Here's a guest post from our buddy at footballandbrackets.com, Ryan Hester
I got together with some of my fellow Staff Members and did a 12-team PPR scoring mock draft. I will offer my opinions on some picks that stuck out at me throughout the first eight rounds. Also be sure to check out my blog - footballandbrackets.com - for my own specific insights on all things fantasy football and draft strategy.
Rounds 1-4
The excitement started at the second pick when Mark Wimer took Calvin Johnson. It's not a reach (especially not in a PPR league), but it's interesting that he passed on running back this early. For what it's worth, Wimer has Johnson ranked as his top overall player in standard and PPR leagues.
Another interesting pick was Jimmy Graham at 1.08. Bloom has been an advocate of taking Graham early in many drafts this offseason. Graham will give you an advantage in any given week over anyone in your league that doesn't own Rob Gronkowski, but is it worth passing up elite running backs to get him?
I've highlighted Bloom's third and fourth picks as well to show that it is possible to still get nice running back talent if you don't get one in the first round. It's just a matter of whether or not you're willing to take that gamble.
Another notable pick here was Jeff Haseley's selection of Shane Vereen at 3.10. Being near the turn, Jeff wasn't going to get Vereen all the way down at 5.10, but I think Jeff could have waited until 4.03 and taken one of the three receivers that went right between his two picks at the turn. In my mind, Roddy White and Jordy Nelson are clearly superior to Danny Amendola. Not to mention, having two Patriots without one being named Tom Brady could be a risk not many are willing to take.
The last notable items about the first four rounds of this draft all happened in consecutive picks. First of all, Cam Newton as the first quarterback off the board was surprising to everyone. Secondly, the value of getting Newton, Rodgers, and Brees (regardless of order) in the fourth round is significant. "Expert" drafts tend to yield great value at the position, but I believe this is the year the "amateurs" will wait on quarterbacks as well because nearly every expert is detailing the value of doing so.
Rounds 5-8
At the top of the fifth, the two hot rookies went consecutively. I go back and forth on which will be better (it depends on when Bernard takes over as Cincinnati's starter, something I obviously believe will happen). But both should have very nice value as RB2's this season. And both owners here made these selections at a nice time in the draft as the two first-year players were the 24th and 25th running backs off the board.
Round 6 was highlighted by a couple of players who have since suffered training camp injuries. Both Chris Ivory and Stevie Johnson should be ready to go for the regular season, which would make them nice selections at this point in drafts.
In Round 7, continue to note the quarterback depth. Griffin and Wilson (along with Stafford and Kaepernick in Round 6) went before Tom Brady. This league is a four-point passing touchdown league, but that seems lower than I've seen Brady going in other drafts. I have him ranked as my QB11, though, so I'm not saying that I disagree.
Montee Ball is dropping in drafts, and as long as Ronnie Hillman continues to be Denver's first-team running back in training camp, that should continue. I grabbed Daryl Richardson here because I didn't like any of the available receivers at this point. Richardson was the 32nd running back chosen in this draft, showing how quickly the value at the position disappears.