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Welcome to half three of my fantasy soccer mock draft sequence! It is all underneath the umbrella of why you need to mock draft usually. The TL;DR model is that I am doing a sequence of mock drafts through which I apply completely different draft methods to higher perceive the draft board earlier than I get into an precise fantasy draft. I will share my greatest takeaways from the mocks I participate in and share a few of my draft preferences, with the hope of supplying you with one thing to think about while you undergo the train your self.

In case you missed it, the primary mock trial targeted on drafting a WR with a top-five decide.

As we speak’s technique: Drafting one of many high three QBs

I am drafting based mostly on my rankings, so your groups could look completely completely different based mostly on the way you worth sure gamers. That is not an train in me telling you which ones gamers to draft, however slightly how an early-QB draft technique performed out for me.

The logistics

• I did six PPR drafts: three 10-team leagues and three 12-team leagues.

• Draft slots: Within the 10-team leagues, I drafted third, sixth and ninth, and within the 12-team leagues I drafted fourth, eighth and twelfth.

Every place in your roster goes to be impacted by a unique draft technique, so how did taking a top-three QB influence my groups? After trying again at my mock rosters, I’ve included a couple of notes beneath about every key place, adopted by a bigger breakdown of my favourite crew from this train on the finish of the column.

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Quarterback

I at all times drafted Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen or Jalen Hurts at QB: This was a fairly simple plan to execute. Grabbing one of many first three guys is not exhausting if you happen to’re focusing on them with a second- or third-round decide. Nonetheless, the restrictions of this train actually hit you when drafting from the top of the primary spherical. Within the 12-team league the place I had the twelfth decide, I principally had to take Mahomes with the thirteenth decide as a result of I knew Allen and Hurts would not make it to my subsequent decide on the finish of the third spherical (thirty sixth general). I undoubtedly preferred this train a LOT extra when drafting with a top-five decide.

None of those three QBs ever fell to the fourth spherical

• The newest a crew was in a position to draft a top-three QB throughout all of my mock drafts was with the twenty ninth decide (Hurts in Spherical 3, Decide 9).

• QBs went sooner within the 12-team mock drafts, which is smart given the additional groups — and that made the decide really feel extra “price it” than in a 10-team league.

Operating Again

• Tony Pollard was my most-drafted RB1 and Alexander Mattison my most-drafted RB2.

• Aaron Jones was my lowest-ranked RB1, drafted within the fourth spherical (he is thirteenth in my RB ranks). Huge mistake ready that lengthy.

• Pollard was my additionally highest-ranked RB2, as I used to be in a position to get him late within the third spherical as soon as (he is RB8 for me). I had taken Saquon Barkley within the first spherical of this draft and by the point the decide got here again to me in Spherical 2, the entire WR1s have been off the board. I ought to’ve gone WR with my first-round decide as a substitute of Saquon — lesson discovered.

• James Prepare dinner was the lowest-ranked RB2 on any of my groups (RB31 — yikes!). This was a results of drafting a decent finish too early (along with taking the early QB). That grew to become evident as my queue was slowly decimated throughout an enormous RB run. You’ve gotten a lengthy wait between picks while you’re on the flip of a 12-team draft.

• My greatest RB3 was Alvin Kamara, whom I chosen within the eighth spherical.

Extensive Receiver

• My most-drafted WR1 was Tyreek Hill (thrice)

• My greatest WR2 was DeVonta Smith (Spherical 3, Decide 8). I began this draft WR-QB-WR and it damage me — ensuing within the aforementioned Aaron Jones as my RB1. One other lesson discovered.

• My flex spot was at all times stuffed by a WR, and that WR was primarily Diontae Johnson (4 occasions). This grew to become a state of affairs the place I began to determine the development of Johnson lasting till I wanted my WR3/flex.

• The most typical WRs I chosen within the mid-to-late rounds: Elijah Moore, Skyy Moore and Odell Beckham Jr.

Tight Finish

• It felt not possible to draft a decent finish early whereas additionally drafting a top-three QB. The worth simply by no means lined up. I hoped to have a Kelce-Mahomes stack, however the board by no means fell for me.

• My highest-ranked tight finish was Darren Waller (my TE4) and that is the dangerous determination I discussed earlier. Not the drafting of Waller, however the worth of the decide. With the ultimate decide of the fifth spherical (sixtieth general), I took Waller whereas having a stack of working backs in my queue. However over the following two rounds I watched as Rachaad White, James Conner, David Montgomery, Cam Akers, Kamara, D’Andre Swift, Isiah Pacheco and Javonte Williams got here off the draft board, leaving me with James Prepare dinner as my RB2. I mucked that one up. Plenty of classes to be taken away from this set of mock trials.

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My favourite crew from this train
(drafting from No. 6 slot in 10-team league)

Starters

QB: Jalen Hurts (third spherical)
RB: Derrick Henry (2nd)
RB: Alexander Mattison (sixth)
WR: Tyreek Hill (1st)
WR: Keenan Allen (4th)
TE: Pat Freiermuth (ninth)
Flex: Amari Cooper (fifth)

Bench

WR Christian Kirk (seventh)
RB Alvin Kamara (eighth)
WR Gabe Davis (tenth)
WR Skyy Moore (eleventh)
WR Jameson Williams (twelfth)
RB Elijah Mitchell (thirteenth)

This draft stood out above this relaxation on this early-QB train. Hurts falling to the sixth decide of the third spherical helped — I did not actually take care of any of my Mahomes groups as a result of I had to make use of an early-second-round decide on him — however on this mock train, I drafted a man who’s in that very same tier as however with a round-and-a-half low cost.

Henry has grow to be one in all my most-drafted working backs in these workouts attributable to my early-WR builds, and that is completely nice with me! Mattison provides me a very nice complement to Henry, and I believe the consensus rating continues to be too low on Mattison, so I am thrilled with this pairing. I did not plan on having an RB3 as proficient as Kamara, however when he fell to the eighth spherical, I could not move up the worth. I believe it is a stellar RB trio to pair with Hurts.

I went WR within the first spherical of each draft however one and I by no means felt an oz of remorse when doing so. Hill has general WR1 potential and pairing him with Allen (my WR16) and Cooper (my WR18) provides me an awesome trio of set-it-and-forget-it WRs to begin the season. Kirk (my WR32) provides me one other strong starter for bye weeks or in case of damage.

As a result of I’ve such strong starters, I used to be in a position to give attention to high-upside guys on the finish of the draft in Davis, Skyy Moore and Williams. If one in all these guys hits, I will have an choice for my beginning lineup or potential commerce bait to assist make my crew higher. I like all the pieces about this WR construct as a result of I am focusing on upside on the finish of the draft.

Lastly, Freiermuth is a very nice choice at tight finish this 12 months, particularly if you happen to’re drafting your QB early. He isn’t going to price you a large number (ninth spherical on this case) and he was fifth amongst TEs in targets final season. We’ll at all times take quantity on the TE place.

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In abstract …

• Concentrating on a top-three QB meant utilizing a second- or third-round decide. Mahomes by no means made it previous the second spherical, whereas Allen and Hurts by no means made it by means of the third.

• Going WR within the first spherical set me up for one of the best success based mostly on my draft slot. WR-RB-QB-WR within the first 4 rounds is the place it is at, thus far.

• Realizing I had nice WRs up high allowed me to draft for upside within the later rounds, giving me the prospect for extra flexibility later within the season if one in all them hits.

• I am consistently within the Pollard/Henry tier of working backs as my RB1 and I am very OK with that.