There are casual football fans, there are diehard football fans and then there are fantasy players. And any hardcore fantasy player knows that this weekend is one of the most popular times to hold a fantasy draft. I know what you’re thinking: “But I already have my strategy.” Hey, it’s good to have a game plan, but it’s not enough to know what you’re going to do. You have to know what your opponents are going to do. And any mock draft you can get your hands on is a good source of intel. Oh, look, here’s one now …
A. 1st round
The top of the draft takes care of itself, but the Brian Westbrook pick bears some discussion. He produced 11 touchdowns in 2006, and that’s with Donovan McNabb hurt much of the season. He’ll be McNabb’s most reliable target as the quarterback gets back in his groove.
B. 1st round
Fast Willie’s (below right) versatility in the passing game makes him a sexier pick than Rudi Johnson, but Parker wore down at the end of last season (and there are already concerns about his stamina this season. Johnson is as predictable as they come — 12 TDs and at least 1,300 yards each of the last three seasons. He doesn’t catch many passes, but if you value a sure thing, particularly at the low end of the draft, Johnson’s the way to go.
C. 2nd round
Notice something. That’s right, only one receiver has been taken in the first two rounds. That’s how important running back and quarterback will be this season after a lot of off-season personnel shuffling.
D. 5th round
I think Philip Rivers is flying under the radar. He doesn’t make the kind of mistakes other young QBs are prone to. He also has Antonio Gates and an emerging target in Vincent Jackson. Besides the Madden curse, Vince Young has to contend with building a rapport with a new crop of receivers. He’s too talented as a scrambler and playmaker to drop far, though.
E. 5th round
Owens, Burress and Moss (below). This is what I call Death Row. You may end up looking like a genius — or an idiot — for taking a shot at any of these three super-talented head cases.
F. 6th round
I thought about backing up Cutler with Tony Romo here, but I’m not exactly sold that Romo will be better than Matt Hasselbeck or Alex Smith or a few others. But Berrian is sleeper, like the Viking’s Adrian Peterson, Chargers’ Vincent Jackson or Steelers’ Santonio Holmes.
G. 6th round
Ladell Betts (below) could be a steal. As in stealing goal line touches from Clinton Portis — not that he’ll stay healthy all season anyway.
H. 6th round
Why has Edgerrin James dropped so low? I don’t care how good he USED to be, you tell me the name of the last great Arizona Cardinals running back. … Yeah, if you’re thinking that long, I rest my case.
I. 7th round
Note that when you have an questionable QB like the perpetually injured McNabb or the youthful Matt Leinart, you should back him up as soon as possible.
J. 10th round
In case you couldn’t tell, I’m not high on Braylon Edwards and other Cleveland players because of the uncertainty at quarterback and the fact they play in a very touch division.
RD 1
PICK 1
La Dainian Tomlinson, RB, SD
PICK 2
Steven Jackson, RB, STL
PICK 3
Shaun Alexander, RB, SEA
PICK 4
Larry Johnson, RB, KC
PICK 5
Joseph Addai, RB, IND
PICK 6
Frank Gore, RB, SF
PICK 7
(A) Brian Westbrook, RB, PHI
PICK 8
Peyton Manning, QB, IND
PICK 9
Rudi Johnson, RB, CIN
PICK 10
(B) Willie Parker, RB, PIT
RD 2
PICK 1
Ronnie Brown, RB, MIA
PICK 2
Thomas Jones, RB, NYJ
PICK 3
Tom Brady, QB, NE
PICK 4
(C) Chad Johnson, WR, CIN
PICK 5
Willis McGahee, RB, BAL
PICK 6
Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, JAX
PICK 7
Carson Palmer, QB, CIN
PICK 8
Laurence Maroney, RB, NE
PICK 9
Travis Henry, RB, DEN
PICK 10
Reggie Bush, RB, NO
RD 3
PICK 1
Torry Holt, WR, STL
PICK 2
Steve Smith, WR, Panthers
PICK 3
Cedric Benson, RB, Bears
PICK 4
Brandon Jacobs, RB, NYG
PICK 5
Drew Brees, QB, NO
PICK 6
Reggie Wayne, WR, IND
PICK 7
Roy Williams, WR, DET
PICK 8
Deuce McAllister, RB, NO
PICK 9
Marc Bulger, QB, STL
PICK 10
Marshawn Lynch, RB, BUF
RD 4
PICK 1
Jay Cutler, QB, DEN
PICK 2
T.J. Houshmandzadeh, WR, CIN
PICK 3
Anquan Boldin, WR, ARI
PICK 4
Jon Kitna, QB, DET
PICK 5
Andre Johnson, WR, HOU
PICK 6
Donovan McNabb, QB, PHI
PICK 7
Clinton Portis, RB, WAS
PICK 8
Javon Walker, WR, DEN
PICK 9
Marvin Harrison, WR, IND
PICK 10
Larry Fitzgerald, WR, ARI
RD 5
PICK 1
Marques Colston, WR, NO
PICK 2
(D) Philip Rivers, QB, SD
PICK 3
Antonio Gates, TE, SD
PICK 4
Marion Barber, RB, DAL
PICK 5
Lee Evans, WR, BUF
PICK 6
Adrian Peterson, RB, MIN
PICK 7
(E) Terrell Owens, WR, DAL
PICK 8
Plaxico Burress, WR, NYG
PICK 9
Randy Moss, WR, NE
PICK 10
Matt Leinart, QB, ARI
RD 6
PICK 1
(F) Bernard Berrian, WR, BEARS
PICK 2
(G) Ladell Betts, RB, WAS
PICK 3
Julius Jones, RB, DAL
PICK 4
Reggie Brown, WR, PHI
PICK 5
Jamal Lewis, RB, CLE
PICK 6
Tony Gonzalez, TE, KC
PICK 7
Tatum Bell, RB, DET
PICK 8
Brandon Jackson, RB, GB
PICK 9
(H) Edgerrin James, RB, ARI
PICK 10
Hines Ward, WR, PIT
RD 7
PICK 1
Jerious Norwood, RB, ATL
PICK 2
Bears D
PICK 3
Vincent Jackson, WR, SD
PICK 4
Vince Young, QB, TEN
PICK 5
Ravens D
PICK 6
(I) Tony Romo, QB, DAL
PICK 7
Chris Chambers, WR, MIA
PICK 8
Deion Branch, WR, SEA
PICK 9
Santana Moss, WR, WAS
PICK 10
Matt Hasselbeck, QB, SEA
RD 8
PICK 1
Jaguars D
PICK 2
Matt Jones, WR, JAX
PICK 3
Donte Stallworth, WR, NE
PICK 4
Donald Driver, WR, GB
PICK 5
Cadillac Williams, RB, TB
PICK 6
Santonio Holmes, WR, PIT
PICK 7
Darrell Jackson, WR, SF
PICK 8
Eli Manning, QB, NYG
PICK 9
Todd Heap, TE, BAL
PICK 10
Lavernaues Coles, WR, NYJ
RD 9
PICK 1
Ben Roethlisberger, QB, PIT
PICK 2
DeAngelo Williams, RB, CAR
PICK 3
Brett Favre, QB, GB
PICK 4
Vernon Davis, TE, SF
PICK 5
Chris Cooley, TE, WAS
PICK 6
Mike Furrey, WR, DET
PICK 7
Patriots D
PICK 8
Alge Crumpler, TE, ATL
PICK 9
Ahman Green, RB, HOU
PICK 10
Warrick Dunn, RB, ATL
RD 10
PICK 1
LaMont Jordan, RB, OAK
PICK 2
Kellen Winslow, TE
PICK 3
Terry Glenn, WR, DAL
PICK 4
Eagles D
PICK 5
(J) Braylon Edwards, WR, CLE
PICK 6
Jeff Wilkins, K, S
PICK 7
Rex Grossman, QB, BEARS
PICK 8
Muhsin Muhammad, WR, BEARS
PICK 9
Alex Smith, QB, SF
PICK 10
Robbie Gould, K, BEARS
———-
plthompson@tribune.com
