It is now August. The NFL preseason has started and we are just three short weeks away from the heart of fantasy football draft season. It’s time to really start ramping up our preparation. The best way to do that is with mock drafts.
In the PFN Discord, we’ve already conducted a number of mocks and will continue to do so throughout the summer. Today, we have a Superflex PPR mock draft analyzed through the lens of the No. 5 pick.
In these mocks, I will explain my thought process behind each selection. This will be less of a player analysis and more of a fantasy football draft strategy discussion and explaining why I am targeting a specific position or taking one player instead of another.
Now that my long-winded prologue is complete, let’s get to the mock draft.
This is a PPR league with a starting lineup of one QB, two RBs, two WRs, one TE, two Flexes, and one Superflex. My mocks never include kickers or defenses.
Redraft Mock Draft From the No. 5 Spot
1.05) Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens
My goal in every Superflex draft is to double-tap QB to start. Of course, draft position plays a huge role in whether that’s possible. We’ll see how the board plays out after this, but taking Lamar Jackson here is an easy call.
Jackson is right up there with the big three of Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, and Patrick Mahomes. All four of these quarterbacks should go before any wide receivers or running backs.
2.08) Breece Hall, RB, New York Jets
As much as I wanted to take a second QB here, I just can’t justify going with a QB2 over a top-three running back. An elite RB will always be more valuable than an elite WR because of how few workhorse running backs remain in the NFL.
Factoring out the quarterbacks, I would take the top three running backs (Christian McCaffrey, Bijan Robinson, Breece Hall) over any of the wide receivers because of position scarcity. That makes Hall the easy pick here.
3.05) Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions
This is a bit of a risky play. Jared Goff and Caleb Williams are both options here. By passing on them, there’s a very high chance I get neither of them. However, Jahmyr Gibbs is my clear RB4, and I value him significantly higher than the running backs and receivers remaining.
4.08) Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins
At this point, I’ve committed to the single elite QB build. I will try and piece together a viable QB2 with later-round options.
I’m very high on Jaylen Waddle this year. He was a bit unlucky last season, both in terms of his on-field performance and injuries. While I still believe in Tyreek Hill as a top-three fantasy receiver, the gap between him and Waddle should shrink this season. Plus, if Hill gets hurt, Waddle immediately becomes a WR1.
5.05) Matthew Stafford, QB, Los Angeles Rams
It feels dirty to take Matthew Stafford over the likes of Mike Evans and Joe Mixon. But this is the bed I made for myself when I passed on Williams to draft Gibbs.
This looks like the right spot to take my QB2, as I don’t love Evans and Mixon that much more than the guys behind them. I should still be able to get a very good WR2 at my next pick.
6.08) DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
We are reaching the part of the draft where it’s time to rattle off value at wide receiver. This one was a toss-up for me between DeVonta Smith and Amari Cooper. I know full well I’m not getting whichever one I pass on.
It’s really dealer’s choice here. In another draft, I may take Cooper. Both are undervalued this season. Ultimately, I went with Smith because he’s on the better offense with the far better quarterback. If Smith operates more from the slot this season under new OC Kellen Moore, he could push WR1 value.
7.05) Dalton Kincaid, TE, Buffalo Bills
This feels like really good value for Dalton Kincaid, as the Bills’ sophomore tight end is the favorite to lead the team in targets.
More importantly, we’ve reached a point in the draft where the WRs and RBs have gotten pretty flat. There’s not much of a drop-off from the guys I can take now and those I can get at my next two picks. Therefore, it’s beneficial to take the potentially elite TE here.
8.08) Tank Dell, WR, Houston Texans
A bunch of the wide receivers I was targeting went off the board. Somehow, Tank Dell was not among them.
I have him ranked ahead of Stefon Diggs. There is a nonzero chance Dell and Nico Collins have similar fantasy outputs this season. Dell is an incredibly talented player who can win outside despite his diminutive stature. I am elated to make him my WR3.
9.05) Xavier Worthy, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
We are on the precipice of a large decline in the quality of wide receivers available. Xavier Worthy, however, stands out as one of the last couple of guys with significant upside.
Operating as the stretch Z in a Mahomes offense, Worthy has WR2 upside. This is way later than he usually goes, making him an easy smash.
10.08) Brian Thomas Jr., WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Every running back I wanted to draft went between my last pick and this one. If I could do it over again, I might have taken one of them, as I am confident in Brian Thomas Jr. emerging as a viable fantasy WR3 or better by midseason.
Nevertheless, we must play the hand we’re dealt. There are about eight running backs I’m fine with as my RB3, but only one wide receiver I really like. I went with Thomas with the intent to rattle off at least two RBs with my next three picks.
11.05) Blake Corum, RB, Los Angeles Rams
This was a very tough decision between Blake Corum and Zach Charbonnet. The latter has more standalone value potential, but the former has RB1 upside in the event of a Kyren Williams injury.
Given that I only have two running backs rostered, the safer play would be to go Charbonnet. However, I like to swing for upside, which is why I went with the Rams’ rookie.
12.08) Derek Carr, QB, New Orleans Saints
I always want to leave Superflex drafts with three viable starting quarterbacks. Derek Carr is not a great option, but he’s a safe one since he is at no risk of losing his job.
The spike weeks are few and far between, but if things work out as expected, I will only need Carr twice this season.
13.05) Rashid Shaheed, WR, New Orleans Saints
Who doesn’t love a good backdoor stack? Obviously, the goal is never to really need Carr or his WR2. If I do, it means things probably went awry with some of my earlier selections.
Pairing Rashid Shaheed with Carr gives my team that extra weekly upside I’ll need in the event I need to start both of these guys.
14.08) T.J. Hockenson, TE, Minnesota Vikings
At this point in the draft, I’m probably dropping whoever I take here anyway. Instead of drafting a random WR6 or RB4, how about a guy we know is top 12 at his position when healthy.
T.J. Hockenson won’t be ready for Week 1, but I already have Kincaid. If Hockenson is able to return by the middle of the season, he’ll be more valuable than any wide receiver or running back I could’ve taken in this spot.
Full Draft Board
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