As the preseason games come to a close, drafting becomes easier. Player values are just about as clear as they can be. Tomorrow, August 30th, every team must reduce their roster from 80 players to 53. Those decisions could have an impact from this mock draft to next week’s. Otherwise, months worth of preparation have us all ready to draft our championship rosters. With just over one week until the start of the 2022 NFL season, let’s see what the final mock draft of August looks like.
Picking Ninth Overall in the Ninth Mock Draft
The following mock draft was completed, simulating my strategy and results for a 10-team, 1 quarterback, Points Per Reception league. The hypothetical roster consists of 3 wide receivers, 2 running backs, 1 tight end, and 1 RB/WR/TE Flex position. I drafted from the ninth overall pick in this mock draft and will make selections from different draft positions each week. For this mock draft, I will break down 14 of 16 rounds. With the season kicking off in just over one week, it’s crucial to analyze as many players as possible. As always, I spend my final two picks on a Defense/Special Teams and Kicker so they won’t be included as we focus on individual player analysis.
ROUND ONE
1.01- Christian McCaffrey (CAR RB)
1.02- Jonathan Taylor (IND RB)
1.03- Justin Jefferson (MIN WR)
1.04- Austin Ekeler (LAC RB)
1.05- Derrick Henry (TEN RB)
1.06- Dalvin Cook (MIN RB)
1.07- Cooper Kupp (LAR WR)
1.08- Najee Harris (PIT RB)
1.09- D’Andre Swift (DET RB)
1.10- Ja’Marr Chase (CIN WR)
MY PICK: D’Andre Swift
Swift is one of “my guys” for the 2022 season. His floor is a back-end top-10 running back. Swift’s 16.1 points per game average lands him right at RB10 last season. His ceiling is becoming the fourth player ever to log 1,000 rushing and 1,000 receiving yards. That’s what he wants to do this season. With the fourth-most targets (78) amongst running backs in just 13 games, it’s definitely possible. The Detroit Lions offensive line plus Swift’s role and talent are enough for me to trust him as my RB1 with overall RB1 potential. Health, like every other running back, is the only thing standing in his way.
ROUND TWO
2.01 – Alvin Kamara (NO RB)
2.02- Joe Mixon (CIN RB)
2.03- Stefon Diggs (BUF WR)
2.04- Davante Adams (LV WR)
2.05- Nick Chubb (CLE RB)
2.06- Travis Kelce (KC TE)
2.07- Saquon Barkley (NYG RB)
2.08- Ceedee Lamb (DAL WR)
2.09- Aaron Jones (GB RB)
2.10- Leonard Fournette (TB RB)
MY PICK: Joe Mixon
It’s been a while since I’ve deployed a robust running back strategy in the first two rounds. Joe Mixon is just as much of a bell cow running back as some of the bigger names of round one, like McCaffrey, Henry, or Najee Harris. Anchoring my team with him and Swift gives me one of the best sets of running backs in this mock draft league.
Mixon is coming off of a season with career-highs in games played (16), rushing yards (1,205), receiving yards (314), rushing touchdowns (13), and receiving touchdowns (3). Before entering the 2022 season, the Bengals are fresh off of adding center Ted Karras, guard Alex Cappa, and tackle La’el Collins in free agency. Prioritizing the offensive line bodes very well for Mixon and this entire offense. He, like Swift, has a safe top-10 floor at the position. I feel confident enough, after nine weeks of mock drafts, in my ability to put together a good group of wide receivers later after selecting Swift and Mixon with my first two picks.
ROUND THREE
3.01- Deebo Samuel (SF WR)
3.02- Mark Andrews (BAL TE)
3.03- Mike Evans (TB WR)
3.04- Tyreek Hill (MIA WR)
3.05- Josh Allen (BUF QB)
3.06- Ezekiel Elliott (DAL RB)
3.07- A.J. Brown (PHI WR)
3.08- Javonte Williams (DEN RB)
3.09- Keenan Allen (LAC WR)
3.10- James Conner (ARI RB)
MY PICK: Keenan Allen
This mock draft team is starting to look just like last week’s, drafting from the eighth overall position. Like I said last week in the mock draft series, Allen’s seen no fewer than 146 targets per season with a 23.8% target share in each of the last two seasons with Justin Herbert as his quarterback. At this point in the mock draft, he is the last player with a WR1 history as well as the potential to do it again for this upcoming season. There are plenty of players remaining who have a chance to also finish as a WR1, but I trust Keenan’s ability, situation, and track record of doing so in his career.
ROUND FOUR
4.01- Patrick Mahomes (KC QB)
4.02- Kyle Pitts (ATL TE)
4.03- Tee Higgins (CIN WR)
4.04- Michael Pittman, Jr. (IND WR)
4.05- Justin Herbert (LAC QB)
4.06- Cam Akers (LAR RB)
4.07- D.J. Moore (CAR WR)
4.08- Brandin Cooks (HOU WR)
4.09- Breece Hall (NYJ RB)
4.10- Dionte Johnson (PIT WR)
MY PICK: Kyle Pitts
Let this be a public service announcement: If Kyle Pitts is on the board in the fourth round, you must take him.
Pitts provides a positional advantage over most of your league at the tight end position. His 1,076 receiving yards last year are the second-most ever as a rookie tight end. Yes, I know, he scored just one touchdown, but he led the Atlanta Falcons in targets last year with 110. Additionally, 187 targets from last year between wide receivers Russell Gage, Calvin Ridley, and tight ends Hayden Hurst and Lee Smith, won’t be around in 2022. Marcus Mariota is now the starting quarterback, as well. As a rookie in Tennessee, Mariota targeted Titans tight end, Delanie Walker, 133 times.
Pitts is going to finish as a top tight end with potential WR1-like numbers. This mock draft pick continues to be about taking the best player available with consideration to roster construction. By selecting Pitts, I now have two top running backs, a WR1 in Keenan Allen, and a TE1 in Pitts. There are still plenty of wide receivers I like as starters to fill the second and third spots on my roster. This is all the while having a guy like Pitts who can put up similar numbers as a top-10 wide receiver at the tight end position.
ROUND FIVE
5.01- Jaylen Waddle (MIA WR)
5.02- Terry McLaurin (WSH WR)
5.03- Travis Etienne (JAC RB)
5.04- Mike Williams (LAC WR)
5.05- D.K. Metcalf (SEA WR)
5.06- Amari Cooper (CLE WR)
5.07- J.K. Dobbins (BAL RB)
5.08- David Montgomery (CHI RB)
5.09- Courtland Sutton (DEN WR)
5.10- Jerry Jeudy (DEN WR)
MY PICK: Courtland Sutton
Sutton is now the fourth of five players from last week’s mock draft on this week’s mock draft roster. I am noticing that players are falling into my lap more often when picking toward the back-end of drafts. For me, this pick was always going to be a wide receiver. By having a set of rankings to reference, selecting my 15th-ranked receiver becomes that much easier.
With my next pick just four from this one, it’s also easier to count and plan who may be available when I’m back on the clock. I need to consider just one other team’s interests when predicting who will be on the board at that point.
As seen at the top of the sixth round, the last pick team selects George Kittle. I already have a tight end so that’s good news for me as far as competition for players of interest. With the possibility of drafting a tight end in mind and just one wide receiver on their roster, I make sure to add a wide receiver here in the fifth before they steal who I have in mind.
ROUND SIX
6.01- George Kittle (SF TE)
6.02- Allen Robinson (LAR WR)
6.03- Darren Waller (LV TE)
6.04- Elijah Mitchell (SF RB)
6.05- Chris Godwin (TB WR)
6.06- Marquise Brown (ARI WR)
6.07- Darnell Mooney (CHI WR)
6.08- Antonio Gibson (WSH RB)
6.09- Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET WR)
6.10- Lamar Jackson (BAL QB)
MY PICK: Allen Robinson
Allen Robinson rounds out my wide receiver corps for this mock draft team. He is playing with the best quarterback of his career in Matthew Stafford. This time last season, Robinson was a consensus third-round draft pick. After a dreadful 2021 season, with a rookie quarterback and lackluster coaching in Chicago, his value is much lower ahead of the 2022 season.
The Los Angeles Rams are one of the top-scoring offenses in the league. Robinson’s only legitimate competition for targets is Cooper Kupp. They will both easily see north of 120 targets this season with defenses attempting to cover both of them. I love Robinson’s potential as a red zone option for Stafford, as well. The player and the situation are way too good to pass up on as a sixth-round pick in this mock draft.
ROUND SEVEN
7.01- Rashod Bateman (BAL WR)
7.02- Michael Thomas (NO WR)
7.03- Daulton Schultz (DAL TE)
7.04- Kyler Murray (ARI QB)
7.05- Juju Smith-Schuster (KC WR)
7.06- Dallas Goedert (PHI TE)
7.07- Jalen Hurts (PHI QB)
7.08- Gabriel Davis (BUF WR)
7.09- Josh Jacobs (LV RB)
7.10- Adam Theilen (MIN WR)
MY PICK: Josh Jacobs
There are a few red flags when it comes to Jacobs’ 2022 outlook. However, he is still the starting running back on a team with Davante Adams, Darren Waller, and Hunter Renfrow catching passes. The ceiling for this offense is much higher than years prior with the addition of Adams in free agency. That boosts Jacobs’ opportunities to score with more frequent trips to the red zone.
Adding a third running back just before the eighth round of the mock draft is ideal. My two starting backs, Swift and Mixon, are known to miss playing time. Having a third option who can slide right in and keep my roster afloat is extremely beneficial. Jacobs provides that confidence at a much lower cost than usual.
ROUND EIGHT
8.01- Hunter Renfrow (LV WR)
8.02- Elijah Moore (NYJ WR)
8.03- Joe Burrow (CIN QB)
8.04- Allen Lazard (GB WR)
8.05- DeAndre Hopkins (ARI WR)
8.06- A.J. Dillon (GB RB)
8.07- DeVonta Smith (PHI WR)
8.08- Russell Wilson (DEN QB)
8.09- Tom Brady (TB QB)
8.10- Brandon Aiyuk (SF WR)
MY PICK: Elijah Moore
When it comes to Moore, I’m drafting the player, not his situation. His situation is catching passes from Joe Flacco for the unforeseeable future. Second-year quarterback, Zach Wilson, is still working back from a preseason knee injury. This is nothing new for Moore. He caught passes from four different Jets quarterbacks last year as a rookie. His 12.6 points per game tied Terry McLaurin for 34th-most at the wide receiver position.
Moore, in his second season, should be a focal point of the New York offense. This is a tough spot to debate drafting receivers. Allen Lazard’s potential as Aaron Rodgers’ top receiver in Green Bay is highly appealing. DeVonta Smith on an improved Eagles offense is also worth considering. DeAndre Hopkins’ talent is undeniable, but he is guaranteed to miss seven games with a six-game PED suspension and a late-season bye week. Moore’s projected target share is what seals the deal for me here.
ROUND NINE
9.01- Drake London (ATL WR)
9.02- Robert Woods (TEN WR)
9.03- Chase Edmonds (ARI RB)
9.04- Christian Kirk (JAC WR)
9.05- Tyler Lockett (SEA WR)
9.06- Treylon Burks (TEN WR)
9.07- Dameon Pierce (HOU RB)
9.08- Chris Olave (NO WR)
9.09- Clyde Edwards-Helaire (KC RB)
9.10- Devin Singletary (BUF RB)
MY PICK: Clyde Edwards-Helaire
One can never have too many running backs. I usually try to leave my drafts with five or six every time. There will be plenty of undrafted wide receivers to consider on the waiver wire this season. Leaving my drafts with a sizeable group of running backs gives me options to start at the position as well as trade assets in the event other teams lose theirs to injury. I’m not drafting players with expectations of making trades, but if I were to at any position, it’s running back.
Clyde Edwards-Helaire is still only 23 years old. He is a top-rated talent from LSU with pass-catching ability. Furthermore, he’s on the Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback.
Chiefs backfield snaps with Patrick Mahomes this preseason:
Clyde Edwards-Helaire 42%
Isiah Pacheco 36%
Jerrick McKinnon 22%Long-down-distance (passing downs):
CEH 0%
McKinnon 67%
Pacheco 33%Short-down-distance:
CEH 100%
— Dwain McFarland (@dwainmcfarland) August 27, 2022
I know CEH is somewhat of a letdown for fantasy football in his first two seasons, but he will see the most opportunities in the Kansas City backfield this season. Isiah Pacheco definitely warrants a level of interest, but it’s hard to imagine the seventh-round rookie completely dominating the touches, especially early on. In Points Per Reception leagues, Edwards-Helaire is easily the Chiefs back to roster. Getting him this late in drafts will prove to be a steal.
ROUND 10
10.01- Miles Sanders (PHI RB)
10.02- Kareem Hunt (CLE RB)
10.03- Damien Harris (NE RB)
10.04- Chase Claypool (PIT WR)
10.05- Garrett Wilson (NYJ WR)
10.06- Kadarius Toney (NYG WR)
10.07- Skyy Moore (KC WR)
10.08- Rashaad Penny (SEA RB)
10.09- Jakobi Meyers (NE WR)
10.10- Tony Pollard (DAL RB)
MY PICK: Kareem Hunt
At this point in the mock draft, I’m building the best bench possible. As far as wide receivers go, there are too many question marks of those available here to take over any running back. I’m still waiting to draft a quarterback, per usual, as the options are still plentiful in this mock draft, as well.
Drafting Kareem Hunt this late seems unfair. He not only has standalone value as the pass-catching back in Cleveland but presents RB1 upside in the event of a Nick Chubb injury. We’ve seen it before. Not to mention, when the Browns are trailing in games, Hunt is usually dominating the snaps and opportunities because of his receiving ability.
There’s still a chance Hunt is released or traded in the next day or so ahead of roster cuts. Cleveland denied Hunt’s trade request a few weeks ago so I am not expecting anything to happen. Still, never say never, so his value from this mock draft to next week’s could be vastly different if something were to happen.
ROUND 11
11.01- Tyler Boyd (CIN WR)
11.02- Rhamondre Stevenson (NE RB)
11.03- Cordarelle Patterson (ATL RB)
11.04- D.J Chark (DET WR)
11.05- Ken Walker III (SEA RB)
11.06- George Pickens (PIT WR)
11.07- Russell Gage (TB WR)
11.08- Marquez Valdes-Scantling (KC WR)
11.09- Trey Lance (SF QB)
11.10- Michael Gallup (DAL WR)
MY PICK: Trey Lance
There are still plenty of quarterbacks available in this mock draft. Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, and Dak Prescott are some of the more enticing options. None of them present the rushing upside that Trey Lance has. Since most leagues award one point for every 10 rushing yards, that’s a crucial consideration when drafting a quarterback in fantasy football.
The San Francisco 49ers are finally Trey Lance’s team. Jimmy Garropolo is days away from a release or trade from this roster. Additionally, the 49ers traded major assets to acquire Lance in last year’s draft. That said, they know what they have in Lance, specifically when it comes to his skill set. That, of course, includes a 2019 season at North Dakota State with a 116/1,100/14 rushing stat line.
Lance does carry some risk. His 389 passing attempts in college and the NFL combined since 2018 is hard to ignore. A total of NFL 26 quarterbacks threw more than 389 passes last year alone.
Lance has the weapons in Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, and Brandon Aiyuk to have success. We are chasing the ceiling with his rushing upside, though, for fantasy football. It’s not a bad idea to couple Lance with Kirk Cousins, Derek Carr, or another safe fallback option later in drafts just in case.
ROUND 12
12.01- Rondale Moore (ARI WR)
12.02- Jarvis Landry (NO WR)
12.03- Dak Prescott (DAL QB)
12.04- Romeo Doubs (GB WR)
12.05- Melvin Gordon (DEN RB)
12.06- Los Angeles Rams D/ST
12.07- Devante Parker (NE WR)
12.08- Zach Ertz (ARI TE)
12.09- Julio Jones (TB WR)
12.10- T.J. Hockenson (DET TE)
MY PICK: Jarvis Landry
Landry isn’t going to draw any reaction from your league if you draft him. He does provide a level of upside, though, in PPR leagues. Landry is now playing for his hometown team, the New Orleans Saints. They are in desperate need of production at wide receiver after no player recorded more than 46 receptions or 700 receiving yards last season. Landry has exceeded those numbers in all but one season of his eight-year career. His competition for targets is Michael Thomas, who hasn’t played football in over a year, rookie Chris Olave, and running back, Alvin Kamara. Landry is a safe bench player with decent upside here in the 12th round.
You will notice the Rams defense comes off of the board here in the mock draft. Don’t take a defense or kicker until the last two rounds. I know you may think it solidifies your starting lineup for Week 1. However, even a team like the Rams with their top-rated defense, are playing the Buffalo Bills the first week of the season. Are they really going to score that many points? There’s no defensive unit that warrants passing up on other position bench depth here or in any draft.
ROUND 13
13.01- James Cook (BUF RB)
13.02- Aaron Rodgers (GB QB)
13.03- Matthew Stafford (LAR QB)
13.04- Cole Kmet (CHI TE)
13.05- Jahan Dotson (WAS WR)
13.06- Josh Palmer (LAC WR)
13.07- Dawson Knox (BUF TE)
13.08- Mike Gesicki (MIA TE)
13.09- Michael Carter (NYJ RB)
13.10- James Robinson (JAX RB)
MY PICK: Michael Carter
So far this preseason, Jets rookie running back, Breece Hall, isn’t commanding the starting job. In fact, Michael Carter is right there with similar playing time and touches as Hall. This offense will have its growing pains, but I do expect Hall to break out as the season gets rolling. Until then, and in the event of an injury, Carter will have a decent role in this offense. He figures to the be passing-down back, too, especially early on.
ROUND 14
14.01- Pat Freiermuth (PIT TE)
14.02- Kenneth Gainwell (PHI RB)
14.03- Isaiah Spiller (LAC RB)
14.04- Nyheim Hines (IND RB)
14.05- Darrell Henderson (LAR RB)
14.06- Alexander Mattison (MIN RB)
14.07- J.D. McKissic (WAS RB)
14.08- Zamir White (LV RB)
14.09- Khalil Herbert (CHI RB)
14.10- Hunter Henry (NE TE)
MY PICK: Kenneth Gainwell
Miles Sanders is still not practicing for the Philadelphia Eagles. A hamstring injury continues to sideline him this preseason. As far as backup running backs go, Gainwell is one of the better options for fantasy football. He and Boston Scott are likely to split the opportunities in the absence of Sanders. With Sanders, though, Gainwell will likely get the first rotational duties, especially in passing down situations. There is value to be had late in drafts. Kenneth Gainwell in the 14th round is a prime example of that.
There is a major running back spree here. Any of these players are fine additions to my mock draft bench. Hines is going to be more involved in the Colts’ offense this season, especially as a pass catcher. Mattison is one of the more proven handcuffs in fantasy football to Dalvin Cook. McKissic is a PPR monster in Washington. Again, there is plenty of value to be had late in drafts. Don’t let up your focus until the last pick is made.
STARTING LINEUP
QB – Trey Lance
RB – D’Andre Swift, Joe Mixon
WR – Keenan Allen, Courtland Sutton, Allen Robinson
TE – Kyle Pitts
FLEX – Elijah Moore
Bench: Josh Jacobs, Clyde Edwards-Helairne, Kareem Hunt, Jarvis Landry, Michael Carter Jr., Kenneth Gainwell
Mock Draft 9.0 CONCLUSION
It will be hard to find a team in this mock draft with a better group of running backs than me. Leaving the draft with seven backs is not something I planned for, but not something I could pass up. At the time each selection was made, their value at their position was too much to ignore. Each one of them could lead their backfield in touches week-to-week, especially with an injury to a teammate. Most don’t even need that to happen.
There are still plenty of quarterbacks available on this mock draft waiver wire following the draft. In a 10-team league, I can replace Lance if it’s not working out early on. That doesn’t necessarily mean cutting Lance, but rather adding a quarterback who I can trust to get close to, if not exceed 20.0 points per week. With Lance’s rushing upside, I expect him to push for that number consistently each week.
My wide receivers aren’t too flashy. Keenan Allen is 30 years old, but has at least 97 receptions, 992 yards, and six touchdowns in each of the last five seasons. He is a true WR1. Sutton and Robinson are great as my WR2 and WR3 with upside. I’m confident in the combination of wide receivers with Kyle Pitts that this roster will be just fine week to week. I don’t think any of the wide receivers in the fourth round with a tight end taken after Pitts has the same potential for points each week.