Wouldn't we all like a mulligan some time or other? Chances are the other owners in your fantasy league aren't in the habit of giving do-overs for your poor draft. Thankfully we're not in your fantasy league.
That's because we're continuing our series of fantasy draft do-overs. Previously, Alex Gelhar tackled the 2010 season. This week, we're taking the way back machine to 2011, when quarterbacks truly asserted themselves and tight ends began to rise.
This mock draft is based on NFL.com's standard 10-team leagues with a basic (non-PPR) scoring system that rewards four points for touchdown passes and six points for all other touchdowns scored. Each numbered position represents an individual fantasy team, so no more than one quarterback, three running backs, three wide receivers or one tight end will be selected per roster.
Round 1
1. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay Packers (2011 ADP: First round): That's right. We're starting this draft off with a quarterback. Sure it goes against convention, but then again ... so did Rodgers' 2011 season. The Packers star posted 397.42 fantasy points -- and that's without playing in Green Bay's Week 17 game. All told, he was more than 100 points better than the top scoring fantasy running back. That type of disparity is hard to ignore.
2. Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints (2011 ADP: Second round): If we're breaking taboos, we might as well go all in. Brees was just a half-step behind Rodgers all season long, finishing with 391.64 points in a stellar campaign. Maybe it's a knee-jerk reaction to having Rodgers go off the board first, but who's really going to complain about having the second-highest scorer in fantasy football on their roster?
3. Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore Ravens (2011 ADP: First round): The first running back of the draft comes off the board with the third pick. While Rice was the top scorer at his position, he finished sixth overall -- the first time in recent memory that no running back cracked the top five. It might have been foreshadowing of the coming devaluation of fantasy running backs. Still, 296.84 points is nothing to sneeze at.
4. LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (2011 ADP: First round): In his second season as a full-time starter, McCoy looked right at home in Andy Reid's offense. The dual-threat back tallied an NFL-best 20 touchdowns -- including 17 rushing scores. McCoy would finish the season with 280.40 fantasy points as well as an emphatic announcement that he was ready to join the elite options at the position.
5. Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars (2011 ADP: Second round): Entering 2011, Jones-Drew had already established himself as a fantasy commodity. But this was the year that MoJo really had his mojo working. The Jaguars back easily won the rushing title with 1,606 yards and for good measure added another 43 receptions. Jones-Drew hasn't offered fantasy owners much since then, but that's another complaint for another draft.
6. Arian Foster, RB Houston Texans (2011 ADP: First round): After leading all fantasy scorers in 2010, Foster's 2011 encore wasn't quite as scintillating. Some of that had to do with Foster missing three games because of a hamstring injury, but he still rallied to be the fourth-highest fantasy scorer at the running back position. Foster's other fantasy contribution in 2011? Introducing enthusiasts to Ben Tate, who made a name for himself as Foster's early-season replacement.
7. Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers (2011 ADP: 13th round): Fresh off a Heisman Trophy and a BCS Championship, the expectations were high for Newton -- and he exceeded them. The rookie immediately proved to be a fantasy force to be reckoned with, accounting for 35 total touchdowns (14 rushing) and finishing the season third among all fantasy players. Superman, indeed.
8. Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots (2011 ADP: Second round): Tom was once again terrific in 2011. Maybe not 50 touchdown passes terrific, but 5,235 passing yards and 39 scoring tosses is "acceptable." He also found a brand new weapon in second-year tight end Rob Gronkowski. All in all, Brady retained his seat among the kings of fantasy quarterbacks, finishing the season ranked fourth overall.
9. Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions (2011 ADP: Second round): The more things change, the more they stay the same. Calvin Johnson is likely to land late in the first round in a number of 2014 drafts -- he does the same in our 2011 re-do. This was the season in which Megatron elevated himself to the position of best receiver in fantasy as he snagged 96 passes for 1,681 yards and 16 touchdowns -- making him far and away the No. 1 at wideout.
10. Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions (2011 ADP: Ninth round): The rising tide that lifted all boats and Johnson's evolution into a fantasy megastar helped propel Stafford to the next level of fantasy quarterbacks as well. It was also the first season that saw the Lions quarterback throw the football 663 times (he'd top that the next season with an NFL record 727 attempts) and connect for 41 touchdowns. Plus, Stafford had his fewest interceptions that season, tossing just 16 picks.
Round 2
11. Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks (2011 ADP: 11th round): A midseason trade from Buffalo to Seattle in 2010 gave fantasy owners a glimpse at what Lynch would eventually become. However, Beast Mode was truly unleashed in the 2011 season. He finished strong, topping 100 rushing yards in six of his final nine games and would be a top-five fantasy back for the first time in his career. It was the first time, but not the last.
12. Michael Turner, RB, Atlanta Falcons (2011 ADP: Second round): 2011 was the beginning of the end for Turner as a fantasy star. The "Burner" amassed more than 1,300 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, but the addition of Jacquizz Rodgers signaled that the Falcons were looking toward the future. But in the present, Turner still returned good value as the sixth-ranked fantasy rusher.
13. Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings (2011 ADP: First round): Peterson appeared to be on track to maintain his spot among the top five fantasy running backs, but injuries forced him to miss four games -- and eventually to have offseason knee surgery. Even when he was healthy, Peterson had an uneven season. He scored 11 points or fewer in seven of his 12 games. Nonetheless, his big games were big enough to land him in the top 10 among running backs.
14. Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants (2011 ADP: 11th round): Remember the days when Eli Manning was a top 10 fantasy quarterback? It hasn't happened since 2011, when he threw for nearly 5,000 yards and 29 touchdowns. The bigger plus was that Manning had just 16 interceptions. As that number has grown in recent seasons, Manning's fantasy value has lagged.
15. Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys (2011 ADP: Fourth round): Say what you like about Romo's late game struggles, but he has always been a quality fantasy signal-caller. 2011 was no exception. The Cowboys quarterback was seventh at his position with 275.96 points. The 10 interceptions likely helped his cause quite a bit.
16. Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons (2011 ADP: Sixth round): Ryan jumped into the top 10 of fantasy quarterbacks thanks to his 2010 season and it looked like he was ready to continue a steady progression toward the top of the heap. It didn't quite happen as Matty Ice finished ranked eighth at the position for the second straight year, though it was good for a 10th overall finish among all fantasy options.
17. Rob Gronkowski, TE, New England Patriots (2011 ADP: 10th round): 2011 was remembered as being The Year of the Tight End and Gronkowski was at the head of the class with 240.90 points. Gronk smashed and spiked his way to 17 touchdown receptions and would have been the second-ranked receiver, behind only Calvin Johnson. If there was ever a tight end to draft in the second round, Gronkowski was the one.
18. Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay Packers (2011 ADP: 14th round): From 2008-10, Greg Jennings had staked his claim as the go-to receiver. In 2011, things changed and Jordy Nelson began to flex his muscles. The former Kansas State star set career-highs in catches (68), yards (1,263) and touchdowns (15) and wound up second to only Megatron among fantasy wideouts.
19. Ryan Mathews, RB, San Diego Chargers (2011 ADP: 8th round):Ryan Mathews as a second round pick? Ryan Mathews as a second round pick. The Chargers running back has been a fantasy punchline for much of his career, but it was his 2011 campaign that gave enthusiasts hope for his future potential. While Mathews scored just six touchdowns, he ran for 1,091 yards and accounted for more than 1,500 yards from scrimmage. Plus he stayed relatively healthy, playing in 14 games. It would be a recipe he couldn't duplicate the following season.
20. Michael Bush, RB, Oakland Raiders (2011 ADP: 13th round): Bush was the beneficiary of Darren McFadden's continued inability to stay on the field. The bruising back was already Oakland's goal-line threat, but also made six starts in Run DMC's absence. As a result, Bush compiled nearly 1,400 scrimmage yards and eight total touchdowns -- good enough to be a top-10 fantasy back.
Round 3
21. Wes Welker, WR, New England Patriots (2011 ADP: Fourth round): Welker had already been a fantasy commodity, thanks in part to teaming up with Tom Brady. But he turned things up to 11 in '11. Welker notched league-leading 122 receptions and a career-high 1,569 receiving yards. Gisele Bundchen might have wished that Welker could have made a couple more catches, but you won't hear fantasy owners complaining.
22. Victor Cruz, WR, New York Giants (2011 ADP: 15th round): In 2010, Cruz played in three games -- all as a punt returner -- and didn't have a catch. That's why his 82 receptions for 1,536 yards and nine touchdowns caught everyone by surprise. He finished 2011 as the fourth-highest scoring fantasy receiver and had plenty of fantasy enthusiasts salsa dancing in the aisles.
23. Jimmy Graham, TE, New Orleans Saints (2011 ADP: Eighth round): As a rookie in 2010, Graham showed occasional flashes of what he could do, but wasn't on many people's radar. In 2011, Graham announced his presence with authority. He posted 99 catches for 1,310 yards and 11 touchdowns. Those totals made him the second-best tight end and would have qualified him as a top-five fantasy receiver. From then on, he's been a slam dunk as a top flight fantasy tight end.
24. Darren Sproles, RB, New Orleans Saints (2011 ADP: 14th round):Darren Sproles had been known primarily as a kick returner until moving to New Orleans for the start of the 2011 season. There, he became an integral part of the offense with 87 carries, 86 catches and career highs in scrimmage yards (1,313) and touchdowns (9). By the time the season ended, Sproles was a top-10 fantasy running back.
25. Steven Jackson, RB, St. Louis Rams (2011 ADP: Third round): Fears of Jackson's decline were slightly exaggerated in 2011. While the veteran saw just 17.3 carries per game (the fewest since his second NFL season), he topped the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the seventh straight season. His shortcoming in 2011 was the same as in most seasons -- Jackson found the end zone just six times; although that had more to do with the Rams offense than Jackson himself. Still, it was enough to hold him just outside of the top 10 at running back.
26. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Arizona Cardinals (2011 ADP: Third round):Larry Fitzgerald continued to do Larry Fitzgerald things in 2011. He topped 1,400 receiving yards for the fourth time in seven seasons despite a quarterbacking trio of John Skelton, Kevin Kolb and Richard Bartel. Nonetheless, Fitzgerald finished fifth among fantasy receivers. No wonder fantasy owners began to think Fitz was quarterback-proof.
27. Frank Gore, RB, San Francisco 49ers (2011 ADP: Second round): Few backs in recent history have been as resilient as Gore. After missing the final five contests of 2010 with a hip injury, the veteran bounced back nicely in 2011 with 1,211 rushing yards and eight total touchdowns. Gore was especially valuable in the middle of the season, thanks to a five game run in which he averaged 127 rushing yards and 17.92 fantasy points per game.
28. Reggie Bush, RB, Miami Dolphins (2011 ADP: Ninth round): Bush never lived up to expectations in New Orleans after the Saints made him the No. 2 overall pick. So when he signed with the Dolphins before the 2011 campaign, many fantasy owners had written him off. That apparently motivated the former USC star, who proved he could be a full-fledged running back, posting his first 1,000-yard season and becoming a coveted fantasy rusher.
29. Fred Jackson, RB, Buffalo Bills (2011 ADP: Ninth round): Jackson had been a nice matchup-based option during his previous few seasons in Buffalo. But in 2011, it looked like he was ready to make the leap to full-fledged fantasy starter. Jackson was averaging 93 rushing yards and 17.0 fantasy points per game before a broken leg derailed his season after 10 games. He still finished as a top-15 fantasy back, but plenty of enthusiasts were left wondering "what if?"
30. Matt Forte, RB, Chicago Bears (2011 ADP: Third round): Expectations were high for Forte after ending the 2010 season in the top 10 at his position. it looked like the man from Tulane was on the path to meeting or exceeding those forecasts until an MCL sprain forced the Bears to shut him down after 12 games. Forte still finished the year ranked 15th.
Round 4
31. Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee Titans (2011 ADP: First round): Owners hoping for a return to 2009 were disappointed by Johnson's 1,047 rushing yards and four total touchdowns.
32. Beanie Wells, WR, Arizona Cardinals (2011 ADP: Eighth round): For the first (and only) time, Wells ran for 1,000 yards and was a fantasy factor. His 10 touchdowns helped.
33. Philip Rivers, QB, San Diego Chargers (2011 ADP: Third round): Rivers couldn't duplicate his top five finish from 2010, suffering dropoffs in yards and TDs coupled with a rise in INTs.
34. Steve Smith, WR, Carolina Panthers (2011 ADP: 11th round): Smith exploded from a poor 2010 with 1,394 yards and seven TDs. Great value for an 11th round pick.
35. Roddy White, WR, Atlanta Falcons (2011 ADP: Second round): White saw small declines in his production in 2011 as he shared targets with Julio Jones, but still finished seventh among WRs.
36. Percy Harvin, WR, Minnesota Vikings (2011 ADP: Sixth round): Harvin excelled as a pass-catcher, but his 345 rushing yards helped propel him into the top 10 at his position.
37. Mike Wallace, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers (2011 ADP: Third round): Wallace took a small step back in 2011, but still finished as the ninth-best fantasy receiver.
38. Vincent Jackson, WR, San Diego Chargers (2011 ADP: Fourth round): Jackson's final season in San Diego saw him match a career-high in touchdowns and round out the top 10 WRs.
39. Mark Sanchez, QB, New York Jets (2011 ADP: 14th round): 2011 was easily Sanchez's best season and his 237.26 points made him the 10th-best fantasy option.
40. Hakeem Nicks, WR, New York Giants (2011 ADP: Third round): Nicks was upstaged in 2011 by Victor Cruz, but he still notched a career-high in receiving yards (1,192).
Round 5
41. Marques Colston, WR, New Orleans Saints (2011 ADP: Seventh round):Jimmy Graham usurped Colston's status as the top Saints receiver, but he still finished with 1,143 yards and eight TDs.
42. Brandon Marshall, WR, Miami Dolphins (2011 ADP: Fifth round): Marshall's six TDs were underwhelming, but his 1,214 yards made up for it.
43. A.J. Green, WR, Cincinnati Bengals (2011 ADP: 12th round): Green made an immediate impact as a rookie with 1,057 yards and seven TDs. A fantasy star was born.
44. Laurent Robinson, WR, Dallas Cowboys (2011 ADP: 15th round): Robinson went undrafted in many leagues, but made his mark after Miles Austin struggled with injuries.
45. Nate Washington, WR, Tennessee Titans (2011 ADP: 15th round): After Kenny Britt went down early in the season, Washington became a waiver wire hero for fantasy owners.
46. Shonn Greene, RB, New York Jets (2011 ADP: Sixth round): Greene's 1,054-yard, six-touchdown season was enough for him to squeak into the top 20 among fantasy RBs.
47. Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers (2011 ADP: Third round): Mendenhall saw significantly fewer carries in 2011, which led to a big dropoff in production.
48. Ahmad Bradshaw, RB, New York Giants (2011 ADP: Fourth round): Injuries limited Bradshaw to just 12 games, but he still managed to score 11 total touchdowns.
49. Greg Jennings, WR, Green Bay Packers (2011 ADP: Third round): Jennings ceded his No. 1 spot on the depth chart to Jordy Nelson, but still posted nearly 1,000 yards and nine TDs.
50. Julio Jones, WR, Atlanta Falcons (2011 ADP: 13th round):A.J. Green wasn't the only rookie WR to make a splash. Jones had a nice debut with 959 yards and eight scores.
Marcas Grant is a fantasy editor for NFL.com. Follow him on Twitter.
