2016 Fantasy Football Draft Prep: 12-team PPR mock draft

We haven't talked much about Rob Gronkowski so far in our recent mock drafts, but he remains a prominent figure in the first round in the majority of leagues. And in this 12-team PPR mock draft, he went at No. 3 overall.

Now, some of you might consider that too soon, which is understandable. He doesn't have Tom Brady for the first four games of the season because of his suspension, and the Patriots added some new weapons in Martellus Bennett and Chris Hogan to go with Gronkowski, Julian Edelman and Dion Lewis, which means more mouths to feed.

We also could see better play from tight ends around the league this season with Jordan Reed, Greg Olsen, Coby Fleener and possibly Ladarius Green, among others, closing the gap on Gronkowski as the best player at his position. It's also potentially risky to draft him ahead of Julio Jones, which happened here (Antonio Brown and Odell Beckham went first and second overall), and you can argue that DeAndre Hopkins and A.J. Green are better options as well.

But if you want Gronkowski, who I still consider the best tight end by far and the best option in this New England passing game, then you draft him when available. And for Will Brinson, that was at No. 3.

Will filled out his team with Carson Palmer at quarterback, Carlos Hyde and Thomas Rawls at running back, Jarvis Landry and Demaryius Thomas at receiver and Duke Johnson as his flex, with Gronkowski. His bench consists of Kenyan Drake, Christine Michael, Darren Sproles, Michael Crabtree, Devin Funchess and Mohamed Sanu.

I didn't love the Landry pick in Round 2 (Mike Evans and Brandin Cooks were available), but Will's starting lineup is solid in this format if Hyde and Rawls can play 16 games. And he has the best tight end in the NFL, which should give him an advantage over most other owners.

I picked at No. 10 overall, and I expected to take a receiver in the first round, which happened with Dez Bryant. And then I gambled on Ezekiel Elliott in Round 2 even though he's dealing with a hamstring injury.

The time to panic on Elliott will be if he's still out for the third preseason game, which is three weeks from now, but the Cowboys expect him back well before then. And don't be afraid to take two stud players on the same team, even with early-round picks.

Remember last year, Devonta Freeman and Jones for the Falcons and Brown and DeAngelo Williams for the Steelers were top-five players at their positions in Fantasy points. The same could easily happen with Bryant and Elliott.

I filled out my roster with Eli Manning at quarterback, Elliott and C.J. Anderson at running back, Bryant and Sammy Watkins at receiver, Fleener at tight end and Michael Floyd at flex. My bench is Charles Sims, DeAndre Washington, Kenneth Dixon, Karlos Williams, Sterling Shepard and Michael Thomas.

Waiting for a quarterback like Manning can pay huge dividends, and this receiving corps should be excellent if Watkins is healthy. He's expected to return to practice this week, and if that happens then he'll move up my rankings. I also love the upside for guys like Shepard and Thomas.

Fleener is my favorite mid-round tight end to target, and I expect him to finish as a top-five option. And my running backs should do well if Elliott is healthy and Anderson rebounds from last year's down season. So far, all the reports are positive. There's also plenty of upside in PPR leagues for Sims and Washington.

I wanted to handcuff Anderson with Devontae Booker in Round 11, but George Maselli drafted Booker in Round 10. We'll see if that move comes back to haunt me, but otherwise I'm pleased with this roster.

In this league, all touchdowns are worth six points, and we award one point for every 10 yards rushing and receiving and one point for every 25 yards passing. We also have one point for every reception. We feature a starting lineup of QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, TE, K, DST and a FLEX (RB/WR/TE). There will also be six reserve spots for a 15-round draft.

Our draft order is as follows:

1. Joe Polito, Social Media Coordinator
2. Ryan Bass, Video Host
3. Will Brinson, NFL Writer
4. Nick Kostos, Video Host
5. George Maselli, Editor
6. Matthew Coca, College Football Analyst
7. Michael Long, Video Producer
8. Meron Berkson, Video Producer
9. R.J. White, NFL Editor
10. Jamey Eisenberg, Senior Fantasy Writer
11. Chris Towers, Fantasy Writer
12. Dave Richard, Senior Fantasy Writer

Round by Round Round 1 Pick Team Player 1 Polito Antonio Brown, WR, PIT 2 Bass Odell Beckham, WR, NYG 3 Brinson Rob Gronkowski, TE, NE 4 Kostos Julio Jones, WR, ATL 5 Maselli David Johnson, RB, ARI 6 Coca Todd Gurley, RB, LAR 7 Long Cam Newton, QB, CAR 8 Berkson DeAndre Hopkins, WR, HOU 9 White A.J. Green, WR, CIN 10 Eisenberg Dez Bryant, WR, DAL 11 Towers Lamar Miller, RB, HOU 12 Richard Adrian Peterson, RB, MIN Round 2 Pick Team Player 13 Richard Jordy Nelson, WR, GB 14 Towers Jamaal Charles, RB, KC 15 Eisenberg Ezekiel Elliott, RB, DAL 16 White Allen Robinson, WR, JAC 17 Berkson Alshon Jeffery, WR, CHI 18 Long Amari Cooper, WR, OAK 19 Coca Le'Veon Bell, RB, PIT 20 Maselli Keenan Allen, WR, SD 21 Kostos Brandon Marshall, WR, NYJ 22 Brinson Jarvis Landry, WR, MIA 23 Bass Mike Evans, WR, TB 24 Polito Devonta Freeman, RB, ATL Round 3 Pick Team Player 25 Polito Randall Cobb, WR, GB 26 Bass Brandin Cooks, WR, NO 27 Brinson Demaryius Thomas, WR, DEN 28 Kostos T.Y. Hilton, WR, IND 29 Maselli Doug Martin, RB, TB 30 Coca Kelvin Benjamin, WR, CAR 31 Long Jordan Reed, TE, WAS 32 Berkson Eddie Lacy, RB, GB 33 White LeSean McCoy, RB, BUF 34 Eisenberg Sammy Watkins, WR, BUF 35 Towers Golden Tate, WR, DET 36 Richard Mark Ingram, RB, NO Round 4 Pick Team Player 37 Richard Latavius Murray, RB, OAK 38 Towers Greg Olsen, TE, CAR 39 Eisenberg C.J. Anderson, RB, DEN 40 White Julian Edelman, WR, NE 41 Berkson Aaron Rodgers, QB, GB 42 Long Jeremy Maclin, WR, KC 43 Coca John Brown, WR, ARI 44 Maselli Doug Baldwin, WR, SEA 45 Kostos Andrew Luck, QB, IND 46 Brinson Thomas Rawls, RB, SEA 47 Bass Danny Woodhead, RB, SD 48 Polito Dion Lewis, RB, NE Round 5 Pick Team Player 49 Polito Giovani Bernard, RB, CIN 50 Bass DeMarco Murray, RB, TEN 51 Brinson Carlos Hyde, RB, SF 52 Kostos Matt Forte, RB, NYJ 53 Maselli Donte Moncrief, WR, IND 54 Coca Russell Wilson, QB, SEA 55 Long Chris Ivory, RB, JAC 56 Berkson Ryan Mathews, RB, PHI 57 White Jeremy Langford, RB, CHI 58 Eisenberg Michael Floyd, WR, ARI 59 Towers Larry Fitzgerald, WR, ARI 60 Richard Allen Hurns, WR, JAC Round 6 Pick Team Player 61 Richard DeVante Parker, WR, MIA 62 Towers Emmanuel Sanders, WR, DEN 63 Eisenberg Coby Fleener, TE, NO 64 White Eric Decker, WR, NYJ 65 Berkson Tyler Lockett, WR, SEA 66 Long Jordan Matthews, WR, PHI 67 Coca Kevin White, WR, CHI 68 Maselli Drew Brees, QB, NO 69 Kostos Delanie Walker, TE, TEN 70 Brinson Duke Johnson, RB, CLE 71 Bass Ladarius Green, TE, PIT 72 Polito Ben Roethlisberger, QB, PIT Round 7 Pick Team Player 73 Polito Travis Kelce, TE, KC 74 Bass Matt Jones, RB, WAS 75 Brinson Michael Crabtree, WR, OAK 76 Kostos Jeremy Hill, RB, CIN 77 Maselli Ameer Abdullah, RB, DET 78 Coca Josh Gordon, WR, CLE 79 Long Jonathan Stewart, RB, CAR 80 Berkson Frank Gore, RB, IND 81 White Arian Foster, RB, MIA 82 Eisenberg Sterling Shepard, WR, NYG 83 Towers Willie Snead, WR, NO 84 Richard Melvin Gordon, RB, SD Round 8 Pick Team Player 85 Richard Rashad Jennings, RB, NYG 86 Towers DeAngelo Williams, RB, PIT 87 Eisenberg Charles Sims, RB, TB 88 White Zach Ertz, TE, PHI 89 Berkson DeSean Jackson, WR, WAS 90 Long Javorius Allen, RB, BAL 91 Coca T.J. Yeldon, RB, JAC 92 Maselli Gary Barnidge, TE, CLE 93 Kostos Jay Ajayi, RB, MIA 94 Brinson Carson Palmer, QB, ARI 95 Bass Tom Brady, QB, NE 96 Polito Vincent Jackson, WR, TB Round 9 Pick Team Player 97 Polito Phillip Dorsett, WR, IND 98 Bass Derrick Henry, RB, TEN 99 Brinson Darren Sproles, RB, PHI 100 Kostos Theo Riddick, RB, DET 101 Maselli Paul Perkins, RB, NYG 102 Coca Kamar Aiken, WR, BAL 103 Long Blake Bortles, QB, JAC 104 Berkson Antonio Gates, TE, SD 105 White Shane Vereen, RB, NYG 106 Eisenberg DeAndre Washington, RB, OAK 107 Towers Marvin Jones, WR, DET 108 Richard Philip Rivers, QB, SD Round 10 Pick Team Player 109 Richard Julius Thomas, TE, JAC 110 Towers Jordan Howard, RB, CHI 111 Eisenberg Eli Manning, QB, NYG 112 White Tyler Eifert, TE, CIN 113 Berkson C.J. Prosise, RB, SEA 114 Long James Starks, RB, GB 115 Coca DST DEN Broncos 116 Maselli Devontae Booker, RB, DEN 117 Kostos Justin Forsett, RB, BAL 118 Brinson Devin Funchess, WR, CAR 119 Bass Tevin Coleman, RB, ATL 120 Polito Chris Thompson, RB, WAS Round 11 Pick Team Player 121 Polito Jerick McKinnon, RB, MIN 122 Bass Laquon Treadwell, WR, MIN 123 Brinson Christine Michael, RB, SEA 124 Kostos Corey Coleman, WR, CLE 125 Maselli Travis Benjamin, WR, SD 126 Coca Torrey Smith, WR, SF 127 Long LeGarrette Blount, RB, NE 128 Berkson Tavon Austin, WR, LAR 129 White Tony Romo, QB, DAL 130 Eisenberg Kenneth Dixon, RB, BAL 131 Towers Isaiah Crowell, RB, CLE 132 Richard Chris Hogan, WR, NE Round 12 Pick Team Player 133 Richard Sammie Coates, WR, PIT 134 Towers Wendell Smallwood, RB, PHI 135 Eisenberg Michael Thomas, WR, NO 136 White Bilal Powell, RB, NYJ 137 Berkson Josh Ferguson, RB, IND 138 Long Stefon Diggs, WR, MIN 139 Coca Eric Ebron, TE, DET 140 Maselli DST SEA Seahawks 141 Kostos Tim Hightower, RB, NO 142 Brinson Kenyan Drake, RB, MIA 143 Bass Jason Witten, TE, DAL 144 Polito Jimmy Graham, TE, SEA Round 13 Pick Team Player 145 Polito Darren McFadden, RB, DAL 146 Bass Martellus Bennett, TE, NE 147 Brinson Mohamed Sanu, WR, ATL 148 Kostos Spencer Ware, RB, KC 149 Maselli Jameis Winston, QB, TB 150 Coca Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, TEN 151 Long Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, CAR 152 Berkson DST ARI Cardinals 153 White DST CAR Panthers 154 Eisenberg Stephen Gostkowski, K, NE 155 Towers Matt Ryan, QB, ATL 156 Richard DST HOU Texans Round 14 Pick Team Player 157 Richard Derek Carr, QB, OAK 158 Towers DST KC Chiefs 159 Eisenberg Karlos Williams, RB, BUF 160 White Matthew Stafford, QB, DET 161 Berkson Tyler Boyd, WR, CIN 162 Long DST PIT Steelers 163 Coca Alfred Morris, RB, DAL 164 Maselli Justin Tucker, K, BAL 165 Kostos Mason Crosby, K, GB 166 Brinson DST MIN Vikings 167 Bass DST GB Packers 168 Polito DST NYJ Jets Round 15 Pick Team Player 169 Polito Chris Boswell, K, PIT 170 Bass Graham Gano, K, CAR 171 Brinson Steven Hauschka, K, SEA 172 Kostos DST LAR Rams 173 Maselli Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, TB 174 Coca Brandon McManus, K, DEN 175 Long Josh Brown, K, NYG 176 Berkson Dan Bailey, K, DAL 177 White Chandler Catanzaro, K, ARI 178 Eisenberg DST CIN Bengals 179 Towers Blair Walsh, K, MIN 180 Richard Adam Vinatieri, K, IND

Team by Team Ryan Bass Rd.Pk Player 1.2 Odell Beckham, WR, NYG 2.11 Mike Evans, WR, TB 3.2 Brandin Cooks, WR, NO 4.11 Danny Woodhead, RB, SD 5.2 DeMarco Murray, RB, TEN 6.11 Ladarius Green, TE, PIT 7.2 Matt Jones, RB, WAS 8.11 Tom Brady, QB, NE 9.2 Derrick Henry, RB, TEN 10.11 Tevin Coleman, RB, ATL 11.2 Laquon Treadwell, WR, MIN 12.11 Jason Witten, TE, DAL 13.2 Martellus Bennett, TE, NE 14.11 DST GB Packers 15.2 Graham Gano, K, CAR Meron Berkson Rd.Pk Player 1.8 DeAndre Hopkins, WR, HOU 2.5 Alshon Jeffery, WR, CHI 3.8 Eddie Lacy, RB, GB 4.5 Aaron Rodgers, QB, GB 5.8 Ryan Mathews, RB, PHI 6.5 Tyler Lockett, WR, SEA 7.8 Frank Gore, RB, IND 8.5 DeSean Jackson, WR, WAS 9.8 Antonio Gates, TE, SD 10.5 C.J. Prosise, RB, SEA 11.8 Tavon Austin, WR, LAR 12.5 Josh Ferguson, RB, IND 13.8 DST ARI Cardinals 14.5 Tyler Boyd, WR, CIN 15.8 Dan Bailey, K, DAL Will Brinson Rd.Pk Player 1.3 Rob Gronkowski, TE, NE 2.10 Jarvis Landry, WR, MIA 3.3 Demaryius Thomas, WR, DEN 4.10 Thomas Rawls, RB, SEA 5.3 Carlos Hyde, RB, SF 6.10 Duke Johnson, RB, CLE 7.3 Michael Crabtree, WR, OAK 8.10 Carson Palmer, QB, ARI 9.3 Darren Sproles, RB, PHI 10.10 Devin Funchess, WR, CAR 11.3 Christine Michael, RB, SEA 12.10 Kenyan Drake, RB, MIA 13.3 Mohamed Sanu, WR, ATL 14.10 DST MIN Vikings 15.3 Steven Hauschka, K, SEA Matthew Coca Rd.Pk Player 1.6 Todd Gurley, RB, LAR 2.7 Le'Veon Bell, RB, PIT 3.6 Kelvin Benjamin, WR, CAR 4.7 John Brown, WR, ARI 5.6 Russell Wilson, QB, SEA 6.7 Kevin White, WR, CHI 7.6 Josh Gordon, WR, CLE 8.7 T.J. Yeldon, RB, JAC 9.6 Kamar Aiken, WR, BAL 10.7 DST DEN Broncos 11.6 Torrey Smith, WR, SF 12.7 Eric Ebron, TE, DET 13.6 Dorial Green-Beckham, WR, TEN 14.7 Alfred Morris, RB, DAL 15.6 Brandon McManus, K, DEN Jamey Eisenberg Rd.Pk Player 1.10 Dez Bryant, WR, DAL 2.3 Ezekiel Elliott, RB, DAL 3.10 Sammy Watkins, WR, BUF 4.3 C.J. Anderson, RB, DEN 5.10 Michael Floyd, WR, ARI 6.3 Coby Fleener, TE, NO 7.10 Sterling Shepard, WR, NYG 8.3 Charles Sims, RB, TB 9.10 DeAndre Washington, RB, OAK 10.3 Eli Manning, QB, NYG 11.10 Kenneth Dixon, RB, BAL 12.3 Michael Thomas, WR, NO 13.10 Stephen Gostkowski, K, NE 14.3 Karlos Williams, RB, BUF 15.10 DST CIN Bengals Nick Kostos Rd.Pk Player 1.4 Julio Jones, WR, ATL 2.9 Brandon Marshall, WR, NYJ 3.4 T.Y. Hilton, WR, IND 4.9 Andrew Luck, QB, IND 5.4 Matt Forte, RB, NYJ 6.9 Delanie Walker, TE, TEN 7.4 Jeremy Hill, RB, CIN 8.9 Jay Ajayi, RB, MIA 9.4 Theo Riddick, RB, DET 10.9 Justin Forsett, RB, BAL 11.4 Corey Coleman, WR, CLE 12.9 Tim Hightower, RB, NO 13.4 Spencer Ware, RB, KC 14.9 Mason Crosby, K, GB 15.4 DST LAR Rams Mike Long Rd.Pk Player 1.7 Cam Newton, QB, CAR 2.6 Amari Cooper, WR, OAK 3.7 Jordan Reed, TE, WAS 4.6 Jeremy Maclin, WR, KC 5.7 Chris Ivory, RB, JAC 6.6 Jordan Matthews, WR, PHI 7.7 Jonathan Stewart, RB, CAR 8.6 Javorius Allen, RB, BAL 9.7 Blake Bortles, QB, JAC 10.6 James Starks, RB, GB 11.7 LeGarrette Blount, RB, NE 12.6 Stefon Diggs, WR, MIN 13.7 Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, CAR 14.6 DST PIT Steelers 15.7 Josh Brown, K, NYG George Maselli Rd.Pk Player 1.5 David Johnson, RB, ARI 2.8 Keenan Allen, WR, SD 3.5 Doug Martin, RB, TB 4.8 Doug Baldwin, WR, SEA 5.5 Donte Moncrief, WR, IND 6.8 Drew Brees, QB, NO 7.5 Ameer Abdullah, RB, DET 8.8 Gary Barnidge, TE, CLE 9.5 Paul Perkins, RB, NYG 10.8 Devontae Booker, RB, DEN 11.5 Travis Benjamin, WR, SD 12.8 DST SEA Seahawks 13.5 Jameis Winston, QB, TB 14.8 Justin Tucker, K, BAL 15.5 Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, TB Joe Polito Rd.Pk Player 1.1 Antonio Brown, WR, PIT 2.12 Devonta Freeman, RB, ATL 3.1 Randall Cobb, WR, GB 4.12 Dion Lewis, RB, NE 5.1 Giovani Bernard, RB, CIN 6.12 Ben Roethlisberger, QB, PIT 7.1 Travis Kelce, TE, KC 8.12 Vincent Jackson, WR, TB 9.1 Phillip Dorsett, WR, IND 10.12 Chris Thompson, RB, WAS 11.1 Jerick McKinnon, RB, MIN 12.12 Jimmy Graham, TE, SEA 13.1 Darren McFadden, RB, DAL 14.12 DST NYJ Jets 15.1 Chris Boswell, K, PIT Dave Richard Rd.Pk Player 1.12 Adrian Peterson, RB, MIN 2.1 Jordy Nelson, WR, GB 3.12 Mark Ingram, RB, NO 4.1 Latavius Murray, RB, OAK 5.12 Allen Hurns, WR, JAC 6.1 DeVante Parker, WR, MIA 7.12 Melvin Gordon, RB, SD 8.1 Rashad Jennings, RB, NYG 9.12 Philip Rivers, QB, SD 10.1 Julius Thomas, TE, JAC 11.12 Chris Hogan, WR, NE 12.1 Sammie Coates, WR, PIT 13.12 DST HOU Texans 14.1 Derek Carr, QB, OAK 15.12 Adam Vinatieri, K, IND Chris Towers Rd.Pk Player 1.11 Lamar Miller, RB, HOU 2.2 Jamaal Charles, RB, KC 3.11 Golden Tate, WR, DET 4.2 Greg Olsen, TE, CAR 5.11 Larry Fitzgerald, WR, ARI 6.2 Emmanuel Sanders, WR, DEN 7.11 Willie Snead, WR, NO 8.2 DeAngelo Williams, RB, PIT 9.11 Marvin Jones, WR, DET 10.2 Jordan Howard, RB, CHI 11.11 Isaiah Crowell, RB, CLE 12.2 Wendell Smallwood, RB, PHI 13.11 Matt Ryan, QB, ATL 14.2 DST KC Chiefs 15.11 Blair Walsh, K, MIN R.J. White Rd.Pk Player 1.9 A.J. Green, WR, CIN 2.4 Allen Robinson, WR, JAC 3.9 LeSean McCoy, RB, BUF 4.4 Julian Edelman, WR, NE 5.9 Jeremy Langford, RB, CHI 6.4 Eric Decker, WR, NYJ 7.9 Arian Foster, RB, MIA 8.4 Zach Ertz, TE, PHI 9.9 Shane Vereen, RB, NYG 10.4 Tyler Eifert, TE, CIN 11.9 Tony Romo, QB, DAL 12.4 Bilal Powell, RB, NYJ 13.9 DST CAR Panthers 14.4 Matthew Stafford, QB, DET 15.9 Chandler Catanzaro, K, ARI