Fantasy Football: Mock-draft simulation when taking RBs in Rounds 1-4

The following draft strategy goes beyond the notion of Do The Opposite, the famous methodology developed by Fanball.com poo-bah Paul Charchian.

Just for kicks, here's a dry run of draft expectations when blatantly selecting running backs with the first four picks. For this particular mock, we're talking about slots 6, 19, 30 and 43.

Covering this 16-round draft (PPR rules), the starters include one quarterback, two tailbacks, two receivers, one kicker, one defense/special teams and one RB/WR flex.

So, what's the point of this exercise? The benefits are twofold:

a) The masses can view a prospective roster from the air-tight rationale of having a dominant rushing attack ... and perhaps an elite-level quarterback, if they opt to grab Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson or Deshaun Watson in Round 5.

b) Fantasy owners will get a crunch-time look at how much depth truly exists at the wideout slots, particularly for PPR leagues.

In other words, if you love this philosophy ... don't be afraid to follow it to the letter during a real draft.

Round 1, Pick 6 overall: Motive—Best tailback

3rd option: RB Melvin Gordon, Chargers

RATIONALE: Here's all you need to know about this no-brainer selection:

a) Of his 26 career games (including one playoff outing), Elliott reached the elite-level threshold of 100 total yards and/or one touchdown 25 times.

b) Elliott averaged 105 rushing yards and 22.6 carries during the 2016-17 regular seasons—when the Cowboys had Dez Bryant and Jason Witten in the starting lineup.

But for the 2018 Cowboys, Elliott easily stands as the No. 1 option for every standard situation, minus 3rd and long.

Round 2, Pick 19 overall: Motive—Best running back available

1st option: RB Christian McCaffrey, Panthers

RATIONALE: Thank goodness for McCaffrey (1,086 total yards, 7 TDs last year) being there at 19. Otherwise, I would have had to substantially reach for the next back in my rankings.

(Hence, the lone option above.)

There's no limit to what this kid can accomplish in Year 2. In fact, C-Mac's 80 catches/113 targets should be a reasonable starting point for this season, despite the O-coordinator change from Mike Shula to Norv Turner.

Of his final 15 games last season, McCaffrey accounted for five catches or one touchdown 13 different times—highlighted by the six-catch, 117-yard, one-TD effort against the Saints in the wild-card round.

Round 3, Pick 30 overall: Motive—Best tailback available

3rd option: RB Alex Collins, Ravens

RATIONALE: I could go in any direction with the names listed above.

Mixon likely has the greatest upside. Drake has amazing top-end speed; and Collins will probably garner more cumulative touches by season's end (health permitting).

But right now, the pick goes to Drake, who averaged 95 total yards and 0.5 touchdowns in his final nine games (coinciding with Jay Ajayi's trade to the Eagles).

Of equal importance, during that nine-game stretch, Drake collected four-plus targets five times—including an absurd 11 targets against the Bills last December.

Round 4, Pick 43 overall: Motive—Best tailback with upside

3rd option: RB Sony Michel, Patriots

RATIONALE: Consider this the 'upside' portion of the four-back experiment. Technically, Lamar Miller's ranking among PPR backs supersedes that of Johnson, Guice and Michel.

However, if I'm going for broke with yet another tailback in Round 4, this runner better have man-crush potential.

As such, why not shoot for the moon with the lot of blue-chip rookies?

Which brings us to this: I'm tapping into my Detroit bias to make the following selection. Kerryon Johnson (1,585 total yards/20 TDs at Auburn last year) will soon become a modern-day clone of Billy Sims, who was my first sporting idol growing up in Michigan.

Bank on it!

Johnson has the requisite power, speed and versatility to become a dominant PPR back at the NFL level. Let's just hope the 'durability' component rings true, as well.

Round 5, Pick 54 overall: Motive—Best PPR wideout or Deshaun Watson

3rd option: WR Marvin Jones, Lions

RATIONALE: Citing four weeks of steady mock drafting, I already know Jared Goff (my No. 8 quarterback) will be there in the final four rounds.

As such, it would be cool (and easy) to land the Goff-Cooks handcuff, whenever the former draws a fantasy start.

With the Saints and Patriots (2015-17), Cooks enjoyed a stealth three-year average of 76 catches, 1,131 yards and eight touchdowns; and charting last season alone, the Oregon State star amassed nine outings of 80 receiving yards and/or one touchdown.

Round 6, Pick 67 overall: Motive—Best wideout or tight end available

3rd option: TE Evan Engram, Giants

RATIONALE: This is a pure upside pick with Davis (zero regular-season TDs), based on his incredible athleticism and run-after-catch potential.

It also helps that Davis saved his best performance for last ... collecting five catches, eight targets, 63 yards and two touchdowns in the playoff defeat to the Patriots.

Round 7, Pick 78 overall: Motive—Best wideout available

3rd option: WR Robert Woods, Rams

Round 8, Pick 91 overall: Motive—Best tight end or receiver

3rd option: QB Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers

RATIONALE: The last time John DeFilippo served as an NFL offensive coordinator (Cleveland, 2015) ... Browns tight end Gary Barnidge came out of nowhere to register 79 catches, 125 targets, 1,043 yards and nine touchdowns.

For good measure, DeFilippo also spent the previous two seasons with Philly, where he had an up-close look at Zach Ertz's two-year average of 76 catches, 108 targets, 820 yards and six TDs.

Bottom line: Assuming full health, Rudolph's a lock to eclipse last year's so-so tallies with targets (81) and receiving yards (532).

Round 9, Pick 102 overall: Motive—Best playmaker available

3rd option: TE Trey Burton, Bears

RATIONALE: Lee (averaged 5.3 catches, 57 yards, 0.5 TDs for November/December last year) has earned the preseason benefit of the doubt in fantasy circles, but it's far from a long-standing commitment.

How so? Lee should lead the Jaguars in targets, catches and receiving yards in September; and anything short of this prominence might be grounds for dropping him by October.

In other words, there's no gray area here. Either Lee starts fast as Blake Bortles' go-to target ... or we move on to a more bankable sleeper.

Round 10, Pick 115 overall: Motive—Best receiver or quarterback available

3rd option: QB Kirk Cousins, Vikings

RATIONALE: Golladay should be a popular Year 2 breakout candidate for August, factoring in his quarterback (Matthew Stafford), established offensive coordinator (Jim Bob Cooter) and the first and last impressions from a so-so rookie campaign:

Week 1 vs. Cardinals—4 catches, 69 yards, 2 TDs

Week 17 vs. Packers—2 catches, 80 yards, 1 TDs

Round 11, Pick 126 overall: Motive—Best defense/special teams available

3rd option: D/ST Minnesota Vikings

RATIONALE: Never be afraid to select a defense or kicker in Rounds 11 or 12.

The elite performers are worth it during this period, especially if you have a great understanding of late-round value among the receivers and tight ends.

The Jacksonville choice was a slam dunk. Last year, this young, but dominant defense posted top-six rankings for sacks, fumble recoveries, interceptions and defensive touchdowns.

Round 12, Pick 139 overall: Motive—Best quarterback available

1st option: QB Jared Goff, Rams

RATIONALE: There's no excuse for Goff (3,804 yards passing, 29 total TDs in Year 2) being available at the 139rd pick.

He's my No. 8 quarterback, ahead of Matthew Stafford, Kirk Cousins, Philip Rivers, Dak Prescott, Matt Ryan and Drew Brees.

In Year 2 with the Rams (first season under Sean McVay), Goff accounted for 300 total yards and/or three touchdowns seven different times; and last I checked, Los Angeles remains loaded with top-notch playmakers.

Round 13, Pick 150 overall: Motive—Best tight end available

3rd option: TE O.J. Howard, Buccaneers

RATIONALE: You can't really go wrong with the above options.

Brate boasts robust averages of 53 catches, 626 yards and seven touchdowns over the last two seasons; and Njoku and Howard are both incredible athletes with tremendous upside.

Round 14, Pick 163 overall: Motive—Best kicker available

3rd option: K Harrison Butker, Chiefs

Round 15, Pick 174 overall: Motive—Best playmaker available

3rd option: WR Dede Westbrook, Jaguars

RATIONALE: Ware should be a must-have for Kareem Hunt owners.

The speedy back (age-27 season) is just two years removed from racking up 1,368 total yards and five touchdowns with the Chiefs.

And for what it's worth, before last year's injury in August, Ware looked lightning-quick and powerful during preseason action.

Round 16, Pick 187 overall: Motive—Best backup-QB available

3rd option: QB Eli Manning, Giants

RATIONALE: Under normal circumstances, I would have opted for the 'upside' quotient with Trubisky, who could experience a Goff-like breakout in Year 2.

Chicago has a forward-thinking head coach (former Chiefs OC Matt Nagy) and a solid set of pass-catchers (Allen Robinson, Trey Burton, Taylor Gabriel, Anthony 'Pig' Miller) ... just in case Kevin White never lives up to the hype of Draft Day 2015.

But in this unique case, I'm happy to grab Prescott and ride a pair of top-15 quarterbacks in a platoon situation.

Besides, we can always reverse course and snag Trubisky off waiver in mid-September.

FINAL ROSTER

QB: Jared Goff, Dak Prescott

K: Justin Tucker

Jay Clemons, the 2008 Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and 2015 Cynopsis Media award winner for "Sports Blog Of The Year," has previously served as the lead fantasy analyst for Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports South, Bleacher Report and Fanball.com.