Wide receiver Mike Evans of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Getty)
The 2020 NFL regular season is quickly approaching, as are fantasy football drafts. Heavy’s fantasy experts Vinny Somma and Chris Crouse go back and forth in a three-round, 10-team PPR Mock Draft, giving in-depth analysis of each selection to better help you build a winning team this fantasy season.
*Reminder: This Mock is based on full-PPR scoring formats.
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3-Round Mock Draft
Team 1: Owner – @VinnySomma
- (R1 – No. 1) C. McCaffrey | RB | CAR
- (R2 – No. 20) George Kittle | TE | SF
- (R3 – No. 21) Kenyan Drake | RB | ARI
Will Christian McCaffrey see a dip from his absurd points output of nearly 30.0 per game from last season? It’s certainly possible. Yet, even then, you still come away with a player who’s averaged 22.6 points per game over his 48-game career.
With a slew of injuries in San Francisco and the second-easiest strength of schedule at the position, don’t be surprised if George Kittle posts career numbers in 2020.
Kenyan Drake‘s leg injury is worth monitoring, but if healthy, he plays in an offense where the lead point-getter in their backfield averaged 19.6 ppg on a weekly basis. – Vinny Somma
Team 2: Owner – @NBACrouse
- (R1 – No. 2) Ezekiel Elliott | RB | DAL
- (R2 – No. 19) Miles Sanders | RB | PHI
- (R3 – No. 22) Allen Robinson | WR | CHI
Zeke is about as safe as a pick as you can make and I would argue that he should be strongly considered for the No. 1 overall pick, given that Christian McCaffrey’s team is expected to struggle mightily and there’s risk of him getting shut down late in the season (Carolina is in year-one of Matt Ruhle’s seven-year plan).
I really wanted Chris Godwin at No. 19, who went one pick before but I was happy with Sanders here. The former Penn State running back was shooting up the draft boards earlier in the month, as I wrote for Pro Football Action, and while he shouldn’t be in the conversation for a first-round pick, I like the value at the end of the second. Same with Robinson, who was sixth in the league with 154 targets last season, at the beginning of the third. – Chris Crouse
Team 3: Owner – @VinnySomma
- (R1 – No. 3) Saquon Barkley | RB | NYG
- (R2 – No. 18) Chris Godwin | WR | TB
- (R3 – No. 23) Aaron Jones | RB | GB
A healthy Saquon Barkley should make a push for the No. 1 back in fantasy. The Giants stud closed out 2019 with a bang, averaging 31.6 ppg over the final three weeks, the most by any player.
Chris Godwin should lead the Tom Brady-led Bucs offense in receptions, as the GOAT loves his slot receivers. Brady targeted Julian Edelman 153 times last season, fourth-most in football.
I’m not the biggest fan of Aaron Jones, but you can’t deny the value here. Jones’ 19 total touchdowns tied Christian McCaffrey (who went No. 1 in this mock) for most in NFL. – Vinny Somma
Team 4: Owner – @NBACrouse
- (R1 – No. 4) Alvin Kamara | RB | NO
- (R2 – No. 17) Travis Kelce | TE | KC
- (R3 – No. 24) Patrick Mahomes | QB | KC
Kamara is a candidate to be fantasy’s No. 1 overall player in 2020 and his high-floor made me feel more comfortable forgoing depth at other positions to select the Kansas City duo. In each spot, I just didn’t feel there was better value. – Chris Crouse
Team 5: Owner – @VinnySomma
- (R1 – No. 5) Michael Thomas | WR | NO
- (R2 – No. 16) Austin Ekeler | RB | LAC
- (R3 – No. 25) L. Fournette | RB | JAC
He may not be the sexiest of picks, but Michael Thomas may very well be the safest. The Saints star has recorded no less than 104 receptions in each of the past three seasons while averaging 10-plus targets per game over that span.
Austin Ekeler is being slept on heavy, which has been a typical occurrence for the UDFA throughout his career. In games that Melvin Gordon was active last season, Ekeler still averaged the fifth-most points amongst all running backs, and now Gordon is in Denver.
Speaking of being slept on, Leonard Fournette finished as RB7 a season ago, hauling in nearly 80 receptions. – Vinny Somma
Team 6: Owner – @NBACrouse
- (R1 – No. 6) Nick Chubb | RB | CLE
- (R2 – No. 15) D. Hopkins | WR | ARI
- (R3 – No. 26) Adam Thielen | WR | MIN
Chubb is my No. 5 running back off the board. With Cleveland bringing in former Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski to run the show, the team is a strong candidate to lead the league in rushing, as I previously wrote for Pro Football Action. Additionally, the presence of Kareem Hunt isn’t worrisome given Stefanski’s propensity to use two running back backfields, as he did on 254 snaps in Minnesota last season (third in the league).
After securing Chubb, I went with Hopkins, who should thrive in his new home, and Thielen, who I expect to bounce back after an injury-plagued 2019 season. – Chris Crouse
Team 7: Owner – @VinnySomma
- (R1 – No. 7) Josh Jacobs | RB | LV
- (R2 – No. 14) Tyreek Hill | WR | KC
- (R3 – No. 27) Joe Mixon | RB | CIN
I’m crushing hard on Josh Jacobs this season. The Bama product was RB12 through 13 weeks of play in 2019, prior to a broken shoulder bone. In 2020, Jacobs has set a goal to catch 60 passes, don’t be surprised if he trumps that number by season’s end.
Don’t let Tyreek Hill‘s production in 2019 deter you from the league’s top game-breaker. He and Patrick Mahomes were marred by injury last season, he’ll likely produce round-one caliber numbers.
I’ve been waiting for Joe Mixon to pop off for years now, and this may finally be the year it comes to fruition. While trusting Cincinnati’s offense can be a scary commitment, Mixon did rank as RB6 throughout the final nine weeks of 2019. – Vinny Somma
Team 8: Owner – @NBACrouse
- (R1 – No. 8) Julio Jones | WR | ATL
- (R2 – No. 13) C. Edwards-Helaire | RB | KC
- (R3 – No. 28) J. Smith-Schuster | WR | PIT
I wasn’t in love with any of the running backs at No. 8 and with only two teams in my way until No. 13, I grabbed a stud WR in Julio Jones.
There’s so much risk surrounding Edwards-Helaire, though clear top-5 upside at No. 13 made too much sense to pass up on. Smith-Schuster will hopefully have a full season with Big Ben, something that will maximize his talents. – Chris Crouse
Team 9: Owner – @VinnySomma
- (R1 – No. 9) Davante Adams | WR | GB
- (R2 – No. 12) Dalvin Cook | RB | MIN
- (R3 – No. 29) Lamar Jackson | QB | BAL
Davante Adams struggled to find the end zone in 2019, but I wouldn’t read much into that, as the three-time Pro Bowler scored 35 total touchdowns over the three years prior.
Dalvin Cook will likely come off the board much earlier than this on draft day. His injury history is always a concern, but the fourth-easiest strength of schedule at the running back position certainly sweetens the pot.
Aside from Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson is the lone quarterback worthy of entertaining within the first three rounds. The league MVP should continue to develop as a passer in 2020. – Vinny Somma
Team 10: Owner – @NBACrouse
- (R1 – No. 10) Derrick Henry | RB | TEN
- (R2 – No. 11) Mike Evans | WR | TB
- (R3 – No. 30) Amari Cooper | WR | DAL
OK, I reached but there was no way Mike Evans was going to be there at No. 30. He already has a connection with Tom Brady and while there are weapons galore in Tampa Bay, I expect Evans to be the best fantasy option.
Getting Derrick Henry at No. 11 was solid, even in PPR. The optimist would say Henry’s targets in the passing game have gone up every season that he’s been in the league (15, 17, 18, 24). The Cowboys offense is going to be special and Cooper should shine yet again. – Chris Crouse
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Heavy Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Josh Jacobs Climbing Rapidly