Perhaps I got a late start, but I conducted my first NFL fantasy football mock draft of 2014 over the weekend. I was given the second overall pick in a league of 12 participants and I'm convinced this team would be bound for the championship if the season were to start tomorrow.
Below are the results from my Yahoo! Sports mock draft. I'll be providing my picks as well as the pick directly before and directly after mine in that specific round to give you an idea what was going on and what types of players were being taken. Additionally, I've selected the 'worst pick of the round' to also give you a clue who not to pick at a given time.
Round 1, Selection #2: Philadelphia Eagles RB LeSean McCoy
Pick #1: Chiefs RB Jamaal Charles
Pack #3: Lions WR Calvin Johnson
Worst Pick: Broncos RB Montee Ball - Despite Knowshon Moreno's success in the Bronco's backfield last year, it's likely that won't happen again. There were so many other players available that are more versatile than Ball will be this year. He also recently underwent an appendectomy and won't play the entire preseason.
Round 2, Selection #11: Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers
Pick #10: Bears WR Alshon Jeffery
Pick #12: Steelers RB LeVeon Bell
Worst Pick: Cowboys RB DeMarco Murray - His health has been a major concern with the exception of last season when he started 14 games (1,121 rush yards and 9 touchdowns), but I'm not fond of players with a lengthy injury history. And the Cowboys will figure out a way to drop the ball (in both senses of the term) as they usually do.
Round 3, Selection #2: Tampa Bay Buccaneers RB Doug Martin
Pick #1: Steelers WR Antonio Brown
Pick #3: Redskins RB Alfred Morris
Worst Pick: Patriots RB Stevan Ridley - There were just better running backs available (as you'll see while the draft progresses) and New England is known to spread the ball around in the backfield (last year Ridley, LeGarrett Blount, Shane Vereen, and Brandon Bolden all carried the ball).
Round 4, Selection #11: Seattle Seahawks WR Percy Harvin
Pick #10: Jaguars RB Toby Gerhart
Pick #12: 49ers WR Michael Crabtree
Worst Pick: Jaguars RB Toby Gerhart - He's on the Jaguars and they have no quarterback.
Round 5, Selection #2: New York Giants RB Rashad Jennings
Pick #1: Lions QB Matthew Stafford
Pick #3: Lions RB Joique Bell
Worst Pick: Lions RB Joique Bell - A backup running back in the fifth round? As Keyshawn Johnson would say: COME ON MAN!!
Round 6, Selection #11: New Orleans Saints WR Marques Colston
Pick #10: Redskins QB Robert Griffin III
Pick #12: Browns RB Ben Tate
Worst Pick: Falcons RB Steven Jackson - He's well into his latter years and seems to be injured fairly often. He also doesn't score that many touchdowns, but I guess if you need a running back it's not a terrible choice.
Round 7, Selection #2: Detroit Lions WR Golden Tate
Pick #1: Panthers TE Greg Olsen
Pick #3: Dolphins RB Lamar Miller
Worst Pick: Ravens RB Ray Rice - He beat his wife and somehow only got a two-game suspension.
Round 8, Selection #11: Chicago Bears TE Martellus Bennett
Pick #10: Saints WR Brandin Cooks
Pick #12: Colts WR Reggie Wayne
Worst Pick: Chiefs WR Dwayne Bowe - His quarterback is Alex Smith and he averaged 58 receptions per season over the past two years.
Round 9, Selection #2: New York Giants WR Reuben Randle
Pick #1: St. Louis DEF
Pick #3: 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick
Worst Pick: Patriots K Stephen Gostkowski - A kicker in Round 9? Quitting the draft would have been more courageous.
Round 10, Selection #11: Oakland Raiders RB Darren McFadden
Pick #10: Eagles TE Zach Ertz
Pick #12: Seahawks K Steven Hauschka
Worst Pick: Browns RB Terrance West - He's the backup behind Ben Tate and we all know JOHNNY FOOTBALL won't be handing the ball off to ANYONE.
Round 11, Selection #2: Cleveland Browns DEF
Pick #1: Bengals WR Marvin Jones
Pick #3: Arizona Cardinals DEF
Worst Pick: Bengals WR Marvin Jones - It wouldn't be as bad if he didn't just break his foot.
Round 12, Selection #11: New York Giants QB Eli Manning
Pick #10: Patriots WR Danny Amendola
Pick #12: Chargers TE Ladarius Green
Worst Pick: Chargers TE Ladarius Green - In case anyone forgot, Antonio Gates is still in San Diego and he amassed 77 receptions for 872 yards last season. Still Philip Rivers' fav.
Round 13, Selection #2: Seattle Seahawks WR Doug Baldwin
Pick #1: Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill
Pick #3: Denver Broncos DEF
Worst Pick: Panthers WR Jerricho Cotchery - I just don't see him making an impact until later in the season when this completely brand new wide receiving corps. begins to finally mesh as a unit.
Round 14, Selection #11: 49ers WR Stevie Johnson
Pick #10: Seahawks RB Christine Michael
Pick #12: Browns WR Miles Austin
Worst Pick: Browns WR Miles Austin - He's had two impressive years in the NFL and injuries have hampered him in two of the past three seasons. Why would he be better in Cleveland where the offense is much worse than it is in Dallas? And again, JOHNNY FOOTBALL will not give the ball to ANYONE else.
Round 15, Selection #2: Philadelphia Eagles TE Brent Celek
Pick #1: Buffalo Bills DEF
Pick #3: 49ers RB Carlos Hyde
Worst Pick: I'll give everyone a free pass in the last round.
Complete 2014 Lineup:
QB: Aaron Rodgers
RB: LeSean McCoy
RB: Doug Martin
WR: Percy Harvin
WR: Marques Colston
WR: Golden Tate
TE: Martellus Bennett
W/R/T: Rashad Jennings
DEF: Cleveland
K: Waiting until Week 1 to pick up
BN: WR Reuben Randle
BN: RB Darren McFadden
BN: QB Eli Manning
BN: WR Doug Baldwin
BN: WR Stevie Johnson
BN: TE Brent Celek