Kevin Tompkins | Thu, Aug 22nd 2024, 7:07am EDT

Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Zero RB Strategy (2024)

We’re in the heart of draft season and we know everybody needs all the mocks and practice they can handle. This one will be a little bit different, as it’s not for a specific draft slot or league format. It’s for a draft strategy, and it’s a divisive one.

Zero RB. You know it, you love it. Ok, maybe you don’t love it, but being uncomfortable with Zero RB is very normal. If you’re not familiar, I wrote about some Zero RB concepts and strategies on how to construct a running back room earlier this offseason.

The fantasy football mock draft below will help you research your drafts. We will draft from the third position in a 12-team league to allow you to see how to construct a Zero RB roster. Remember, to prepare for your draft, use our FREE fantasy football mock draft simulator. Without further adieu, let’s get right into this mock draft.

Fantasy Football Mock Draft: ZeroRB, Full PPR

Lineup settings:

1-QB, 2-RB, 3-WR, 1-TE, 2-FLEX, 6-BENCH

We’ll list each pick in order and then give some team and player context into each selection throughout this draft.

1.03 – Justin Jefferson (WR – MIN)

Justin Jefferson is QB proof. I don’t know who needs to hear it, but if you do, here you go.

Jefferson may just be the best wide receiver in the free world and I don’t think we’re savvy enough to fade him just because of a quarterback issue, considering Nick Mullens supported him to a WR3 finish in the final four games of last season.

2.10 – Nico Collins (WR – HOU)

Nico Collins had the second-highest yards per route run (YPRR) by a wide receiver in the league last season, trailing only Tyreek Hill. Collins is part of an incredible triumvirate of receivers in Houston catching passes from C.J. Stroud. After Collins’ 2023 breakout season where he put up 80-1297-8, look for more of the same this season.

3.03 – Brandon Aiyuk (WR – SF)

I have a type. Between Jefferson, Collins and Brandon Aiyuk, this team has the second-, third- and fourth-highest YPRR finishers from last season. It’s looking less and less likely Aiyuk will move to Pittsburgh (or anywhere) before the NFL season starts. If Aiyuk stays in San Francisco, we can expect him to be the deep complement and be efficient doing it for one of the most prolific offenses in the NFL.

4.10 – Lamar Jackson (QB – BAL)

5.03 – Mark Andrews (TE – BAL)

Grabbing this quarterback/tight end stack at the turn here felt awesome for this Zero RB squad. It’s incredibly important to be strong at the “onesie” positions like quarterback and tight end, and we get a sought-after stack and take both Lamar Jackson and Mark Andrews at the turn. We know the overall QB1 upside Jackson carries at the quarterback position. His top target, Andrews, has overall TE1 in his range of outcomes, and he did just that a few seasons ago. If we get back-to-back MVP seasons from Jackson, Andrews is coming with him.

6.10 – Jayden Reed (WR – GB)

I love grabbing Jayden Reed here, where some of the risk Reed may come off of the field when the formation condenses to 2-WR sets is already baked into his average draft position (ADP). Reed had a YPRR over 2.00 in his rookie campaign last season. With such an ambiguous wide receiver room in Green Bay, Reed is a perfect upside stab while getting a solid floor with multiple ways to pay off his ADP.

7.03 – Javonte Williams (RB – DEN)

“Grab a Broncos running back in every draft.” Solid advice, where Javonte Williams is still available in the seventh round as my first running back in this Zero RB build. Head coach Sean Payton has always had backs that can provide a rushing “thunder” complement and a smaller, receiving back that can be dynamic in space. He’s also had backs that can do both and those are the backs that get the majority of touches. In the mold of players like Pierre Thomas and Alvin Kamara, Williams fits the bill.

In 12 of his 17 total seasons as a head coach, Payton’s offenses have been at least #1 or #2 in running back fantasy scoring, and in 11 of those seasons, Payton’s offenses were top-10 in fantasy points over expectation. For running backs, this is an offense to target. Williams provides a floor, but also a ceiling where this will be his second year after his 2022 ACL tear.

8.10 – Brian Thomas Jr. (WR – JAX)

Brian Thomas Jr. has the immense size (6-foot-4) and first-round draft capital to matter in a big way for the Jaguars. The team replaced Calvin Ridley with Gabe Davis, so Thomas feels like the perfect complement to Christian Kirk more than Davis does. This selection of Thomas is a bet on his talent and the opportunity in front of him to surpass Davis, who has had numerous NFL opportunities with the Bills and has disappointed.

9.03 – Chase Brown (RB – CIN)

Chase Brown is the massive upside running play in an ambiguous backfield with fellow backfield mate Zack Moss as his competition. In training camp, Brown has been one of the stars of camp, ripping off run after run. Brown got his feet wet toward the end of last season with Burrow and spelling Joe Mixon for a bit. Brown can hold a three-down workload and Moss broke down last season in Indianapolis. If Brown doesn’t get at least the 1A complement of touches, it’s something he should earn as the season progresses.

10.10 – Blake Corum (RB – LAR)

A purely contingent running back play, Blake Corum is a bench stash if Kyren Williams gets injured. Sure, there’s a chance Corum being drafted could trickle down to scale back some of Williams’ workload, but the Rams typically play one running back during a drive and only make a substitution in the event of injury. They do this so defenses cannot swap out defenders after every play, so the Rams can stay on the field and dictate the tempo. Corum would become a borderline RB1 in the event of a Williams injury and would likely have the backfield to himself if that were to happen. Corum is one of the best contingent plays in fantasy drafts and is a perfect fit with Williams and Brown on our Zero RB roster.

11.03 – Josh Downs (WR – IND)

While Josh Downs is currently battling a high ankle sprain, this selection is a bet on talent and that he’ll be good to go once the season starts. Downs’ rookie season was solid, as he flashed elite peripherals and almost got to 100 targets (94) while playing 81% of his snaps in the slot. Downs rarely plays in 2-WR sets, which hurts for sure. But Downs is still incredibly talented and should continue to thrive with Anthony Richardson back and healthy this season.

12.10 – Ray Davis (RB – BUF)

The Buffalo Bills have been looking for a power complement to James Cook for all of last season, so much so that they dusted off octogenarians like Latavius Murray, Ty Johnson and Leonard Fournette after Damien Harris was ineffective and eventually was hurt and retired. The Bills sought that profile in the draft, selecting Ray Davis, who reeled off at least 950 yards at Temple, Vanderbilt and Kentucky. Davis was 34th in Pro Football Focus’ (PFF) breakaway rate and 27th in yards after contact per attempt last season at Kentucky. Davis is going to turn 25 soon, but he has a super-high floor, a decent ceiling and an immediate standalone role.

13.03 – Wan’Dale Robinson (WR – NYG)

The Giants may have drafted the uber-talented rookie Malik Nabers, but Wan’Dale Robinson provides pass-catching upside in PPR formats. He’s my pick to be second on the team in targets next to Nabers. As a pure slot player with a short average depth of target (aDOT), Robinson should be able to rack up PPR points in short order from Daniel Jones.

14.10 – Jordan Mason (RB – SF)

With seemingly every 49ers running back hurt at the moment, Jordan Mason is a solid handcuff for Christian McCaffrey should anything happen to him during the season.

15.03 – Adonai Mitchell (WR – IND)

How Adonai Mitchell was still here in the 15th round is beyond me, considering he was selected early on Day 2 by the Colts. At this price point, it’s a “take-a-peek” selection. We’ll see how much Mitchell gets on the field in the first couple of weeks. If he’s unable to carve out an immediate role, he can dropped.

Kevin Tompkins is a featured writer for FantasyPros. For more from Kevin, check out his profile and follow him @ktompkinsii.

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