Football Draft Kit: 2012 PPR Mock Draft

Mock Draft - PPR
The Mock is a 14-team league with 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 FLEX (RB/WR/TE), 1 TE, 1 K, 1 D and 5 reserves. Standard scoring (6/4, 20/10) except 1 point per reception. Results are below:

MOCK DRAFT Q&A

Chris Liss, RotoWire.com

Strategy: With the first pick in a PPR, I usually like to take a workhorse, pass-catching RB, and Foster - who's in the best system in the league, fit the bill. After that I would take value as it came to me, regardless of position. PPR does de-emphasize QBs a bit as they don't catch passes, so I figured I'd likely wait and get pass-catching backs and high-volume WRs.

Execution: It worked out well, as I was shocked to get Gronkowski at the end of Round 2, and I felt I had to gamble on Peterson at 3.1. Maclin and Brown fit the profile as high-volume wideouts, and I added some upside with Sidney Rice and Denarius Moore, who are playmakers. David Wilson is also a PPR-type at RB. As in the other draft, I waited on QBs and got Matt Ryan, someone who's been overrated in real life, but is in a great situation in fantasy.

Steal of the Draft (SOD): I like Doug Baldwin at 9.6 in 14-team PPR. Could exceed 100 targets and catch a lot of balls.

Reach of the Draft (ROD): Michael Vick in Round 2 is really pushing it, especially in PPR. I think he almost certainly would have been there on the way back.

Chris Morgan, RotoWire.com

Strategy: I'm not much for strategies that go beyond "Try and draft a good team," and I don't intend to have an agenda heading into the draft. That said, I do tend to try to get both my starting running backs in the first few rounds, particularly this year when running back feels shallow, and I then wait on quarterback, but not long enough to have to say the words, "Matt Ryan is my starter."

Execution: To the extent I had a strategy, I feel I executed well. I got Ray Rice and Steven Jackson at running back, and I'm happy with Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback, though I probably should have taken a backup given his track record. I was also quite pleased to get Jahvid Best where I took him, because if he's healthy I think he could be comparable to Reggie Bush in a PPR league.

SOD: As for steals, I think Emmanuel Sanders in the final round could be quite the value, and I was fond of Jacob Tamme in the 10th as well.

ROD: Robert Griffin III in the sixth round was a pick that practically screamed for attention to be paid to it, so I don't even want to dignify it beyond this passing mention. I found Darren Sproles in the third a more noble breed of head scratcher.

Howard Bender, RotoWire.com

Strategy: My strategy in any fantasy football draft, standard or PPR, is to immediately grab two featured backs that possess strong pass-catching abilities. Those who touch the ball most, usually rack up the most points. With so few quality RBs out there and with so much WR depth, this was imperative. From there it was the two best WRs available, then either a QB or a TE who is seriously featured in the team's passing attack. I like to get my core starters first and then worry about the supporting cast.

Execution: I executed my plan perfectly, though I was slightly disappointed in the WRs available to me in the third round. I was hoping more of a marquee player would slip through. Not much you can do about it, though, with the No. 3 pick in a 14-team PPR draft. A bit of an injury risk with Darren McFadden, but that's what backups in the later rounds are for. I finished the first five rounds with exactly the structure I wanted. LeSean McCoy and McFadden are the primary backs for their teams with strong pass-catching abilities, Jordy Nelson and Brandon Lloyd are in pass-happy offenses and will see numerous targets per game, Eli Manning leads a high-scoring offense, and Vernon Davis is always Alex Smith's primary target no matter who the wideouts are.

SOD: I feel like Denarius Moore in the ninth round and Danny Amendola in the 11th could prove to be huge steals so long as both stay healthy. Moore was in my queue next at the time, so missing out on him was a definite disappointment.

ROD: Jimmy Graham in the first round? Really? He had an outstanding year for the Saints last year and was easily Drew Brees' favorite target, but given the lack of depth for top RBs I hardly think grabbing a tight end with your top pick is the wise move. And not just a tight end, but the second best tight end. Rob Gronkowski at least went with the final pick of the second round after all the primary wide receivers were off the board.

Andrew Laird, RotoWire.com

Strategy: I went into the draft with the goal of taking WRs with my first three picks, but with No. 4 overall I had to grab MJD given his solid pass-catching ability. I was ready to grab Victor Cruz with my second round pick but he was nabbed two spots ahead of me, so I "settled" for Hakeem Nicks [before his injury]. Brandon Marshall in the third round seemed like an easy choice to me given his history with Jay Cutler.

Execution: I was somewhat surprised to have Peyton Manning fall to me in the fourth round given that he's a first or second round pick when healthy and all indications are that he will be. Clearly there is injury risk, but is it so bad that he's 29 picks worse than Michael Vick and 36 behind Matthew Stafford?

SOD: Shonn Greene at 6.2 - The Jets keep talking about the ground and pound, and with LaDanian Tomlinson no longer around, it's Greene's backfield to dominate. He doesn't catch a lot of passes but at this point in the draft, he has the most upside for consistent touches.

ROD: A.J. Green at 2.1 - There is no question Green can be an elite wideout one day, but I don't see him outproducing the next four WRs picked (Roddy White, Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks [pre-injury] and Greg Jennings) this year.

Jay Viner, RotoWire.com

Strategy: Look for explosive guys with the potential for big bounce-back years. I also wanted to grab a few rookies who can come in and contribute right away.

Execution: Although Jamaal Charles is coming off an ACL tear I think he has the ability to have a big year, and with it being a PPR league he could be a steal in the third round. I was also incredibly happy to grab my favorite rookie WR Justin Blackmon in the sixth. Kendall Wright is also a guy that really intrigues me, and I believe he could be a big play guy, similar to Antonio Brown or DeSean Jackson. Not a ton of receptions, but when it happens you're looking at six on the board.

SOD: Biggest steal of the draft has to be Darren Sproles in the middle of the third. For a guy that had more than 1,300 yards in total production and 86 receptions (not to mention nine TDs last year) grabbing him late in the third is an incredible value. Peyton Manning in the fourth and Andrew Luck in the 14th also have the possibility to make huge impacts for their draft positions.

ROD: Trent Richardson going in the first round; yes he is an every down back and will be the guy in Cleveland, but when you look at who is blocking for him and the lack of talent around him, I think he will have a disappointing first year and wouldn't be surprised if Doug Martin (who was drafted three rounds later) outdoes him. I also think my pick of Calvin Johnson might have been a bit premature because Ryan Mathews and Chris Johnson are going to have great years, and it's much harder to find RB value in PPR.

Luke Hoover, RotoWire.com

Strategy: I decided to go against my usual inclination to grab an elite quarterback and see how competitive of a roster I could build by waiting and getting a second- or third-tier guy. I wanted to load up on high-catch running backs early and specifically targeted Darren Sproles and C.J. Spiller after the first round. Otherwise, I was just going best player on my rankings.

Execution: It worked out pretty well. I was thrilled to get Sproles in the third as the 15th overall back and Spiller in the fourth as the 23rd. I love their value in those spots and really didn't have anyone ranked higher when I took them. Quarterbacks went a little higher than I expected, so I was happy to get Jay Cutler in the seventh. Had I believed Matt Ryan would last until my next pick I would have opted for a receiver like Darrius Heyward-Bey or Greg Little there, but overall I can't complain.

SOD: Just as in our standard mock, Evans landed Kenny Britt again in the fifth round. Both times I passed on Britt for Eric Decker, and each time it was very tough. There's almost no ceiling for Britt when he's healthy. Somehow everyone let Liss absolutely rob Rob Gronkowski and Adrian Peterson with his second and third picks, respectively, giving him a flat-out scary core. Finally, Greg Little rounded out the steals for me as a great value in the eighth for a PPR league. I see 70-80 catches there.

ROD: I wouldn't be comfortable taking Vincent Jackson, DeSean Jackson, Antonio Gates, Jahvid Best and particularly Robert Griffin where they went. I don't trust Gates and Best to stay healthy, don't buy into the Jacksons' talents/systems and wouldn't roll the dice so high on Griffin before at least some preseason action.

Brad Evans, Yahoo! Sports

Strategy: Since PPR drafts are completely different beasts than standard versions, I actually had a blueprint in mind going in. It was short and simple: Grab the best player available regardless of position in the early rounds and overload on versatile rushers in the mid-to-late rounds.

Execution: There are question marks at WR outside Steve Smith (e.g. Kenny Britt, Darrius Heyward-Bey and Mike Williams), but, for the most part, I was satisfied with the end result. Snatching Ronnie Hillman and Pierre Thomas late added the depth at RB for which I was angling.

SOD: Demariyus Thomas at 4.4 - He was a top-tier wideout with Tim Teblow manning the controls over the final five weeks of the regular season. Now that a four-time MVP will be chucking him the rock, he is destined for a monster season. It would be no shock if he finishes in range of 75-1200-8.

ROD: Andre Johnson, Round 1.9 - Not disputing the talent and potential, but Andre is Waterford-crystal fragile. Keep in mind he hasn't played a full season since 2009. And, make no mistake, HOU is Arian Foster's team. At that price point, he's a bit too risky.

Mark Stopa, RotoWire.com

Strategy: I explained my draft strategy in detail in the Q&A for the other, non-PPR mock draft in this magazine (taking guaranteed studs in the early rounds regardless of position), and while I strongly stand behind that approach, that team was thin at RB. Hence, if only for comparison's sake, I thought it made sense to employ the same approach in this draft but to emphasize RB a bit more.

Execution: I'm thrilled with the result. While DeMarco Murray and Ahmad Bradshaw have more downside than I'd like, my top six picks have a higher floor than that of any of my competitors. That's what you want in fantasy football - draft floor early, ceiling late.

SOD: Philip Rivers at 6.12

ROD: Robert Griffin at 6.4 - Taking Griffin when Rivers was on the board was a mistake. Maybe Griffin plays like Cam Newton did in 2011, but for every Newton 2011 there are 100 rookie QBs who fail miserably, especially those like Griffin who have subpar talent around him.

Greg Ambrosius, NFFC.stats.com/STATS LLC

Strategy: The scoring system for this league made it critical to load up on WRs and RBs, which I wanted to do in the first four rounds. I wanted to wait on a QB, but I definitely wanted a top tier QB and TE in Rounds 5 and 6, followed by young upside WR and RB backups.

Execution: I think this team is balanced and has good upside with some of the younger players. I love my start of Andre Johnson and Matt Forte, while Tony Romo and Jermichael Finley were my target players in Rounds 5 and 6. I'm happy with this team.
SOD: Aaron Hernandez at 5.8 was a steal. By season's end, he could be a Top-5 TE. He's been going early in the fourth round in NFFC drafts.

ROD: Trent Richardson with the 11th overall pick of the draft was a major reach. We all love rookie RBs, but they burn us more than they help us.

Rick Wolf/Nic Sulsky, InGamer Sports

Strategy: Take two RBs in the first two rounds, then two WRs and then QB. Then, experts tend to chase rookies/flyers, so stay away from those and chase solid young veterans. Target a TE in Round 8 or 9 then back him up immediately so you have two upside shots at TE. Then with last two skill-position picks - take shots. Forget kicker but grab a D/ST in round 13 (one round early - target improved Buffalo D/ST, assuming SF will be gone to someone with the same strategy).

Execution: Like Custer at the Little Bighorn, the plan was flawed from the beginning. When the 10th pick came, the best RB was Marshawn Lynch, so we gambled on Aaron Rodgers. That worked OK as we landed Lynch in Round 2, but it did cost us talent at WR (Marques Colston, Reggie Wayne, Pierre Garcon - no superstars). Then the TE strategy turned south when Brandon Pettigrew went early and Jacob Tamme/Coby Fleener went just after our Jermaine Gresham pick. Kellen Winslow being there still was a gift. We took our two shots with Randy Moss and Rashard Mendenhall - solid upside shots. Our team is a lot older than we like, but it will compete.

SOD: Steven Jackson, Jamaal Charles and Darren Sproles in a PPR league are great value in Round 3. Kenny Britt in Round 5 - he could be top-5 WR. Jahvid Best in the seventh round is great value.

ROD: Ryan Mathews taken with Johnson & Johnson still left - why Wes Welker at 1.8? NE added Brandon Lloyd plus Gronk/Hernandez are getting better every day and lining up outside and in the slot.

Brandon Funston, Yahoo! Sports

Strategy: I never have a set strategy heading into a fantasy football draft. I just hope players I like fall to me in spots where I perceive them to be of great value, and I try to maintain some positional balance without having to reach to do so. More often than not, and in this particular draft, I decide upon a strategy once the early rounds take shape. In this case, I felt light on the RB side because I went with three straight WRs in Rounds 2-4, given the PPR emphasis. So my end-game strategy was to focus heavily on backup upside at the RB position, specifically targeting the backups of high mileage guys.

Execution: I liked how things turned out overall. I got the backups for Michael Turner (Jacquizz Rodgers), Steven Jackson (Isaiah Pead) and Frank Gore (LaMichael James). In a PPR league, any one of those guys could be a difference-maker if an injury opens up an opportunity. And they'll all likely be serviceable in a PPR setup, even if that doesn't happen.

SOD: I know that an owner or two will look at my selection of Robert Griffin III (No. 74 overall) as the biggest reach. To which I say, bring it on. With TD passes being valued at only four points, I liked RG3's dual-threat potential over many of the established upper class pocket passers. RG3 probably won't dominate goal-line carries like Cam Newton did last season, but he could end up leading the QB position in rushing yards. And he's got some very nice weapons to work with in the passing game.

ROD: In my mind, the biggest reach here was Wes Welker as the No. 8 pick. He faded in the second half of '11 (No. 12 WR in PPR formats from Week 10-Week 17), and New England added another legit threat to the passing game in Brandon Lloyd. The odds seem very long that Welker can reach 122 catches and 1,500 yards again.

John Hansen, Fantasyguru.com

Strategy: My strategy was to get as many impact players as possible, with an eye on the truly elite QBs. I've found myself bypassing the RB position early in drafts lately, and it's worked out pretty well, so I tried that again in this draft.

Execution: I was happy with my draft overall, but mainly due to a few really nice value picks in the later rounds. In a 14-team league, the impact players don't last long at all, so you're looking at players with some questions as early as the fourth round.

SOD: I really liked the pick of Jake Locker in the 13th round. He's raw and probably needs another full year to truly excel, but I'm enamored with their offense this year, and I love Locker's physical tools and intangibles.

ROD: Taking Roy Helu in the third round in a 14-team league would make sense if Helu was clearly the guy. But we really can't say that he is, given Mike Shanahan's fickle attitude toward the position.

Jeff Stotts, RotoWire.com

Strategy: Picking at 13, I knew I wasn't going to snag one of the top running backs, so I wanted an elite wide receiver and a dynamic quarterback to serve as the backbone of my team. After I got both in Larry Fitzgerald and Cam Newton, I wanted to fortify my lineup with underrated running backs capable of pulling in passes. After my core was intact, I shifted my focus to adding guys that play behind injury prone players.

Execution: I like the way things were going for me through the first three rounds. I had a top three wide receiver and quarterback in Fitzgerald and Newton and added an energetic running back in Fred Jackson, who I think will be completely over his fractured fibula by training camp. The Dez Bryant pick may have been a reach, but adding Jason Witten in the following round made me feel better.

The injury analyst in me then took over as I selected three running backs that play behind injury-prone players in Michael Bush, Felix Jones and Robert Turbin. Overall I was pleased with my squad but may have sacrificed wide receiver depth as I went fishing for a breakout running back.

SOD: Mark Stopa got a huge steal picking Philip Rivers in the sixth round. Rivers had a solid second half throwing 12 touchdowns to just three interceptions in the final six games of the season, after throwing 17 interceptions to 15 touchdowns in the first 10 games.

ROD: A.J. Green at 2.1 seemed like a reach especially with Roddy White, Greg Jennings, Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks still on the board. Green was fantastic as a rookie but a second-year receiver with a second-year quarterback playing in the AFC North scares me.

Derek Van Riper, RotoWire.com

Strategy: My strategy going into the draft was to maximize touches and targets early. Getting guys who are a large part of their teams' offenses generates the best results. The last few rounds are pure lottery tickets.

Execution: The first nine picks are exactly the high-volume types I was seeking. PPR formats open up a few extra useful running backs, so I waited until the third round before taking one and made the position less of a priority overall since it has a high injury/turnover rate anyway.

SOD: Eric Decker (5.6) and Philip Rivers (6.7)

ROD: I considered Cam Newton on the wheel at the end of Round 1, but a huge chunk of his value as a rookie came from his rushing TDs. Simply failing to get in the end zone on the ground at the same clip could bump him back into the 6-10 range among QBs. Adrian Peterson at 29th overall may be a bit optimistic. AP is an absolute freak, but cutting at full speed and getting hit in game situations are a lot different than pushing hard through a rehab workout in April.