
Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images.
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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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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