As we rapidly progress through the NFL offseason, fantasy football mock drafting becomes increasingly critical to set yourself up for success. Using FantasyPros’ Mock Draft Simulator to quickly and efficiently test different strategies offers an immense advantage over your competitors who may not be utilizing this valuable tool.

Something unexpected occurs during your home or more competitive league drafts every season. A competitor heavily reaches for someone you least expect, or your ultimate sleeper target gets snatched up right before you’re about to take him. These are two of the common situations that seemingly happen every year. Preparing yourself as best as you can for these unforeseen occurrences by mock drafting and testing different scenarios enables you to perform more calmly and effectively when your drafts come around over the summer and into the fall.

As I say in every article I write, regardless of how well this mock draft turns out, you should remember that it’s critical to anticipate your league mates’ moves (i.e., know their tendencies) so you can adapt when things don’t go as planned.

Strategy

I’ll be testing out a draft from the middle slots of a 12-team league in this mock draft. I’ll target an RB or QB in Round 1 that will anchor my team and then focus on enhancing my other positions accordingly. I’m hoping that one of the premier QBs or RBs will fall to me at the 1.07, so I’ll feel more comfortable about my team before being more open to drafting WRs or TEs in Rounds two through five.

The Mock Draft

Roster: 1QB/2RB/3WR/1TE/1FLX/1SF/6BN

12-Team, 0.5 PPR, Snake Format, Seventh Position

Round 1.07 – Patrick Mahomes II (QB – KC) 

After consensus QB1 Josh Allen was taken first overall in this mock, there was a run on RBs over the next five picks. I faced a tough decision: take the positional value and stability by drafting Patrick Mahomes II here or take the upside potential and highest value in Cooper Kupp.

After seeing the predictor’s odds suggesting that none of the premier QBs will make it back to me in Round two, I opted for the safe choice: Mahomes II. With this pick, I’ll hope to wait a few rounds before drafting my next QB and target an upside play like Jalen Hurts or Trey Lance in the middle rounds.

Other Players Considered: Cooper Kupp, Justin Herbert, Dalvin Cook

Round 2.06 – Javonte Williams (RB – DEN) 

Drafting Mahomes II with my first pick relegated me to take a skill position player here at the 2.06. I truthfully was torn between the ever-solid Travis Kelce or the up-and-rising talent in Javonte Williams. With so much TE value later in the draft (Kyle Pitts, George Kittle, or Darren Waller), I opted for the higher-risk approach by taking Williams with my second pick. If Denver chooses to re-sign Melvin Gordon III for whatever reason, I would immediately change this pick for Kelce.

Other Players Considered: Travis Kelce

Round 3.07 – Cam Akers (RB – LAR) 

With many top WRs taken by my simulated competitors, I thought this would be an immense opportunity to take one of the few bell-cow RBs on an elite offense remaining in this draft: Cam Akers.

After his unprecedented return from an offseason Achilles tear last season to help the Rams win the Super Bowl, Akers is primed for success this season as he continues recovering from his horrific injury last year. This was a tough pick, as a part of me wanted to take Mark Andrews here and hopefully get Saquon Barkley in the next round, but I think having a solid foundation at RB is critical this season.

Other Players Considered: Mark Andrews

Round 4.06 – Tee Higgins (WR – CIN) 

With the foundation of my lineup slowly coming together, centered around a stud QB and two high-upside RBs, I had to pivot and begin focusing on other positions to fill out my team. I was close to taking Kyle Pitts, who should have a crazy sophomore season following his rookie campaign, or Diontae Johnson with this pick. However, I went with the player on one of the best offenses in the game today who should have an excellent season despite occasionally playing in superstar WR Ja’Marr Chase‘s shadow.

Other Players Considered: Kyle Pitts, Diontae Johnson, Saquon Barkley

Round 5.07 – Saquon Barkley (RB – NYG)

Unfortunately, there was a huge run on QBs over the next 12 picks. I was hoping to draft another non-QB with this pick and then hopefully take the remaining dual-threat, high-upside one in the sixth. However, considering the run on QBs, I was faced with a difficult decision: take the high-upside sophomore in Trey Lance, who may be the last person in this tier, or select Saquon Barkley, who continues to fall down the ranks in this draft.

Ultimately, I couldn’t turn down the value of taking Barkley in the fifth and am now hoping to get another high-upside QB with one of my next two picks.

Other Players Considered: Trey Lance, George Kittle, D.J. Moore

Round 6.06 – Justin Fields (QB – CHI) 

In the sixth, Trey Lance almost made it back to me, which would have been phenomenal for my mock draft. However, he was taken just a few picks prior at the 6.06, so now I’m back to another tough decision: take one of the few remaining high-upside QBs remaining in Justin Fields or one of the elite TEs on the board in Darren Waller.

With the potential of losing out considerably by not taking a QB here, I opted for Fields and hope to land a serviceable TE later if Waller doesn’t make it back to me.

Other Players Considered: Darren Waller, Michael Pittman Jr.

Round 7.07 – Allen Robinson II (WR – LAR) 

Both Waller and Pittman, Jr. were taken before my pick here, so I had to pivot. I knew I had to select a WR or a TE since I was already pretty set at QB and RB. With the options on the board, I went with the former continual borderline-WR1 now playing with the best QB he’s ever played with: Allen Robinson II.

We saw what Odell Beckham, Jr. did last season once he joined the Rams midseason, so with an entire offseason and limited competition for targets in the high-flying Rams offense, Robinson II should be an excellent WR2 for this team.

Other Players Considered: Tyler Lockett, DeVonta Smith, T.J. Hockenson

Round 8.06 – Dallas Goedert (TE – PHI) 

Although DeVonta Smith fell to me here in the eighth round, I felt that I had a major hole remaining in my team due to the void in my TE slot. With Dallas Goedert here ripe for the picking, I immediately selected him without much thought. I’m looking to take Rashaad Penny in the next round if he were to fall, or the best WR available if not.

Other Players Considered: DeVonta Smith, Travis Etienne, Jr., Rashaad Penny

Round 9.07 – Rashaad Penny (RB – SEA)

This is what I like to call a luxury pick. Even though my team is stacked at RB already, taking a high-upside player like Rashaad Penny here should give me an immense positional advantage in the 2022 season.

Furthermore, I should have adequate insurance if one of my top RBs flames out or gets injured. I intend to draft a WR or two over the next few rounds, but I am also targeting Ronald Jones II, another top RB sleeper for me next year, if he falls.

Other Players Considered: Brandon Aiyuk, Gabriel Davis, Kareem Hunt

Round 10.06 – Rashod Bateman (WR – BAL)

After an injury-plagued training camp in 2021 for first-round draft pick Rashod Bateman, he generally underwhelmed the rest of the season. However, he was seemingly adequate for much of his games if you played in a PPR league. I believe Bateman is a solid but not sexy pick here as my WR3, offering stability while presenting potential upside if he takes the anticipated sophomore leap.

Other Players Considered: Christian Kirk

Round 11.07- DeVante Parker (WR – NE) 

With my other sleeper RB, Jones II, being taken just two picks after I took Bateman, I knew I had to keep hammering down the WR position, considering it was the biggest weakness of my team.

I have to draft a third QB at some point, but with my top two seemingly able to start and carry my team throughout the season, I continued waiting on that option.

Other Players Considered: Russell Gage, Rondale Moore, Sony Michel, Mitchel Trubisky

Round 12.06 – Corey Davis (WR – NYJ) 

Despite relatively lofty expectations of a breakout season in 2021, Corey Davis battled injuries and poor QB play throughout last year. With fellow Jets WR Elijah Moore seemingly taking over the WR1 role for the team, Davis is being overlooked by many as a solid fantasy option in 2022. With such a depreciated ADP, it’s hard to pass up on the opportunity to get a potential target monster this year.

Other Players Considered: Davis Mills, Marcus Mariota, J.D. McKissic, Kenny Golladay

Round 13.07 – Marcus Mariota (QB – ATL)

The former second-overall pick in the 2015 draft has failed to live up to expectations in his seven-year career. However, after playing as a back-up for the past few seasons, Mariota is primed for a bounce-back season as Atlanta’s QB following their trade of long-time QB Matt Ryan to Indianapolis.

Mariota is a fantastic third QB for me in this Superflex draft, as I anticipate him playing very little for me, barring an injury to one of my top two. But he possesses the fantasy football cheat code of elite rushing ability. Although he probably won’t do much statistically in 2022, there is the chance that his dual-threat skill set will carry him to some fantasy success this year.

Other Players Considered: Chuba Hubbard, Trey Sermon, Kenny Golladay, Mike Gesicki

Round 14.06 – Kenny Golladay (WR – NYG)

With my second-to-last pick of this mock draft, I was down to two positions, WR and RB. Considering my underwhelming WR corps and my lack of depth (despite what I consider elite upside) at RB, I knew I had to target these two positions to close out the draft. With the below-average options remaining on the board at RB, I opted to draft the top WR on the board, Kenny Golladay.

Other Players Considered: Ty Johnson, Boston Scott, Mike Gesicki

Round 15.07 – Ke’Shawn Vaughn (RB – TB)

Unfortunately, there was another run on RBs to close out the draft, so many of my sleeper targets were already gone. Many of your and your competitors’ picks will make very little difference at this point in the draft, so taking someone who may present some level of upside was the dealbreaker for me.

If Leonard Fournette goes down with an injury this year or Tampa Bay opts for a split backfield approach, Ke’Shawn Vaughn could offer some flex value or trade bait early in the season. I wouldn’t be opposed to dropping Vaughn for the top waiver-wire candidate if he doesn’t perform well early.

Other Players Considered: Samaje Perine, Mark Ingram II

Results

I received a rather meager draft grade (C+ – 78/100) for this team. Considering the draft summary’s analysis of my position ranks, the only one that was underwhelming was at WR. My strategy appeared to work, as I possessed the number two QB, a top-six RB corps, and top flex (and Superflex) players.

If I had gone a bit more aggressive with WR early instead of overloading at RB, my results might have been better. However, if I were to field this team come Week 1 of the 2022 season, I wouldn’t be shocked if it turned out to be a league winner.

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Jared Lese is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Jared, check out his archive and follow him @JaredL_FF.