
Getting a top 10 RB and top 10 WR with your first two picks is the way to go. Photo by New Orleans Saints/Facebook
The fantasy season is almost upon us and that also means you are reading the last edition of Mock my mock for 2018. For those that are unfamiliar with this article, each week I have drafted from a different draft slot to help illustrate how different a fantasy team will be based purely on which draft pick you have. I have done this exercise from the #7 spot and the #2 spot based on a twelve team league. This week I drafted at the turn, pick no. 12.
The key to drafting in this spot is having an idea about which players will make it back to you in the following rounds. I’ve tried going RB-RB and WR-WR in other mocks, and I feel like I’m chasing RB or WR the rest of the draft, so I advise taking one of each. I started this draft taking Chargers RB Melvin Gordon, and then followed that with Saints WR Michael Thomas. I have participated in a few mock drafts where Odell Beckham made it to me, and if that happens to you, don’t hesitate to draft him.
Next, I have a long wait before I get to pick again but when it’s finally my turn, I take Raiders WR Amari Cooper and Dolphins RB Kenyon Drake. I’m not too worried about Frank Gore stealing touches from Drake, and Cooper could be poised for a bounce-back year. Tyreek Hill got taken right before I picked, and that would have been my selection if he was available. For me, waiting on QB when you’re drafting in the #12 spot is the way to go. In general waiting on QB is a good idea this year. The position has never been deeper.
In the middle rounds, I focused on adding RB depth, and I did just that with my next couple picks. I selected Pats RB Rex Burkhead and Lions rookie RB Kerryon Johnson. If I had this mock draft to do over again, Greg Olsen would have been one of my picks here.
In round 7 I took Sammy Watkins and then followed that with Redskins TE Jordan Reed. I love Reed’s talent but he’s always hurt. I think this team would be better with Olsen at TE, and I could have grabbed more RB depth a little later.
I finished the draft by grabbing more depth at RB and WR. I was able to get Kenny Stills in the 9th round, and I think he’s the No.1 WR in Miami. DeVante Parker’s family has my condolences because he’s officially dead to me.
I finally got my QB in the 11th round and I was very pleased to come away with Falcons QB Matt Ryan. I think he’ll have a nice season in year 2 of Steve Sarkisian’s offense. The important thing to take away from this exercise is how your first 4 picks turn out and how you handle QB and TE. You can wait forever on QB, but you better take a TE in the first 5 or 6 rounds unless you’re okay with streaming TEs. Let’s face it, David Njoku and Jordan Reed have a lot of uncertainty surrounding them. One guy’s never done anything, and the other seems to leave the game every time he gets tackled.
This is my final edition of Mock my mock and all my mock drafts have been on ESPN, just so you know the ADP I’m working with. Be sure to check out my new show MoneyLine with Jerry Bo on ESPN 97.5. We’re on every Sunday from 10-noon, and we’ll talk a lot about fantasy football and NFL gambling. Our goal is to get you ready for your draft, and to help with Start/Sit questions when the regular season begins. Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter. If you missed last week's article drafting from the #7 spot, you can check it out here. You can also check out my first edition of Mock my Mock where I drafted from the #2 spot here.
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It wasn’t just a win — it was a glimpse into the Astros’ future
Jun 27, 2025, 10:43 pm
Two first-place teams, identical records, and a weekend set with serious measuring-stick energy.
The Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs open a three-game series Friday night at Daikin Park, in what could quietly be one of the more telling matchups of the summer. Both teams enter at 48-33, each atop their respective divisions — but trending in slightly different directions.
The Astros have been red-hot, going 7-3 over their last 10 while outscoring opponents by 11 runs. They've done it behind one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, with a collective 3.41 ERA that ranks second in the American League. Houston has also been dominant at home, where they’ve compiled a 30-13 record — a stat that looms large heading into this weekend.
On the other side, the Cubs have held their ground in the NL Central but have shown some recent shakiness. They're 5-5 over their last 10 games and have given up 5.66 runs per game over that stretch. Still, the offense remains dangerous, ranking fifth in on-base percentage across the majors. Kyle Tucker leads the way with a .287 average, 16 homers, and 49 RBIs, while Michael Busch has been hot of late, collecting 12 hits in his last 37 at-bats.
Friday’s pitching matchup features Houston’s Brandon Walter (0-1, 3.80 ERA, 1.10 WHIP) and Chicago’s Cade Horton (3-1, 3.73 ERA, 1.29 WHIP), a promising young arm making one of his biggest starts of the season on the road. Horton will have his hands full with Isaac Paredes, who’s slugged 16 homers on the year, and Mauricio Dubón, who’s found a groove with four home runs over his last 10 games.
It’s the first meeting of the season between these two clubs — and if the trends continue, it may not be the last time they cross paths when it really counts.
BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Astros -112, Cubs -107; over/under is 8 1/2 runs
Here's a preview of Joe Espada's Game 1 lineup.
The first thing that stands out is rookie Cam Smith is hitting cleanup, followed by Jake Meyers. Victor Caratini is the DH and is hitting sixth. Christian Walker is all the way down at seventh, followed by Yainer Diaz, and Taylor Trammell who is playing left field.
How the mighty have fallen.
Pretty wild to see Walker and Diaz hitting this low in the lineup. However, it's justified, based on performance. Walker is hitting a pathetic .214 and Diaz is slightly better sporting a .238 batting average.
Screenshot via: MLB.com
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