As we get further from the bookends we get closer to where I love to operate in fantasy football mock drafts. Eighth overall is one of my favorite slots. You have two teams picking between your odd to even-round selections. It allows you to examine what they need and already have and make selections based on that. You have some insight into who might still be on the board after the next four picks.
This mock draft will have a different start than my last two. Mock drafts are experimental and meant to show different results with different approaches. This approach may seem unconventional for standard leagues but I think it is one some drafters might utilize.
Picking Eighth Overall in Standard Leagues
This mock draft will simulate a 10-team, 1-quarterback, standard league. The roster will consist of 2 wide receivers, 2 running backs, 1 tight end, and 1 Flex position along with seven bench slots. The kicker and D/ST picks will not be included. I’ll go back through the mock draft in reverse order over the coming weeks.
ROUND ONE
1.01- Christian McCaffrey SF – RB
1.02- CeeDee Lamb DAL – WR
1.03- Tyreek Hill MIA – WR
1.04- Breece Hall NYJ – RB
1.05- Bijan Robinson ATL – RB
1.06- Ja’Marr Chase CIN – WR
1.07- Justin Jefferson MIN – WR
1.08- Amon-Ra St. Brown DET – WR
1.09- A.J. Brown PHI – WR
1.10- Derrick Henry BAL – RB
MY PICK: Amon-Ra St. Brown
Let’s mix things up in my third mock. Yes, it’s a standard league but let’s see what would happen with a lax approach at RB. Not quite a zero RB strategy. Amon-Ra St. Brown is the kind of WR you should target if you do decide to swing for a WR to start the mock draft. He’s one of the elite wide receivers who has a chance to finish as the best in football. If you don’t believe me, watch him talk about catching 202 catches every day on Netflix’s ‘Receiver.’
St. Brown finally got paid, yet I doubt there is a dollar amount that exists that would take the chip he has off his shoulder. He set career highs in all receiving categories last year. Still, it’s not hard to believe he can repeat that performance or exceed them. This is despite the emerging talents around him who also deserve the ball. Standard, PPR, whatever format. Amon-Ra St. Brown is a rock-solid first choice.
ROUND TWO
2.01- Garrett Wilson NYJ – WR
2.02- Jonathan Taylor IND – RB
2.03- Saquon Barkley PHI – RB
2.04- Puka Nacua LAR – WR
2.05- Marvin Harrison Jr. ARI – WR
2.06- Jahmyr Gibbs DET – RB
2.07- Kyren Williams LAR – RB
2.08- Deebo Samuel Sr. SF – WR
2.09- Davante Adams LV – WR
2.10- Josh Allen BUF – QB
MY PICK: Saquon Barkley
Saquon Barkley was my first-round pick last week, and with him falling to round two, he absolutely should be considered for my pick here, especially with St. Brown being my first-round selection. Like I said a week ago, Barkley has RB1 upside. He will be playing behind, not just an improved offensive line, but arguably the best in football. Barkley should be the every-down back and, so long as he’s healthy, he makes a great pairing with St. Brown.
I would’ve heavily considered taking Garrett Wilson here had he been available. It might be best for my roster that he wasn’t and I got Saquon instead. However, knowing how the rest of this mock draft goes, I might have wished I went another way.
ROUND THREE
3.01- Travis Etienne Jr. JAC – RB
3.02- De’Von Achane MIA – RB
3.03- Isiah Pacheco KC – RB
3.04- Mike Evans TB – WR
3.05- Sam LaPorta DET – TE
3.06- Kenneth Walker III SEA – RB
3.07- Josh Jacobs GB – RB
3.08- Brandon Aiyuk SF – WR
3.09- Chris Olave NO – WR
3.10- Joe Mixon HOU – RB
MY PICK: Brandon Aiyuk
Brandon Aiyuk has requested a trade this week. However, despite that request, I don’t think he gets moved. Someone will have to have the cap space available to not just add him but give him a big new deal. Not only that, the team that acquires him will have to offer the 49ers something that helps them win now. Or enough draft capital to convince them to hurt their chances at winning a title this year.
Aiyuk’s ceiling is limited. He was great a season ago but it’s hard to imagine him finishing as a top-10 fantasy receiver unless a combination of Christian McCaffery, Deebo Samuel, or George Kittle misses significant time. Still, Aiyuk’s talent is one of the worst-kept secrets in football. I think in a vacuum he has the talent of a top 5 receiver. Is that enough to force Kyle Shanahan’s hand to force the ball to Aiyuk more?
ROUND FOUR
4.10- DJ Moore CHI – WR
4.09- Rachaad White TB – RB
4.08- Patrick Mahomes II – QB
4.07- James Cook BUF – RB
4.06- David Montgomery DET – RB
4.05- James Conner ARI – RB
4.04- DK Metcalf SEA – WR
4.03- Aaron Jones MIN – RB
4.02- Drake London ATL – WR
4.01- Nico Collins HOU – WR
MY PICK: Patrick Mahomes II
In a vacuum, Hurts might be the pick. However, a tandem of Hurts and Saquon feels too risky. I try to avoid pairing my top RB with the WR or QB of the same team.
When you stack a QB and WR you are doubling down on that WRs talents. If you pair a rusher with either end of the passing game you are splitting your ceiling. A rush for 50 is five points for the RB but zero for everyone else. A fifty-yard pass, in standard, is five for the receiver and two for the QB. You don’t raise your ceiling when you have the QB and RB from the same team, you gain no benefit in my eyes. Some think you raise your floor but do you? If you have watched enough football you have seen a game where the offense has no success on the ground or in the air.
Mahomes does come with risk. You are betting on him bouncing back. However, last season, if you watched the games, you know Mahomes was not the issue. Kelce, the only receiver Mahomes trusted to catch the ball, was hobbled and not the same. He now has Hollywood Brown, his best receiver since Tyreek Hill, and Xavier Worthy, his fastest receiver since Tyreek Hill. Those two alone should elevate Mahomes, who along with a healthy Kelce, is looking for a three-peat.
ROUND FIVE
5.01- Michael Pittman IND – WR
5.02- Travis Kelce KC – TE
5.03- Lamar Jackson BAL – QB
5.04- Alvin Kamara NO – RB
5.05- Stefon Diggs HOU – WR
5.06- Najee Harris PIT – RB
5.07- Mark Andrews BAL – TE
5.08- D’Andre Swift CHI – RB
5.09- Zamir White LV – RB
5.10- Jalen Hurts PHI – QB
MY PICK: D’Andre Swift
For a minute I was hopeful I could land Kelce and Mahomes in back-to-back rounds for a nice stack with actual benefits. However, that dream is held off for now. We’ll see if it’s something I can pull off in a later mock.
The risk I took to avoid the RB position is showing its face. My picking is limited for building my RB room out. After Swift, there is a ton of risk. White is a favorite but what have we seen to prove he is even going to be relevant in real football, let alone fantasy? D’Andre Swift is a nice player but even in Philadelphia he still never reached the potential his talent has shown he can be. There are a lot of mouths for Caleb Williams to feed in Chicago, maybe even more mouths than in Philadelphia. However, beggars can’t be choosers. At this point in the mock draft, I’m begging to find an RB I can confidently start week in and week out. Swift fits that mold.
ROUND SIX
6.01- Raheem Mostert MIA – RB
6.02- Anthony Richardson IND – QB
6.03- Rhamondre Stevenson NE – RB
6.04- Tony Pollard TEN – RB
6.05- Kyle Pitts ATL – TE
6.06- Jaylen Waddle MIA – WR
6.07- Trey McBride ARI – TE
6.08- Brian Robinson Jr. WAS – RB
6.09- C.J. Stroud HOU – QB
6.10- Zack Moss CIN – RB
MY PICK: Rhamondre Stevenson
Another round where I hoped a certain player would fall to me, only for them not to. I had my eye on TE for the second round in a row, particularly Trey McBride again. That position will have to wait another round in this mock draft.
Nick Chubb was considered here. Especially after that video of him squatting. I couldn’t get myself to pull the trigger. I’m too thin at RB to take this kind of risk. I need someone who is the lead back on their team and I can trust to play in the flex spot early and often this year.
Stephenson fits that mold. He is the lead guy in New England, on an offense that should be improved starting with Drake Maye taking over at QB. It should open up an offense that felt like it was facing the Buddy Ryan Polish Goalline defense some weeks. If it does, Stephenson can play like a high-end RB2, making him a great steal at this point in the draft.
ROUND SEVEN
7.01- Cooper Kupp LAR – WR
7.02- Javonte Williams DEN – RB
7.03- Amari Cooper CLE – WR
7.04- Dak Prescott DAL – QB
7.05- DeVonta Smith PHI – WR
7.06- Caleb Williams CHI – QB
7.07- Joe Burrow CIN – QB
7.08- Jonathon Brooks CAR – RB
7.09- Nick Chubb CLE – RB
7.10- Jaylen Warren PIT – RB
MY PICK: Jonathan Brooks
I’m somewhat doubling up my mindset from the last round of my mock draft. I need RBs who will play early and often, not long-term plays at RB. Brooks is a happy medium. Brooks, of all rookie RBs, has the cleanest path to significant playing time early in the year. His competition is Chuba Hubbard and Miles Sanders, two players who averaged 3.8 and 3.3 ypc last year. The Panthers offense could use some consistency in the ground game to help alleviate the stress on Bryce Young. If Brooks can provide that, he will quickly become fantasy-relevant on a weekly basis. If he doesn’t, he’s my RB4 and trade bait for someone who will be interested in buying on his late-season upside.
ROUND EIGHT
8.01- Tee Higgins CIN – WR
8.02- Gus Edwards LAC – RB
8.03- Malik Nabers NYG – WR
8.04- Austin Ekeler WAS – RB
8.05- Tyjae Spears TEN – RB
8.06- George Pickens PIT – WR
8.07- Tank Dell HOU – WR
8.08- Devin Singletary NYG – RB
8.09- Ezekiel Elliott DAL – RB
8.10- Zay Flowers BAL – WR
MY PICK: Malik Nabers
This is a pick I am making in PPR fantasy football drafts. In standard, I’m more hesitant. In my eyes, despite the Giants’ offensive flaws, Malik Nabers can easily finish as a 1,000-yard receiver. Where I’m hesitant, is unless the touchdowns are there I am not sure what his rookie year looks like from a fantasy perspective.
I’m not the first to say this, but Jaylen Waddle’s rookie year is a great measuring stick for what to expect from Nabers. Waddle had 140 targets for over 1,000 yards but 6 TDs. They have similar blazing speed but Nabers might have the better ball skills. Waddle was also the top dog in Miami his rookie year with a QB in Tua Tagovialoa, who like Daniel Jones, doesn’t push the ball down the field. Nabers will be the central focus of the Giants offense without Barkely so there should be plenty of touches.
ROUND NINE
9.01- Keenan Allen CHI – WR
9.02- Jerome Ford CLE – RB
9.03- Jayden Reed GB – WR
9.04- Christian Kirk JAC – WR
9.05- Trey Benson ARI – RB
9.06- Jameson Williams DET – WR
9.07- Rashee Rice KC – WR
9.08- Calvin Ridley TEN – WR
9.09- Ladd McConkey LAC – WR
9.10- Rome Odunze CHI – WR
My Pick: Calvin Ridley
What if I told you in round nine you could come away with a 29-year-old receiver who was widely considered to have WR1 tier upside a year ago? Ridley burned a ton of fantasy managers with his letdown return to football in Jacksonville. However, it wasn’t so bad he should be available in round nine. He finished 25th in receiving yards and tied for eighth in TDs. Does that sound like a WR who is available in the back half of fantasy football drafts? Alongside rookies and other young receivers hoping to take a leap? Ridley is a steal here. A backup draft slot who still has that WR1 upside we all thought he had last year. Take him in your leagues if he falls this far like he did in this mock draft.
ROUND 10
10.01- Jordan Addison MIN – WR
10.02- Diontae Johnson CAR – WR
10.03- George Kittle SF – TE
10.04- Zach Charbonnet SEA – RB
10.05- New York Jets DST
10.06- Jordan Love GB – QB
10.07- Chase Brown CIN – RB
10.08- Terry McLaurin WAS – WR
10.09- Blake Corum LAR – RB
10.10- Chris Godwin TB – WR
MY PICK: George Kittle
After striking out in back-to-back earlier rounds at TE I decided to wait. It’s great to come away with a starter this late, especially one like Kittle. However, I am in a tough spot with Kittle and Aiyuk both on my team as starters. It becomes a major win if Aiyuk gets moved, but if he doesn’t I need to hope Brock Purdy forgets Deebo Samuel exists. It’s a tough spot to be in and while Kittle is supremely talented, I’ll likely be asking around on both him and Aiyuk to see if anyone is interested early in the season. Don’t think I’ll be giving either away for any deal. There are worse offenses to be splitting than the 49ers, who are consistently at the top of the league.
STARTING LINEUP
QB – Patrick Mahomes II
RB – Saquon Barkley, D’Andre Swift
WR – Amon-Ra St. Brown, Brandon Aiyuk
TE – George Kittle
FLEX – Rhamondre Stevenson
Bench: Jonathan Brooks, Malik Nabers, Calvin Ridley, Xavier Worthy (11.08), Antonio Gibson (12.03) Tua Tagovailoa (13.09), Dallas Goedert (14.02)
Final Take
I don’t hate this mock draft. That said, there were some uncomfortable picks where I felt forced to take a certain position or player which I never like. You want to come away either landing the perfect guy in a perfect spot or having plenty of options. After the first three rounds, I felt like that flexibility was gone. Still, I see the vision with this team.
There is star power. St. Brown, Saquon, Mahomes, Kittle, and Aiyuk. That’s the kind of roster you run into and know you’ll need a big week to come away with a victory. What I really love about this team is how I feel like it’ll get stronger as the season goes. Rookies like Brooks, Nabers and Xavier Worthy can all have impacts early. However, I expect bigger things from them as the season goes on and as they get comfortable with the speed of pro football. Plus Rhamondre Stevenson and D’Andre Swift are RBs I can start on most weeks until Brooks gets to that point. This roster may not be perfect, yet, but I think it’s quite close as is.
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How’d Sean do in this mock draft from the #8 slot? Let him know in the comments below and then make sure to check out our 2024 Fantasy Football Draft Kit for more great rankings and analysis.