👉 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Way Too Early Dynasty Mock Draft Analysis - Rounds 4-6

Dynasty leagues offer a fun twist of fantasy football in which owners retain most, if not all of their players from year to year. This creates a greater sense of pride and ownership as you carry many of the same players for multiple seasons.

Of course, you've got to make sure you have a core of players you actually want to carry for years and years. If you end up with a roster saddled with aging, injured veterans and young, inconsistent newcomers, your roster will lean more toward "rebuilding" than "dynasty." That's where the initial startup draft comes into play.

Twelve of RotoBaller's finest contributors gathered for a dynasty startup mock draft. Over the next week, we'll break it down round-by-round, continuing with the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds in this article. Check out our earlier recaps of round one, and rounds 2-3 to see how this draft progressed.

Featured Promo: Looking for some more fantasy football action? Adopt a dynasty orphan team over at FFPC. Sign up today and get $25 off any FFPC league. Sign Up Now!

 

Round 4

Incoming rookies were popular in the fourth round. Smith-Schuster, Davis and Fournette marked the first three picks of the round, with Williams coming later on. Much like in the actual NFL, rookies are unknown commodities. There's significant risk, but also significant upside, particularly in a dynasty league, where youth and potential are valuable assets.

This round also featured plenty of familiar names from the fantasy world, including LeSean McCoy, Aaron Rodgers, Derek Carr and Lamar Miller. Terrelle Pryor parlayed his breakout season with the Browns into a one-year deal with Washington, a move that boosts his fantasy value. Alshon Jeffery's move to Philadelphia hurts Jordan Matthews' value.

Rodgers and Carr were the first two quarterbacks off the board, while Hunter Henry and Travis Kelce were the third and fourth tight ends selected, respectively. This was the most balanced round, with five wide receivers, three running backs, two quarterbacks and two tight ends taken.

 

Round 5

Wideouts, wideouts, wideouts. The fifth round was heavy on veteran pass-catchers and, unlike the previous round, featured no incoming rookies. Sterling Shepard's selection kicked off a run of five straight wide receivers to open the round.

Tate, Edelman and Crabtree are all proven, if aging, commodities, while Shepard, Hill and Crowder are promising young players. Josh Doctson is a wild card, but he's still young enough to carry value.

Four running backs (Prosise, Coleman, Hyde, Henry) and one quarterback (Luck) also went in the fifth round. No major surprises among that group -- all are in their 20s and have promising careers ahead.

 

Round 6

Back to the incoming rookies! McCaffrey and Mixon led off the sixth round, with Ross coming just two picks later. This round featured a decent number of proven veteran performers, including DeMarco Murray, Emmanuel Sanders, Cam Newton and Randall Cobb.

Britt, like Pryor, also changed teams in the offseason, but it's difficult to get excited about his move to Cleveland. Tyler Eifert (injuries) and Martavis Bryant (suspension) are intriguing picks, as is Rishard Matthews, who finished with nine touchdown receptions last season.

Overall, the sixth round featured six wide receivers, four running backs, one quarterback and one tight end.

 

Best Picks

Leonard Fournette (RB, LSU) #39 overall

Fournette's value is going to depend on his landing spot in April's draft. If he ends up somewhere like, say, Carolina, that figures to boost his value. If he lands with a team like the New York Jets, well ... that won't boost his value.

Given the immediate rookie success of Ezekiel Elliott this past season, Fournette is sure to be a popular pick in most fantasy drafts. But that's particularly true in a dynasty league, where you can control him for years to come. At 39th overall, I like the value.

Tevin Coleman (RB, ATL) #55 overall

Coleman showed this past season that he can provide serious fantasy value while splitting the backfield touches with Devonta Freeman. Coleman will be 24 at the start of the 2017 season, which could be Freeman's last in Atlanta, if he ends up leaving as a free agent.

If that were to happen, Coleman's value would skyrocket as the primary back in Atlanta's offense. If Freeman stays, then maybe Coleman leaves for a starting job elsewhere after 2018. Or perhaps the two remain a productive tandem in Atlanta. No matter what, landing a dynamic, 24-year-old running back with the 55th pick is a win-win.

Cam Newton (QB, CAR) #71 overall

It was an ugly season for Newton in 2016. And, yet, his season wasn't actually that bad. The expectations for Newton coming off his historic MVP season in 2015 were sky-high, so it's not shocking he suffered from regression.

He's a prime bounce-back candidate in 2017 and beyond. Newton, despite playing six seasons in the NFL, will only be 28 when the upcoming season begins. He still boasts elite rushing ability, which further adds to his fantasy value. He's a solid pick as the fourth quarterback (and 71st player overall) off the board.

 

Biggest Reaches

JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR, USC) #37 overall

I'll say it again -- drafting rookies is an inexact science. Smith-Schuster certainly could become a great NFL wide receiver. But is worth a top-40 overall pick? It's difficult to support that decision. He was the first rookie wideout selected, ahead of guys like Davis, Williams and Ross, among others that have similar, if not higher, consensus grades.

Also, when's the last time a USC wide receiver excelled for an extended period of time in the NFL? I'll wait... The answer? Keyshawn Johnson. That's not totally fair to Smith-Schuster, who could end up being great, but it's worth noting nonetheless.

Joe Mixon (RB, OKLA) #62 overall

This is a pick that is sure to draw some attention. If Mixon had no off-field issues, this would be a fine selection. But Mixon carries serious baggage stemming from a 2014 assault incident. That baggage is so heavy, in fact, that it kept him from participating in the NFL scouting combine.

Mixon performed well at Oklahoma's pro day, but there's still some major question marks. Will he slip in the draft, and if so, how far? Will he able to avoid trouble in the NFL? Will he be worth the 62nd overall pick in this mock draft? The answers to all of those questions remain unclear.

Kenny Britt (WR, CLE) #67 overall

I must admit, I wasn't a big fan of this selection when Britt was still with the Los Angeles Rams. Now that he's with Cleveland, I like it even less. It's a total head-scratcher for Britt, who has played with a series of underwhelming quarterbacks in his eight-year career with Tennessee and Los Angeles.

Now, he finally has a choice to choose his team in free agency, and he settles on Cleveland and ... Cody Kessler? Kevin Hogan? Someone else? Sure, maybe Cleveland lands Jimmy Garoppolo, Britt becomes a go-to target and this pick turns into a steal. But for now, I'm going to assume the Browns remain a fantasy wasteland.

 

Conclusion

Let's take a closer look at the numbers. Of the 36 players selected in the fourth, fifth and sixth rounds of RotoBaller's dynasty startup mock draft, 18 were wide receivers, 11 were running backs, four were quarterbacks and three were tight ends. There were seven incoming rookies selected, compared to just three players who will be 30 or older at the start of the 2017 season (Rodgers, Edelman, Sanders).

That latter statistic isn't entirely surprising for a dynasty mock draft. When building a roster for the long haul, it's ideal to have players that will provide value not only for the immediate season, but future seasons to come.

Free agency is barely a week old, and the NFL draft is still more than a month away, so a lot can change between now and the regular-season opener on Sept. 7. But hey, who doesn't love a good mock draft?

Be sure to follow along with the rest of our round-by-round analysis throughout the week.

 

More 2017 Mock Drafts & Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Aaron Rodgers

Steelers Expect Decision From Aaron Rodgers Before the Draft
Joe Pyfer

Extends His Winning Streak
Israel Adesanya

Loses Fourth Consecutive Fight
Nick Suzuki

Collects Three Points Against Hurricanes
Maycee Barber

Suffers Her First Knockout Loss
Frank Nazar

Scores Twice on Sunday
Alexa Grasso

Scores Highlight-Reel Knockout
Niko Price

Retires After UFC Seattle Loss
Keyonte George

Isaiah Collier Still Out Monday
Michael Chiesa

Victorious In His Retirement Fight
Max Strus

to Sit Out Monday's Game
Jarrett Allen

Won't Play Monday Night
Julian Erosa

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Graham Gano

Giants Releasing Graham Gano
Jaylen Wells

Expected to Miss Rest of Season After Toe Procedure
Lerryan Douglas

Scores First-Round Knockout Win In His UFC Debut
Bub Carrington

Exits Early Sunday Due to Cramping
Will Richard

Won't Suit Up Sunday
Seth Curry

Active Against Nuggets
Quinten Post

Back in Action Sunday Night
Aaron Gordon

Won't Play Sunday
Trent Williams

49ers Making Headway With Trent Williams on Potential Extension
Mykel Williams

Expected to be Back for Training Camp
Nick Bosa

49ers Expect Nick Bosa Back for Training Camp
Myles Garrett

Browns GM Confirms Myles Garrett isn't Being Traded
Quinshon Judkins

Browns Hopeful Quinshon Judkins Will be on the Field "in Some Form" This Spring
Alex Bregman

Clobbers First Two Homers in Sunday's Loss at Wrigley
Tobias Harris

Likely to Sit Out Monday's Game
Yandy Díaz

Yandy Diaz Records Five Hits, Drives in Four in Win Over Cardinals
Ausar Thompson

Uncertain for Monday
Jalen Duren

Unlikely to Play Monday
Trey Murphy III

Out on Sunday
Dejounte Murray

Available Against Rockets
Miles McBride

to See Limited Minutes Sunday
Jaden McDaniels

Won't Play Monday
Anthony Edwards

Listed as Questionable for Monday
Collin Murray-Boyles

Misses Sunday's Action
Brandon Ingram

a Late Scratch on Sunday
RJ Barrett

Good to Go Sunday
Robert Williams III

Ready to Play Sunday
Jeremy Swayman

Remains in Bruins Crease Sunday
TB

Nicholas Paul Available Against Predators
Nikita Kucherov

Remains Out Sunday
Mason Lohrei

Unavailable Sunday
Dmitri Voronkov

Considered Week-to-Week
Artyom Levshunov

Out With Fractured Hand
Sidney Crosby

Practices Fully on Sunday
Geno Smith

"No Doubt" That Geno Smith is Jets' Starting Quarterback
George Kittle

49ers Hopeful George Kittle Will be Ready for Week 1
NFL

Eric McAlister Diagnosed With Fractured Foot
Zach Charbonnet

Could Return to a Wide-Open Backfield
Brian Thomas Jr.

Uncertain Future Could Make Him a Buy-Low Candidate
Kyle Larson

Is Likely to Pay Off for DFS at Martinsville
Luke McCaffrey

Is Luke McCaffrey Still Worth Stashing on Dynasty Benches?
Christopher Bell

Could Have Another Top-10 Performance At Martinsville
William Byron

Is A Threat to Win Again at Martinsville
NFL

Elijah Sarratt's Contested-Catch Ability is a Double-Edged Sword
Chase Elliott

is A Solid DFS Option for Martinsville Lineups
Roman Wilson

a Cut Candidate for Dynasty Managers Facing Roster Decisions
Chase Briscoe

has Plenty of Upside for DFS Lineups at Martinsville
Patrick Mahomes

Andy Reid Doesn't Offer Timeline on Patrick Mahomes
Carlos Estévez

Carlos Estevez Unlikely to See High-Leverage Opportunities in Near Future
Tre' Harris

The Buy-Low Window for Tre' Harris Could Be Closing
Dont'e Thornton Jr.

Is Dont'e Thornton Jr. Still Worth Rostering in Dynasty Formats?
Braelon Allen

Has Clear Buy-Low Upside Coming Off a Lost Year
Michael Mayer

Is Michael Mayer a Sneaky Buy-Low Candidate for Dynasty Managers?
KaVontae Turpin

Blocked Off from a Significant Offensive Role in Dallas
Jacob deGrom

Feels "Much Better," Hopeful he Can Start This Week
Cole Hutson

Delivers Two Assists Saturday
Mikhail Sergachev

Ties Mammoth Record With Four Assists
Connor McDavid

Reclaims Scoring Lead With Three-Point Effort
Dmitri Voronkov

Unavailable Sunday
Aliaksei Protas

Suffers Upper-Body Injury Saturday Night
Ty Gibbs

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Ty Gibbs at Martinsville?
Josh Anderson

Limited Due to Illness Saturday
Ryan Preece

Is A Solid DFS Option for Martinsville Lineups
Josh Berry

Could Josh Berry Pay Off for Tournament DFS Lineups At Martinsville?
DAL

Nathan Bastian Makes Early Exit Saturday
Carson Hocevar

May be Too Inconsistent to Start in Martinsville DFS Lineups
Austin Cindric

Is Austin Cindric Worth Rostering for DFS At Martinsville?
Denny Hamlin

the Favorite to Win at Martinsville
Ryan Blaney

Should Contend at Martinsville
Tyler Reddick

Should Come Back Down to Earth at Martinsville
Joey Logano

Will Be Strong at Martinsville
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Looking to Rebound at Martinsville
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Showing Progress, Qualifies Fifth at Martinsville
Gabriel Vilardi

has a Two-Point Performance
Ivan Demidov

Collects Two More Points on Saturday
Dylan Cease

Fans 12 in Blue Jays Debut on Saturday
Shane Wright

Exits Early Saturday
Connor Zary

Remains Out Saturday Night
Noah Laba

a Game-Time Call Sunday
Andrew Vaughn

Needs Hand Surgery, Expected to be Out 4-6 Weeks
Jacob deGrom

"Confident" he Will Make his Next Start
Jacob deGrom

Scratched From Saturday's Start Due to Neck Stiffness
Jeferson Quero

Brewers Calling Up Catching Prospect Jeferson Quero
Deyvison De Los Santos

Marlins Promote Deyvison De Los Santos to Major Leagues
Shea Langeliers

Hits Two Home Runs on Opening Day
Kevin Gausman

Picks Up No-Decision But Strikes Out 11 on Opening Day
Tanner Bibee

Day-to-Day, Could Make his Next Start
Shane Baz

Orioles Agree to Five-Year Extension
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Making Season Debut on Friday Against Angels
Tiger Woods

Involved In Rollover Car Crash
Tanner Bibee

Shoulder Issue Not Considered Serious
Joe Pyfer

Set For UFC Seattle Main Event
Israel Adesanya

Returns At UFC Seattle
Maycee Barber

Looks To Extend Her Win Streak To Eight
Alexa Grasso

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Dominic Canzone

a Top Pickup After Two-Homer Game
Niko Price

In Dire Need Of Victory
Michael Chiesa

Set For Retirement Fight
Chase DeLauter

Launches Two Home Runs, Emerges as Top Waiver-Wire Target
Lerryan Douglas

Set For His UFC Debut
Julian Erosa

Looks To Bounce Back
Tanner Bibee

Leaves Opening Day Start Early With Shoulder Inflammation
Cristopher Sánchez

Cristopher Sanchez Makes a Statement on Opening Day With 10 Strikeouts
Kevin McGonigle

has Four Hits in Impressive MLB Debut
Ryan Fox

a High-Upside Value in Houston
Marco Penge

a Boom-or-Bust Option in Houston
Aaron Rai

Looks to Bounce Back in Houston
Jason Day

a Volatile Option at the Texas Children's Houston Open
Harris English

Eyes a Bounce-Back at the Texas Children's Houston Open
Ben Griffin

Looks for Turnaround at the Texas Children's Houston Open
Rickie Fowler

Brings Strong Form Into Texas Children's Houston Open
Ryan Gerard

Can Continue Rolling at Texas Children's Houston Open
Pierceson Coody

Bounces Back at Valspar Championship
Rasmus Hojgaard

Trying to Get Back on Track at Texas Children's Houston Open
Michael Thorbjornsen

Playing Well Heading to Texas Children's Houston Open
Harry Hall

Looking for Consistency at Texas Children's Houston Open
Brooks Koepka

Continues Building Momentum
Scottie Scheffler

Withdraws From Texas Children's Houston Open
Luke Clanton

Might Have a Problem in Houston
Sam Stevens

Happy to See Houston This Week
Keith Mitchell

Tries to Rebound After The Players Championship
Will Zalatoris

Returning This Week at Houston
Wyndham Clark

Trending in the Wrong Direction Heading to Houston
Shane Lowry

Seeking Better Luck in Houston This Weekend
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF