Fantasy Football 2021: Mock Draft Strategy, Dynasty and Keeper Cheatsheet

With Week 2 of the 2021 NFL preseason set to kick off, we're right in the middle of fantasy draft season. After not having a preseason in 2020, draft preparation is back to relative normalcy, and we're getting a look at many of the top rookies ahead of opening day.

This is particularly relevant in keeper and dynasty leagues, where drafting for a single season isn't the only priority. Training camp reports and fantasy mock drafts can further help managers evaluate young talent. While a mock draft won't clarify how a player will perform, it will provide insight into consensus expectations.

Here, we'll examine the first two rounds of a mock fantasy draft simulated with FantasyPros' Mock Draft Simulator. We'll also dive into some tried-and-true draft strategies and examine the top 10 players at each key position for dynasty and fantasy leagues.

First, though, let's take a look at this year's top fantasy prospects. Rankings and mock are based on point-per-reception scoring.

1. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers

2. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings

3. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints

4. Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers

5. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys

6. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans

7. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers

8. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

9. Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

10. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills

11. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Arizona Cardinals

12. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

13. Calvin Ridley, WR, Atlanta Falcons

14. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

15. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

16. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

17. DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks

18. Darren Waller, TE, Las Vegas Raiders

19. Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

20. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns

21. A.J. Brown, WR, Tennessee Titans

22. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

23. Antonio Gibson, RB, Washington Football Team

24. Allen Robinson II, WR, Chicago Bears

25. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

26. George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

27. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, Kansas City Cheifs

28. Terry McLaurin, WR, Washington Football Team

29. Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

30. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys

31. Robert Woods, WR, Los Angeles Rams

32. Chris Godwin, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

33. Amari Cooper, WR, Dallas Cowboys

34. Josh Jacobs, RB, Las Vegas Raiders

35. Mike Evans, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

36. David Montgomery, RB, Chicago Bears

37. J.K. Dobbins, RB, Baltimore Ravens

38. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams

39. Josh Allen, QB, Buffalo Bills

40. DJ Moore, WR, Carolina Panthers

Round 1

1. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers

2. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings

3. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints

4. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans

5. Ezekiel Elliott, RB, Dallas Cowboys

6. Davante Adams, WR, Green Bay Packers

7. Saquon Barkley, RB, New York Giants

8. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs

9. Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

10. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers

11. Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns

12. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers

Round 2

1. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts

2. Stefon Diggs, WR, Buffalo Bills

3. Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers

4. DeAndre Hopkins, WR, Arizona Cardinals

5. DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks

6. Calvin Ridley, WR, Atlanta Falcons

7. Antonio Gibson, RB, Washington Football Team

8. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals

9. Keenan Allen, WR, Los Angeles Chargers

10. Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

11. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings

12. Allen Robinson II, WR, Chicago Bears

The first five selections in this mock—and nine of the first 12—were running backs, and this isn't a surprise. Even in PPR leagues, running backs are the backbone of most championship rosters. This is because the best backs have higher floors than receivers—who can be taken out of games with the right coverage schemes and/or a big early lead.

The other reason early runs on backs occur is that the best ones aren't going to last. Managers can often find elite receivers and tight ends in Rounds 2 and 3. That rarely occurs with the top dual-threat backs.

When targeting receivers, only the very best should be considered in the first couple of rounds. No. 2 wideouts regularly top the coveted 1,000-yard mark. That doesn't happen with No. 2 running backs. In 2020, for example, only eight running backs topped 1,000 rushing yards, while 18 receivers topped 1,000 receiving yards.

For this reason, doubling up on elite backs at the top of the draft can be a winning strategy.

Kansas City Chiefs signal-caller Patrick Mahomes is the only quarterback worth considering in the first two rounds, though Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is inching near that territory. Mahomes' floor is undeniable, though—he topped 200 passing yards in every single start last year, while throwing two or more touchdowns in all but two games—which is why he's usually first off the board.

After Mahomes, it can be worthwhile to wait on a second-tier quarterback or consider streaming options. There are typically more than 12 viable fantasy starters at QB but fewer than 12 elite running backs and receivers.

If you're in a dynasty league and have an older quarterback like Tom Brady or Ben Roethlisberger, be sure to grab a young signal-caller for the future. Pick one with either proven production—like Kyler Murray or Baker Mayfield—or an elite rookie prospect like Trevor Lawrence.

"Overall, Lawrence is living up to the hype he received as the top high school quarterback in the country and looks like a Week 1 franchise quarterback with the upside to win multiple MVPs and only injuries or an incompetent franchise will put him on a path toward failure," Nate Tice of the B/R Scouting Department wrote at the draft.

Similar strategies should be employed with rookie running backs and receivers.

Outside of the top three tight ends—Travis Kelce, Darren Waller and George Kittle—the position is best avoided in the first few rounds. While Kelce, Waller and Kittle serve as their teams' go-to targets, this isn't the case for most tight ends.

Don't overdraft a defense and never take a kicker before the last round, unless you have one of the very last picks in the draft. As always, pay attention to camp reports and injury news for all positions.

Don't be the manager who drafts Michael Thomas in the first round—he's expected to miss multiple weeks in the regular season—because you weren't paying attention.

Quarterback

1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

2. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills

3, Russell Wilson Seattle Seahawks

4. Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

5. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

6. Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals

7. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

8. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

9. Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars

10. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

           

Running Back

1. Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers

2. Dalvin Cook, Minnesota Vikings

3. Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints

4. Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans

5. Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys

6. Nick Chubb, Cleveland Browns

7. Austin Ekeler, Los Angeles Chargers

9. Josh Jacobs, Las Vegas Raiders

9. Joe Mixon, Cincinnati Bengals

10. J.K. Dobbins, Baltimore Ravens

           

Wide Receiver

1. Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills

2. Tyreek Hill, Kansas City Chiefs

3. Davante Adams, Green Bay Packers

4. Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings

5. DeAndre Hopkins, Arizona Cardinals

6. A.J. Brown, Tennessee Titans

7. Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

8. Mike Evans, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

9. Robert Woods, Los Angeles Rams

10. CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys

            

Tight End

1. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs

2. Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders

3. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers

4. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons

5. T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions

6. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens

7. Noah Fant, Denver Broncos

8. Hunter Henry, New England Patriots

9. Tyler Higbee, Los Angeles Rams

10. Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears