It's been a long offseason friends, but we are inching closer and closer to the start of training camp and the excitement that comes with the dawn of a new NFL and fantasy football season. Maybe it's the start of that excitement, or maybe it's the football lull we experience at this time of the year. Or maybe it's the mold contamination I've had to deal with for the last six months (not kidding). Regardless, I've decided to take the one-man, five-round mock draft to the next level.
That's right, I'm now going 10 rounds!
Alright you're probably not as excited as I am, but it's the middle of June and my beloved New York Yankees might be a seller at the MLB trade deadline and I need a little something to cheer about. I've also binge watched the second seasons of "Daredevil" and "Bloodline" (both awesome), and there's only so many times you can re-watch "Game of Thrones" episodes (though seeing Jon Snow beat the snot out of Ramsay Bolton is ultra-watchable).
You get the point ... it's time to put the research and analysis into the next gear and start working on your craft with mock drafts. And lots of them. So without further interruption, here's that one-man, 10-round mock. Read it, love it, hate it, comment on it. And of course, enjoy it.
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.
Round 1
1. Le'Veon Bell, RB, Steelers: It's June, so Bell's status for the start of training camp is somewhat of a mystery after he injured the MCL and PCL in his right knee last November. If he's able to return without setbacks, he's the top player to draft. His return will be a hot topic of conversation.
2. Todd Gurley, RB, Rams: Gurley didn't start his first NFL game until Week 4, which makes his 1,106 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns and 187.4 fantasy points as a rookie even more impressive. The Georgia product figures to be one of the top three overall picks in almost all fantasy football drafts.
3. Antonio Brown, WR, Steelers: Brown has been the top-scoring wide receiver in fantasy football in each of the last two seasons, making him a virtual lock to be drafted in the top three. I could even see him picked No. 1 overall in a standard scoring leagues ... he's a safe selection for owners.
4. Odell Beckham Jr., WR, Giants: OBJ did see his fantasy points per game average dip in his sophomore season, but he still had a tremendous campaign with over 90 catches, 1,305 yards and 12 scores. He's also scored the second-most points of any wideout in their first two NFL seasons.
5. Julio Jones, WR, Falcons: Jones busted out in the stat sheets in 2015, posting career bests in catches (136) and yards (1,871) to go along with eight touchdowns. He also recorded more fantasy points than every single running back in the league not named Devonta Freeman. Jones is a star.
6. Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings: Peterson turned 31 in March, and he's had over 2,300 career regular-season carries at the NFL level. With that said, the typical rules of an older back don't apply to one of the all-time greats. It's difficult to envision a scenario where A.P. isn't a top-10 choice.
7. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Texans: Nuk exploded in his third NFL season, posting career bests across the board. He has also seen his important fantasy totals increase in each of his first three years, and the addition of Brock Osweiler under center in Houston should be a major positive.
8. David Johnson, RB, Cardinals: Johnson started five games as a rookie, but he still finished seventh in fantasy points among runners. Whether he turns into the next Jeremy Hill remains to be seen, but Johnson will be a top-10 pick based on his big upside under coach Bruce Arians.
9. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Cowboys: Is taking a rookie this high a risk? Sure, but it's hard not to expect greatness from Elliott. He's a three-down runner with massive upside in a Dallas offense that made DeMarco Murray a fantasy star and turned Darren McFadden back into a productive fantasy runner.
10. Rob Gronkowski, TE, Patriots: Gronkowski is far and away the most valuable tight end in the world of fantasy football, and he's the lone player at his position who's worth a top-30 selection. The veteran has put up 1,100-plus yards and double-digit touchdowns in each of his last two seasons.
Round 2
11. Lamar Miller, RB, Texans: Miller finished sixth in fantasy points among runners last season, and he did it despite carrying the football fewer than 200 times. His move to the Texans makes him an even more valuable asset, as he's now the lead back in an offense that wants to run the ball ... a lot.
12. Dez Bryant, WR, Cowboys: Forget about what happened to Bryant last season ... he was never 100 percent and had to catch passes from the likes of Kellen Moore. Heading into 2015, Bryant had put up 88 or more catches, 1,200-plus yards and double-digit touchdowns in his previous three campaigns.
13. A.J. Green, WR, Bengals: Green had an up and down 2015 campaign, posting fewer than eight fantasy points seven times. Regardless, he still finished with 1,200-plus yards and double-digit touchdowns. Green should see more targets with Marvin Jones and Mohamed Sanu both out of the pass attack too.
14. Devonta Freeman, RB, Falcons: Freeman came out of nowhere to lead all runners in fantasy points last season. He also had an historic four-game stretch where he found the end zone nine times and put up 25-plus points in each contest. There is an elevated bust risk as a result, however.
15. Jamaal Charles, RB, Chiefs: Charles looked good before blowing out his knee last season, and the fact that he's has multiple ACL tears sine 2011 is a cause for some concern. Still, his rehab has gone well and there's no indication Charles won't be the offensive centerpiece in Kansas City again.
16. Mark Ingram, RB, Saints: I like everything about Ingram from a statistical perspective, and I could see him moving up in future mock drafts. The one concern is the fact that he has never started more than 10 games in a single season due to injuries. That's keeping him from a first-round label.
17. Doug Martin, RB, Buccaneers: I admit to being a bit worried about Martin, who has not been the most durable or reliable fantasy running back in his four seasons at the NFL level. Still, he's about as close to a featured back as you will see in Tampa Bay, and he's still young at just 27-years-old.
18. LeSean McCoy, RB, Bills: McCoy's first season in Buffalo was a modest one overall, as he averaged 12 fantasy points per game but missed four contests due to injuries. He also lost important work to Karlos Williams, who scored nine touchdowns. Still, McCoy is worth a second-rounder.
19. Jordy Nelson, WR, Packers: Nelson blew out his knee during the 2015 preseason, so he'll have had more than enough time to rehab and recover heading into training camp. Heading into his age-31 season and with Aaron Rodgers under center, Nelson is a borderline No. 1 fantasy wideout.
20. Alshon Jeffery, WR, Bears: Jeffery suffered through an injury-plagued 2015 campaign that saw him miss seven games and post disappointing numbers. Still, he averaged 89.6 yards in the nine contests he played and would have projected to record almost 190 fantasy points over a full season.
Round 3
21. Eddie Lacy, RB, Packers: Lacy might have been the biggest disappointment in fantasy football last season, but he's still a young and back in good shape. He's also entering a contract year, so Lacy should be motivated to leave the past (and the weight) behind him. He's a risk-reward choice.
22. Allen Robinson, WR, Jaguars: Robinson was one of last season's biggest breakout candidates, scoring 10-plus points in 12 games with at least one score in 10 contests. You should expect some regression in the number of touchdowns he scores, but Robinson will be difficult to pass on at this point.
23. Sammy Watkins, WR, Bills: Watkins is one of my favorite breakout candidates for this season, so there's a good chance he'll be moving up in future mock drafts. Of course, that all depends on the health of his foot and how he rehabs over the next few weeks. Watkins will be a beast at 100 percent.
24. Brandon Marshall, WR, Jets: Marshall went nuts in the stat sheets in his first season with Gang Green, posting 1,502 yards with 14 touchdowns while finishing third in fantasy points at wideout. He could lose some of his luster if the Jets fail to bring back Ryan Fitzpatrick, though. Stay tuned.
25. Keenan Allen, WR, Chargers: Allen was on pace to put up 134 catches and 1,400-plus yards last season before he suffered a lacerated kidney and was forced to miss the final eight contests. He's back at 100 percent and will make waves in the stat sheets, both in standard and PPR formats.
26. Mike Evans, WR, Buccaneers: Evans dropped too many passes during his sophomore season, resulting in a major decline in his touchdown catches. Still, he's a good bet to improve on his 2015 fantasy totals and re-emerge into a more reliable option for the Bucs and fantasy fans alike.
27. Thomas Rawls, RB, Seahawks: Rawls averaged almost 16 fantasy points per game last season in the absence of Marshawn Lynch, so there's tons of potential here. Rookie C.J. Prosise shouldn't put a massive dent in his touches, but keep tabs on Rawls' return from a broken left ankle.
28. Brandin Cooks, WR, Saints: Despite a slow start in the stat sheets, Cooks still put up nice totals for the Saints last season. While he's still not in the No. 1 wide receiver conversation, the Oregon State product would look great as a No. 2 wideout on the rosters of most fantasy football owners.
29. Amari Cooper, WR, Raiders: Cooper ranked outside of the top 20 among fantasy wideouts in 2015, but the sky's the limit for this uber talented receiver. In fact, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Alabama product push for top-10 status at his position. The Raiders offense has major potential.
30. Cam Newton, QB, Panthers: The number one fantasy player drafted ... in Round 3? Yes sir. The quarterback position is deep, and chances are pretty good that Newton will see a 40-60 point decline in production in 2016. If he weren't such a productive runner, I'd likely pass on him here too.
Round 4
31. Demaryius Thomas, WR, Broncos: Thomas won't be a true No. 1 fantasy wideout with Mark Sanchez now under center, but he can be a solid, high-end No. 2 option at this point in the draft.
32. C.J. Anderson, RB, Broncos: Even with Ronnie Hillman and Devontae Booker in the mix, Anderson still projects as the lead running back for a Broncos offense that will run the ball often.
33. Matt Forte, RB, Jets: Forte should remain a featured back in New York, but he is entering his age-30 season and should be seen as a No. 2 in fantasy drafts as opposed to a viable No. 1.
34. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers: Rodgers will go much higher in most drafts, but I don't think he's worth a top-30 pick at such a deep position. He'll be better than he was in 2015, though.
35. T.Y. Hilton, WR, Colts: Hilton isn't going to become an elite fantasy wideout like Jones or Beckham Jr., but the return of Andrew Luck should help his stock. He could be a real bargain.
36. Carlos Hyde, RB, 49ers: Hyde is a serious bounce-back candidate in an offense that will lean on the run under new coach Chip Kelly. He could be a bargain, as long as he avoids injuries.
37. Ryan Mathews, RB, Eagles: The Eagles didn't add a big-name running back in the NFL draft, so Mathews is once again on the radar as a viable No. 2 fantasy back in most standard leagues.
38. Jonathan Stewart, RB, Panthers: Stewart finished 16th in fantasy points among runners in 2015, and he's likely to remain the top running back in Carolina entering his age-29 campaign.
39. Jeremy Hill, RB, Bengals: Hill's yardage totals declined last season compared to his rookie campaign, but he still scored 11 touchdowns. He's now on the low-end RB2/flex starter radar.
40. Julian Edelman, WR, Patriots: Edelman has missed 16 contests over the last four season due to injuries, and he's coming off two foot surgeries. There's some bust concern as a result.
Round 5
Round 6
51. Duke Johnson, RB, Browns
52. Russell Wilson, QB, Seahawks
53. Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Panthers
54. Eric Decker, WR, Jets
55. Andrew Luck, QB, Colts
56. Doug Baldwin, WR, Seahawks
57. Golden Tate, WR, Lions
58. Randall Cobb, WR, Packers
59. Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Broncos
60. Coby Fleener, TE, Saints
Round 7
Round 8
71. John Brown, WR, Cardinals
72. Justin Forsett, RB, Ravens
73. Carson Palmer, QB, Cardinals
74. Ameer Abdullah, RB, Lions
75. Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs
76. Tyler Eifert, TE, Bengals
77. DeSean Jackson, WR, Redskins
78. Larry Fitzgerald, WR, Cardinals
79. Blake Bortles, QB, Jaguars
80. Jordan Matthews, WR, Eagles
Round 9
81. Melvin Gordon, RB, Chargers
82. Giovani Bernard, RB, Bengals
83. Ladarius Green, TE, Steelers
84. Michael Crabtree, WR, Raiders
85. T.J. Yeldon, RB, Jaguars
86. Corey Coleman, WR, Browns
87. Kevin White, WR, Bears
88. Allen Hurns, WR, Jaguars
89. Danny Woodhead, RB, Chargers
90. Derrick Henry, RB, Titans
Round 10
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Have a burning question on anything fantasy related? Tweet it to _**@MichaelFabiano**_ or send a question via **Facebook**!
