Dynasty Startup Mock Draft 2021: QBs are a valuable commodity in Round 1

We are approaching July, and before you know it, fantasy football drafts will be firing off at a record pace. With dynasty leagues taking over the landscape, superflex drafts lead the way in popularity, ushering in a new “standard” of fantasy football. With preparation being the key to future success, here is a 2021 dynasty startup mock draft to help you further gauge the values inside the ever crucial first few rounds.

2021 Dynasty Startup Mock Draft | How is a superflex draft different?

Before we put the 1.01 on the clock, let’s run over a few ground rules so we are all on the same page. The four rounds below are based on a 10-team dynasty fantasy football league with PPR and superflex settings. 

For those unfamiliar with the term “superflex,” that means you have not only the traditional quarterback but an additional flex position where an RB, WR, TE, or a QB can be played. You want this to be a QB 99% of the time in your fantasy lineups, given their higher floor and production totals.

Roster formats are traditionally 1 QB, 2 RBs, 3 WRs, 1 TE, 2 flex (RB/WR/TE), and one superflex spot. But as with all things fantasy football, this can be customized to fit everyone’s liking and preference. 

A few tips before getting this fantasy football mock draft started

I traditionally like to go heavier on the quarterbacks and running backs in the draft’s early rounds. There are only 32 NFL franchises, and not everyone has a QB you want starting on your fantasy roster. Best practices call for at least three starting-caliber QBs on your superflex roster when you leave the draft. Positional scarcity drives up the price, and they are never cheaper than in the draft.

Run through several superflex mock drafts in the 2021 fantasy football offseason to hone a strategy you feel comfortable with before the real thing comes along.

2021 Dynasty Startup Mock Draft | First Round 

Quarterbacks are highly valued in superflex formats are typically the first ones to go off the board in fantasy drafts.

1) Patrick Mahomes (QB1 – Kansas City Chiefs)

Patrick Mahomes has finished as a QB1 in 71% of his games since 2017. The 25-year-old quarterback has averaged 308 passing yards and 27.4 fantasy points per game over that time frame. Mahomes is surrounded by offensive weapons at every skill position and has yet to reach his ceiling.

2) Kyler Murray (QB2 – Arizona Cardinals)

Once the dust settled on the 2020 fantasy season, Kyler Murray was the QB3. The dual-threat quarterback only averaged 248 passing yards and 272.3 passing air yards per game last season. Air yards indicate how far a pass traveled in the air before it was caught.

As a comparison, quarterback Josh Allen averaged 305 passing air yards per game. Generally, I’d like to see Murray throw the football downfield more in 2021. The good news is that the Cardinals have been proactive this offseason, adding speed and depth at the wide receiver position. At any rate, Murray has the potential to finish 2021 as the top fantasy quarterback.

3) Josh Allen (QB3 – Buffalo Bills)

What a difference a year makes. Allen averaged 28.3 fantasy points per game last season. He averaged 284.1 passing yards, 305 passing air yards, 36 pass attempts, and 6.4 rushing attempts per game. The Bills’ addition of receiver Stefon Diggs was huge. The dynamic duo will pick up where it left off in 2021.

4) Christian McCaffrey (RB1 – Carolina Panthers)

There is no need to overthink this decision. Christian McCaffrey has averaged an astounding 24.3 opportunities and 27 PPR fantasy points per game since 2018. Very few running backs are provided this type of opportunity share in today’s NFL.

5) Lamar Jackson (QB4 – Baltimore Ravens)

The perception is that Lamar Jackson was a disappointment last season. But what if I told you he was the QB1 over the final six games? Now, he only averaged 184 passing yards per game but ranked first in rushing attempts and rushing yards in 2020. The Ravens have surrounded him with the best offensive weapons of his career. Thus, Jackson could have a career season in 2021.

6) Justin Herbert (QB5 – Los Angeles Chargers)

Justin Herbert finished as a QB1 in 60% of his 15 active games in 2020, averaging 289 passing yards and 25.2 fantasy points per game. Herbert’s athleticism and mobility are often underrated, but he did rush for 5 touchdowns last year. Furthermore, he’ll get to play behind the Chargers’ upgraded offensive line that includes four new starters.

7) Dak Prescott (QB6 – Dallas Cowboys)

Dak Prescott was on pace to break the NFL’s single-season passing yards record prior to his season-ending ankle injury last season. He’s finished as a QB1 in 54% of his 69 career games. Prescott has a trio of receivers in Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb, and Michael Gallup that would make any quarterback envious.

8) Trevor Lawrence (QB7 – Jacksonville Jaguars)

Trevor Lawrence threw for 10,098 passing yards during his Clemson career, which ranks third in school history. He also finished fourth in completions (758) and second in passing touchdowns (90). Lawrence is as NFL-ready as it gets and should thrive in the Jaguars’ quarterback-friendly scheme.

9) Saquon Barkley (RB2 – New York Giants)

Saquon Barkley has averaged 22.6 opportunities, 115 total yards, and 21 PPR fantasy points per game in his 31 career games. Before being drafted by the Giants, he was touted as the most distinguished running back prospect in recent memory. And he’s only 24 years old.

10) Joe Burrow (QB8 – Cincinnati Bengals)

Joe Burrow only played in 10 games as a rookie before tearing his ACL and MCL. It was a disappointing conclusion to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft‘s rookie season. Before his injury, Burrow was averaging 21 fantasy points per game.

Burrow also had five 300-yard games and finished with four QB1 performances. The Bengals have surrounded him with receivers Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Tyler Boyd. Hence, Burrow’s dynasty outlook is looking very bright.

2021 Dynasty Superflex Startup Mock Draft | Second Round

Several players who would normally be locked-in first-round picks in 1QB formats will typically fall to the second round in superflex fantasy drafts.

11) Jonathan Taylor (RB3 – Indianapolis Colts)

Jonathan Taylor delivered on the preseason hype during the second half of 2020. He averaged 22 opportunities and 26 PPR fantasy points per game over the last five games, finishing as an RB1 in four of them.

Taylor finished with the third-most rushing yards (1,169) amongst running backs last season. This is just a taste of things to come from Taylor.

12) Alvin Kamara (RB4 – New Orleans Saints)

Alvin Kamara has finished as an RB2 or better in 83% of his 60 career games in PPR. And yet, he still feels underappreciated. Kamara has played 14 or more games every season since entering the NFL. Moreover, the 25-year-old back is tied to Sean Payton’s running back-friendly offensive scheme.

13) Russell Wilson (QB9 – Seattle Seahawks)

Russell Wilson finished as a QB1 in eight consecutive games to start last season. He averaged 37 pass attempts, 317.6 passing yards, and 32.2 fantasy points per game over that time frame. The Seahawks then surprisingly dialed back Wilson’s passing work during the second half of the year.

Wilson averaged 32.6 pass attempts, 209 passing yards, and 19 fantasy points per game from Week 10 on. Nevertheless, I still believe in the veteran quarterback’s talent, receiving weapons, and fantasy outlook in 2021 and beyond.

14) D.K. Metcalf (WR1 – Seattle Seahawks)

DK Metcalf is just entering the prime of his career. He finished last season with 83 receptions, 1,303 receiving yards, and 10 touchdowns. Metcalf averaged 17 PPR fantasy points per game in 2020. The 23-year-old Metcalf is just scratching the surface of what he can accomplish with Wilson in Seattle.

15) Justin Jefferson (WR2 – Minnesota Vikings)

Justin Jefferson showed everyone that he’s more than simply a slot receiver. As a rookie, Jefferson averaged 8 targets, 5.5 receptions, and 87.5 receiving yards per game. Likewise, Jefferson averaged an impressive 20 PPR fantasy points per game from Week 10 to 17. He rounds out the top 15 in this dynasty startup mock draft.

16) Dalvin Cook (RB5 – Minnesota Vikings)

Dalvin Cook has averaged 24.2 opportunities and 23 PPR fantasy points per game over the last two seasons. There are very few running backs who are being provided this type of workload. The Vikings will continue to have one of the more robust running games in the NFL, and Cook will only be 26 years old during the 2021 season.

17) Davante Adams (WR3 – Green Bay Packers)

Davante Adams has been the best receivers in the NFL over the last three seasons. He’s averaged 11 targets and 22 PPR fantasy points per game over that time frame. However, Adams is a receiver you should consider selling high in dynasty considering the uncertainty around quarterback Aaron Rodgers’s future in Green Bay.

18) A.J. Brown (WR4 – Tennessee Titans)

A.J. Brown has emerged as one of the top receivers in the league. He averaged 7.6 targets and 18 PPR fantasy points per game last season. The Titans traded for receiver Julio Jones, who could siphon targets away from Brown. However, it is worth noting that Tennessee has 224 vacated targets heading into the 2021 season.

19) Tyreek Hill (WR5 – Kansas City Chiefs)

Tyreek Hill bounced back last season after a disappointing 2019 season. In 2020, Hill averaged 9 targets, 6 receptions, 85 receiving yards, and 22 PPR fantasy points per game while averaging an impressive 13 receiving air yards per target. This trend should continue as long as he’s tied to Mahomes and the dynamic Chiefs’ offense.

20) Trey Lance (QB10 – San Francisco 49ers)

Trey Lance played in North Dakota State’s lone fall game and decided to skip the university’s spring season to enter the NFL Draft. As a gentle reminder, Lance was a statistical dynamo for the Bison in 2019.

He finished the season with just under 2,800 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns, 1,100 rushing yards, and 14 rushing touchdowns. He did not throw a single interception.

Lance now finds himself in Kyle Shanahan’s offense surrounded by a plethora of offensive weapons at every position. He’ll find himself under center in one of the NFL’s highest-powered offenses sooner rather than later. He will quickly cement himself as Shanahan’s long-term option at QB.

Rounds 3 and 4