The Roto Arcade Fantasy Football Mock, RDs 7-8
ROUND 7
Eddie Lacy, RB, Green Bay Packers (PK73, RB28) – Everyone saw what a monster he was at the collegiate level, averaging 6.8 YPC during his Alabama career, finding the end zone 19 times last season. Still, I won't guarantee that he's the Green Bay rookie to own this year. Maybe I should have snagged both Lacy and Franklin at the turn. – Behrens 1
Torrey Smith, WR, Baltimore Ravens (PK74, WR33) – With another small uptick in targets, Smith will be a 1,000-yard receiver with double-digit touchdown potential. – Behrens 2
Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers (PK75, RB29) – On the positive side, J–Stew is a highly–skilled complete RB. On the negative side, he plays with a QB who steals goal-line carries, a platoon partner that limits his touches and he's seemingly constantly nickel-and-dimed by minor injuries. But there's a chance DeAngelo will be cut, which would make Stewart a luxury as a RB3.
– Brandon 1
Miles Austin, WR, Dallas Cowboys (PK76, WR34) – I have a hard time quitting Miles. When he's healthy, his chemistry with Tony Romo is magnetic. Dallas is focused on ways to keep Austin from succumbing to soft tissue issues this year. If it works, he'll easily return value from this spot in the draft. – Brandon 2
Matt Ryan, QB, Atlanta Falcons (PK77, QB10) – He won't do anything much with his legs, but life is good when you're chucking the ball to Roddy White, Julio Jones and the next name, below. – Scott 1
Tony Gonzalez, TE, Atlanta Falcons (PK78, TE5) – Here's the rare player who will be dominant until the day he retires. Thankfully for all of us, he's decided to come back another year. Keep doing what you do, No. 88. You're a sneaky profit just about every year. – Scott 2
Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Arizona Cardinals (PK79, RB30) – Without question the Cardinals were a disaster on the ground a season ago. An ant couldn't have found a hole behind their horrendous offensive line. But under a new regime and with first-round pick John Cooper and Carson Palmer on roster, space between the tackles will be widened. Mendy, expected to be a three-down workhorse, is a sensational value at this point in the drafting process. There's 1,400 total yard, 7-9 TD upside here. - Brad 1
DeSean Jackson, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (PK80, WR35) – Over the past two seasons, D-Jax has frustrated fantasy audiences with his tepid play. But Chip Kelly brings intrigue. In his zone-read offense, the wideout should undergo a revival contributing meaningful stats via the pass and rush games. A total output around 65 receptions, 1,100 total yards and 6-8 TDs seems feasible. - Brad 2
Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys (PK81, QB11) – He just threw for the ninth-most passing yards in NFL history last season, and I'm able to grab him late in the seventh round. Dez Bryant's emergence as a true stud will help Romo continue to put up big numbers. I've yet to hear a compelling argument why not to wait on the QB position. – Dalton 1
Robert Griffin III, QB, Washington Redskins (PK82, QB12) – This is obviously a gamble, but of course, that's why RG3 was available here. If not for his injury, he would have been gone in round two. I strongly considered James Jones, but I felt there was a major drop off at QB after Griffin (there's an obvious top-12 this season, in my opinion). – Dalton 2
James Jones, WR, Green Bay Packers (PK83, WR36) – I was going to take him last pass and here he still is. I understand the sharps don't like the catch and target total last year. But he's scored a TD about once ever seven catches in his career. So Let's start the projection bidding at 70 catches and 10 touchdowns. Sold! – Salfino 1
Jeremy Maclin, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (PK84, WR37) – Chip Kelly's offense should suit his hybrib possession/run after catch skills very well. There's a lot of upside with this selection. And losing Vick, when it happens, will not matter much to Maclin given the chemistry he developed last year with Nick Foles. – Salfino 2
ROUND 8
Giovani Bernard, RB, Cincinnati Bengals (PK85, RB31) – BenJarvis Green-Ellis has a lot of heart. But show me a guy with heart in the NFL and I'll show you a guy getting his butt kicked. Unsurprisingly, the Law Firm was near the bottom of Pro Football Focus's elusiveness ratings. So why not speculate in nice setup with the highest drafted RB? – Salfino 2
Michael Floyd, WR, Arizona Cardinals (PK86, WR38) – Need a receiver and want T.Y. Hilton here but have one too many Colts already. So we'll go with draft pedigree and expect that the veteran Carson Palmer will employ Floyd aggressively with defenses loading up on Larry Fitzgerald. Thinking Chad Johnson/T.J. Houshmandzadah here. – Salfino 1
Vernon Davis, TE, San Francisco 49ers (PK87, TE6) – VD has shown the propensity to completely disappear for stretches, but he also looks like a tight end in the same tier as Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski other times. A full year with Colin Kaepernick at QB could lead to big things. His upside compared to all the other tight ends available at this stage of the draft warrants the pick here. – Dalton 2
Kenny Britt, WR, Tennessee Titans (PK88, WR39) – Speaking of upside, Britt remains the ultimate boom-or-bust option. The knucklehead factor remains, but at least he enters 2013 fully healthy, something he never was last season. Britt is just 24 years old and worth the swing for the fences at this point of the draft. – Dalton 1
Andre Brown, RB, New York Giants (PK89, RB32) – Pundits and novices alike are riding David Wilson's jock. To the rusher's ardent supporters, he's a slam-dunk breakout candidate, a player that will surely handle most of New York's carries. But because of Wilson's pass pro downside, it's highly doubtful that will be the case. Brown is the better all-around back and poised for the bulk of the goal-line work. Don't be surprised if he nets 13-16 touches per game and emerges as the most valuable RB for the G-Men. – Brad 2
Josh Gordon, WR, Cleveland Browns (PK90, WR40) – What Gordon accomplished last year was nothing short of extraordinary. The 2012 supplemental pick, who hardly played in college due to disciplinary issues, came in cold and registered a praiseworthy 50-805-5 line. He's clearly the Browns' most talented down-field weapon and Brandon Weeden's top target. He's very capable of reaching 70-1000-7 in his second season, making him a highly employable WR3 in just about any format. – Brad 1
DeAngelo Williams, RB, Carolina Panthers (PK91, RB33) – I'd love to see him leave Carolina, an organization that's never really understood how to best use Williams. I've never questioned the talent or upside here, I just want someone to make a serious attempt at unlocking it. – Scott 2
Mark Ingram, RB, New Orleans Saints (PK92, RB34) – He'll probably be a zero in the passing game, but the light bulb seemed to come on with Ingram in the late stages of 2012. He has a shot to score 10 times. – Scott 1
Kyle Rudolph, TE, Minnesota Vikings (PK93, TE7) – Rudolph the Red Zone Reindeer was tied for second among TE in red-zone targets last season and he should only benefit from the additions of Greg Jennings and rookie Cordarrelle Patterson creating diversions in the passing game. – Brandon 2
Mikel Leshoure, RB, Detroit Lions (PK94, RB35) – Reggie Bush will steal a significant chunk of the backfield workload, but Leshoure should still be good for 200-250 touches, including the all-important goal line work. – Brandon 1
T.Y. Hilton, WR, Indianapolis Colts (PK95, WR41) – Don't even talk to me about DHB. Stop it. Hilton had a terrific first season in Indy (50-861-7), and I'm expecting an uptick in targets this year. (Next pick: Probably Ben Tate, as the traditional Foster handcuff.) – Behrens 2
Jonathan Franklin, RB, Green Bay Packers (PK96, RB36) – Phew. With Lacy and Franklin on the roster, this team has locked up the Green Bay rushing committee. And when has that ever failed to produce a fantasy title? (Next pick: Maybe Ben Tate, just to mess with Behrens 2. Otherwise, Dennis Pitta.) – Behrens 1
Editor's Note: That's a wrap! Please reveal your favorite team(s) – keep in mind it's PPR with a FLEX (RB/WR/TE), 4 points/passing TD – in the comments section below. Additional derision about any and all of Salfino's selections is also welcomed.
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