Fantasy Football season, much as you are. The crew recently got together for a six-round PPR mock draft, providing an early look at the first few rounds. Here are the results, along with some of my insights and video analysis from the FNTSY team. This was a four-point TD pass league with 3 WRs and a flex spot.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|
| Joe Gallina | Dane Martinez | Brandon Murchison | Scott Engel | Gregg Sussman | Jim Day |
| ROUND 1 | Saquon Barkley | LeVeon Bell | Todd Gurley | Ezekiel Elliott | Christian McCaffrey | Alvin Kamara |
| ROUND 2 | Joe Mixon | T.Y. Hilton | Mike Evans | Travis Kelce | Odell Beckham Jr. | David Johnson |
| ROUND 3 | Stefon Diggs | Zach Ertz | Dalvin Cook | Robert Woods | Keenan Allen | George Kittle |
| ROUND 4 | Tarik Cohen | Leonard Fournette | Jarvis Landry | Derrick Henry | Marlon Mack | Cooper Kupp |
| ROUND 5 | Alshon Jeffery | Mike Williams | Derrius Guice | Tyler Boyd | Sony Michel | Tyler Lockett |
| ROUND 6 | Robby Anderson | Christian Kirk | Corey Davis | Andrew Luck | Will Fuller | Courtland Sutton |
| | | | | | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| Mike Blewitt | Davis Mattek | Chris Ventra | Frank Stampfl | Corey Parson | Adam Ronis |
| ROUND 1 | James Conner | JuJu Smith-Schuster | Julio Jones | Melvin Gordon | Mike Thomas | Davante Adams |
| ROUND 2 | Adam Thielen | Damien Harris | Antonio Brown | DeAndre Hopkins | Tyreek HIll | Nick Chubb |
| ROUND 3 | Brandin Cooks | Amari Cooper | Phillip Lindsay | Aaron Jones | Damien Williams | A.J. Green |
| ROUND 4 | Julian Edelman | Emmanuel Sanders | Devonta Freeman | Kerryon Johnson | Pat Mahomes | Kenny Golladay |
| ROUND 5 | Chris Carson | Kenyan Drake | D.J. Moore | Chris Godwin | Jerick McKinnon | Allen Robinson |
| ROUND 6 | James Washington | James White | Jordan Howard | Doug Baldwin | Calvin Ridley | Mark Ingram |
Round One: Martinez created the first buzz of the FNTSY offseason when he took Bell at No. 2 overall, saying that after a year of inactivity he should be fresh to pick up where he left off. Not knowing what team he will play on, I believe it was an overaggressive move when Elliott was still there. Gurley seems like chalk at No. 3, but what if the C.J. Anderson experiment extends into next year? I believe Elliott, after setting career standards in receiving, is the safest overall choice. Steelers fan Blewitt is betting on more of the same from Conner and with Bell fully out of town, you have to like the pick a lot. Mattek makes Smith-Schuster the first WR taken, but I believe he has to prove he can fully be that No. 1 guy first before I take him over Hopkins or Thomas.
Round Two: Parson had a great start with a top-notch duo of Thomas and Hill. While the early landscape was RB heavy, he went with two elite WRs, a strategy he obviously learned from watching me do the same in the prestigious Greenwich Street Tavern League this season, where I have won back-to-back championships and he has not made the playoffs in three years. I love where Stampfl landed Hopkins, and Ventra may have walked away with the best early pick. Just because Brown is expected to leave Pittsburgh does not mean he cannot continue to be a top shelf Fantasy superstar. Kelce gives me a clear advantage at the thinnest position in Fantasy and was on par with some WR1 types in terms of production. Gallina finished off the round by solidifying the best RB duo so far.
Round Three: Murchison is taking the risk on Cook again, but it’s one that can pay off in a big way. Brandon is a high-stakes competitor and it shows here. Sussman confirms that Allen may be overrated as a WR1, but he is a really nice fit as a top-end WR2. Cooper should have his best season ever in 2019, so you have to like Mattek’s pick. Lindsay could be another fine value for Ventra, who had a very impressive first three rounds. Parson is going for the Chiefs stack, but we will have to see for sure if the Kansas City fully embraces Williams as their lead RB for next season. Ronis picks Green in an ideal spot, as he displays his usual sound start to a draft.
Round Four: Mahomes will go earlier in many mainstream drafts, and leaning too much on one team, even Kansas City, could prove to be dangerous in any given week. It’s a boom-or-bust approach, and while you usually get more of the “boom” part, there is always the chance that relying too much on one offense could backfire at any time. It would not surprise me if Kerryon Johnson actually performs Aaron Jones for Stampfl. You have to be impressed with the Thielen/Cooks/Edelman start for the savvy Blewitt. Fournette is a good pick here for Martinez, if he simply does not continue to be possessed by the NFL spirit of Fred Taylor.
Round Five: Guice is a real risk and I would have preferred Michel in Murchison’s spot. Great job by Sussman on building a trio of McCaffrey/Mack/Michel at RB. After flaming out in the playoffs, Carson could be headed for a time share for Rashaad Penny. If a new regime embraces Drake, he could be a nifty pick for Mattek. Godwin could make a real jump in Year Three, especially if Adam Humphries signs elsewhere.
Round Six: Ingram will likely hit free agency and if he lands with a team like the Jets or Buccaneers, he could play a significant lead role and may be one of the best picks of this draft. If Baldwin comes back healthy next year, and he has a full offseason to recover, Stampfl will have a gem of a pick. James Washington is a sensible, yet gusty pick. I want to say I like the Fuller pick but the injury risk is just too much. I went with Luck after a great comeback year and Round Six is where I generally start considering QBs. Anderson will likely stay with the Jets and I really expect ain impressive campaign in his second season with Sam Darnold. Gallina’s draft may be the one I like the best. He employed a superb trio of RBs and I like his balance at WR. He has two RB1s and either Anderson or Jeffery could be his WR2. Ronis has a very solid squad and I really liked Sussman’s first five rounds.
