Need Fantasy Football draft advice? Talk to CBS Sports on your Google Assistant to get insights on the best sleepers and to help decide between players. Just start with, "Hey Google, talk to CBS Sports."
Editor's note: Our latest PPR pick-by-pick series was done in August prior to the third preseason game and is a three-man draft with Heath Cummings, Jamey Eisenberg and Dave Richard, with each one selecting four teams in this 12-team mock. The goal of this series is to show you positions to draft in these spots as much as the players selected, so take that into account when viewing each team.
Building a team from every draft slot in PPR and non-PPR
Alvin Kamara is a lock as a first-round pick. But he will likely be a polarizing player for a lot of Fantasy owners in non-PPR leagues.
Those who love him will talk about the potential of an increased workload with Mark Ingram serving a four-game suspension to begin the season. Those who don't want to draft him will say his yards per carry (6.1) and yards per catch (10.2) are not replicable, as well as his 13 touchdowns.
Currently, his Average Draft Position is No. 6 overall, which feels a little too high. But to land him at No. 10 overall, which happened here for me, is great.
I expect Kamara to go from 201 total touches in 2017 (120 carries and 81 catches) to about 250 this year. The increase will come in his carries, and I still expect him to get around 1,500 total yards. He's also a candidate for 10 touchdowns, which makes him a slam dunk in Round 1.
The best thing about getting Kamara at No. 10 is you have an early pick in Round 2. And here, I got to pair Kamara with Keenan Allen.
Now, in a PPR league, this would be awesome since these two guys could combine for 200 catches. But even in a non-PPR league, this combo should be exceptional, and it's a great start for this roster.
Here is my team from No. 10 overall:
- 1.10 Alvin Kamara, RB, Saints
- 2.3 Keenan Allen, WR, Chargers
- 3.10 Jerick McKinnon, RB, 49ers
- 4.3 Aaron Rodgers, QB, Packers
- 5.10 Marvin Jones, WR, Lions
- 6.3 Marshawn Lynch, RB, Raiders
- 7.10 Peyton Barber, RB, Buccaneers
- 8.3 Cooper Kupp, WR, Rams
- 9.10 Jordan Reed, TE, Redskins
- 10.3 Tarik Cohen, RB, Bears
- 11.10 Taywan Taylor, WR, Titans
- 12.3 Geronimo Allison, WR, Packers
- 13.10 Eagles DST
- 14.3 Jonathan Williams, RB, Saints
It's never a bad situation to come out of your draft with the No. 1 quarterback (Rodgers), a top-five running back (Kamara) and a top-five receiver (Allen). Add in a breakout candidate at running back (McKinnon) and some solid options in Jones, Lynch and Kupp, and it's hard to find a flaw in this team.
Sure, counting on Reed as my only tight end is risky, but I could have the best running back in Tampa Bay with how Barber has outplayed Ronald Jones to this point. And I love the sleeper receivers on this roster with Taylor and Allison.
Also, keep an eye on Williams as a sleeper for the beginning of the season. He's expected to replace Ingram during his suspension, and I'm counting on him to perform well in tandem with Kamara.
Favorite pick
The Packers have some big-time targets in Davante Adams, Randall Cobb and Jimmy Graham. And the running backs will obviously be factors in the passing game. But don't overlook Allison as a third-year breakout since he should be a prominent option for Rodgers. Allison isn't going to replace Jordy Nelson from a production standpoint, so don't put those expectations on his shoulders, but he is a good late-round flier in case Rodgers helps turn him into a low-end starting option in deeper leagues.
Pick I might regret
The only way I'll regret drafting McKinnon in the third round is if his calf injury lingers into Week 1. Otherwise, he's set for a big role in San Francisco and has the chance for a breakout campaign. Prior to his injury, I was looking at McKinnon at the beginning of Round 3, and he should have the chance to perform like a No. 1 running back in all formats. So, stay healthy McKinnon, and I'll have no regrets.
Player who could make or break my team
I love everything about this team with my quarterback, running back and receiver situation. Tight end is dicey, however, given Reed's injury history. He's missed 14 games over the past two seasons and is still trying to overcome a toe injury from last year. When healthy, he's a top five tight end, and he showed that in 2015 when he had 114 targets for 87 catches, 952 yards and 11 touchdowns in 14 games. If he plays the majority of the season then this team should be exceptional. It would be amazing to see Reed bounce back and play at a high level once again.
