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July is rapidly approaching and we’re entering the thick of fantasy football research season. Whether you’re months into prep or looking for a fresh place to start, you’ve come to the right place. This year’s fantasy landscape is packed with stars and it’s the perfect time to form an understanding of player ADPs and identify round-by-round targets ahead of your own drafts. Fresh off arguably one of the most eventful offseasons in NFL history, it’s never been more important to be fully prepped for your time on the clock.
Our 2022 Football Draft Guide is loaded with the tools you need to ace your summer drafts, filled with rankings, mock drafts, sleepers, hundreds of player profiles and so much more - we’re confident this year’s edition is among the finest we’ve ever produced. Plus, you’ll find exclusive feature columns from our experts on a range of important topics ahead of the season. If you’re looking for positional tiers, projections for a variety of formats and even individual defensive player analysis, then our Draft Guide could be just what you’re looking for.
Today we’re highlighting two rounds from our expert’s 12-team PPR mock draft. This preview features rounds one and four with full analysis for each courtesy of our very own Patrick Daugherty (@RotoPat). Trusted studs go early, while bounce-back candidates and names in new places appear later on.
Have a look:
Experts
1. Christopher Crawford (NBC Sports EDGE)
2. Rivers McCown (NBC Sports EDGE)
3. Patrick Daugherty (NBC Sports EDGE)
4. Jennifer Eakins (4for4)
5. Davis Mattek (SportsGrid)
6. Kyle Dvorchak (NBC Sports EDGE)
7. Patrick Kerrane (NBC Sports EDGE)
8. Chris Allen (NBC Sports EDGE)
9. Lawrence Jackson (NBC Sports EDGE)
10. Lauren Carpenter (NBC Sports EDGE)
11. Denny Carter (NBC Sports EDGE)
12. Zach Krueger (NBC Sports EDGE)
Round 1
1. Christopher Crawford — Jonathan Taylor, RB1
2. Rivers McCown — Christian McCaffrey, RB2
3. Patrick Daugherty — Austin Ekeler, RB3
4. Jennifer Eakins — Cooper Kupp, WR1
5. Davis Mattek — Justin Jefferson, WR2
6. Kyle Dvorchak — Ja’Marr Chase, WR3
7. Patrick Kerrane — Davante Adams, WR4
8. Chris Allen — Dalvin Cook, RB4
9. Lawrence Jackson — Najee Harris, RB5
10. Lauren Carpenter — Derrick Henry, RB6
11. Denny Carter — Tyreek Hill, WR5
12. Zach Krueger — Stefon Diggs, WR6
Notes: I was fully prepared to take McCaffrey at No. 3. You will see the occasional CMC slide this summer, but his kind of upside will never come at a discount. … Finding new ways to fade Derrick Henry has become a yearly tradition. Perhaps the fourth time will be the charm. … I am not sure I have ever seen the back half of the first round feel so uncertain. More aging running backs than usual with more receiver variables than usual, including two players on new teams. That is highly atypical of the top 12.
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Round 4
37. Zach Krueger — Terry McLaurin, WR16
38. Denny Carter — James Conner, RB17
39. Lauren Carpenter — Chris Godwin, WR17
40. Lawrence Jackson — Saquon Barkley, RB18
41. Chris Allen — Marquise Brown, WR18
42. Patrick Kerrane — Amari Cooper, WR19
43. Kyle Dvorchak — Brandin Cooks, WR20
44. Davis Mattek — Breece Hall, RB19
45. Jennifer Eakins — Mike Williams, WR21
46. Patrick Daugherty — DK Metcalf, WR22
47. Rivers McCown — Michael Pittman, WR23
48. Christopher Crawford — Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR24
Notes: McLaurin will go anywhere from WR16 to WR25. He figures to be a “hinge point” player. … Conner is a decidedly un-Denny pick, but even Denny likes players who score 15 touchdowns if they stay healthy. Staying healthy, of course, is not Conner’s strong suit. … Godwin and Barkley each possess league-winning upside. You don’t need me to tell you about the downside. Godwin could rise back into the top 12 if he reports to training camp with a clean bill of health. He had “no timetable” as of mid-May. … I was beginning to ponder Cooper before Kerrane took the plunge. There are some players you know will finish either wildly above or wildly below their draft position. Cooper has major “WR19” energy. … Cooks does not have the upside for me to consider him at WR20, but that was essentially where he finished in 2021, and Kyle is a smart man. … I love the St. Brown discount for Crawford. It is the appropriate amount of hedge to offset his unrepeatable 2021 finish.
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