👉 TAP TO SAVE 50% WITH CODE SPRING
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
Compare Any Players
24x7 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.

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 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
Compare Any Players
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

NFL

Jets Select Omar Cooper Jr. at No. 30 Overall in NFL Draft
New England Patriots

Patriots Trade Up Three Spots, Select Caleb Lomu 28th Overall
New York Jets

Jets Trade Up Into First Round, Acquire Pick No. 30 From 49ers
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Trade Up Three Spots, Select Chris Johnson 27th Overall
Houston Texans

Texans Trade Up, Select Keylan Rutledge 26th Overall
Chicago Bears

Dillon Thieneman Selected 25th Overall by Bears
Cleveland Browns

Browns Select Wide Receiver KC Concepcion With 24th Overall Selection
Dallas Cowboys

Malachi Lawrence Joins Cowboys at 23rd Pick
Los Angeles Chargers

Akheem Mesidor Selected 22nd Overall by Chargers
Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers Select Offensive Tackle Max Iheanachor With 21st Pick
Philadelphia Eagles

Eagles Trade Up to Take Receiver Makai Lemon at 20th Overall
Carolina Panthers

Monroe Freeling Goes to Panthers at No. 19 Overall
Minnesota Vikings

Caleb Banks Drafted by Vikings at 18th Overall on Thursday
Alex Lyon

Comes in and Shuts Down Boston
Detroit Lions

Lions Select Blake Miller With the 17th Overall Pick of NFL Draft
Jake Sanderson

Suffers Hand Injury While Blocking Shot
New York Jets

Jets Draft Kenyon Sadiq at No. 16 Overall
Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Buccaneers Draft Rueben Bain Jr. With the 15th Overall Pick
Miami Dolphins

Dolphins Trade Down, Select Kadyn Proctor 12th Overall in 2026 NFL Draft
Baltimore Ravens

Olaivavega Ioane Selected 14th Overall by the Ravens
Jake LaRavia

Available for Game 3 Friday
Dallas Cowboys

Cowboys Trade Up, Select Caleb Downs 11th Overall in 2026 NFL Draft
Austin Reaves

Upgraded to Questionable on Injury Report
New York Giants

Francis Mauigoa Selected 10th Overall by Giants
Los Angeles Rams

Rams Select Ty Simpson With 13th Overall Pick
Spencer Jones

Starting in Game 3
Joel Embiid

Picks Up Doubtful Tag Before Game 3
Kevin Durant

Iffy for Friday Night Due to Ankle Issue
Victor Wembanyama

Officially Listed as Questionable for Game 3
Jaylen Clark

Terrence Shannon Jr., Jaylen Clark Won't Play Thursday
Aaron Gordon

Ruled Out Thursday
Anthony Edwards

Cleared to Play Thursday
Jalen Williams

Week-to-Week Ahead of Game 3
Harrison Barnes

Available for Game 3
Victor Wembanyama

Traveling with Team Ahead of Game 3
Thomas Bryant

Cleared for Game 3
Milwaukee Bucks

Taylor Jenkins Set to Become Bucks Head Coach
Immanuel Quickley

Still Sidelined for Game 3
Ja'Kobe Walter

Good to Go for Game 3
Francisco Lindor

Expected to Miss "Significant Time"
Tyler Kleven

Available for Senators Versus Hurricanes
Josh Norris

Out With Undisclosed Injury for Thursday Night
Noah Ostlund

Will Return for Game 3 Against Boston
Francisco Lindor

Mets Officially Place Francisco Lindor on Injured List With Calf Strain
Michael Harris II

Removed Early With Quad Tightness
Francisco Lindor

Likely Headed to the Injured List
Jason Robertson

Scores in Sixth Straight Playoff Game
Matt Duchene

Records Second Consecutive Multi-Point Game
Sean Couturier

Contributes Two Assists in Game 3 Win
Jackson LaCombe

Ties Ducks Record With Three Points in Game 2
Alex Killorn

Racks Up Three Points on Special Teams
Connor McDavid

Finishes Pointless for Second Straight Game
Rasmus Sandin

Undergoes ACL Surgery
Paolo Banchero

Finishes Game 2 Loss With 18 Points
Cade Cunningham

Notches 27 Points, 11 Assists in Slow-Burning Win
Devin Booker

Settles for 22 Points in Game 2
Dillon Brooks

Leads Suns With 30 Points Wednesday Night
Chet Holmgren

Productive on Both Ends Wednesday
Michael Harris II

Continues to Heat Up With Two-Homer Game on Wednesday
Francisco Lindor

Leaves Wednesday's Game Early With Calf Tightness
JR Ritchie

Earns Promotion, Will Make MLB Debut on Thursday
Noah Ostlund

Could Return Thursday
Pontus Holmberg

Will Miss Round 1
Charle-Edouard D'Astous

Could Be an Option Friday
Victor Hedman

Traveling With Team
Radko Gudas

Unavailable for Game 2
Yakov Trenin

Considered a Game-Time Decision Wednesday
Mats Zuccarello

a Game-Time Call Wednesday
Wyatt Langford

Expected to Go on Injured List With Flexor Strain
Maikel Garcia

Leaves Early on Wednesday With Elbow Soreness
Roman Anthony

Day-to-Day With Sore Back
Juan Soto

Officially Back in Mets Lineup on Wednesday
J.T. Realmuto

Phillies Place J.T. Realmuto on Injured List With Back Injury
Lucas Giolito

Signs With Padres, Worth a Waiver-Wire Pickup?
Ryan Helsley

Orioles Put Ryan Helsley on Bereavement List on Wednesday
CFB

Beau Pribula Leading Virginia Quarterback Competition
Jack Eichel

Sets Up Two Goals Tuesday
Artemi Panarin

Records Another Power-Play Goal
Marco Penge

Trending Down Entering Zurich Classic
Sahith Theegala

Eyes Another Strong Week at Zurich Classic
Brooks Koepka

Shane Lowry Teams Up with Brooks Koepka at Zurich Classic
Si Woo Kim

Adds Another Strong Finish at RBC Heritage
Elly De La Cruz

Early-Season Breakout Continues on Tuesday
Wyatt Langford

Pulled Early on Tuesday With Forearm Tightness
Luke Clanton

Hoping to Find Form in New Orleans
Jackson Holliday

Leaves Rehab Game With Hand Discomfort
Corbin Carroll

Returns to Arizona's Lineup Against White Sox
Scottie Scheffler

is Starting to Hit His Stride
Brooks Koepka

Looking for Progress in PGA Return With Partner at Zurich Classic
Matt Fitzpatrick

Looks to Share Recent Form at Zurich Classic
Zack Wheeler

to Make Season Debut on Saturday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Back in Leadoff Spot on Tuesday After Injury Scare
CFB

Ashton Daniels Named Florida State's Starting Quarterback
Juan Soto

Expected to Return on Wednesday
Tyler Reddick

Earns His Fifth Win of the 2026 Season at Kansas
Kyle Larson

Finishes as the Runner-Up at Kansas
Chase Briscoe

Rallies for A New Career-Best Finish at Kansas
Denny Hamlin

Leads the Most Laps at Kansas but Misses Out on Victory
Christopher Bell

Falls Out of Contention for Kansas Victory on Final Restart
Mike Malott

Scores Third-Round TKO Win
Gilbert Burns

Retires After UFC Winnipeg Loss
Charles Jourdain

Extends Winning Streak
Kyler Phillips

Drops Decision At UFC Winnipeg
Mandel Nallo

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss In His UFC Debut
Jai Herbert

Scores First-Round TKO Win
Karine Silva

Gets Dominated at UFC Winnipeg
Jasmine Jasudavicius

Dominates Karine Silva
Kyle Larson

Should not be Underestimated for the Win at Kansas
Denny Hamlin

Can Denny Hamlin Dominate at Kansas Again?
NASCAR

Christoper Bell Should Contend for First Win at Kansas
Tyler Reddick

Fastest in Practice and Qualifying for Kansas Race
Ryan Blaney

Could Score another Top-10 Finish at Kansas
Ty Gibbs

Poised to Continue Hot Streak at Kansas
Chris Buescher

Always Consistent, Has Speed Heading Into Kansas
William Byron

is A Solid DFS Option for Kansas Lineups
Carson Hocevar

Poised for Career-Best Run at Kansas
Chase Briscoe

Is Chase Briscoe Worth Rostering for DFS at Kansas?
Chase Elliott

Is A Favorable DFS Option for Kansas Lineups
Joey Logano

Could Joey Logano be Considered Playable In DFS This Week at Kansas?
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace is A Favorable Driver to Consider for Kansas Lineups
Ross Chastain

Is Ross Chastain A Worthy DFS Option for Kansas?
Brad Keselowski

Could Brad Keselowski be A Sneaky DFS Option for Kansas?
Daniel Suarez

Should DFS Managers Roster Daniel Suarez at Kansas?
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF