Fantasy Sharks 2020 Dynasty Mock Draft & Strategy – Superflex
For those of you that play in dynasty leagues, you know that this is the best time of the year. Rookie drafts are coming, as well as the combine, the NFL Draft, and dynasty startups. In what is likely to be the first of many Dynasty Drafts that we cover here at Create-A-Rank, we take a look at a 2020 Superflex Dynasty Startup Mock Draft done by myself and other industry experts. It is a 12-team dynasty league, with PPR scoring and a tight end premium. I was honored to be a part of this group of amazing analysts and to participate in this mock draft with them.
Rounds 1-3 | Rounds 4-6
Below you will find each expert pick with a brief explanation as to why that player was selected. We will cover the final four rounds in this part three of three. There is a lot to learn from this draft and I hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed doing it.
Rosters: QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, TE, 3 R/W/T, 1 Q/R/W/T
Scoring: PPR, TE Prem
Here are our participants in order of selection accompanied by their Twitter handle and website affiliation. Give them a follow and let us know what you think of their picks!
- Tommy Mo: @2on1FFB, 2on1fantasysports.com
- Randal K: @FF_Terminator,The Undroppables
- JetPack Galileo: @JetPackGalileo, FFAstronauts.com
- Chalk: @101chalk,The Undroppables
- Andrew Hall: @AndrewHallFF, ProFootballNetwork.com
- Scott: @DynoGameTheory, CreateARank.com
- Tommy Garrett: @TommyGarrettPFN, ProFootballNetwork.com
- Travis: @TSeel14, True North Fantasy Football
- Dan: @awlsabermetrics, 2on1fantasysports.com
- Jake: @dabeezybff,The Undroppables
- Paul Lundgaard: @pauliessleepers, PauliesSleepers.com
- D. Brown: @DBrownFF88,The Undroppables
Now Available: 2020 Dynasty Rookie Rankings!
2020 Dynasty Startup Draft & Strategy Round 7:
7.01- Ryan Tannehill – QB, Tennessee
(Tommy Mo – @2on1FFB – 2on1: Fantasy Sports)
Ryan Tannehill pulled a complete 180 on the 2019 season. He came in with very little value as a backup and left with a ton of upside as the new heir apparent in Tennessee. It hasn’t been officially announced, but Ryan has effectively taken the job from Mariota. In doing so, he led the Titans to a playoff appearance.
Getting the start in Week 7, Tannehill put up respectable numbers throwing for 2,598 yards, 22 TDs, and only five INTs. He led the NFL with a 117.5 passer rating (@NFL_Stats), and he completed 70% of pass attempts that were 9+ yards (@WingfieldNFL). Tannehill raised the game of everyone around him, turning AJ Brown into a top fantasy WR target for 2020.
He opened up the game for the offense, for example, since he took over in Week 7 the Titans ranked 1st in yards per play, 1st yards per rushing attempt, and 1st in yards per passing attempt (ScottBarrettDFB). And lastly, per @PFF he was the highest-graded QB of 2019 with a 92.5% grade, ahead of Drew Brees, Russell Wilson, and everyone else. He certainly will enter 2020 with a ton of upside.
7.02- Austin Hooper – TE, Atlanta
(Randal K – @FF_Terminator – The Undroppables)
Many people predicted an Austin Hooper breakout coming in 2019 and those of you who snagged him late in drafts were not disappointed. Not even a late-season MCL sprain could keep him from posting the best season of his career to date. Hooper finished with 75 receptions for 787 yards and six touchdowns in just 13 games. And was the overall TE1 through the seasons first nine weeks.
The 25-year-old California native is set to become a free agent in March, and perhaps that’s why he fell down the board a bit as the Falcons have yet to engage him in talks. But no matter where he spends his future he will almost certainly be productive and snagging him this late in a TE premium league feels like stealing.
7.03- Drew Brees – QB, New Orleans
(JetPack Galileo – @JetPackGalileo – Fantasy Football Astronauts)
Drew Brees is my last stand at Superflex’s make or break position: QB2. We had a surprising early run in the 5th round, but 2 guys I consider to be in the same tier were available late, Tannehill and Brees. Fantasy finishes are fool’s gold as injuries modify value drastically. Don’t be distracted by the ulnar collateral surgery that held Brees out for 5 weeks. He scored 20.4 PPG, 7th best in the league. Soon to be 41 years old, it makes sense that Brees has fallen as far as he has, but I’m happy to find a young QB in 2021, for now I’ll take the value of another quarterback playing behind a stellar offensive line with a fantastic playcaller.
7.04- Derrius Guice – RB, Washington
(Chalk – @101chalk – The Undroppables)
One of the most exciting yet enigmatic prospects in recent memory, Guice could pan out into perennial stud for the next 5-6 years or a “what could have been” pipe dream. As stated earlier, my last two picks were running backs as the RB talent pool from here gets fairly shallow and I’d rather take a chance on Derrius Guice than Lindsay, Montgomery, Ingram and even Kenyan Drake (who I debated here). But if I am debating between Guice (who has top 10 potential IF he can somehow miraculously stay healthy) or Drake (who broke out in a major way with Arizona but finds himself in an extremely unpredictable situation with David Johnson and a compelling third string back in Chase Edmonds).
Washington just hired Ron Rivera and based on the new Redskins head coach’s history with running backs, Guice’s 2020 outlook improves even though he’s on IR. Rivera and his defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio will play a hard-nosed, run-heavy scheme predicated on defense so a healthy Guice would see a workhorse type role.
Guice may be coming off two consecutive seasons lost to knee injuries, but he will be turning only 23 in late June and still is one of the most talented backs in the league. Even with a limited sample (5 games in 2019), Guice ran for 245 yards (5.8 yards per carry) and 2 TDs while flashing the explosiveness we’d hope to see.
7.05- David Montgomery – RB, Chicago
(Andrew Hall – @AndrewHallFF – Pro Football Network)
Time to look for my RB2 and a top three 2019 rookie is still available in RB David Montgomery. He had an up and down year with the Bears, and is definitely considered risky, but most RB2s are these days. Putting him with Gordon makes my team riskier than usual but both could also be huge plays come the start of the 2020 season.
Overall, my roster is very balanced: 2 QBs, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, and a TE. In most startups I try to do something like this to avoid having a gap at any particular position, and in a draft like this with all of the sniping it’s important to stay focused and not go on tilt to reach for anyone, especially this early. Now that I’ve got a good base I can start looking for bench and high-floor picks to round out my risky starting squad.
7.06 – Tyler Boyd – WR, Cincinnati
(Scott – @DynoGameTheory – Createarank.com)
Tyler Boyd is now my WR4 on this squad.
Tyler Boyd – 25 yrs old – 147 targets
D.J. Chark – 23 yrs old – 118 targets
Amari Cooper – 25 yrs – 119 targets
Chris Godwin – 23 yrs – 120 targets
We can start up to 5 or 6 wide receivers in this league format, so having young depth like this in a PPR format will pay dividends. Add in Fournette who is only 24 years old and saw 100 targets himself this past season and I feel very good about competing early on and dominating in the future.
I’ll need to continue to make good decisions to round out this squad. But so far, I like it.
7.07- Hunter Henry – TE, Los Angeles Chargers
(Tommy Garrett – @TommyGarrettPFN – Pro Football Network)
I got sniped hard on this pick on a wide receiver I was banking on grabbing (Foreshadowing to what happened again later). Since we can start up to 5 WRs in this due to the flex spots, Tyler Boyd would have been a perfect fit with Samuel and Brown. Especially since all signs point to Joe Burrow going #1 overall to Cincinnati in the draft. Since this is a TE premium format, that became my next logical pivot since I needed to get one still, and so did 5 of the following 6 drafters. I wanted Austin Hooper and settled on Hunter Henry but had the plan moving forward to get another TE reasonably soon.
See Where Hunter Henry Ranks In Our Dynasty TE Rankings
I don’t love this pick due to his injury history, but when he is on the field, Henry is a stud. He finished as TE9 in 2019 even while missing four games, averaging 12.4 points in PPR scoring. At 6’5″ and 25 years old, whoever is going to play QB for the Chargers will look for him in the red zone. I do expect them to either resign or franchise tag Henry this offseason to keep him around. He is my #7 tight in dynasty rankings, so this falls right in line. There are guys on the board who I like better long term, such as Hockenson or Fant. The issue is how long it can take for a talented tight end to develop. I’d love to grab one of them later on and let them hone their craft while I use Henry as my everyday starter.
7.08- Noah Fant – TE, Denver
(Travis Seel – @TSeel14 – True North Fantasy Football)
Fant was drafted with the 20th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft due to his off the charts athletic measurables and stellar college production, scoring 18 touchdowns in his final 2 seasons at Iowa.
Opinions were mixed on Fant’s production outlook as a rookie. He was joining an offense in flux with the Broncos, attached to a Quarterback who historically used Tight Ends heavily in Joe Flacco, and we all know how Tight Ends generally need 2 to 3 year to acclimate to the NFL and produce for Fantasy. Looking at the season as a whole for Fant, we see he cleared the elusive 500 yard benchmark for rookie Tight Ends. In fact, his 562 receiving yards are the 6th most of any rookie TE over the past 20 years. That’s more yardage than the likes of Gronkowski, Kittle, and Mark Andrews had in their rookie seasons.
I chose Fant here because, being a Tight End premium league, most of the sure-thing tight ends were off the board already and Fant provided the most upside. I look for him to continue to improve on his solid rookie year, further cementing himself as an offensive focal point alongside Courtland Sutton.
7.09- Dallas Goedert – TE, Philadelphia
(Dan – @awlsabermetrics – 2on1: Fantasy Sports)
This was a reach, can’t lie. A peek behind the curtains on this one; me sleeping peacefully on my couch, phone notification wakes me up- it’s 11:57 PM, see it is my turn to pick, and rather than just going back to bed and drafting in a few hours, I sleepily decide to make my pick, and lo and behold there has been a mini tight end run. Well, it is a TE Premium league, I don’t want to fall behind, and Goedert presents a crazy high ceiling as we have seen what Ertz has done in that offense (and actually Goedert too).
Ertz could be a roster casualty and Dallas could be the TE1 in Philly in a matter of a few short months. So I make the pick and pass back out. For being half asleep, I can see my logic here, being fully awake the next morning, passing up Drake was something I was less than pleased with myself.
See Where Goedert Ranks In Our Dynasty TE Rankings
But, I made the pick so I have to make it work regardless of how happy I am with it. The Philly offense was a bit of a trainwreck this season due to injuries, which I’m sure played a role in Dallas’s season, but he still finished the 2019 season as a TE1 this season with Ertz still there. He showed to be athletic and a playmaker for Wentz and is making considerably less money than Ertz and is four years his junior.
So, if Ertz does get cut to save money, I just locked up an elite tight end spot for the next several years for a great value. If I have to wait a few years this pick was a big miss. Such is life in the fantasy game. Luckily, I already have my eye on a few tight end options that I really like for 2020 and beyond that I know I can draft in a few rounds and will help me bolster this pick and protect me if it flops.
7.10- Darren Waller -TE, Oakland
(Jake Besong -@dabeezybff – Sons of Dynasty, Undroppables)
In a Te premium i needed to make a play here and while i like Waller at this spot he is a question mark for me in 20. He had 90 receptions on a 117 trgts for 1,145 yds and 3 tds. He was a top 5 te this year. Why the hesitation? Is Carr the qb next year? Who do they add in the draft or FA as a wide receiver? Will Moreau eat into his targets? Will he stay on the right path? Theres risk with him but he should come in as a top 8 te in 20 regardless but i do worry about his target volume moving forward.
7.11- Kenyan Drake – RB, Arizona
(Paul Lundgaard – @pauliessleepers – pauliessleepers.com & Undroppables)
No QB yet and the guys are starting to talk in the chat room. “Paulie going zero QB in Superflex. Insert *it’s a bold strategy, Cotton* gif here. There are a handful of guys I would be happy with at this point. Based on the other coach’s rosters, three of them will still be there later. I went with Kenyan Drake because I have always believed in his talent. He is one of several players to flourish once he got out from under Adam Gase’s wing.
Drake was the RB3 overall for the last three weeks with a whopping 7 TDs and 87% of the backfields’ touches. He fits great into Kingsburys’ offense and the coach knows it. It has now come out that the coach actively sought out Drake in trade. It has also come out that David Johnson did not fit in the “RPO” scheme and he has even reportedly offered to return kicks next year. Yes, this is what it has come to, DJ asking to work special teams to stay relevant.
Could the Cardinals draft a high profile RB or get one in free agency next year? Sure, it’s possible. But why would they when they have so many holes and they have already found the perfect fit? Drake has hella upside as my RB3 and I firmly believe he will be the starter in 2020.
7.12- Robert Woods – WR, Los Angeles Rams
(D Brown – @DBrownFF88 – Sons of Dynasty)
Approaching the turn of rounds 7 and 8 I glance over my roster to see position needs. Thus far I have 2 QBs, 2RBs, and 2 WRs. Wanting to continue filling my starters, leaves me with TE, RB, WR. I’m a firm believer in locking up a top 5 TE or punting the position until later in the draft, which is exactly what I did when I selected Woods to be my WR3.
The last 2 years under McVay, Woods has been a consistent weapon in a powerful offense reaching 130+ targets in each season. Good enough for the WR11 and WR14 finish in PPR formats while eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark as well. While Brandon Cooks may be getting faded in this offense with the emergence of the Rams TE (Everette, Higbee) Woods has remained a go-to target for Goff having a minimum of 9 Targets their last six games.
Woods has a few more years of solid production and makes for a great WR3 on any team. My WR core now consists of Golladay, Gallup, and Woods. A great mix of consistency, youth, and upside.
Round 8:
8.01- Phillip Lindsay – RB, Denver
(D Brown – @DBrownFF88 – Sons of Dynasty, The Undroppables)
The Broncos had a new OC, a banged-up offensive line, and a QB carousel in 2019. Still, Lindsay found a way to make history by becoming the first ever undrafted NFL RB to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons. Lindsay is no doubt, a special talent, and has a story that you can’t help but root for.
Coming off a wrist surgery Lindsay looks to be in full health heading into 2020. Lindsay will be entering a contract year in 2020, so I expect the Broncos organization to restructure the current contract in order to lock up their stud RB for the future.
See Where Lindsay Ranks In Our Dynasty RB Rankings
So long as Royce Freeman is splitting the backfield, Lindsay’s ceiling will be capped, but even with limited touches Lindsay has produced steadily. Lindsay is just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. Broncos have a stout defense and no sure thing at QB, which should keep the offensive game plan close to the line of scrimmage. This is bound to leave a plethora of touches to be had moving forward.
The combination of youth and talent make Lindsay a great RB3 for my team that already boasts Nick Chubb and Devin Singletary. I’ll plan to continue adding RB depth in the upcoming rookie draft. Having Lindsay as my oldest RB at age 25 has my team stacked nicely with youth for the future.
8.02- Gardner Minshew – QB, Jacksonville
(Paul Lundgaard – @pauliessleepers – pauliessleepers.com & Undroppables)
Ok, it’s time to pull the trigger on a QB. I have a plan and it includes one or possibly two other QBs starting ahead of Minshew. I’m ok rolling him out there. His 3271-yard campaign with a 21/6 TD/INT ratio and 67 rushes for 344 yards in only 14 games has really flown under the radar in my opinion and based on how the town has embraced this kid and how marketable he is, he will be the starter in 2020.
Remember he was a 6th round pick and wasn’t supposed to see the field this year. He has heart, along with his impressive first-year stats, makes me comfy taking him as my first QB off the board. Just wait, kids. I’ll be o.k. Trust me.
8.03- Derek Carr – QB, Oakland
(Jake Besong -t@dabeezybff- Sons of Dynasty, The Undroppables)
Qbs are getting slim so taking my shot here on Carr. Is he the future for the franchise? No idea. Hes been a bag of mixed results. Hes only thrown for over 4000 yds twice in his career so hes not a sure fire stud but if they choose to build around him, add playmakers, improve the o line i do think he could finish as a top 12 qb in 20. As my qb 2 its risky but the wait on qb could pay off a bit.
8.04- Adam Thielen – WR, Minnesota
(Dan – @awlsabermetrics – 2on1: Fantasy Sports)
I think people kind of forget about Thielen, to be honest. 2017- WR8 (239 points), 2018- WR 7 (307 points), and was the WR9 this season before getting injured and sputtering the rest of the season. So in the 8th round, I can land someone that was a WR1 the past two seasons and was on pace to continue that streak, ya I will take that.
Not for nothing, in case something happens in my QB slot, I can now stack Cousins and Thielen. Which is nice, though that wasn’t really a big factor with this pick, just an added bonus. He is 29 but that doesn’t scare me too much. He still should have a few more years of strong production. It also seems like someone that could be in store for contract restructuring after the 2020 season.
8.05- Mark Ingram – RB, Baltimore
(Travis Seel – @TSeel14 – True North Fantasy Football)
For this pick, I went down to B-More, outside the Bank, and put some BIG TRUSS into this Baltimore offense! This rushing attack was stellar this year. We all know the history Lamar Jackson made across the board, but Mark Ingram has been a huge part of the Ravens’ success.
The RB11 in PPR formats, Ingram cleared 1000 yards rushing for the third time in his career and set a new career high with 15 touchdowns (10 rushing, 5 receiving). Looking at whether those touchdowns are sustainable, we see that Ingram totalled the 10th most red zone carries in the league with 40, and 14 of his 15 total touchdowns came from inside the 20. In fact, Ingram, Lamar Jackson, and Gus Edwards were all top 36 in the NFL in red zone carries, which tells me that when they’re near pay dirt, they want to run the ball.
See Where Ingram Ranks In Our Dynasty RB Rankings
So, while Ingram’s 15 touchdowns are likely to regress, he will still be put in a position to succeed being given high leverage touches. From a dynasty lens, the potential loss of Greg Roman, and insertion of Justice Hill into meaningful carries, did give me some pause but this is an offense I want pieces of with Lamar Jackson at the helm. And in the 8th round I couldn’t pass Ingram up. He may only have 2-3 years of high level production left, but with Aaron Jones and Kerryon Johnson on my team already, there is potential volatility atop my depth chart. I expect similar volume in 2020, and attached to that QB….I’m bout dat. WOO WOO!
8.06- Sony Michel – RB, New England
(Tommy Garrett – @TommyGarrettPFN – Pro Football Network)
Do you know how you say every draft that you won’t draft a New England Patriots running back and end up doing anyway? Yeah, that’s this pick right here. I don’t love it, and I don’t hate it at the ADP and need for my team. Going RB/RB with my first two picks, gave me some leeway to address other needs before coming back.
I wanted this to be either Derrius Guice or Kenyan Drake, but given the group of drafters, didn’t happen. I needed a solid RB3, and Michel gives me that after back to back seasons where he finished above RB36. At only 24 years old, there is still plenty of time for him to develop. In 2019, Michel saw 15 or more touches in 11 games, showing the volume is there. With all the uncertainty surrounding the Patriots for the first time in decades, it seems, relying on a rushing game is an easy way to help with a transition.
8.07 – Dwayne Haskins – QB, Washington
(Scott – @DynoGameTheory – Createarank.com)
Haskins joins Darnold and Cam in my quarterback stable. He is drafted as the QB24 and that is value in my book. Haskins remains a very low cost starting QB. He is only 22 years old and entering his second season he will be greeted with more stability. Ron Rivera will be leading the team and with Terry McLaurin and other young weapons taking another step forward, I think Haskins value will rise during 2020.
Which hits on one more strategy I try to keep in mind with every pick. “Will this player be worth more in 12 months from now?” I want that answer to be ‘Yes’ for as many picks as possible. In dynasty, these players are not only point scorers for you team, they are also assets that behave like currency. Make sure your team has more ‘arrow up’ guys than not.
8.08- Mike Williams – WR, Los Angeles Chargers
(Andrew Hall – @AndrewHallFF – Pro Football Network)
I considered a few options at this pick, but it was mainly between RB and WR since I have two of each. There are some bench QBs left and plenty of TE options, even for a TE premium league, so I didn’t see the urgency in either of those positions for this pick. Given that it’s a PPR league and wide receivers are generally more valuable in dynasty leagues anyway, I went with the WR position.
Once I knew what position it was between a few players at that position: TY Hilton, Mike Williams, or Devante Parker. I think all three have immense value as a WR3 but the youth factor puts Mike Williams at the top of the list for me. I’m not sure I can trust Parker for the long haul, especially if Fitz-magic leaves the Dolphins, and TY Hilton is a WR1 when healthy, but we aren’t certain how long that will be. GImme MikeWill and my WR3 slot is set.
8.09- Marquise Brown – WR, Baltimore
(Chalk – @101chalk – The Undroppables)
As long as I have at least two QBs after the 6th round, I tend to look for high upside WRs and RBs who might be an injury away from winning leagues. A rash of quarterbacks and running backs left some WR value so I hit the button on Hollywood Brown. Tied to the MVP-favorite for years to come, Brown boasts an incredibly high ceiling with his blazing speed which allows him to take the top of the defense on any given play. Brown only had 44 receptions for 569 yards but he saw nearly 20% of the Ravens’ red zone targets (12) and also posted a respectable 14.6% HOG Rate (5.6 targets per game).
Jackson and Brown have a strong connection as noticed from the target distribution and things should only improve from a WR44 finish in 2019 where Hollywood averaged 11 PPR points per game. I consider Brown a low-end WR3 with the potential to develop into a perennial top 25 WR over the next couple of years.
8.10- Jarvis Landry – WR, Cleveland
(JetPack Galileo – @JetPackGalileo – Fantasy Football Astronauts)
After taking James Conner in the 5th round, I quickly realized how crazy deep running back is this year. I expected Drake and Lindsay types to go in the 5th/6th, but after seeing them fall two whole rounds, we see that the strong rookie RB class has deflated the cost of some of the tailend RB2s.
Jarvis Landry is a basic value grab, a young, consistent WR2 whose playstyle can offer another 5+ years of fantasy relevance. He’s a true WR2/3 lacking WR1 upside with Odell there, but again, circumstances change, 27 year old talent does not. I’m not concerned with rostering two Browns receivers either. Landry’s 138 targets rank 9th in the NFL and he actually received more opportunities than Beckham (135). If needed, Landry will be an easy flip when Cleveland adds an offensive minded head coach to right the ship.
8.11- N’Keal Harry – WR, New England
(Randal K – @FF_Terminator – The Undroppables)
This kid has loads of talent and this will most likely be the lowest his value will ever be. He fortifies an already impressive receiving corp and If He develops the way many of us think, we could be talking about a second round pick two years from now. There are suddenly questions surrounding the QB position in New England and that might have contributed to his fall. But the beauty of this pick is that I don’t need immediate production from him and the Patriots brain trust usually gets it right.
8.12- Curtis Samuel – WR, Carolina
(Tommy Mo – @2on1FFB – 2on1: Fantasy Sports)
I’m going all upside here as the 3rd year wideout didn’t have the 3rd year breakout that many of us in the fantasy football community were expecting. Still, at 23 years old with a ton of speed and talent, he had over 100 targets in 2019 and averaged an impressive 11.6 yards per catch. Samuel’s 2020 outlook isn’t amazing currently with a new Head Coach, new QB, and D.J. Moore taking the reigns as the team’s WR1.
However, the opportunity will definitely be there as Samuel averaged an 86% snap share in 2019, which he turned into 54 catches for 627 yards and 6 TDs. The only problem with Samuel’s game is it’s all based on volume as he’s not going to take the top off a defense as a deep threat and he failed to hit the century mark even once this past season. However at this point in the draft, I can take a chance on a young player because I’ve chosen to draft consistency while sacrificing youth. But a new HC, play caller and dynamic QB could be a serious game changer for Curtis.
Round 9:
9.01- Drew Lock – QB, Denver
(Tommy Mo – @2on1FFB – 2on1: Fantasy Sports)
Jeezy likes him so I gotta too right?! Besides this kid’s affinity for trap music, he will be taking the helm for the Broncos going into 2020, at least according to John Elway. The 2019 rookie did not start until week 13 against the Chargers but impressed, winning 4 of the last 5 games of the year. By shipping off Sanders the Broncos got a lot younger and with another playmaking WR and an investment in the offensive line, Lock should be a lock for a solid QB2 next year and a consistent superflex starter for the next few years.
9.02- Devonta Freeman – RB, Atlanta
(Randal K – @FF_Terminator – The Undroppables)
If this is starting to sound like an Atlanta season rewind to you, you’re not alone! I’m never happy placing so many eggs in one basket and three starters on one team is probably one too many. Even if the Atlanta offense remains one of the league’s best. But at this point in the draft Freeman was the best of the rest at running back and there is no guarantee Hooper will be back in Atlanta next summer (As mentioned, the 25 year old star is a free agent)
Freeman closed 2019 strong and though the explosiveness that once made him one of the games best runners has long been sapped by injury, he still managed to eclipse eighteen fantasy points six times in 2019.
9.03- Ronald Jones – RB, Tampa Bay
(JetPack Galileo – @JetPackGalileo – Fantasy Football Astronauts)
Ronald Jones is 22 years old and his development over the last season has been drastic. I did not expect to enjoy Jones’ 2019 tape as much as I have. After a dive in the film room, I can say I expect the former 2nd round pick to be highly competitive in camp if the Bucs decide to pick up a rookie (and they should). During his 2018 rookie season, Jones’ struggled catching up to the game speed and was slow in finding holes that were less obvious than the highway lanes he ran on in the Pac-12.
Deep Dynasty Bench Stashes For 2020
Jones has shown plenty of explosiveness in year 2 and his skill at the second level has begun to resemble the stud we saw at USC. His involvement in the passing game has grown, and although he has work to do in pass protection, I think Bucs head coach Bruce Arians views him as a competitive back on first and second downs.
For me, the main concern with this pick is not Jones himself, but the competition the Buccaneers decide to bring in. Jameis Winston and a trio of key defensive linemen (Shaq Barrett, Ndamukong Suh, and Jason Pierre-Paul) are free agents heading into 2020. Adding a big name like Melvin Gordon or David Johnson depends on how the flexible the front office can get with $90 million in cap space. If they can’t go with a big name, I expect Jones to compete against a rookie for prime position in Arians’ high powered offense. While 2018 Ronald Jones would have gotten swept, 2020 Ronald Jones will have a leg up.
9.04- T.J. Hockenson – TE, Detroit
(Chalk – @101chalk – The Undroppables)
I already drafted Kittle back in the 2nd round but that didn’t stop me from grabbing the next in line of dominant Iowa tight ends in T.J. Hockenson. Big bodied, explosive with good pass blocking skills, Hockenson possesses the key qualities of a true all-around TE1. The Lions rookie broke out in Week 1 with 6 receptions, 131 yards and a touchdown but then disappeared thereafter and eventually suffered a season ending ankle injury.
It’s generally understood that it takes young tight ends several years to develop and Hock is no exception. He’s flashed his big play ability at times but also demonstrated he needs to improve with blocking and not dropping passes (especially red zone targets). In the TE wasteland, things are muddled after the top 5 or so, but Hockenson is a solid top 10 talent at the position with potential to become elite over the next couple of years.
9.05- T.Y. Hilton – WR, Indianapolis
(Andrew Hall – @AndrewHallFF – Pro Football Network)
Well, if you read my previous write up, I was considering taking Hilton in the last round, so he’s an easy choice for me here. Yes, he’s getting older and has health issues, along with some potential QB uncertainty, but he’s still a viable option for fantasy in most weeks, even in dynasty. Hilton deserves a spot as my WR4 and will be a great bye week fill in or flex option most weeks since I can take on a little risk and age with how I’ve built this roster so far.
At this point I will say here that while youth is key, a good dynasty roster has a mix of old and young players. You don’t want to have all old guys who will win now and leave you crushed for a few years while you rebuild, but you also don’t want only young players who are growing and forcing you to lose for years while they figure it out. No. You need a mix so you can retire/drop a few players every year as you draft new ones. It makes for a well-rounded team and gives you some options to trade away to contenders if your season takes a turn south early as well. Don’t be afraid of older guys, especially in the 9th round of a startup. They can still help and provide some balance to your squad.
9.06 – Devante Parker – WR, Miami
(Scott – @DynoGameTheory – Createarank.com)
This pick was a very exciting pick for the whole league. But there’s a lesson here. Here it is: We drafted this team on Sleeper. And the default rankings were set up as 2019 ADP. And for that reason, Parker was waaaay down the list. So we all missed him. When I made the pick, all the other drafters were reacting to the pick because they couldn’t believe he was still there.
The lesson here is to look at your site’s adp and rankings and make sure you have your own rankings. Look deep in the player list and either mark them on the watch list, or put them in your queue. This is a great way to gain an edge on your opponents when you’re doing a real draft for real money. This one was just for bragging rights, so all I get to do is gloat. I’d prefer to be stacking duckets.
My WR core now (can start 5):
Tyler Boyd – 25 yrs old – 147 targets
D.J. Chark – 23 yrs old – 118 targets
Amari Cooper – 25 yrs – 119 targets
Chris Godwin – 23 yrs – 120 targets
Devante Parker – 26 yrs – 128 targets
9.07- Mecole Hardman – WR, Kansas City
(Tommy Garrett – @TommyGarrettPFN – Pro Football Network)
Remember where I said I got sniped again on a wide receiver? This was where it happened. I thought I was going to be sneaky when I took Michel and let Parker slide to me, thinking that everyone had forgotten about him. Scott had other plans as he scooped him up right before I had a chance. After a few choice words in chat, I settled down and had to make a move. I was still going to go wide receiver as I only had 2 to this point. There weren’t a lot of other options that I loved, so I went with the high upside play in Kansas City Chiefs’ speedster Mecole Hardman.
2020 Dynasty Startup Draft Strategy: Draft Elite WRs
I guess I have a thing for guys who are primed or second-year breakouts as I now have 3 of them starting for me in the team. Averaging 20.69 yards per reception, he is one broken tackle from taking any pass to the house.
9.08- Brandin Cooks – WR, Los Angeles Rams
(Travis Seel – @TSeel14 – True North Fantasy Football)
This was a tougher pick to make as Cooks’ 2019 has been unmistakably awful. Not only has he not been productive when on the field, Cooks had concussion issues which sparked much concern for his dynasty prospects. While I also have those concerns, this price point was too good to pass up. Cooks will have just turned 27 by the time next season starts and his history of production can’t be denied. Prior to this season, Cooks had 4 straight 1000 yard seasons for 3 different teams.
There was one caveat in this pick which is yet to unfold. I think Brandin Cooks or Robert Woods will be moved this offseason. The Rams could certainly use the cap relief with just under $8.5 Million in projected cap space for 2020. They’ll have to pay Cooper Kupp soon and we saw them utilize their tight ends very effectively in the passing game this season.They won’t be able to cut Cooks as his dead cap hit would be more than $21 Million but yet another trade could be in the cards. His $16.8 Million cap hit would come off the books and the Rams would likely recoup some of the draft capital they’ve so willingly traded away the past 2 seasons.
Woods’ departure would open up 139 targets and move Cooks up on the receiving totem pole. Either way, Cooks could provide a major value as my 9th round pick if he can bounce back to show us what we’ve already seen he can do.
9.09- David Johnson – RB, Arizona
(Dan – @awlsabermetrics – 2on1: Fantasy Sports)
I am not a zero-rb person, but a couple picks here and there, and this is where I’m at. This is a value pick that I think could pay off for being in the 9th round already. Now specifically in regards to DJ- talk about a fall from grace, yikes. One of the first things that comes to mind of DJ this year for me, is that video of him getting the hand off and just like jogging a few years and getting tackled- all time bad visual.
But, going past the brutal end of the season, you really couldn’t have asked Johnson to start the season any better. At the end of week six, he was RB5 overall (121.3 pts/ 20.2 avg), and was making a lot of people very happy they went back in on him. Then he got hurt and it all went to hell. He just wasn’t the same it both physically and mentally it seemed.
See Where Johnson Ranks In Our Dynasty RB Rankings
What makes DJ especially frustrating is taking a look at his career finishes in fantasy. In his three healthy seasons as the leader he has been a top 10 back, and began the 2019 season on that same trajectory. He is on a big contract and obviously anyone could get cut, but saving $4 million to have $18 million in dead cap doesn’t strike me as a probable roster move.
Now the Cardinals have a ton in available cap so if they really like Drake, he could always come back, but he was honestly pretty bleh for the Cards until he won leagues in weeks 15 and 16. At the moment, would I be happy with him as my RB2- no, but real life, I’d have access to a high 2020 rookie pick which would be an RB for me (I’d be the 1.04), and DJ could be a later round value flex option moving forward.
9.10- John Brown
(Jake Besong -@dabeezybff- Sons of Dynasty, The Untouchables)
John Brown fell into a great spot this year. Hes shown the ability to be a team’s Wr1 but never has put it all together. John Brown and Josh Allen marriage was a perfect match. He had a career high in targets with 115, career high in yards 1060, and career high in receptions with 72. He finished as a top 20 WR in 19. There’s going to be some additions at WR this season for Buffalo but Brown has Allens trust and with Allens big arm those deep balls can happen anytime. He was a solid value at this spot and a solid WR2 in 2020.
9.11- Ben Roethlisberger – QB, Pittsburgh
(Paul Lundgaard – @pauliessleepers – pauliessleepers.com & The Undroppables)
See, fam? I told you I’d be all right at QB! Ben will be back for at least one more year and his weapons are young and very dynamic. My long term strategy here would be if towards the end
of the season if I’m not competing for a trophy (unlikely lol), I would look to move Ben to a QB needy contender for future picks or youthful pieces.
9.12- Mike Gesicki – TE, Miami
(D Brown – @DbrownFF88 – Sons of Dynasty, The Undroppables)
Selected 42nd overall (before Dallas Goedert) in the 2018 draft by Miami, Gesicki had a quiet rookie season with 22 receptions 202 yards.
In 2019 the year started quietly again for Gesicki as he and Fitzpatrick struggled to connect. But after rookie stand out Preston Williams was lost for the season, we saw Fitz look to Gesicki as he accumulated 64 targets over the last 9 weeks of the season. The second year tight end made strides in 2019 and appears to be a part of the rebuild in Miami. The Dolphins might invest in a franchise QB in April who may tend to lean on his TE as many rookie signal callers do. Or they may roll another year with an aging veteran while they groom their future QB. Either way, Gesicki is locked into a starting role on a team that finds themselves trailing in games often.
A raw athlete that is growing more comfortable with one hand in the dirt, Gesicki is moving up the dynasty ranks with room to grow. I don’t mind taking a chance on him at the end of the 9th Round.
Round 10:
10.01- Sterling Shepard – WR, New York Giants
(D Brown – @DBrownFF88 – Sons of Dynasty, The Undroppables)
Shepard only managed to be available for 10 games in 2019 due to injuries/concussion. Still, he managed to receive 83 targets in those games which ends up north of 120 targets on a 16 game pace.
The Giants have found their future at QB with rookie Daniel Jones who impressed most of us this year after heavy mockery of the organization from critics who thought it was a major reach. I liked what I saw out of the Eli Manning replacement and believe it bodes well for the Giants weapons moving forward. While Golden Tate may have a few years left, his best days are behind him. This leaves Shepard and rookie D Slayton room to grow, with Daniel Jones in a new look Giants offense.
As my WR4, behind Golladay, Gallup, and Woods, I’ll take the 120 targets and the upside that Shepard could be a top 25 WR in 2020.
10.02- Ryan Fitzpatrick – QB, Miami
(Paul Lundgaard – @pauliessleepers – pauliessleepers.com & The Undroppables)
Since this was only slated to be a 10 round mock (we later decided to keep going to play it out but only write up the first 10 rounds), I wanted to further solidify my QB situation and take the Beard. This is typical of what I would do in a startup of this format at both the QB and TE positions. If I am forced to “punt”, I will take three in a row to reach a certain comfort level.
Right before my pick it was announced that Chan Gailey would be coming out of retirement to be the Dolphins new OC. This move makes a lot of sense as Gailey invented the “spread” offense and would be a perfect OC for Tua Tagovailoa after the Dolphins draft him and “redshirt” his 2020 season to get healthy from his hip injury and learn this offense.
Gailey and Fitzpatrick are reunited as they were together for a combined 5 seasons with the Bills and the Jets. Fitz knows this spread offense well and will be a great fill in while Tua develops and a great mentor as well.
Side note: As mentioned, the draft has continued now and over the last few days there have been rumblings about my Colts going after Philip Rivers in FA. So I picked up Rivers in the 11th round as my QB4.
10.03- Raheem Mostert – RB, San Francisco
(Jake Besong -t@dabeezybff – Sons of Dynasty, The Undroppables)
Going into the 10th i felt like it was time for the upside picks. Mostert who was a afterthought going into 19 took over the RB1 role in Shanahan’s offense midseason and never looked back. Hes shown hes a perfect fit for the system. He had 137 attempts for 772 yds and averaged a little over 5 yards a carry. 10 total Tds on the year. He shown a 3 down ability as well. With Breida likely gone he’s the front runner to lead the backfield in 20 and if theres a lead back in San Fran i want him on my roster.
10.04- Will Dissly – TE, Seattle
(Dan – @awlsabermetrics – 2on1: Fantasy Sports)
I’ll be honest, I made this pick because I really wanted to write about Dissly, and I think his ADP is going to skyrocket in the upcoming months once people remember the beginning of the 2019 season (his ADP on Sleeper is still very low and has not bumped up for 2020). Like I spoke about in my Dallas Goedert write up, that was a bit of hopeful future pick with Ertz’s future possibly in limbo in Philly. So, I wanted to solidify my TE position before getting to far in the weeds in the TE position in case Ertz sticks around a little longer.
Through nine weeks of the 2019 season, Dissly was a TE 1, which is pretty good considering he only played in the first 5 games before injuring his Achilles only a few snaps into week 6. Through those five weeks, Dissly was the 5th tight end overall, and only 11 points behind Hooper for TE1 overall. In those five games, Dissly had 23 receptions on 27 targets for 262 yards (11.4avg) and 4 touchdowns and another one on the ground. Though those numbers are a great start in general, what was very exciting about Dissly was his connection with Wilson inside the Red Zone. All four of his receiving touchdowns came inside the 20, and was clearly the top target when it came time to score.
See Where Dissly Ranks In Our Dynasty TE Rankings
Lockett and Metcalf finished the season strong in this category (Locket #1, Metcalf #14 in RZ targets), but it stands to reason their numbers would be several targets, catches, and touchdowns less if Dissly was healthy for the full season. In regards to health, Seahawks Wire wrote in mid October the Dissly’s surgery went well and is expected back for Training Camp which is a great outlook. As people continue to reflect on the 2019 season, expect to see Dissly to catch a serious bump in ADP and hype. Being able to snag someone I believe will be a TE1 and stack with Wilson was a great way for me to end the write-up portion of this draft.
10.05- Marvin Jones – WR, Detroit
(Travis Seel – @TSeel14 – True North Fantasy Football)
Yet another veteran receiver added to this core. Jones was the pick for me as I feel he can insulate the high variance of Terry McLaurin and Brandin Cooks on my roster. Marvin Jones is perpetually underappreciated as a strong WR2 in fantasy football. He’s 2019’s WR20 on a Points per Game basis with 14.9 PPG, and through week 14, prior to his injury, Jones was the WR16 in PPR formats. He got all this work done while having a true alpha playing across from him in Kenny Golladay, and amidst Quarterback turmoil after Matt Stafford’s season was cut short through 9 games.
Jones’ usage is simply stellar. Even missing 3 games to finish the year, Jones soaked up 14 red zone targets, 1 shy of Golladay’s season total and tied for 20th among NFL wide receivers. On those 14 targets inside the 20, Jones hauled in 8 touchdowns, 5 of which were from inside the 5 yard line. This red zone usage, his chemistry with Stafford, as well as his propensity for big plays are why I think Marv still has a couple seasons of solid production left. It may not be the greatest long term play, but I think I secured a solid day 1 contributor for my team who should easily return on the 10th round investment.
10.06- Tyler Higbee – TE, Los Angeles Rams
(Tommy Garrett – @TommyGarrettPFN – Pro Football Network)
I said earlier when I drafted Hunter Henry that my goal was to make sure I get another tight end with a high upside. After seeing the rest of the players I would be willing to take go by, I made my move to ensure I got someone I wanted in Tyler Higbee.
He was the equivalent of waiver wire gold for owners in the fantasy playoffs and showed what he could be when given the targets. In Week 17, Higbee fell 16 yards short of becoming the first tight end to have five straight games with at least 100 receiving yards in NFL history. The Rams have him under contract through 2023, giving security to his locating for years to come. After seeing what he can do when getting the majority of looks at the TE position for the Rams, It would be foolish of them to shy away from him in 2020. I’ll take this upside in a TE premium league in the 10th round all day long.
10.07- Mitch Trubisky – QB, Chicago
(Scott – @DynoGameTheory – Createarank.com)
Darnold, Cam and Haskins. Not exactly an awesome group of fantasy QBs. Trubisky, for all his faults, is at least a very high ceiling play in the right matchups. Securing 4 starting QBs also gives me some flexibility to make trades down the line.
I am not confident that Trubisky is the answer in Chicago, but it sounds like they are gonna give him another shot to prove it in 2020. That’s good enough for me.
10.08- Rashaad Penny – RB, Seattle
(Andrew Hall – AndrewHallFF – Pro Football Network)
Looking at my roster it’s obvious that I need another running back. I went WR in the last two rounds which left me light at RB, but again, in a startup I tend to worry more about WR more than RB, since you can almost always draft a RB in the first round of rookie drafts that can produce right away while WRs take longer.
Looking at what’s left at RB and here is who I’m considering: Rashaad Penny, James White, Tarik Cohen, and Tevin Coleman. White and Cohen are great PPR options but both have their own kinds of risk as well. Coleman is in a crowded backfield and hasn’t been able to establish the role for himself, so I don’t know if I can lean on him at all for a bye week fill in. Penny seems like a good fit as he should take over the lead back role for Seattle in the next year or two, and has bye week value in the meantime.
Keep in mind that this draft is for vets only, so I would likely be targeting a RB in the early rounds of the rookie draft anyway, or could trade back and get one before the season starts anyway. Penny’s injury worries me but it doesn’t sounds fatal, so he becomes the obvious choice for my tenth pick. (EDIT: This pick was made prior to learning about Penny’s ACL injury)
10.09- Preston Williams – WR, Miami
(Chalk – @101chalk – The Undroppables)
As our mock draft neared its end, I went full upside with my Preston Williams pick. The undrafted rookie receiver burst onto the scene, leading the Dolphins with 428 receiving yards and 3 TDs on 32 receptions. Williams ranked fourth among all rookies in receiving yards behind DK Metcalf, Terry McLaurin and A.J. Brown when he was lost to a season-ending torn ACL. Miami is rebuilding and will likely draft a new franchise QB, which is hopefully a positive for Williams.
There are a lot of needs for team, and although WR isn’t necessarily one of them with the emergence of Williams and Devante Parker, we don’t know exactly how Brian Flores is going to build his new offense. On the other hand, Williams made his presence felt and the only reason he went undrafted out of Colorado State was his off-field issues which appear to be behind him now. At this point of any startup draft, you’re looking for young, high upside players and Preston is one to take a flyer on.
10.10- Will Fuller – WR, Houston
(JetPack Galileo – @JetPackGalileo – Fantasy Football Astronauts)
As with James Conner, I’m betting on another injury bounce back in Will Fuller. Young and talented, Fuller is the key that unlocks the Texans passing game. DeAndre Hopkins will always be the top option in Houston, but Fuller allows Watson to let loose. Fuller gives Watson access to the entire field and any game can be a fantasy home run. His dominant 53.7 point performance against the Falcons is the 9th best performance for a wide receiver in the history of football. In games where he was fully healthy, Fuller average 7.5 targets and 14.3 PPG, a number that is better than highly valued players like Diggs (4.09), Sutton (4.02), Boyd (7.07).
As for the injury history, the concerns are very valid. Will has never played a full season during his four year career. It is not uncommon for athletes to take an additional season to truly recover from their ACL injuries, take a look at Dalvin Cook and Derrius Guice, each at different stages of recovery. All 3 of these athletes struggled with hamstring injuries in their first season after ACL reconstruction, but Dalvin shows that the extra offseason of strength building can bring you back to 100% form. I am projecting a Dalvin Cook type of recovery for Will Fuller and am satisfied to be taking that risk in the 10th round.
10.11- James White – RB, New England
(Randal K – @FF_Terminator – The Undroppables)
The New England Patriots have always seemed to find success with running backs on the “short” end of the stick. (Kevin Faulk, Shane Vereen, Danny Woodhead) And White is no exception. More slot receiver than running back, the Wisconsin product has tallied 159 receptions 1,396 yards and 12 touchdowns the last two years. Proving himself a reliable RB2 for fantasy teams. And his role shouldn’t change much next year… even if Tom Brady’s uniform does.
10.12- Julian Edelman – WR, New England
(Tomy Mo – @2on1FFB – 2on1: Fantasy Sports)
This pick was made before the recent news of Jules tying one on in Beverly Hills and getting arrested for a misdemeanor for jumping on the hood of, and damaging, someone’s car. Now, this is not saying that Edelman’s career will coming crashing down in flames. But, near the end of Wes Welker’s career he started to get into minor trouble too.
With the last pick of this mock draft, I selected the 100 reception 1,000 yard performer in 2019 because as long as TB12 is throwing the rock in New England, I believe he’ll continue to feed his favorite WR. Edelman maybe has 1-3 years left in his career and that’s enough for me to take a chance on drafting my 4th WR that is a great plug-in at Flex in ppr leagues. Plus there’s a lot worse you can do as Mr. Irrelevant in the draft than Julian Edelman.
