The Fantasy Footballers: Mock Draft Recap
The start of August marks the thick of draft season for fantasy managers, and there is no better way to get that draft strategy perfected than to get your mock on early and often! Andy, Mike, and Jason are headed back to the draft room to take on the Footballers staff in another mock draft!
For this mock draft, Andy got the top pick with the 1.01, while Mike and Jason drew back-to-back picks at the 1.08 and 1.09.
The settings for this mock draft were the following: 12 teams, 0.5 PPR, 1QB, 2RB, 2WR, 1TE, 1FLEX, and 4 bench spots.
As a reminder, the Ballers are back to shows five days a week now that we are in August! Make sure to find The Fantasy Footballers Podcast on all of your devices to stay in tune!
Round 1
Andy (1.01) – Jahmyr Gibbs (RB, DET)
Mike (1.08) – Christian McCaffrey (RB, SF)
Jason (1.09) – CeeDee Lamb (WR, DAL)
The guys each get their drafts started with a pillar player for their rosters. Andy’s pick at the 1.01 is fairly straightforward with Jahmyr Gibbs. Gibbs presents tremendous upside in an offense that fantasy managers have grown to trust with one of the best schedules in the league.
For maybe the first time this draft season, Mike is able to get his beloved Christian McCaffrey in a mock draft with the eighth-overall pick. McCaffrey is coming off a season where he touched the ball 400+ times and finished all but one week of the season as a top-24 RB. The biggest “if” with CMC is his health, but when he is on the field, he is a fantasy league winner.
Jason rounds out the first round for the Ballers, taking his WR1 in CeeDee Lamb. While Lamb’s 2025 season was marred by injury and inconsistent play at times, he is still one of the few elite WR options who has a realistic shot at finishing as the WR1 overall again as he did in 2023.
The first round finished very balanced from a positional standpoint, with six RBs and six WRs going in the top 12 picks.
Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Round 2
Jason (2.04) – Ashton Jeanty (RB, LV)
Mike (2.05) – Kenneth Walker (RB, KC)
Andy (2.12) – Josh Jacobs (RB, GB)
Round 2 sees Jason, Mike and Andy each taking an RB, only one of two rounds this entire draft where the trio took the same position.
Jason got his RB1 in Ashton Jeanty at the 2.04 as the 10th RB off the board. There is plenty of hope that the Raiders offense will be able to take a big step forward this season with a complete overhaul of their coaching staff after being the worst team in the league in 2025. Even with a bad offense, Jeanty was still productive for fantasy rosters, though he could not return his high draft price. The second-year RB should be a huge contributor for fantasy managers this season.
Mike predictably couldn’t pass up the opportunity to add Ken Walker to his roster, pairing two of his champions from his 2025 reign together again. The opportunity ahead of Walker in the Chiefs offense could push him into the elite fantasy production tier, as Kansas City has lacked a top-end RB in Andy Reid’s offense for some time. If Walker can stay on the field, he should have every chance to be a great value in the second round of drafts.
Andy finished out the round with another value at RB in Josh Jacobs. While there is plenty of speculation around Jacobs’ off-the-field issues, when he is on the field he has been one of the more consistent fantasy RBs in the league, finishing as a top-15 RB in five of the last six seasons.
The second round saw two TEs go off the board – Brock Bowers at 2.06 and Trey McBride at 2.09 – while just three WRs were picked. Through two rounds, 13 total RBs were taken!
Round 3
Andy (3.01) – Josh Allen (QB, BUF)
Mike (3.08) – Malik Nabers (WR, NYG)
Jason (3.09) – Cam Skattebo (RB, NYG)
To start the third round, Andy took a swing at QB, taking Josh Allen as the first QB off the board. Allen presents a chance for Andy to have a separator at one of the onesie positions and give his roster an advantage over the rest of the league.
With their back-to-back picks, Mike and Jason grab a pair of Giants to add to their rosters. At 3.08, Mike gets his roster’s first WR, adding Malik Nabers. There is plenty of uncertainty around Nabers and whether or not he will be his usual explosive self to start the season, but getting a WR of this caliber in the third round is the type of pick that can really make a difference down the stretch of the season if he is back to 100%.
Jason adds a second RB with Cam Skattebo at 3.09. The blue crayon eater was a difference-maker for fantasy rosters last season before he got injured, finishing as a top-24 RB in all but one game, including three top-12 RB finishes.
The risk with both Giants players for Mike and Jason comes with the uncertainty of what the New York offense is going to look like under new Head Coach John Harbaugh and, maybe more importantly, new Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy.
Round 4
Jason (4.04) – Tyler Warren (TE, IND)
Mike (4.05) – DeVonta Smith (WR, PHI)
Andy (4.12) – Bucky Irving (RB, TB)
For the second-straight round, one of the Ballers addresses a onesie position, with Jason kicking off their picks, taking Tyler Warren at 4.04. Jason’s pick comes on the heels of Colston Loveland going at 4.03 and after no TE went at all in the third round. Warren feels like the end of the top-end TE tier that could really be a difference-maker for fantasy rosters at the position.
Mike gets his WR2 in DeVonta Smith at 4.05. Smith is a perfect WR pairing with Nabers, bringing a player fantasy managers should feel good about not only being the top target on their team, but one who has proven he can carry the load as a top-12 WR for fantasy.
Andy caps off the round by taking his third RB in Bucky Irving. While there are concerns around Irving’s health after a very disappointing 2025, getting him as a RB3 on a roster means he doesn’t have to be the fantasy superstar to be helpful for a team, but if he does turn back into the top-15 RB from his rookie season, then Andy’s roster would benefit greatly in potentially have a trio of players at that position in that tier.
Round 5
Andy (5.01) – Davante Adams (WR, LAR)
Mike (5.08) – Jameson Williams (WR, DET)
Jason (5.09) – Quinshon Judkins (RB, CLE)
To kick off Round 5, Andy finally addressed his WR room, taking Davante Adams as his first WR. Adams was a monster in the red zone last season, catching 12 TDs inside the 20 with nine of them coming from inside the five. While it is likely that regression is headed his direction in the TD department, Adams is still a vital piece to one of the offenses that fantasy managers want pieces of on their roster.
Mike goes back to the WR well once again with his fifth pick, taking Jameson Williams at 5.08. The Fantasy Hitman was hoping to get Christian Watson before being sniped, so he settled for another explosive home run hitter in Williams. With his trio of WRs including the uncertainty in Nabers, Williams adds a big-play element to the consistency of Smith and gives Mike a very solid start to his draft.
Jason’s roster is taking on the “hero WR” look through five rounds after he takes his RB3 in Quinshon Judkins at 5.09. Judkins could be in “My Guy” territory the way that Jason talks about the second-year RB based on the opportunity and rookie tape we saw. With his RB intact, Jason’s roster is free to take plenty of shots at WR through the rest of this mock draft.
Round 6
Jason (6.04) – Mike Evans (WR, SF)
Mike (6.05) – Jayden Daniels (QB, WASH)
Andy (6.12) – Harold Fannin (TE, CLE)
Round 6 marks the heaviest QB run that this mock draft has seen yet, with three QBs going in a span of eight picks – Drake Maye at 6.01, Jayden Daniels at 6.05 and Jalen Hurts at 6.08.
Mike is the middle of that QB run, adding Daniels to his roster. The Commanders QB was a disappointment for fantasy managers last season, but the hope is still there that he can return to being the elite fantasy asset we saw during his rookie season when he finished as the QB5.
Jason got to work on his WR room, adding Mike Evans as his WR2. Evans may prove to be one of the best picks in the middle rounds if he can stay healthy in San Francisco. There is little competition for targets on the 49ers roster, especially until TE George Kittle gets back on the field.
Andy went back to the onesie well to end the sixth round, taking Harold Fannin as his TE. Fannin exploded onto the scene as a rookie, finishing as the TE5 on a team that was pretty miserable in Cleveland. The hope for Fannin is that he will continue to be at least the second target for the Browns, though he may be limited due to questionable QB play.
Round 7
Andy (7.01) – Marvin Harrison Jr (WR, ARI)
Mike (7.08) – Jacory Croskey-Merritt (RB, WASH)
Jason (7.09) – Makai Lemon (WR, PHI)
Andy gets his starting roster filled to start Round 7, taking Marvin Harrison Jr. Training camp videos have not been kind to Harrison, but there is still a pathway for the former fourth-overall pick to be a fantasy contributor in 2026, even if it isn’t to the extent that we fantasy managers once hoped it would be. Harrison is probably best suited to be a WR3/FLEX option on most rosters, but the strength of Andy’s RB room helps this pick make sense.
After taking back-to-back RBs to start the draft, Mike got back to his RB room, taking Jacory Croskey-Merritt (cue the BILL drop). When it comes to the Commanders backfield, it is really a pick your poison type situation, but BILL might have the most complete profile of any of the guys in that RB room. If JCM can take hold of the Washington RB job, he would be a great value this late in the draft.
To wrap up the seventh round, Jason gets his second-straight WR but went to the complete opposite end of the age spectrum, nabbing Eagles rookie Makai Lemon. Lemon has been dealing with a hamstring injury, so he may not be an immediate impact for fantasy rosters, but there is plenty of opportunity in the Philadelphia passing game for him to play a factor further into the season.
For the first time in four rounds, this mock draft did not see a QB come off the board, making the tier break pretty clear at the position.
Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Round 8
Jason (8.04) – Dak Prescott (QB, DAL)
Mike (8.05) – Rico Dowdle (RB, PIT)
Andy (8.12) – Quentin Johnston (WR, LAC)
Speaking of QB, that is how Jason chose to spend his eighth pick in this mock draft, taking Dak Prescott to stack with CeeDee Lamb. The Dak-Lamb combo was the league-winning type back in 2023 when the pair got hot together to end the season. Stacking a high-end player like Lamb with his QB can add some high-end fuel to a roster that can make a big difference down the stretch of the year.
For the second-straight round, Mike added to his RB room, taking Rico Dowdle at 8.05. Dowdle will have to earn his way to the field in Pittsburgh behind Jaylen Warren, though he is being drafted just about a round behind the presumed starter. If the Rico-McCarthy connection from his breakout season in Dallas is rekindled, fantasy managers may be able to get a starting RB for basically nothing in drafts.
Andy continues to add to his WR room with Quentin Johnston at 8.12. Johnston has gone from draft bust to potential value pick after putting together back-to-back top-36 seasons for the Chargers. There is a ton of excitement around what this LA offense could be, and getting a guy like Johnston who has caught eight TDs in consecutive seasons is a nice piece to have later in drafts on a roster.
Round 9
Andy (9.01) – De’Zhaun Stribling (WR, SF)
Mike (9.08) – Chris Godwin (WR, TB)
Jason (9.09) – Matthew Golden (WR, GB)
For the second time this draft, the Ballers all went with the same position in a single round, each grabbing a WR in Round 9.
Andy kicked off the round taking 49ers rookie WR De’Zhaun Stribling. The hope for Stribling is he can get on the field earlier than anticipated now that Ricky Pearsall has been ruled out for the entire 2026 season. Given the fragility of the pass-catching situation in San Francisco, Stribling should have every opportunity to make an impact in his rookie season.
Mike went with a proven veteran in Chris Godwin for his ninth pick. Godwin’s return from injury in 2025 was met with more injury, missing eight of the Bucs’ first 10 games of the season. The hope with Godwin would be that the departure of Mike Evans from Tampa Bay opens up opportunity for him to return to being a solid FLEX play in an offense that fantasy managers see as one to bounce back in 2026.
With his WR pick in Round 9, Jason went upside with Matthew Golden. While his rookie season was a disappointment for a first-round NFL pick, the path for Golden cleared a good bit with the departures of Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks from Green Bay. Golden’s big-play ability could bring some much-needed volatility to a fantasy roster, assuming he can get on the field consistently for a good Packers offense.
Round 10
Jason (10.04) – Jonah Coleman (RB, DEN)
Mike (10.05) – Stefon Diggs (WR, WASH)
Andy (10.12) – Ja’Kobi Lane (WR, BAL)
This late in the draft, it is time for fantasy managers to start swinging for the fences, and that is what each of the Ballers did here.
Jason grabs Denver rookie RB Jonah Coleman at the 10.04. While most would argue taking Coleman is an insurance policy on JK Dobbins, Jason thinks that Coleman could work his way onto the field for the Broncos even without an injury to their starter. Coleman brought a solid production profile into the league and seems to have the ability to catch the ball well, which could see him compete with RJ Harvey for work sooner rather than later.
The newly signed Stefon Diggs finds his way onto Mike’s roster, making him the WR5 for the Hitman. While it seems like another veteran WR addition for the Commanders, it is worth remembering that Diggs finished as the WR16 last season in New England just one year after tearing his ACL. If Diggs can integrate himself into an offense that the fantasy community feels is sure to take a step closer to what they were in 2024, he could prove a useful pick this late in drafts.
For the second-straight rounds, Andy gets himself a rookie WR in Ja’Kobi Lane. The camp reports point to Lane being a riser in Baltimore’s WR room, which, after Zay Flowers, is pretty unproven heading into the season. Getting a receiving piece attached to Lamar Jackson is never a bad gamble to take, especially if he emerges as a legitimate WR2 on this team.
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Round 11
Andy (11.01) – Deebo Samuel (WR, SF)
Mike (11.08) – Dalton Kincaid (TE, BUF)
Jason (11.09) – Zachariah Branch (WR, ATL)
From a rookie WR to a recently signed aged veteran, Andy winds up his mock draft with Deebo Samuel. Samuel was just added to the 49ers roster, where he saw the best years of his career, finishing as the WR2 in 2021 and the WR12 in 2023. While Deebo isn’t the same player from those elite fantasy days, there should be more than enough opportunity on a team that needs receiving options and with a play caller who knows how to get the most out of him.
Mike finally finishes his starting roster, taking TE Dalton Kincaid with his last pick. Kincaid has struggled to deliver on the elite draft capital he got coming into the league, but when he was on the field last season, he was effective for fantasy, finishing as a top-12 TE in six of 12 games played. If fantasy managers decided to go with the “late round TE” strategy, it is tough to do better than getting one attached to an elite offense and QB like Josh Allen.
Jason rounds out his draft with a big swing on a very little guy in Falcons rookie Zachariah Branch. Training camp reports have been favorable for Branch, who was a screen machine in college at Georgia and could fit nicely alongside presumed starting QB Tua Tagovailoa.
Andy’s Team
QB: Josh Allen
RB: Jahmyr Gibbs, Josh Jacobs, Bucky Irving
WR: Davante Adams, Marvin Harrison Jr., Quentin Johnston, De’Zhaun Stribling, Ja’Kobi Lane, Deebo Samuel
TE: Harold Fannin
Mike’s Team
QB: Jayden Daniels
RB: Christian McCaffrey, Kenneth Walker, Jacory Croskey-Merritt, Rico Dowdle
WR: Malik Nabers, DeVonta Smith, Jameson Williams, Chris Godwin, Stefon Diggs
TE: Dalton Kincaid
Jason’s Team
QB: Dak Prescott
RB: Ashton Jeanty, Cam Skattebo, Quinshon Judkins, Jonah Coleman
WR: CeeDee Lamb, Mike Evans, Makai Lemon, Matthew Golden, Zachariah Branch
TE: Tyler Warren
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