2021 Fantasy Football Experts Mock Draft With Analysis

It’s that time of year! Fantasy football draft season has begun, and FlurrySports has gathered a solid group of experts to play out a mock draft. Along with this fantasy football mock draft, each expert answered a few questions to give us insight into their draft experience.

Give them a follow on Twitter and feel free to ask them any and all fantasy football questions this season!

Experts Fantasy Football Mock Draft

#1 Luke Reimer (@LukeReim)

1.01 — Christian McCaffrey

Favorite Pick: My favorite pick for my team was Damien Harris in the seventh. You have to think that Cam Newton is on a short leash, so when Mac Jones comes into the game, someone has to take those goal line carries. 

Least Favorite Pick: My least favorite pick for my team was Josh Jacobs in the fourth. I just don’t see it with the Raiders offense. Gruden is past his prime and they usually win games on the back of Derek Carr making a late-game push. Especially with Kenyan Drake there now, you have to expect that he will take passing downs.

Strategy: I am not a big fan of drafting out of the number one spot. You get one pick in the first 19/23/27 picks. With that being said, drafting out of the number one spot, I wanted to get a good threesome with one QB, one RB and one WR. I feel comfortable having McCaffrey, Mahomes and Allen. 

Favorite Team: My favorite team from our mock draft is Kevin’s team. Kind of with my strategy, I like the combination of Josh Allen, Austin Ekeler and DeAndre Hopkins as a big three. All three of those players have the ability to carry your team for any given week. I also like him taking three number two running backs, giving him many options if someone goes down with an injury. 

#2 Connor Rigg (@ConbonNFL)

1.02 — Dalvin Cook

Favorite Pick: A.J. Brown. Getting him that late in the second was a steal to me. He has the upside to be the overall WR1, in my opinion.

Least Favorite Pick: Noah Fant. I never draft a TE in the middle rounds, because it never pans out. I rather draft a late-round tight end.

Strategy: I usually want to get two stud running backs, but with that late of a pick in the second round, I had to go with the value of WR in A.J. Brown.

Favorite Team: Everydayffb was my favorite. He doesn’t have a clear need at any position and his depth is solid.

#3 Adam Stark (@EverydayFFB)

1.03 — Alvin Kamara

Favorite Pick: Joe Mixon was an absolute steal in the second round. If Mixon hits as I project him, then I will have two RB1s going into the season.

Least Favorite Pick: Gio Bernard and drafting two defenses. My computer had a couple of glitches, so I blame that.

Strategy: Get two RBs quick. That’s the smartest thing to do, as there are a plethora of WRs in the late rounds. I was able to grab Tee Higgins at 4.10 and Courtland Sutton at 7.03. It was worth a risk to take Michael Thomas at 8.10. I mean, he’s not dead.

Favorite Team: Hunter Skoczylas — he sniped me not once, not twice, not three times, but yes a whopping four times.

#4 Hunter Skoczylas (@HunterSkoczylas)

1.04 — Derrick Henry

Favorite Pick: My favorite pick was definitely Matthew Stafford in the ninth round. Considering he’s going in the eighth round in most drafts, I see this as a major steal. He’s entering a great situation in Sean McVay’s offense with great weapons and he could end up being a top-7 fantasy football QB this season.

Least Favorite Pick: My least favorite pick was Logan Thomas in the seventh round, even though he’s one of my favorite tight ends this year. It wasn’t a reach by any means, but my receivers are pretty weak and I probably could’ve grabbed Deebo Samuel, Tyler Boyd or Antonio Brown and still ended up with a solid tight end a few rounds later.

Strategy: With how deep the wide receivers are this year, my strategy going in was to grab at least two or three running backs within the first five rounds. After taking Henry with my first, I was banking on grabbing another running back in the second but adjusted to take Metcalf for a top receiver talent. I usually wait on QBs till the later rounds but was planning on taking Josh Allen in the fourth if he was there. I had to adjust again but ended up with two very solid receivers and backs through the first four rounds.

Favorite Team: My favorite team is definitely Trevor’s, mainly because of his unreal running back depth. He waited a lot longer than I expected him to for a wide receiver but made up for it in the later rounds ending up with guys like D.J Moore, Deebo Samuel and Brandin Cooks. He has an elite QB in Rodgers and a high-upside tight end in Gesicki.

#5 Jake Sennholz (@SennholzOnSport)

1.05 — Davante Adams

Favorite Pick: My favorite pick came in the form of a bleach blonde from Buffalo, Cole Beasley. He is coming off of the most successful season of his NFL career, setting a personal record in yards, receptions and TDs, and as we all know, Josh Allen and the Bills have only gotten better with each and every passing year. Their offense is stacked, so poaching is a valid concern, but I think there will be plenty of points to go around, and Buffalo will utilize Beasley unlike any other player on their offense. Do not be surprised if he has an even better season than last year. Plus, as we all probably know, he likely has some personal vendettas against media and fans this season to give him extra fuel.

Least Favorite Pick: My least favorite pick of the draft was taking Adam Thielen as the 5.05. The Vikings’ offense looked great last year and was able to support two number one receivers. I find it hard to believe they are going to be that good for the second year in a row. There were many weeks that both Thielen and Jefferson scored 20+ fantasy points, but I don’t like banking on that happening again. I like my selection even less when you see the guys who went immediately after, such as Kyle Pitts (who I would have taken if I didn’t have Kittle) and Kenny Golladay.

Strategy: Man, it felt good to be drafting again! I have to admit, I like my team, but not as much as some others in this article. I struggled through the middle of the draft. I don’t really care for any of my round four through seven picks, though I do think Mostert is undervalued compared to the impact he is going to have in the 49ers offense this season.

Favorite Team: The team I liked the best overall was probably Trevor’s. He has the best RB grouping, two incredible QBs and plenty of depth at the WR position. I think he has more “number one guys” on his team than anyone else in the draft. He implored a draft strategy I almost never use, which is three straight RBs to start. I typically go pass catcher-heavy, so this is different and exciting for me to see. Maybe that’s why I like his roster so much.

#6 Henry John

1.06 — Tyreek Hill

Favorite Pick: Honestly, I was thrilled with both of the tight ends I managed to snag in this mock draft. Of the two, Jonnu Smith probably is the true “favorite pick” by default, simply on the basis of value. The Patriots’ offensive game plan this year is pretty cut and dry in my eyes, regardless of whether Cam Newton or Mac Jones is under center any given week. The offseason signings of both Smith and Hunter Henry give the New England offense two playmaking tight ends. Stop me when that sounds familiar. With Henry already battling injuries, Smith is clearly the preferred choice of the two for fantasy. Landing him in the 11th round was awesome.

Least Favorite Pick: When you are as anti-Ezekiel Elliott and Austin Ekeler as I am, drafting out of the sixth position has the potential to be nightmarish. Sure enough, Davante Adams went off the board at 1.05 and left me facing a conundrum. Waiting on running backs has and never will be my preferred strategy, but this mock draft essentially became a test to see just how well I could construct a roster after taking wide receivers in the first two rounds. It’s no secret that Tyreek Hill is a fantasy stud. But the pure discomfort I had in taking him with the 1.06 selection is something I would prefer to never feel again.

Strategy: As alluded to above, any pre-draft strategy I had flew right out the window in the very first round. After drafting Tyreek Hill over the running backs that were available, I made the decision to go top-heavy with wideouts the rest of the way. Given the depth of WR position this year, I wound up giving myself a thorough test by trying to fill out my running back depth in the middle and late rounds. I embraced the strategy to the point of taking Pitts and even my quarterback, Russell Wilson, in the fifth and sixth rounds, respectively. Honestly, I feel as though I could’ve done a lot worse than the RBs I ultimately did draft. Melvin Gordon and Michael Carter should both be serviceable this year. I was also able to handcuff my third-round selection, D’Andre Swift, with the underrated Jamaal Williams.

Favorite Team: I am really impressed with the team that Luke put together in this mock draft. Having the number one overall pick certainly helped, but he did more than just draft Christian McCaffrey. He added a top-tier wideout in Keenan Allen and also nabbed Patrick Mahomes at the 2-3 turn. I love the haul of upside that he landed in the middle rounds as well. Receivers Brandon Aiyuk, Robby Anderson and Curtis Samuel are all solid picks while backs Damien Harris and Zack Moss could produce more than people think this year. If Tua Tagovailoa is what the Dolphins hope, I could also see rookie Jaylen Waddle turning in a solid season and outproducing the 10.12 draft pick that Luke used on him here.

#7 Kevin Coleman (@DaBoys_22)

1.07 — Ezekiel Elliott

Favorite Pick: CeeDee Lamb as WR12 off the board was the best value I got in this draft. Lamb has the potential to be a top-5 receiver this season. Being able to pair him with Waller in this format was an ideal situation.

Least Favorite Pick: Miles Sanders in Round 4, just because I have my concerns with him as a solid RB2 option, which he is on my team. Realistically, he should hit that mark easy, but he hasn’t shown to be consistent. The issue for me was there was a giant tier break after Sanders and I needed to lock in a RB2.

Strategy: As always, let the value fall to me and wait on a quarterback until rounds 9-10. I also wanted to grab one of the big three tight ends in the draft and was able to do so with Waller.

Favorite Team: Luke Reimer’s team was my favorite in this draft. He absolutely crushed his first five picks.

#8 Coach Schroeder (@SchroederCoach)

1.08 — Austin Ekeler

Favorite Pick: My favorite pick was DeAndre Hopkins in the second round with the 17th overall pick. With his heavy target rate (10 targets per game in 2020) Hopkins is a true target monster and typically does not fall to the mid-second round in PPR leagues. While the Cardinals have added A.J. Green and Rondale Moore over the offseason, any loss in volume will be offset by increased efficiency as the alpha WR in an offense led by one of the most exciting young QBs in the league in Kyler Murray.

Least Favorite Pick(s): Breaking the first rule of drafting a league-winner, coming prepared and staying focused, I drafted my team at a rock concert while Weezer was on stage. So when it came time for my seventh, eighth and ninth picks, I was on an Island in the Sun while autodraft made a mockery of my mock draft. Tyler Boyd, Will Fuller and Michael Gallup became my fourth, fifth and sixth WRs in the first nine rounds, which is not a route I would typically take, although they do provide great depth.

Strategy: Typically, my strategy is to go after the best player available with position scarcity baked into the equation as well. Usually, I end up taking an RB in the first round, and this draft was no exception. My second and third-round picks will typically be the best RB or WR out there. Most of the time, I wait on QBs, unless in a 2QB or Superflex league, but this time I took Josh Allen and was still able to round out my roster with high upside WRs and RBs in the later rounds.

Favorite Team: This is a tough call, but I think the best starting lineup from top to bottom is Hunter’s with Stafford or Burrow at QB, Henry and CEH at RB and Mike Davis in the flex spot, Metcalf and Diontae Johnson at WR and Logan Thomas at TE. He also stashed some high-upside guys on his bench, with Javonte Williams, DeVonta Smith and Russell Gage who is not being talked about much with all of the Kyle Pitts buzz but could emerge this season as well.

#9 Zach Brunner (@FantasyFlurry)

1.09 — Travis Kelce

Favorite Pick: While Hunt and Herbert sliding a little are nice, grabbing Marquez Callaway in the 14th round is the lottery ticket late in drafts I love. While many people check out around this time in drafts, I got the WR1 for the Saints for possibly the first month-plus of the season. If Jameis Winston is the QB throwing to him, I love this even more.

Least Favorite Pick: Probably T.Y. Hilton in the 11th. I think he’s undervalued and we know he will burn the Texans twice this year, but I likely could have gotten him later. The pick would have been better served on a handcuff RB, like Alexander Mattison.

Strategy: It’s not unique, but I want RBs early. Typically, my mindset is to grab two within the first three rounds. Seeing Travis Kelce at No. 9, I knew I wasn’t going to pass on him. But with RB depth dropping quickly, I had to go back-to-back at that position, due to the WR depth I like later on.

Favorite Team: My favorite team is Hunter’s due to his starting lineup. While I think his bench construction could have been a bit better, he could have two top-10 RBs, Logan Thomas is undervalued at TE, Matthew Stafford is an absolute stud that will be asked to pass a lot, and DK Metcalf and Diontae Johnson are two young WRs that are only getting better. If his bench rookies pan out, that’s a dangerous team.

#10 Trevor Land (@TrevorLand2)

1.10 — Aaron Jones

Favorite Pick: My favorite pick was taking Michael Pittman Jr. in the ninth round, 106th overall. All signs point to Pittman becoming “the” guy in Indianapolis. Add in his rare combination of size, speed and route-running ability, and he could have a huge season. At 106 overall, that type of value is a steal. 

Least Favorite Pick: My least favorite was David Montgomery in the third round. I’m a big fan of his, and he’s a very underrated back, but I feel like I had to take him. It was too much of a stretch to draft a receiver like Tyler Lockett and Diontae Johnson that early, so the pick felt like a “settle” in the third round.

Strategy: My strategy, as seen by using my first three picks on them, is to load up on running backs. This may be the deepest WR “room” in a long time in fantasy, whereas it seems pretty thin at running back. For that reason, I wanted to load up on running backs early.

Favorite Team: My favorite team is Luke Reimer’s. Not only is his starting lineup stacked, but he seems to be the only one who was able to grab a bench that holds solid backup running backs and receivers. When you add in some good fliers, I think he easily takes the throne of best team.

#11 Brian Grow (@FantasyOutlaw)

1.11 — Saquon Barkley

Favorite Pick: Saquon Barkley. After a year of injury, the collective has forgotten how good Saquon was in his first two seasons. Even on bad teams, Barkley was able to put up gaudy numbers rather efficiently. After experiencing a season without him, Daniel Jones and Jason Garrett are going to allow the stud RB to do a lot more of the heavy lifting. Even more, the Giants’ other weapons are improved from the 2020 season. While some say Jones limits the offense, with the volume Barkley will likely see, it won’t matter.

Least Favorite Pick: Travis Etienne. Even before his foot sprain in the preseason game, I got the twinge you sometimes get when you don’t feel confident in a pick. I love Etienne the player and I am overall excited to see how the young Jaguars team develops, but my biggest concern is Urban Meyer. We learned right after the draft that Etienne wasn’t Urban’s first choice, preferring Kadarius Toney. Etienne also has James Robinson, who will still have a big role in the running game, and Laviska Shenault (who I actually took in Round 8, making these two picks potentially cannibalize one another) overlaps Etienne’s likely role in the passing game. Looking back, I may have taken Kareem Hunt or Mark Andrews at this pick, who have more established roles on their teams.

Strategy: My strategy this offseason is born from an article I wrote about the potential of fantasy offenses being highly connected to top-12 quarterbacks. My two criteria have gone something like this – 1) draft players that I believe are connected to quarterbacks that will finish 2021 in the top 12. Guys like Amari Cooper, Antonio Brown, Devin Singletary and Gabriel Davis, Robert Woods and Tyler Higbee, Rondale Moore are all connected to QBs I’m confident will finish top 12. If they don’t, the next criteria question – 2) will they have enough volume to make this not matter? Guys like Barkley, Jonathan Taylor, James White all have defined roles and will have opportunities to have high usage in those roles that will allow them to outperform their draft position.

Favorite Team: I really like Team 12’s draft. His WR core is probably the best in the league. With Diggs, Ridley and Godwin as his top three, he has three guys tied to potential top-12 QBs. Being that strong at WR, I still think he was able to grab running backs that won’t be a detriment to his team. Darrell Henderson is going to be in a very good offense and Chase Edmonds will still have the pass-catching role that can even see grow bigger than his 67 targets last season. Behind those two, I’m one of the biggest Trey Sermon fans this season. Being able to grab one of my tier 1 quarterbacks in the eighth round (Dak Prescott) finishes off a very solid starting lineup.

#12 Brandon Shoemaker (@FFRelevant) / Chris Wassel (@ChrisWasselDFS)

Somehow, FantasyPros’ mock draft tool put both Brandon and Chris under the same profile without anyone knowing, including them. So, check out the team they were able to put together while battling technology and each other.

1.12 — Stefon Diggs

Brandon’s Answers

Favorite Pick: Perhaps I’ve been playing too much superflex, but picking up Dak Prescott at the top of the eighth round feels like a value. I’m generally content to leave QB until the double-digit rounds, but I knew being on the plus side of the eighth-ninth round QB run would serve me well, and it did.

Least Favorite Pick: I’m not particularly comfortable with Chase Edmonds as my RB2. In fact, I think this might be the first exposure I have to him all season. Still, with the high-end WRs, TE and QB rostered on this team, I should be able to make up for Edmond’s shortcomings (or lack of snaps). He also gains significant value if Conner sees an injury, which is nice.

Strategy: I generally try to get a solid RB base coming into a draft. Picking from the 12 spot and watching stud RBs go early changed my mind quickly.

Favorite Team: Aside from the Dallas Goedert pick for his TE, Coach Schroeder drafted a ton of upside. The bevy of WRs he drafted in the middle rounds should make up for the questionable depth he has at RB. Picking up Josh Allen in the fourth round never hurts, either.

Chris’ Answers

Favorite Pick: Dak Prescott, because the draft button actually worked.

Least Favorite Pick: Trey Sermon because the draft button kept glitching.

Strategy: With this one, no.

Favorite Team: Connor Rigg — good structure.