In this series, we’ll look at a mock draft conducted from each draft slot and break down the best choice and some alternatives at each selection. We’ll look at the individual player selection and how each player fits into the overall roster construction of the team. Then we’ll look at what selection Awesemo’s rankings would have made. The mock is for a three-receiver, two-back, half-PPR league. Here we look at winning your fantasy football draft with the fifth overall pick.
Tired of the industry consensus and of the hot take machine? How about a data driven approach for a change? The world’s No. 1 daily fantasy player has put his projections talents to work, creating Awesemo’s first ever Fantasy Football Draft Kit. In it, users will receive access to:
- Awesemo’s Fantasy Football Rankings
- The Draft Wingman
- Breakouts, Sleepers and Busts Table
- Awesemo Cheatsheets
- Customizable Strength of Schedule Tool
- Awesemo’s Live Mock Drafts (coming soon)
All this for just $29.95 and that includes a $35 credit for new users at FFPC. Sign up HERE!
Fantasy Football Mock Draft from the 5th Overall Pick
Mock Draft 1.05 Selection: Dalvin Cook
Alternative: Michael Thomas
Cook quietly amassed a massive workload in his third season. He missed two games but averaged 21.6 touches per game when healthy. That’s the fourth-highest mark in the league. Cook is a game-changing fantasy back.
There were only two options worth considering here, but in a league that only gives 0.5 points per reception, taking Thomas over an elite back isn’t a smart move. Thomas’ game is built too heavily on receptions to select in the top five of a half-PPR league.
Mock Draft 2.08 Selection: Miles Sanders
Alternative: None
There have been nine running backs to post at least 500 rushing and receiving yards in their rookie season. Excluding Sanders, the most recent back to join that list, the average sophomore season of these backs has 1,551 yards from scrimmage. Backs who can do it all tend to crush early in their career. Sanders will be no different this year.
Awesemo’s rankings don’t like Sanders inside the first 10 picks, but him falling to the middle of the second round is absurd. With two workhorse backs already on the roster, this team is likely to go receiver-heavy for a while.
Mock Draft 3.05 Selection: Adam Thielen
Alternative: David Johnson, James Conner
Thielen was injured off and on in 2019. In 2018, Thielen was a dominant WR1. He posted 1,373 yards and scored nine times on 113 receptions. With Stefon Diggs out of the picture, Thielen is likely to assume that same role and should easily beat his third-round ADP.
There are a handful of running backs that Awesemo’s projections would take over Thielen here, but they are also likely to be available in the fourth or fifth round. Based on data from hundreds of drafts, David Johnson makes it to the fifth round 37% of the time. Conner is available at the top of the fifth in 27% of drafts. Thielen was the last of the No. 1 receivers.
Mock Draft 4.08 Selection: Calvin Ridley
Alternative: David Johnson
The Falcons led the league with 42.8 pass attempts per game, and no other teamed topped 40 last year. Ridley led the Falcons with 9.3 yards per target. He also finished first on the team with seven scores despite missing three games. Based on his efficiency and production, it wouldn’t be surprising for him to surpass Julio Jones this year.
Taking a team’s second receiver with this early of a pick isn’t usual, but Ridley isn’t your typical No. 2 wideout. It’s not crazy to take a shot on a team’s second option if that team is a high-octane offense (see 2019 Chris Godwin).
Mock Draft 5.05 Selection: David Johnson
Alternative: Le’Veon Bell
Johnson looked washed in 2019, but so did Carlos Hyde two years ago. After washing out of Cleveland and making no impact in Jacksonville, Hyde went to Houston and posted his first 1,000-yard season. The Texans line has improved in recent years, and Watson is able to freeze linebackers in their tracks with his legs. Johnson has two seasons of 300 touches under his belt and is in line to take over Hyde’s role. The guarantee of volume makes him valuable.
Awesemo’s projections have Johnson as a viable pick at the end of the second round. However, knowing that he often slips to the fifth round, the longer this team can wait to select him the more value it generates. The fourth round is a fair price to pay.
Mock Draft 6.09 Selection: Julian Edelman
Alternative: None
At the age of 34 and without Tom Brady in the fold, Edelman is no longer an exciting pick. However, Edelman saw 153 targets last year, fourth-most in the league. Those are the cheapest targets you can find in drafts this year.
All targets have caveats. Some players only get them when hurt. Others don’t see red zone targets. Edelman’s are short and on a boring offense, but 153 targets is still an absurd amount of targets to buy in the sixth round.
Mock Draft 7.05 Selection: Raheem Mostert
Alternative: Kareem Hunt, Will Fuller
This draft went receiver-heavy in the middle rounds, causing some running backs like Mostert and Hunt to fall. One of the downsides of favoring a single position in the early rounds is that if other teams adopt the same strategy, you end up fighting an uphill battle to fill other positions. Luckily, this team started off balance, giving it a lot of flexibility in the middle rounds.
With Cook sustaining multiple injuries throughout his career and Sanders having just one year under his belt, it made sense to lean toward the immediate production from Mostert instead of Hunt’s theoretical upside.
Mock Draft 8.09 Selection: John Brown
Alternative: Jamison Crowder
At receiver, this team is fine to take an opposite approach in terms of risk. Thielen and Edelman are both high-floor plays but won’t be making many downfield, splash plays. Brown is the opposite.
His 14.6 average depth of target was top 20 in the league last year. The presence of Diggs could change that, so it’s nice to have the luxury of keeping Brown on the bench until his new role is revealed.
Mock Draft 9.05 Selection: Tarik Cohen
Alternative: Ke’Shaun Vaughn
With a lot of viable tight ends still on the board, this team has the ability to continue to hammer flex options. Fantasy teams can’t survive getting buried in the flex spot, and no one is going to hit on every pick. That’s why this team runs deep with flex players like Cohen, who posted 1,169 yards and eight scores in 2018.
With two of this team’s first three picks spent on Vikings players, Kirk Cousins has to be the quarterback. Minnesota’s offense already needs to perform well for this team to work, so there’s no reason not to add Cousins to that parlay. He would have made this roster within the next few rounds.
Mock Draft 10.09 Selection: Jared Cook
Alternative: Mike Gesicki
Cook was a dynamic play maker with the Saints in 2019. His 11.3 average depth of target was second among tight ends, and his mark of 10.8 yards per target led all tight ends.
Weekly managed leagues usually have deep waivers and don’t require you to have multiple tight ends. However, with Cook being a volatile weekly option, this team is likely to take another shot at tight end with a player like Gesicki or T.J. Hockenson.
Follow us on all of our social channels! Check out our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more great Awesemo content.
Don’t forget to check out the loads of free content on our Fantasy Football home page, including more fantasy football breakouts, Sign up for just $29.95 (includes a $35 credit at FFPC for new users). Sign up HERE!
