2024 Fantasy Football: Anthony Richardson, Zay Flowers reach rare air in latest #AskFFT Fan Mock Draft

USATSI

In every one-QB mock draft I've seen and participated in this offseason, Christian McCaffrey was the first player taken with zero hesitation.

Until now.

In our most recent #AskFFT fan mock draft with 12 members of our Fantasy Football Today audience, Justin Jefferson went first overall. McCaffrey went second overall.

Why might someone consider another player besides McCaffrey with their first pick? There's the obvious: He's a 28-year-old running back. Though it's more common with backs who are even older than 29, there are breakdown concerns. By comparison, wide receivers tend to have better shelf-lives.

It should also be mentioned that McCaffrey is coming off of a 417-touch season including the playoffs, a career-high. McCaffrey missed 23 games over two seasons the last time he had over 400 touches in one year (2019).

Was Jefferson the right receiver to take over Tyreek Hill, CeeDee Lamb and Ja'Marr Chase? Perhaps so if rookie J.J. McCarthy plays to the level that Kirk Cousins did. But we're a long way from there. Our consensus rankings have Jefferson at fifth overall

Here are some other notable picks from our most recent fan mock draft:

Amon-Ra St. Brown went sixth overall, one spot ahead of Tyreek Hill. This isn't the first time St. Brown went earlier than expected in a fan mock -- perhaps it's a sign that Fantasy managers are very much OK with St. Brown's mostly consistent high-end production.
Jahmyr Gibbs went in Round 2 for the second straight mock draft, and no higher than 12th in any fan mock. It's beginning to look like he'll be an option for those picking in draft slots 10, 11 and 12.
Maybe it was because he just got a fresh new contract extension, but Nico Collins went 17th overall ahead of Chris Olave, Drake London, Davante Adams and Michael Pittman, just to name a few. For him to go that high suggests that there are no concerns about a thinner target volume now that Stefon Diggs is in H-town. Diggs, for what it's worth, went 52nd -- two spots after Tank Dell.
Josh Allen was the first quarterback off the board this time, and at 44th overall. It's another example of Fantasy fans collectively waiting to take a quarterback instead of rushing to get one with a top-20 pick. Jalen Hurts went with the pick right after, then Patrick Mahomes went in the round after.
Speaking of quarterbacks, Anthony Richardson was the fourth one off the board at 56th overall -- three spots ahead of Lamar Jackson. It's the first time he's gone this high in a mock.
Zay Flowers, DK Metcalf, Amari Cooper and Richardson all went higher than anticipated.
Deebo Samuel, De'Von Achane, Rachaad White and Mahomes all went later than anticipated.

Every manager fielded a team that must start a QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, a TE and a FLEX (RB/WR/TE) along with seven reserve spots. Our scoring includes six points for all touchdowns along with one point per reception, one point for every 10 yards rushing and receiving, one point for every 25 yards passing and minus-two points for every turnover.

The results are listed below -- please take the time to review each team, and even consider how they started their mock drafts. Eight managers started their teams with one RB and a pass catcher, one had two RBs (Team 9) and the remaining three had two WRs (Teams 1, 7 and 12).

Round By Round

Round 1
Pos	Team	Player
1	TEAM 1	J. Jefferson WR MIN
2	TEAM 2	C. McCaffrey RB SF
3	TEAM 3	C. Lamb WR DAL
4	TEAM 4	B. Robinson RB ATL
5	TEAM 5	J. Chase WR CIN
6	TEAM 6	A. St. Brown WR DET
7	No IR!	T. Hill WR MIA
8	TEAM 8	B. Hall RB NYJ
9	TEAM 9	S. Barkley RB PHI
10	TEAM 10	K. Williams RB LAR
11	TEAM 11	P. Nacua WR LAR
12	TEAM 12	G. Wilson WR NYJ
Round 2
Pos	Team	Player
13	TEAM 12	A. Brown WR PHI
14	TEAM 11	J. Gibbs RB DET
15	TEAM 10	M. Harrison Jr. WR ARI
16	TEAM 9	J. Taylor RB IND
17	TEAM 8	N. Collins WR HOU
18	No IR!	C. Olave WR NO
19	TEAM 6	T. Etienne RB JAC
20	TEAM 5	D. Henry RB BAL
21	TEAM 4	T. Kelce TE KC
22	TEAM 3	J. Jacobs RB GB
23	TEAM 2	D. London WR ATL
24	TEAM 1	D. Adams WR NYJ
Round 3
Pos	Team	Player
25	TEAM 1	Z. Flowers WR BAL
26	TEAM 2	M. Pittman WR IND
27	TEAM 3	S. LaPorta TE DET
28	TEAM 4	M. Evans WR TB
29	TEAM 5	B. Aiyuk WR SF
30	TEAM 6	J. Cook RB BUF
31	No IR!	C. Kupp WR LAR
32	TEAM 8	D. Metcalf WR SEA
33	TEAM 9	A. Cooper WR BUF
34	TEAM 10	D. Moore WR CHI
35	TEAM 11	I. Pacheco RB KC
36	TEAM 12	D. Samuel WR SF
Round 4
Pos	Team	Player
37	TEAM 12	D. Achane RB MIA
38	TEAM 11	J. Waddle WR MIA
39	TEAM 10	R. White RB TB
40	TEAM 9	D. Smith WR PHI
41	TEAM 8	G. Pickens WR PIT
42	No IR!	A. Kamara RB NO
43	TEAM 6	J. Mixon RB HOU
44	TEAM 5	J. Allen QB BUF
45	TEAM 4	J. Hurts QB PHI
46	TEAM 3	T. Higgins WR CIN
47	TEAM 2	K. Walker III RB SEA
48	TEAM 1	T. McBride TE ARI
Round 5
Pos	Team	Player
49	TEAM 1	D. Montgomery RB DET
50	TEAM 2	T. Dell WR HOU
51	TEAM 3	P. Mahomes QB KC
52	TEAM 4	S. Diggs WR HOU
53	TEAM 5	D. Kincaid TE BUF
54	TEAM 6	C. Kirk WR JAC
55	No IR!	M. Andrews TE BAL
56	TEAM 8	A. Richardson QB IND
57	TEAM 9	G. Kittle TE SF
58	TEAM 10	A. Jones RB MIN
59	TEAM 11	L. Jackson QB BAL
60	TEAM 12	M. Nabers WR NYG
Round 6
Pos	Team	Player
61	TEAM 12	K. Pitts TE ATL
62	TEAM 11	Z. White RB LV
63	TEAM 10	J. Burrow QB CIN
64	TEAM 9	J. Conner RB ARI
65	TEAM 8	E. Engram TE JAC
66	No IR!	Z. Moss RB CIN
67	TEAM 6	T. McLaurin WR WAS
68	TEAM 5	N. Harris RB PIT
69	TEAM 4	D. Swift RB CHI
70	TEAM 3	C. Ridley WR TEN
71	TEAM 2	T. Pollard RB TEN
72	TEAM 1	J. Brooks RB CAR
Round 7
Pos	Team	Player
73	TEAM 1	J. Williams RB DEN
74	TEAM 2	D. Johnson WR BAL
75	TEAM 3	R. Mostert RB MIA
76	TEAM 4	L. McConkey WR LAC
77	TEAM 5	M. Brown WR KC
78	TEAM 6	R. Stevenson RB NE
79	No IR!	C. Godwin WR TB
80	TEAM 8	J. Warren RB PIT
81	TEAM 9	J. Reed WR GB
82	TEAM 10	J. Addison WR MIN
83	TEAM 11	C. Watson WR GB
84	TEAM 12	C. Stroud QB HOU
Round 8
Pos	Team	Player
85	TEAM 12	B. Robinson Jr. RB WAS
86	TEAM 11	C. Williams QB CHI
87	TEAM 10	D. Njoku TE CLE
88	TEAM 9	K. Murray QB ARI
89	TEAM 8	J. Herbert QB LAC
90	No IR!	R. Rice WR KC
91	TEAM 6	X. Worthy WR KC
92	TEAM 5	A. Ekeler RB WAS
93	TEAM 4	N. Chubb RB CLE
94	TEAM 3	K. Allen WR CHI
95	TEAM 2	D. Singletary RB NYG
96	TEAM 1	T. Spears RB TEN
Round 9
Pos	Team	Player
97	TEAM 1	D. Prescott QB DAL
98	TEAM 2	J. Love QB GB
99	TEAM 3	D. Hopkins WR KC
100	TEAM 4	K. Coleman WR BUF
101	TEAM 5	T. Benson RB ARI
102	TEAM 6	E. Elliott RB DAL
103	No IR!	B. Purdy QB SF
104	TEAM 8	B. Thomas Jr. WR JAC
105	TEAM 9	C. Brown RB CIN
106	TEAM 10	J. Dobbins RB LAC
107	TEAM 11	C. Sutton WR DEN
108	TEAM 12	R. Odunze WR CHI
Round 10
Pos	Team	Player
109	TEAM 12	G. Edwards RB LAC
110	TEAM 11	J. Ferguson TE DAL
111	TEAM 10	J. Daniels QB WAS
112	TEAM 9	B. Bowers TE LV
113	TEAM 8	Q. Johnston WR LAC
114	No IR!	T. Tagovailoa QB MIA
115	TEAM 6	J. Goff QB DET
116	TEAM 5	C. Samuel WR BUF
117	TEAM 4	J. Ford RB CLE
118	TEAM 3	T. Hockenson TE MIN
119	TEAM 2	R. Doubs WR GB
120	TEAM 1	J. Smith-Njigba WR SEA
Round 11
Pos	Team	Player
121	TEAM 1	B. Corum RB LAR
122	TEAM 2	K. Shakir WR BUF
123	TEAM 3	T. Chandler RB MIN
124	TEAM 4	A. Mitchell WR IND
125	TEAM 5	J. Williams WR DET
126	TEAM 6	M. Lloyd RB GB
127	No IR!	Z. Charbonnet RB SEA
128	TEAM 8	J. Wright RB MIA
129	TEAM 9	T. Lockett WR SEA
130	TEAM 10	R. Shaheed WR NO
131	TEAM 11	R. Dowdle RB DAL
132	TEAM 12	T. Lawrence QB JAC
Round 12
Pos	Team	Player
133	TEAM 12	X. Legette WR CAR
134	TEAM 11	R. Wilson WR PIT
135	TEAM 10	C. Kmet TE CHI
136	TEAM 9	T. Tracy Jr. RB NYG
137	TEAM 8	J. Dotson WR PHI
138	No IR!	K. Miller RB NO
139	TEAM 6	D. Schultz TE HOU
140	TEAM 5	T. Franklin WR DEN
141	TEAM 4	R. Johnson RB CHI
142	TEAM 3	J. Jeudy WR CLE
143	TEAM 2	P. Freiermuth TE PIT
144	TEAM 1	C. Hubbard RB CAR
Round 13
Pos	Team	Player
145	TEAM 1	K. Vidal RB LAC
146	TEAM 2	A. Gibson RB NE
147	TEAM 3	J. McLaughlin RB DEN
148	TEAM 4	K. Cousins QB ATL
149	TEAM 5	D. Wicks WR GB
150	TEAM 6	L. Musgrave TE GB
151	No IR!	E. Mitchell RB SF
152	TEAM 8	C. Parkinson TE LAR
153	TEAM 9	J. Downs WR IND
154	TEAM 10	D. Foreman RB CLE
155	TEAM 11	B. Irving RB TB
156	TEAM 12	K. Mitchell RB BAL
Round 14
Pos	Team	Player
157	TEAM 12	J. Burton WR CIN
158	TEAM 11	D. Goedert TE PHI
159	TEAM 10	J. Meyers WR LV
160	TEAM 9	M. Stafford QB LAR
161	TEAM 8	D. Chark WR LAC
162	No IR!	T. Allgeier RB ATL
163	TEAM 6	J. Palmer WR LAC
164	TEAM 5	I. Likely TE BAL
165	TEAM 4	R. Pearsall WR SF
166	TEAM 3	D. Watson QB CLE
167	TEAM 2	A. Mattison RB LV
168	TEAM 1	J. Polk WR NE

Team by Team

TEAM 1
Rd	Pk	Player
1	1	J. Jefferson WR MIN
2	24	D. Adams WR NYJ
3	25	Z. Flowers WR BAL
4	48	T. McBride TE ARI
5	49	D. Montgomery RB DET
6	72	J. Brooks RB CAR
7	73	J. Williams RB DEN
8	96	T. Spears RB TEN
9	97	D. Prescott QB DAL
10	120	J. Smith-Njigba WR SEA
11	121	B. Corum RB LAR
12	144	C. Hubbard RB CAR
13	145	K. Vidal RB LAC
14	168	J. Polk WR NE
TEAM 2
Rd	Pk	Player
1	2	C. McCaffrey RB SF
2	23	D. London WR ATL
3	26	M. Pittman WR IND
4	47	K. Walker III RB SEA
5	50	T. Dell WR HOU
6	71	T. Pollard RB TEN
7	74	D. Johnson WR BAL
8	95	D. Singletary RB NYG
9	98	J. Love QB GB
10	119	R. Doubs WR GB
11	122	K. Shakir WR BUF
12	143	P. Freiermuth TE PIT
13	146	A. Gibson RB NE
14	167	A. Mattison RB LV
TEAM 3
Rd	Pk	Player
1	3	C. Lamb WR DAL
2	22	J. Jacobs RB GB
3	27	S. LaPorta TE DET
4	46	T. Higgins WR CIN
5	51	P. Mahomes QB KC
6	70	C. Ridley WR TEN
7	75	R. Mostert RB MIA
8	94	K. Allen WR CHI
9	99	D. Hopkins WR KC
10	118	T. Hockenson TE MIN
11	123	T. Chandler RB MIN
12	142	J. Jeudy WR CLE
13	147	J. McLaughlin RB DEN
14	166	D. Watson QB CLE
TEAM 4
Rd	Pk	Player
1	4	B. Robinson RB ATL
2	21	T. Kelce TE KC
3	28	M. Evans WR TB
4	45	J. Hurts QB PHI
5	52	S. Diggs WR HOU
6	69	D. Swift RB CHI
7	76	L. McConkey WR LAC
8	93	N. Chubb RB CLE
9	100	K. Coleman WR BUF
10	117	J. Ford RB CLE
11	124	A. Mitchell WR IND
12	141	R. Johnson RB CHI
13	148	K. Cousins QB ATL
14	165	R. Pearsall WR SF
TEAM 5
Rd	Pk	Player
1	5	J. Chase WR CIN
2	20	D. Henry RB BAL
3	29	B. Aiyuk WR SF
4	44	J. Allen QB BUF
5	53	D. Kincaid TE BUF
6	68	N. Harris RB PIT
7	77	M. Brown WR KC
8	92	A. Ekeler RB WAS
9	101	T. Benson RB ARI
10	116	C. Samuel WR BUF
11	125	J. Williams WR DET
12	140	T. Franklin WR DEN
13	149	D. Wicks WR GB
14	164	I. Likely TE BAL
TEAM 6
Rd	Pk	Player
1	6	A. St. Brown WR DET
2	19	T. Etienne RB JAC
3	30	J. Cook RB BUF
4	43	J. Mixon RB HOU
5	54	C. Kirk WR JAC
6	67	T. McLaurin WR WAS
7	78	R. Stevenson RB NE
8	91	X. Worthy WR KC
9	102	E. Elliott RB DAL
10	115	J. Goff QB DET
11	126	M. Lloyd RB GB
12	139	D. Schultz TE HOU
13	150	L. Musgrave TE GB
14	163	J. Palmer WR LAC
No IR!
Rd	Pk	Player
1	7	T. Hill WR MIA
2	18	C. Olave WR NO
3	31	C. Kupp WR LAR
4	42	A. Kamara RB NO
5	55	M. Andrews TE BAL
6	66	Z. Moss RB CIN
7	79	C. Godwin WR TB
8	90	R. Rice WR KC
9	103	B. Purdy QB SF
10	114	T. Tagovailoa QB MIA
11	127	Z. Charbonnet RB SEA
12	138	K. Miller RB NO
13	151	E. Mitchell RB SF
14	162	T. Allgeier RB ATL
TEAM 8
Rd	Pk	Player
1	8	B. Hall RB NYJ
2	17	N. Collins WR HOU
3	32	D. Metcalf WR SEA
4	41	G. Pickens WR PIT
5	56	A. Richardson QB IND
6	65	E. Engram TE JAC
7	80	J. Warren RB PIT
8	89	J. Herbert QB LAC
9	104	B. Thomas Jr. WR JAC
10	113	Q. Johnston WR LAC
11	128	J. Wright RB MIA
12	137	J. Dotson WR PHI
13	152	C. Parkinson TE LAR
14	161	D. Chark WR LAC
TEAM 9
Rd	Pk	Player
1	9	S. Barkley RB PHI
2	16	J. Taylor RB IND
3	33	A. Cooper WR BUF
4	40	D. Smith WR PHI
5	57	G. Kittle TE SF
6	64	J. Conner RB ARI
7	81	J. Reed WR GB
8	88	K. Murray QB ARI
9	105	C. Brown RB CIN
10	112	B. Bowers TE LV
11	129	T. Lockett WR SEA
12	136	T. Tracy Jr. RB NYG
13	153	J. Downs WR IND
14	160	M. Stafford QB LAR
TEAM 10
Rd	Pk	Player
1	10	K. Williams RB LAR
2	15	M. Harrison Jr. WR ARI
3	34	D. Moore WR CHI
4	39	R. White RB TB
5	58	A. Jones RB MIN
6	63	J. Burrow QB CIN
7	82	J. Addison WR MIN
8	87	D. Njoku TE CLE
9	106	J. Dobbins RB LAC
10	111	J. Daniels QB WAS
11	130	R. Shaheed WR NO
12	135	C. Kmet TE CHI
13	154	D. Foreman RB CLE
14	159	J. Meyers WR LV
TEAM 11
Rd	Pk	Player
1	11	P. Nacua WR LAR
2	14	J. Gibbs RB DET
3	35	I. Pacheco RB KC
4	38	J. Waddle WR MIA
5	59	L. Jackson QB BAL
6	62	Z. White RB LV
7	83	C. Watson WR GB
8	86	C. Williams QB CHI
9	107	C. Sutton WR DEN
10	110	J. Ferguson TE DAL
11	131	R. Dowdle RB DAL
12	134	R. Wilson WR PIT
13	155	B. Irving RB TB
14	158	D. Goedert TE PHI
TEAM 12
Rd	Pk	Player
1	12	G. Wilson WR NYJ
2	13	A. Brown WR PHI
3	36	D. Samuel WR SF
4	37	D. Achane RB MIA
5	60	M. Nabers WR NYG
6	61	K. Pitts TE ATL
7	84	C. Stroud QB HOU
8	85	B. Robinson Jr. RB WAS
9	108	R. Odunze WR CHI
10	109	G. Edwards RB LAC
11	132	T. Lawrence QB JAC
12	133	X. Legette WR CAR
13	156	K. Mitchell RB BAL
14	157	J. Burton WR CIN