We are firmly in the part of the offseason where dynasty startup drafts are taking place. To help prepare fantasy football managers, we are conducting a bunch of mock drafts from all different positions. This dynasty startup mock draft is for Superflex PPR leagues from the No. 8 spot.
To do your own mock, head over to PFN’s brand new fantasy football mock draft simulator.
1.08) Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings
It’s risky to pass on a quarterback in the first round of a dynasty startup. If you find yourself with a QB problem in a dynasty Superflex league, it can be challenging to fix.
At the same time, you can’t just take a lesser player to force a position. Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase seem to jockey for the overall WR1 spot yearly. The plan here is to secure a cornerstone receiver and then hope the quarterback I now absolutely must take in Round 2 is good enough to justify that spot.
2.05) Bo Nix, QB, Denver Broncos
Bo Nix was the quarterback I was eyeing up when I passed on Justin Herbert in the first round. Fortunately, Bo Nix made it to me.
Nix is 25 years old and finished as a QB1, averaging 19.4 fantasy points per game as a rookie. He was over 21 ppg from Week 5 onward after Sean Payton took the training wheels off.
Reminder that Bo Nix had 92 rushing attempts last season.
He’s set up for another Top 10 fantasy season in 2025. pic.twitter.com/MRTNxiuMwe
— Lobo (@LobosFFDen) June 3, 2025
At the very least, securing Nix gives me the flexibility to avoid forcing a quarterback in the next couple of rounds.
3.08) Kyler Murray, QB, Arizona Cardinals
I was hoping Baker Mayfield would be available to me, as I have him ranked considerably higher than the market in dynasty. If this were a real draft, I probably would have tried to trade up a bit to get him. But I’m fine with Kyler Murray.
There are enough wide receivers and running backs that I like to the point where I expect someone great to be available at my next pick. However, I must admit, I did consider pivoting to Drake London with the hopes of grabbing Dak Prescott in the fourth round.
If he makes it, we will see if London/Prescott would have been better than Murray and whoever I end up taking with the next pick.
4.05) Ladd McConkey, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
Prescott did wind up falling to the fourth round, but I am okay with how things played out. I have London and Ladd McConkey very close in my dynasty rankings. It would have been fine if this wound up being Jaxon Smith-Njigba as well. Essentially, I couldn’t go wrong with these last two picks.
With McConkey on the roster, I now have two very stable quarterbacks and two cornerstone wide receivers, making this the foundation of a strong dynasty roster.
5.08) Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions
Somehow, Prescott is still here. Had I known that, I would have taken London and McConkey. Such is the nature of fantasy drafts. We do not have the benefit of hindsight.
There’s no obvious pick in this spot. I considered Kenneth Walker III, as well as Jaylen Waddle and Emeka Egbuka. Ultimately, I landed on Sam LaPorta.
There’s value in securing an elite tight end. LaPorta wasn’t as good last year as he was as a rookie, but he finished the year strong. Plus, this is a dynasty league, and LaPorta is 24 years old in an elite offense. He makes it such that I won’t have to worry about tight end for years.
6.05) Xavier Worthy, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
I am playing the ADP game a bit here. I have Emeka Egbuka ahead of Xavier Worthy, but they are close enough to the point where I wouldn’t be upset with either. There’s almost no chance Worthy makes it to my next pick. There’s a mild chance Egbuka does. Ideally, I can bet both. But even if I don’t, Worthy is a tremendous addition as my WR3.
I continue to forgo running backs, as that is my preferred approach in dynasty startups.
7.08) Emeka Egbuka, WR, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
My gambit paid off! Egbuka fell, giving me a very strong top four at wide receiver. I typically want to leave a draft with at least five wide receivers I’d feel comfortable starting if I had to. At this point, though, I can likely pivot away from more wide receivers and finally draft a running back.
8.05) Joe Mixon, RB, Houston Texans
I was eyeing up Chuba Hubbard here, who went one pick before me. Perhaps I should’ve taken Hubbard in the seventh and rolled the dice on Egbuka once again. However, I value wide receivers significantly more than running backs in dynasty startups. It was more important not to miss out on a 22-year-old rookie wide receiver tethered to a great quarterback.
Mixon is on the older side, which doesn’t align perfectly with my experience. But given the choices available, I am not going to take a substantially lesser player simply because he is a few years younger.
At 29 years old, I think I can get two more years out of Mixon. If necessary, I can move him midseason to a contender for some younger assets.
9.08) Colston Loveland, TE, Chicago Bears
One of the benefits of a dynasty startup is that you don’t have to solely concern yourself with immediate success. It’s okay if you don’t win in the first season.
I do not need a tight end. I have Sam LaPorta. But Colston Loveland should not be here. He is a first-round pick in dynasty rookie drafts and was the first TE selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. He may not be poised for immediate production, but this is a future fantasy TE1 at a great value.
Colston Loveland is 6’5, 250lbs and can create separation like this. Not many TE’s can do this. pic.twitter.com/SVOoY2a9Iy
— Caleb Williams Fan Club (@CalebFC18) April 25, 2025
10.05) D’Andre Swift, RB, Chicago Bears
Back-to-back Bears is not ideal, but it’s unlikely D’Andre Swift is even on the team after this season. This is more of a short-term play, as I don’t believe Swift is a guarantee to be a starting running back beyond this year.
For now, though, Swift finds himself in a pretty advantageous position. He is the lead back in what should be a much-improved offense without much competition.
11.08) Tre Harris, WR, Los Angeles Chargers
I know. I already have McConkey. But in dynasty, we can’t concern ourselves with avoiding taking multiple players from the same team when it’s the right play.
I am not a fan of Tre Harris. However, he’s a rookie second-rounder tied to a great quarterback in Justin Herbert with a relatively clear path to the WR2 role. If he’s better than I think, he also gives me a little bit of McConkey insurance. I cannot justify an old wide receiver over Harris here.
12.05) Jordan Mason, RB, Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings did not bring in Jordan Mason to be a pure backup. They brought him in because Aaron Jones is going to be 31 years old before the end of the upcoming season, and they don’t want to give him a career high in carries again.
There’s also a decent chance Jones is gone after this season (or at least no longer good), allowing Mason a chance to be the lead back starting in 2027. He’s still just 26 years old.
13.08) Rashid Shaheed, WR, New Orleans Saints
Looking back on it, perhaps I should’ve taken my QB3 last round. My top two are very strong, but not my QB3, who probably won’t be a starter. At best, he will be a guy who will make starts, but is not guaranteed a starting job in 2026.
Therefore, I will pass on a quarterback here in favor of Rashid Shaheed, giving me tremendous depth at wide receiver and the pieces needed to fix holes elsewhere.
14.05) Jaydon Blue, RB, Dallas Cowboys
My initial plan after taking Shaheed was to go quarterback here. But Jaydon Blue fell right into my lap. I cannot pass up a rookie running back with the potential to be the RB1 in an offense that made Rico Dowdle a weekly RB2 last season. Hopefully, I can still get a reasonable QB2 with my next pick.
15.08) Aaron Rodgers, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
I don’t like this, especially not on a roster built more for the future. However, Aaron Rodgers is a starting quarterback, and there’s no chance he gets benched. At minimum, I have him for the 2025 season. Maybe one more after that. I can trade him midseason if I need to.
