I thought this would be a rather fun article to right. Instead, of continually giving you rankings and opinions, it makes some sense to show you what my ideal draft would look like.

For the purpose of not making me look smarter than I actually am, the top three running backs were not available to me in this “mock draft.” Anyone can look smart if they’re able to pick up Arian Foster, LeSean McCoy or Ray Rice. It is called LUCK!

Note: This mock draft doesn’t freely assume that certain players will be available when I select in each round. Instead, I am going by ESPN’s fantasy football rankings and utilizing a 10-team standard league format.

1.     Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback, Green Bay Packers

With the top three running backs off the board and Maurice Jones-Drew still in the midst of a lengthy holdout, I had to go quarterback here with Rodgers. The amount of weapons that he has on the offensive side of the ball is enough to scare the collective jockstraps off opposing defensive coordinators.

While I don’t expect Rodgers to fully duplicate his 2011 performance, he is going to be the No. 1 fantasy quarterback in the National Football League.

2.    DeMarco Murray, Running Back, Dallas Cowboys

Taking a bit of a risk here. I am definitely going with upside over past production as it relates to this second-year running back. Murray impressed a great deal in limited action for the Cowboys as a rookie last season. In fact, he broke Emmitt Smith’s single-game rushing record against the St. Louis Rams. This is an indication of the talent to you will be getting if you pick up the Oklahoma product.

What makes Murray such an interesting RB1 option is the fact that he will provide you between 50 and 60 receptions per season, which seems to indicate the young back is on the verge of eclipsing the 2,000 total yard plateau. Of course this is all dependant on him being on the field, he missed three games due to injury as a rookie.

3.    A.J. Green, Wide Receiver, Cincinnati Bengals

Getting Green in the third round would be an absolute coup. He is, by far, the Bengals No. 1 wide receiver and has built quite the relationship with fellow second-year player Andy Dalton. You can expect that connection to grow with a complete offseason under their belts.

I am expecting 80 receptions for 1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2012 from the former top 10 pick.

4.    Brandon Marshall, Wide Receiver, Chicago Bears

Make no mistake about it. Marshall is going to give you WR1 production for the Bears this season. He had his best season with recently reunited Jay Cutler and seems poised to breakout in a big way. The touchdowns might not be there considering what Chicago has in terms of a tandem in the backfield, but Marshall will definitely put up the yards.

5.    Darren Sproles, Running Back, New Orleans Saints

All-purpose yards. This is a term that fantasy owners salivate over when looking for the second of their two starting running backs. This is also what Sproles is going to provide you on a weekly basis with the Saints.

He compiled over 1,300 total yards and nine touchdowns in his first season in The Bayou. There is absolutely no reason to believe that Sproles cannot build on those numbers this year.

6.    Vernon Davis, Tight End, San Francisco 49ers

Unguardable. Seriously, opposing defensive coordinators are going to have a hell of a time defending Davis this season. He broke out in a big way in the 49ers final three games last season, including the postseason.

The addition of Randy Moss and Mario Manningham is only going to help out Alex Smith’s favorite target. Teams are not going to be able to double VD between the hashes, which means he will be going up against linebackers and safety one-on-one. Ouch!

7.    Eric Decker, Wide Receiver, Denver Broncos

Why the heck not? It seems that Peyton Manning has found his next Brandon Stokley, Pierre Garcon or Austin Collie with Decker in Denver. The two seem to have a great rhythm going thus far in training camp, which makes Decker a major fantasy sleeper.

Something to the tune of 90 receptions for 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns is not out of the question for the Minnesota product this season.

8.    DeAngelo Williams, Running Back, Carolina Panthers

I know, I know. The presence of Cam Newton definitely takes a shot at Williams’ fantasy value. That being said, you can expect the Panthers to rely less on Newton running the ball in his second season. That just isn’t sustainable in the long run.

It is also important to remember that Williams combined for over 3,000 total yards and 27 touchdowns in 2008 and 2009.

9.    Aaron Hernandez, Tight End, New England Patriots

Don’t look at this as Hernandez playing second-fiddle to Rob Gronkowski in New England. Instead, think about it as the Patriots having two capable fantasy tight ends on their roster and a future Hall of Fame quarterback relying on them between the hashes.

I fully expect Hernandez to improve on a stellar 2011 season and become a true fantasy threat this year.

10.    David Wilson, Running Back, New York Giants

A nice safety valve option should one of the three running backs prior to Wilson go down. He can be a valuable player in the FLEX position or take over as a starter in 2RB formats. Not expecting a whole bunch from him, but you never know with Ahmad Bradshaw slated to start in New York.

11.    Fred Davis, Tight End, Washington Redskins

Some might ask why I went with three tight ends at this point in the draft. It really is simple. All three are going to be consistent performers for their teams this season and you always have that option of playing a TE at the FLEX position. Look for Davis to have a monster year with Robert Griffin III relying a great deal on him.

12.    Cedric Benson, Running Back, Green Bay Packers

Probably more of a safe bet than Wilson before him, Benson is seemingly entrenched in as the Packers starting running back just a couple weeks after signing a free agent contract. He is coming off three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and should be able to put those numbers up in Green Bay this year.

13.    Randy Moss, Wide Receiver, San Francisco 49ers

Again, why not? From what I have seen of Moss the dude can still play football. He has looked excellent in both preseason action and during training camp practices. While I am not looking for him to revert back to 2008 form, Moss could provide something should a receiver before him go down.

14.    Andrew Luck, Quarterback, Indianapolis Colts

Yes, I am comfortable placing the hopes of my fantasy team on a rookie quarterback. No, I don’t think I will have to. Looking at ESPN’s rankings, I saw no reason to reach for a QB2 rounds earlier when Luck was sitting here. Besides, how many games has Aaron Rodgers missed in his NFL career?

15.    Seattle Seahawks Defense

Again, it is all about value here. No reason to reach for the San Francisco 49ers or Chicago Bears earlier. Instead, it makes sense to go with an up-and-coming defense that has three Pro Bowl starters in the secondary and an absolutely stacked defensive line.

16.    David Akers, Kicker, San Francisco 49ers

Really? How many points did Akers score last season again? 166 to be exact. Enough said!