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.

Editor's Note: Explore RotoBaller’s Dynasty Fantasy Football hub for year-round dynasty rankings, trade tips, rookie analysis, and long-term player outlooks. Dominate your league with our sleepers, stash targets, and dynasty draft advice. Click here for Dynasty rankings and strategy.

 

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

Cleveland Cavaliers

Larry Nance Jr. Headed Back to Cavaliers
Josh Naylor

Returning to Diamondbacks Lineup
Eric Gordon

Remaining with 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers

Deandre Ayton Joining Lakers
Oronde Gadsden

an Active Pass-Catcher This Offseason
Brashard Smith

Speed Could be Put to Use
Emil Heineman

Signs Two-Year Deal with Islanders
Pat Bryant

Off to a Good Start
Simon Holmstrom

Re-Signs With Islanders for Two Years
Cody Barton

Quickly Becoming a Leader With his New Team
UTA

Nate Schmidt Signs Three-Year Deal With Mammoth
Montaric Brown

has Worked With Starters
UTA

Brandon Tanev Moves to Utah on Three-Year Contract
NJ

Evgenii Dadonov Joins Devils on One-Year Deal
BUF

Sabres Snap Up Alex Lyon on Two-Year Contract
Dallas Mavericks

Dante Exum Returning to Dallas
Ryan McLeod

Inks Four-Year Extension with Sabres
NAS

Predators Bring in Nick Perbix on Two-Year Deal
Jaren Jackson Jr.

Has Surgery to Repair a Turf Toe Injury
LA

Cody Ceci Moves to Los Angeles
DET

James van Riemsdyk Joins Red Wings on One-Year Contract
Viktor Arvidsson

Traded to Boston
Charlotte Hornets

Spencer Dinwiddie Lands With Charlotte
Josh Jung

Sent to Triple-A
Jurickson Profar

Officially Reinstated and Hitting in Five-Hole on Wednesday
Spencer Schwellenbach

Going on Injured List With Fractured Elbow
Maxwell Hairston

Facing Sexual-Assault Lawsuit
Tai Felton

Rookie Season Likely to be Spent on Special Teams
LeQuint Allen Jr.

to Have Receiving Role for Jaguars?
Justin Walley

Turning Heads Going into Rookie Season
Bud Cauley

in Great Form Ahead of John Deere Classic
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

a Player to Avoid at John Deere Classic
Jake Knapp

Riding Momentum Ahead of John Deere Classic
Jamari Thrash

Establishing Himself as Reliable Option
Grayson Murphy

Could Provide Rotational Pass-Rush Depth
Joe Andreessen

in a Good Position to Compete for Backup Job
PGA

Sungjae Im Looking for Consistency at John Deere Classic
Ryan Gerard

a Solid Option at John Deere Classic
Bhayshul Tuten

Needs to Improve Pass Protection
Rickie Fowler

Looking to Rebound at John Deere Classic
Cameron Champ

a Volatile Option at John Deere Classic
Brandon Woodruff

Likely to Pitch on Sunday in Miami
Jackson Suber

Staying Below 70 is Key to Success for Jackson Suber
Kevin Roy

Playing Better Heading into John Deere Classic
Justin Lower

Hoping for Something Positive in Illinois
Ben Kohles

a Long Shot at John Deere Classic
Stephan Jaeger

Attempts to Stop Roller-Coaster Ride
Beau Hossler

Needs a Challenge in Illinois
Harry Higgs

Has Potential at John Deere Classic
Nick Dunlap

Keeps Plugging Through Tough 2025 Season
PHI

Dan Vladar Links Up With Flyers on Two-Year Deal
EDM

Andrew Mangiapane Signs Two-Year Pact With Oilers
SEA

Ryan Lindgren Joins Kraken on Four-Year Contract
PHI

Christian Dvorak Heads to Philadelphia
Logan Stankoven

Signs Long-Term Extension with Hurricanes
NYI

Jonathan Drouin Joins Islanders on Two-Year Contract
NJ

Devils Hand Connor Brown a Four-Year Contract
SJ

John Klingberg Lands in San Jose
William Eklund

Signs Three-Year Extension with Sharks
Will Cuylle

Agrees to Two-Year Contract with Rangers
Zac Gallen

Fans 10 in Tuesday's Win
Hunter Goodman

Hits Two More Homers Tuesday
Josh Hader

Stays Perfect In Save Conversion On Tuesday
Milwaukee Bucks

Taurean Prince Staying in Milwaukee
Shane Baz

Fans 11 Against Athletics
Grant Holmes

Strikes Out 10 in Scoreless Outing
Jeff Green

Signs One-Year Deal to Remain in Houston
T.J. Watt

Trying to Become Highest-Paid Non-QB?
Willson Contreras

Doubtful for Wednesday
George Springer

Clubs Two Homers in Seven-RBI Day
Joshua Palmer

Could be a Sleeper
Los Angeles Lakers

Jake LaRavia Lands with Lakers
Laviska Shenault Jr.

on the Bubble
Orlando Magic

Tyus Jones Signs One-Year Deal With Magic
Raheem Blackshear

to Work Mostly As Special-Teamer
Golden State Warriors

Kevon Looney Heads to New Orleans
Rico Dowdle

Trevor Etienne to Split Carries?
Chuba Hubbard

Should See Majority of Touches in 2025
Milwaukee Bucks

Jericho Sims Staying in Milwaukee
Denver Nuggets

Tim Hardaway Jr. Joins Nuggets
Willson Contreras

Avoids Structural Damage on Hand After HBP
Detroit Pistons

Duncan Robinson Lands With Detroit
Charlotte Hornets

Tre Mann Remaining in Charlotte
Josh Naylor

Scratched From Tuesday's Lineup Against Giants
Kevin Yu

a Near Must-Play at TPC Deere Run
San Francisco Giants

Giants Exercise Bob Melvin's 2026 Option
PGA

J.T. Poston Returns to John Deere Classic Looking for Another High Finish
Josh Naylor

Back in Action on Tuesday
Yordan Alvarez

Suffers Setback
Thriston Lawrence

a Decent Fit For John Deere Classic
Tom Kim

Not Finding Much to be Happy About Ahead of John Deere Classic
Nolan Arenado

Dealing with Finger Sprain
Jacob Wilson

Scratched With Hamstring Soreness
Brandon Woodruff

Ready for Season Debut
Garrett Mitchell

Out for the Rest of the Season
Milwaukee Bucks

Gary Harris Inks Deal With Bucks
Charlotte Hornets

Mason Plumlee Heading Back to Charlotte
Si Woo Kim

is a Prohibitive Fade at John Deere Classic
Jakob Poeltl

Agrees to a Contract Extension With Raptors
Ben Griffin

is the Appropriate Favorite at TPC Deere Run
Vasilije Micić

Vasilije Micic Dealt to Bucks on Tuesday
Daniel Suarez

and Trackhouse Racing Parting Ways After 2025 Season
Pat Connaughton

Traded to Hornets
Atlanta Hawks

Luke Kennard Lands in Atlanta
Breece Hall

Aiming to Prove He is "Still One of the Best in the League"
T.J. Watt

Steelers Not Planning to Trade T.J. Watt
Ilia Topuria

Becomes The New Lightweight Champion
Charles Oliveira

Knocked Out At UFC 317
Kai Kara-France

Alexandre Pantoja Submits Kai Kara-France
Kai Kara-France

Submitted At UFC 317
Joshua Van

Extends His Win Streak
Brandon Royval

Drops Decision
Renato Moicano

Loses Back-To-Back Fights
Beneil Dariush

Gets Back In The Win Column
Felipe Lima

Suffers His First UFC Loss
Payton Talbott

Bounces Back
Alex Bowman

Competitive Run Ends With Third-Place Finish at Atlanta
Erik Jones

Secures A Top-Five Finish After Adversity In Atlanta
Tyler Reddick

Collects A New Career-Best Finish At Atlanta
Chase Elliott

Ends Winless Skid With Atlanta Victory
Brad Keselowski

Falls Short of Atlanta Victory
Carson Hocevar

Recovers From Big One to Finish 10th at Atlanta
William Byron

Caught up in Atlanta Big One but Retains Points Lead
Denny Hamlin

Top In-Season Challenge Seed Denny Hamlin Eliminated in Lap 70 Crash
Ty Dillon

Bottom Seed Ty Dillon Upsets Denny Hamlin to Advance in In-Season Challenge
Kyle Larson

Don't Expect Kyle Larson to Win First Drafting Track Race on Saturday
Christopher Bell

Unlikely to Complete Atlanta Sweep
Brad Keselowski

Seeks Another Clutch Win for Hail-Mary Playoff Bid
Chris Buescher

Unlikely to Lead Enough to Have Much DFS Value
Alex Bowman

Qualifies Best Among Non-Fords but Unlikely to Contend at Atlanta
Ryan Preece

Will Probably Run Better Than Usual at Atlanta
Austin Dillon

Consistently Mediocre at Atlanta
Ty Gibbs

Slightly Faster Lately but Unlikely to be a Factor at Atlanta
Erik Jones

a Low-Key Strong DFS Option
Noah Gragson

Could Have DFS Value as One of the Lowest-Qualifying Fords
Riley Herbst

Unlikely to Replicate February Atlanta Finish
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF