The following is a one-man mock draft conducted by myself last week.  This mock fantasy draft consists of ten teams & eight rounds and was based on a standard (non-ppr ) league format that awards 4 pts for all passing touchdowns & 6 points for all rushing & receiving scores.  QBs are awarded 1 points for every 20 yards passing & receivers & running backs are awarded  1 point for every 10 yards rushing & receving.  The 8-round mock results below are designed to illustrate various scenarios that can take shape during a draft that can utilize a flex position at wide receiver and tight end.                            

 

	Team 1	Team 2	Team 3	Team 4	Team 5	Team 6	Team 7	Team 8	Team  9	Team 10
Round 1	L.T	Peterson	Jackson	Westbrook	Addai	Brady	Portis	Barber	Romo	Lynch
Round 2	J. Lewis	Palmer	L. Johnson	Brees	Owens	Grant	McGahee	Manning	Gore	Moss
Round 3	Wayne	Edwards	Fitzgerald	Jones-Drew	A. Johnson	S. Smith	Roethlisberger	McFadden	Houshmanzdeh	Turner
Round 4	Boldin	Maroney	A. Gates	C. Johnson	D. Anderson	Welker	Holt	Burress	Colston	Witten
Round 5	Viking’s Defense	Marshall	S. Holmes	R. Bush	K. Winslow	R. Johnson	R. White	D. Clark	M. Forte	Hasselbeck
Round 6	S. Young	C. Taylor	D. McNabb	G. Jennings	W. Parker	D. Bowe	T. Gonzalez	Roy Williams	Jacobs	H. Ward
Round 7	Cal. Johnson	B. Engram	Charger’s Defense	C. Cooley	E. Graham	T. Jones	K. Smith	J. Jones	D. Driver	L. White
Round 8	E. Manning	M. Harrison	E. James	L. Evans	L. Coles	Cowboy’s Defense	B. Berrian	J. Galloway	Heap	J. Stewart

 

Team 1: This team is ideally suited to play in the 3-wide line-up with Wayne, Boldin & Calvin Johnson at the receiver position and no tight end drafted in the first eight rounds.  This team also scored the top defense in fantasy to go along with a very potent running game led by L.T.  This team has great depth, and can get by without an eite QB.

 

Team 2: This team went RB-QB-WR with its first three picks, a strategy known as the “balanced approach”.  With a deep bench, this team has options in setting their weekly lineup.  The great receiver depth would suggest that this team will play without a tight end on most weeks.  However drafting a solid one in the next round would help if an injury were to occur at receiver.  Alge Crumpler would be a good choice, as a flex tight end with upside.  

 

Team 3: This team went with the classic RB-RB approach.  In this case taking Steven Jackson & Larry Johnson on back-to-back picks.  Note that with the drafting of Gates in round 4 this team will (more then likely) play with a traditional lineup (one that starts two receivers and utilizes the tight end position.)   You don’t want to draft a high caliber TE like Gates unless you plan on using him.  This team also chose to wait on QB and landed McNabb in the sixth round. 

 

Team 4: This is the classic “tweener” roster.  In the first 8 rounds the team drafts three receivers & a top 5 tight end, in Chris Cooley.  So this team has the versitility to play 3-wide or traditional depending on the weekly match-ups.  Most weeks it will come down to choosing between Evans & Cooley as a their flex starter.  By having good depth at both flex eligible positions (receiver & tight end) this roster truly is flexible. 

 

Team 5: This team is the blue-print for drafting a traditional roster (one that starts a tight end over a third receiver).  Owens, Andre Johnson, & Winslow will be every week starters on this team.  This team also waits on its second running back, instead choosing the last of the top-level quarterbacks in the middle rounds (Derek Anderson).  The #2 running back will be platooned by Parker & Graham, both of whom are selected back-to-back in rounds 6 & 7.  Addai is the every week starter. 

 

Team 6: This is the team built around the “Franchise QB”.  The vast majority of points will come from the passing game.  While everyone else is drafting running backs, this team is taking the top QB & two top receivers in Steve Smith & Wes Welker.  On this roster the running backs are safe, solid, but not the prime focal point of the team.  They are merely expected to be consistent & steady contributors to a team with a dominant QB & three dangerous receivers.  Best used when drafting in the bottom half of the first round. 

 

Team 7: RB-RB-QB.  This team bypasses the elite receivers and instead focuses on building an elite running game and taking a solid quarterback early.  The team drafts a reliable TE in Tony Gonzalez to go along with the proven Torry Holt & two young receivers with upside. 

 

Team 8: RB-QB-RB.  A balanced approach that addresses several positions in the early rounds.  The Barber & Manning picks are very reliable & serve as a good contrast for the more bold Mcfadden pick in round three.  Because of the presence of Manning, Dallas Clark has increased value on this team and may be started over the 3^rd receiver (Galloway) most weeks, depending on the match-ups.  

 

Team 9: Driver & Heap will compete for the flex position all season long, with Driver winning out most weeks.  With just one running back selected in the first 4 rounds, Forte & Jacobs will compete for the #2 starter spot.  This team has very good depth overall, but will have more difficult lineup decisions to make then most teams week-to-week.   

 

Team 10:  A team with solid depth at running back and an elite tight end.  The third receiver role will be less crucial on any team with a top-5 tight end, such as this one.  The team is banking on Moss carrying the wide-receiver position along with the steady Hines Ward drafted in round 6.  If Turner struggles, White & Stewart provide good insurance at running back.