RADIO
The Super Bowl has come and gone, but the RotoBaller staff hasn't given up football. A select group of us participated in the 2019 Way Too Early Dynasty League Startup Mock Draft, which gave us just another reason to keep fantasy football at the forefront of our minds.
This will be a 12-team, one-quarterback, PPR dynasty league. To add some more context, we were unable to trade startup picks and the incoming 2019 rookie class was not made available since draft declarations were not yet finished, so keep that in mind when looking over the picks. Rookies being added will change where some players go in the next mock draft we conduct.
We'll be breaking down the final few rounds of this mock draft, digging into some of the best and worst picks of the double-digit rounds. Playing catch up? Check out our round one recap here, then rounds two and three here, and rounds four through nine here.
Editor's Note: Our incredible team of writers won two writing awards and received 12 award nominations by the Fantasy Sports Writers Association. A big congrats to our very own Byron Lindeque (Golf) and Jordan McAbee (NASCAR) for both winning Writer Of The Year awards! Be sure to follow RotoBaller's analysis and advice all year long, and win more. Win More With RotoBaller!
Dynasty Mock Results
Rounds 10-16 Analysis
We're going to wrap up our mock draft recap by taking a team-by-team look at the owners' picks, followed by a quick review of how they did.
Cliff Clifton
Pick 10.1 - Marquez Valdes-Scantling (WR, GB)
Pick 11.12 - Isaiah Crowell (RB, NYJ)
Pick 12.1 - Drew Brees (QB, NO)
Pick 13.12 - Jordan Reed (TE, WAS)
Pick 14.1 - Donte Moncrief (WR, JAX)
Pick 15.12 - Hayden Hurst (TE, BAL)
Pick 16.1 - Josh Doctson (WR, WAS)
Despite having taken two quarterbacks in the earlier rounds of the draft, Cliff couldn't pass up the opportunity to take the MVP runner-up in the 12th round. It may have been a smart decision considering the injury concerns surrounding Cam Newton and Jimmy Garoppolo, Cliff's other two quarterbacks.
Cliff was also the last owner to draft a tight end, waiting till the end of the 13th round to take Jordan Reed and backing him up with Hayden Hurst near the end of the draft. You could certainly do worse when waiting this long for a tight end. The Ravens spent a first-round pick on Hurst last year, so you would hope they have plans to get him more involved in the offense in the future. As for Reed, the 28-year-old struggled to produce at a high level this year before suffering a toe injury near the end of the season. But I'm still a sucker for Rule 86, and I love Reed's potential this late in the draft.
Brief Team Review - Cliff produced a well-balanced roster, grabbing some proven commodities like Gordon, Chubb, and Woods to pair with upside players like Moore, Williams, and Hunt. A stable backup in Lamar Miller will prove beneficial should these players not reach their full potential.
Dominick Petrillo
Pick 10.2 - Nelson Agholor (WR, PHI)
Pick 11.11 - C.J. Anderson (RB, LAR)
Pick 12.2 - Jack Doyle (TE, IND)
Pick 13.11 - Jamison Crowder (WR, WAS)
Pick 14.2 - Geronimo Allison (WR, GB)
Pick 15.11 - Giovani Bernard (RB, CIN)
Pick 16.2 - Randall Cobb (WR, GB)
Dom drafted some interesting players in the later rounds of the draft, most notably C.J. Anderson. The veteran running back came out of nowhere to rush for over 100 yards in three-straight playoff games for the Rams. He made people think Todd Gurley was injured simply because he was on the field. Whether Anderson is back with the Rams next season or in a new situation, I'd be shocked if he didn't have an established role in an offense. Dom may have grabbed an RB2 in the 11th round of the draft.
Brief Team Review - Dom started out strong, but taking two quarterbacks and a tight end in the first seven rounds hampered his ability to put together a quality receiving corps. Still, a very solid group of running backs paired with the reigning MVP in Patrick Mahomes could carry Dom's squad to the playoffs.
Kyle Richardson
Pick 10.3 - Lamar Jackson (QB, BAL)
Pick 11.10 - Mark Andrews (TE, BAL)
Pick 12.3 - LeSean McCoy (RB, BUF)
Pick 13.10 - Philip Rivers (QB, LAC)
Pick 14.3 - Greg Olsen (TE, CAR)
Pick 15.10 - Trey Quinn (WR, WAS)
Pick 16.3 - Chase Edmonds (RB, ARI)
Kyle chose to draft a combination of very young and very old players in the later rounds of the draft. After stacking the young Ravens combination of Lamar Jackson and Mark Andrews, Kyle nabbed some grizzled veterans in LeSean McCoy, Phillip Rivers, and Greg Olsen. Rivers is always a safe bet to produce and Jackson is oozing with fantasy upside. Kyle locked down a stellar group of quarterbacks without using any early-round capital.
Brief Team Review: Uncertainty and upside surround Kyle's running back stable. Guys like Guice, Mack, and Ingram provide RB1 upside, but may not be the RB1 on their own teams. Still, a stacked receiving core and some quality value picks in the later round give Kyle a solid foundation for both the short and long-term.
Matt Terelle
Pick 10.4 - Dede Westbrook (WR, JAX)
Pick 11.9 - Chris Herndon IV (TE, NYJ)
Pick 12.4 - Robert Foster (WR, BUF)
Pick 13.9 - Jared Cook (TE, OAK)
Pick 14.4 - Tyrell Williams (WR, LAC)
Pick 15.9 - Jalen Richard (RB, OAK)
Pick 16.4 - Albert Wilson (WR, MIA)
Matt chose to wait until the late 11th round to draft a tight end, grabbing Chris Herndon and pairing him with Jared Cook later on. With the position so thin, Matt did a decent job considering how long he waited. Cook provides some immediate low-end value at the position. If Herndon can continue building a rapport with fellow 2018 rookie Sam Darnold, it wouldn't be a surprise if he ends up as a middling TE1 for years to come.
One thing that stands out about Matt's late-round pick is his commitment to receivers. He took receivers with four of his last seven picks, finishing up with nine total wide receivers on the roster. He didn't choose a back-up quarterback, instead rolling solely with Carson Wentz. Jalen Richard was a nice value in the 15th round, but he was just the fourth running back selected by Matt in the draft. Matt has to be hoping that a ridiculously deep group of receivers will be able to net him some value at other positions via trade.
Brief Team Recap - Matt has a deep, young, and talented group of receivers, but is severely lacking depth on the rest of his roster. He only has one running back who's likely to be the opening-day starter on his team. He can't play all nine of his receivers at the same time. For this team to succeed, he'd have to move some of them for quality players at other positions.
Justin Carter
Pick 10.5 - John Brown (WR, BAL)
Pick 11.8 - Jamaal Williams (RB, GB)
Pick 12.5 - Kirk Cousins (QB, MIN)
Pick 13.8 - Mike Gesicki (TE, MIA)
Pick 14.5 - D.J. Chark (WR, JAX)
Pick 15.8 - Kenny Stills (WR, MIA)
Pick 16.5 - Jordan Wilkins (RB, IND)
Health is never a certainty in the NFL, and Jamaal Williams may be a steal in the 11th round because of this. Williams was a fantasy playoff hero this season when filling in for the injured Aaron Jones. With a new coach in Green Bay, Williams has a clean-slate to prove he can be of use in Green Bay. It's unlikely that he takes the job from Jones. But if something happens to him, Justin has himself a volume-based RB2.
Justin grabbed two rookies who failed to produce in 2018 near the end of the draft, taking Miami's Mike Gesicki and D.J. Chark. Neither guy gave us much to be excited about last year, but given how high they were drafted, it would be surprising if either team completely gave up on these guys. Gesicki, in particular, could potentially provide an option in the always-thin TE slot.
Brief Team Review - Justin had a solid all-around draft, gathering a solid stable of starters with his first five picks. This team doesn't have the upside that some of the other teams have, but I'd be surprised to see this roster out of the playoffs in year one.
Keith Hernandez
Pick 10.6 - Matt Ryan (QB, ATL)
Pick 11.7 - Trey Burton (TE, CHI)
Pick 12.6 - Elijah McGuire (RB, NYJ)
Pick 13.7 - Rex Burkhead (RB, NE)
Pick 14.6 - Zay Jones (WR, BUF)
Pick 15.7 - Josh Rosen (QB, ARI)
Pick 16.6 - Demaryius Thomas (WR, HOU)
I love what Keith did with his double-digit round picks. None of these guys have massive upside, but every one of them has value in redraft leagues, let alone dynasty. He paired a capable QB1 in Matt Ryan with a young QB in Josh Rosen who has nowhere to go but up. Elijah McGuire is likely to have a role in the Jets offense unless they sign Le'Veon Bell, who also happens to be on Keith's roster. Trey Burton is a talented player who could be used as a trade piece, and Zay Jones quietly improved in Buffalo last year. Keith did a great job in the back-end of the draft.
Brief Team Review - Keith put together a deep and talented roster, with a stellar receiving core led by Davante Adams. Still, this team's championship odds will depend on where Le'Veon Bell winds up. At pick 2.6, that was a swing worth taking. Keith put together a solid squad.
Frankie Soler
Pick 10.7 - Austin Ekeler (RB, LAC)
Pick 11.6 - Devin Funchess (WR, CAR)
Pick 12.7 - Josh Adams (RB, PHI)
Pick 13.6 - Matthew Stafford (QB, DET)
Pick 14.7 - Vance McDonald (TE, PIT)
Pick 15.6 - Spencer Ware (RB, KC)
Pick 16.7 - Keelan Cole (WR, JAX)
Frankie went with the opposite approach of Matt. Rather than stack up some depth at receiver, he added three running backs to an already deep core. I do like the selections of Austin Ekeler and Josh Adams though. Ekeler's value took a dip when Justin Jackson emerged as a capable backup in Los Angeles, but Ekeler still feels like the guy with more value when Gordon is both healthy and injured. Adams briefly emerged as the lead back in Philadelphia, but ended the season with minimal-to-no touches at times. Even Spencer Ware was a nice value pick late in the draft. Still, it was surprising to see Frankie select these many backs after taking four of them in his first six picks.
Brief Team Review - Frankie may have the best and deepest running back stable in the league, led by Alvin Kamara and James Conner. He's thin at receiver, but a trio of Diggs, Green, and Sanders is a more than capable starting group. I would have done some things differently in the later rounds, but Frankie was still able to produce a very strong roster overall.
Pierre Camus
Pick 10.8 - Dallas Goedert (TE, PHI)
Pick 11.5 - Austin Hooper (TE, ATL)
Pick 12.8 - Kenneth Dixon (WR, NYJ)
Pick 13.5 - Quincy Enunwa (WR, NYJ)
Pick 14.8 - Ben Roethlisberger (QB, PIT)
Pick 15.5 - Latavius Murray (RB, MIN)
Pick 16.8 - Deon Cain (WR, IND)
Pierre attacked his need at tight end first with his double-digit picks, pairing an upside player in Dallas Goedert with a proven commodity in Austin Hooper. Hooper is far from the sexiest starting tight end, but he's about as good as it can get for a starter this late in the draft.
Taking Quincy Enunwa at 13.5 may be one of my favorite late-round picks in this draft. The Jets were committed enough to Enunwa to give him a nice contract extension, which shows that they're (literally) banking on him and Darnold to build a solid rapport over the next few years. It wouldn't surprise me if he had WR3 value next season, which is more than you can ask for this late in a dynasty draft.
Brief Team Review - After nailing his first three picks with DeAndre Hopkins, David Johnson, and Sony Michel, Pierre spent the next few rounds drafting some high-risk, high-reward players. Should guys like Corey Davis and Courtland Sutton live up to their potential next season, Pierre may be the best team in this entire draft. But he has a lot riding on young, unproven guys.
Chris Mangano
Pick 10.9 - Duke Johnson (RB, CLE)
Pick 11.4 - Dion Lewis (RB, TEN)
Pick 12.9 - Chris Thompson (RB, WAS)
Pick 13.4 - Larry Fitzgerald (WR, ARI)
Pick 14.9 - John Ross (WR, CIN)
Pick 15.4 - Tom Brady (QB, NE)
Pick 16.9 - Willie Snead (WR, BAL)
Chris had maybe the boldest approach of anyone in this draft by waiting until 10.9 to select his RB2. He nabbed Duke Johnson, Dion Lewis, and Chris Thompson with consecutive picks in the hopes that one of them would see enough volume to be an RB2 for his squad. All three of these guys will be backing up young, talented running backs that should probably be taking all the carries. But we can't always count on NFL coaches to make the right decision when it comes to dividing up touches. Thompson is the most likely to emerge as an RB2, but he's struggled to stay on the field during his career.
I do like Chris' next three picks after his running backs. Larry Fitzgerald will be back and always has some volume, John Ross is entering a make-or-break season with a new head coach, and pairing Tom Brady with Jared Goff makes sense unless you've only seen them play in Super Bowl LIII.
Brief Team Review - While I love what Chris did in the first three rounds, none of his picks between the fourth and ninth round were good enough to me to justify not taking a single running back. Everyone he drafted is talented and I wouldn't call any of them a bad pick. But there is a severe lack of quality backs on this team. It will be tough to compete without one.
Gage Bridgford
Pick 10.10 - Gus Edwards (RB, BAL)
Pick 11.3 - Devante Parker (WR, MIA)
Pick 12.10 - Kalen Ballage (RB, MIA)
Pick 13.3 - Josh Allen (QB, BUF)
Pick 14.10 - Adam Humphries (WR, TB)
Pick 15.3 - Equanimeous St. Brown (WR, GB)
Pick 16.10 - Ian Thomas (TE, CAR)
I really like Gus Edwards this late in the draft, and I was disappointed that he didn't fall to me at 10.12. Edwards has a chance to be what we expected Alex Collins (who wasn't even selected in this mock draft) to be. He isn't going to get much, if any, work in the passing game, but he has the potential to be a workhorse on the ground. At 10.10, he adds some nice value to Gage's talented running back group.
Brief Team Recap - I'm not a fan of what Gage did in the later rounds, but he might have the best team in the league regardless. He nailed his first nine picks. If Damien Williams ends up with a similar role to what he had late in the season, his starting lineup is stronger than anything anyone else can put out there. Gage would be the favorite in year one if this was a real league.
Richard King
Pick 10.11 - Ito Smith (RB, ATL)
Pick 11.2 - Jameis Winston (QB, TB)
Pick 12.11 - Kyle Rudolph (TE, MIN)
Pick 13.2 - Jaylen Samuels (RB, PIT)
Pick 14.11 - Justin Jackson (RB, LAC)
Pick 15.2 - Jordy Nelson (WR, OAK)
Pick 16.11 - Jimmy Graham (TE, GB)
Richard assembled what may be the most uninspiring group of tight ends I've ever seen, pairing the always mediocre Kyle Rudolph with the corpse of Jimmy Graham. Jameis Winston was a solid choice to backup Rodgers at 11.2, but I would have gone with one of the other tight ends on the board at that point in the draft. That position may hamper Richard all year long.
Brief Team Review - Richard nailed his first four draft picks and assembled a core that could keep him in contention for years to come. Some high-risk running backs paired with Aaron Rodgers could make this team a perennial title contender, even with the holes at tight end.
Steve Rebeiro
Pick 10.12 - Sam Darnold (QB, NYJ)
Pick 11.1 - Rob Gronkowski (TE, NE)
Pick 12.12 - Josh Reynolds (WR, LAR)
Pick 13.1 - Carlos Hyde (RB, JAX)
Pick 14.12 - Adrian Peterson (RB, WAS)
Pick 15.1 - Josh Gordon (WR, NE)
Pick 16.12 - Marqise Lee (WR, JAX)
After taking Sam Darnold, I chose to draft guys who I thought would have a chance for real roles in the 2019 season. Gronkowski looked sharp in the Patriots playoff run and will obviously have fantasy value if he chooses to play in 2019. Reynolds looked good down the stretch replacing Cooper Kupp for the Rams. Hyde and Peterson may benefit from a change of scenery, but both proved they could be reliable running backs when called upon last year. Lee looked good for the Jaguars in 2017 before an injury derailed his 2018 season.
Oh, and I drafted Josh Gordon. Somebody had to. What is hype may never die.
Brief Team Review - I was thrilled with how my first five picks turned out, grabbing a solid pair of backs and receivers along with the most valuable tight end in the NFL. If either Anthony Miller or Matt Breida can produce at a high level next year, I'll be thrilled with how this team ended up. Although I'm still being haunted by the fact that I drafted Doug Baldwin over Tyler Lockett.
