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
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

RotoBaller PPR Mock Draft Recap - First Round Recap

With fantasy draft season in full swing, it's time to dive into another one of RotoBaller's mock drafts. It's interesting to see the differences in these results compared to our Way Too Early Mock Draft in March.

The settings for our "Mock Draft 2.0" were pretty straight forward: 12 teams, PPR scoring, QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, TE, K, and DST. You'll find the first round selections below with some analysis to follow. Yours truly had the pleasure of having the first pick. I know, I know, tough gig.

Note: This mock took place prior to Ezekiel Elliott's suspension. So for that reason, I'll exclude him from the write-up.

Be sure to check all of our dynasty fantasy football resources for 2025:

 

RotoBaller PPR Mock 2.0: First Round

1) Le'Veon Bell, RB - Frankie Soler
2) David Johnson, RB - Alex Freylikhman
3) Ezekiel Elliott, RB - Taylor Maxston
4) Antonio Brown, WR - Sam Dupuy
5) Odell Beckham Jr, WR - Steve Halupka
6) Julio Jones, WR - Jacob Valov
7) Melvin Gordon, RB - Chris Moore
8) Mike Evans, WR - Pierre Camus
9) A.J. Green, WR - Chris Mangano
10) LeSean McCoy, RB - Adam Hammer
11) DeMarco Murray, RB - Jason Katz
12) Devonta Freeman, RB - Brittany Smith

The first six picks are pretty much exactly what you'd expect in any draft format this year. Le'Veon Bell at one was a no-brainer for me; he's the most consistent running back there is. There's no reason to worry about his current holdout. Expect a stat line of around 1,400 rushing yards and eight scores on the ground, with 75-80 receptions to boot.

Taking David Johnson second overall isn't exactly rocket science either. Johnson was second in the league last year with 16 touchdowns on the ground, trailing only LeGarrette Blount. Similar to Bell, he's every bit as featured in the passing game with 879 yards via the pass last season. Week 17's injury scare shouldn't factor into DJ's 2017 outlook as a fully healthy 16 games would put him in contention to lead the league in rushing.

This being a PPR league, the top-three receivers could have potentially gone even higher than four, five, and six. Nevertheless, snagging them at their respective prices is a lock. Antonio Brown is basically the safest player in the entire NFL. Odell Beckham and Julio Jones aren't far behind him either. All three are focal points of the offense they play in. Here's a little draft strategy tip for you. The key to winning a PPR league is to target players who are heavily involved within their individual offenses. Someone like DeSean Jackson, for example, isn't as valuable since he's more of a big-play guy. It's a simple, common tip, but one you should keep in mind throughout your draft.

Another plan of attack to consider is to load up on high-floor RBs even if they aren't necessarily the best pass-catchers. You can always find receivers off the waiver wire, so it's easier to replace receptions for PPR purposes. Rushing totals are a whole different animal. Whenever you're looking for a tiebreaker in any sort of draft, lean running back, especially in PPR. You'll probably hear a lot of that from reputable writers. Just because it's repetitive doesn't make it any less true.

That's a nice little segue into the next player taken off the board, Melvin Gordon. Chris actually left a little note about his pick that's worth sharing. Chris said, "Nervous about LeSean McCoy at overall RB4, nervous about Mike Evans at WR4. Fast becoming aware that pick seven is the one I don't want this year." While I myself am a big Shady McCoy fan, I absolutely agree that seven is the worst draft slot this year. Whenever there is a steep drop-off in safety in round one, you run the risk of being the first person to whiff on your first pick. So I understand the aversion to McCoy and Evans, going with an RB that has more upside in Melvin Gordon. Gordon was reliable near the goal-line last year, scoring all 10 of his rushing touchdowns in the red-zone. That total was certainly helped by being fed 50 times near the line, tied for third in the league. Once considered a rookie disappointment, Gordon has turned it around and should get better in year three.

Mike Evans went with the very next pick followed by A.J. Green. Speaking of touchdowns, Evans was hindered significantly back in 2015 when the Buccaneers simply could not get him the ball in the end-zone. That was rectified in 2016 with Evans repeating his rookie total of 12 scores. The yardage was there, the TDs weren't. With quarterback Jameis Winston improving, Evans should have no problem returning his first round draft value.

A.J. Green was hampered by injury last year so his recent stat lines don't help us. What you get with a healthy Green, though, is something I alluded to earlier, consistency. Green will get a healthy dose of targets from Andy Dalton, even if Dalton himself isn't the most reliable guy in the world. The Bengals have an underrated offense that can produce more than just one fantasy relevant piece. The back end of the first round/early second is perfect for A.J.

A trio of running backs rounded out the round with LeSean McCoy, DeMarco Murray, and Devonta Freeman bringing us home. McCoy had his own share of health issues last year, but he's still one of the leagues most reliable rushers in real-life NFL football. The departure of Mike Gillislee should be met with a sigh of a relief since the threat of McCoy losing significant carries no longer looms. You'll want to snag the appropriate handcuff Jonathan Williams just in case. Unfortunately for Hammer, Williams went a few picks before him in round 13.

Between over usage in Dallas, under usage in Philadelphia, and the presence of Derrick Henry in Tennessee, DeMarco Murray has been fairly polarizing the last few seasons. If Murray is able to stay healthy and maintain lead back status he'll be as good as it gets at the RB position. Murray owners need to pony up to make sure they can lock up Derrick Henry.

That brings us to Devonta Freeman, arguably the safest back after the top-three. Freeman's only real drawback is fellow rusher Tevin Coleman, but the Falcons have managed to feature them both. Similar to Murray and Henry, the combo of Freeman and Coleman is one to target when trying to secure a handcuff. I'd even go a step further and say Coleman is the toughest handcuff to own in the NFL. He has solid stand alone value so owners have no issue taking him as a usable asset. I dig Freeman even higher than pick-12 so I'm willing to pencil him in as the best bargain of the draft.

Biggest Reach: Melvin GordonI don't hate the pick at all, and totally get the logic behind it. I just think McCoy, Evans, and Freeman are better players. Doesn't really get much more complicated than that for me.

Best Bargain: Devonta FreemanIt has to be Freeman for me. I think he's this year's RB5 in fantasy so finishing up the round at number 12 overall is basically the best steal, if such a thing is possible in the first round of an experts draft.

Check back for more analysis on the subsequent rounds in the coming days.

 

More Fantasy Football Mock Drafts and Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Logan Gilbert

Fans 10 In Return Start Monday
Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers, DeShon Elliott Agree to Two-Year Extension
Ryan Pepiot

Strikes Out 11 in Win
Hunter Goodman

Homers Twice, Drives in Three
Stephen Curry

"Not Even Close" to Retirement
Jonathan Kuminga

Linked to Bulls, Heat
Kevin Durant

Has "No Desire" to be Traded to Minnesota
Isaac Paredes

Returns as DH on Monday
New York Giants

Mike Kafka Expected to Reclaim Play-Calling Duties
Jon Runyan

Limited During Minicamp
Saquon Barkley

Feels Great Physically
Justin Simmons

Panthers Have Talked With Justin Simmons
Jordan Addison

Trial Date Set for July 15
New York Jets

Jets Sign Kingsley Jonathan, Marquis Hayes
Jarace Walker

Remains Sidelined for Game 5
Justin Verlander

Returning to the Rotation on Wednesday
Tony Finau

Finishes Tied For 38th at U.S. Open
Bud Cauley

Misses The Cut at U.S. Open
Cameron Young

Finishes Tied For Fourth at U.S. Open
J.J. Spaun

Wins U.S. Open
Xander Schauffele

Finishes Tied For 12th at U.S. Open
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Second at U.S. Open
Si Woo Kim

Finishes Tied For 42nd at U.S. Open
Vershon Lee

Vikings Ink Undrafted Offensive Lineman Vershon Lee
Luke Clanton

Misses The Cut at RBC Canadian Open
San Francisco 49ers

C.J. West Signs Rookie Deal with San Fran
Jaylen Warren

Training to Handle Larger Workload
Giancarlo Stanton

to Make Season Debut on Monday
Will Campbell

Ends Minicamp as Top Left Tackle
Sam Cosmi

Making Good Progress From Torn ACL
Kamaru Usman

Gets Back In The Win Column
Adonai Mitchell

Impresses at Minicamp
Joaquin Buckley

Winning Streak Comes To An End
Miranda Maverick

Drops Decision At UFC Atlanta
Bradley Chubb

Fully Healed, Looking Disruptive
Jonnu Smith

Contract Talks "Still Fluid"
Rose Namajunas

Wins Decision At UFC Atlanta
Andre Petroski

Suffers Unanimous-Decision Loss
Edmen Shahbazyan

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Raoni Barcelos

Wins Third Fight In A Row
Chase Elliott

Ends Mexico City with A Great Finish of Third
Christopher Bell

has A Strong Runner-Up Performance At Mexico City
Chase Briscoe

Wild Day Ends with A Top-10 Finish
Michael McDowell

Leaves Mexico City with A Top-Five Finish
Cody Garbrandt

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Cody Brundage

Defeated After Accidental Clash Of Heads
Cody Brundage

Mansur Abdul-Malik Defeats Cody Brundage By Technical Decision
Oumar Sy

Suffers His First Loss
Alonzo Menifield

Scores Upset Win
Alex Bowman

Delivers Bravura Performance After Michigan Injury
Tyler Reddick

Inexplicably Mediocre on his Once-Best Track Type
John Hunter Nemechek

Canny Strategy Gives John Hunter Nemechek Best Career Road-Course Finish
Cole Custer

Earns Best Finish Since Cup-Series Comeback at Mexico City
Grant Holmes

Punches Out 15 in Loss
Elly De La Cruz

Goes Yard in Fourth Straight Game
Will Vest

Dealing With Finger Injury
Jackson Merrill

Placed on Seven-Day Concussion Injured List
J.J. McCarthy

Looking "a Lot Stronger"
Shohei Ohtani

Will Be Dodgers' Starting Pitcher Monday
Roki Sasaki

Shut Down From Throwing
Garrett Wilson

Receives New Contract Offer
Jordan Hicks

Headed to Boston
Kyle Harrison

Traded to Red Sox
Travis Kelce

Slims Down During the Offseason
Trey Hendrickson

Bengals Restart Contract Discussions
Brady House

Nationals Promoting Brady House to Major Leagues
Rafael Devers

Traded to San Francisco
Logan Gilbert

to Start on Monday
Jayden Higgins

Impresses During Minicamp
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

on the Move to Memphis
Cole Anthony

Dealt to the Grizzlies
Seattle Seahawks

DeMarcus Lawrence Making an Impression With his New Team
Tyler Mahle

Placed on 15-Day Injured List
Luis Robert Jr.

Scratched with Thumb Soreness
Desmond Bane

Traded to Orlando
Byron Buxton

Scratched from Sunday's Lineup
Brendan Donovan

Returns to the Lineup
Steven Adams

Rockets Agree to Three-Year Contract Extension
Ty Dillon

Is a Respectable Cap Flexiblity-Focused DFS Option For Mexico City
Corey Perry

Produces 10th Postseason Goal
Connor McDavid

Scores First Finals Goal
John Hunter Nemechek

Is John Hunter Nemechek Worth Rostering In Mexico City DFS Lineups?
Sam Bennett

Nets Another Road Goal in Game 5 Win
Eetu Luostarinen

Earns Two Points Saturday
Brad Marchand

Pots Two Goals in Game 5 Victory
Sergei Bobrovsky

Ties NHL Record with 10th Road Win
Ross Chastain

Trackhouse Racing's Mexico Focus Makes Ross Chastain a Leading Contender for the Win
Kyle Busch

One of Two Past Mexico City Winners in the Field
Ryan Preece

Earns Surprising Front-Row Start
Austin Cindric

Not as Strong of a Road Racer as People Think
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Stronger on Infield Road Courses Than Purpose-Built Ones
Joey Logano

Seemingly Alternating Between Good and Mediocre Races
Brad Keselowski

One of the Few Drivers with Mexico City Experience
Denny Hamlin

Ryan Truex Makes First Cup Series Start Since 2014
Erik Jones

Mexico City Will Likely be a Struggle for Erik Jones
Noah Gragson

Front Row Motorsports' Speed May Make Noah Gragson a Decent DFS Option
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

Road Courses Are Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s Worst Track Type
Evander Kane

Drops to Fourth Line Saturday
Kasperi Kapanen

Won't Play on Saturday
Calvin Pickard

Starts Game 5 for Oilers
Tyrese Haliburton

Struggles in Friday's Loss to OKC
Chet Holmgren

Dominates the Glass in Game 4
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Leads the Way in Game 4
Jalen Williams

Has a Quality Showing on Friday Night
Russell Westbrook

to Decline Player Option
Kevin Durant

Trade Could Happen in the "Next Few Days"
Joaquin Buckley

Set For Main Event
Kamaru Usman

An Underdog At UFC Atlanta
Miranda Maverick

Set For Co-Main Event
Rose Namajunas

Looks To Bounce Back
Andre Petroski

Looks To Extend His Win Streak To Four
Edmen Shahbazyan

A Favorite At UFC Atlanta
Raoni Barcelos

Set To Take On Former Champion
Cody Garbrandt

Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Mansur Abdul-Malik

Looks For His Third UFC Win
Connor Hellebuyck

Wins Vezina And Hart Trophies
Aleksander Barkov

Records Two Power-Play Assists Thursday
Sam Reinhart

Collects Three Points in Thursday's Loss
Matthew Tkachuk

Notches Three Points in Losing Effort
Calvin Pickard

Joins Exclusive List with Thursday's Win
Mattias Ekholm

Logs Two Assists in Comeback Victory
Leon Draisaitl

Delivers Victory in Overtime Thursday
Myles Turner

Playing Through Illness
Reed Sheppard

Will Play in the NBA Summer League
Kevin Durant

Deal Could Come Sooner Rather Than Later
Dorian Finney-Smith

Undergoes Ankle Surgery
Anze Kopitar

Wins Third Lady Byng Trophy
Sergei Bobrovsky

Heading Out for Win No. 15
John Klingberg

Won't Play in Game 4 Against Panthers
Viktor Arvidsson

Sits Out Game 4 Against Panthers
Stuart Skinner

Remains in Oilers Crease Thursday
Jalen Williams

Leads Thunder in Scoring Wednesday
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Settles for 24 Points in Game 3 Loss
Pascal Siakam

Does Everything for Pacers Wednesday Night
Matt McCarty

Comes Off Season-Best Showing at RBC Canadian Open
Justin Thomas

Desperate to Continue Good 2025 Season
Jon Rahm

Seeks Revenge at U.S. Open
Tom Kim

Aiming for Improvement in U.S. Open
PGA

Sungjae Im Expects Solid Performance at Oakmont
Brian Harman

Aims to Rebound From the Memorial
Tony Finau

has Been Up and Down at U.S. Open
Patrick Cantlay

Hoping This is the Year at Oakmont
Akshay Bhatia

Improving in Time for U.S. Open
Xander Schauffele

Primed for Another Major Championship Run
Cameron Young

May Struggle at U.S. Open
Collin Morikawa

Eyeing Third Major Championship Title
Matt Fitzpatrick

Seeks to Avenge Oakmont Collapse
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF