2014 One-Man PPR Fantasy Football Mock Draft

Welcome to the first of a four-part installment I plan to run at the start of each month.This is where I do a one-man Fantasy Football mock draft, using the free Draft Wizards Mock Draft tool.

I hope to share with you some thoughts on some of the players I choose, while also offering up some opinions about other players that the mock draft tool suggests I pick.

Since it’s still June, and I know anyone looking at this mock draft this early in the summer means they are diehard Fantasy Football owners.

Most diehard owners, I believe, have evolved into playing in mostly PPR leagues with a flex position, so I figured this setup would benefit the most readers at this point. It’s a 12-team PPR league, with two starting running backs, two starting wide receivers and a flex position.

2014 One-Man PPR Fantasy Football Mock Draft

Another one of the great things about the Draft Wizards Mock Draft tool is that not only can you choose the setup, but you can also choose where you want to draft. You also get to choose if you want your 11 mock opponents to use the ADP from FantasyFootballCalculator.com,  or the experts’ rankings that post on FantasyPros.com, or if you want to use a combination of both, for your 11.

I chose to draft sixth overall, and we’re going to use both ADP and experts rankings. Also, at the risk of not breaking my fingertips, I’m only going to show the other draft picks in every slot for the first five rounds.

ROUND 1

1.01  Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota

1.02  Jamaal Charles, RB, Kansas City

1.03  LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia

1.04  Matt Forte, RB, Chicago

1.05  Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit

Suggested draft picks from the tool: Jimmy Graham (86 percent), Demaryius Thomas (6 pct), Dez Bryant (6 pct), Marshawn Lynch (6 pct)

PICK 1.06: Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle

If the wide receiver’s nickname doesn’t rhyme with Keggatron, then I’m not taking him in the top half of the first round.

1.07 Montee Ball, RB, Denver

1.08 Jimmy Graham, TE, New Orlenas

1.09 Dez Bryant, WR, Dallas

1.10 Eddie Lacy, RB, Green Bay

1.11 Demaryius Thomas, WR, Denver

1.12 A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati

ROUND 2

2.01 Brandon Marshall, WR, Chicago
2.02 DeMarco Murray, RB, Dallas
2.03 Arian Foster, RB, Houston
2.04 Doug Martin, RB, Tampa Bay
2.05 Giovani Bernard, RB, Cincinnati
2.06 Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta

Suggested draft picks: Le’Veon Bell (60 pct), Antonio Brown (26 pct), Alshon Jeffery (13 pct)

PICK 2.07: Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh

It’s a tough choice between Brown and Jeffery (taking an RB first, makes me lean toward WR1 in second round, with the assumption that RBs will be available in Rd 3), but I’ll take a team’s stud WR1 over another team’s stud WR2.

2.08 Alshon Jeffery, WR, Chicago
2.09 Le’Veon Bell, RB, Pittsburgh
2.10 Andre Ellington, RB, Arizona
2.11 Randall Cobb, WR, Green Bay
2.12 Josh Gordon, WR, Cleveland (Obviously, until the suspension is official and the length is known, Gordon isn’t being yanked from rankings, and rightfully so. Yet, he should be more of a sixth-round pick if you’re thinking of rolling the dice.)

ROUND 3

3.01 Wes Welker, WR, New England
3.02 Zac Stacy, RB, St. Louis
3.03 Andre Johnson, WR, Houston
3.04 Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay
3.05 Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England

Suggested draft picks: Reggie Bush (73 pct), Pierre Garcon (13 pct), Julius Thomas (6 pct), Peyton Manning (6 pct)

PICK 3.06: Peyton Manning, QB, Denver

Understand that writers, by in large, are against drafting quarterbacks very high. I’m very much in agreement, but when you’re talking about the Broncos’ offense, and the fact most drafts will see Manning go in the first round, I’m fine with taking Peyton here. My RB2 will be very weak, however.

3.07 Reggie Bush, RB, Detroit
3.08 Shane Vereen, RB, New England
3.09 Victor Cruz, WR, N.Y. Giants
3.10 Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay
3.11 Ryan Mathews, RB, San Diego
3.12 Julius Thomas, TE, Denver

ROUND 4

4.01 Michael Crabtree, WR, San Francisco
4.02 Vernon Davis, TE, San Francisco
4.03 Keenan Allen, WR, San Diego
4.04 Roddy White, WR, Atlanta
4.05 Pierre Garcon, WR, Washington
4.06 Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona

Suggested draft picks: Vincent Jackson (40 pct), Alfred Morris (33 pct), Julian Edelman (13 pct), C.J. Spiller (13 pct)

PICK 4.07: C.J. Spiller, RB, Buffalo

Spiller’s 2014 was a nightmare, but Fred Jackson is 33 years old this season, and the Bills offense should be improved with second-year quarterback E.J. Manuel and rookie WR Sammy Watkins. Spiller could be a first-round pick again by 2015.

4.08 Vincent Jackson, WR, Tampa Bay
4.09 Percy Harvin, WR, Seattle
4.10 Julian Edelman, WR, New England
4.11 DeSean Jackson, WR, Washington
4.12 Dennis Pitta, TE, Baltimore

ROUND 5

5.01 Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore
5.02 Knowshon Moreno, RB, Miami
5.03 Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans
5.04 Kendall Wright, WR, Tennessee
5.05 Bishop Sankey, RB, Tennessee

Suggested draft picks: Alfred Morris (80 pct), Jordan Cameron (20 pct)

PICK 5.06: Alfred Morris, RB, Washington

PPR or no PPR, there’s no skipping Morris after 53 other players are drafted, especially when I have a flex position available.

5.07 Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Minnesota
5.08 Golden Tate, WR, Detroit
5.09 Rashad Jennings, RB, N.Y. Giants
5.10 T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis
5.11 Greg Olsen, TE, Carolina
5.12 Ben Tate, RB, Cleveland

If you’re wondering what the top 60 picks look like in some upcoming Fantasy Football draft magazines, check this page out. I did three mock drafts in May, after the NFL Draft, for three magazines, and I made a Top 60 ADP from those three expert mock drafts.

From this point on, I’m just sharing my picks and the suggested picks, along with some commentary.

Suggested draft picks for Round 6: Chris Johnson (86 pct), Jordan Cameron (13 pct)

PICK 6.07: Torrey Smith, WR, Baltimore

Can’t continue without a WR2 in this PPR format, and Smith is the last top-25 wide receiver on my board. I understand he has averaged 55 catches in his first three seasons, but he has also posted an 1,100 yard season and an 8-TD season.

Suggested draft picks for Round 7: Joique Bell (40 pct), Danny Woodhead (40 pct), Jason Witten (13 pct) Pierre Thomas (6 pct)

PICK 7.06: Jason Witten, TE, Dallas

FYI, Nick Foles, Tony Romo, Robert Griffin III and Tom Brady just went in the first five picks of the seventh round (with Frank Gore). Experts love to wait on quarterbacks.

The only tight end to catch more passes than Witten over the past three seasons is Graham.

Suggested draft picks for Round 8: Marques Colston (53 pct), Michael Floyd (33 pct), Fred Jackson (13 pct), Mike Wallace (13 pct)

PICK 8.07: Mike Wallace, WR, Miami

I actually like Ryan Tannehill and the Dolphins offense to be much better in 2014, which means I’m banking on Wallace in his second season in South Beach. He set a career high with 73 receptions in 2013, and he could reach 80-plus in 2014.

Suggested draft picks for Round 9: Michael Floyd (100 pct)

PICK 9.06: Michael Floyd, WR, Arizona

Who am I to disagree with 100 percent of the writers and ADP!?! Floyd’s set for a big third season in the desert. After nine rounds, I have a starting QB (Manning), three RBs (Lynch, Spiller, Morris), four WRs (Brown, Smith, Wallace, Floyd) and one TE (Witten). I’m very happy with my squad, and now I’m filling up bench spots with upside picks and sleepers.

Suggested draft picks for Round 10: Russell Wilson (66 pct), Shonn Greene (20 pct), Antonio Gates (6 pct), Andre Brown (6 pct)

PICK 10.07: Andre Brown, RB, Houston

Arian Foster is coming back from back surgery and Ben Tate is running in Cleveland. This sets up Brown for a big chance to be the top back in Houston at some point this season.

Suggested draft picks for Round 11: Cecil Shorts (93 pct), Jermichael Finley (6 pct)

PICK 11.06: Cecil Shorts, WR, Jacksonville

While Shorts likely won’t get Blake Bortles under center for a few games, if at all, he does have his QB from last season (Chad Henne), he’s looking to be healthy from a groin injury, and ready to work as a WR1 again.

Suggested draft picks for Round 12: Jermichael Finley (50 pct), Jacquizz Rodgers (50 pct)

PICK 12.07: Broncos DST

With DE DeMarcus Ware on board and the Broncos’ offense immediately putting teams on their heels, I like the Broncos to have a big Fantasy season again.

Suggested draft picks for Round 13: Philip Rivers (93 pct), Jermichael Finley (6 pct)

PICK 13.06: Mason Crosby, K, Green Bay

Top kicker available – great offense, yadayadayada.

FINAL ONE-MAN FANTASY FOOTBALL MOCK DRAFT ROSTER

• QB Peyton Manning, Denver
• RB Marshawn Lynch, Seattle
• RB C.J. Spiller, Buffalo
• RB Alfred Morris, Washington
• RB Andre Brown, Houston
• WR Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh
• WR Torrey Smith, Baltimore
• WR Mike Wallace, Miami
• WR Michael Floyd, Arizona
• WR Cecil Shorts, Jacksonville
• TE Jason Witten, Dallas
• K Mason Crosby, Green Bay
• DST Denver Broncos

One of the coolest features of the Draft Wizard’s Mock Draft tool is the post-draft analysis. It shows that my team ranks second overall in their preseason projections. My starters rank the best overall, but my bench ranks dead last overall. I can live with that summary of my draft.

The Team Analysis tab shows my strongest starting position is my FLEX and my weakest starting position is TIGHT END.

Run your own one-man Fantasy Football mock draft at Draft Wizards for free, and post your team below in the comments. I’d love to see some differences between our clubs, and so would the rest of the community!