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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.

Editor's Note: The FFPC Baby Gorilla Tournament is now open, featuring a $100,000 grand prize and a $675,450 total prize pool! This 12-team, Tight End Premium contest uses a 20-round draft format, with the overall winners determined by total points scored during Weeks 15–17. Get $25 to use toward your first entry by signing up through our link. Grab your team now! 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




REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Cade Otton

Remains a Quality Dynasty Depth Piece
CFB

Walker Lyons Could be Go-To Target for Bear Bachmeier
Austin Reaves

Scores 31 Points in Game 2 Defeat
T.J. Hockenson

Bounce-Back Chances Stifled by Improved Pass-Catching Depth
CFB

Ty Benefield a Potential Game-Changer for LSU Defense
Chet Holmgren

Anchors Thunder Past Lakers in Game 2
CFB

Hayden Lowe Set for Significant Role Following Miami's NFL Departures
Jordan Addison

Facing Competition for No. 2 Role?
Tobias Harris

Stays Hot in Game 2 Victory
Cade Cunningham

Pushes Pistons to 2-0 Series Lead
CFB

Taylor Wein in Position for Big Season on Oklahoma's Defensive Line
Taylor Heinicke

Retiring After 11 Seasons
Jarrett Allen

Provides Bright Spot in Cavs' Game 2 Loss to Pistons
Jauan Jennings

Signs With Vikings on One-Year Deal
CFB

Rasheem Biles an Instant Impact Player for Texas
James Harden

Struggles in Game 2 Loss
Donovan Mitchell

Finishes Game 2 Loss with 31 Points
Gradey Dick

Open to Trade Away From Toronto
Michael Porter Jr.

Wants to Stay in Brooklyn
Charlotte Hornets

Hornets Extend Charles Lee After 25-Win Improvement
Jarred Vanderbilt

Ruled Out for Game 2 Against Thunder
Luke Kennard

Cleared to Play Thursday
Ayo Dosunmu

Considered Questionable for Game 3 Against Spurs
Anthony Edwards

Remains Questionable on Injury Report Ahead of Game 3
Mitchell Robinson

Probable for Friday's Action
Kevin Huerter

Remains Out Thursday
Sam Merrill

Unavailable Thursday
OG Anunoby

Tagged as Questionable for Friday
Joel Embiid

Listed as Questionable for Game 3 Against Knicks
Dan Vladar

Looks to Return to Winning Ways Thursday
Connor Dewar

Penguins Re-Sign Connor Dewar for Two Years
Mikko Rantanen

Played Through Torn MCL Late in the Season
Rasmus Dahlin

Ready to Go Friday
Kyle Pitts Sr.

Signs Franchise Tender on Thursday
Alexander Nikishin

Set to Return Thursday
Joe Burrow

Attending Voluntary Workouts, Ready for Monster Season?
Christian Dvorak

Available Thursday
Owen Tippett

Remains Out Thursday
Roman Anthony

Heading for the Injured List
CFB

Sam Leavitt Expected to Be Full-Go for Fall Camp
T.J. Hockenson

Can T.J. Hockenson Bounce Back with Improved Quarterback Play in Minnesota?
Jordan Love

Is Jordan Love's Dynasty Upside Fading Entering 2026?
Dalton Schultz

Facing Increased Playing Time Competition in Houston Entering 2026
Kimani Vidal

Dynasty Value in Question Due to Uncertain Playing Time Outlook
Juwan Johnson

Facing Reduced Role in New Orleans Following NFL Draft?
Chuba Hubbard

a Prime Bounce-Back Candidate Following Offseason Moves
Indianapolis Colts

Kenny Moore Granted his Release by Colts
Minnesota Vikings

Chad Alexander a Candidate for Vikings GM Job
Tarik Skubal

Could Return in 4-6 Weeks After Successful Elbow Surgery
Minnesota Vikings

Vikings Request to Interview RJ Gillen for GM Job
Drake Maye

Shoulder Doing "Great"
Gunnar Helm

a Clear Breakout Candidate Despite Crowded Offense?
Travis Hunter

Dynasty Managers Regret Drafting Travis Hunter?
Khalil Shakir

Offseason Addition a Threat to Khalil Shakir's Consistency?
Christian Watson

Can Christian Watson Overcome Injury History?
Cole Ragans

Royals Hopeful That Cole Ragans Makes his Next Start
Paul George

Does a Little Bit of Everything in Game 2 Loss
Tyrese Maxey

Tallies Team-High 26 Points in Wednesday's Loss
Mark Stone

Nets Late Power-Play Goal in Losing Effort
Leo Carlsson

Pots Game-Winner Wednesday Night
Juraj Slafkovsky

Ends Point Drought in Game 1 Loss
Bowen Byram

Ties Franchise Record With Fourth Postseason Goal
Zach Benson

Posts Second Consecutive Multi-Point Game
Rasmus Dahlin

"Seems Fine" After Early Exit on Wednesday
Emilio Pagán

Emilio Pagan has Grade 2 Hamstring Strain, Expected to Miss 4-8 Weeks
Joe Ryan

Listed as Scheduled Starter for Saturday Against Cleveland
Tyler Glasnow

Not Expected to Land on the Injured List
Framber Valdez

Suspension Reduced to Five Games
Nils Hoglander

Will Miss World Championship Due to Injury
Christian Dvorak

Likely to Play in Game 3 Against Hurricanes
Owen Tippett

a Game-Time Decision Thursday
Noah Cates

to Miss Rest of Round 2
Arber Xhekaj

Rejoins Canadiens Lineup Wednesday
Brendan Gallagher

Scratched on Wednesday
Logan Stanley

Returns to Action Wednesday
Framber Valdez

Suspended Six Games
Tyler Glasnow

Exits Early on Wednesday With Back Pain
CFB

Brauntae Johnson the Next Star in Notre Dame's Secondary?
CFB

Ethan Barbour a Name to Know in Georgia's Tight End Room
CFB

Payton Pierce Next Up at Linebacker for Ohio State
CFB

Javin Gordon to Play Significant Role for Tennessee?
CFB

Tanook Hines Stepping into WR1 Role for USC
CFB

Rueben Owens II has "Star Potential" in Fourth Campaign
Brandon Woodruff

has Fluid Drained From his Right Shoulder
Brandon Woodruff

to Resume Throwing on Saturday, Return Imminent?
Carlos Correa

to Have Season-Ending Ankle Surgery
Jacob Misiorowski

Listed as Friday's Probable Starter
Logan Webb

Dealing With Knee Discomfort
Carlos Correa

Expected to Miss Significant Time With Ankle Injury
Collin Morikawa

Withdraws From Truist Championship
Xander Schauffele

Carries Elite Form Into Quail Hollow
Hideki Matsuyama

Looks to Bounce Back at Truist Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick

Secures Third Win of 2026 Season
Patrick Cantlay

Continues Playing Well Heading to Truist Championship
Ludvig Aberg

Returns to Action For Truist Championship
Justin Thomas

Searching for Consistency at Quail Hollow
Jordan Spieth

Looks to Break Through at Quail Hollow
Adam Scott

Brings Strong Form to Quail Hollow
Robert MacIntyre

a Steady Option at Truist Championship
Jason Day

Looks to Overcome Approach Struggles at Quail Hollow
Akshay Bhatia

Looks for Complete Game at Truist Championship
Mats Zuccarello

Extends Point Streak to Five Games
Emilio Pagán

Emilio Pagan Headed for Injured List With Hamstring Injury
Emilio Pagán

Emilio Pagan Carted Off With Apparent Hamstring Injury on Tuesday
Justin Rose

to Continue Mid-Season Club Change at Truist Championship
Si Woo Kim

is Back to Peak Form Ahead of Truist Championship
Sam Burns

to Bounce Back at Truist Championship
Cameron Young

Looks to Carry Dominance to Quail Hollow
Rory McIlroy

Returns to Familiar Stomping Grounds This Week at Quail Hollow
Chris Gotterup

Looking to Bounce Back at Quail Hollow
MLB

Cardinals-Brewers Game Postponed on Tuesday
Roman Anthony

Day-to-Day With Wrist Sprain
Jacob Misiorowski

"All Things Look Good" for Jacob Misiorowski to Start on Wednesday
Tommy Fleetwood

Looking For Better Iron Play at Quail Hollow
MLB

Rockies-Mets Game Postponed Due to Inclement Weather
CFB

Mario Craver Enters No. 1 Wide Receiver Role for Marcel Reed
CFB

LaNorris Sellers a Strong Rebound Candidate in 2026
CFB

Cam Coleman Poised for Monster Year at Texas?
CFB

Will Hammond Pushing to Be Ready for Week 1
Alex Fitzpatrick

Looking to Keep Up Ball-Striking Output at Quail Hollow
CFB

Notre Dame Leads College Football in Returning Snaps
CFB

Two Ole Miss Football Players Arrested, Charged with DUI
Ben Griffin

Looks Solid on the Surface Heading to Charlotte
Chase Elliott

Earns his Second Texas Motor Speedway Victory
Denny Hamlin

Misses Out on Winning at Texas
Alex Bowman

Finishes Third for the Second Week in a Row at Texas
Tyler Reddick

Earns Seventh Top-Five Finish of the Season at Texas
Chris Buescher

Scores his First Career Texas Finish in the Top Five
CFB

Bryce Underwood in Better Situation Entering Sophomore Season
CFB

Nico Iamaleava Emerging as Leader, Playmaker for UCLA
Jack Della Maddalena

Gets Dominated At UFC Perth
Carlos Prates

Shines At UFC Perth
Beneil Dariush

Suffers A First-Round TKO Loss
Quillan Salkilld

Remains Unbeaten In The UFC
Tim Elliott

Drops Decision At UFC Perth
Steve Erceg

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Ollie Schmid

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Marwan Rahiki

Remains Unbeaten
Christopher Bell

Is Christopher Bell Worth Rostering for Texas Lineups?
William Byron

Might have the Speed to Compete for the Win at Texas
Joey Logano

Provides Solid Upside for Texas DFS Lineups
Chase Briscoe

Could Chase Briscoe be A Sneaky Pick for Texas Lineups?
Ty Gibbs

Should DFS Managers Roster Ty Gibbs at Texas?
Daniel Suarez

Is Daniel Suarez Worth Rostering After Career-Best Starting Position at Texas?
Kyle Busch

Is a DFS Risk Starting in the Top 10 at Texas
Tyler Reddick

One of the Favorites to Win at Texas
Chase Elliott

Could Contend for Another Win at Texas
Carson Hocevar

on Pole at Texas
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Wrecks in Practice at Texas
Chris Buescher

Looking to Continue Strong Run at Texas
Austin Dillon

Blows Engine in Practice at Texas
RANKINGS
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K
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