on RB early in the draft. ... Making Cooper Kupp the eighth receiver off the board seems like a decision that'll be regretted by season's end. As we outlined in my bust candidates column, Kupp's 2019 was a tale of two halves with an excellent start and a troubling finish. Once the Rams shifted to more 12-personnel, Kupp topped 65 yards just once over the final eight games. He's a fringe WR2 in my PPR rankings.
Round 4| Pick | Player | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Odell Beckham Jr. (WR11) | Dalley |
| 32 | Allen Robinson (WR12) | Rohaly |
| 33 | JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR13) | Bottero |
| 34 | Adam Thielen (WR14) | Foster |
| 35 | D.J. Moore (WR15) | Holroyd |
| 36 | Courtland Sutton (WR16) | Chippin |
| 37 | A.J. Brown (WR17) | Alessandrini |
| 38 | Calvin Ridley (WR18) | Woods |
| 39 | Zach Ertz (TE3) | Tomlinson |
| 40 | Robert Woods (WR19) | Boone |
Round 4: If you were looking for evidence of the depth at receiver, how about a fourth round in which nine of the 10 selections were wideouts - all of whom have the potential to reach WR1 status for fantasy in 2020. Unlike Kupp, my pick - Robert Woods - excelled down the stretch with at least nine targets in each of the last seven weeks, while scoring the eighth-most fantasy points among receivers over that span. ... Zach Ertz's reign as a top-five starter may be in jeopardy. He benefitted from the wave of injuries that overtook the Eagles' receiving corps last season, but with all their pass-catchers healthy and a new addition in first-round wideout Jalen Reagor, competition for targets will be fierce. It'll prevent Ertz from keeping up with Kittle and Kelce, making him tough to trust in the early rounds.
Round 5| Pick | Player | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Keenan Allen (WR20) | Boone |
| 42 | Tyler Lockett (WR21) | Tomlinson |
| 43 | DK Metcalf (WR22) | Woods |
| 44 | Mark Andrews (TE4) | Alessandrini |
| 45 | James Conner (RB17) | Chippin |
| 46 | Melvin Gordon (RB18) | Holroyd |
| 47 | Stefon Diggs (WR23) | Foster |
| 48 | Darren Waller (TE5) | Bottero |
| 49 | Hunter Henry (TE6) | Rohaly |
| 50 | Devin Singletary (RB19) | Dalley |
Round 5: After rolling with running backs in the first three rounds, I've been able to snag a pair of potential top-15 receivers in the fourth and fifth. Keenan Allen is an outstanding route-runner who averaged 101 receptions, 1,263 yards, and six touchdowns per season over the last three years. Even without Philip Rivers leading the Chargers' offense, Allen is still a player to earmark at this range in PPR formats. ... The temptation to fill out your starting lineup can cause fantasy managers to draft for need instead of taking the players with the most upside. Mark Andrews, Darren Waller, and Hunter Henry are all capable of producing big weeks, but aside from the two elite options, there isn't a tight end worth drafting in the top 50. You're better off waiting and using these valuable middle-round picks to bolster your running backs and receivers.
Round 6| Pick | Player | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Le'Veon Bell (RB20) | Dalley |
| 52 | Chris Carson (RB21) | Rohaly |
| 53 | David Johnson (RB22) | Bottero |
| 54 | Rob Gronkowski (TE7) | Foster |
| 55 | Evan Engram (TE8) | Holroyd |
| 56 | Kyler Murray (QB3) | Chippin |
| 57 | Raheem Mostert (RB23) | Alessandrini |
| 58 | T.Y. Hilton (WR24) | Woods |
| 59 | D.J. Chark (WR25) | Tomlinson |
| 60 | Jonathan Taylor (RB24) | Boone |
Round 6: Entering the sixth round, three teams had just one running back on their roster. Team Rohaly found his second in Chris Carson - a player with an RB1 ceiling if Rashaad Penny's ACL tear sidelines him at the start of the season. Team Bottero will be relying on David Johnson - a top-10 back prior to getting hurt in 2019 who's returned to the RB2 mix as the Texans' new workhorse. And Team Alessandrini went with late-season star Raheem Mostert, hoping he can pick up where he left off as the lead back in Kyle Shanahan's dominant rushing attack. Though a zero-RB strategy is ill-advised, grabbing one foundation back in the first two rounds and then holding out for values in this area can be very rewarding. ... None of those running back-needy teams saw Jonathan Taylor as the solution, likely due to the rookie's uncertain pass-catching role in the pros. Still confident that I'd be able to round out my roster in the later rounds, Taylor became the fourth rusher on my squad. The drop-off to backup-level RBs is nearing, making Taylor even more enticing here.
Round 7| Pick | Player | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 61 | A.J. Green (WR26) | Boone |
| 62 | J.K. Dobbins (RB25) | Tomlinson |
| 63 | DeVante Parker (WR27) | Woods |
| 64 | Terry McLaurin (WR28) | Alessandrini |
| 65 | Sony Michel (RB26) | Chippin |
| 66 | Deebo Samuel (WR29) | Holroyd |
| 67 | Russell Wilson (QB4) | Foster |
| 68 | Mark Ingram (RB27) | Bottero |
| 69 | D'Andre Swift (RB28) | Rohaly |
| 70 | Kerryon Johnson (RB29) | Dalley |
Round 7: There was only one other than myself who elected to pass on receivers with the first three picks. By the seventh round, we're now getting a better view of how that worked out for Team Woods who drafted four straight wideouts, including Calvin Ridley, DK Metcalf, T.Y. Hilton, and DeVante Parker. It's an impressive group with the right combination of past production and youthful upside. All four are firmly inside the top 30 with a path to top-20 numbers if things fall their way. ... J.K. Dobbins found a perfect landing spot in the Ravens' offense, but he'll need an injury to Mark Ingram in order to deliver fantasy-relevant stats as a rookie. This is the first 2020 draft I've seen where Dobbins has been selected before Ingram. The veteran back inexplicably fell to Team Bottero in this round, despite finishing as the RB11 in PPR leagues last year.
Round 8| Pick | Player | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 71 | Michael Gallup (WR30) | Dalley |
| 72 | Tyler Boyd (WR31) | Rohaly |
| 73 | David Montgomery (RB30) | Bottero |
| 74 | Derrius Guice (RB31) | Foster |
| 75 | Dak Prescott (QB5) | Holroyd |
| 76 | Jarvis Landry (WR32) | Chippin |
| 77 | Kareem Hunt (RB32) | Alessandrini |
| 78 | Damien Williams (RB33) | Woods |
| 79 | Will Fuller (WR33) | Tomlinson |
| 80 | Julian Edelman (WR34) | Boone |
Round 8: For the third straight round, we'll check in with Team Bottero since he's done a very good job navigating this draft. After securing high-end receiver talent early and a top-five tight end in Waller, he now has a deep stable of RB2s in Johnson, Ingram, and David Montgomery, in addition to his third-round pick, Leonard Fournette. ... Dak Prescott is the first quarterback drafted at a value so far - a savvy move by Team Holroyd, who's mined value by maintaining a very balanced approach. Last year's second-highest-scoring fantasy passer gets yet another weapon added to his already stocked arsenal in first-round wideout CeeDee Lamb. Prescott will be forced to pass more with the Cowboys' defense likely taking a step back, which gives him a chance to end the year as the top fantasy QB.
Round 9| Pick | Player | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 81 | Marvin Jones (WR35) | Boone |
| 82 | James White (RB34) | Tomlinson |
| 83 | Ke'Shawn Vaughn (RB35) | Woods |
| 84 | Marlon Mack (RB36) | Alessandrini |
| 85 | Golden Tate (WR36) | Chippin |
| 86 | Marquise Brown (WR37) | Holroyd |
| 87 | CeeDee Lamb (WR38) | Foster |
| 88 | Ronald Jones (RB37) | Bottero |
| 89 | Phillip Lindsay (RB38) | Rohaly |
| 90 | Aaron Rodgers (QB6) | Dalley |
Round 9: My plan to address receiver in the mid-to-late rounds has resulted in five veterans with long resumes as fantasy starters. Woods and Allen have been joined by A.J. Green, Julian Edelman, and Marvin Jones. Green is two injury-plagued seasons removed from being a top-10 PPR receiver. Edelman will be affected by the departure of Tom Brady, but the high-volume slot man had the seventh-most fantasy points at his position last year. Jones had been the WR16 before being placed on injured reserve after Week 14. If you haven't gotten the message yet, let's make it clear - you can wait on wide receiver in 2020.
Round 10| Pick | Player | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 91 | Brandin Cooks (WR39) | Dalley |
| 92 | Christian Kirk (WR40) | Rohaly |
| 93 | Sterling Shepard (WR41) | Bottero |
| 94 | Jerry Jeudy (WR42) | Foster |
| 95 | Jordan Howard (RB39) | Holroyd |
| 96 | Cam Akers (RB40) | Chippin |
| 97 | Deshaun Watson (QB7) | Alessandrini |
| 98 | Joh Brown (WR43) | Woods |
| 99 | Emmanuel Sanders (WR44) | Tomlinson |
| 100 | Josh Allen (QB8) | Boone |
Round 10: Cam Akers could turn out to be the best pick in this entire draft if he can earn a three-down job for the Rams. Sean McVay's offense will offer enough volume and scoring opportunities to turn Akers into an RB2 in that scenario. ... Even in a mock draft, it's difficult to defend Team Alessandrini taking another quarterback in a 10-team league where he spent up for Jackson in the second round. The trade market for QBs tends to be very thin in smaller leagues. While we'll never find out if he can move one of them for a decent return, the fact that Deshaun Watson is available in the 10th is all the proof you need against taking a quarterback early.
Round 11| Pick | Player | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 101 | Tyler Higbee (TE9) | Boone |
| 102 | Matt Ryan (QB9) | Tomlinson |
| 103 | Matt Breida (RB41) | Woods |
| 104 | Jamison Crowder (WR45) | Alessandrini |
| 105 | Jared Cook (TE10) | Chippin |
| 106 | Diontae Johnson (WR46) | Holroyd |
| 107 | Latavius Murray (RB42) | Foster |
| 108 | Curtis Samuel (WR47) | Bottero |
| 109 | Mecole Hardman (WR48) | Rohaly |
| 110 | Noah Fant (TE11) | Dalley |
Round 11: Without spoiling my outlook for Tyler Higbee too much - he'll be featured in an upcoming article - it's safe to say he's one of my favorite tight ends to roster for 2020. Higbee posted four 100-yard games in his final five outings once he was unleashed as a full-time starter. The Rams would be foolish to limit his role moving forward, which puts him in the conversation as a mid-level TE1. ... Matt Breida may end up splitting touches with Jordan Howard, but he doesn't belong this low in the draft. He brings an explosive element to the Dolphins' backfield and profiles as the pass-catching option over Howard. That alone should cause him to be taken a couple rounds earlier.
Round 12| Pick | Player | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| 111 | Tarik Cohen (RB43) | Dalley |
| 112 | Darrell Henderson (RB44) | Rohaly |
| 113 | Tom Brady (QB10) | Bottero |
| 114 | Austin Hooper (TE12) | Foster |
| 115 | Darius Slayton (WR49) | Holroyd |
| 116 | Michael Pittman Jr. (WR50) | Chippin |
| 117 | Henry Ruggs (WR51) | Alessandrini |
| 118 | Carson Wentz (QB11) | Woods |
| 119 | Duke Johnson (RB45) | Tomlinson |
| 120 | Alexander Mattison (RB46) | Boone |
Round 12: Once your starting lineup is filled out, your goal in the later rounds should be pure upside - players whose value could skyrocket if they hit. Normally, I'm targeting elite backup running backs like Alexander Mattison, who could be an instant RB1 in fantasy if the starter in front of him gets hurt. Dalvin Cook's injury history makes Mattison even more intriguing. ... Drafting a starting quarterback like Carson Wentz or Tom Brady in the final rounds feels like cheating. Keep that in mind when you get antsy about not having a QB on your roster midway through the draft.
Copyright (C) 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.