Ah, spring weather is finally beginning to arrive, which means that mock drafts abound. While people tirelessly attempt to predict every pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, it’s also prime mock draft season for fantasy football fans. With drafts taking place in the coming months, I have utilized our Draft Wizard tool that allows you to conduct different mock drafts to get a feel for what could transpire in your actual drafts.
The mock draft I have conducted is for a Superflex PPR redraft league, and I randomly assigned myself a pick. After randomizing the draft order, I was awarded the eighth-overall selection, and these are the players I took in each round of the mock draft. You will also be able to view the entire draft board and projected standings as well. The mock draft simulator will also be more accurate for incoming rookies once the 2021 NFL Draft concludes.
Check out all of our 2021 NFL Draft coverage 
Pick 1.8: Kyler Murray (QB – ARI)
Grabbing a premier quarterback early in Superflex leagues is a wise strategy, and I couldn’t pass on Kyler Murray with Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen already gone. Murray finished as the QB2 in 2020, and his rushing upside (1,363 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns combined in his first two seasons) gives him a safe floor in fantasy football. Having another offseason to work with DeAndre Hopkins — plus the addition of A.J. Green — could mean improved passing numbers from Murray in 2021.
Pick 2.5: Jonathan Taylor (RB – IND)
It took me less than one second to make Jonathan Taylor my second-round pick. I fully expect Taylor to be a first or early second-round pick in most drafts this offseason. The second-year back finished his rookie season strong by leading all running backs in scoring from Weeks 13-17 and posting 26.1 points per game in that span. Taylor now gets Carson Wentz as his quarterback, still has a stout offensive line, and the Indianapolis Colts have already shown they want to make him a focal point of their offense.
Pick 3.8: Terry McLaurin (WR – WAS)
During free agency, there weren’t many players that received a boost as much as Terry McLaurin did. McLaurin has already proven to be a stud wide receiver despite having lackluster options at quarterback on the Washington Football Team. But the arrival of Ryan Fitzpatrick points toward Washington wanting to push the ball down the field more, which benefits McLaurin tremendously. Even if Washington also adds a quarterback in the draft, McLaurin will have a massive upgrade under center in 2021.
Pick 4.5: Joe Mixon (RB – CIN)
The discourse surrounding Joe Mixon this offseason is interesting to see, as it seems most people are either somewhat optimistic or completely avoiding him. For me, I believe Mixon is poised to return to being a solid RB1 with Joe Burrow expected back for the Cincinnati Bengals early in the 2021 season — along with the expected additions to the offensive line in the 2021 NFL Draft. The Bengals didn’t sign Mixon to a long-term deal for him to have a split workload, and the recent release of Giovani Bernard confirms that.
Pick 5.8: Kenny Golladay (WR – NYG)
Just as the wide receiver market seemed to be drying out in free agency, Kenny Golladay inked an expensive contract with the New York Giants. Golladay immediately becomes the No. 1 option on the Giants, and it’s clear that they want to give Daniel Jones any chance to succeed. With D.J. Moore and CeeDee Lamb going right before I was on the clock in the fifth round, Golladay wasn’t a bad selection to give me a wide receiver that should create plenty of chunk plays in 2021.
Pick 6.5: Matt Ryan (QB – ATL)
Trying to play the waiting game for your second quarterback in a Superflex league is extremely dangerous, but it does get your adrenaline going. Instead of taking the chaotic route, I played it safe and took Matt Ryan in the sixth round of the draft. The Atlanta Falcons could choose Ryan’s eventual replacement with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. However, his recent restructured contract suggests otherwise, and the veteran signal-caller still has a couple more years of being a fantasy-viable quarterback in redraft leagues due to having Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley, Hayden Hurst, and possibly another weapon entering next season.
Pick 7.8: D.J. Chark Jr. (WR – JAC)
It has been assumed for months that the Jacksonville Jaguars are going to take Trevor Lawrence with the No. 1 overall selection in this year’s draft. Once it becomes official, the wide receivers on the Jaguars all receive a boost. While Marvin Jones’ arrival doesn’t help Chark’s stock, he should thrive with an aggressive quarterback like Lawrence. I’m expecting Chark to return to his 2019 form rather than have another showing like 2020.
Pick 8.5: Kareem Hunt (RB – CLE)
When it comes to RB2s or flex options at the running back position, none of them fit the mold like Kareem Hunt does. Even though he shares a workload with Nick Chubb, Hunt still has a prominent role on the Cleveland Browns, especially in the passing game. If Chubb is forced to miss any games for the Browns, as he did in 2020, then Hunt could be an RB1 for a short period of time. From Weeks 5-8, which was when Chubb was sidelined last season, Hunt was the RB11 in PPR leagues.
Pick 9.8: Leonard Fournette (RB – TB)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers returned nearly everyone from their Super Bowl roster this offseason, including Leonard Fournette. Fournette excelled in the playoffs for the Buccaneers, compiling 448 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns in Tampa Bay’s four postseason games. While Fournette could share touches with Ronald Jones and Ke’Shawn Vaughn, Bruce Arians has obviously taken a liking to having Fournette in his backfield. The former first-round pick out of LSU is going to be a great bench stash in drafts this offseason.
Pick 10.5: Noah Fant (TE – DEN)
At the tight end position, if I’m not able to procure one of the elite options (Travis Kelce, George Kittle, Darren Waller), then I tend to wait until the mid-to-late rounds to take one. Without having to reach for someone just to get a tight end on my roster, I was able to snag Noah Fant in the 10th round. We’ve seen plenty of tight ends break out in their third season, and Fant is primed for an increased role even if Drew Lock is operating the offense again. Following a TE9 finish in PPR formats, Fant has a chance to be a top-five player at his position in 2021.
Pick 11.8: Mike Williams (WR – LAC)
After losing Hunter Henry in free agency, the Los Angeles Chargers signed Jared Cook, showing that they want to surround Justin Herbert with vertical threats in the team’s aerial attack. While Cook could be worth a look in later rounds, the Chargers have a lethal big-play wide receiver already in Mike Williams. Williams has averaged 15.9 intended air yards per target in the past three seasons, and that shouldn’t change next season.
Pick 12.5: A.J. Dillon (RB – GB)
Once upon a time, AJ Dillon was considered by some to be heading toward an RB1 role on the Green Bay Packers. But with Aaron Jones re-signing, Dillon’s time as a future RB1 had ended with a blink of an eye. But despite Jones’ return, Jamaal Williams left for the Detroit Lions in free agency, opening the door for Dillon to get more touches in Green Bay’s offense in his sophomore campaign.
Pick 13.8: Jalen Reagor (WR – PHI)
Jalen Reagor isn’t a player that I’m heavily targeting in drafts, but there’s reason to believe he could be the top wide receiver on the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021. Heading into next season, Reagor should have a prime opportunity to secure the No. 1 spot on the Eagles’ depth chart. Though, with Jalen Hurts starting at quarterback, Reagor’s ceiling could be severely capped. On the other hand, Reagor showed potential with a modest 12.8 yards per reception on 31 catches amid an injury-riddled year in his rookie season.
Pick 14.5: Kyle Pitts (TE – FA)
As noted above, the incoming rookies aren’t going to be represented well in the mock draft simulator since we don’t know where they will be playing in 2021. To finish off the draft, I took Kyle Pitts, giving me a tight end that has all of the upside in the world, even as a rookie. I fully expect Pitts to be taken as a top-10 tight end in drafts, so don’t expect to find the freakishly athletic tight end in the 14th round like I did.
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Skyler Carlin is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Skyler, check out his archive and follow him @skyler_carlin.
