Mock Draft

ROUND

The Ducky Boys
Adam Duerson
Writer-Reporter
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

Hurry-up Offense
Mitch Getz
Special Contributor
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

Any Given Sunday
Lou Dubois
Special Contributor
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

The 4th and 41s
Jay Clemons
Fantasy writer
SI.COM

QB Eagles
Joe Lemire
Reporter
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

Boston Pedroias
Peter King
Senior Writer
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

Dillon Panthers
Gene Menez
Associate Editor
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

Reiter's Bloc
Ben Reiter
Staff Writer
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

The Bay Turtles
David Sabino
Staff Editor
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

Debauched Sloths
Mark Mravic
Senior Editor
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

Hack Attack
Damon Hack
Senior Writer
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED

Van Buren Boys
Gary Gramling
Fantasy writer
SI.COM

1

RB Adrian PETERSON
Tough pick. It was between him and Cedric Benson. No, not really.

RB Maurice JONES-DREW
Now a feature back, with Fred Taylor out of the way.

RB Michael TURNER
Other than AD, there's not another back I'd rather have.

RB Matt FORTE
In the battle between Forte and Brian Westbrook, I went with upside.

RB DeAngelo WILLIAMS
Ready for stardom after late-season scoring binge.

RB Brian WESTBROOK
He's got one more 1,800-yard, 13-TD season in him.

RB Steve SLATON
Young, productive and, best of all, he gets all of the workload.

WR Larry FITZGERALD
Not confident in any RBs outside top three, but sure of NFL's best WR.

QB Drew BREES
Any RB I'll get in round 2 will be just as good as one I'd have grabbed here.

RB LaDainian TOMLINSON
Nagging injuries may be catching up to him, but I can't let him fall past 10.

RB Marion BARBER
After a tough finish to '08, he'll be the bruiser we know and love.

RB Steven JACKSON
Loved getting him here. I think he's a top five player.

2

WR Greg JENNINGS
My game plan coming in: WRs in rounds 2 and 3. And I like what I got.

WR Reggie WAYNE
He's still got the best Manning in football throwing to him.

WR Calvin JOHNSON
Now in his third season, this stud is ready to break out.

RB Chris JOHNSON
NFL's fastest back + 1,600 total yards in '09 = extremely happy owner.

RB Frank GORE
With 20 touches a game, scoring only eight TDs in '08 was a fluke.

RB Knowshon MORENO
I can see him averaging 120 rushing-receiving yards by mid-October.

WR Andre JOHNSON
I'm scared away from Tennessee's time-share, so I'll "settle" for AJ.

QB Peyton MANNING
Death, taxes and Peyton: All of these are sure things.

RB Brandon JACOBS
"Wind" blew, so "Earth" piles up more yards behind the top O-line.

RB Clinton PORTIS
I'm rolling the dice with two injury-prone backs, but Portis is great value.

QB Tom BRADY
Forget the ACL. Picture Moss, Wes Welker and a bunch of yards and TDs.

WR Randy MOSS
Toss-up between Moss and Tom Brady, but there's little WR depth.

3

WR Roddy WHITE
Between White and Steve Smith (Car.), I opted for the younger buck.

RB Ronnie BROWN
Stayed healthy all last year and could be leaned on more.

RB Pierre THOMAS
Some may cringe, but he's a solid RB2 this season.

RB Darren McFADDEN
D-Mac will rush for 1,800 yards some year...this one, I hope.

WR Steve SMITH (CAR)
Suspension-free since the start of '08, Smith is still Old Reliable.

RB Kevin SMITH
Lions have to run to keep pressure off their young franchise QB.

RB Ryan GRANT
I don't love Grant, but at least he's not splitting time like the others.

RB Marshawn LYNCH
Three-game ejection isn't a worry. By fantasy playoffs he'll be rolling.

RB Felix JONES
T.O.'s gone to Buffalo, so Jones is the focal point of Big D's new O.

QB Aaron RODGERS
A-Rod should only get better now that he's had a season as the starter.

RB Reggie BUSH
Fantasy football's ultimate weapon in the NFL's ultimate offense.

RB Chris WELLS
Not thrilled with Beanie, but Cards face soft schedule of run defenses.

4

RB Derrick WARD
He was almost worth this pick as a NYG backup. Now he's a starter.

WR Braylon EDWARDS
Too much talent to ignore, despite disastrous 2008 season.

WR Dwayne BOWE
Matt Cassel and an aggressive passing game add up to big numbers.

RB Thomas JONES
I regret not taking Dwayne Bowe, but TJ's a fine mistake to make.

WR Wes WELKER
Brady's security blanket benefits from return of, um, Brady.

QB Jay CUTLER
No matter who's catching, he's throwing for 3,800 yards and 25 TDs.

QB Philip RIVERS
Felix Jones didn't fall. Grrr. I almost went with Donovan McNabb.

WR Brandon MARSHALL
No Jay Cutler and off-field trouble sunk this talent to the fourth round.

RB Joseph ADDAI
Fewer snaps means more durability for the perennial first-rounder.

WR Marques COLSTON
Throw out last year because he was hurt; he'll go for 1,200 and 11 again.

WR Terrell OWENS
His first year with a team is always productive—getcha popcorn ready.

WR Anquan BOLDIN
Pleasantly surprised to see him on the board this late.

5

WR Bernard BERRIAN
A reach on any cheat sheet, but I like his upside once Tarvaris is out.

QB Tony ROMO
Will miss T.O. in end zone; still has Roy Williams and Jason Witten.

WR T.J. HOUSHMANDZADEH
Too good to pass up here, especially with a healthy Matt Hasselbeck.

WR Chad OCHOCINCO
Ocho's on the downslide, but I stuck to my draft board, er, cocktail napkin.

QB Ben ROETHLISBERGER
A solid Tier 2 QB with Super Bowl-winning confidence.

TE Tony GONZALEZ
He never gets hurt. Matt Ryan will throw 145 balls his way.

WR Anthony GONZALEZ
Choke! My brain failed me. I should have picked DeSean Jackson.

RB Larry JOHNSON
LJ gets one more shot to repeat his 2005-06 magic.

WR DeSean JACKSON
Philly's top option has shown flashes of brilliance (and boneheadedness).

TE Antonio GATES
I don't want to be stuck without a top TE so I'll take this receiving beast.

TE Dallas CLARK
Down the field or across the middle, Peyton always seems to find him.

TE Jason WITTEN
As far as I'm concerned, the clear-cut No. 1 tight end.

6

RB Jonathan STEWART
I actually prefer him to DeAngelo Williams, who went 67 picks ago.

RB Willis McGAHEE
Injury risk, though I like Baltimore's rushing game (148.5 ypg in '08).

QB Donovan McNABB
Healthy, he's a top five QB who could have his best stats since '04.

WR Jerricho COTCHERY
Cotch has zero competition between the 20s; could catch 80 this season.

WR Lee EVANS
Roy Williams was a safer pick, but double teams on T.O. will free Evans.

DEF/ST STEELERS
Pittsburgh has a weak schedule and fields the best D in football.

RB Justin FARGAS
Darren McFadden may have the style, but Fargas has the substance.

RB Willie PARKER
If he stays healthy, he'll produce, and I'll try to get Mendenhall later.

WR Santana MOSS
The reliable veteran saw his stats soar in Year 1 of the Zorn era.

WR Antonio BRYANT
I'm not worried about the Tampa QBs; he didn't have a QB last year either.

WR Santonio HOLMES
After that Super Bowl touchdown, his production soars in '09.

WR Lance MOORE
Too many owners overlook his big role in the red zone.

7

QB Kurt WARNER
Even if he plays more like he did in '07 than '08, this is a steal.

TE Chris COOLEY
Career-high 83 catches last season; bound to improve on one TD.

RB Tim HIGHTOWER
Not buying the Wells hype. Hightower is a goal line TD machine.

RB Darren SPROLES
He's perfect for leagues that reward receptions and kick-return TDs.

RB Laurence MARONEY
Make-or-break year for Pats' running back? I say make.

WR Justin GAGE
A reach, but he had 15 catches for 239 yards in his last two games.

WR Vincent JACKSON
I can see it now: Rivers to Jackson! Double the TD pleasure.

WR Roy WILLIAMS
His increased familiarity with Tony Romo could make this a steal.

WR Michael CRABTREE
Here's the perfect intersection of need and value. Can't let him go.

RB Julius JONES
I'm gambling that coordinator Greg Knapp can work his run-game magic.

WR Derrick MASON
Sure-handed veteran is Joe Flacco's favorite target. Kismet continues.

QB Carson PALMER
I liked the value and can play matchup with him and Matt Schaub.

8

TE Greg OLSEN
My secret draft aid: Drew Rosenhaus's Twitter account.

WR Donald DRIVER
Strong WR3 and a lock for another 1,000-yard season.

RB Donald BROWN
With Joseph Addai injury-prone, think Dominic Rhodes of 2006.

QB Eli MANNING
King stole Ryan from me; hence, Eli's my consolation QB1.

RB Jamal LEWIS
No longer a sexy fantasy pick but still a feature back.

QB Matt RYAN
My Cutler insurance policy just might play more games than the new Bear.

TE Kevin BOSS
Without Plaxico Burress, he'll be an even bigger red zone threat this year.

RB Fred JACKSON
An essential handcuff for Lynch, who knows something about handcuffs.

RB LenDale WHITE
Will be a goal-line-only back, which is fine with me in round 8.

WR Hines WARD
His physical style and the emergence of Holmes concern me.

WR Eddie ROYAL
Had 91 catches in '08. With pass-happy new coach, expect the same.

QB Matt SCHAUB
Easier schedule in '09, and they'll throw often in the red zone.

9

DEF/ST JETS
Rex Ryan + Leon Washington = Mucho points per week.

RB Le'Ron McCLAIN
Moving to fullback but a good handcuff to the oft-injured McGahee.

TE Kellen WINSLOW
With the run on TEs, he's worth the risk-reward potential in round 9.

WR Kevin WALTER
Sixty-five catches and nine TDs is doable, if not expected, from this vet.

TE Owen DANIELS
Schaub has TE fetish: Heath Miller at Virginia and Daniels in Houston.

WR Steve SMITH (NYG)
Ninety catches, 8-10 scores. Eli trusts him more than any WR.

RB Fred TAYLOR
The leading RB in maybe the No. 1 offense? Steal! Time-share or not.

WR Percy HARVIN
Could be Sage Rosenfels's top target (also rhymes with "Favre-in").

WR Steve BREASTON
Primed for another big year; an even bigger one if Boldin moves on.

RB Cedric BENSON
Good news: No time-share. Bad news: 20 carries, 56 yards every week.

DEF/ST RAVENS
Ray Lewis and Ed Reed will keep them among the elite.

RB Rashard MENDENHALL
A top backup considering how fragile Parker is.

10

RB Ray RICE
McClain's an FB; McGahee's toast. Nice value for a healthy Rice here.

RB Earnest GRAHAM
Ankle sprain appears fine, and he complements newcomer Ward.

RB Jerious NORWOOD
Contract year, big potential—insurance for my top pick.

QB Matt HASSELBECK
A necessary fall-back pick since I waited so long for the QB1.

QB Matt CASSEL
Will be even better without having to relearn sport in first few weeks.

K Stephen GOSTKOWSKI
I may have the worst receiving corps, but I have the best D and kicker.

RB Glen COFFEE
My favorite pick. He'll get a lot of carries filling in for Gore.

RB Jamaal CHARLES
Mendenhall's gone, so had to reach for Charles as my second handcuff.

RB T.J. DUCKETT
Has a good history as a closer with his new offensive coordinator.

WR Laveranues COLES
Back-to-back Bengals? He'll thrive in the slot with Palmer.

WR Donnie AVERY
As a rookie he made Holt expendable. In '09 he becomes a star.

WR Torry HOLT
Immediate buyer's remorse! Shoulda taken Laveranues Coles.

11

WR Ted GINN JR.
I'm banking on a Year 3 breakout, especially with Camarillo being iffy.

QB Jake DELHOMME
Showed confidence with a contract extension, and he has Steve Smith.

WR Jeremy MACLIN
Expect him to be the top rookie receiver, a la Royal in '08.

WR Greg CAMARILLO
This Welker doppelgänger is valuable in PPR leagues.

DEF/ST GIANTS
Stout defense gets better—with more sacks—upon Osi's return.

WR Devin HESTER
Gut feeling: He'll blossom as a deep threat teamed with Cutler.

WR Harry DOUGLAS
One of my deep-sleepers. He'll only get better as Ryan does.

WR Chris CHAMBERS
He's 30 already, and just O.K., but he's a fine bye-week or injury fill-in.

TE Anthony FASANO
Only Gonzo and Gates scored more often among '08 tight ends.

WR Miles AUSTIN
He's a real sleeper if he can beat out Patrick Crayton for the No. 2 WR job.

WR Hakeem NICKS
Physical player who should quickly break into the G-men's WR corps.

RB Sammy MORRIS
He has to get the goal line carries, at least.

12

RB Shonn GREENE
Stewart, Rice, Greene—if one becomes a starter, I'm golden.

RB Ricky WILLIAMS
I'm now fully invested in Miami's ground game (gulp).

QB Jason CAMPBELL
He'll play with a chip on his shoulder after a tumultuous off-season.

TE John CARLSON
He could be a top five tight end in '09; plus I have the Hasselbeck handcuff.

WR Darrius HEYWARD-BEY
If he's good enough for Al Davis...wait a second!

RB Leon WASHINGTON
Rex Ryan wants to wear him out as a rusher-receiver-returner.

TE Vernon DAVIS
This is the equivalent of a lottery ticket. If it hits, great. If not, no loss.

TE Brent CELEK
He's the starter, and McNabb likes TEs. Had 131 yards at Seattle in '08.

DEF/ST VIKINGS
I missed out on the slippery Harvin as a WR, but now I get his returns.

WR Nate WASHINGTON
He likes to go deep, and when the Titans throw the ball, it's usually deep.

K Rob BIRONAS
A big, dependable leg on a team whose coach views him as a weapon.

RB Edgerrin JAMES
Little risk this late. I'll hope this free agent lands in a time-share.

13

RB Ahmad BRADSHAW
I don't believe in Jacobs full-time; now I have a slew of tradable RBs.

DEF/ST TITANS
Questions about new coordinator and loss of Albert Haynesworth.

TE Visanthe SHIANCOE
With weak QBs, coach Brad Childress will use his tight end often.

WR Sidney RICE
Rice is my No. 1 WR candidate for a major breakout this season.

RB Michael BUSH
He's not Reggie [Bush], but he's better than George W.

QB Pat WHITE
I think he'll be Miami's No. 2 QB, and he could be a major matchup problem.

WR Domenik HIXON
Rookie WRs rarely pan out, so I'll bet on Hixon to win the starting job.

QB Joe FLACCO
I hope to use him only once, in Week 6, when Peyton has a bye.

RB LeSean McCOY
Westbrook understudy completes the DeSean and LeSean Show.

TE Zach MILLER
Coach Tom Cable says they want to look for Miller more in the red zone.

RB Chester TAYLOR
Childress continues to call his number. Taylor continues to thrive.

TE Dustin KELLER
Love the upside; maybe he's trade bait in October.

14

WR Kevin CURTIS
Quoth Peter King: "He's all yours." Bring on the naysayers.

TE Bobby ENGRAM
He'll be Cassel's veteran target as teams try to contain Bowe.

DEF/ST PATRIOTS
Bill Belichick's D always ranks high in my book; '08 was a down year.

K Ryan LONGWELL
When in doubt, always go with the prodigious indoors kicker.

WR Joey GALLOWAY
King stole Betts with earlier pick, but talent is ageless in New England.

RB Ladell BETTS
Portis is going to get too beat up to continue one of these years.

QB Kyle ORTON
I waited too long to take Edwards, so I took the best of the rest.

DEF/ST EAGLES
Last year's No. 3 fantasy unit will be more disruptive thanks to young LBs.

RB James DAVIS
Clemson rookie is a Lewis injury away from a big workload.

QB Trent EDWARDS
T.O. or no T.O., if I have to play Edwards regularly, I'm screwed.

RB Correll BUCKHALTER
Has experience and talent to earn carries in Broncos' RB competition.

K Nate KAEDING
The way Rivers is playing, can't go wrong here.

15

QB Matt LEINART
Lucky for me my handcuff fell this far, though I was eyeing Edwards.

TE Tony SCHEFFLER
New quarterback Orton used his tight ends plenty in Chicago.

K Lawrence TYNES
Giants showed faith by keeping him over a Pro Bowl kicker—a good sign.

DEF/ST CHARGERS
I'm buying any asset associated with Antonio Cromartie.

RB Kevin JONES
Bears have said they want Jones to spell Forte more often.

WR Austin COLLIE
Peyton has a way of bringing young kids along.

DEF/ST COWBOYS
I have them as the No. 3 defense because of their high sack rate.

TE Martellus BENNETT
From HBO's Hard Knocks to on-field stardom? If Witten goes down.

K Garrett HARTLEY
He'll be No.1 scorer for top offense playing a last-place schedule.

DEF/ST REDSKINS
Haynesworth and Brian Orakpo equal a sack-heavy sleeper D.

QB Brett FAVRE
Threw 22 TDs in 2008 with a bad wing. His phone will ring in '09.

WR Earl BENNETT
Someone's got to catch Cutler's passes. Why not his Vandy teammate?

16

K Robbie GOULD
That's the great thing about the Bears: always underappreciated.

K Nick FOLK
Somehow I missed the hip-surgery news; good thing I draft kickers last.

WR Jordy NELSON
Solid one-week fill-in for leagues that reward points per reception.

TE Brandon PETTIGREW
Taking a flier on Detroit's newest pass-catching, run-blocking toy.

K Neil RACKERS
The Rack has game's biggest leg, and Arizona will score plenty.

WR Brian ROBISKIE
Final-round flier, if Braylon is dealt and rebuilding begins.

K Jason ELAM
Tougher schedule means fewer TDs for the Falcons and more FGs.

K Mason CROSBY
Anthony Mason crossed with Sidney Crosby? No, just a kicker, but he'll do.

WR Plaxico BURRESS
No risk here, but reward is huge if his legal woes vanish.

K David AKERS
With all of Donovan McNabb's new toys, Philly will score, score, score.

WR Kenny BRITT
Big, tall receiver on a team with need. Could be a pleasant surprise.

DEF/ST BEARS
Crossing my fingers that their pass rush shows up this season.