Fantasy Football 2022: Examining Expert Mock Drafts After Preseason Week 2
Fantasy football mock drafts are out in full force, especially now that we're in the thick of the NFL preseason. We're through two weeks of the three-week exhibition slate, and every fantasy manager is preparing for the 2022 regular season.
You don't have to look hard to find expert mocks all around the internet. Fantasy analysts are doing their best to try to help people prepare for their drafts, whether that's determining who to take in the first round or which strategies to implement.
Not every mock has the exact same advice, though. So it's wise to read a wide variety and see who has the most compelling arguments.
Here's a look at some recent fantasy football mock drafts from around the web.
ESPN's 12-Team, Half-PPR Mock
1. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
2. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers
3. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans
4. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams
5. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
6. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
7. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
8. Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
9. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings
10. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
11. Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
12. Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers
One notable pick from this recent ESPN mock is that Marcel Louis-Jacques took Kupp at No. 4. Even though the Rams star was last year's NFL Offensive Player of the Year, not everybody agrees that he should be the first wide receiver selected in fantasy drafts.
Others are higher on Jefferson or Chase, particularly the former. The Vikings may air the ball out even more this season, and if that's the case, Jefferson could put up even bigger numbers than he did in either of his first two years in the NFL (each of which was already impressive).
Nothing was too surprising about the first round of this mock. Eric Moody got tremendous value with the No. 6 pick when he scooped up Ekeler, who should easily be one of the top few fantasy running backs this year.
The Athletic's 12-Team, Half-PPR Mock
1. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
2. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
3. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans
4. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
5. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers
6. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings
7. Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
8. Davante Adams, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
9. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
10. Aaron Jones, RB, Green Bay Packers
11. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams
12. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
Many are taking McCaffrey at No. 2, accepting the injury risk to potentially reap the huge reward. The Athletic's Dominick Petrillo isn't ready to have the Panthers running back going that early, though, as he projects McCaffrey at No. 5 in this mock.
If you're not going to take McCaffrey at No. 2, it's probably best to go with either Ekeler or Henry. It's so important to have a star RB to build your roster around, and there just won't be any bell-cow backs available after the second round or so.
It's interesting that Petrillo has Kupp falling to No. 11. If you're a fantasy manager who encounters such a scenario, you need to capitalize. In fact, Kupp probably shouldn't be falling lower than the No. 7 pick (if that).
CBS Sports' 12-Team PPR Mock
1. Jonathan Taylor, RB, Indianapolis Colts
2. Austin Ekeler, RB, Los Angeles Chargers
3. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Carolina Panthers
4. Dalvin Cook, RB, Minnesota Vikings
5. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
6. Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans
7. Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams
8. Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs
9. Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
10. Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers
11. Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints
12. Ja'Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Should any tight ends be going in the first round of fantasy drafts this year? That's up for debate. But if you're considering one late in the opening round, it should be either the Baltimore Ravens' Mark Andrews or Kelce, who went No. 8 in this CBS Sports mock.
That might be a bit too early to take a tight end. There are still top-tier running backs on the board, and there will be plenty of starting-worthy TEs available in much later rounds.
If Kelce or Andrews is available late in the second round or early in the third, it's smart to take one of them. But it's best to let others reach for them in the first or early second.