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Mock my mock: Drafting from the back of round one
The fantasy season is almost upon us which means it's time to bring back my yearly article about how to approach your fantasy draft depending on where you are drafting. I will write two more versions of this article where I draft from the No. 6 spot, and another where I have the No.1 pick. For this exercise I will draft from No. 12 but with a bit of a twist. This is a standard draft that I participated in and I did not take a running back until the third round. I wanted to see if I could build a team I would like without taking a running back early. My advice to everyone is to attack running back in the first two rounds if possible, but if you don't like who's left on the board, you do have options. Try to get at least one of these running backs with one of your first two picks.
McCaffrey, Barkley, Elliott, Kamara, Cook, Sanders, Edwards-Helaire, Jacobs, Ekler, Henry, Chubb. (If you're in a standard league I would take Henry right after Cook).
Here's what my team looked like when I avoided running back in the first 2 rounds. Keep in mind this is a standard draft, which is unusual for me. My next 2 mocks will deal with PPR. Let's get started!
1. D. Adams WR
2. T. Hill WR
3. J. Conner RB
4. J. Taylor RB
5. K. Hunt RB
6. A. Green WR
7. H. Henry TE
8. M. Mack RB
9. M. Ryan QB
After my 9th pick I put my team on autodraft, but this gives you a good picture of what a team drafting in the No. 12 spot could look like. This team is actually pretty solid. Adams and Hill are great in standard leagues because of big play ability and TD production. Since I took receivers with my first 2 picks, I knew I would target the running back position next. Getting Conner with the last pick of the 3rd round felt like a steal, and I love Jonathan Taylor's upside. I think he could breakout like Zeke Elliott did as a rookie, but with the COVID-shortened offseason, these rookies may take a while to get going. I don't expect him to put up Zeke's rookie year numbers, but I think their talent is similar. Because of the unusual offseason, I made sure to draft Marlon Mack in the 8th round. I can roll with him until Taylor takes off. If I didn't take Taylor in Round 4, Melvin Gordon, Le'Veon Bell, and Ronald Jones would have been my other options. Gordon is the only other back I would have considered there, but I like Taylor better than Gordon.
This league starts 1QB, 2RBs, 2WRs, 1Flex, 1TE, 1 Defense and a Kicker. So having either A.J. Green or Kareem Hunt as my flex is pretty nice. In Round 10 I would likely have drafted Hayden Hurst. This is a good year to take a couple of TEs and see which one works out best. Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers were both available at the end of Round 9, so there's no need to reach for a QB.
Okay, that's all I have for this edition of Mock My Mock. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments or hit me up on Twitter.
@JoshJordan975 is where you can find me. Or you can catch Jerry Bo and me on MoneyLine, Sundays 10-noon on ESPN 97.5 FM. You can also watch the show on Twitch.
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The Astros didn’t get the sweep, but they did get something they desperately needed, a series win and a few signs that this offense might be coming to life at just the right time.
Carlos Correa continues to make a strong case that Houston was the right move. He’s slashing .346/.393/.538 with a .931 OPS through his first six games back in an Astros uniform. Correa looks comfortable again, and the lineup around him is starting to benefit.
Jesús Sánchez has been a revelation as well. His top-end bat speed has always been intriguing, and now it seems the Astros are beginning to unlock it. Astros GM Dana Brown loves the upside, and with two more years of control after this one, Houston is optimistic about what Sánchez can become. He's made a strong early impression.
Even though Spencer Arrighetti’s line in the finale (3.2 IP, 11 H, 5 ER, 5 K) wasn't pretty, there were encouraging signs in his return from the IL. He got plenty of swings and misses, and some of the damage came on infield hits. The hope is that with a little more sharpness and a little less bad luck, Arrighetti can turn outings like this into something far more productive.
Any word on Yordan?
All of this comes as the Astros wait on Yordan Alvarez. The lineup already looks much deeper with Correa, Sánchez, Yainer Díaz and Christian Walker trending up. Yordan and Jake Meyers could push this group into another gear. But for now, Yordan still hasn’t faced live pitching, so the wait continues.
The Astros chose not to address pitching at the deadline, putting their bet on internal reinforcements. That approach is about to be tested. Cristian Javier is nearing his return and could be back after one more rehab start, or even sooner. Lance McCullers is expected to throw a bullpen and make a rehab start before returning. Luis Garcia and J.P. France aren’t far off, either. But all will come back on pitch limits, so the bullpen will be stretched.
Vintage Javier
One thing working in Javier’s favor is his velocity. It’s back to the level he had during his most successful stretches. However, command remains a major concern. He’s issued 10 walks over just 9.2 innings in his three starts for Sugar Land.
In his best season - 2022 - Javier's average fastball velocity was 93.8 mph. It fell to 92.7 in 2023 and then 91.7 in 2024 (obviously due to injury). Getting to 93.8 is a great sign. https://t.co/OhHTlP2NtH
— Lance Zierlein (@LanceZierlein) August 6, 2025
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This weekend’s showdown in the Bronx carries major weight for the Astros, with the Mariners closing in fast and a red-hot Red Sox team waiting for them back home on Monday.
The rotation thins out quickly after Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez, who are lined up to pitch Friday and Saturday. The Astros can’t afford to waste starts from their top two right now. Not while waiting on everyone else to get right. The offense will need to do its part, and there’s reason to believe it can. Over the last 30 days, Yainer Díaz (.304/.317/.519, 4 HR) and Christian Walker (.253/.326/.458, 4 HR) are both hitting at, or above their career norms.
The Yankees, meanwhile, are reeling. Their playoff position is slipping. Their confidence is shaken. And now here comes Houston. Winners of the three biggest October series between these two teams over the last decade.
Altuve and Correa. Brown and Valdez. The Bronx in August. The stage is set.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode on Thursday!
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