It’s time for another dynasty startup mock draft! If you missed my dynasty startup mock from earlier in the month, check it out here!

Once again, I’ll be using our incredible DraftWizard to conduct this mock and will take you through my strategy, pick by pick. But we’re going to switch up the format a bit. Here are the settings I’ll be working with for this dynasty mock:

• 12 teams
• Full PPR format
• Starters: 1 QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, 1 TE, 1 Superflex, 1 FLEX, 7 bench spots
• I was randomly assigned the 12th pick

Here’s how this mock draft shook out!

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Picks 1.12 and 2.1: Alvin Kamara (RB – NO) and Justin Herbert (QB – LAC)
I’m presented with a crossroads right away. But my first pick in this draft is a no-brainer. Kamara is only 25 years old and is even more valuable in a full-point PPR format. The future of the Saints’ offense is a little concerning. But as long as Sean Payton’s in town, I’m not worried about Kamara’s future.

The crossroads comes with my next pick. Four quarterbacks are off the board already, with my best options being Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow, and Russell Wilson. I’m also tempted by Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill, D.K. Metcalf and Justin Jefferson, given the PPR scoring.

All of these players are studs who will be taken within the next 23 picks between my second and third-round selections. Ultimately, I decided to put the greater emphasis on quarterback, given the Superflex format. Receiver is deep enough that I should be able to find plenty of viable options later on, especially in PPR.

So, how do you choose among this group? I threw Wilson out because of his age, which can be a useful tiebreaker in dynasty drafts. And while I love Lamar Jackson’s dual-threat abilities, I’m concerned that opponents figured out his resistance to throw the ball outside the hash marks.

Ultimately, the decision came down to Burrow and Herbert, both of whom I love. I chose Herbert because Burrow has already suffered a serious injury, and I need as much safety as possible in choosing my QB1. Plus, Herbert was fantastic during his rookie season and has plenty of talent to work with.

Picks 3.12 and 4.1: Joe Mixon (RB – CIN) and Terry McLaurin (WR – WAS)
Even in a PPR Superflex league, tailback is still a vital and scarce commodity. I’m pretty thrilled to get Mixon as my RB2. While he’s been frustrating at times, he’s an outstanding talent who’s produced two 1,100-yard rushing seasons despite being on dismal teams. The Bengals might finally turn things around on offense this year with a plethora of weapons and a real QB in Burrow. This could finally be the year Mixon breaks out in a big way. Mixon was one of the last tailbacks with top-10 upside left on the board.

For my next pick, I knew I had to grab a receiver. That led me to a tough decision between McLaurin and Ja’Marr Chase. While Chase may have slightly more upside, I wanted to take a more proven commodity for my WR1. McLaurin hauled in 87 passes for 1,118 yards and four scores despite horrible QB play. My hope is the Washington Football Team finds a real long-term solution to pair with McLaurin after this season.

Picks 5.12 and 6.1: Diontae Johnson (WR – PIT) and Aaron Rodgers (QB – GB)
I know I can do much worse than Johnson as my WR2, but I admit I was a little nervous about this pick. Johnson caught 88 passes on 144 targets for 923 yards and seven touchdowns. His talent is legitimate. And the opportunities should be there again with Ben Roethlisberger back under center.

But between durability concerns (it felt like Johnson was constantly nicked up with something despite missing only one game), and the uncertain future at quarterback in Pittsburgh, this pick doesn’t feel like a slam dunk. Maybe I’ll feel better about it if Johnson can do a bit more with his targets in 2021.

In Round 6, I decided to fill out my Superflex spot with Rodgers. I was the first team in the mock to draft two quarterbacks and have no problem with that. Yes, nobody knows if or where Rodgers will play in 2021. But I’m confident Rodgers will be taking snaps for the Packers in Week 1. And if he is, he’s a steal even in dynasty leagues at this current draft price. A duo of Herbert and Rodgers should give me a sizable advantage in this league.

Picks 7.12 and 8.1: Trey Sermon (RB – SF) and Elijah Moore (WR – NYJ)
This is where the draft gets interesting, and by interesting, I mean muddled and difficult. This is also where I tend to lean toward taking flyers on rookies over less exciting veterans.

Case in point: would you rather take Trey Sermon or Michael Carter, or Myles Gaskin or Chase Edmonds? In these situations, I almost always go with the rookie because of their long-term upside, even if they’re complete unknowns. In this case, I’m taking Sermon, who closed his final collegiate season strong and could be a late bloomer in this tailback class. The sky could be the limit for Sermon under Kyle Shanahan.

With my second pick, I’m faced with a similar conundrum. Young receivers like Elijah Moore and Michael Pittman Jr. are on the board. But so is Odell Beckham Jr., who has top-five upside when he’s healthy. However, Beckham is just too hard to trust these days. So I’m going with Moore, a player who should’ve been a first-round pick and could be an electric slot receiver for the Jets.

These two picks could set me back in my quest to win a title in 2021, but they could set me up for long-term success.

Picks 9.12 and 10.1: Robby Anderson (WR – CAR) and Zack Moss (RB – BUF)
Anderson’s a solid depth add as my WR3. He posted career highs in receptions and yards last season and reunited with Sam Darnold, with whom he had chemistry with in New York. He can’t be trusted as a weekly fixture in your lineups, but he’s good enough to put up some nice weeks when the matchup’s right.

Running back’s getting ugly, as my top options are AJ Dillon, Zack Moss, and Damien Harris, with nothing but handcuffs after them. While Dillon could be an appealing long-term play, I need some production with Sermon as my RB3. That leaves me with Moss and Harris. Neither guy really has a stranglehold on their team’s starting spot. And both guys are really hard to gauge from a long-term perspective.

I went with Moss slightly over Harris for a few reasons. First of all, the fantasy community has seemingly given up on Moss after hyping him up during his rookie season. I sense now’s a good price to buy low. And while Devin Singletary will still be a factor, limiting Moss’s touches. I expect Moss to get the more valuable goal-line carries, which is valuable in what should be an explosive Bills offense. If you’re asking me which of the backs left has the best chance of breaking out, it’s probably Moss.

Picks 11.12 and 12.1: Darnell Mooney (WR – CHI) and Alexander Mattison (RB – MIN)
I really like Mooney. He showed great separation skills as a rookie and should be Chicago’s WR2 to open the season. He can also stretch the field, which pairs nicely with Allen Robinson’s skill set as a possession wideout. He offers a ton of upside as my WR5 if Chicago’s offense gets in gear.

I still don’t have a starting tight end on this roster, and that’s OK. I’m relying on our Pick Predictor feature when it comes to my favorite tight end still on the board. Pick Predictor says there’s only an 11% chance he’ll be taken before my Round 13 pick, so I’m trusting it!

So with this pick, I’m going back to tailback. Mattison isn’t a pick I’m thrilled about. But he’s arguably the most important handcuff in the league and instantly becomes a valuable asset if Dalvin Cook were to miss time.

Picks 13.12 and 14.1: Logan Thomas (TE – WSH) and Tom Brady (QB – TB)
Pick Predictor, you are a genius! Thomas was still on the board in Round 13, and I happily nabbed him as my starting tight end. The converted quarterback broke out last season, finishing as the TE6, and I don’t think it’s a fluke. He’s 6-foot-6, 250 pounds, and was athletic enough to play quarterback in college. He’s a mismatch nightmare and could benefit from the addition of Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback. I’m all aboard the Thomas train.

You may be surprised to see I took Brady with my next pick. I wanted to get a third QB to protect myself from bye weeks and injuries, and Brady was the best option on the board. He proved he can still play and should be able to put up big numbers in good matchups. It’s a short-sighted pick, but one I can live with.

Pick 15.12: Amari Rodgers (WR – GB)
I’m taking one more upside flyer at receiver to close out this draft, and Rodgers fits the bill nicely. The Packers still don’t have an established second wideout to compliment Davante Adams. But Rodgers’ ability to take the top off the defense could come in handy out of the slot for Green Bay’s offense. As this draft’s Mr. Irrelevant, he’s worth the shot.

Final Draft Grade: C (76/100)

While I’m a little hurt by the DraftWizard’s grade, I understand it given how many rookies and young players I drafted. Sometimes, that’s how a dynasty startup goes, and there’s nothing wrong with a future-focused approach.

What did you think of my dynasty startup mock draft? Let me know on Twitter!

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Matt Barbato is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Matt, check out his archive and follow him @RealMattBarbato.