Funston's Cam picks starts a QB run. (USAT)

When Mr. Irrelevant, Justice Cunningham, had his name called Saturday, the fantasy football mock season officially got underway. To kick off Yahoo!'s festivities, we'll mock two rounds per day Tuesday-Friday (12-teams, PPR scoring) to help you get educated on which players will be valued/undervalued when the bulk of the draft season begins in August. Please declare a winner and/or express your general disdain for our 'stupidity' in the comments section below.

SEE ROUND 1 HERE

ROUND 3

Randall Cobb, WR, Green Bay Packers (PK25, WR8) - With Greg Jennings now out of the team picture, expect another leap in value from Cobb. He could easily deliver a 90-1100-10 fantasy line. (Note: This team considered taking a third-tier back at this spot, but didn't want to get shut out on the elite receivers, not in a PPR.) - Behrens 1

Steven Jackson, RB, Atlanta Falcons (PK26, RB16) - No player received a bigger upgrade in team context during the off-season. Jackson is now the featured back in an offense that ranked seventh in scoring last season (26.2 PPG) and eighth in total yardage (369.1). Michael Turner somehow managed to rush for 800 yards and 10 scores for Atlanta last season, and he was terrible. - Behrens 2

Cam Newton, QB, Carolina Panthers (PK27, QB3) – Newton has finished top 4 among QBs in fantasy points per game in each of his first two seasons, thanks to a QB-high 64 red zone rushes in that span (22 combined rushing TD). – Brandon 1

Once recalled, Myers won't have to look over his shoulder for years to come. (USAT)

Fantasy is a speculative game. Predict the future, and you look like a genius. Don't, and you're painfully human. Gazing into the crystal ball, here's our view on 10 intriguing over/unders this week.

Top Tampa prospect Wil Myers, who is crushing in Durham, call-up date June 1

Andy – OVER. Or LATER. Or...well, you know what I mean. Never bet on the Rays to make things easy on the fantasy community.

Brandon – OVER. The Rays are frugal, which means they'll likely look to avoid Super 2 status for Myers, which means prolonging his arbitration eligibility arrival. So look for Myers in mid-June, which should keep the Rays safe of the dreaded Super 2.

Scott – OVER. Tampa seems to have a "what, me worry?" approach to their start, though it's made more acceptable with James Loney waking up from the dead. See you in June, rookie.

Millions of owners, like Behrens, will sign up Peterson at No. 1 (USAT)

When Mr. Irrelevant, Justice Cunningham, had his name called Saturday, the fantasy football mock season officially got underway. To kick off Yahoo!'s festivities, we'll mock two rounds per day Tuesday-Friday (12-teams, PPR scoring) to help you get educated on which players will be valued/undervalued when the bulk of the draft season begins in August. Please declare a winner and/or express your general disdain for our 'stupidity' in the comments section below.

SEE ROUNDS 3-4 HERE

SEE ROUNDS 4-5 HERE

SEE ROUNDS 7-8 HERE

ROUND 1

Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings (PK1, RB1) – Is there even an argument for anyone else? Only a lunatic contrarian would veer away from the game's best back, coming off an all-time season. – Behrens 1

Arian Foster, RB, Houston Texans (PK2, RB2) – There really shouldn't be much debate with the top two picks in 2013. Foster gave us over 1,600 scrimmage yards last season with 17 scores, and he was terrific in the playoffs. – Behrens 2

Doug Martin, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (PK3, RB3) – Lands No. 3 here after finishing behind only Peterson and Foster in terms of RB fantasy points as a rookie. And in PPR leagues, only Peterson was better out of the backfield. – Brandon 1

LeSean McCoy, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (PK4, RB4) – Every indication is that Chip Kelly will deploy a run-heavy system in Philly, so McCoy, with his versatility and elusiveness, should be put to good use. Plus, he's still only 24 years old – plenty of tread left on the tires. – Brandon 2

Ray Rice, RB, Baltimore Ravens (PK5, RB5) – Page me when he has a bad season (okay, Tweet me, or Facebook me, or text me, maybe). Even in an ordinary campaign for Rice, we saw double-digit touchdowns, 61 receptions, and one absolute clowning of the San Diego Chargers. Welcome to the huddle. – Pianow 1

No longer trapped in an overcrowded Saints backfield, Ivory is on Cloud Nine. (USAT)

Fantasy is a speculative game. Predict the future, and you look like a genius. Don't, and you're painfully human. Gazing into the crystal ball, here's our view on 10 intriguing over/unders entering the mock draft season.

Now ex-Saint Chris Ivory, traded from New Orleans to the New York Jets in exchange for a fourth-round pick, rushing yards this fall in the Big Apple 1,099.5

Brandon – UNDER. I like Ivory's motor, but I also like Mike Goodson, who has been productive when healthy. And Bilal Powell was at least serviceable working in tandem with Shonn Greene last season. I expect we'll see a rotation of these guys, something that Ivory should be very used to coming from New Orleans.

Andy – UNDER. I would have struggled with this one if the number was, say, 849.5 rushing yards, but 1,099.5 seems crazy. To approach this total, Ivory would need to play all 16 games, plus he'd need to dominate the backfield touches, leaving little for Mike Goodson. I think we've set this line at something close to Ivory's ceiling.

Scott – I want to say over, I really do. Ivory brings a 5.4 career YPC to the mix and the Jets, largely to their detriment, can't quit the ground and pound motif. But Ivory would have to shove Mike Goodson completely out of the way to get into the 1100s, and I wonder how much of his New Orleans effectiveness was built on context (running late in games, and against defenses designed to stop an elite passing attack). UNDER is the only reasonable ticket.

When it comes to rookies conventional wisdom no longer applies. With a few notable exceptions, most first-year players, particularly quarterbacks, were once thought to be multi-year projects, the Steve McNair approach – observe, learn and wait.

But in this day and age where instant gratification is constantly sought after, time isn’t of the essence. Several players picked in April are immediately pressed into competitive situations where often times they emerge as the go-to option, evident in the rapid ascension of guys like Robert Griffin III, Doug Martin and Josh Gordon, to name a few, last year. Because nuances from the college game are commonplace in playbooks throughout the league, the transition for some guys is seamless. From level-to-level, system terminology and execution are often not drastically different.

In football’s version of speed-dating, an inexperienced player that excels under fire typically buys at least another 2-3 years of trust. Conversely, those that fail quickly crash the pity party, drinking foamy beer alongside fellow busts JaMarcus Russell, moo cow Mike Williams (Not the Tampa version) and Mark Ingram (Too soon?).

Unfortunately, many commodities from this year's draft may soon pump the keg.

From a talent standpoint, this year’s class pales in comparison to 2012’s, a group that will be deemed ‘legendary’ 10 years from now. Though there is quality depth at wide receiver and running back, other fantasy focused positions lack punch, especially quarterback. However, success is all about opportunity. Any player given a chance to showcase his wares can thrive. Look at what 'The Butler' Alfred Morris, a passed-over sixth-round pick, accomplished a season ago. Displayed in the chart above, he totaled 246.3 fantasy points, the third-best among rookie RBs since 2000. His 1,613 rushing yards ranked third all-time for freshmen backs behind Eric Dickerson and George Rogers. As always, it all boils down to volume and system fit.

After weeks of poking, prodding and Wonderlicking, destinations are now determined. What newcomers will be cornerstones on fantasy rosters next season? Here's seven superb players poised to make an impact (in order of projected contribution):

Graham rocked the goal-post nine times last year. (USAT)

It may seem insane-ludi-ridiculously early for fantasy football ranks, but with the NFL draft beginning Thursday, it's time for a refresher. In the final part of a special four-part series, the Noise tangos with TEs, and gets you a leg up on scoring extra beer money this fall. Team Huevos, shout, shout, let it all out in the comments section below.

See also: TOB Running backs, Quarterbacks, Wide Receivers

Last year, NFL teams averaged 231.3 passing yards per team per game, the highest mark by a wide margin in the league’s 91-year history. Offensive coordinators, no longer satisfied saddling workhorse running backs, have put the onus on QB arms. Pitch counts are higher. Points are more plentiful. And a certain offensive position, once an almost exclusive function of the run, has evolved into a tried-and-true weapon of mass destruction.

Tight ends are wrecking havoc over the modern NFL game.

Just a few years ago when trailblazers Shannon Sharpe, Tony Gonzalez or Antonio Gates fell off the draft board, most owners essentially punted the position. How TEs were handled paralleled viewpoints on defense and kicker. Streaming based on matchup was a common strategy. Because of the week-to-week unreliability of hotheads like Jeremy Shockey and Kellen Winslow it only made sense to follow such an approach.

However, due to the abundance of wide-bodied, uber-athletic, soft-handed, fast-moving tight ends available in today’s game, perceptions have definitely changed. Oversized targets are matchup nightmares, indispensable weapons in the pass game. Almost every franchise has one. Those that don’t desperately want one. Suffice it to say, they are similar to criminal attorneys during any given NFL offseason – in high-demand. Just ask Cleveland's Quentin Groves.

Unsurprisingly, because of the position's vast talent pool, it's Grand Canyon-deep entering 2013. Yes, Jimmy Graham stands in a class by himself, but concentrating on RB or WR in the early rounds is the money move. The questionable long-term health of Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez only supports that notion. Think about it. Suitable producers like Brandon Myers, Fred Davis and Brandon Pettigrew are going well after pick No. 125 in initial drafts.V-A-L-U-E!

This year at TE, patience will profit.

Pumping the pigskin juices, here are my top-25 tight ends entering Thursday's NFL draft:

Poor Matt. Someone stole his boomstick. (USAT)

Fantasy is a speculative game. Predict the future, and you look like a genius. Don't, and you're painfully human. Gazing into the crystal ball, here's our view on 10 intriguing over/unders this week.

What fading ‘star’ will yield more fantasy value come year’s end: Josh Hamilton or Matt Kemp?

Dalton – KEMP. I liked him far more entering the year, and at least he has an excuse for a slow start since he's coming off shoulder surgery. Kemp is also three years younger and isn't the one who left an extreme hitter's park.

Brandon – KEMP. If I was drafting today, I'd still take Kemp ahead of Hamilton. The difference is the speed factor, which remains a a key differentiator as Kemp has run off three steals in his past four games (8-for-18 at the plate, as well)

Scott – I'm still on KEMP'S side on this one – he's three years younger and has a more diversified set of skills. But I'm glad to be watching from the sidelines in both cases, uninvested on both. That's not a victory lap really, it's a sigh of relief.

Dez is starting to emulate another famous blue-clad 88. (USAT)

It may seem insane-ludi-ridiculously early for fantasy football ranks, but with the NFL draft beginning Thursday, it's time for a refresher. In the third part of a special four-part series, the Noise takes on WRs, and gets you a leg up on scoring extra beer money this fall. Team Huevos, shout, shout, let it all out in the comments section below.

See also: TOB Running backs, Quarterbacks

Depth, balance, sustainability – these are the characteristics that typically define the wide receiver position. In this era of downfield proclivity, it's lusher than ever before. Once top-heavy just a few short years ago inflating draft day price-tags of pacesetters like Marvin Harrison, Terrell Owens and Torry Holt, WR today is essentially one giant Vince Young yard sale, a position sporting bargains galore.

Coaches’ willingness to throw and the immense QB talent pool has blown receiver production into uncharted waters. At least, that’s what most owners commonly perceive. One can always cherry-pick the stats to prove a point. For example, at the beginning of the century only 13 wideouts netted at least 10 fantasy points per game. A season ago 20 targets reached that feat. However, the yearly difference in receiver production is, in general, negligible.

Compared to QB, RB and TE, the position hasn’t undergone a complete makeover in standard formats. Last year’s tier-to-tier drop-off (WR1-WR36 = 6.7 fan points/game) was in line with recent seasons and also with those during run-friendlier times. PPR enthusiasts, too, haven’t experienced measurable change. In total, 22 receivers hauled in at least 70 receptions a season ago, two fewer than in 2005, a year that ranks No. 24 in passing yards per game per team all-time (2012 is No. 1).

In an age where vertical records are shattered virtually every year, it would only seem plausible WRs would also universally increase in value. But because most NFL teams often feature three, four or in the case of the Saints, five-wide sets, that trend hasn’t materialized. Passers are spreading the wealth, which explains why WR scoring has evened out.

Expect more of the same in 2013.

Obviously, Calvin Johnson, Dez Bryant, Brandon Marshall and A.J. Green will attract early round selections, deservedly so, but bypassing them for commodities in the next or third-best class is a savvy strategy.

Sorting through the madness, here are my top-60 wide receivers entering Thursday’s NFL Draft: