And away we go.

The 2024 NFL preseason is officially underway after Thursday night's thriller between the Chicago Bears and Houston Texans.

OK, the Hall of Fame Game is all but unwatchable; starters rarely play, and the guys who do probably won't make the 53-man roster. But it's another step toward the season opener between the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens, the game that marks the start of another fantasy season.

That means fantasy draft season is officially kicking into high gear. And among the many tools managers use to prepare for that most important of days is either viewing drafts or taking part in mock drafts to get a feel for how players are valued.

This particular draft isn't a "mock" at all. It's 12 fantasy analysts and veterans gathering together to play for reals. It offers a better glimpse into how drafts are shaking out in 2024 than picking against robots or just to practice.

It's a straightforward 12-team PPR setup: One starter at quarterback, two at running back, three at wide receiver, one tight end, a kicker, a defense and a "flex" spot over 16 rounds.

Here's how the draft played out, with yours truly selecting from the 11th spot.

Fantasy scoring data courtesy of FFToday

Average draft position data courtesy of FantasyPros.

Round 1

1.01: Christian McCaffrey, RB, SF

1.02: CeeDee Lamb, WR, DAL

1.03: Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, DET

1.04: Bijan Robinson, RB, ATL

1.05: Ja'Marr Chase, WR, CIN

1.06: Tyreek Hill, WR, MIA

1.07: Saquon Barkley, RB, PHI

1.08: Breece Hall, RB, NYJ

1.09: A.J. Brown, WR, PHI

1.10: Justin Jefferson, WR, MIN

1.11: Jonathan Taylor, RB, IND

1.12: Puka Nacua, WR, LAR

The Times They Are-a-Changing

Not that many years ago, it wasn't uncommon to see nine or 10 running backs selected in Round 1. The position dominated the early part of drafts.

But with PPR leagues becoming more rule than exception and NFL teams going more pass-heavy, the tables have turned.

A running back (Christian McCaffrey) was the first pick here and will be in more fantasy drafts than not. But beginning with CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys second overall, seven of the first 12 picks in this draft were WRs.

However, while wide receiver may seem a safer selection in the early rounds, the reality is that bust rates for the two positions are similar until you hit the "RB Dead Zone" in Round 4 or so.

My Pick

Had Justin Jefferson fallen one more spot, I'd have been sorely tempted to go that direction. But with the Minnesota Vikings receiver gone and one of my top-four running backs still on the board, selecting Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor was an easy call.

Taylor hasn't rushed for as many yards in the past two seasons combined as in his 1,811-yard, RB1 overall season in 2021, but with his contract issues and injuries in the rearview and a 5.0 yards per carry average for his career, he has a chance to be fantasy's top back in 2024.

Round 2

2.01: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, DET

2.02: Davante Adams, WR, LV

2.03: Garrett Wilson, WR, NYJ

2.04: Derrick Henry, RB, BAL

2.05: Mike Evans, WR, TB

2.06: Kyren Williams, RB, LAR

2.07: Deebo Samuel Sr., WR, SF

2.08: Chris Olave, WR, NO

2.09: Drake London, WR, ATL

2.10: Travis Etienne Jr., RB, JAX

2.11: Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, ARI

2.12: Michael Pittman Jr., WR, IND

The Wide Receiver Run Continues

If this draft is any indication, fantasy managers are going to have to be aggressive in attacking the position if they want to build a stout wide receiver corps.

Even more wideouts came off the board in Round 2 than in Round 1—eight in total. That's 15 wide receivers off the board by the end of the second round.

The receivers taken in Round 2 are experienced NFL players. Davante Adams of the Raiders and Mike Evans are grizzled vets with long histories of fantasy production.

Fantasy managers are hopeful that improved quarterback play will lead to breakout seasons from Garrett Wilson of the Jets and Drake London of the Falcons. And Marvin Harrison Jr. of the Cardinals was the first rookie off the board.

My Pick

When you're picking on the turn, there's a good side and a bad side. The good is two picks in rapid succession; the bad is the long gap between those pick sets and the next pair of selections. That means you have to be willing to reach a little at times—that player you're targeting probably won't make it back around.

Adams admittedly doesn't have a great QB situation in Vegas, but he didn't have one in 2023 either, when he was the most targeted wideout in the AFC, catching 103 passes, topping 1,100 yards and finishing 10th among wideouts in PPR points. He's being undervalued this season.

Round 3

3.01: Amari Cooper, WR, CLE

3.02: Isiah Pacheco, RB, KC

3.03: D.J. Moore, WR, CHI

3.04: Josh Allen, QB, BUF

3.05: Brandon Aiyuk, WR, SF

3.06: Nico Collins, WR, HOU

3.07: Jalen Hurts, QB, PHI

3.08: Cooper Kupp, WR, LAR

3.09: De'Von Achane, WR, MIA

3.10: Josh Jacobs, RB, GB

3.11: Jaylen Waddle, WR, MIA

3.12: DK Metcalf, WR, SEA

The Perils of Drafting Quarterbacks Early

Strictly in terms of ADP, the two teams who chose a quarterback got decent value. Josh Allen of the Bills was taken six picks after his ADP of 22 at Fantasy Pros. Jalen Hurts of the Eagles also came off the board after his average draft position.

However, that doesn't make choosing a quarterback in the third round a good idea.

Allen and Hurts are probably the leading contenders to finish as the overall QB1 in 2024. But both are highly reliant on rushing touchdowns for fantasy production, and even if they do meet expectations, the edge managers gain under center won't be worth the deficiency at running back or wide receiver.

Quarterback is fantasy's deepest position. Take advantage of that depth and exercise some patience under center.

My Pick

There are few things more frustrating than consistently being sniped in a fantasy draft—watching time after time as the player you were targeting gets selected just before your turn.

Three rounds in and it's now happened twice. Had Packers running back Josh Jacobs slipped one more spot, he probably would have been my choice in Round 3.

Still, Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle isn't a bad consolation prize. He was the clear No. 2 option in Miami's passing game last year, but that didn't stop him from surpassing 1,000 receiving yards for the third straight year, averaging 72.4 yards per game and finishing 2023 as WR22 in PPR points per game.

Round 4

4.01: James Cook, RB, BUF

4.02: Rachaad White, RB, TB

4.03: Malik Nabers, WR, NYG

4.04: Anthony Richardson, QB, IND

4.05: Joe Mixon, RB, HOU

4.06: Sam LaPorta, TE, DET

4.07: DeVonta Smith, WR, PHI

4.08: Travis Kelce, TE, KC

4.09: Stefon Diggs, WR, BUF

4.10: Tee Higgins, WR, CIN

4.11: Lamar Jackson, QB, BAL

4.12: Terry McLaurin, WR, WAS

The Changing Face of Tight Ends

Only a year ago, Travis Kelce was more than just the consensus No. 1 fantasy tight end: He was a legitimate first-round pick after dominating the position for years.

But the Chiefs star missed two games last year, failed to amass 1,000 receiving yards for the first time since 2015 and fell to third at the position in PPR points.

Kelce still led all tight ends in points per game, and he will be the first player at his position drafted often. But he has ceded the top spot to second-year pro in several drafts, including this one. LaPorta was one of five tight ends to get 120 targets in 2023, and his 10 touchdowns were far and away the most at the position.

My Pick

On a per-touch basis last year, Rachaad White of the Buccaneers wasn't especially impressive—he averaged just 3.6 yards per carry, failed to hit 1,000 yards for the season and was 42nd in the league in rushing yards after contact per attempt. To be blunt, he's a middling talent.

But his 272 carries last year were tied for second in the league, he topped over 1,500 total yards, scored nine total touchdowns and finished fourth among running backs in PPR points.

There's little reason to think White won't top 300 touches again, and that volume does a lot to offset his lack of per-touch punch.

Round 5

5.01: Trey McBride, TE, ARI

5.02: Zay Flowers, WR, BAL

5.03: C.J. Stroud, QB, HOU

5.04: Alvin Kamara, RB, NO

5.05: Patrick Mahomes, QB, KC

5.06: George Kittle, TE, SF

5.07: George Pickens, WR, PIT

5.08: Mark Andrews, TE, BAL

5.09: Kenneth Walker III, RB, SEA

5.10: Rhamondre Stevenson, RB, NE

5.11: Aaron Jones, RB, MIN

5.12: Rashee Rice, WR, KC

The Kamara Conundrum

There was a time in the not-too-distant past when the idea of Saints running back Alvin Kamara falling to the fifth round would have been considered laughable.

As recently as 2021, he was a top-10 fantasy option in PPR points. But he has averaged less than four yards a carry two of the last three years and set a career low with 694 rushing yards in 2023.

Still, Kamara topped 1,100 total yards a year ago, should be a big part of the Saints offense in 2024 and has the potential to blow past his draft-day asking price if he can recapture past glories even a little.

It's not a pick without risk, but it could pay off big time if Kamara posts a top-12 season.

My Pick

You know, by this point in the draft I was ready to start throwing furniture—watching George Pickens and Kenneth Walker get taken just ahead of me kicked the frustration level up about six notches—so you have to be willing to pivot.

Aaron Jones isn't getting any younger and turns 30 in December. There are genuine concerns about the quarterback position in Minnesota this year. But as recently as two years ago, he surpassed 1,100 yards on the ground and averaged 5.3 yards per carry, and he looked great for the Green Bay Packers down the stretch last season.

Round 6

6.01: James Conner, RB, ARI

6.02: Christian Kirk, WR, JAX

6.03: Evan Engram, TE, JAX

6.04: Marquise Brown, WR, KC

6.05: Keenan Allen, WR, CHI

6.06: Dalton Kincaid, TE, BUF

6.07: David Montgomery, RB, DET

6.08: Raheem Mostert, RB, MIA

6.09: Tank Dell, WR, HOU

6.10: Zamir White, RB, LV

6.11: Najee Harris, RB, PIT

6.12: Joe Burrow, QB, CIN

Value Alert

The wide receiver position may be getting hammered early in drafts this season, but there are still some players available in the middle rounds who could become viable weekly starters and outperform their draft slot.

Yes, Keenan Allen is the wrong side of 30. Yes, he'll have to contend with D.J. Moore and rookie Rome Odunze for targets on a new team in Chicago with a rookie quarterback throwing him the ball. But Allen caught 100 passes for the fourth time in five years in 2023 and has a real chance to lead all Bears receivers in fantasy points.

Rashee Rice was excellent for the Kansas City Chiefs last year, and Xavier Worthy just set a new record for the 40-yard dash at the combine.

However, Rice faces legal troubles that could result in a suspension, and Worthy's next NFL catch will be his first. Marquise Brown is a proven veteran commodity headed for the best season of his career catching passes from Patrick Mahomes.

My Pick

This selection will be viewed by some as a reach, especially after Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk missed five games and failed to hit 800 receiving yards last year.

However, there were 20 picks between this one and my next. If I wanted to roster Kirk, this is the pick where it needed to happen.

Two years ago, he caught 84 passes, eclipsed 1,100 receiving yards, caught eight touchdown passes and finished 12th in PPR points among wide receivers. With Calvin Ridley gone, Kirk is again the unquestioned No. 1 receiver in Jacksonville—and a rebound to 2022 numbers is a real possibility.

Round 7

7.01: Zack Moss, RB, CIN

7.02: Chris Godwin, WR, TB

7.03: Jaylen Warren, RB, PIT

7.04: Calvin Ridley, WR, TEN

7.05: D'Andre Swift, RB, CHI

7.06: Jordan Love, QB, GB

7.07: Diontae Johnson, WR, CAR

7.08: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, SEA

7.09: Kyle Pitts, TE, ATL

7.10: Kyler Murray, QB, ARI

7.11: Jayden Reed, WR, GB

7.12: David Njoku, TE, CLE

Walking the Dead Zone

By Round 7, we are in the heart of the "RB Dead Zone," but it also the time in the draft when "Zero RB" draft adherents look to target the position. And there were several running backs taken in this round with the potential to be big-time values, but who carry considerable question marks as well.

Can Zack Moss repeat his success in Indianapolis from a season ago in his new role as the Bengals lead back? Can D'Andre Swift duplicate his numbers from 2023 playing with a worse offensive line in Chicago? Can Jaylen Warren of the Steelers again outpoint Najee Harris and finish in RB2 territory in PPR formats.

The backs who answer those questions affirmatively are going to win leagues.

My Pick

This was probably the most frustrating round of the draft.

I expect Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts to rebound nicely now that Arthur Smith is no longer in charge.

However, Pitts came off the board two picks before my turn, so it was on to Plan B once more. It was at this point I decided the sniping was personal as payback for winning this league last season.

The Green Bay Packers have a plethora of young, talented receivers, which is great for them but has muddied the waters for fantasy managers.

Still, Jayden Reed led the Packers in catches and yards in 2023 and tied for the team lead with eight touchdowns—numbers that were good for a top-25 finish among wide receivers.

Round 8

8.01: DeAndre Hopkins, WR, TEN

8.02: Devin Singletary, RB, NYG

8.03: Javonte Williams, RB, DEN

8.04: Jordan Addison, WR, MIN

8.05: Dak Prescott, QB, DAL

8.06: Tony Pollard, RB, TEN

8.07: Rome Odunze, WR, CHI

8.08: Jonathon Brooks, RB, CAR

8.09: Brian Robinson Jr., WAS

8.10: Christian Watson, WR, GB

8.11: Dallas Goedert, TE, PHI

8.12: Gus Edwards, RB, LAC

The Dak Attack

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott doesn't offer the rushing upside of players like Buffalo's Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts of the Eagles or Lamar Jackson of the Ravens, but he was third in the NFL last year in passing yards, led the league with 36 touchdown passes and finished third in fantasy points among quarterbacks.

Earlier in this column, I advocated waiting to draft a quarterback, and players like Prescott are the reason why.

The Cowboys could easily be one of the most pass-heavy offenses in the NFL in 2024, and Prescott has maybe the best wide receiver in the league at his disposal in CeeDee Lamb.

My Pick

This is another selection that could be construed as a reach—Giants running back Devin Singletary was taken 17 picks ahead of his current ADP. But again, there was a 20-pick hiatus ahead of me—if I was going to roster him, this was the spot. The odds he'd make it all the way to 9.11 aren't good.

To be clear, Singletary isn't Saquon Barkley—not by a long shot. But the 26-year-old has actually averaged more yards per carry than Barkley, he has surpassed 1,000 total yards in each of the past three seasons and Singletary demonstrated last year in Houston that he is capable of taking on an every-down role.

Round 9

9.01: Xavier Worthy, WR, KC

9.02: Brock Purdy, QB, SF

9.03: Jake Ferguson, TE, GB

9.04: Tua Tagovailoa, QB, MIA

9.05: Trey Benson, RB, ARI

9.06: Courtland Sutton, WR, DEN

9.07: Jameson Williams, WR, DET

9.08: Tyjae Spears, RB, TEN

9.09: Curtis Samuel, WR, BUF

9.10: Ladd McConkey, WR, LAC

9.11: Dalton Schultz, TE, HOU

9.12: Nick Chubb, RB, CLE

To Chubb or Not to Chubb

Two years ago, Browns running back Nick Chubb set a career high with 1,525 rushing yards, tied a career best with 12 scores and finished the season sixth in PPR points among running backs. Last season, Chubb made it just two games into the season before tearing his ACL for the second time.

The Browns have offered mostly encouraging news about Chubb's rehab, but there are still no guarantees he will be ready for the start of the regular season. If he's healthy and anywhere close to 100 percent, Chubb could be a league-winner in Round 9. But that's a gigantic "if." Still, no one's draft was ever wrecked by whiffing on a ninth-round pick.

My Pick

If there's one position I most mismanaged in this draft, it was probably tight end. Evan Engram of the Jaguars went far earlier than I expected, and Pitts was swiped out from underneath me. By this point in the draft, none of the remaining options available exactly blew me away.

Dalton Schultz's 59 catches for 635 yards and five scores last season aren't exactly a jaw-dropping stat line. And with Stefon Diggs and Joe Mixon now in Houston, Schultz's 88 targets from a season ago are likely a best-case scenario. But Schultz has C.J. Stroud's trust, and a low-end TE1 fantasy finish is still a possibility.

Round 10

10.01: Jared Goff, QB, DET

10.02: Jayden Daniels, QB, WAS

10.03: Jakobi Myers, WR, LV

10.04: Ezekiel Elliott, RB, DAL

10.05: Chase Brown, RB, CIN

10.06: Keon Coleman, WR, BUF

10.07: Tyler Lockett, WR, SEA

10.08: Austin Ekeler, RB, WAS

10.09: Rashid Shaheed, WR, NO

10.10: Zach Charbonnet, RB, SEA

10.11: Blake Corum, RB, LAR

10.12: Brian Thomas Jr., WR, JAX

Giving Veterans Some Love

As fantasy drafts enter the later rounds, many fantasy managers tend to focus depth picks on young players. In Round 10 here, four rookies were selected.

However, a few teams went the opposite route: Drafting veteran players in the hopes they can wring one more good season out of them.

It's not that often that a lead back is available this late in the draft, but coming off arguably the worst season of his career Ezekiel Elliott appears to hold that role again in Dallas.

As recently as two seasons ago, Washington's Austin Ekeler was the highest-scoring running back in fantasy. In four of the past five seasons, Seattle's Tyler Lockett was a 1,000-yard wide receiver.

My Pick

This fantasy analyst practices what he preaches. This isn't to say that I'm averse to drafting a quarterback before the 10th round. But given how many prominent fantasy signal-callers were off the board by Round 5 or so, I decided the best course of action was to play "QB Chicken" and wait.

There is risk involved with selecting a rookie quarterback as a fantasy starter—managers who roll the dice on Jayden Daniels of the Commanders or Caleb Williams of the Bears should likely look to add an insurance policy of sorts with a capable backup.

But Daniels offers the most rushing upside of this year's rookie quarterbacks, and running quarterbacks get a nice boost in fantasy leagues.

Rounds 11-13

11.01: Marvin Mims Jr., WR, DEN

11.02: Jerome Ford, RB, CLE

11.03: Caleb Williams, QB, CHI

11.04: T.J. Hockenson, TE, MIN

11.05: Mike Williams, WR, NYJ

11.06: JK Dobbins, RB. LAC

11.07: Matthew Stafford, QB, LAR

11.08: Brock Bowers, TE, LV

11.09: Romeo Doubs, WR, GB

11.10: Ty Chandler, RB. MIN

11.11: Justin Herbert, QB, LAC

11.12: Khalil Shakir, WR, BUF

12.01: Kirk Cousins, QB, ATL

12.02: Brandin Cooks, WR, DAL

12.03: Jahan Dotson, WR, WAS

12.04: Josh Downs, WR, IND

12.05: Joshua Palmer, WR, LAC

12.06: Chuba Hubbard, RB, CAR

12.07: Jaleel McLaughlin, RB, DEN

12.08: Dontayvion Wicks, RB, GB

12.09: Pat Freiermuth, TE, PIT

12.10: Rashod Bateman, WR, BAL

12.11: Darnell Mooney, WR, ATL

12.12: Baltimore Ravens Defense/Special Teams

13.01: Luke Musgrave, TE, GB

13.02: Jake Moody, K, SF

13.03: Chigoziem Okonkwo, TE, TEN

13.04: Gabe Davis, WR, JAX

13.05: Trevor Lawrence, QB, JAX

13.06: Rico Dowdle, RB, DAL

13.07: New York Jets Defense/Special Teams

13.08: Antonio Gibson, RB, NE

13.09: Hunter Henry, TE, NE

13.10: Tyrone Tracy, RB, NYG

13.11: Bucky Irving, RB, TB

13.12: Adonai Mitchell, WR, IND

Don't Be That Guy

As the draft enters the late rounds, it can be tempting to eschew a dart throw or depth addition to draft an "elite" kicker. But in the words of the great Admiral Ackbar, "It's a trap!"

The difference last year between the No. 1 kicker (Brandon Aubrey of the Cowboys) and the No. 12 kicker (Dustin Hopkins of the Browns) was all of two fantasy points per game.

The pick is that much more curious when you consider the player selected—yes, Jake Moody plays for a prolific offense in San Francisco, but he attempted just 25 field goals all season long and barely finished inside the top 15 in fantasy points.

It's simple. Do not draft a kicker before the last round. Ever.

My Picks

After rolling the dice on Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, it was important to draft a backup who offers some insurance for the ups and downs that come with being a rookie. Justin Herbert is just that sort of insurance, even with the questions surrounding the Chargers wide receivers. At least he will be if his foot injury isn't a big deal.

Brandin Cooks' first year in Dallas in 2023 was something of a disappointment, although he did find the end zone eight times. But the 30-year-old has a fistful of 1,000-yard seasons on his NFL resume, and he's the No. 2 receiver for a Dallas team that could be throwing the ball a lot in 2024.

The selection of rookie running back Bucky Irving of the Buccaneers had as much to do with Rachaad White as it did Irving himself. The fourth-rounder has reportedly impressed so far in camp, and should White falter or get injured the Bucs showed last year they will ride a running back.

Rounds 14-16

14.01: Justin Tucker, K, BAL

14.02: Cole Kmet, TE, CHI

14.03: Jerry Jeudy, WR, CLE

14.04: Will Levis, QB, TEN

14.05: San Francisco 49ers Defense/Special Teams

14.06: Michael Wilson, WR, ARI

14.07: Will Shipley, RB, PHI

14.08: Alexander Mattison, RB, LV

14.09: DeMario Douglas, WR, NE

14.10: Dallas Cowboys Defense/Special Teams

14.11: Houston Texans Defense/Special Teams

14.12: Bryce Young, QB, CAR

15.01: Kendre Miller, RB, NO

15.02: Isaiah Likely, TE, BAL

15.03: Keaton Mitchell, RB, BAL

15.04: Buffalo Bills Defense/Special Teams

15.05: Younghoe Koo, K, ATL

15.06: Cleveland Browns Defense/Special Teams

15.07: Philadelphia Eagles Defense/Special Teams

15.08: Harrison Butker, K, KC

15.09: Chicago Bears Defense/Special Teams

15.10: Pittsburgh Steelers Defense/Special Teams

15.11: Kansas City Chiefs Defense/Special Teams

15.12: Ricky Pearsall, WR, SF

16.01: New England Patriots Defense/Special Teams

16.02: Jake Elliott, K, PHI

16.03: Brandon Aubrey, K, DAL

16.04: Jason Sanders, K, MIA

16.05: Aaron Rodgers, QB, NYJ

16.06: Ka'imi Fairbairn, K, HOU

16.07: Tyler Bass, K, BUF

16.08: Cincinnati Bengals Defense/Special Teams

16.09: Greg Zuerlein, K, NYJ

16.10: Dustin Hopkins, K, CLE

16.11: Tyler Allgeier, RB, ATL

16.12: Cameron Dicker, K, LAC

Sleeper Alert

The final few rounds of fantasy drafts are about fleshing out rosters. Grabbing a kicker and a defense, and searching for a potential "sleeper" pick or two.

Jerry Jeudy of the Browns never lived up to his first-round draft slot during his four seasons in Denver. But he's just one year removed from flirting with 1,000 receiving yards, scoring six touchdowns and finishing inside fantasy WR2 territory.

Similarly, the New England passing game was mostly abysmal in 2023, but Demario Douglas quietly led the team in receiving yards and was second in catches. Someone is going to have to be the No. 1 wide receiver for the Patriots in 2024—and getting a No. 1 wideout this late is value.

My Picks

Frankly, I spent a couple of rounds kicking myself for just whiffing on Brock Bowers—monitor the available players closely during your draft. But Chicago's Cole Kmet was eighth in PPR points among tight ends a year ago. He'll do as my second TE.

Heaven forbid I don't get sniped at least one more time—I had the Pittsburgh Steelers defense all queued up before it went off the board the pick before me. The Chiefs don't draw a favorable Week 1 matchup, but Kansas City kept the Baltimore Ravens offense in check in last year's AFC Championship Game.

Jake Elliott of the Eagles was solid for fantasy managers last year, hitting on almost 94 percent of his 32 field-goal tries and finishing the season sixth among kickers in fantasy points. Guys like him are the reason you wait until the last round to take a kicker.

My Team

Quarterbacks: Jayden Daniels, WAS (10.02); Justin Herbert, LAC (11.11)

Running Backs: Jonathan Taylor, IND (1.11); Rachaad White, TB (4.02); Aaron Jones, MIN (5.11); Devin Singletary, NYG (8.02); Bucky Irving, TB (13.11)

Wide Receivers: Davante Adams, LV (2.02); Jaylen Waddle, MIA (3.11); Christian Kirk, JAX (6.02); Jayden Reed, GB (7.11); Brandin Cooks, DAL (12.02)

Tight Ends: Dalton Schultz, HOU (9.11); Cole Kmet, CHI (14.02)

Kicker: Jake Elliott, PHI (16.02)

Defense/Special Teams: Kansas City Chiefs (15.11)

Full disclosure—the fine folks at Yahoo (where this year's draft was hosted) gave my a draft a "D" and graded my team ninth in the league. When I see Andy Behrens at the Fantasy Football Expo next week in Canton, Ohio, I intend to lodge a complaint.

Was my draft perfect? Nope. Not my best work or my worst. If my squad has a clear weakness, it's at tight end. And the Singletary and Kirk picks were both pilloried in my grade as reaches. As mentioned, though, when picking on the turn, reaching to grab a player you want isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Draft the guys you want to draft. Always. Experts be damned.

I'm at least competitive at the other positions, and actually rather like the backs and receivers. Championships aren't won on draft day. There's a lot of work to be done between now and season's end. The goal is just to do well enough that you don't open the season trying to dig out of a hole talent-wise.

In that respect at least, mission accomplished.

Gary Davenport is a two-time Fantasy Sports Writers Association Football Writer of the Year. Follow him on X at @IDPSharks.