Preseason games are officially over and regular season football is coming up faster than we realize. We are in the heart of fantasy draft season and you will soon get to duke it out on the fantasy gridiron every week. If you have a draft coming up but haven't started preparing, don't worry there's still time to perfect your draft strategy. We may be past the point where you can take a deep dive into everything, but you still have the opportunity to go into your draft with a strong plan. The best way to get ready for Draft Day is by simulating the real deal through mock drafts.
Mock drafts are an absolute must for any fantasy manager's draft preparation; they allow drafters to test out a variety of strategies without the risk of taking that team into the regular season if things don't go well. With modern tools such as FantasyPros Draft Wizard and Sleeper's Mock Draft lobbies, mock drafts can be completed in minutes. By the time you're on the clock in your actual draft, you should know exactly who you want to target in each round.
For this mock draft, we'll be breaking down the pick-by-pick analysis of a team drafted from the 7th slot in a 12-team, PPR, Superflex league. The final results of the team are shown below. FantasyPros' Mock Draft Wizard was used to complete this draft.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: 2024 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet
Fantasy Football PPR Superflex Mock Draft 2024: 12-team league results
The rosters in this league consist of the following: 1 QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, 1 TE, 1 FLEX, 1 Superflex, 1 D/ST, 1 Kicker, 5 Bench
Round 1 (1.07): CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys
The contract holdout is officially over and CeeDee Lamb has rejoined the Cowboys at practice. With this news, Lamb can now be selected as a top-3 non-quarterback without any hesitation. With the upper tier of quarterbacks and Christian McCaffrey already off the board in this draft, Lamb became the choice following his WR1 season. His season was the 3rd-highest scoring season of all time from a wide receiver.
Lamb went on an absurd tear last year, closing the year on a stretch of 12 straight games with at least 16 PPR points. His late-season push was in large part due to the Cowboy's shift to an offense that almost exclusively featured Lamb and the passing attack, something they did not do in the first six weeks of the year. The Cowboys should pass at a high rate once again and Lamb will be a contender to lead the league in targets.
2024 PPR RANKINGS
Top 250 Overall | QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF/ST | K
Round 2 (2.06): Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders
If you are going to pass on a quarterback in Round 1, Jayden Daniels is the perfect player to target as a QB1. He has the rushing ability to ascend into the upper tier of quarterbacks but he features a price that allows him to be added to a team that also has CeeDee Lamb.
Some people may not realize what sort of rushing upside Daniels has. He posted over 2,000 rushing yards across his final two seasons at LSU. Daniels also has the highest scramble rate of any recent dual-threat quarterback. His collegiate scramble rate was higher than Lamar Jackson's, Justin Fields', Jalen Hurts', Josh Allen's, and any successful scrambling QB in recent years. This guy is going to run... a lot.
2024 POSITION TIERS & DRAFT STRATEGY
QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST
Round 3 (3.07): Jared Goff, QB, Detroit Lions
Knowing when to address the Superflex slot is key in these drafts. Reading the draft board and paying attention to the rate at which quarterbacks are coming off the board is crucial. Goff may have a bit of a reach in Round 3, but QBs were flying off the board and there's nothing worse than getting fully boxed out at quarterback.
With strong weapons around him and a good system in place thanks to Ben Johnson, Goff should be put in favorable situations and provided with scoring opportunities regularly. The big knock on Goff is that he is a mediocre fantasy option when he plays outdoors. In the last two years, Goff has scored 6.5 fewer points per game when playing outdoors. Thankfully, the Lions play just three games outdoors this year.
Round 4 (4.06): De'Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins
The upper-tier running backs were off the board, but much like Daniels, De'Von Achane has the talent to tier jump this year. We were treated to some special performances from Achane last year, highlighted by a 50-point afternoon against Denver.
Achane has the talent to be one of the most productive running backs in the NFL and he is in the perfect offense to exploit that talent. Mike McDaniel's rushing attack makes opposing defenses look like they have never played organized football at times. Some people are nervous about Achane's injury risk, which is fair, but take it as an opportunity to draft him at a cheap price before he takes the NFL by storm.
Round 5 (5.07): Trey McBride, TE, Arizona Cardinals
Trey McBride took over for an injured Zach Ertz in Week 8 and never gave the job back. Ertz didn't even play another snap in a Cardinals' uniform. McBride was fantasy's TE3 after assuming the starting duties, averaging 15.0 PPG.
McBride was a target-earning machine last year. He faces new competition in Marvin Harrison Jr., but McBride is by far and away the second-best option in Arizona; this passing attack will flow through this WR-TE duo. Everything about McBride from his target earning ability, YAC ability, and efficiency point to an elite tight end for years to come.
2024 FANTASY AUCTION VALUES (PPR & STANDARD)
Overall | QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF/ST | K
Round 6 (6.06): Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Commanders
With Jahan Dotson now in Philadelphia, there is truly nobody behind McLaurin in Washington. McLaurin is coming off his 4th consecutive 1000-yard season but was just the WR31 overall. Ranking 76th in catchable target rate may have something to do with this.
Jayden Daniels isn't just a rusher. His film from LSU is chock full of beautiful throws to both Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr. He also made a handful of beautiful tosses in the preseason. Even as a rookie, Daniels will likely be the best quarterback McLaurin has ever seen. Expect him to be peppered with targets and convert them to fantasy points at a higher rate thanks to improved quarterback play.
Round 7 (7.07): Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Godwin has been an incredibly reliable WR2, with some WR1 seasons sprinkled in over the course of his career. Last season was a bit different - Godwin was the WR37 in PPG. But this dip in production perfectly coincided with a significant change in his role.
Godwin ran 32 percent of his routes from the slot last year, a sharp dip from the 50-60 percent we saw in the years where he was an impactful fantasy asset. New offensive coordinator Liam Coen has promised to move Godwin back into the slot and lived up to that promise in the preseason. With a return to his former role, expect a bounce-back year for Godwin.
2024 FANTASY SLEEPERS
QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST | Deep Sleepers | Sleepers by Team
Round 8 (8.06): Diontae Johnson, WR, Carolina Panthers
Diontae Johnson is a rather curious case in fantasy football. He was the per-game WR39 last season, but he maintained his prowess as an elite route runner and even posted a career-high in yards per route run. Johnson is one player that we should be willing to draft in PPR leagues even after a disappointing season in terms of his fantasy output.
Johnson has always been a target hog during his time in Pittsburgh. Things should not change in Carolina. The rhetoric coming out of Carolina has indicated that Johnson will be the engine of the offense and has looked great so far with Bryce Young. As a player who is drafted as WR4, he is a rather safe bet to beat his ADP thanks to his high-volume role.
Round 9 (9.07): Tyjae Spears, RB, Tennessee Titans
Tyjae Spears is another running back who should be a target in PPR leagues. As a rookie, he cracked the top 10 in both total targets and target share. Heading into year two, Spears has an opportunity to carve out an even bigger role in the offense now that Derrick Henry is out of town.
Spears does have new competition for touches - former Cowboys' running back Tony Pollard. Pollard has looked good this preseason, but he is still coming off an abysmal season relative to what we had seen from him in years past. If Pollard's preseason success was just a flash in the pan and he regresses, Spears could win the 1A job in Tennessee.
Round 10 (10.06): Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Brian Thomas Jr. is a rookie receiver who should be circled on everyone's draft boards. His size and speed combination make him a rare breed. Thomas is just a touchdown waiting to happen. In fact, he led college football in touchdowns last year with 17.
Calvin Ridley is now in Tennessee and Thomas will have the opportunity to soak up the 28 deep targets he left behind. Preseason usage indicates that the Jaguars view him as a starting receiver, so he'll have the opportunity to make an impact from day one. Don't be shocked if he's connecting with Trevor Lawrence for deep shots on a consistent basis this year.
Round 11 (11.07): Zach Charbonnet, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Zach Charbonnet is the ideal "handcuff with benefits" type of back. We already know that he will have some standalone value after seeing him work into a near 50-50 split with Kenneth Walker last year. The coaching staff has talked up Walker in recent weeks, but Charbonnet will still play a role in this offense in some capacity.
Charbonnet's value is driven by his place as one of fantasy's best handcuffs. Few backup running backs automatically assume a workhorse role if the starter goes down, but Charbonnet is one of them. He has the pass-catching skills and size to be an every-down back. If Walker misses time, Charbonnet almost instantly becomes a weekly RB2
Round 12 (12.06): Sam Darnold, QB, Minnesota Vikings
With a QB1 that is a bit on the riskier side, investing in an insurance policy is never a bad idea. Now that he is locked into 17 starts, Darnold is a very strong QB3. Given his history as a starter, it may not seem like Darnold is a fantasy option. But in Minnesota, any quarterback can look good.
Kevin O'Connell's high-volume offense led to multiple 300 yards out of Nick Mullens and had fans calling Josh Dobbs "The Passtronaut" and adding him to their fantasy rosters. The Vikings' quartet of quarterbacks actually combined to throw for the most passing yards of any team last year. O'Connell offers one of the most quarterback-friendly schemes which can turn just about any quarterback into a fantasy-relevant option. Darnold will ideally sit on the bench, but he could reasonably start over Goff with the right matchup.
2024 Standard, Non-PPR Rankings
Top 250 Overall | QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST | K
Round 13 (13.07): Ty Chandler, RB, Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings may have signed Aaron Jones this offseason, but they still plan to use Ty Chandler alongside the veteran. They have even gone as far as to say they have multiple starting running backs. Jones will be the preferred option, but Chandler is one of the stronger handcuffs in fantasy thanks to his standalone value and pass-catching chops.
Jones has been known to miss time in his career, including six games last year. Chandler showed a legitimate ceiling in relief of Alexander Mattison last year when he scored 24.7 points in Week 15. Chandler will be a strong option if Jones misses time once again.
Round 14 & 15 (14.06 & 15.07): New Orleans Saints D/ST & Brandon Aubrey, K, Dallas Cowboys
Unless you're drafting the day before NFL Kickoff, kickers and defenses should not be drafted unless you are forced to. You never know what will happen between now and Week 1, so taking chances on fringe players is a good call. Streaming defenses has also proven to be a strong strategy, and successful kickers pop up every year.
This team was forced to roster a kicker and a defense. Using the Sporting News' Rankings, we landed on Brandon Aubrey, our K1, and the New Orleans Saints, our D/ST12.