👉 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

RotoBaller Standard Mock Draft Analysis - Rounds 2-3

We continue our look at RotoBaller's Standard Mock 2.0 with a recap of rounds 2-3. We recently gathered 12 RotoBaller experts writers to conduct a week-long, email draft, MFL10-style, in order to evaluate ADP values and draft strategies in standard scoring fantasy football leagues.

If you didn't catch it earlier, start here with our first round analysis. We're breaking down every round, continuing with the second and third rounds in this article.

Note: All references to ADP come from www.fantasyfootballcalculator.com and are based off a 12-team, standard league.

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 2 Recap

The round kicked off with Aaron Rodgers going first, the first quarterback to come off the board. After the selection of Rodgers, the round was dominated by running backs and wide receivers. Amari Cooper and Jordy Nelson going back-to-back is a wonderful juxtaposition. Cooper is the young gun being drafted on the potential of what he could become while Nelson is the grizzled veteran, trying to show that he still has plenty of gas left in the tank. Both are solid picks and it really just depends on your roster-building preference. Devonta Freeman at 2.04 kicked off a run of six straight running backs. Getting Freeman in the second round is a great value as he generally is coming off boards in the middle of the first round.

DeMarco Murray should serve as Tennessee's lead back for another season while Jordan Howard is locked into an every down role. He may regress from his super-efficient 2016 season but workload alone keeps him in the second round. Todd Gurley is a popular second round running back who may benefit from Sammy Watkins taking defensive attention away from the running game. Three more receivers finished off the second round in Dez Bryant, T.Y. Hilton, and Brandin Cooks. Bryant, and the Cowboys, should be forced to pass much more often than they did in 2016 as they had one of the easiest schedules last year and a much tougher slate of opponents in 2017. When Bryant is healthy, he's one of the most dominant touchdown-scorers in the league. Hilton causes some concern because of the uncertainty surrounding Andrew Luck's shoulder. Of course, if Luck starts the season then the late second round is a great value for Hilton. Cooks should continue his boom-bust ways with the Patriots. Pair him with a steady, consistent WR1 like Antonio Brown or Odell Beckham in the first round and you are set at the receiver position.

Best Pick:

Devonta Freeman (RB, ATL) - Freeman, as mentioned earlier, usually comes off boards in the first round after the big three running backs, LeSean McCoy, and Melvin Gordon. Freeman finished 2015 as the number one overall running back in fantasy and is in line for another big season for the Falcons.

Biggest Reach:

Aaron Rodgers (QB, GB) - Rodgers in the second round is in line with his ADP date but I'm simply not a fan of taking quarterbacks early in fantasy drafts. That being said, he provides a big advantage over any other quarterback available, especially with Andrew Luck's health looking shaky. If taking a quarterback early and not having to worry about the position all season is your cup of tea, Rodgers is the cream of the crop.

 

Round 3 Recap

Round three provided plenty of variety. In all, two quarterbacks, two tight ends, four wide receivers, and four running backs come off the board. DeAndre Hopkins looks to bounce back after disappointing in 2016. He will have either Tom Savage or Deshaun Watson throwing to him in 2017, an upgrade over the departed Brock Osweiler. Travis Kelce was the second tight end off the board after Gronk went in the first. Kelce is coming off a career year which saw him finish as the TE1 in fantasy. With Jeremy Maclin gone, Kelce should see all the targets he can handle. Of course, those targets are coming from the arm of Alex Smith so Kelce's touchdown scoring upside is capped.

Veteran signal callers Tom Brady and Drew Brees went within two picks of one another. While they are getting up there in age, there's nothing to suggest they don't have at least one more elite fantasy season left in those arms. Isaiah Crowell has RB1 upside as he will run behind one of the top offensive lines in football. Jordan Reed's selection came despite the news of him fighting a lingering toe issue. If healthy, he can push Gronk for the distinction of being the top overall tight end in fantasy. Sammy Watkins was still a Buffalo Bill when @fs_mati selected him. Since then he's seen his ADP tumble into the fourth round. He's still a value as he will play for new coach Sean McVay, who's much more pass oriented than the Bills ever were while Watkins was there.

I considered both Keenan Allen and Allen Robinson with my pick in the third. I actually like Keenan more but Robinson had the higher ADP at the time. The gamble paid off as I wound up still getting Keenan Allen in the fourth. Doug Baldwin is rock solid in the third round. Annually undervalued, he's a WR1 going as a WR2 in fantasy drafts. The round ended with two rookie running backs, Christian McCaffrey and Joe Mixon. McCaffrey is a better bet in PPR leagues but he should be useful in standard leagues, as well. Don't fear training camp reports that Jeremy Hill will be the Bengals' starter. Head coach Marvin Lewis is known for making rookies earn their way into starting roles on his teams. More concerning for Mixon is whether the Bengals can cobble together a passable offensive line.

Best Pick:

Doug Baldwin (WR, SEA) - Baldwin is consistently going off the board in third rounds of fantasy drafts, so he wasn't an extraordinary value at pick 3.09. What he is, however, is an extremely consistent wide receiver with WR1 upside in a round littered with potential land mines at the position. Outside of Baldwin, basically every wide receiver coming off draft boards in the third has some type of blemish, whether it be questionable quarterback play for DeAndre Hopkins and Allen Robinson, or a traditionally poor offense and a new team for Sammy Watkins. Baldwin is the safest pick here.

Biggest Reach:

Allen Robinson (WR, JAC) - I wound up drafting Robinson a full round earlier than his ADP. That being said, I believe in his talent and do believe that he will bounce back following a disastrous 2016 season. Sure, Blake Bortles is bad, but he was at the helm in 2015 when Robinson went bananas with 14 touchdowns. The Jaguars plan to run more with first round rookie Leonard Fournette in the fold, which should help increase Bortles' and Robinson's efficiency. That being said, I prefer Keenan Allen to Robinson this season. As mentioned above, I had a feeling I could wait on Keenan based on the ADP stats on MyFantasyLeague and still get him in the fourth round, which I did.

 

More Fantasy Football Mock Drafts and 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

Kyle Kuzma

Ready to Play Thursday Vs. Utah
Myles Turner

Set to Return Versus Jazz
Kevin Porter Jr.

Sidelined Against Utah
Donovan Mitchell

Ruled Out, Jaylon Tyson to Start Thursday
Auston Matthews

Ruled Out for 12 Weeks
Austin Reaves

Cleared to Play Thursday
Yaroslav Askarov

Still Out Thursday
Luis Severino

to Start for A's on Opening Day
Stephon Castle

Ruled Out Thursday Against Suns
Michael Porter Jr.

to be Re-Evaluated in 2-3 Weeks
Kirill Kaprizov

Won't Play Against Blackhawks
Nique Clifford

is Downgraded to Out
Kawhi Leonard

Ruled Out Against New Orleans
Alex Tuch

Expected to Return Thursday
Grayson Allen

to Miss Second Straight Game
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Good to Go Against Miami
Noah Laba

Unavailable Against Blue Jackets
Daniss Jenkins

Moves into Starting Five
LeBron James

Available Thursday Against Heat
Andrew Copp

Returns From Three-Game Absence
Isaiah Collier

is Sitting Out on Thursday
Josh Anderson

Won't Play Thursday
Jalen Smith

to Miss Second Leg of Back-To-Back
Collin Sexton

is Available for Thursday's Game
Terry McLaurin

Commanders Still Looking for Receiver to Complement Terry McLaurin
Royce O'Neale

to Miss First Game of Season
Darius Garland

Won't Play on Thursday
Malik Monk

Active Thursday
Joel Embiid

Downgraded to Unavailable on Thursday
Terry Rozier

Expected to be Released in Near Future
Logan Gilbert

Named Mariners Opening Day Starter
José Ramírez

Jose Ramirez Back in Cactus League Lineup on Thursday
Hayden Birdsong

to Have Tommy John Surgery, Miss Entire 2026 Season
Zack Wheeler

to Pitch in Minor-League Game on Monday
Paul Skenes

Pirates Officially Name Paul Skenes Their Opening Day Starter
Justin Herbert

Will Justin Herbert Have Higher Fantasy Ceiling in New Offense?
Tank Bigsby

to be Valuable Handcuff Going into First Full Year in Philly
Dameon Pierce

Eagles Agree on One-Year Deal With Dameon Pierce
Jurickson Profar

Officially Suspended for Entire 2026 Season
Matthew Golden

Trending Up Despite Frustrating Rookie Season
Tee Higgins

Solidified as a Weekly Fantasy Contributor with QB Healthy
Evan Engram

Faces a New Challenge in 2026
Ladd McConkey

Has Terrific Opportunity to Bounce Back
Jaydon Blue

Destined for More Volume in Second Season?
Carson Williams

"Likely" to Be Rays Opening Day Starting Shortstop
Trey Yesavage

Will Open 2026 on the Injured List Due to Shoulder Impingement
Oronde Gadsden

Mike McDaniel to Maximize Oronde Gadsden's Skill Set?
Keaton Mitchell

Could "Thrive" in New Offensive Scheme in L.A.
Jake Elliott

Eagles Rework Jake Elliott's Contract
Carson Wentz

Vikings Re-Sign Carson Wentz to One-Year Deal
Tylan Wallace

Browns Agree to Terms With Tylan Wallace
Jack Hughes

Posts Another Three-Point Performance in Victory
Jackson Blake

Collects Three Points on Wednesday
WAS

Cole Hutson Scores in NHL Debut on Wednesday
TreVeyon Henderson

Establishing Himself as a Fantasy RB1?
Caleb Williams

Looking to Build Off Second-Year Breakout
Elijah Arroyo

Stuck in Depth Role for the Foreseeable Future
Tre Tucker

Still a Fantasy Option Despite New Competition?
Max Fried

to Start on Opening Day for Yankees
Jack Bech

Still Trending Up Despite Increased Competition?
Arizona Diamondbacks

Diamondbacks Not Naming a Closer to Begin the Season
Jalen Hurts

has Room for Improvement Amid Offensive Changes
Isaiah Bond

Should Have Bigger Role, But Will QB Issues Hold him Back?
Adrian Kempe

Could Return Thursday
Mason McTavish

Sits Out Second Consecutive Game
Ross Johnston

to Miss 3-4 Weeks
Jonathan Drouin

Back in Action Wednesday
Eric Robinson

Rejoins Hurricanes Lineup
Shayne Gostisbehere

Sits Out Another Game Wednesday
Sidney Crosby

Returns to Action Wednesday
Matthew Liberatore

Named Cardinals Opening Day Starter
Roki Sasaki

to be in Opening Day Starting Rotation
Akshay Bhatia

Withdraws From Valspar Championship
José Berríos

Jose Berrios has Stress Fracture, Won't be Ready for Opening Day
CFB

Alberto Mendoza Drawing Positive Reviews at Georgia Tech
CFB

Anthony Colandrea Impressing in Nebraska's Spring Practices
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Bags a Shutout in Vegas
J.J. Spaun

Offers Upside Despite Poor Course History at Innisbrook
Brock Boeser

Logs Three Assists Tuesday
Jeremy Peña

Opening Day "Not Ruled Out" for Jeremy Pena
Brock Faber

Registers Three Assists in Overtime Win
Aaron Rai

Looks to Bounce Back at Valspar Championship
Charlie Coyle

Matches Career High with Four Points Tuesday
Johnny Keefer

Brings Ball-Striking Upside to Valspar Championship
Billy Horschel

a Volatile Play at Valspar Championship
Ben Griffin

Looks to Rebound at the Valspar Championship
Corey Conners

Brings Elite Ball-Striking to Valspar Championship
Cole Ragans

Named Royals Opening Day Starter
Xander Schauffele

Trending In The Right Direction For Valspar Championship
Sahith Theegala

Has Shot to Challenge at Valspar Championship
Mackenzie Hughes

Looking to Bounce Back at Valspar Championship
Nicolai Hojgaard

Finding Rhythm For Valspar Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick

Continues Hot Start to 2026 Heading to Valspar Championship
Pierceson Coody

Heads to Valspar Championship Following Two Missed Cuts
Shohei Ohtani

to Pitch in Cactus League Game on Wednesday
Seiya Suzuki

has Sprained Knee, Opening Day Availability Unclear
Seiya Suzuki

Diagnosed With Strained PCL
Zach Neto

Making his Return on Tuesday
Kyle Freeland

to Start for Rockies on Opening Day
Wyndham Clark

Searching for Momentum at Valspar Championship
Justin Thomas

Is Justin Thomas Back Ahead of This Week's Valspar Championship?
Jordan Spieth

to Bounce Back at Favored Valspar Championship?
Brooks Koepka

is Starting to Find His Groove Again Ahead of Valspar Championship
Viktor Hovland

is One of The Best DFS Plays at Innesbrook
Rasmus Hojgaard

to Get Back on Track at Valspar Championship
Tony Finau

is Again a Scary Option at Valspar Championship
Blades Brown

Continues PGA Tour Run at Valspar Championship
Josh Emmett

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Kevin Vallejos

Scores First-Round TKO
Amanda Lemos

Drops Back-To-Back Fights
Gillian Robertson

Extends Her Win Streak
Andre Fili

Drops Decision on Saturday
Denny Hamlin

Dominates and Gets His Third Career Las Vegas Win
Chase Elliott

Earns Runner-Up Finish at Las Vegas
William Byron

Wins A Stage and Finishes Third at Las Vegas
Christopher Bell

Finishes Fourth at Las Vegas After Strong Run
Kyle Larson

Fades to Seventh Despite Leading Laps Early at Las Vegas
Andre Fili

Jose Delgado Edges Andre Fili in Split-Decision Win
Oumar Sy

Suffers First-Round Submission Loss
Ion Cutelaba

Returns To The Win Column
CFB

CJ Carr Enters Sophomore Season as Heisman Favorite
CFB

Aaron Philo Not a Lock to be Florida's Starting QB?
CFB

George MacIntyre the Favorite to Win Tennessee Quarterback Battle?
CFB

Keelon Russell, Austin Mack Battling for Alabama QB1 Duties
Christopher Bell

Looking for Redemption, Wins Pole at Las Vegas
Denny Hamlin

Should Contend for Another Vegas Win
Chase Briscoe

Qualifies 18th Despite Toyota Dominating at Las Vegas
Chase Elliott

May Fly Under the Radar at Las Vegas
NASCAR

Ross Chastian Has Been As Solid As They Come at Las Vegas
Ty Gibbs

Could Ty Gibbs Finally Break Through With a Win at Las Vegas?
Brad Keselowski

a Solid DFS Pick at Las Vegas
Kyle Larson

Should Kyle Larson be Considered A Favorite for Las Vegas?
William Byron

Could Compete for a Top-Five Finish at Las Vegas
Ryan Blaney

Is Ryan Blaney Worth Rostering in Tournament DFS Lineups for Las Vegas?
Tyler Reddick

Could Continue his Top-10 Streak at Las Vegas
Joey Logano

Should DFS Managers Underestimate Joey Logano for Las Vegas?
Chris Buescher

Is Chris Buescher Worth Rostering For Las Vegas DFS Lineups?
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace is A Risky DFS Option Who Could Pay Off at Las Vegas
Josh Berry

Has Plenty of Upside for Las Vegas DFS Lineups
Ryan Preece

Scores his First Las Vegas Top-10 Starting Spot in Qualifying
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF