Welcome to the sixth installment of my 12-part mock draft series, where I’m drafting from every spot — 1 through 12 — in a standard 12-team Yahoo league to break down how draft strategies evolve based on pick position. As always, I used the Yahoo Fantasy Plus Instant Mock Draft tool and drafted solo. The format is half-PPR, with the following roster construction: QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, TE, FLEX, K, D/ST and six bench spots.
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In this edition, I drafted from the No. 6 overall slot. I took some liberties with this draft, but I attempted a lightweight hero-RB strategy. Let's get to it!
Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Pick No. 6
Full Roster
QB: Jalen Hurts (PHI)
RB: Kenneth Walker III (SEA)
RB: Brian Robinson Jr. (WAS)
WR: Nico Collins (HOU)
WR: Brian Thomas Jr. (JAX)
TE: Mark Andrews (BAL)
FLEX: Rashee Rice (KC)
K: Ka’imi Fairbairn (HOU)
D/ST: New York Jets (NYJ)
Bench: Jameson Williams (DET)
Bench: Jordan Mason (MIN)
Bench: Ray Davis (BUF)
Bench: Dylan Sampson (CLE)
Bench: Jayden Higgins (HOU)
Bench: DeMario Douglas (NE)
Rounds 1–3: Start with WR-WR-RB core
1.06 – Nico Collins (HOU – WR)
2.07 – Brian Thomas Jr. (JAX – WR)
3.06 – Kenneth Walker III (SEA – RB)
Roster assessment after Round 3
It was early, but I took a swing opening with Nico Collins at 1.06. Houston’s ascending WR1 will be a target hog with C.J. Stroud as the Texans' primary offensive weapon. In Round 2, I was surprised to see Brian Thomas Jr., so I had to get him.
Thomas enters his second NFL season after an incredible rookie campaign where he posted 87 catches for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns, earning Pro Bowl honors and finishing first among rookies in receiving yards and TDs. His size, speed and draft capital make him a legitimate WR1 candidate in Jacksonville’s retooled offense under Liam Coen.
At 3.06, I picked the oft-injured but dynamic Kenneth Walker III because I like the scheme fit under new OC Klint Kubiak.
Rounds 4–6: Best available, value picks
4.07 – Jalen Hurts (PHI - QB)
5.06 – Rashee Rice (KC - WR)
6.07 – Jameson Williams (DET - WR)
Roster assessment after Round 6
Grabbing Jalen Hurts in the fourth round lands me a top-five QB with a secure fantasy floor. My roster is loaded at wide receiver with Collins, Thomas, Rashee Rice and Jameson Williams. The Chiefs are bracing for a 4-6 game suspension for Rice, so even though he won't be available for a portion of the season, getting him back midseason could be a game-changer for my team. I got Williams about a round later than I should have, as his current consensus ADP is 56. That was one of the best values on the draft board. The RB room remains thin behind Walker, making mid-round depth picks critical to stabilizing the position.
Rounds 7–10: Loaded up on RBs
7.06 – Brian Robinson Jr. (WAS - RB)
8.07 – Jordan Mason (MIN - RB)
9.06 – Mark Andrews (BAL - TE)
10.07 - Ray Davis (BUF - RB)
Roster assessment after Round 10
The RB depth has improved with Brian Robinson Jr., Jordan Mason and Ray Davis. However, the success of this build hinges on one of those backs emerging as a dependable weekly starter alongside Walker. Mason and Davis are both in committee situations, so that could take time to materialize.
I was surprised to see Mark Andrews fall to the ninth round, when he's generally gone by Round 8. That was another value find that helped my team, especially with Isaiah Likely facing a multi-week absence after undergoing surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot a couple of weeks ago. Had Andrews not been there, I would've settled for Cleveland TE David Njoku.
Rounds 11–15: Loaded up on RBs
11.06 – Dylan Sampson (CLE -RB)
12.07 – Jayden Higgins (HOU- WR)
13.06 – DeMario Douglas (NE - WR)
14.07 - New York Jets (NYJ - D/ST)
15.06 - Ka’imi Fairbairn (HOU - K)
Roster assessment after Round 10
In Round 11, I took Dylan Sampson, a lightning-fast rookie with three-down potential who could go atop the Cleveland depth chart by Week 1. At 12.07, I drafted Jayden Higgins, providing rookie WR depth and a hedge to my Collins pick. In Round 13, I went again with a frequent sleeper in DeMario Douglas. For defense and special teams, I thought it would be cool to get the Jets because they face the Steelers at home in Week 1. Their D-line should be able to get to the Steelers' weak offensive front. I closed the draft at 15.06 with Ka’imi Fairbairn, one of the most consistent fantasy kickers who finished top five at the position last season.
Key Takeaways
This draft fits the hero RB strategy because I invested in only one true early-round running back — Kenneth Walker III in the third round — who serves as my “hero” or anchor RB. The rest of my premium draft capital went toward elite wide receivers like Nico Collins, Brian Thomas Jr., Rashee Rice and Jameson Williams, along with securing Jalen Hurts at quarterback. With Walker III serving as my anchor RB, selecting RBs in the mid- to late-rounds was pivotal. Although, I'll need one of those backs to break out to hold down that RB2 spot.
The late-round TE runs (four in Round 12 in this draft) have been a constant throughout my mock drafts. I'm leaning towards avoiding that lower-tier grind and choosing a higher-ranked option before Round 12 hits.
The QB market was also interesting, seeing 11 QBs fly off the board by Round 8. That's unlikely to happen in a real draft, but depending on how you want to build your roster, waiting on QB is smart for establishing depth at other skill positions. The QB position is deep, so even if you end up with a back-end QB1, you can select one with a backup and play the matchups.
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