From CFFL.com
Before we begin our first of many mock drafts leading up to the 2012 college football season, we need to iron out a few details. In college fantasy football, it is not as easy to make mock drafts. We know this. Many league settings vary. So we need to set a few ground rules. 1) This is for 2012 only. This is not a keeper league draft. The list would look considerably different if this was the case. 2) This is taking into consideration all FBS teams. So, please, this is for value purposes only…not who is the best. 3) All players are available. Many college leagues protect players, but it would not work for this type of mock draft.
How are we constructing this mock draft? We will have ten teams that must field a starting lineup that follows:
- One quarterback
- Two running backs
- Two wide receivers
- One tight end
- One kicker
- One defense
Most fantasy leagues use snake drafts, meaning the first team will have the first pick in round one (1.1.1) and the last of round two (2.10.20).
Now, we must deal with what scoring system to use. In the first year of CFFL.com, we found that over four-out-of-five leagues used points per reception. That was the most difficult decision. So with that out of the way, here is our scoring system:
- 1pt every 25 passing yards
- 6pts every passing TD
- - 4pts every INT
- 1pt every 20 completions
- 1pt every 10 rushing yards
- 1pt every 10 receiving yards
- 1pt every 20 rushes
- 6pts every rushing or receiving TD
- 1 pt every reception, 1pt-XP, 3pts-FG)
You will see numbers next to each player. These are the number of 20 point fantasy games/30 point fantasy games/40 point fantasy games and 50 or greater point fantasy games. It will be in this format:
(20/30/40/50+)
This mock draft will be based mostly on production in 2011. Since this mock draft was constructed before signing day and spring practice, the 2011 season is the best information we have to make ridiculously low-percentage decisions of how players will perform in 2012! So here it is….
First Round
Team 1: Montee Ball, Wisconsin: Senior-Running Back (5/4/4/0)
2011 Fantasy Points: 485 points 37.3PPG
Single Game High: 46 points at Indiana 10/15/2011
Single Game Low: 25 Points vs Oregon State 09/10/2011
To say we were shocked that Montee Ball was returning for his senior year next season is an understatement. I almost choked on an onion. BCS junior running backs do not come back for their senior seasons. Trent Richardson , David Wilson, LaMichael James, Lamar Miller and non-BCS superstars Ronnie Hillman and Bernard Pierce made the jump. Keeper league owners of Ball got a present they never thought they would see. James White owners must be asking why? There is very little to say for on the field. Montee Ball should be a Heisman front-runner who went 13 for 13 in the regular season on 20 point fantasy games. 8 of those were for more than 30 points and 6 of them greater than 40 points. He had 9-100 rushing games, four against ranked teams and two against top 20 rushing defenses. His 2011 fantasy output was the highest by any running back in the past decade. There is nothing to suggest he will not have another monster season. It may not be 485 points, but enough to justify the selection.
Team 2: Branden Oliver, Buffalo: Junior-Running Back (3/3/3/1)
2011 Fantasy Points: 323 points 26.9PPG
Single Game High: 47 points vs Ohio 10/08/2011
Single Game Low: 07 points at Temple 10/15/2011
This may seem a little high for a running back out of the MAC, but consider that Oliver had 8-20 point fantasy games, five of which were over 30 points and two over forty. Oliver also had 8-100 yard rushing games, one of which was on the road at Pittsburgh, who had the 23rd best rushing defense in America in 2011. Oliver also added 38 receptions for over 350 yards. Playing in the MAC also helps Oliver. The MAC had the most 100 yard rushing games, and also gave up the most. Buffalo has very little on offense outside of Oliver. Expect a possible 400-carry season.
Team 3: Collin Klein, Kansas State: Quarterback (3/3/3/1)
2011 Fantasy Points: 446 points 37.2PPG
Single Game High: 56 points vs Texas A&M 11/12/2011
Single Game Low: 17 points vs Eastern Kentucky 09/03/2011
No player came out of left field with more impact than the rising senior quarterback in Manhattan. In the 2011 regular season, Klein had 38 touchdowns and, 26 of which came on the ground after rushing for almost 1100 yards. He should become a more efficient passer in 2012. While he may not get to the same total of rushing touchdowns, he should reach the same total with improved passing. Klein had 7 games over 30 fantasy points and four over 40 points and even broke the fifty point barrier once. He is the perfect fantasy quarterback. He is the only quarterback that should score far enough beyond the average for a starter to justify a first round selection.
Team 4: Giovani Bernard, North Carolina: Running Back (4/3/1/0)
2011 Fantasy Points: 300 points 25.0PPG
Single Game High: 40 points vs Wake Forest 10/29/2011
Single Game Low: 10 points at Clemson 10/22/2011
Bernard broke on the scene as a freshman in 2011 and made an immediate impact. The Tar Heel back did not rush for 100 yards in his two games against ranked competition, but he was banged up in the Clemson game and left after a successful first quarter in Blacksburg due to a concussion. Bernard had 7-100 yard games, including 109 yards and a touchdown versus Louisville, who was 9th in the country in rush defense. He is also a great receiving option out of the backfield.
Team 5: Marcus Lattimore, South Carolina: Running Back (1/2/0/1)
2011 Fantasy Points: 201 points 28.7PPG
Single Game High: 51 points vs Navy 09/17/2011
Single Game Low: 13 points vs Auburn 10/01/2011
Along with Ball, Lattimore is probably the safest pick this season. Lattimore did suffer a torn ACL in the middle of the season. He should be close to 100 percent when the season begins. Brandon Wilds, a freshman in 2011, did an adequate job as a replacement, but Lattimore will be the focal point of the offense again. Even with the loss of Alshon Jeffery, Lattimore should see more running lanes with Connor Shaw settled in as the starter.
Team 6: Robbie Rouse, Fresno State: Running Back (5/3/0/0)
2011 Fantasy Points: 326 points 25.1PPG
Single Game High: 37 points at New Mexico State 09/17/2011
Single Game Low: 08 points vs Boise State 10/01/2011
Rouse has quietly put together two nice seasons for the Bulldogs. In 2011, Rouse was the model of consistency. He produced 8-100 yard rushing games and scored a rushing touchdown in nine contests. As a result, there was only one game where Rouse did not score 20 fantasy points, which makes his an unquestioned first round choice.
Team 7: Zach Line, SMU: Senior-Running Back (4/2/1/0)
2011 Fantasy Points: 274 points 27.4PPG
Single Game High: 41 points vs Northwestern State 09/17/2011
Single Game Low: 16 points vs TCU 10/01/2011
The bruising senior running back is a first round pick, even though he is no threat in the passing game. Line was prolific around the end zone before a foot injury ended his 2011 season prematurely. Even in a June Jones offense, Line proved to be the focus of the offense. His numbers from 2011 are hard to believe. Consider that he ran for 100 yards in 8 of his 10 games. He did not rush for less than 82 yards in any game. He scored touchdowns in seven games and had multiple touchdowns in five games, highlighted by a five touchdown performance against Northwestern State. He averaged five yards rushing in each of his ten games. Line should be ready to go this spring and should have a big 2012.
Team 8: De'Anthony Thomas, Oregon: Sophomore Running Back: (2/2/0/0)
2011 Fantasy Points: 232 points 17.8PPG
Single Game High: 37 points vs California 10/06/2011
Single Game Low: 03 points at Arizona 09/24/2011
Warning: if you do not play in a PPR league, then this is too high of a selection. This may be the shock selection of the round, but when watching Thomas as a true freshman it was undeniable that he was a special talent. We have had people say we are crazy for putting him this high, but he had 16 total touchdowns with LaMichael James AND Kenjon Barner on the roster last season. His burst and straight-line speed should help replace LaMichael James nicely. Thomas split out wide as a freshman and caught 46 passes for 605 yards and 9 touchdowns. He is better than Barner, who finished with 11 rushing touchdowns in 2011. Thomas finished the season averaging almost 11 yards per carry.
Team 9: Robert Woods, USC: Junior-Wide Receiver: (4/3/0/2)
2011 Fantasy Points: 333 points 27.8PPG
Single Game High: 52 points vs Minnesota 09/03/2011
Single Game Low: 03 points vs Washington 11/12/2011
On the surface, this looks like an easy pick. Matt Barkley is back and Woods is coming off a 111 reception season. However, we had some anxiety placing Woods this high. The question at the end of last season was whether he was the best wide receiver on his own team. Woods should have a great 2012 season, but his value was much higher in the middle of 2011 than at the end. Robert Woods had 3-100 yard games and 1-200 yard performance in the first five games (as well as 55 receptions and six touchdowns). However, in the latter portion of the season, with the emergence of freshman Marqise Lee, Woods only had 3-100 yard games in the last seven games. In that same time, Lee averaged 117 yards and had 3-100 yard games as well. We still say bet on Woods, who was a little banged up at the end of the season, because of his big-play ability and PPR potential.
Team 10: Joseph Randle, Oklahoma State: Senior-Running Back: (1/4/3/0)
2011 Fantasy Points: 333 points 27.8PPG
Single Game High: 44 points vs Arizona 09/08/2011
Single Game Low: 08 points at Iowa State 11/18/2011
Randle is given the nod here because of his big play ability in both the running and passing game. There is some risk associated with this pick. Brandon Weeden is gone and Randle has never had to carry “the load”. After totaling more than 20 rushing attempts in 3 of the first four games, Randle’s high the rest of the season was 19. Five of the final eight games he had fewer than 15 carries.