When it comes to fantasy football drafting, there really is no right or wrong way to select your players. There are only different methods which in turn produce varied results.
Here is the results of choosing a stud quarterback early using eDraft’s simulated mock draft system where I had the sixth pick in a 12-team PPR league.
1.6 Rob Gronkowski, tight end, New England Patriots
With three top running backs gone, as well as two elite receivers, I went for the top option at tight end by selecting Gronkowski. As it stands, he sits eons above any other fantasy tight end prospect heading into 2015. Last season, Gronk caught 82 of his 119 targets for 1,124 yards and 12 touchdowns.
2.7 Jordy Nelson, wide receiver, Green Bay Packers
This was a bit of a tough choice as to whether I should take Nelson or go for a higher-end running back in LeSean McCoy. I decided on the guy who plays with the better and higher-scoring offense. In 2014, Nelson scored the second-most fantasy points of any wide receiver stemming from 1,519 yards and 13 touchdowns.
3.6 Aaron Rodgers, quarterback, Green Bay Packers
With quarterback Andrew Luck falling off the board first, it was time to snag my intended target, Rodgers, who was the leader in quarterback fantasy points in 2015. And, what better than a Rodgers/Nelson pairing to watch rein in the fantasy points this season.
4.7 Carlos Hyde, running back, San Francisco 49ers
Without a running back up until now, it was mandatory to take the best option still left at the position. Hyde is a bit of a gamble considering we didn’t see much from him last season. However, he is in line to fill the shoes left by former running back Frank Gore and lead the team in rushing carries. Fingers crossed.
5.6 Latavius Murray, running back, Oakland Raiders
Doubling up at running back here made sense since to even out my roster at this point. Murray should make a respectable RB2 in the Raiders balanced offense. And, after successful preseason performance that saw him average 5.8 yards per carry, he should be the clear leader among the other Raiders running backs.
6.7 Steve Smith, wide receiver Baltimore Ravens
It was time to switch gears and add another wideout to my team. Smith had 79 catches in 2014 and was targeted 134 times. This resulted in 1,065 yards and six touchdowns last year. With Torrey Smith out of the picture, Smith sits atop of the Ravens depth chart trailed by a bunch of younger and more raw receivers.
7.6 Chris Ivory, running back, New York Jets
Ivory ranked 19th among his fellow running backs in fantasy points in 2014 and he is listed as the top back on the team’s depth chart for this year. He is on course to be the lead workhorse for the team, and should produce similar results as to those of his last season which makes him a quality flex player.
8.7 Anquan Boldin, wide receiver, San Francisco 49ers
Boldin is tough as nails and was the lead receiver for the 49ers last year. Even with the addition of Torrey Smith, Boldin should still see plenty of targets. Last season, he caught 83 passes for 1,062 yards and five touchdowns. If his volume of targets holds, Boldin makes for a decent PPR flex option entering 2015.
9.6 Ryan Tannehill, quarterback, Miami Dolphins
As long as Rodgers is healthy, Tannehill looks to be a bench warmer on my team. However, nabbing the eighth-ranked fantasy quarterback from 2014 in round nine to backup Rodgers was too good of a steal to pass up at this point. He could also make for handy trade bait to someone stuck with a non-producing starting quarterback.
10.7 Eddie Royal, wide receiver, Chicago Bears
Royal makes sense here due to the uncertainty of the Bears rookie first-round draft pick Kevin White short-term future to play in 2015. Someone has to line up opposite Alshon Jeffery while White is out, so Royal could tally up some fantasy points when the Bears face favorable matchups.
11.6 Darren Sproles, running back, Philadelphia Eagles
Sproles is purely depth at this point. However, the Eagles want to involve him in more plays and they also do not want to over-work running backs DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews. Sproles is ridiculously speedy and has knack for scoring when used in late downs. He could also pile up a ton or return yardage and be useful in systems that reward points in that area.
Additional picks to my 16-slot fantasy roster included:
The Arizona Cardinals Defense
Andre Williams, running back, New York Giants
Cody Latimer, wide receiver, Denver Broncos
Mychal Rivera, tight end, Oakland Raiders and
Matt Bryant, kicker, Atlanta Falcons.