After months and months of BestBall drafts, it’s finally time for the real thing. Training camps start up soon, signaling the start of the 2024 NFL season and with it, the start of fantasy football mock drafts. While a lot will change between now and the start of the season, it’s never too early to prepare and see what type of team you can put together based on current average draft position.
Note that this fantasy football mock draft was performed in Sleeper with half-PPR scoring, two flex spots, and no defense or kickers. All picks from the draft are listed, with my selections in bold.
Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 2024 Mid-July Edition
First Round
1.01 – Christian McCaffrey
1.02 – Tyreek Hill
1.03 – Ja’Marr Chase
1.04 – CeeDee Lamb
1.05 – Justin Jefferson
1.06 – Amon-Ra St. Brown
1.07 – Bijan Robinson
1.08 – A.J. Brown
1.09 – Breece Hall
1.10 – Marvin Harrison Jr
1.11 – Puka Nacua
1.12 – Jonathan Taylor
As mentioned in the fantasy football running back rankings, Breece Hall is one of three running backs capable of singlehandedly powering your team to a championship, so grabbing him with the ninth pick in this mock draft is fantastic. Workhorse running backs are a dying breed in today’s NFL, and Hall’s elite usage and physical talent make him a foundational building block on this squad. The running back finished 2023 as the RB4 despite returning from a knee injury and playing alongside Zach Wilson and an atrocious offensive line, so just imagine what he can do with Aaron Rodgers and reliable blocking.
Second Round
2.01 – Saquon Barkley
2.02 – Jahmyr Gibbs
2.03 – Davante Adams
2.04 – Kyren Williams
2.05 – Garrett Wilson
2.06 – Brandon Aiyuk
2.07 – Drake London
2.08 – Chris Olave
2.09 – Josh Allen
2.10 – DeVon Achane
2.11 – Derrick Henry
2.12 – Sam LaPorta
This is admittedly a risky selection in the fantasy football mock draft, but it’s impossible to ignore just how good Kyren Williams was last year. A natural fit for Sean McVay’s scheme, the former fifth-round pick was the RB2 on a per-game basis, thanks largely to his massive workload. Third-round pick Blake Corum will eat into his workload, but Williams should remain the starter and see most of the work in the passing game. Maybe he doesn’t have the same upside as Hall, but Williams should be a week-in, week-out RB1.
Third Round
3.01 – Josh Jacobs
3.02 – Travis Etienne
3.03 – D.J. Moore
3.04 – Mike Evans
3.05 – Nico Collins
3.06 – Stefon Diggs
3.07 – Travis Kelce
3.08 – Isiah Pacheco
3.09 – Jaylen Waddle
3.10 – Deebo Samuel
3.11 – Michael Pittman
3.12 – Jalen Hurts
With the running back position addressed, it’s time to turn to wide receiver in this fantasy football mock draft. Jaylen Waddle is probably the best WR2 in fantasy football and would be the top option on most teams. The Alabama product possesses elite speed and plays in one of the most high-powered offenses in the game. Waddle will continue to see a good amount of volume and his physical talent and Mike McDaniels’ scheme should make him one of the more efficient players on a per-touch basis.
Fourth Round
4.01 – Cooper Kupp
4.02 – Patrick Mahomes
4.03 – Lamar Jackson
4.04 – Malik Nabers
4.05 – Rachaad White
4.06 – DeVonta Smith
4.07 – Tank Dell
4.08 – D.K. Metcalf
4.09 – James Cook
4.10 – C.J. Stroud
4.11 – Trey McBride
4.12 – Joe Mixon
Highly drafted rookies tend to be the best values in redraft leagues, so we land a potential high-end WR1 in the fourth round of this fantasy football mock draft. After dominating at LSU, Nabers landed on a team without a clear-cut WR1. Daniel Jones might not be the best quarterback in the world, but he’s good enough to get the ball to the rookie and keep him happy throughout the season. With little target competition, Nabers’ sky is the limit in 2024.
Fifth Round
5.01 – Alvin Kamara
5.02 – Zay Flowers
5.03 – Mark Andrews
5.04 – Kenneth Walker
5.05 – Keenan Allen
5.06 – Dalton Kincaid
5.07 – Tee Higgins
5.08 – Anthony Richardson
5.09 – George Pickens
5.10 – Amari Cooper
5.11 – James Conner
5.12 – Aaron Jones
George Pickens has all the talent in the world and now has the best quarterback of his career. Russell Wilson might not be the player he once was, but the one-time Super Bowl champion is still a substantial upgrade on the unholy trio of Kenny Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph. With Diontae Johnson in Carolina, Pickens is the clear-cut top option in the passing attack and should receive a steady stream of targets throughout the season. Asking for a WR1 season might be a bit much, but he should be a reliable WR2 locked into a flex spot.
Sixth Round
6.01 – George Kittle
6.02 – Rome Odunze
6.03 – David Montgomery
6.04 – Kyle Pitts
6.05 – Christian Kirk
6.06 – D’Andre Swift
6.07 – Joe Burrow
6.08 – Evan Engram
6.09 – Terry McLaurin
6.10 – Rhamondre Stevenson
6.11 – Jordan Addison
6.12 – Kyler Murray
Arthur Smith is gone, and he’ll take his infuriating usage of star players with him. Kyle Pitts is one of the most talented tight end prospects in recent memory and he showed what he could do during his 1,000-yard rookie season. Pitts’ underlying metrics last year were promising, as he led all tight ends in air yards and air yard share. However, he never reached fantasy greatness because Desmond Ridder couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn and Arthur Smith got way too cute near the endzone. Both problems should be remedied now that Kirk Cousins and Raheem Morris are in town.
Seventh Round
7.01 – Xavier Worthy
7.02 – Dak Prescott
7.03 – Hollywood Brown
7.04 – Zamir White
7.05 – Jonathon Brooks
7.06 – Najee Harris
7.07 – Rashee Rice
7.08 – Brock Bowers
7.09 – Chris Godwin
7.10 – Jayden Reed
7.11 – Raheem Mostert
7.12 – Nick Chubb
This is one of my favorite picks in the fantasy football mock draft. Chris Godwin looked like a future superstar back in 2019, in large part because most of his production came out of the slot. While he can win on the outside, the former third-round pick is at his best when moved inside and avoiding press coverage. First-year offensive coordinator Liam Coen wants to move Godwin back inside, which means he should be in store for his best statistical season in years. Baker Mayfield proved he can move the ball around last year and should have no problem finding Godwin open in the intermediate parts of the field.
Eight Round
8.01 – Calvin Ridley
8.02 – Jake Ferguson
8.03 – Tony Pollard
8.04 – Ladd McConkey
8.05 – Javonte Williams
8.06 – Jordan Love
8.07 – Zack Moss
8.08 – Caleb Williams
8.09 – David Njoku
8.10 – Brian Thomas
8.11 – Austin Ekeler
8.12 – Diontae Johnson
We landed several reliable wide receivers in this fantasy football mock draft, so now it’s time to shoot for upside. Ladd McConkey is a good prospect who landed in the perfect situation. Justin Herbert is one of the game’s best quarterbacks, but he cannot throw and catch the ball. The Chargers have the worst collection of pass-catching talent in the league and it shouldn’t be too hard for McConkey to earn targets in this offense. If he can earn Herbert’s trust, the Georgia product could easily finish with over 100 targets as a rookie.
Ninth Round
9.01 – DeAndre Hopkins
9.02 – Jaylen Warren
9.03 – Christian Watson
9.04 – Tua Tagovailoa
9.05 – Trey Benson
9.06 – Jameson Williams
9.07 – Jaxon Smith-Njigba
9.08 – Keion Coleman
9.09 – Devin Singletary
9.10 – Dallas Goedert
9.11 – Jared Goff
9.12 – Jayden Daniels
With all the tempting wide receivers off the board, it’s time to return to running back in this fantasy football mock draft. Devin Singletary played well for the Houston Texans last year, but he’s not the most exciting player. However, volume is everything in fantasy football and you shouldn’t overlook a starting running back in the ninth round. Singletary faces no competition for touches and, even though he doesn’t have the highest ceiling, is a fine RB3 on an otherwise-loaded roster.
10th Round
10.01 – Gus Edwards
10.02 – T.J. Hockenson
10.03 – Brock Purdy
10.04 – Justin Herbert
10.05 – Brian Robinson
10.06 – Dalton Schultz
10.07 – Tyjae Spears
10.08 – Cole Kmet
10.09 – Romeo Doubs
10.10 – Curtis Samuel
10.11 – Trevor Lawrence
10.12 – Ezekiel Elliott
This fantasy football mock draft selection is all about betting on talent. After parting ways with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams, the Chargers have not put Justin Herbert in the best position to succeed. The lack of weapons combined with Jim Harbaugh’s obsession with the run game puts a cap on Herbert’s ceiling, but you can’t pass up a top-five real-life quarterback in the 10th round. With the QB1 spot still unoccupied, Herbert is an easy choice who also completes the Ladd McConkey stack.
11th Round
11.01 – Blake Corum
11.02 – Adonai Mitchell
11.03 – Chris Brown
11.04 – Courtland Sutton
11.05 – Tyler Lockett
11.06 – Khalil Shakir
11.07 – Kirk Cousins
11.08 – Zach Charbonnet
11.09 – Jerome Ford
11.10 – Xavier Legette
11.11 – Mike Williams
11.12 – Pat Freirmuth
Running back production has more to do with opportunity than actual talent, so this part of the fantasy football mock draft is all about selecting players who are one injury away from a starting job. Nick Chubb is a remarkable talent, but the four-time Pro Bowler is entering his age-29 season on the heels of a gruesome season-ending knee injury. If he can’t recapture his old form, Jerome Ford will be the unquestioned starter in an offense with no other notable names. He was the RB17 last year with Chubb sidelined for most of the season, and you love to get a player like him this late in the draft.
12th Round
12.01 – Jaylen Wright
12.02 – Jakobi Meyers
12.03 – Luke Musgrave
12.04 – MarShawn Lloyd
12.05 – Jerry Jeudy
12.06 – Rashid Shaheed
12.07 – Chuba Hubbard
12.08 – Matthew Stafford
12.09 – Kendre Miller
12.10 – Ben Sinnott
12.11 – Troy Franklin
12.12 – Gabriel Davis
It’s another low-risk, medium-reward selection in this mock draft, as MarShawn Lloyd has a clear path to fantasy football relevance. Josh Jacobs’ massive contract ensures he’ll have the first crack at starting duties, but head coach Matt LaFleur likes using two backs whenever possible. Lloyd should beat out A.J. Dillon for backup work and could overtake Jacobs by the end of the season. The running back had an abysmal year during his final campaign with the Raiders, and his current contract is essentially four separate one-year deals. If he can’t improve in a new environment, don’t be surprised if the rookie takes over down the stretch.
13th Round
13.01 – Josh Palmer
13.02 – Ty Chandler
13.03 – Aaron Rodgers
13.04 – J.K. Dobbins
13.05 – Tyler Allgeier
13.06 – Baker Mayfield
13.07 – Rico Dowdle
13.08 – Ja’Lynn Polk
13.09 – Ricky Pearsall
13.10 – Jaleel McLaughlin
13.11 – Josh Downs
13.12 – Brandin Cooks
It’s hard to ignore first-round draft capital in the 13th round of the fantasy football mock draft. Kyle Shanahan is one of the best offensive minds in football, and Ricky Pearsall’s ability after the catch makes him a perfect fit for this offense. While he’ll struggle to see the field on the current depth chart, he could earn playing time if the team trades one of Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel. With all the other receiver talent on this team, it’s fine to take a gamble on the Florida State product as my WR6.
14th Round
14.01 – Jahan Dotson
14.02 – Antonio Gibson
14.03 – Ray Davis
14.04 – Kimani Vidal
14.05 – Cade Otton
14.06 – Tyrone Tracy
14.07 – Taysom Hill
14.08 – Braelon Allen
14.09 – Quentin Johnston
14.10 – Khalil Herbert
14.11 – Isaiah Likely
14.12 – Deshaun Watson
As mentioned earlier, Jim Harbaugh wants to run the football as much as humanly possible. Unfortunately, his current running backs are Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins. Perhaps Kimani Vidal is just 2024’s Darwin Thompson, but the Troy product has a soft set of hands and should compete for work in an offense desperate for playmakers.
15th Round
15.01 – Roman Wilson
15.02 – Dontayvion Wicks
15.03 – Dameon Pierce
15.04 – Hunter Henry
15.05 – Elijah Mitchell
15.06 – Bucky Irving
15.07 – Roschon Johnson
15.08 – Will Levis
15.09 – J.J. McCarthy
15.10 – Audric Estime
15.11 – Keaton Mitchell
15.12 – Darnell Mooney
The final pick of this fantasy football mock draft is rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy. The Michigan product was remarkably efficient on a per-pass basis in Harbaugh’s run-heavy collegiate offense and landed in one of the best spots for a young quarterback. Justin Jefferson is a superstar while 2023 first-round pick Jordan Addison showed plenty of promise as a rookie. Add in a reliable tight end in T.J. Hockenson and suddenly McCarthy has all the tools he needs to succeed.
Main Photo: Brian Fluharty – USA Today Sports
