So I was sitting there in front of my Mac, in my favorite coffee shop in Chicago, (Noble Tree check it out), tweeting away about how many live versions of Machine Gun by Hendrix I own and if Brandon Inge should wear a Smashing Pumpkins’ ZERO shirt under his All Star jersey, when My Fantasy Players asked me to join a PPR Mock Draft over at Fantasy Football Calculator. Now, if you made it through that sentence I’m proud of you and you probably already know that PPR means points per reception, not Pabst Poo Ribbon Mock Draft Beer.
So, in PPR leagues, you want to target those scrappy backs who can catch the ball out of the backfield. Last year Westbrook would be your #1 PPR back, but this year there is a wide variety, MJD, Forte, SJax, Slaton, etc . . . Plus you have your ultimate PPR wide receiver in the scrappiest of Scrappy Doos, Wes Welker. Did I get any of those guys in my draft? Of course not. Let my mock draft be a warning to all of you. Do not draft unprepared. I figured my brain was prepared enough for a mock draft, but my brain was not, my brain was like that egg in that 80’s PSA, my brain was all confused like when Picard found himself on that shuttle from another time, well, you get the picture. Here are my mock draft results. Mock me. I can take it.
1. DeAngelo Williams #10: Going with upside here. Williams, like I’ve said, is a risk, but he was the only one left that could get some receptions while having a big year on the ground. Boom or Bust.
2. Ronnie Brown #15: Probably reached here, but I’m a big proponent of Brown this year. See what Brown can do for you. He will deliver! Anyway, he is 2 years removed from his surgery, still young, can catch the ball out of the backfield and is on an improved team.
3. Roy Williams #34: Well, every decent wide receiver was gone. I like Williams. He never seemed to catch on after being traded mid-season last year, but with TO gone from Big D it’s Roys time to shine or at least sparkle a little. He will get the opportunity and I think he can succeed. Of course I would rather have at least one top tier receiver and probably should have gone that way with my 2nd pick.
4. Aaron Rodgers #39: This was a mistake. I love Rodgers this year, but I could have gotten a decent QB MUCH later in the draft! Rodgers was only behind Brees last year in total fantasy points so I’d be happy to have him on my team, but just wait on a QB, really.
5. Anthony Gonzalez #58: No Marvin, no problem. Gonzalez will have a productive season.
6. Hines Ward #63: Maybe some unintentional homerism here. Ward is solid. I needed some solidity. Damn you Cheesy Bacon Potato Burrito!
7. Ray Rice #82:Â I don’t love the Ravens this year, but I think Rice will end up being the go to back.
8. Greg Olsen #87: Olsen is being sold as a top 5 TE with the addition of Cutler and I’m buying.
9. Laveranues Coles #106: I believe this pick has the biggest chance of being a bust. Coles should fit nicely into Houshmanzadeh’s role, but will he?  I say it’s 50/50, but I was weak at WR and need some reserves.
10. Matt Cassel #111: I don’t think the Chiefs will win over 5 games, but I think that means they will be chucking the ball often. Cassel fits the bill as a #2 QB.
11. Corell Buckhalter #130: Hmm, dunno. I like him in a ppr league if he can somehow become the starter for Denver. Of course there may never actually be a starter in Denver.
12. New England Defense #135: There was a big run on D’s. I got caught up and trampled.
13. Rob Bironas #154: Another dumb pick. No need to draft a kicker. I hate kickers. You should too.
14. Ladell Betts #159: Portis is old.
15. Devery Henderson #178: Probably droppable for the first flavor of the week. In a great system, but the 16th read.
Here are the results for the entire draft. You may need to sign up with Fantasy Football Calculator to see the results. I highly recommend that you do. No, not because I’m so egotistical that I think you’ll be riveted by the results of a mock draft I participated in, but because FFC is now the go to place for ADP. It filters out computer picks and only averages out the last three days of drafting. It also gives you charts on how each player is trending in drafts. I think it does even more than that if you fork over some cash, but I’m poor and if you have any extra cash you should give it to me.
