Have you taken part in any fantasy football mock drafts? They provide you an opportunity to experiment with different draft positions. This 2021 Fantasy Football Mock Draft setup was a 12-team half-PPR league with 18 rounds. The roster requirements were 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 Flex, 1 K, and 1 DST. Let’s dive into some of my observations.
2021 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Early-round selections
It is important to use the early rounds to build a solid foundation for your fantasy football.
Rounds 1-2
| Rounds | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 | Team 5 | Team 6 |
|
1-2
|
Christian McCaffrey CAR – RB |
Alvin Kamara NO – RB |
Dalvin Cook MIN – RB |
Derrick Henry TEN – RB |
Aaron Jones GB – RB |
Ezekiel Elliott DAL – RB |
| A.J. Brown TEN – WR |
Joe Mixon CIN – RB |
David Montgomery CHI – RB |
DK Metcalf SEA – WR |
Justin Jefferson MIN – WR |
Calvin Ridley ATL – WR |
|
| Team 7 | Team 8 | Team 9 | Team 10 | Team 11 | Team 12 | |
| Saquon Barkley NYG – RB |
Nick Chubb CLE – RB |
Jonathan Taylor IND – RB |
Davante Adams GB – WR |
Travis Kelce KC – TE |
Tyreek Hill KC – WR |
|
| DeAndre Hopkins ARI – WR |
Patrick Mahomes KC – QB |
Najee Harris PIT – RB |
Antonio Gibson WAS – RB |
Austin Ekeler LAC – RB |
Stefon Diggs BUF – WR |
There weren’t many surprises in the first two rounds, but it was a shock to see Alvin Kamara go ahead of Dalvin Cook and Derrick Henry. The Saints have uncertainty at quarterback as Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill battle it out. Kamara has averaged 18 opportunities (rushing attempts plus targets) and 22 PPR fantasy points per game.
Top wide receivers should be available at the end of Round 1
As fantasy managers have tended to prioritize running backs with a large opportunity share, it’s created a window to land a top-shelf WR at the tail end of the first round. Davante Adams and Tyreek Hill are excellent targets if you have the 1.10, 1.11, or 1.12.
Austin Ekeler continues to be one of my favorite targets in fantasy mock drafts at the top of the second round. He’s averaged 18.4 PPR fantasy points over the last two seasons in 26 active games.
Many fantasy managers are not optimistic about Joe Mixon’s 2021 fantasy outlook. However, he did have consecutive seasons of 1,400+ total yards in 2018 and 2019. Last season, Mixon only played in six games but averaged 24.2 opportunities per game.
Rounds 3-4
| Rounds | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 | Team 5 | Team 6 |
|
3-4
|
Darren Waller LV – TE |
Keenan Allen LAC – WR |
George Kittle SF – TE |
Allen Robinson II CHI – WR |
J.K. Dobbins BAL – RB |
Terry McLaurin WAS – WR |
| Tyler Lockett SEA – WR |
Amari Cooper DAL – WR |
Diontae Johnson PIT – WR |
Cooper Kupp LAR – WR |
D.J. Moore CAR – WR |
Travis Etienne JAC – RB |
|
| Team 7 | Team 8 | Team 9 | Team 10 | Team 11 | Team 12 | |
| D’Andre Swift DET – RB |
Clyde Edwards- Helaire KC – RB |
CeeDee Lamb DAL – WR |
Josh Jacobs LV – RB |
Chris Carson SEA – RB |
Mike Evans TB – WR |
|
| T.J. Hockenson DET – TE |
Robert Woods LAR – WR |
Julio Jones TEN – WR |
Chris Godwin TB – WR |
Josh Allen BUF – QB |
Darrell Henderson LAR – RB |
I had three observations from Rounds 3 and 4. First of all, Allen Robinson continues to be a nice value in drafts. He’s averaged 9.5 targets, 6.2 receptions, and 75 receiving yards over the last two seasons. Robinson’s ceiling is even higher if rookie QB Justin Fields starts in 2021.
Secondly, Clyde Edwards-Helaire is undervalued. He has little competition for touches, and the Chiefs are expected to use him more as a receiver in 2021. A workhorse opportunity share for Edwards-Helaire is imminent.
Finally, Julio Jones in the fourth round has me flabbergasted. Even playing opposite A.J. Brown, he’s in good position to see 110+ targets with the Titans.
Rounds 5-6
| Rounds | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 | Team 5 | Team 6 |
|
5-6
|
Miles Sanders PHI – RB |
Adam Thielen MIN – WR |
Chase Claypool PIT – WR |
Lamar Jackson BAL – QB |
Mike Davis ATL – RB |
Kyler Murray ARI – QB |
| Jerry Jeudy DEN – WR |
JuJu Smith-Schuster PIT – WR |
Chase Edmonds ARI – RB |
Damien Harris NE – RB |
Logan Thomas WAS – TE |
Courtland Sutton DEN – WR |
|
| Team 7 | Team 8 | Team 9 | Team 10 | Team 11 | Team 12 | |
| Odell Beckham Jr. CLE – WR |
Brandon Aiyuk SF – WR |
Myles Gaskin MIA – RB |
Kenny Golladay NYG – WR |
Ja’Marr Chase CIN – WR |
Kareem Hunt CLE – RB |
|
| Brandin Cooks HOU – WR |
Tee Higgins CIN – WR |
Dak Prescott DAL – QB |
Kyle Pitts ATL – TE |
Michael Thomas NO – WR |
Mark Andrews BAL – TE |
Chase Edmonds was a solid value in the sixth round. Pro Football Network’s NFL Insider Adam Beasley wrote in his Five At 5 column that Edmonds is set to be the RB1 over free agency addition James Conner.
Brandin Cooks is also solid value here. He has minimal competition for targets and could see 130+ targets in 2021.
Rounds 7-8
| Rounds | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 | Team 5 | Team 6 |
|
7-8
|
Robby Anderson CAR – WR |
Russell Wilson SEA – QB |
Aaron Rodgers GB – QB |
DeVonta Smith PHI – WR |
D.J. Chark Jr. JAC – WR |
Corey Davis NYJ – WR |
| Matthew Stafford LAR – QB |
Jarvis Landry CLE – WR |
Darnell Mooney CHI – WR |
Melvin Gordon III DEN – RB |
Joe Burrow CIN – QB |
Michael Carter NYJ – RB |
|
| Team 7 | Team 8 | Team 9 | Team 10 | Team 11 | Team 12 | |
| Will Fuller V MIA – WR |
James Robinson JAC – RB |
Noah Fant DEN – TE |
Justin Herbert LAC – QB |
Deebo Samuel SF – WR |
Javonte Williams DEN – RB |
|
| Tom Brady TB – QB |
Ronald Jones II TB – RB |
Antonio Brown TB – WR |
Tyler Boyd CIN – WR |
Raheem Mostert SF – RB |
Ryan Tannehill TEN – QB |
If you prefer to draft a Tier 3 quarterback, then Matthew Stafford is the perfect candidate at this stage of fantasy football drafts. Considering the weapons in Los Angeles and the offensive mind of head coach Sean McVay, Stafford has the chance for a career season.
If you decide to go RB heavy early in fantasy drafts and prioritize receivers set to be provided sizable target shares, then look no further than DeVonta Smith and D.J. Chark.
Rounds 9-10
| Rounds | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 | Team 5 | Team 6 |
|
9-10
|
Trey Sermon SF – RB |
Curtis Samuel WAS – WR |
Laviska Shenault Jr. JAC – WR |
Mike Williams LAC – WR |
Michael Pittman Jr. IND – WR |
Jaylen Waddle MIA – WR |
| Tony Pollard DAL – RB |
Gus Edwards BAL – RB |
DeVante Parker MIA – WR |
Marvin Jones Jr. JAC – WR |
Phillip Lindsay HOU – RB |
Latavius Murray NO – RB |
|
| Team 7 | Team 8 | Team 9 | Team 10 | Team 11 | Team 12 | |
| James Conner ARI – RB |
Leonard Fournette TB – RB |
Los Angeles Rams LAR – DST |
David Johnson HOU – RB |
Pittsburgh Steelers PIT – DST |
Zack Moss BUF – RB |
|
| Nyheim Hines IND – RB |
Kenyan Drake LV – RB |
Henry Ruggs III LV – WR |
A.J. Dillon GB – RB |
Marquise Brown BAL – WR |
Michael Gallup DAL – WR |
The ability to land DeVante Parker in the 10th round is attractive. He has the most favorable ADP of all of the Dolphins’ receivers. When you combine his target projection with better play from Tua Tagovailoa in 2021, it’s difficult not to select Parker at this stage of the draft.
Fantasy Mock Draft: The importance of maximizing the later rounds
The double-digit rounds are great to identify sleepers or players who will outperform their ADP.
Rounds 11-12
| Rounds | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 | Team 5 | Team 6 |
|
11-12
|
Nelson Agholor NE – WR |
Jamaal Williams DET – RB |
Devin Singletary BUF – RB |
Robert Tonyan GB – TE |
Sterling Shepard NYG – WR |
Tyler Higbee LAR – TE |
| J.D. McKissic WAS – RB |
Tre’Quan Smith NO – WR |
Parris Campbell IND – WR |
Malcolm Brown MIA – RB |
Trevor Lawrence JAC – QB |
Jonnu Smith NE – TE |
|
| Team 7 | Team 8 | Team 9 | Team 10 | Team 11 | Team 12 | |
| Rashod Bateman BAL – WR |
Dallas Goedert PHI – TE |
Mecole Hardman KC – WR |
Washington Football Team WAS – DST |
Alexander Mattison MIN – RB |
Elijah Moore NYJ – WR |
|
| Matt Ryan ATL – QB |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers TB – DST |
Marlon Mack IND – RB |
Rashaad Penny SEA – RB |
Cole Beasley BUF – WR |
Jalen Hurts PHI – QB |
It’s important not to leave the early double-digit rounds of your fantasy football mock drafts without selecting Jamaal Williams. The Lions have 243 unaccounted rushing attempts entering the 2021 season. Detroit’s new offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn schemed 26% of passes and 41% of touches to running backs during his four years with the Chargers.
Rounds 13-14
| Rounds | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 | Team 5 | Team 6 |
|
13-14
|
Kirk Cousins MIN – QB |
Adam Trautman NO – TE |
Baker Mayfield CLE – QB |
Giovani Bernard TB – RB |
James White NE – RB |
Tarik Cohen CHI – RB |
| Tevin Coleman NYJ – RB |
T.Y. Hilton IND – WR |
Russell Gage ATL – WR |
Marquez Callaway NO – WR |
Xavier Jones LAR – RB |
Salvon Ahmed MIA – RB |
|
| Team 7 | Team 8 | Team 9 | Team 10 | Team 11 | Team 12 | |
| Jakobi Meyers NE – WR |
Evan Engram NYG – TE |
Sony Michel NE – RB |
Irv Smith Jr. MIN – TE |
John Brown LV – WR |
Amon-Ra St. Brown DET – WR |
|
| Baltimore Ravens BAL – DST |
Randall Cobb GB – WR |
Chuba Hubbard CAR – RB |
Justin Fields CHI – QB |
Jamison Crowder NYJ – WR |
Mike Gesicki MIA – TE |
Adam Trautman is my favorite sleeper from these two rounds. He’s a capable run blocker and receiver set to inherit the vacated targets of former Saints tight ends Jared Cook and Josh Hill.
Rounds 15-16
| Rounds | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 | Team 5 | Team 6 |
|
15-16
|
Darrynton Evans TEN – RB |
San Francisco 49ers SF – DST |
Indianapolis Colts IND – DST |
Trey Lance SF – QB |
Cole Kmet CHI – TE |
Tua Tagovailoa MIA – QB |
| Emmanuel Sanders BUF – WR |
Justin Jackson LAC – RB |
Darius Slayton NYG – WR |
Denver Broncos DEN – DST |
Matt Breida BUF – RB |
Kansas City Chiefs KC – DST |
|
| Team 7 | Team 8 | Team 9 | Team 10 | Team 11 | Team 12 | |
| Jalen Reagor PHI – WR |
Rob Gronkowski TB – TE |
Ben Roethlisberger PIT – QB |
Damien Williams CHI – RB |
Darrel Williams KC – RB |
New England Patriots NE – DST |
|
| Benny Snell Jr. PIT – RB |
A.J. Green ARI – WR |
Zach Ertz PHI – TE |
Hunter Henry NE – TE |
Rondale Moore ARI – WR |
Kenneth Gainwell PHI – RB |
Rounds 17-18
| Rounds | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 | Team 5 | Team 6 |
|
17-18
|
Justin Tucker BAL – K |
Ryan Fitzpatrick WAS – QB |
Jeff Wilson SF – RB |
Boston Scott PHI – RB |
Buffalo Bills BUF – DST |
Larry Rountree III LAC – RB |
| New Orleans Saints NO – DST |
Jason Myers SEA – K |
Robbie Gould SF – K |
Daniel Carlson LV – K |
Rodrigo Blankenship IND – K |
Matt Prater ARI – K |
|
| Team 7 | Team 8 | Team 9 | Team 10 | Team 11 | Team 12 | |
| Christian Kirk ARI – WR |
Gabriel Davis BUF – WR |
Bryan Edwards LV – WR |
Nico Collins HOU – WR |
Deshaun Watson HOU – QB |
Harrison Butker KC – K |
|
| Wil Lutz NO – K |
Greg Zuerlein DAL – K |
Jason Sanders MIA – K |
Tyler Bass BUF – K |
Younghoe Koo ATL – K |
Terrace Marshall Jr. CAR – WR |
Closing Remarks
My recommendation is to take part in as many fantasy football mock drafts as possible. You will get a much better feel for players’ ADP (average draft position), sleepers, late-round steals, and the chance to experiment with different draft strategies. It’s also important to start mock drafting as early and often as possible in your league format.
Additionally, you should use all of the resources at Pro Football Network to conduct research and build your own personalized fantasy cheat sheet. Mock drafting won’t guarantee a fantasy football championship, but it’s better to learn your lessons in a mock instead of your live draft.
Eric is a Senior Fantasy Analyst for Pro Football Network and a member of the FSWA (Fantasy Sports Writers Association). You can read more of his work here and follow Eric on Twitter @EricNMoody.