Fantasy Football Mock Draft, Rounds 6 and 7
Yup, we've decided to keep this thing going until someone takes a Bengal. In these later rounds we're going quick-hit style. For early results, follow the links: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, Round 4, Round 5.
Round 6, Pick 1 - RB Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders
It's certainly been an active off-season for McFadden, full of lawsuits and surgeries. But he's healthy at the moment and worth a look at this point in a draft. We caught a glimpse of his potential last September (30 carries, 210 yards in Weeks 1-2), before injuries forced him into a reduced role. (Andy Behrens)
Here's this team so far: RB Brandon Jacobs, R1; WR Andre Johnson, R2; RB Ryan Grant, R3; QB Philip Rivers, R4; WR Eddie Royal, R5; RB Darren McFadden, R6.
Round 6, Pick 2 - QB Matt Schaub, Houston Texans
Schaub is at the controls of an explosive offense, loaded with talent. The Texans gained 382.1 total yards per game last season, the third highest total in the NFL. And Schaub closed the season brilliantly; his outstanding effort in the brutal cold at Green Bay in Week 14 was an eye-opener. (Behrens)
RB Frank Gore, R1; Steve Slaton, R2; WR Wes Welker, R3; WR Brandon Marshall, R4; TE Dallas Clark, R5; QB Matt Schaub, R6.
Round 6, Pick 3 - WR Chad Johnson, Cincinnati Bengals
I'll continue to party like it's 2005, assembling my team of old players past their prime. Can we blow off Johnson's 2008 car wreck to injuries and timing? Just two seasons ago he was a 93-1440-8 performer. A healthy Carson Palmer would go a long way towards fixing this team. (Scott Pianowski)
WR Larry Fitzgerald, R1; RB Clinton Portis, R2; WR Terrell Owens, R3; RB Derrick Ward, R4; RB Larry Johnson, R5; WR Chad Johnson, R6.
Round 6, Pick 4 - RB Cedric Benson, Cincinnati Bengals
Did I really want two Bengals or did Andy just goad me into taking these clowns? I'll never tell. Benson quietly collected 462 total yards over the final three weeks (albeit weather played into the heavy workload), and at least there's a pedigree here - Benson was the fourth overall pick in the draft just four years ago. Benson was a punchline for most of his Chicago career, maybe Cedric will be an entertainer in Cincinnati. The gang at WKRP loves this selection; I expect our commenters to hate it. (Pianow)
RB Chris Johnson, R1; WR Randy Moss, R2; WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, R3; RB Jonathan Stewart, R4; RB Joseph Addai, R5; RB Cedric Benson, R6.
Round 6, Pick 5 - RB Thomas Jones, New York Jets
With contract issues, added competition in the form of rookie Shonn Greene and a weaker Jets passing attack, I'm not a big fan of Jones this season. But the value here is simply too good. The guy did, after all, run for 1,312 yards and score 15 times in '08. (Michael Blunda)
RB Steven Jackson, R1; WR Steve Smith, R2; QB Kurt Warner, R3; RB Reggie Bush, R4; WR Vincent Jackson, R5; RB Thomas Jones, R6.
Round 6, Pick 6 - WR Lee Evans, Buffalo Bills
Now that Evans has a proven guy opposite him in Terrell Owens, he should finally be relieved of the double coverage he's always had to deal with. An added year of experience for QB Trent Edwards and a more up-tempo offense should also help the speedy wideout realize his full potential in '09. (Blunda)
RB LaDainian Tomlinson, R1; WR Calvin Johnson, R2; QB Peyton Manning, R3; TE Jason Witten, R4; RB Beanie Wells, R5; WR Lee Evans R6.
Round 6, Pick 7 - RB Willie Parker, Pittsburgh Steelers
Rashard Mendenhall could counterfeit this pick, yes, but the second-year back has obstacles to overcome (health, inexperience, fumbles). Parker didn't put the ball on the ground once in the regular season, and he averaged 23.3 carries from Week 17 through the Super Bowl. Ball control is still the name of the game in Steel City. (Matt Romig)
RB DeAngelo Williams, R1; RB Marion Barber, R2; WR Dwayne Bowe, R3; QB Tony Romo, R4; WR Anthony Gonzalez, R5; RB Willie Parker, R6.
Round 6, Pick 8 - WR Lance Moore, New Orleans Saints
Moore was having a nice season in 2008 until Marques Colston returned from injury, and then things just got better. Moore caught eight of his 10 touchdowns in the final nine weeks while sharing the field with Colston. There's plenty to go around here. (Mig)
RB Brian Westbrook, R1; QB Drew Brees, R2; RB Kevin Smith, R3; TE Tony Gonzalez, R4; WR Santonio Holmes, R5; WR Lance Moore, R6.
Round 6, Pick 9 - WR DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia Eagles
He was the WR version of Westbrook, as the Eagles used a variety of ways to get the ball in his hands (121 targets, 50 punt returns, 17 rushes). His speed jumps off the TV screen. (Brandon Funston)
RB Michael Turner, R1; RB Ronnie Brown, R2; WR Reggie Wayne, R3; Aaron Rodgers, R4; WR Braylon Edwards, R5; WR DeSean Jackson, R6.
Round 6, Pick 10 - RB Felix Jones, Dallas Cowboys
Wanted Schaub here, but will happily settle for Jones. His game-breaking talents (8.9 YPC as a rookie) should see 12-15 touches a game in concert with Barber. And if Barber were to get hurt, watch out. (BFun)
RB Maurice Jones-Drew, R1; WR Greg Jennings, R2; WR Anquan Boldin, R3; Antonio Gates, R4; RB Knowshon Moreno, R5; RB Felix Jones, R6.
Round 6, Pick 11 - RB Tim Hightower, Arizona Cardinals
With Beanie Wells finishing off his semester at OSU, Arizona's goal-line poacher will likely enter camp atop the Cardinals depth chart. Based on Beanie Wells' fragility and Hightower's continued end-zone sniffing role, he's a suitable contingency plan if the PT Cruiser crashes. His 2.8 YPC mark last season was vomit worthy, but his 10 TDs were anything but. Arizona will again be a pass-first club, but Ken Whisenhunt, who was trained at the Steelers School of Smash-mouth, will likely attempt to feature the run more. (Brad Evans)
RB Matt Forte, R1; RB Pierre Thomas, R2; WR Roddy White, R3; WR Roy Williams, R4; QB Donovan McNabb, R5; RB Tim Hightower, R6.
Round 6, Pick 12 - WR Kevin Walter, Houston Texans
Walter, presumably the illegitimate son of formers Broncos great Ed McCaffrey, is one of the game's consistency kings. Playing a full slate last year, he averaged 8.6 fantasy points per game in standard formats, eclipsing the 70-yard plateau seven times while crossing the chalk eight times. A full season with Matt Schaub behind center could vault his yardage total past 1,000. The unheralded wideout is one of the most trustworthy No. 3s in virtual pigskin. (BE)
RB Adrian Peterson, R1; QB Tom Brady, R2; WR Marques Colston, R3; RB Marshawn Lynch, R4; WR Antonio Bryant, R5; WR Kevin Walter, R6.
Round 7, Pick 1 - RB LenDale White, Tennessee Titans
White, the burger-smashing part of the Titans timeshare, was one of the league's premiere goal-line vultures last season. His 15 end-zone dives tied Brandon Jacobs for the third-most in the NFL. His renewed red-zone role and Tennessee's ultra-conservative approach means another 11-15 TD campaign is on the horizon. He's a quality stopgap in case Marshawn Lynch is sidelined for an extended period of time. (Brad Evans)
Brad Evans 1: RB Adrian Peterson, R1; QB Tom Brady, R2; WR Marques Colston, R3; RB Marshawn Lynch, R4; WR Antonio Bryant, R5; WR Kevin Walter, R6; LenDale White, R7.
Round 7, Pick 2 - WR Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers
Ward, whose 9.2 fantasy points per game output last year ranked between Reggie Wayne and Dwayne Bowe (16th at WR), was a rock solid No. 2, surpassing 80 catches and 1,000 yards for the first time since 2004. Coming off shoulder surgery, he'll be eased into contact drills this summer, but he's a sound producer capable of 75-1000-7. (BE)
Brad Evans 2: RB Matt Forte, R1; RB Pierre Thomas, R2; WR Roddy White, R3; WR Roy Williams, R4; QB Donovan McNabb, R5; RB Tim Hightower, R6; WR Hines Ward, R7.
Round 7, Pick 3 - WR, Donnie Avery, St. Louis Rams
Nothing wrong with 53 catches and 674 yards as a rookie. And you have to like the clear go-to role he inherits with Torry Holt out of the picture. Sure, there's no proven help lining up opposite him, but defenses do have to give serious attention to S-Jax, so Avery will have at least a little breathing room to work with – with his speed, that's all he needs. (Brandon Funston)
Brandon Funston 1: RB Maurice Jones-Drew, R1; WR Greg Jennings, R2; WR Anquan Boldin, R3; Antonio Gates, R4; RB Knowshon Moreno, R5; RB Felix Jones, R6; WR Donnie Avery, R7.
Round 7, Pick 4 - RB Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh Steelers
Considered TE with this pick, but I'd be taking off the top of Tier 2, and I never like to go in a "six in one, half a dozen in the other" direction, so I'm gonna buy some RB insurance and go for Mendenhall. It's a bit early, admittedly, but he should get 10-12 touches per game to start off in this running-rich Pittsburgh environment, and there'll be much more if FWP continues to break down like I think he will. Besides, this pick should manage to irk at least two owners – Romig (who drafted Parker) and Evans (who wishes he could bear Mendenhall's children). (BFun)
Brandon Funston 2: RB Michael Turner, R1; RB Ronnie Brown, R2; WR Reggie Wayne, R3; Aaron Rodgers, R4; WR Braylon Edwards, R5; WR DeSean Jackson, R6; RB Rashard Mendenhall, R7.
Round 7, Pick 5 - RB Jamal Lewis, Cleveland Browns
At this stage of his deterioration, Lewis is basically just a matchup play, but we're drafting for depth here (we've probably done a poor job of broadcasting that this is a 2 RB, no flex league). There's nothing to fear challenger-wise here, and Lewis can still move the pile in goal line situations (on the off chance the Browns experience one). (Matt Romig)
Matt Romig 1: RB Brian Westbrook, R1; QB Drew Brees, R2; RB Kevin Smith, R3; TE Tony Gonzalez, R4; WR Santonio Holmes, R5; WR Lance Moore, R6; RB Jamal Lewis, R7.
Round 7, Pick 6 - WR Bernard Berrian, Minnesota Vikings
If you want a guy who can turn a fantasy matchup around in a single snap, here is your man. Berrian had receptions of 99, 86, 55 and 54 yards in 2008 to finish as one of two receivers with a 20-yard average per reception. Those are stat tracker-friendly numbers. (Mig)
Matt Romig 2: RB DeAngelo Williams, R1; RB Marion Barber, R2; WR Dwayne Bowe, R3; QB Tony Romo, R4; WR Anthony Gonzalez, R5; RB Willie Parker, R6; Bernard Berrian, R7.
Round 7, Pick 7 - RB Julius Jones, Seattle Seahawks
Last I checked, Jones was still the No. 1 RB in a fairly potent offense, which makes him a great value in Round 7. While a lot of his TDs could get vultured by T.J. Duckett this season, Jones should get enough touches to reach 1,000 yards and score at least a few times. (Michael Blunda)
Michael Blunda 1: RB LaDainian Tomlinson, R1; WR Calvin Johnson, R2; QB Peyton Manning, R3; TE Jason Witten, R4; RB Beanie Wells, R5; WR Lee Evans, R6; RB Julius Jones, R7.
Round 7, Pick 8 - WR Michael Crabtree, San Francisco 49ers
Anyone who saw Crabtree play at Texas Tech knows that his upside is off the charts - it's just a matter of how quickly he can adapt to the NFL. Given how soon 2008 rookie receivers like Eddie Royal and DeSean Jackson made an impact, though, I'm willing to bet that Crabtree does some serious damage in Year One. (Blunda)
Michael Blunda 2: RB Steven Jackson, R1; WR Steve Smith, R2; QB Kurt Warner, R3; RB Reggie Bush, R4; WR Vincent Jackson, R5; RB Thomas Jones, R6; WR Michael Crabtree, R7.
Round 7, Pick 9 - WR Jerricho Cotchery, New York Jets
He needs some polish in the red zone, but I'll gladly take his three-year averages right now (78 catches, 983 yards), and he's young enough (Year 6) to think about upside. With Laveranues Coles no longer in the swamps of Jersey, Cotchery figures to see more passes skimmed his way in 2009. (Scott Pianowski)
Scott Pianowski 1: RB Chris Johnson, R1; WR Randy Moss, R2; WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh, R3; RB Jonathan Stewart, R4; RB Joseph Addai, R5; RB Cedric Benson, R6; WR Jerricho Cotchery, R7.
Round 7, Pick 10 - TE Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
Our man Cool lost some fantasy juice last year with the one lone touchdown, but let's not lose sight of those pretty 83 receptions and 849 yards. This is still a difference-maker at the tight end spot, and we're talking about someone who scored 27 times in his first four years. Look for the spikes to come back, and see if you can get the same discount I landed here.
Why no quarterbacks for my teams now? Simple - Dr. Behrens already has QBs on the next two teams, so I should be able to wait until Round 8 to tap into that position. (Pianow)
Scott Pianowski 2: WR Larry Fitzgerald, R1; RB Clinton Portis, R2; WR Terrell Owens, R3; RB Derrick Ward, R4; RB Larry Johnson, R5; WR Chad Johnson, R6; TE Chris Cooley, R7.
Round 7, Pick 11 - WR Santana Moss, Washington Redskins
The lesser Moss is a tolerable W3, as long as he delivers a line that looks more like 2008 (1044 yards, 7 TDs) than 2007 (808 yards, 3 TDs). This team is looking at Colts rookie RB Donald Brown in Round 8, then an upside wide receiver in Round 9 (Breaston, Hester, Harvin, Clayton, etc). (Andy Behrens)
Andy Behrens 1: RB Frank Gore, R1; Steve Slaton, R2; WR Wes Welker, R3; WR Brandon Marshall, R4; TE Dallas Clark, R5; QB Matt Schaub, R6; WR Santana Moss, R7.
Round 7, Pick 12 - TE Greg Olsen, Chicago Bears
Olsen was one of several fantasy winners in the Jay Cutler deal. (Not a winner: Cutler). As we wrote back when the trade went down, "Olsen has a realistic shot at a 70-800-8 season." That would be a big line from the tight end position, and it's not actually a massive leap for Olsen. He finished at 54-574-5 last year. In Round 8, this team would take the full 90 seconds trying to talk themselves into Torry Holt. (Behrens)
Andy Behrens 2: RB Brandon Jacobs, R1; WR Andre Johnson, R2; RB Ryan Grant, R3; QB Philip Rivers, R4; WR Eddie Royal, R5; RB Darren McFadden, R6; TE Greg Olsen, R7.
That's gonna do it, folks. Since you've exhaustively analyzed each and every pick before commenting, you're now qualified to pick a winner. Team "names" are listed above, after each team's final selection.
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