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

Way Too Early Fantasy Football Mock Re-Draft Analysis - Rounds 1-2

So ... how about that Super Bowl, huh? It seems fitting that, after a postseason filled mostly with one-sided snoozers, the football gods would treat us to arguably the most improbable comeback in the history of professional sports.

Rather than spend more time trying to figure out what exactly happened the night of Feb. 5 in Houston, let's look forward to the 2017 season. The start of free agency is still about a month away, and the NFL draft is another month or so after that, but here at RotoBaller, we never stop thinking about fantasy football.

Twelve of RotoBaller's finest contributors gathered for a way-too-early PPR mock draft. Over the next week, we'll break it down round-by-round, starting with the first two in this article.

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

 

Round 1

There wasn't much surprise with the first three picks. A legitimate case can be made for Johnson, Elliott or Bell as the No. 1 overall pick, and all three are consensus top-five picks heading into the 2017 season. In dynasty leagues, the nod should probably go to Elliott, who will only be 22 years old at the start of next season, compared to Johnson and Bell, who will both be 25. In redraft leagues, it's hard to gone wrong with any of three. It basically comes down to personal preference.

After the three studs at running back, there was a lengthy run of wide receivers. This makes sense, particularly in PPR leagues. Eight consecutive wideouts were chosen with the fourth through 11th picks, led by Brown, Jones and Beckham. Like with the top three running backs, there were no surprises with the top three receivers off the board. They are all spectacular, in their prime, and wildly productive.

The next group included Evans, Green, Nelson, Robinson and Bryant. Evans is coming off a season that included career highs in receptions and yards, and a career-high-tying 12 touchdowns. Green, Nelson and Bryant are all solid WR1 that, when healthy, are safe plug-and-play options every week. The biggest wild card here is Robinson, who turned in a bitterly disappointing season in 2016. More on him later. I closed out the first round by taking McCoy, an aging but still-productive running back, on the front end of the wraparound.

 

Round 2

While the first round was heavy on wide receivers, the second round was a bit more balanced. Six running backs were selected in Round Two, led by my pick of Freeman on the back end of the wraparound. Freeman scores touchdowns, gets plenty of targets, and remains heavily involved in one of the NFL's most explosive offenses. Sign me up.

After Freeman, Jeffery, Rodgers and Ajayi came off the board. Rodgers is as safe as quarterbacks come, though the 15th overall still feels a bit early for him. Ajayi needs to find more consistency in 2017, but has the skill set to be a solid RB1. Hilton and Gordon were next off the board, and should both remain productive as focal points in their respective offenses.

Howard, Miller and Murray, followed by Hopkins, Adams and Watkins closed out the second round. Howard was a breakout star as a rookie and will be popular in 2017. Miller and Murray changed teams in 2016, and though both had 1,000-yard seasons, Murray was consistently more productive. Hopkins, like Robinson burned many fantasy owners in 2016. Adams had a much-anticipated breakout season, finishing tied for second in the league with 12 touchdowns. Watkins again struggled to stay healthy.

 

Best Picks

A. J. Green (WR, CIN) #8 overall

It's pretty hard to find a steal in the first round of a fantasy football draft. Everyone knows, scouts and debates the star players, but it's still possible to find guys in the second half of the first round who perform like top-five picks.

Before he injured his hamstring in Week 11, Green was on pace for 106 receptions, 1,542 yards and six touchdowns. In case you're wondering, that reception total would have placed him second only behind Larry Fitzgerald (107), while the yardage total would have led the NFL. If Green can resume that kind of pace in 2017, he'll be wonderful value at No. 8 overall.

T.Y. Hilton (WR, IND) #17 overall

Hilton led the NFL with a career-high 1,448 yards last season, but he also topped 90 receptions for the first time in a career. That's a major plus for his PPR appeal.

The speedy Hilton should remain the top weapon for Andrew Luck, and that alone carries significant fantasy upside. To get Hilton in the middle of the second round -- as the 10th wide receiver, no less -- represents solid value.

DeMarco Murray (RB, TEN) #21 overall

After one disastrous season in Philadelphia, Murray was rejuvenated in Tennessee, finishing with 1,287 rushing yards, 53 receptions and 12 total touchdowns. True, Murray will be 29 at the start of the 2017 season, and former Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry is waiting in the wings.

But Murray showed he's a perfect fit for Tennessee's offense, with his involvement in the passing game being particularly encouraging. Murray should remain productive for at least another season, making him a solid pick at No. 21.

 

Biggest Reaches

Allen Robinson (WR, JAC) #10 overall

Oh, boy. The 10th overall pick on a player who finished with 883 yards and six touchdowns? That certainly qualifies as a reach.

I actually like Robinson more than most. He's supremely talented. The only problem is that his quarterback is, well, marginally talented. If Blake Bortles can rebound from a dreadful 2016 season, perhaps Robinson can push closer to his 1,400-yard, 14-touchdown breakout 2015 season. If not, this pick hurts.

Alshon Jeffery (WR, CHI) #14 overall

Jeffery has produced in the past, but more recently, he's shown an inability to stay healthy. That's a concern, particularly for a player who, despite consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in 2013 and 2014, has never topped 89 receptions in a single season.

Jeffery's days in Chicago are likely over, so his landing spot in free agency will be crucial to his fantasy value. Jeffery has upside, but I'm not crazy about taking him with the 14th overall pick.

Sammy Watkins (WR, BUF) #24 overall

There's just too much uncertainty here. Can Watkins ever play a full season again? Who will his quarterback be? No one is denying Watkins' talent, but the track record is not good.

Watkins has missed 11 games over the past two seasons, and has yet to top 65 receptions in a season since being drafted in 2014. There are more reliable options for PPR leagues than the former Clemson star.

 

Conclusion

Let's take a look at some random facts about the first two rounds, shall we? First, the 24 players selected came from 16 different NFL teams. Of those 16 teams, seven had at least two players chosen -- Green Bay (three), Dallas, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Buffalo, Chicago and Houston. Of the 24 players selected, 12 were from AFC teams, and 12 were from NFC teams. Thirteen wide receivers were chosen, along with 10 running backs and one quarterback.

So, what did we learn from a mock draft conducted about seven months before the beginning of the 2017 season? In truth, not much -- free agency and the NFL draft will undoubtedly impact the stock of many players in this mock draft. But it's still a helpful -- and fun, of course -- exercise to undertake. 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
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Najee Harris

to be Ready Week 1?
De'Von Achane

Making Good Progress
Jaylen Wright

Considered "Week-to-Week"
Jackson Merrill

Heads to 10-Day Injured List
Jordan Love

Says He'll Play in Week 1
Brice Turang

Absent on Saturday, "Touch-and-Go" With Wrist Injury
Chase Elliott

Despite Being Winless at Daytona, Chase Elliott is Probably the Best DFS Option
Ryan Blaney

Will Likely Lead a Lot at Daytona
Kyle Larson

a Poor DFS Option at Daytona
Christopher Bell

Consistent Enough to Consider for DFS
Chris Buescher

Now Must Win His Way Into Playoffs
Ryan Preece

Being One of the Slowest-Starting Fords Makes Ryan Preece a Strong DFS Option
Ross Chastain

Leads a Lot on Drafting Tracks
Daniel Suarez

Now in Desperation Mode With his Career on the Line
Chase Briscoe

Tendency to Finish Better Than He Runs May Reap Dividends at Daytona
Lamar Jackson

Should Practice on Monday
Carson Hocevar

Hard to Forecast Since He's Rarely Given 100 Percent at Daytona
Michael McDowell

has a Solid Drafting Record
AJ Allmendinger

A.J. Allmendinger Arguably Starting Too Well for Place-Differential Points
Austin Dillon

Will Likely Be Too Conservative for DFS Consideration
Noah Gragson

Has Place-Differential Potential as One of the Lowest-Starting Fords
Todd Gilliland

Poor Starting Position and Ford's Drafting Speed Make Todd Gilliland a Viable Option
Zane Smith

Probably Starting Too Well for DFS Play
Justin Haley

has Strong Pass-Differential Potential
Cole Custer

Daytona 500 Speed Makes Him a Solid Play
Austin Hill

Qualifies Poorly Enough for DFS Consideration
Matt Chapman

Activated and Starting on Saturday
Moses Moody

Warriors Not Interested in Trading Moses Moody
Kevin Durant

Rockets Expected to Agree on New Contract
Trey Murphy III

Warriors, Spurs Interested in Trey Murphy III
Zack Wheeler

to Undergo Season-Ending Surgery
Kyle Busch

Facing a Must-Win Situation at Daytona
Ricky Stenhouse Jr

. Could Be a Risky Pick at Daytona
Yoán Moncada

Yoan Moncada Hits a Pair of Home Runs on Friday
Willy Adames

Belts Two Solo Home Runs on Friday
CAR

Luke Kunin Joins Panthers on One-Year Deal
Auston Matthews

Says His Health is "Good" Before Start of Season
Roope Hintz

"Feeling Good" Ahead of New Season
Matthew Tkachuk

Recovering From Surgery
Marco Rossi

Wild Re-Sign Marco Rossi to Three-Year Deal
Bubba Chandler

Records Four-Inning Save in Debut
Walker Buehler

Officially Moving to Bullpen
Adolis García

Adolis Garcia to be Activated on Saturday
Tanner Scott

Activated on Friday
NBA

Malik Beasley Now Drawing Interest from Teams
Jacob Wilson

Reintated and Starting on Friday
Marcus Semien

Could be Out All Weekend, IL Stint Possible
Evan Carter

Could Miss Rest of Season With Fractured Wrist
Brian Robinson Jr.

Traded to 49ers
Samuel Basallo

Inks an Eight-Year Extension With the Orioles
Zhang Mingyang

Set For UFC Shanghai Main Event
Johnny Walker

In Dire Need Of Victory
Brian Ortega

An Underdog At UFC Shanghai
Aljamain Sterling

Set For UFC Shanghai Co-Main Event
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Looks To Extend His Win Streak
Sergei Pavlovich

A Favorite At UFC Shanghai
Kevin Borjas

Set for UFC Shanghai Main-Card Bout
Sumudaerji

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
Kiefer Crosbie

Set To Open Up UFC Shanghai Main Card
Taiyilake Nueraji

Set For His UFC Debut
Jesús Sánchez

Jesus Sanchez Tallies Five Hits
Yandy Díaz

Yandy Diaz Dealing With Low-Grade Hamstring Strain
Marcus Semien

Leaves Thursday With Foot Contusion
Connor Ingram

Clears Player Assistance Program
Frank Nazar

Inks Seven-Year Extension With Blackhawks
Adley Rutschman

Going on Injured List With Strained Oblique
COL

Victor Olofsson Signs One-Year Deal With Avalanche
Austin Riley

Done for the Season After Having Core Surgery
Wilyer Abreu

Goes on Injured List With Calf Injury
Tee Higgins

has Injury Scare on Thursday
Jhostynxon Garcia

Headed to the Big Leagues
Dallas Cowboys

Micah Parsons Expected to Play in Week 1
Chris Godwin

Expected to be Activated from the PUP List
Dru Smith

Aims to Be Healthy for Training Camp
Jayson Tatum

Provides Injury Update
RJ Barrett

Considered a Trade Candidate
Golden State Warriors

Warriors "Remain Very Confident" About Signing Al Horford
Jahmir Young

Agrees to Deal With Heat
Devaughn Vele

Traded to Saints
Demarcus Robinson

Issued Three-Game Suspension
Lamar Jackson

Dealing With Minor Foot Injury
Lamar Jackson

Suffers Apparent Hand Injury
Hideki Matsuyama

Looks to Bounce Back at Tour Championship
Corey Conners

Looking to Reverse Struggles at East Lake
Joe Mixon

Could Begin Season on PUP List
Cameron Young

Stays Hot Ahead of Tour Championship
Harris English

Aims for Complete Game at East Lake
Sepp Straka

Back in Action at East Lake
Ben Griffin

a Strong Value Play at East Lake
Rory McIlroy

Chasing Another Win at East Lake
Patrick Cantlay

Finishes Tied for 30th at BMW Championship
Ludvig Aberg

Finishes Tied For Seventh at BMW Championship
Collin Morikawa

Finishes Tied for 33rd at BMW Championship
Keegan Bradley

Finishes Tied for 17th at BMW Championship
Robert MacIntyre

Finishes Second at BMW Championship
J.J. Spaun

Finishes Tied for 23rd at BMW Championship
Scottie Scheffler

Wins BMW Championship
Brian Robinson Jr.

Not Expected to Play for Commanders This Year
Rashee Rice

Could be Facing 4-6 Game Suspension?
Harry Hall

Hot at the Right Time for Tour Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound at Tour Championship
Jacob Bridgeman

has One Weakness Heading to Atlanta
Nikola Vučević

Nikola Vucevic Not Expecting to Be Moved Before the Season
Nick Taylor

a Long Shot to Win Tour Championship
Josh Giddey

Bulls Not Interested in Sign-and-Trade Deal Involving Josh Giddey
Brian Harman

Trying to Crack Top 20 at Tour Championship
Andrew Novak

Attempts to Bounce Back in Atlanta
Oscar Tshiebwe

Signs New Two-Way Deal With Jazz
Justin Rose

Seeks Even More Success at Tour Championship
Washington Wizards

Alondes Williams Joins Wizards for Training Camp
Washington Wizards

Wizards Add Skal Labissiere for Training Camp
A.J. Brown

on Track to Play in Week 1
CBJ

Brendan Smith Joins Blue Jackets on Tryout Deal
STL

Milan Lucic Joins Blues for Tryout
DET

Red Wings Pick Up Travis Hamonic
Jalen McMillan

Could be Out Through Week 9 Bye
Indiana Pacers

Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle Agrees to a Multiyear Contract Extension on Tuesday
Washington Wizards

John Wall Retires After 11 NBA Seasons
Daniel Jones

Named as Colts Starting Quarterback
Jalen McMillan

Will Not Be Ready for Season Opener
Collin Sexton

Hornets Have High Hopes for Collin Sexton
Rui Hachimura

Likely to Start Season Without Contract Extension
Jaime Jaquez Jr.

Hopes to Bounce Back in 2025-26
Stephen Curry

Ready to Go for New Season
Orlando Magic

Lester Quinones Agrees to Deal With Magic
Joe Mixon

Could Start Season on NFI List
Khamzat Chimaev

Is The New UFC Middleweight Champion
Dricus Du Plessis

Gets Dominated At UFC 319
Aaron Pico

Suffers Knockout Loss In His UFC Debut
Lerone Murphy

Scores Stunning First-Round Knockout

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP