Mock Draft Mayhem: Head-to-Head Battle!
A mock draft with lots of twists and turns on today’s fantasy football podcast! Andy and Jason go head-to-head while Mike adds some MAYHEM to the mix! Get advice for when things don’t go according to plan in a fantasy football draft! Manage your redraft, keeper, and dynasty fantasy football teams with the #1 fantasy football podcast. — Fantasy Football Podcast for July 1st, 2023.
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Summary:
Mock draft mayhem preview 02:59
- The hosts announce that they are doing a mock draft episode with a twist: Jason and Andy will be competing head-to-head with Mike having the power to affect the draft. 02:59
“Today is a mock draft episode, but not just any mock draft. Jason and I are going head to head.”
Power-ups in mock draft 03:19
- One host has control of the draft and can use power-ups to influence the other hosts’ picks. 03:19
“He will be able to ruin us in many ways. Put us in a position where, look, we say mock drafting is a wonderful exercise throughout the offseason.”
Draft Analyzer release 00:29
- The Draft Analyzer, a suite of tools and resources to help dominate fantasy football drafts, has been released. 00:29
“And today is the day that the draft analyzer is released. You can learn all about how you can dominate your fantasy football draft with our suite of tools and resources to help you at UltimateDraftKit.com.”
Surprise mock draft episodes 04:02
- The hosts mention that there will be future mock draft episodes with more mayhem and involvement of the “doosers.” 04:02
“And now Jason, I know you. Oh, next time. Yeah. Next time there will be mayhem. The next two mock drafts are going to be pretty cool. That’ll be mayhem.”
Devante Parker‘s contract extension 06:14
- Devante Parker has signed a three-year extension with the New England Patriots. 06:14
“And there couldn’t be something more ado than Devante Parker signing a three-year extension with the New England Patriots.”
Devante Parker‘s separation numbers 06:36
- Devante Parker has ranked last in separation among wide receivers for three consecutive years. 06:36
“He finished in 2020, 132nd out of 132 wide receivers. In 2021, he finished 127th out of 127 wide receivers. And then in last year, he was 122nd out of 122 wide receivers.”
Speculation on DeAndre Hopkins signing 07:58
- The hosts speculate that the Patriots’ signing of Devante Parker could be part of a plan to eventually sign DeAndre Hopkins. 07:58
“And you know, Parker Parker will have some touchdowns and he’ll have some relevance. But in most leagues, I mean, I can’t see a normal redraft league if they don’t sign Hopkins and Juju isn’t healthy.”
Nick Chubb‘s opportunity to catch more passes 09:20
- Cleveland Browns running back coach, Thump Mitchell, stated that Nick Chubb will have the opportunity to catch more passes.
- Chubb is ranked highly and is considered one of the best running backs in the league.
- The absence of Kareem Hunt and the Browns’ increased focus on passing plays contribute to the expectation of Chubb catching more balls.
- The coach’s affirmation aligns with the analytics that suggest Chubb’s increased involvement in the passing game.
“There’s just not a world where he doesn’t catch more balls like that to have the coach come out and say what kind of the analytics pointed to already. It’s really nice affirmation.” 09:54
Nick Chubb‘s potential in fantasy football if he catches more passes 10:24
- Chubb’s value in fantasy football would significantly increase if he caught more passes.
- Even without many receptions last season, Chubb was the number one running back during the first 10 weeks.
- If Chubb had caught 24 passes during that time, his dominance would have been even greater.
- Chubb’s role as a workhorse running back combined with increased targets would make him an excellent fantasy option.
“If he ends up with more targets and more receptions during that run, the first 10 weeks where he was the number one running back, he would have caught 24 passes. So you’re going to be extraordinarily happy with that.” 10:34
Expectation for Nick Chubb‘s involvement in the passing game 11:01
- It is expected that Nick Chubb will be utilized in the passing game this year.
- The departure of Kareem Hunt and Chubb’s abilities as a pass catcher make him a strong option on third down.
“The idea of seeing him out there on third down is what attracts me. Because they don’t have the depth that they had. Chubb is probably the best that they have, even in that role.” 11:33
Miles Sanders‘ potential for catching more passes 11:58
- Carolina Panthers head coach, Frank Reich, mentioned the possibility of Miles Sanders catching more passes.
- Sanders caught 50 passes in a previous season, and the team wants him to replicate that performance.
- The increased involvement in the passing game would greatly benefit Sanders in fantasy football.
“Yeah, he came in his rookie year with Frank Reich and caught, I think it was 50 passes. Yeah, I mean, that would be huge for him.” 12:30
Tim Patrick‘s relevance in fantasy football and concerns about other Broncos wide receivers 13:05
- People within the Denver Broncos organization believe Tim Patrick is the best football player in the wide receiver room.
- Despite Jerry Jeudy‘s hype, Tim Patrick has received significant praise.
- Patrick’s return from injury and the presence of Cortland Sutton and Jerry Judy create a competitive situation for fantasy relevance.
- Recent news about Jarrett Stidham‘s performance overshadowing Russell Wilson‘s raises concerns about the Broncos’ quarterback situation.
“And so Jerry Judy, I’m interested in, but Tim Patrick, it’s very, you know, his injury was very early last year. It was just, it was training camp. And so I, I do like the skill set that he has.” 13:44
The Broncos’ quarterback situation and its impact on Tim Patrick‘s fantasy value 14:30
- Uncertainty surrounding Russell Wilson‘s performance and the team potentially needing to make a crucial decision creates a problematic situation for the Broncos.
- If the Broncos decide to move on from Russell Wilson, it could negatively affect the fantasy value of Tim Patrick and other wide receivers.
“This is a problem. So if you’re telling me that Tim Patrick, hey, he’s healthy. He’s in the mix. Now we got like four good wide receivers and Russell Wilson still sucks. That is like, do sign me out of that?” 14:40
“Obviously that’s their goal. Best case scenario for everyone involved with the Broncos is that Russell Wilson regains his Hall of Fame worthy career, you know, at the direction of Sean Payton. But I do believe that the long term investment of the franchise is far more committed to Sean Payton than it is to Russell Wilson.” 16:02
Mike’s special powers in the draft 18:30
- Mike has three special powers in the draft: replacing a pick, making his own choice, or making it the opponent’s choice.
- These powers can be used once on each player in the draft.
- Jason and Andy express concern about Mike’s potential to cause mayhem in the draft.
“Mike can replace a pick, pick for himself, or make it the opponent’s choice.”
Draft details and Jason’s nerves 18:49
- It’s a 12-team half PPR draft.
- Andy is drafting from the three spot, and Jason is in the sixth spot.
- The roster includes one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, one tight end, one flex, and four bench spots.
- Jason seems nervous about the upcoming draft.
“One quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, one tight end, one flex, four bench.”
Fear and psychological warfare 19:01
- Andy admits to having fear about the draft.
- Jason believes that Mike is the most merciless with power and anticipates a dangerous draft.
- They plan to engage in psychological warfare during the draft.
“I have a lot of fear.”
First round picks 20:01
- Justin Jefferson, Jamar Chase, and Christian McCaffrey are the first three picks.
- Travis Kelsey goes at 105, preventing Andy from picking him.
- Cooper Kupp is Jason’s pick at 106.
- Running backs are going earlier than usual in this draft.
“Justin Jefferson at the 101. Jamar Chase at the 102. Christian McCaffrey at the 103.”
Mayhem averted, Cooper Kupp pick 22:13
- Cooper Kupp is available for Jason’s pick at 106.
- Mike considers using his power to change the pick but decides not to.
“Cooper Kupp. Yeah, thank you. That would have been my pick if McCaffrey was stolen from me by Mike.”
Jason’s power pick and Mike’s decision 23:31
- Jason wants to select Josh Jacobs to pair with Cooper Kupp.
- Mike uses his power to pick for Jason and gives him Jalen Hurts instead.
“Which one? I’m going to give you Jalen Hurts.”
Andy’s strong start and Josh Jacobs pick 25:44
- Andy gets the first pick of the third round and selects Josh Jacobs.
- Jason expresses disappointment as he had hoped to get Josh Jacobs for himself.
- Mike points out that Andy’s decision to let Josh Jacobs come to him is the better choice.
“What a great pick. Lock that in. Oh, you son of a gun. I knew it. Really? Of course. Of course. Joshua Jacobs.”
Running back run in the third round 26:29
- After Josh Jacobs, more running backs are selected in the third round.
- Jason is still without a running back on his roster.
“So the running back run has begun and Jason has none of them yet.”
Setting the Draft Strategy 26:39
- A strategy to have powerhouse running backs at the beginning of the draft allows for more freedom in the later rounds.
- The speaker is not feeling pressured to select running backs early due to lower tier options available later.
- The most attractive option on the board for the speaker is Jameer Gibbs, potentially forming a top-tier running back trio with Jacobs and McCaffrey.
- The enthusiasm for other running backs like Najee Harris, Kenneth Walker, Mixon, and Dobbins is not as high.
“If you have powerhouses at that position, the freedom you feel the rest of the draft is significant.”
Considering Jahmyr Gibbs 27:07
- The speaker is tempted to select Jahmyr Gibbs and potentially start the draft with three running backs.
- The idea of having three of the top eight running backs in PPR is appealing.
- Garrett Wilson is also a tempting option at the wide receiver position.
“Boy, I’m actually tempted to take Gibbs and go three running backs to start this draft.”
Fantasy Football Mayhem 27:47
- The speaker reveals that they were trying to throw off their opponent’s strategy by considering a very high tight end start.
- However, their opponent’s response surprised them, and they feel the mayhem has been turned around.
“Right. Because I’m trying to throw you off. You did. You mayhemmed the mayhem.”
Selecting Jameer Gibbs 28:11
- Andy announces that he has chosen Jahmyr Gibbs as his pick.
- Garrett Wilson was the expected next pick by most people listening.
- The speaker expresses enthusiasm about Jahmyr Gibbs‘ potential.
Evaluating Roster Construction 28:57
- The speaker discusses their current roster construction and the options available for their next pick in the third round.
- They mention their interest in Dante Johnson but express a desire to build a strong running back room.
- The only running back they like on the board is Najee Harris, whom they consider a running back one.
“If I would be spending a third and a seventh to get those two guys. So if I’m allowed to make this pick, usually in the middle of the third when Mark Andrews is available and he is, that’s an auto pick for me.”
Confidence in the Steelers Offense 29:28
- The speaker discusses their confidence in the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ offense for the upcoming season.
- They believe that the upgrades on the offensive line will have a significant impact.
- The speaker considers the Steelers’ offense to be a middle-tier offense, which represents a substantial improvement from the previous season.
“But if we’re drafting all the Steelers based on what happened last year when they were putrid and then they move up to a middle-tier offense, that’s a huge value back.”
Considering Drafting Two Steelers Players 30:05
- The speaker contemplates the possibility of drafting two Steelers players, considering the value they see in Najee Harris and Dante Johnson.
- They acknowledge the importance of roster construction and the need to balance different positions.
“Yeah, I think I would be. I mean, this isn’t, it’s because of the value.”
Choosing Najee Harris 30:35
- The speaker reiterates their intention to select Najee Harris as their pick, given the opportunity.
- They express confidence in Harris’ potential as a running back one.
“To me, Najee Harris is still a running back one. I think he gets the work, the upgrades on the offensive line.”
Roster Construction and Terry McLaurin 33:08
- The speaker reflects on the importance of considering roster construction and the potential value of selecting Terry McLaurin.
- They mention their preference for Cooper Kupp and Jalen Hurts, emphasizing the need to think through the entire draft.
- The speaker reveals that they already had Terry McLaurin in mind as their pick.
“So in the fourth round, why not pair Cooper Cup, who I assume is your number two wide receiver with your number one? That is who I thought.”
The risks of positional stacking 34:31
- The narrator realizes the risks associated with positional stacking in this draft.
- They are not happy with how thinned out the wide receiver options have become.
- They recognize that there are many recognizable names available at wide receiver.
- They mention the potential tear break with Justin Herbert at quarterback.
“I think I realize now the risks associated with positional stacking in a draft like this.”
Tyler Lockett still available 41:20
- Worried that there were still two great wide receivers left.
- Wanted to avoid using final power up on Tyler Lockett.
“Because Tyler Lockett was still there and I was just worried there were two great wide receivers still left.”
Mike Evans as wide receiver one 42:15
- Looking for a wide receiver one.
- Mike Evans was undervalued and consistent every year.
- Preferred him over other available options like Brandon.
“That is being massively undervalued in my opinion. That has done it every year for a generation. That’s what I see with Godwin Evans. I’m okay with him as my first… Just knowing that week to week Mike Evans is that premier target. So I’ll take him there.”
Traylon Birx at wide receiver 43:46
- Looking for a top target in the offense for wide receiver.
- Viewed Mike Evans and Traylon Birx as the best options.
“I’m thinking about Arilion Dotson… I’m looking at Traylon Birx. He came into camp in great shape. Yeah, the news has been very positive on Birx. So I think I’m going to go with the strategy here at wide receiver of top target in the offense.”
Choosing Jordan Addison 45:17
- With Jordan Addison, it’s like drafting Terry McLaurin, who is viewed as a better player.
- Addison is a valued target and a good option.
“But I love Jordan Addison. I’m happy to take Jordan Addison and I like David Montgomery at running back.”
Gabe Davis as post-hype sleeper 47:37
- Gabe Davis had a high ankle sprain last year but still had a decent season.
- Situation for Davis is exactly the same this year.
“Instead, I’m going with a post-hype sleeper, a guy that I loved. Unfortunately last year in Gabe Davis, the situation for him though, you know, getting him exactly the same.”
Jason’s Draft Strategy 47:59
- Jason had a specific strategy in mind for this draft.
- He wanted to target players with breakout potential in later rounds.
“I think he was the wide receiver 29 or something like that, but he was drafted to have a breakout and he didn’t break out. So I’m going to take him here close to the ninth round.” 48:04
Jason’s Quarterback Strategy 48:28
- Jason wanted to have two quarterbacks on his team.
- He believed there was a tier break for him at the quarterback position.
- He decided to go with two quarterbacks in this draft even though there were other positions he wanted to fill.
“I’d like to have two as my quarterback.” 48:28
Limitations on Running Back Selection 48:47
- Justin was limited in his running back options because of the turn he was drafting at and the players selected before him.
- He mentioned that he couldn’t even look at the running back group because they were not possibilities for his team.
“I can’t even look at the running back tap. Like that’s not a possibility in this draft.” 48:47
Jason’s Rookie Wide Receiver Strategy 49:04
- Jason wanted to target rookies with high upside, especially at the wide receiver position.
- He preferred rookies who had a chance of breaking out later in the season.
- Jason saw this as an opportunity to add emerging talent to his team.
“I hate the situation I’m in because, you know, David Montgomery, great value there in the seventh round. I can’t even look at the running back tap. Like that’s not a possibility in this draft… If I’m allowed to make the pick, I’m going to take him, uh, because this is the perfect position.” 48:41
Jason’s Strategy for Upside Picks 51:02
- Jason believed that if you start a draft with a strong position, such as running back, it allows you to take more high upside picks later on.
- He saw this as a smart strategy to balance out his team.
“If I grab two or three or five strong running backs to start a draft, then I’m going to kind of leave there with a lot more wide receivers than I do running backs or vice versa… I think it’s smart.” 51:02
“And I’m going to go back again. I’m going to take Samaje Perine, a guy that Andy’s been talking about. You’ve got Givante Williams here going three and a half rounds ahead of Somaje P. Ryan… All right, Jason, you’re back on the clock here in the 10th round.” 52:38
Draft Strategy 54:08
- The speaker mentions that they already have five running backs and will need to choose a quarterback and a tight end with their next two picks. 54:14
“That would have been a fun player to take if I didn’t have five running backs.”