As the NFL offseason continues and some players move to other teams, there is always time to look ahead to what the fantasy football season will look like in 2014. I have broken down what the first, second, third and fourth rounds of the draft could look like. This is a look at the fifth round of the draft as I finish the top 50 players in my opinion. I will have my full fantasy football draft in July when the season is closer. Here is round 5 of the 2014 early fantasy football mock draft.
41. DeSean Jackson, WR- Jackson had a career year in 2013 with 82 catches for 1,332 yards and nine touchdowns. The new offense with the Eagles will continue to pay dividends for Jackson during the 2014 season.
42. Eric Decker, WR- Decker moves on to the New York Jets and while his targets and catches may go down some in a new offense, he is still a No. 1 threat that must be taken seriously. A season where he finishes with 70-75 catches works just fine at this spot.
43. Matthew Stafford, QB- It was another season for throwing the ball all the time for Stafford last season and that won’t change in 2014 probably. He will likely throw for around 5,000 yards again which makes him a worthwhile pick in this round.
44. Philip Rivers, QB- Rivers had one of the best years of his career last season and with his offense back together this coming season, he could have another great year. There would be no shock if he finishes with 4,500 or more passing yards.
45. Rob Gronkowski, TE- Gronkowski is this low due to his continued injury problems. He had just 39 catches last season but if he can stay healthy, he will make the owner who would pick him this low very happy in the end.
46. Larry Fitzgerald, WR- Fitzgerald just keeps doing what he has his whole career. He had 82 catches for 954 yards last season and it appears that the Arizona offense could be even more dynamic this coming year. Another big season is coming.
47. Nick Foles, QB- Foles benefits from the trade to bring Darren Sproles to Philadelphia. The options are getting unlimited for the Eagles’ quarterback. He is moving up draft boards quickly but for right now, this is where he will land. Foles may be higher by training camp depending on future moves.
48. Andrew Luck, QB- Luck had a bit of a sophomore slump last season, throwing for 3,822 yards but did decrease his interception numbers. He is a solid fantasy starter these days and if the Colts add some more wide receivers, his numbers will go back up this year.
49. Stevan Ridley, RB- Ridley had his issues last season in New England but is still going to be the team’s starting running back. A season with over 1,000 rushing yards wouldn’t be a surprise if he can keep the team all season long.
50. Roddy White, WR- An injury-plagued season held White’s numbers down but when he did get on the field, he was very productive with 63 catches for 711 yards. He should be healthy to begin the 2014 season and could end up with 90-100 catches.