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Dynasty draft season is underway. With that in mind, it’s time to dive into a 12-team dynasty superflex mock draft. Draft strategies are often totally altered when it comes to superflex, as landing two quality quarterbacks is the priority. This means no more waiting until the 10th round to draft your first signal-caller.
In dynasty leagues, especially startups, I lean heavily towards youth, and in many cases, to the top rookies in the class (as they are often values in early drafts). In this draft, I opted to focus on the running back and quarterback positions while filling out my wide receivers as the draft progressed. Let’s dig in.
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1.10: Lamar Jackson (QB – BAL)
I was stunned that Lamar Jackson lasted until the 10th overall pick. I was happy when the randomizer in our draft simulator tool gave me the 10th pick, as I thought it would mean that I would be able to forgo Lamar or Patrick Mahomes in the first round. However, at 10th overall, he was simply too good of a value to pass up. The player I would have otherwise drafted here would be Joe Mixon.
2.03: Joe Mixon (RB – CIN)
Joe Mixon is someone I am targeting in the first round of dynasty league drafts regardless of format. In fact, I have been doing so since he was a rookie. That said, I couldn’t take him over Lamar Jackson in superflex, so I took a risk on missing out on someone I have ranked as a top-five dynasty asset at his position. Luckily, having the 10th pick meant I only had to wait four picks until my next selection. Joe Mixon should have a true breakout season in store for his fantasy owners, as the extra space players like A.J. Green and Joe Burrow will afford him should finally allow him to scratch the surface of his true potential.
3.10: Miles Sanders (RB – PHI)
I was in a unique position with my third-round pick, as I was able to forgo worrying about a QB1 (since I already had Lamar Jackson) and simply take the best player available. I thought long and hard about taking Jonathan Taylor here, but I rationalized that he had a much higher chance of still being available five picks from now than someone like Miles Sanders does. To be clear, I have Taylor well ahead of Sanders in my dynasty rankings, but Sanders is too good of a value to pass up at the end of the third round. He will make for easy trade bait prior to the NFL Draft, and he is someone I would be looking to ship off immediately. If the Eagles do not add another running back in the draft, Sanders could be in for a monster RB1 season. However, he will be in perpetual danger of ceding major work to an incoming rookie year after year. That is not a headache I wish to deal with.
4.03: Jonathan Taylor (RB – FA)
As mentioned above, Taylor was my actual target in round three, but I decided to play the expected ADP game instead. In a single quarterback league, Taylor is worthy of a third. In a superflex league, an early fourth is just fine. It’s true that we still do not know where Taylor will wind up as far as his future NFL team goes, but he has all the ability and pedigree to be one of the NFL’s rare three-down workhorses. I am absolutely thrilled at the state of my current running back room.
5.10: Josh Allen (QB – BUF)
I know I already had three running backs, but I absolutely cringed watching D’Andre Swift’s name pop up just a few picks before it was my turn on the clock again. Looking at the handy cheat sheet tool in the draft assistant portion of the draft simulator, I could see that there was a major tier drop off coming after Josh Allen was selected (it would be another 20 picks until another quarterback was selected). Choosing two quarterbacks in the first five rounds is enough to make me weep, but the prospect of having the services of two QB1s who will threaten to lead the position in rushing touchdowns on a yearly basis was too tempting to pass up. Josh Allen‘s arrow is pointing straight up after the acquisition of Stefon Diggs, and I was more than happy to land him this late.
6.03: Jerry Jeudy (WR – FA)
I am going to need to draft wide receivers eventually, right? Due to my experience in a recent 12-team dynasty league superflex startup, I had already resolved to address the running back and quarterback positions in the first five to six rounds. Then, I would turn my focus to an incredibly deep wide receiver position, both in fantasy and in terms of the rookie class. I already have Jeudy ranked as a WR1 in dynasty leagues, and only landing with Adam Gase on the New York Jets could stop his ascension. Jeudy may not be the most physically dominant player, but he has the tools to thrive — provided he does not land somewhere like Jacksonville or with the New York Jets.
7.10: Cam Akers (RB – FA)
I am actually not sure why I took Cam Akers when J.K. Dobbins was still on the board. This goes to accentuate that creating custom cheat sheets in our draft wizard is a critical step in ensuring that you do not pass over one of your targets. With that being said, Akers is a tremendous pick in the seventh round. He should be drafted to at least compete for a starting job, and quite frankly, there are not many depth charts in the NFL that he would not be able to top. CeeDee Lamb would have been the pick here if he hadn’t already been drafted.
8.03: Mark Andrews (TE – BAL)
At this point in the draft, I remember snickering to myself that Mark Andrews was still available. I was aware that it was a superflex draft, but there is no way Andrews should have still been available in the eighth round. With that said, there were only two tight ends selected at this point. Andrews was the pick over Zach Ertz due to age, and over Evan Engram because I believe in Lamar Jackson considerably more than I believe in Daniel Jones. Andrews was an incredible value here, and he was simply too good to pass up.
9.10: Noah Fant (TE – DEN)
I must have been distracted at this point in the mock draft, as I was not aware at the time that I had just picked Mark Andrews. That said, at this point in the draft, it was all about value. While other teams were still picking their second quarterback, I was already sitting pretty laying in wait for the best players available. Noah Fant qualifies here. I still only have one receiver at this point, but was confident enough that I would be able to land quality, high upside receivers in the next round or two who are set to see their ADP skyrocket in the coming months.
10.03: Darren Waller (TE – OAK)
I should reiterate that at this point in the draft, I was still unaware that I had already selected Mark Andrews in the eighth round. However, I was aware that I just drafted Noah Fant. But passing up on Waller in the 10th made little sense. With actual difference-making, starting-caliber wideouts set to be added to the Oakland Raiders roster this offseason, Waller is set to take a major step back production-wise. However, with this being a startup that takes place before the 2020 NFL Draft, I would look to use the time before the draft to shop Waller heavily.
11.10: Preston Williams (WR – MIA)
Waiting until the 11th round to draft your second receiver is a worthwhile strategy — but it’s a risky one. I was lucky enough to land someone I have been high on since before the 2019 NFL Draft in Preston Williams. Criminally undervalued due to DeVante Parker’s breakout, fantasy owners would be wise to remember that it was Williams and not Parker who led the team in targets, target share, receptions, receiving yards, air yards, and fantasy points before he went down with his season-ending injury. Add in someone like Tua Tagovailoa to the mix, and we have the makings of a potential WR2 on our hands.
12.03: Tee Higgins (WR – FA)
Since the rest of my team has already been filled out, it’s time to make a run on wide receivers. Tee Higgins would be in the mix to be the first wide receiver off the board in many draft classes, and he’s within the top five on most draft boards in both real life and in fantasy football. I have Jalen Reagor slightly ahead of Higgins in my personal rankings, but I am aware that many others do not share this sentiment. As such, I decided to take the plunge on Higgins and wait on the more landing spot vulnerable rookie from TCU.
13.10: Teddy Bridgewater (QB – CAR)
I thought long and hard about both Drew Lock and Teddy Bridgewater in the 12th round, but I decided that landing a quality WR3 was more important than my QB3, especially with a few appealing options still left on the board. Bridgewater should be the starter in Carolina for at least two seasons, and he has the collection of skill talent around him to hold onto the job beyond that. I still think Cam Newton would have been a much better fit in Joe Brady’s offense, but I am not surprised that cutting ties with a locker room leader like Cam was the move with a rookie head coach.
14.03: Clyde Edwards-Helaire (RB – FA)
Clyde Edwards-Helaire continues to be undervalued by the dynasty community. While he did not impress over multiple years like many of the rookie running backs drafted before him in this startup, he had a terrific junior season. His tape screams future PPR star, but he is going to have to land in a favorable depth chart situation to avoid being in a committee. An instant RB2 if he gets starters touches, CEH appears to be one of the top values in current startups.
15.10: Zack Moss (RB – FA)
Zack Moss lost a lot of fans by running slower than expected at the 2020 NFL Combine, but as most people who have studied his game film will tell you, speed has never been his game. He wins with physicality, grit, explosion, and elite level contact balance. He relishes contact and breaks tackles with ease, and has been one of my favorite prospects since before he decided to return for his senior season. Moss may not be drafted to start, but he will at least be (hopefully) drafted to compete for a starting gig. Weirder things have happened in the NFL as teams with a top back often look for high upside depth, but the count of running back needy teams bodes well for his chances of finding himself in a favorable situation.
16.03: Jalen Reagor (WR – FA)
Jalen Reagor was somehow still available in the 16th round, but I’m not going to complain. Reagor is a little landing spot dependent, as an unimaginative play-caller could pigeonhole him as just a deep threat. His startup dynasty stock is bound to soar in the coming months, as Reagor is sure to be drafted for an immediate role. I was ready to draft him in the 12th round, so I was delighted that he lasted while I went on a running back tilt after seeing who was still on the board.
17.10: Justin Herbert (QB – FA)
At this point in the draft, I already have three quarterbacks. But with Teddy Bridgewater potentially only lasting a couple of seasons as the starter for the Carolina Panthers, it felt necessary to make sure I had an in-house replacement option. If I did not land someone like Justin Herbert, I would likely be forced into spending a future rookie pick on a quarterback whether I wanted to or not. Herbert is expected to redshirt his rookie season, but as my QB4, I am not concerned. He has all the tools to eventually ascend to the QB1 conversation, and I could not ask for anything more from my 17th round pick.
18.03: Henry Ruggs (WR – FA)
Henry Ruggs is going to be a star in the NFL due to his game-changing speed, but there is still a legitimate debate as to whether or not that will translate to fantasy success. He is much more than a one-trick pony, but the analytics crowd is concerned that he was unable to find a way to stand out on his college team. His supporters will be quick to point out that he likely played in a more talented wide receiver room than most current NFL teams have. Whichever way things end up panning out in terms of his fantasy football success, the one thing that is certain is that he is an absolute value in the 18th round of a startup.
19.10: Laviska Shenault (WR – FA)
Coming into the 2019 season, Laviska Shenault was in the mix as one of the top three receivers in the 2020 NFL Draft class. All he needed to do was get through the season healthy. Unfortunately, he was unable to do so, and he may have seen his stock dip both in real life and in the virtual gridiron. He is going to be a little landing spot dependent as far as reaching his immense potential, but with my final pick of the draft, I could not ask for a more talented player.
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Raju Byfield is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Raju, check out his archive and follow him @FantasyContext.