Mock Auction Draft

By
Jesse Pantuosco,

By
Jesse Pantuosco

Published October 4, 2018 04:04 PM

Yup, it’s that time of year again. It’s officially content season here at Rotoworld, which means it’s time for us to get off our lazy butts and feed you as much info as possible to adequately prepare you for your various fantasy drafts. Whatever your poison is—PPR, standard, 2-quarterback, keeper, dynasty—we’ll have you covered with fresh articles in the coming weeks.

Today we shine a light on auction drafts. I covered this subject at length in our annual Draft Guide, which hits shelves July 24 (you can pre-order it here). That article can serve as a useful primer for first-time auction drafters or even seasoned vets who might want a refresher. Hopefully this recap of a recent mock auction I participated in will add context to some of my earlier musings. For the sake of clarity, this 12-team auction was conducted on July 15 on Yahoo using a 15-man roster including nine starters (one quarterback, two running backs, two receivers, one tight end, one flex, one defense and one kicker) on a $200 budget. Without further ado, here’s my squad.

First Pick: Odell Beckham, WR, NYG—$58 ($142 remaining)

In retrospect, this was sort of a risky ploy on my part. Beckham is, at absolute worst, one of the five most talented receivers in the sport, but he’s also coming off a broken ankle that limited him to 214 mostly ineffective snaps last season (he somehow managed six drops in his four games). I definitely didn’t get a bargain here, nor did I expect to. High-priced players are that way for a reason—they’re worth it. Now that I’ve secured an elite WR1, my next course of action SHOULD be to pair Beckham with a stud running back.

Second Pick: Mike Evans, WR, TB—$34 ($108 remaining)

… So naturally, I did the exact opposite of that! In my defense, $34 for Mike Evans is a good deal. Consider that Evans has—ahem—NEVER finished with fewer than 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. DeAndre Hopkins ($57) can’t say that. Neither can Keenan Allen ($50) or Davante Adams ($46). Throwing $92 at two players may sound like a lot, but if you’re employing the “stars and scrubs” technique (this seems to be the preferred way to tackle an auction draft), that’s actually about right. Now on to running back … for real this time.

Third Pick: Joe Mixon, RB, CIN—$33 ($75 remaining)

Well, this isn’t quite what I had in mind. I bid on nearly every top-shelf running back—Le’Veon Bell, Devonta Freeman, Leonard Fournette and Melvin Gordon were all on my wish list—but I somehow wound up with none of them. Such is life in the cut-throat world of auction drafts. Besides the relative challenge of it, the main appeal of auction drafts is that, in theory, you can have whatever player your heart most desires. Of course, that’s much easier said than done (especially when everyone you’re competing against has the same mindset) and is much harder to do when you’ve already allotted $92 to a pair of wide receivers.

So, long story short, I overpaid for Mixon to assure that I’d have at least a passable RB1 (though in my personal opinion, he’s better categorized as an upside RB2). If this were a real league, planting my flag on Mount Mixon would be an undeniably bold but potentially rewarding move. The former Oklahoma Sooner has the tools and more importantly, the workload, to be a major fantasy asset. Though, as his 3.5 yards per carry last year would suggest, he’s far from a sure thing.

More than anything, this move was about making lemonade out of lemons. When it boils right down to it, that’s basically your job description as a fantasy player because even if you’re Mike Clay or Matthew Berry, no fantasy draft will EVER go exactly according to plan. Being able to adjust on the fly or make the most of a less-than-ideal situation is the sharpest instrument in your fantasy tool box with the greatest example of this being my improbable run to a title game (which I lost) last year after my draft was derailed by an epic thunderstorm. Rain will always be falling on your fantasy team, so you better have an umbrella ready.

Fourth Pick: Alex Collins, RB, BAL—$26 ($49 remaining)

I try not to be biased in my fantasy decisions, but when you play in a bunch of leagues every year, it’s almost impossible not to develop favorites. I’d be the first to admit I have a soft spot for Collins, who I feel like I discovered in a way. I used him in multiple leagues last year, getting in on the ground floor when he was merely thought of as a hit-or-miss waiver pickup/bye-week fill-in. It’s true Collins averaged just 3.8 yards per carry in the second half last season, but we all know efficiency isn’t a must-have trait for fantasy success. The ex-Seahawk was still highly productive, spanning 792 yards (608 rushing, 184 receiving) with six touchdowns over his final nine regular season games. Others may feel differently, but I don’t see Kenneth Dixon, who is coming off a torn meniscus, or Buck Allen as major threats to Collins’ workload. Twenty-six bucks for an RB2 is a little steep, I’ll admit, but I had a little extra coin to throw around after skipping out on the big-name RB1s.

Fifth Pick: Ronald Jones, RB, TB—$14 ($35 remaining)

Graham Barfield, fantasy Twitter’s preeminent running back whisperer and the mind behind “yards created,” is a fan of Jones and now I guess I am too. The Buccaneers sent Doug Martin packing (about three years too late), then replaced him by using a second-round pick on Jones in April’s draft. The USC alum isn’t guaranteed a full workload and could be in danger of losing goal-line snaps to power back Peyton Barber, but he still looks like the odds-on favorite to lead Tampa’s backfield this season. If he can win the job outright, an RB2/3 finish should be in the offing. While I admittedly struck out in my pursuit of an elite running back, I rebounded somewhat by loading up on mid-range talents. Running back won’t be the strength of my team, but thanks to all the money I just threw at Mixon, Collins and Jones (dollar, dollar bills, y’all), it shouldn’t be a glaring weakness either.

Sixth Pick: Marvin Jones, WR, DET—$15 ($20 remaining)

I don’t usually advocate spending this much on a reserve (either Marvin or Ronald Jones would slot in my flex spot with the other relegated to bench status), but I made an exception for Jones, who I feel is being undervalued across all fantasy formats. Starvin’ Marvin went bonkers last year, leading the league in yards per catch (18.0) while finishing fourth in touchdowns (nine) and ninth in receiving yards (1,101). Jones also became a weekly fixture on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays, routinely pulling off impossible catches in tight coverage. He is, as Evan Silva would say (usually in reference to Rex Burkhead), #GoodAtTheGame. If Jones builds off last year’s breakout, he could flirt with WR1 production at a fraction of the cost.

Seventh Pick: Delanie Walker, TE, TEN—$6 ($14 remaining)

Don’t say I never do anything for you people. I caught a lot of flak for my underwhelming tight end tandem of Jack Doyle and Cameron Brate when I unveiled my Scott Fish Bowl team yesterday. Peer pressure isn’t usually the guiding force behind my draft choices, but I thought I’d throw you all a bone here. The ultra-consistent Walker has led Tennessee in catches each year since 2015, which corresponds with the arrival of franchise quarterback Marcus Mariota. Many are pegging Corey Davis as a possible breakout candidate, but even if the Western Michigan alum lives up to his first-round billing, Walker should maintain a high-wattage role as Mariota’s preferred safety blanket. He’s a high-floor TE1 and a relative bargain compared to the likes of prestige tight ends Rob Gronkowski ($35) and Travis Kelce ($22).

Eighth Pick: Matthew Stafford, QB, DET—$5 ($9 remaining)

My plan all along was to stack Jones (Marvin, not Ronald) with Stafford, who quietly set career-highs in both quarterback rating (99.3) and yards per attempt (7.87) last season. Stafford soundly outperformed Drew Brees in fantasy last year, yet because of his name recognition, Brees went for $12 more on draft day. I probably could have gone even cheaper at quarterback—Ben Roethlisberger and Matt Ryan both went for a buck. But I was committed to my vision and didn’t think $5 was unreasonable for a player of Stafford’s standout caliber.

Ninth Pick: Cooper Kupp, WR, LAR—$3 ($6 remaining)

I don’t know if I’ve really developed a true brand—Reebs is the stat genius, Pat is the pop culture-and-politics guy while Evan has his cocoon agenda. So maybe I should just embrace my role as a Cooper Kupp fanboy and see where it takes me. I already nabbed him in my Scott Fish Bowl league, so why not lean into it and grab as many Kupp shares as humanly possible? Kupp is surprisingly old for a player heading into his second season (25), but the numbers don’t lie. Among newbies, Kupp logged the fourth-most catches with 62 while also finishing second to JuJu Smith-Schuster in rookie receiving yards (869). Sure, he’ll face target competition from Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods and Todd Gurley, but check out the price tag. Three stinking bucks? That’s less than my usual order at Dunkin Donuts. I’ll gladly give up iced coffee for a day if it gives me more money to spend on Cooper Kupp.

Tenth Pick: Nick Chubb, RB, CLE—$1 ($5 remaining)

If there’s one thing I love, it’s getting Cooper Kupp for only three dollars (paid for by angel investor Creed Bratton). If there are two things I love, it’s getting Cooper Kupp AND Nick Chubb for only four dollars. Chubb is a backup, for the time being, but I’m also cognizant that the Browns used a high draft pick on him (35th overall). Considering the alarmingly short shelf life of an NFL running back, it would best serve the Browns to get the most out of Chubb, a player who already has some injury red flags, while they still can. Carlos Hyde is a household name and proved to be a capable workhorse throughout his Niners tenure, but he isn’t the healthiest guy in the world either and turns 28 in September. With the Browns in the midst of a pretty thorough rebuild, I’m betting Chubb will ascend to lead status in Cleveland sooner rather than later.

11th Pick: Ravens DEF—$1 ($4 remaining)

I just want to point out that someone paid $8 for Jacksonville’s D. That’s not as silly as shelling out $12 for Justin Tucker (which also happened during this draft) but it’s still a pretty egregious waste of draft capital. I didn’t put a ton of thought into my Baltimore selection (honestly, it may have happened while I was taking a bathroom break, because I don’t even remember it), mostly because I’m a staunch proponent of streaming defenses. Sure, it takes a little more week-to-week commitment than riding it out with the same team every time, but unless I have a Jacksonville or Philadelphia in my back pocket, I’d rather play matchups.

12th pick: Andrew Luck, QB, IND—$1 ($3 remaining)

This is sort of depressing, isn’t it? One dollar for golden boy Andrew Luck? Not only that, but I drafted him as a BACKUP to Matthew Stafford. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but apparently that cliché doesn’t apply to Luck. The former first overall pick is the ultimate wild card heading into 2018. There’s a real chance that Luck will never be the same player he once was after losing all of last year to shoulder surgery. But if Luck can shake off the rust and play like he did when the Colts were a perennial playoff team early in his career (again, that’s a remarkably huge if), he’ll be the steal of everyone’s fantasy draft. I’m not going out of my way to draft Luck this summer, but as a $1 lottery ticket in a 12-team auction, sure, I’ll give him a spin.

13th pick: Rishard Matthews, WR, TEN—$1 ($2 remaining)

Matthews is coming off a down season, but the same could probably be said of the entire Titans’ offense, save for the ageless Delanie Walker, who continues to produce at a prolific rate. I think we can expect better from this unit in 2018. Marcus Mariota will enter the year healthy—a hamstring injury derailed his 2017 campaign—and should benefit from a new coaching staff following Mike Mularkey’s ill-fated “Exotic Smashmouth” experiment. Matthews was brilliant in 2016—he spouted off for 945 yards and a career-high nine touchdowns that year—and makes for a prime bounce-back candidate along with the aforementioned Mariota. The 28-year-old finds himself firmly in “late-round flyer” territory, but I’ll pay a dollar to catch lightning in a bottle.

14th pick: Cameron Brate, TE, TB—$1 ($1 remaining)

I’ve stayed surprisingly on brand to this point—I chose Brate, Kupp and Chubb in my Scott Fish Bowl draft, which wrapped up earlier this week. Obviously Brate doesn’t belong in the upper echelon of fantasy tight ends—that threshold is reserved for Rob Gronkowski, Travis Kelce, Zach Ertz and, if we’re being generous, Jimmy Graham—though I do think he’s being undervalued in certain formats. People have been fading Brate in large part due to O.J. Howard’s presence, but last year the two actually maintained a fairly peaceful coexistence with both players totaling six touchdowns a piece. The Bucs just inked Brate to a six-year deal, so clearly they haven’t soured on the Harvard grad. A proven red-zone weapon with 14 touchdowns in his last 29 NFL appearances, I’m betting Brate will continue to be a relevant steamer/TE2 in fantasy, which is all I’m asking him to be.

Last pick: Chris Boswell, K, PIT—$1 ($0 remaining)

People don’t talk about him much—that’s true of most kickers—but Boswell has been a low-key dominator since arriving on the scene in 2015, booting 85 of his 95 career field goal attempts (that’s an 89.5 percent success rate) through the uprights. Boswell’s career long is only 53 yards, though he made all four of his attempts from long distance (50-plus yards) in 2017. Playing on a high-scoring Pittsburgh offense, Boswell should be among the most sought-after kickers in fantasy drafts this summer. Lucky me.

For what it’s worth, Yahoo gave my team a B+, which, though not what I was aiming for, sounds about right. They docked me points for not paying up at running back, which again is a valid criticism. Overall, I was projected to finish third in my 12-team league, so despite some of my shortcomings, this group, at least on paper, looks like a probable playoff squad. If you’re looking to ballpark how much money you should spend on a particular name, I’ve included the price of every player drafted for your convenience. I’d recommend giving it a once-over before your next auction draft, whenever that may be.

Le’Veon Bell, RB, PIT—$67

Todd Gurley, RB, LAR—$65

Ezekiel Elliott, RB, DAL—$63

David Johnson, RB, ARI—$63

Alvin Kamara, RB, NO—$61

Antonio Brown, WR, PIT—$60

Odell Beckham, WR, NYG—$58

Saquon Barkley, RB, NYG—$57

DeAndre Hopkins, WR, HOU—$57

Michael Thomas, WR, NO—$57

Kareem Hunt, RB, KC—$55

Julio Jones, WR, ATL—$52