This article is part of our Payne's Perspective series.
This will be the last writeup of the mocks I've participated in as now it's time for real drafts. This mock was done for Lindy's Fantasy Football magazine.
The draft was a standard snake draft, 12 teams and non-PPR. Here's how I drafted at pick 11:
1. (11) - Odell Beckham Jr. - The videos of him pitching, catching passes and doing everything athletic under the sun have gotten a little tiresome, I'll admit. Still, looking at his numbers after he was put into the offense are pretty sick. He's going to be the focal point once again, and the only possibility of him getting derailed as the top wide receiver is an injury.
2. (14) - Calvin Johnson - While this wasn't a PPR league, I still don't see why his stock has fallen so much. Provided he's 100 percent healthy he likely will be a top-3 wide receiver and score double-digit touchdowns. Like ODB, the defenses in the division aren't scary, and he should have no problem being a big fantasy producer.
3. (35) - T.J. Yeldon - I've taken him in a few spots now and believe he'll be the workhorse for the Jaguars this season. Jacksonville should be better this year, and Yeldon may have more carries as a result. This isn't a playoff team, but it could be closer to .500 this season.
4. (38) - Jimmy Graham - I thought this was too far for Graham to fall considering he's going much higher than
This will be the last writeup of the mocks I've participated in as now it's time for real drafts. This mock was done for Lindy's Fantasy Football magazine.
The draft was a standard snake draft, 12 teams and non-PPR. Here's how I drafted at pick 11:
1. (11) - Odell Beckham Jr. - The videos of him pitching, catching passes and doing everything athletic under the sun have gotten a little tiresome, I'll admit. Still, looking at his numbers after he was put into the offense are pretty sick. He's going to be the focal point once again, and the only possibility of him getting derailed as the top wide receiver is an injury.
2. (14) - Calvin Johnson - While this wasn't a PPR league, I still don't see why his stock has fallen so much. Provided he's 100 percent healthy he likely will be a top-3 wide receiver and score double-digit touchdowns. Like ODB, the defenses in the division aren't scary, and he should have no problem being a big fantasy producer.
3. (35) - T.J. Yeldon - I've taken him in a few spots now and believe he'll be the workhorse for the Jaguars this season. Jacksonville should be better this year, and Yeldon may have more carries as a result. This isn't a playoff team, but it could be closer to .500 this season.
4. (38) - Jimmy Graham - I thought this was too far for Graham to fall considering he's going much higher than this. The move to Seattle is likely a downgrade given how much New Orleans throws, yet there should be many plays called specifically for him. Russell Wilson has never had a weapon like him and running play-action should have defenses biting, leaving Graham in one-on-one coverage. Another small bonus is that San Francisco isn't going to be nearly the defensive monster it has been in recent seasons.
5. (59) - Joique Bell - The presence of Ameer Abdullah is a little troublesome, but Bell should get the bulk of the goal-line work. However, this should still be a potent offense and with this being a PPR league it makes it a little easier to draft Bell.
6. (63) - Joseph Randle - His value is still rising and he's not going to fall this far in most drafts. Please don't buy any Darren McFadden hype. This guy is legit, and at this point he's worth taking even if you're only gambling on a flex spot.
7. (83) - Tre Mason - This mock was done mid-May and Todd Gurley's status was up in the air. It doesn't appear that Gurley will end up on the PUP list, so Mason should probably not be taken this high. Still, any setback would put Mason in a starter's role with a heavy workload.
8. (86) - Donte Moncrief - Much of Moncrief's value will be on how the Colts use him and Andre Johnson in the passing game. While Johnson hasn't had a quarterback the last few seasons, he's on the wrong side of 34 and Moncrief is only 21. Moncrief has a full season with this offense and Andrew Luck under his belt and should see plenty of snaps as the Colts often go to three-wideout sets.
9. (107) - Jay Ajayi - After taking two wide receivers with my first two picks my strategy became to load up on running backs with upside. Ajayi fits that description perfectly as he has the potential to unseat Lamar Miller as the top dog. Realistically, both will have a role in the Miami offense, and provided Ajayi is fully past his knee injury he'll be in a good spot to challenge Miller for touches.
10. (110) - DeVante Parker - Obviously this was before his foot injury news, but there's a fair chance he'll be ready for Week 1. I've stated my love for Ryan Tannehill in the past, and Parker gives him a big red-zone target. With the injury news he isn't going to cost this much, but don't forget about him with your last couple picks.
11. (131) - Teddy Bridgewater - This seems like a long time to wait for a starting quarterback, which is probably right. However, looking at the landscape of the position there are a lot of options tough to rank after Andrew Luck and Aaron Rodgers. Bridgewater has a ton of weapons in Kyle Rudolph, Charles Johnson and Mike Wallace.
12. (133) - Dorial Green-Beckham - After Kendall Wright there isn't a ton of tough competition for the No. 2 wide-receiver spot. Green-Beckham has as much upside as any wide receiver not named Wright, and there's a good chance that the Titans play from behind a lot this season.
13. (155) - Raven D - They play the Cleveland Browns twice.
14. (158) - Greg Zuerlein - His nickname is "The Leg," which seems to be good for a kicker.
NEWS & NOTES
The annual RotoWire Vegas trip begins Sunday at which time we will do a high-stakes auction league, thanks to colleague Mark Stopa. The auction will take place at the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino at 1 p.m. local time. The 12-teams league consists of both RotoWire and Yahoo Sports writers. In light of the auction coming up, here are some of my general strategies for auctions. These "tips" pertain to both my hometown leagues and experts.
• Everyone has a favorite team or player. By now you should realize the cost for those players in a hometown league are inflated. Nominating those players early not only brings in the hometown bias but brings in inflation, as well. I've found in my hometown leagues there are always owners who have "their guy." Whether this is a player they adore (check jerseys worn to the draft) or someone they routinely draft, they'll pay more than market value for them. This makes players in the mid-to-late rounds much cheaper and affordable for you. If I'm doing an expert league and it doesn't hurt to note the articles, tweets and any other media from those in the draft. This will tell me many things. First, I'll know who they like and might be able to push the price on that player and what it might cost me if I have a similar interest in the player. Few experts will take the "agnostic" approach. I've always found they'll try to roster anyone they've touted before the draft and, thus, pay too much.
• This one is a little obvious, I'll admit. In hometown leagues, typically the owner who nominates a player wants that player. There has to be some sort of psychological reason for that, but it happens time and again. Rarely do you see a player brought up for the minimum price and said owner never bids on him again. Thoughts on this?
• Don't be afraid to nominate players who complement players already drafted. I'm going to be seen as an ass (not shocking, trust me) as I plan to nominate DeAngelo Williams soon after Le'Veon Bell is bought. As a result, the Bell owner is unlikely to handcuff with Williams, and if he does, it will cost him both at the auction (inflation) and decision-making down the road. When Mike Evans is nominated bring up Vincent Jackson. If Brandon Marshall goes then bring up Eric Decker. If nothing else, it mixes things up and bringing up the complement might get you that player at a lower price.
• The most shallow positions in most leagues for starters are quarterbacks and tight ends. If you draft Andrew Luck or Rob Gronkowski early, your next several nominations should be players at the same position. This drains the pool of money at a premium price and helps you obtains players at the other starting spots for a cheaper price. It requires some patience but will be worth it at the end of your draft.
• I don't think there's a right or wrong way to spend money in an auction. Pundits have long touted various strategies, and I've seen them all in any draft for any sport. The "right" way to spend your money is how you see fit. I always thought at some point in a draft that the person with the most money was the "idiot" in the draft. However, often that ends up being the person who can buy the best values still left in the draft. The key to track what positions or needs your team has, address them with the allocated money you have left. Maybe that means spending money early on a stud or two and maybe that means waiting and spending on multiple mid-rounds players. It all depends.
• Never, ever, spend on a kicker. Unless your league allows limited drop/adds, there's no reason to spend more than the minimum. Of course, it never hurts to nominate and try to steal a player on a team you think will be high-scoring.
Did I miss any obvious strategies? I'd love to know before I draft Sunday afternoon. Feel free to follow my escapades there on Twitter @KCPayne26.
