This is the last mock draft before NFL training camps begin to open up for all 32 teams. From there, daily news and updates will alter the value of players we’ve been mock drafting for weeks now. As always, though, even if the values of players do drastically change, consider this another attempt at testing out a different roster build for the 2024 fantasy football season.
Every Monday, until the start of the NFL season, I will be completing a fantasy football mock draft on what I like to call “Mock Draft Monday.” This series is a favorite of mine and one of the articles I look forward to the most during fantasy football draft season. I encourage you to review these mock drafts and complete some of your own!
Each week, I will select a mock draft team selecting players from a different draft spot with an analysis as to why I picked each player where I did and when I did. As I break down the results of each mock draft, I guarantee my reasoning for every pick will help guide your own decision-making process when it comes time to select your teams for the upcoming fantasy football season. So, follow along all summer long!
Picking Third Overall in the Third 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 third overall pick in this mock draft and will make selections from different draft positions each week. For this mock draft, I will break down just the first 10 of the total 16 rounds as many Average Draft Positions, particularly for the later rounds, are bound to change once NFL training camps begin. 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 (SF RB)
1.02- CeeDee Lamb (DAL WR)
1.03- Tyreek Hill (MIA WR)
1.04- Amon-Ra St. Brown (DET WR)
1.05- Justin Jefferson (MIN WR)
1.06- Ja’Marr Chase (CIN WR)
1.07- Breece Hall (NYJ RB)
1.08- Bijan Robinson (ATL RB)
1.09- Puka Nacua (LAR WR)
1.10- A.J. Brown (PHI WR)
MY PICK: Tyreek Hill
After selecting CeeDee Lamb with the 1.01 and 1.02 picks in my first two mock drafts, I promised I wouldn’t again if he was available here at third overall. At this point, I would expect a heavy majority of 2024 fantasy football drafts to start with Christian McCaffrey and CeeDee Lamb.
Tyreek Hill will undoubtedly find his place at the top of drafts as well. If not for an unfortunate Week 14 injury, I think we would have seen Tyreek Hill eclipse 2,000 receiving yards. Prior to that, Hill had over 100 receiving yards in seven of 11 games. That includes five games of 150+ yards.
Hill has logged 170 and 171 targets respectively in two regular seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He’s yielded over 1,700 receiving yards with exactly 119 receptions in each season. There’s hardly a difference in personnel and coaching in Miami heading into 2024. Tyreek Hill is a fantasy game changer with an extremely safe floor you can invest this high of draft capital in.
ROUND TWO
2.01 – Garrett Wilson (NYJ WR)
2.02- Davante Adams (LV WR)
2.03- Drake London (ATL WR)
2.04- Jahmyr Gibbs (DET RB)
2.05- Kyren Williams (LAR RB)
2.06- Jonathan Taylor (IND RB)
2.07- Brandon Aiyuk (SF WR)
2.08- Saquon Barkley (PHI RB)
2.09- Marvin Harrison Jr. (ARI WR)
2.10- Nico Collins (HOU WR)
MY PICK: Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley is my 12th-overall ranked player in Points Per Reception leagues this season. So, drafting him with the 18th-overall pick is a value for me. If you already think Saquon is one of the best running backs in the league, just wait until he’s running behind the Philadelphia Eagles’ offensive line. Even without Jason Kelce at center, I cannot emphasize enough how many more opportunities Saquon is going to have to take games over than he did with the New York Giants, specifically with fewer hits behind the line of scrimmage.
I know Jalen Hurts is a threat to Saquon Barkley’s touchdown total, especially in the red zone, but Barkley should finish more of the runs D’Andre Swift didn’t, and maybe couldn’t. Prioritizing Saquon in free agency also indicates to me that he will take some of the rushing off of Hurts’ plate in an attempt to preserve the quarterback’s health. It’s nice to get an elite running back near the end of the second round of this mock draft.
ROUND THREE
3.01- Chris Olave (NO WR)
3.02- Travis Etienne (JAX RB)
3.03- Michael Pittman Jr. (IND WR)
3.04- Derrick Henry (BAL RB)
3.05- Josh Allen (BUF QB)
3.06- De’Von Achane (MIA RB)
3.07- Jaylen Waddle (MIA WR)
3.08- Deebo Samuel (SF WR)
3.09- Joe Mixon (HOU RB)
3.10- Mike Evans (TB WR)
MY PICK: Michael Pittman Jr.
I want you to know it’s not easy passing up Josh Allen in the third round of any draft, even a mock draft. He has no less than 24.0 fantasy points per game in each of the last three seasons. That obviously gives him three straight top-three fantasy quarterback finishes, including two as the QB1 in 2021 and last season.
In the spirit of seeing how my mock draft team looks when I wait a bit more at quarterback, I’m taking Michael Pittman again. I think WR15 value in this mock draft is fair for last season’s WR13 who could be a bargain in a fully healthy season from quarterback Anthony Richardson. There are still a few, fair question marks around Richardson, but Pittman is still his top target which establishes a fine, volume-based floor.
ROUND FOUR
4.01- Alvin Kamara (NO RB)
4.02- Stefon Diggs (HOU WR)
4.03- Cooper Kupp (LAR WR)
4.04- Amari Cooper (CLE WR)
4.05- Sam LaPorta (DET TE)
4.06- Malik Nabers (NYG WR)
4.07- Mark Andrews (BAL TE)
4.08- Travis Kelce (KC TE)
4.09- Jalen Hurts (PHI QB)
4.10- DeVonta Smith (PHI WR)
MY PICK: Travis Kelce
Usually, when tight ends start coming off the board early on, I pounce on value at other positions. However, in the fourth round of this mock draft, selecting Patrick Mahomes’ typical go-to target as the third player at his position feels like the right decision. I’m comfortable with Tyreek Hill and Michael Pittman on my roster with plenty of wide receivers still available to round out my starting lineup.
Locking in a stud tight end early on always feels good in real-time, but isn’t always the best possible pick in hindsight. Seeing other high-upside tight end starters come off the board as late as the seventh round generates a bit of regret with this pick. However, if this league were real, I’m not going to lose because I drafted Travis Kelce in the fourth round.
It’s easy to believe Travis Kelce is perhaps “distracted” because every story about him is non-football related with an emphasis on his relationship with Taylor Swift. Don’t let that distract you from the fact that Kelce averaged eight catches for 88 yards per game in four NFL playoff games last season. Kelce is still a stud.
ROUND FIVE
5.01- Isiah Pacheco (KC RB)
5.02- Rachaad White (TB RB)
5.03- Patrick Mahomes (KC QB)
5.04- Lamar Jackson (BAL QB)
5.05- D.J. Moore (CHI WR)
5.06- DK Metcalf (SEA WR)
5.07- Zay Flowers (BAL WR)
5.08- Josh Jacobs (GB RB)
5.09- Dak Prescott (DAL QB)
5.10- James Cook (BUF RB)
MY PICK: Patrick Mahomes
Similar to my thoughts above on taking a tight end “early”, I’m not typically targeting quarterbacks early on in 2024 1QB fantasy football drafts, either. However, I’m not going to lose this mock draft league drafting the Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes stack back-to-back in the fourth and fifth rounds. It also feels great taking Mahomes in the same round that Dak Prescott comes off of the board. That’s a serious reach in this mock draft.
Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are looking to be the first NFL team ever to “three-peat” with their third-straight Super Bowl this season. I’m willing to draft Mahomes simply to invest in his pursuit of history.
For a bit more convincing, while 2023 isn’t Mahomes’ best fantasy season, as QB13, a few numbers stand out to support why he could very easily bounce back in 2024. His 92 red zone pass attempts rank third amongst all quarterbacks in 2023. Mahomes has also led the position in yards after the catch in each of the last four seasons. His 6.8 yards on average per target last season is also the lowest of his career. After adding Marquise Brown in free agency and Xavier Worthy in the NFL Draft, Mahomes should have a fantastic 2024 fantasy football season after teetering on doing so last year.
ROUND SIX
6.01- Kenneth Walker (SEA RB)
6.02- Aaron Jones (MIN RB)
6.03- Rhamondre Stevenson (NE RB)
6.04- Christian Kirk (JAX WR)
6.05- Tee Higgins (CIN WR)
6.06- Trey McBride (ARI TE)
6.07- Keenan Allen (CHI WR)
6.08- George Pickens (PIT WR)
6.09- Tank Dell (HOU WR)
6.10- David Montgomery (DET RB)
MY PICK: George Pickens
This is two mock drafts in a row where George Pickens ends up as a starter for my team. In this mock draft, he’s my WR3 as opposed to my Flex in the mock draft prior. Pickens is the Pittsburgh Steelers’ best wide receiver and, at just 23 years old, fits the mold to be a third-year breakout. Simply put, he should have a massive target share. With his speed, hands, and route running ability, we could look back at Pickens’ draft position as one of the best picks in 2024 fantasy football drafts.
ROUND SEVEN
7.01- Dalton Kincaid (BUF TE)
7.02- James Conner (ARI RB)
7.03- Terry McLaurin (WAS WR)
7.04- Calvin Ridley (TEN WR)
7.05- Zamir White (LV RB)
7.06- C.J. Stroud (HOU QB)
7.07- Anthony Richardson (IND QB)
7.08- Kyle Pitts (ATL TE)
7.09- Rashee Rice (KC WR)
7.10- George Kittle (SF TE)
MY PICK: Terry McLaurin
Round Seven is a teaching moment for me. I’ll gladly learn a few lessons now during mock draft season rather than in August when I’m drafting my real redraft teams. As you can see, quarterbacks like C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson as well as tight ends like Dalton Kincaid, Kyle Pitts, and George Kittle all come off the board here. It makes me second-guess taking Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes back-to-back in the fourth and fifth rounds a bit. I don’t necessarily regret the picks, but as someone who typically waits to draft those positions, and plans to in 2024, it’s obvious that value can be had a bit later on.
On the flip side, it is nice to go through a fantasy football draft with positions confidently locked up. Having that Kelce and Mahomes combination already gives me the liberty to attack wide receiver and running back for the remainder of the draft.
That said, drafting Terry McLaurin as my flex feels like the right move as a player who could exceed their draft value. He should be Jayden Daniels’ WR1 in Washington which is arguably the best quarterback he’s ever had. Still, McLaurin has four straight 1,000+ yard seasons, though just 18 total receiving touchdowns since 2020. Let’s hope he finds the end zone more in 2024.
ROUND EIGHT
8.01- Kyler Murray (ARI QB)
8.02- Austin Ekeler (WAS RB)
8.03- Joe Burrow (CIN QB)
8.04- Chris Godwin (TB WR)
8.05- D’Andre Swift (CHI RB)
8.06- Jaylen Warren (PIT RB)
8.07- Najee Harris (PIT RB)
8.08- Tony Pollard (TEN RB)
8.09- Raheem Mostert (MIA RB)
8.10- Jordan Love (GB QB)
MY PICK: Tony Pollard
I’m going to have Tony Pollard on a lot of my 2024 redraft fantasy teams. He is one of six players last season with 300 or more touches. This is after breaking his leg just nine months prior to the season, in which he played all 17 games. It wasn’t Pollard’s most efficient season, but he didn’t really get back up to speed until Week 11 or so.
Now, Pollard is the presumed lead back with receiving upside in a new Tennessee Titans’ regime that continues to invest in their offensive line. After drafting him as the RB1 for our fantasy teams in 2023, I’m declaring Pollard one of my favorite post-hype sleepers here in the Eighth Round as my RB2 in 2024. Drafting him confidently, after two teams prior split the Pittsburgh Steelers’ backfield just before between Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris, makes me feel even better about the pick.
ROUND NINE
9.01- Hollywood Brown (KC WR)
9.02- Zack Moss (CIN RB)
9.03- Diontae Johnson (CAR WR)
9.04- Jonathan Brooks (CAR RB)
9.05- Tyjae Spears (TEN RB)
9.06- Jayden Reed (GB WR)
9.07- Xavier Worthy (KC WR)
9.08- DeAndre Hopkins (TEN WR)
9.09- Rome Odunze (CHI WR)
9.10- Brian Robinson Jr. (WAS RB)
My Pick: Diontae Johnson
Diontae Johnson could legitimately push for 140 or more targets in his first season with the Carolina Panthers. There are still a few question marks around the other Panthers receivers and even quarterback Bryce Young, but Johnson is a sure thing when it comes to route running and the ability to handle a heavy workload in the passing game.
Especially under new head coach, Dave Canales, the former offensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, I’m confident he can put Bryce Young on track in his second season. Acquiring Diontae Johnson this off-season is a priority add for Young’s development. Acquiring Diontae Johnson this late in 2024 fantasy football drafts is a high-floor play with a potentially high ceiling.
ROUND 10
10.01- Jordan Addison (MIN WR)
10.02- Javonte Williams (DEN RB)
10.03- Jerome Ford (CLE RB)
10.04- Devin Singletary (NYG RB)
10.05- Gus Edwards (LAC RB)
10.06- Ladd McConkey (LAC WR)
10.07- Ezekiel Elliott (DAL RB)
10.08- Christian Watson (GB WR)
10.09- Jaxon Smith-Njigba (SEA WR)
10.10- Chase Brown (CIN RB)
MY PICK: Christian Watson
In 23 games with the Green Bay Packers, Chrsitian Watson has 69 receptions for 1,124 yards and 14 touchdowns. The elephant in the room, however, is how many of these games he’s left early due to injury. In fact, he’s played just 14 and nine games respectively in his first two regular seasons.
This off-season, it appears Watson is prioritizing his health in an attempt to find the cause of nagging hamstring issues. If he can stay healthy, I do believe he is the Packers wide receiver you want on your fantasy football teams. With Jordan Love, in a Week 5 through 13 sample size in 2023, Watson led the Packers in target share, red zone targets, and air yards. The potential is obvious, we just haven’t seen it on a consistent basis. I’ll use a 10th-round pick on him 10 out of 10 times for this season.
STARTING LINEUP
QB – Patrick Mahomes
RB – Saquon Barkley, Tony Pollard
WR – Tyreek Hill, Michael Pittman Jr., George Pickens
TE – Travis Kelce
FLEX – Terry McLaurin
BENCH: Christian Watson (10.08), Nick Chubb (11.03), Ty Chandler (12.08), Jameson Williams (13.03), MarShawn Lloyd (14.08)
Mock Draft 3.0 CONCLUSION
After three mock drafts, this is my favorite team yet. As it should be, right? The idea is to get better each time and find a build that works best for when it’s time to draft our real rosters.
I don’t necessarily love Michael Pittman, George Pickens, and Terry McLaurin all starting for this team, but believe they are appropriately slotted into correct values as WR2, WR3 and the Flex respectively. I’ve had better wide receivers on previous mock draft teams, but that’s what happens here when I invest in a top tight end like Travis Kelce early on. Padding the bench with high-upside picks like Christian Watson and Jameson Williams helps.
My running backs could be better. I love the value on Saquon at the end of the second round and spoke highly of Tony Pollard as an eighth-round pick. Beyond them, however, Nick Chubb is a huge question mark that we hopefully have more clarity on by the start of the season. Additionally, Ty Chandler and MarShawn Lloyd are both seemingly the handcuffs to Aaron Jones and Josh Jacobs. I like stashing one or two of those guys in every draft, but if I lose Saquon or Pollard, I don’t have many startable options. I need to look deeper into some better mid-to-late round options at the position to rely on, especially with a 30 second draft clock.
Who’s your favorite dark horse QB1? Drop some names in the comments below and then make sure to check out our 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Kit for more great rankings and analysis.