2019 10-Round Fantasy Football Expert Mock Draft, Part IV: Finding late-round value
With the NFL draft in the rearview mirror and fantasy football draft season in full effect, it’s time for our Yahoo experts to get in on the action. We recently held a 12-team, 10-round, 0.5 PPR mock to get things started. We’ll reveal two rounds in each piece. Without further ado, here are Rounds 7 and 8.
Rounds 1 and 2 | Rounds 3 and 4 | Rounds 5 and 6
ROUND 7: A run on elite QBs
Pick 73: Deshaun Watson, HOU, QB2 — The RB board is so nasty right now, I'm just going to go BPA and take someone whom I could see in the MVP discussion. Watson obviously has a great thing going with DeAndre Hopkins, but Will Fuller is a special talent and Keke Coutee should be useful, too. (Scott Pianowski 1)
Pick 74: Corey Davis, TEN, WR32 — He hasn't really passed the eye test for two years, but even in last year's uneven season, he cobbled together a WR27 finish. Dancing with Marcus Mariota, unfortunately, hasn't been much fun. (Pianowski 2)
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Pick 75: Andrew Luck, IND, QB3 — Surrounded by possibly the best cast and O-line of his career, the Captain has the musket loaded and is ready to fire. Top-10 in three different completion percentage categories last year, he's a threat to finish QB1 overall. (Brad Evans 1)
Pick 76: Dante Pettis, SF, WR33 — Per Harmon's #ReceptionPerception, he posted a 70.2% success rate vs. man coverage. Kid has skills, and is virtually locked in as Jimmy G's No. 1. (Evans 2)
Pick 77: Will Fuller, HOU, WR34 — Give me all the damn TDs ... while he's on the field, at least. Reportedly GTG post-ACL tear, Fuller's speed and hands make his potential risk 100 percent worth it. (Liz Loza 1)
Pick 78: Jared Cook, NO, TE7 — A TE coming off of a career season (68-896-6) and on a team with an aging QB that likes to target a big body in the middle of the field? Yeah, I'll take that in the 7th round. (Loza 2)
Pick 79: Eric Ebron, IND, TE8 — That Cook pick stung a little bit. But Ebron is an acceptable consolation prize; he doesn't need to approach last year's TD total to justify this price. And please don't come at me with any Jack Doyle nonsense. (Andy Behrens 1)
Pick 80: Derrius Guice, WAS, RB35 — Most of the news items on Guice have been scary, or just downright terrible. But he still has nearly two months to get right. If he's eventually getting 60 percent of the work in Washington's backfield, this pick is acceptable. (Behrens 2)
Pick 81: Curtis Samuel, CAR, WR35 — Getting my guy here. With Thielen and Thomas in place at WR1/2, I can go for broke at WR3. (Matt Harmon 1)
Pick 82: Aaron Rodgers, GB, QB4 — This team needs some RB security but not finding it here. So shooting for the possible QB1 here with an enviable pass-catching stable in place. (Harmon 2)
Pick 83: Marquez Valdes-Scantling, GB, WR36 — Still a bunch of WRs with upside to choose from, with MVS my favorite here given his situation in GB. (Dalton Del Don 1)
Pick 84: Keke Coutee, HOU, WR37 — If he can somehow avoid pulling his hamstring, Coutee will rack up targets out of the slot. (DDD 2)
ROUND 6: Balancing floors and ceilings
Pick 85: Marvin Jones, DET, WR38 — This is a boring pick, but Jones is one season removed from a 1,100-yard, nine-TD campaign, and Detroit is missing a bunch of targets with Golden Tate out of town. (DDD 1)
Pick 86: Devin Funchess, IND, WR39 — He has a low floor, but Funchess also has strong TD upside as Indy’s likely WR2. Again, I prefer waiting on wide receivers this year. (DDD 2)
Pick 87: Sterling Shepard, NYG, WR40 — Pairing another high-floor receiver on this WR heavy team in case A.J. Green does indeed suffer more injuries. He’s suffered a thumb injury since this writing, but is reportedly targeting a return in Week 1. (Harmon 1)
Pick 88: Miles Sanders, PHI, RB36 — Not in love with Sanders as a draft pick in totality but taking a stab at a ceiling in case the Gurley pick implodes. (Harmon 2)
Pick 89: Larry Fitzgerald, ARI, WR41 — Fitz has never let us down when paired with even a league-average QB. Kyler Murray and the Cards offense has a chance to be ridiculous in 2019. Don't rule out another 90-plus reception season. (Behrens 1)
Pick 90: Dede Westbrook, JAX, WR42 — This fantasy squad still needs a QB, but a zillion great ones are still available. Waiting another round or two makes sense. Westbrook is a serious talent entering his third year, plus he gets an upgrade at QB. (Behrens 2)
Pick 91: Ronald Jones, TB, RB37 — There are a lot of backs with less talent who have gone on to produce solid fantasy numbers because of circumstance. With little competition (sorry, but Peyton Barber and his 3.7 YPC ain't it) and in a Bruce Arians-designed offense, Jones can climb his way back to fantasy relevance. #HereForIt (Loza 1)
Pick 92: Austin Hooper, ATL, TE9 — The safer bet was Vance McDonald, but I can't live in a world where Vance McDonald is considered "safe." Hooper is coming off a career year and attached to a solid offense with an OC that favors the TE position. He could breakout or bust, but on this day I choose to be optimistic. (Loza 2)
Pick 93: Peyton Barber, TB, RB38 — Here is the actual Tampa starting RB. Jones is rubbish. Several Bucs beat writers believe it's Barber and everyone else for the gig, provided he can showcase better hands. (Evans 1)
Pick 94: Jordan Howard, PHI, RB39 — Sanders is the better long-term investment, but running behind the NFL's best offensive line and knowing Pederson's rotational tendencies, Howard could be a 6-8 TD producer this year. (Evans 2)
Pick 95: Matt Breida, SF, RB40 — I was eying Hooper in this spot, but at some point, my team needs to throw some darts at RB. Breida isn't built for a featured role, but you could say that about his competitors, too. Coleman might be better served in the passing game. Are we even sure McKinnon is good? (Pianowski 1)
Pick 96: Austin Ekeler, LAC, RB41 — I think his upside is an eyelash overblown because the Chargers are going to be judicious with Ekeler's touches if and when Gordon can't play. But Ekeler is also a splash play waiting to happen. I'd like this pick more in a best-ball environment, where I don't have to call the shot ahead of time. (Pianowski 2)
Part V of our mock will reveal results of Round 9-10
Follow the Yahoo fantasy football crew on Twitter: Brad Evans, Liz Loza, Andy Behrens, Scott Pianowski, Matt Harmon, and Dalton Del Don
