With the first of many preseason football games this Thursday, we are that much closer to fantasy football season. This is the last mock draft of July. As the calendar flips to August, it’s time to get serious about preparing to build our championship rosters.
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 Fifth Overall in the Fifth 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 fifth 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 12 of the total 16 rounds. 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- Ja’Marr Chase (CIN WR)
1.06- Breece Hall (NYJ RB)
1.07- Justin Jefferson (MIN WR)
1.08- Bijan Robinson (ATL RB)
1.09- A.J. Brown (PHI WR)
1.10- Garrett Wilson (NYJ WR)
MY PICK: Ja’Marr Chase
Many fantasy football managers will face the decision between Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson in the first round as I did in this mock draft. Very simply, I’m rolling with the receiver who has the better quarterback. This isn’t to say Sam Darnold (or even J.J. McCarthy) can’t sustain a WR1 season from Justin Jefferson. Rather, Ja’Marr Chase is just in a better position with Joe Burrow to succeed. This is a common tiebreaker when deciding between wide receivers, as you’ll see in round two of the mock draft, as well.
ROUND TWO
2.01 – Puka Nacua (LAR WR)
2.02- Jahmyr Gibbs (DET RB)
2.03- Jonathan Taylor (IND RB)
2.04- Saquon Barkley (PHI RB)
2.05- Kyren Williams (LAR RB)
2.06- Marvin Harrison Jr. (ARI WR)
2.07- Drake London (ATL WR)
2.08- Davante Adams (LV WR)
2.09- Chris Olave (NO WR)
2.10- Nico Collins (HOU WR)
MY PICK: Marvin Harrison Jr.
As mentioned before, I’m choosing Marvin Harrison Jr. over a few other wide receivers because of their respective quarterback situations. Let’s look at the last four picks taken after Harrison Jr. here in round two of the mock draft.
Drake London is getting a much-needed quarterback upgrade in Kirk Cousins, but he’s returning from a season-ending Achilles injury. Davante Adams is a target monster in Las Vegas, but the combination of Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew is nowhere near the level of Kyler Murray for Marvin Harrison Jr. That same can be said for Derek Carr throwing to Chris Olave. Sure, Olave drew 138 targets in 2023, but only 93 of them (67%) were deemed “catchable.” Lastly, I do love me some Nico Collins with C.J. Stroud, but Harrison Jr. should push for closer to a 30% target share while Collins battles Stefon Diggs, Tank Dell, and others for looks.
ROUND THREE
3.01- Deebo Samuel (SF WR)
3.02- Josh Allen (BUF QB)
3.03- Brandon Aiyuk (SF WR)
3.04- De’Von Achane (MIA RB)
3.05- Travis Etienne (JAX RB)
3.06- Travis Kelce (KC TE)
3.07- Michael Pittman Jr. (IND WR)
3.08- Jaylen Waddle (MIA WR)
3.09- Sam LaPorta (DET TE)
3.10- Malik Nabers (NYG WR)
MY PICK: Travis Etienne
I’m glad to get Travis Etienne as the RB9 in the third round of this mock draft, or any draft, really. He is last season’s RB6 on a point-per-game basis. Etienne trails just Christian McCaffrey in total points amongst all running backs, last season, as well. This is after many overexaggerated how much of a threat rookie Tank Bigsby would be to Etienne, especially in goal-to-go situations. Meanwhile, Etienne is one of just nine running backs to log 60% or more of their team’s rush attempts inside the five-yard line. He scored five touchdowns on nine carries in this range.
Travis Etienne is also one of six players with over 300 touches during the 2023 season. Heading into 2024, his competition for touches in the Jaguars’ backfield remains the same. It’s still Tank Bigsby and D’Ernest Johnson in that order, for now. Jacksonville is coming off of an underwhelming season and I think it lends to being able to draft Etienne so easily in the third round here.
ROUND FOUR
4.01- Rachaad White (TB RB)
4.02- Derrick Henry (BAL RB)
4.03- Isiah Pacheco (KC RB)
4.04- DeVonta Smith (PHI WR)
4.05- Patrick Mahomes (KC QB)
4.06- Mike Evans (TB WR)
4.07- Cooper Kupp (LAR WR)
4.08- Josh Jacobs (GB RB)
4.09- D.J. Moore (CHI WR)
4.10- DK Metcalf (SEA WR)
MY PICK: Mike Evans
Mike Evans has 10 straight seasons of 1,000 or more receiving yards. Logging an 11th season with over 1,000 yards will tie him with Hall of Famer Jerry Rice. For that reason alone, I’m drafting Mike Evans. If I know he’s in pursuit of such an honor, then he, Baker Mayfield, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers coaching staff know it, too. Building a wide-receiver-heavy roster early on, and getting Evans as the WR3, is as good a start as any.
ROUND FIVE
5.01- Joe Mixon (HOU RB)
5.02- Alvin Kamara (NO RB)
5.03- James Cook (BUF RB)
5.04- Jalen Hurts (PHI QB)
5.05- Kenneth Walker (SEA RB)
5.06- Stefon Diggs (HOU WR)
5.07- Trey McBride (ARI TE)
5.08- Zay Flowers (BAL WR)
5.09- Tank Dell (HOU WR)
5.10- Mark Andrews (BAL TE)
MY PICK: Kenneth Walker
Without including Week 11, when Kenneth Walker left early with an oblique injury, nor Week 14, when he returned to limited work, Walker averaged just shy of 16 carries per game in the 13 other contests last season. There aren’t many running backs left on the board, if any at all, capable of such a workload. Walker is the lead back on a, what should be, improved offense in 2024 with Ryan Grubb serving as offensive coordinator.
For this mock draft pick, I’m looking at supply and demand. There are fewer running backs I feel confident in starting week-to-week as my RB2 next to Travis Etienne. Meanwhile, there are plenty of wide receivers I can plug in as my weekly flex. The total floor and upside of Walker with my future flex-worthy pick outweighs any of these wide receivers as a flex plus a lower-tier RB2.
ROUND SIX
6.01- James Conner (ARI RB)
6.02- Lamar Jackson (BAL QB)
6.03- Amari Cooper (CLE WR)
6.04- Kyler Murray (ARI QB)
6.05- George Pickens (PIT WR)
6.06- Christian Kirk (JAX WR)
6.07- Chris Godwin (TB WR)
6.08- Aaron Jones (MIN RB)
6.09- Calvin Ridley (TEN WR)
6.10- David Montgomery (DET RB)
MY PICK: Christian Kirk
I now have two Jacksonville Jaguars in this mock draft starting lineup. I don’t believe in the Jags enough to feel confident taking both Christian Kirk here after Travis Etienne in the third round, but if I’m pairing any two Jaguars, it’s those two.
Christian Kirk is just two seasons removed from having 22 red zone targets, tying Davante Adams for seventh-most in the league. His five in 2023 are a result of missing time due to injury while Calvin Ridley’s third-most 26 targets stand out. Ridley is now on the Tennessee Titans. Kirk should return to reestablish his role as Trevor Lawrence’s WR1.
ROUND SEVEN
7.01- Dalton Kincaid (BUF TE)
7.02- Rhamondre Stevenson (NE RB)
7.03- Evan Engram (JAX TE)
7.04- Najee Harris (PIT RB)
7.05- Anthony Richardson (IND QB)
7.06- Tee Higgins (CIN WR)
7.07- Zamir White (LV RB)
7.08- C.J. Stroud (HOU QB)
7.09- Keenan Allen (CHI WR)
7.10- Diontae Johnson (CAR WR)
MY PICK: Anthony Richardson
With training camp up and running, the Anthony Richardson hype train isn’t as carried away as I expected. Richardson is practicing which is extremely positive after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury last season followed by shoulder soreness during OTAs in June.
I’m not anticipating getting Richardson as late as the seventh round. There’s already plenty of hype around him for fantasy football as one of the league’s most highly sought-after rushing quarterbacks. All it takes is one viral highlight from the preseason to firmly raise his fantasy stock. This is already happening with rookie Malik Nabers who is seemingly making viral catches every day in camp. If you didn’t notice already, scroll up and see where he was drafted in this mock draft!
ROUND EIGHT
8.01- Joe Burrow (CIN QB)
8.02- DeAndre Hopkins (TEN WR)
8.03- Terry McLaurin (WAS WR)
8.04- Kyle Pitts (ATL TE)
8.05- D’Andre Swift (CHI RB)
8.06- Rashee Rice (KC WR)
8.07- Devin Singletary (NYG RB)
8.08- Dak Prescott (DAL QB)
8.09- Rome Odunze (CHI WR)
8.10- Jordan Love (GB QB)
MY PICK: Rashee Rice
At this point, it does not seem like Rashee Rice will serve a suspension this season for his involvement in an April 2024 multi-vehicle crash. We do not have an official word on this matter. However, if you recall, Alvin Kamara was involved in an off-field altercation in February of 2022 he did not serve a league suspension for until the 2023 season. I’m anticipating Rice to miss a handful of games in 2025 with this concept in mind. That said, even with the additions of Hollywood Brown and Xavier Worthy, Rice feels like a value in this mock draft.
ROUND NINE
9.01- Hollywood Brown (KC WR)
9.02- Tony Pollard (TEN RB)
9.03- Raheem Mostert (MIA RB)
9.04- Jayden Reed (GB WR)
9.05- George Kittle (SF TE)
9.06- Christian Watson (GB WR)
9.07- Javonte Williams (DEN RB)
9.08- Brian Robinson Jr. (WAS RB)
9.09- Nick Chubb (CLE RB)
9.10- Jaylen Warren (PIT RB)
MY PICK: George Kittle
Drafting George Kittle as the TE8 in the ninth round feels like a league-winning draft pick. In a season with a seemingly deep list of tight ends, Kittle’s value appears to be taking a hit as a result of the rise of younger up-and-coming names. Kittle still finished 10th in total targets amongst tight ends and remains on one of the best offenses in football. Especially with a lot of uncertainty surrounding the 49ers’ wide receivers right now, Kittle could end up as a big beneficiary this season.
ROUND 10
10.01- Chase Brown (CIN RB)
10.02- Jonathan Brooks (CAR RB)
10.03- Courtland Sutton (DEN WR)
10.04- Tyjae Spears (TEN RB)
10.05- Jordan Addison (MIN WR)
10.06- Jerome Ford (CLE RB)
10.07- Ladd McConkey (LAC WR)
10.08- Xavier Worthy (KC WR)
10.09- Jaxon Smith-Njigba (SEA WR)
10.10- Gus Edwards (LAC RB)
MY PICK: Jerome Ford
It wasn’t until I began writing down the lineup of players at the end of this mock draft that I realized I did not draft a third running back until Ford in the tenth round. This selection embodies what I need him to be this season in fantasy football. A high-upside player at the position with the potential to handle a high-volume role.
As much as I’m rooting for a bounce back for Nick Chubb, he is returning from a Week 2 ACL, MCL, and meniscus tear. Chubb also tore the same ACL during his collegiate career. Even if he does return to the field at full strength, it’s hard to imagine the Browns handing him his typical heavy workload.
ROUND 11
11.01- Brian Thomas Jr. (JAX WR)
11.02- Austin Ekeler (WAS RB)
11.03- Trey Benson (ARI RB)
11.04- Tyler Lockett (SEA WR)
11.05- Jameson Williams (DET WR)
11.06- Ezekiel Elliott (DAL RB)
11.07- Romeo Doubs (GB WR)
11.08- Zack Moss (CIN RB)
11.09- Keon Coleman (BUF WR)
11.10- Zach Charbonnet (SEA RB)
MY PICK: Jameson Williams
I think Jameson got lost in the Average Draft Position rankings during this mock draft. Based on early reports from the Detroit Lions training camp, I expected him to come off the board much higher than this. We take value where we can and say “thank you” later.
Williams is entering his third NFL season and has yet to play a game in the month of September. That’s due to his recovery from an ACL injury heading into his rookie season then a gambling suspension prior to last season. Head coach Dan Campbell states “This is the most confident I’ve seen him since he’s been here.” Rather than invest high draft capital in tight end Sam LaPorta, I love the idea of drafting Jameson Williams rounds later as the potential number two target for Jared Goff this season.
ROUND 12
12.01- Jayden Daniels (WAS QB)
12.02- Blake Corum (LAR RB)
12.03- Jake Ferguson (DAL TE)
12.04- Rico Dowdle (DAL RB)
12.05- Mike Williams (NYJ WR)
12.06- Jakobi Meyers (LV WR)
12.07- Curtis Samuel (BUF WR)
12.08- David Njoku (CLE TE)
12.09- Joshua Palmer (LAC WR)
12.10- Brock Bowers (LV TE)
MY PICK: Jakobi Meyers
Jakobi Meyers had a 20% target share on the Las Vegas Raiders last season. It’s rare to find a player who not only did that the season prior, but can again in 2024 this late in the mock draft. Meyers is purely a high-upside depth piece for this fantasy football roster.
STARTING LINEUP
QB – Anthony Richardson
RB – Travis Etienne, Kenneth Walker
WR – Ja’Marr Chase, Marvin Harrison Jr., Mike Evans
TE – George Kittle
FLEX – Christian Kirk
BENCH: Rashee Rice, Jerome Ford, Jameson Williams, Jakobi Meyers, Chuba Hubbard (13.05), Jaylen Wright (14.06)
Mock Draft 5.0 CONCLUSION
This mock draft team has my favorite four-player start of any mock draft yet. My starting wide receivers, albeit with one rookie, should all dominate the target share on their respective teams while racking up major points with the talent to do so.
Meanwhile, I snagged two starting running backs that have top-five potential (Etienne more than Walker), but without the price tag. I should have prioritized my running back depth a bit more, however. Jerome Ford, Chuba Hubbard, and Jaylen Wright as my only depth pieces doesn’t instill the most confidence if they are called upon to start on this mock draft roster.
I don’t anticipate drafting Anthony Richardson and George Kittle where I did, but I’ll take value where I can get it. If not those two where they were drafted, I’m comfortable waiting a bit longer to draft a quarterback and tight end for this season. I do like waiting for Evan Engram, but almost have to take him off of my draft board here after selecting two of his Jaguars teammates, Travis Etienne and Christian Kirk.
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.