2015 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Round 4
Scoring: This mock draft is based on standard-scoring fantasy football leagues for the 2015 season only (i.e., not keeper or dynasty leagues). Passing touchdowns are worth four points while rushing and receiving touchdowns are worth six points. In addition, one point is earned per 25 passing yards, 10 rushing yards and 10 receiving yards.Mock Draft Start Date: Saturday, February 7th
Mock Draft End Date: Sunday, February 15th
Four of our site's contributors — Kevin Hanson, Brendan Donahue, Sean Beazley and Dan Yanotchko — will make picks for three teams of this 12-team mock. The mock will go 10 rounds with no kickers or team defenses selected.
Although this is a slow draft, we will post picks as they occur, along with comments from Kevin Hanson, as opposed to waiting for the entire mock draft to be completed.
More Rounds: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Teams | Positions
Here are Round 4 results:
4.01 - Dan Yanotchko (Team 3): Jeremy Maclin, WR, Philadelphia Eagles
After sitting out all of 2013 with a torn ACL, Maclin returned to the Eagles on a one-year deal and posted a career-best season (85/1,318/10) in Chip Kelly's offense. Although Maclin is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent, it appears that the Eagles will use the franchise tag if both sides are unable to reach a long-term deal. If there are any concerns with Maclin's 2015 outlook, it's the potentially uncertain quarterback situation, but Maclin averaged 11.0 targets per game with Nick Foles under center (compared to 7.5/G with Mark Sanchez).
4.02 - Kevin Hanson (Team 3): Mark Ingram, RB, New Orleans Saints
Once again, Ingram missed multiple games and he has now missed a total of 14 games over his four-year career. That said, Ingram set career highs in the 13 games he did play in 2014 -- 226 carries, 964 rushing yards, nine touchdowns and 29 receptions. Ingram is scheduled for free agency and returning to New Orleans may not be the best option for him from a fantasy perspective given the team's use of a three-headed backfield rotation when all backs are healthy.
As a Cowboys fan, I'd love to see Ingram in Big D should the team not be able to re-sign DeMarco Murray, who should command a much larger price tag on the free market. Either way, Ingram could certainly see a larger workload outside of New Orleans.
4.03 - Sean Beazley (Team 3): Andre Ellington, RB, Arizona Cardinals
The good news is that Ellington averaged more than 20 touches per game last season. The bad news is that Ellington averaged more than 20 touches per game last season. Based on comments from Bruce Arians before the season began, the expectations were for Ellington to get a sizable workload in 2014. And he did -- when healthy. Given Ellington's size (5-9, 199), it's not a huge (no pun intended) surprise that Ellington was unable to hold up for a full season and he missed the final four regular-season games of the year.
With the substantial bump in workload in his second season, Ellington underwhelmed as his yards-per-carry average dropped from 5.5 YPC as a rookie to 3.3 on 201 carries last season. Instead of feeding Ellington 20 to 25 touches per game, he would be better suited for a change-of-pace role with 15 or so touches per game. If the Cardinals cut back some on his volume, it would help him hold up for a full season and be more effective on a per-touch basis.
Either way, Ellington is the 20th running back off the board in this mock and I'd be more than comfortable taking him with that draft position.
4.04 - Sean Beazley (Team 2): Emmanuel Sanders, WR, Denver Broncos
In his first season with the Broncos, Sanders blew his previous career highs out of the water. With previous career highs set in 2013 of 67/740/6, Sanders finished with 101 receptions for 1,404 yards and nine touchdowns.
Reports are that Peyton Manning is currently working out in New Orleans with the intention of returning for another season. As much as he struggled down the stretch (only one 300-yard game in the final six games and just three touchdown passes over the final four games), there is certainly reason for concern but at least part of those struggles can be attributed to his thigh injury.
Even though Sanders is a better option in point-per-reception (PPR) formats, he's a solid mid-tier WR2 option heading into 2015.
4.05 - Brendan Donahue (Team 3): Sammy Watkins, WR, Buffalo Bills
The fourth overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft, Watkins finished his rookie campaign with 65 receptions for 982 yards and six touchdowns. While Watkins had four 100-yard games including a career-high 157 yards against his new head coach's former team, he also had nine games with 35 receiving yards or less. In what should be a run-first offense with a less-than-ideal quarterback situation, there will likely be plenty of weekly inconsistency from Watkins even though I think his numbers will improve on a year-over-year basis.
4.06 - Brendan Donahue (Team 2): Latavius Murray, RB, Oakland Raiders
Loaded with potential and upside, Murray is a physical freak that runs a sub-4.4 forty at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds. Murray finally got a chance to showcase what he could do down the stretch last season and he gained 478 yards from scrimmage over his final five games on a total of 83 touches (72 carries and 11 receptions). It would make sense for Jack Del Rio and the new coaching staff to lean heavily on Murray in 2015.
4.07 - Dan Yanotchko (Team 2): Golden Tate, WR, Detroit Lions
Tate had a career year with 99 catches for 1,331 yards and four touchdowns plus five carries for 30 yards. With Calvin Johnson missing three games and being a decoy in a couple of others, Tate was especially productive over the middle of the season when he racked up a nine-game line of 64/935/3. If Megatron is healthy for the entire season, Tate is especially unlikely to repeat last year's career numbers, but he's otherwise a solid low-end WR2 in 2015.
4.08 - Dan Yanotchko (Team 1): Keenan Allen, WR, San Diego Chargers
While his receptions increased from 71 to 77 in 2014, Allen's yardage (1,046 to 783) and touchdowns (eight to four) both dropped and he finished as the 48th-highest scoring wide receiver last season. Only 22 years old (turns 23 in April), I expect a bounce-back season Allen in 2015.
4.09 - Kevin Hanson (Team 2): Brandon Marshall, WR, Chicago Bears
Teammates in real life, this fantasy team pairs Marshall with Alshon Jeffery as my top-two fantasy wide receivers to go along with DeMarco Murray and Carlos Hyde as my starting running backs. A lot went wrong for Marshall and the Bears offense last season as he missed multiple games, was limited in others, Jay Cutler struggled and was benched, there was a rift between Marshall and Cutler, etc. As the 20th wide receiver off the board, he's worth the risk as a bounce-back candidate heading into 2015.
4.10 - Kevin Hanson (Team 1): Isaiah Crowell, RB, Cleveland Browns
Based on talent alone, I would have selected Crowell higher than this. On a positive note, the coaching staff wants to lean on the rushing attack and the Browns have one of the better run-blocking offensive lines when center Alex Mack is healthy. On a less positive note, the coaching staff's allocation of carries was unpredictable on a weekly basis as the guy with the "best practice" during the week got the most carries. Ultimately, I expect Crowell to be the most productive Browns running back in 2015.
4.11 - Brendan Donahue (Team 1): Jonathan Stewart, RB, Carolina Panthers
The long wait from Stewart's fantasy owners for him to be the featured guy is finally here. Over the final five games of the season, Stewart, who turns 28 in March, rushed for 486 yards on 91 carries (5.34 YPC) and only DeMarco Murray (491) had more rushing yards during that span. The likelihood that the Panthers release DeAngelo Williams this offseason seems high, but either way, it appears that the team finally recognizes that The Daily Show gives their offense the best opportunity for success.
4.12 - Sean Beazley (Team 1): Julian Edelman, WR, New England Patriots
2013 seemed to be a perfect storm for Edelman as he was surrounded by other first-year receivers (either rookies or free agents) and Rob Gronkowski missed more than half of the season due to injury. After his breakout 2013 season (105/1,056/6), however, Edelman actually averaged slightly more receptions (6.57 in 2014 vs. 6.56 in 2013) and yards (69.43 in 2014 vs. 66.0 in 2013) in 2014. A high-end WR2 in PPR formats, Edelman is still a solid low-end WR2 in standard-scoring leagues as well.
> Continue to Round 5 of our way-too-early fantasy football mock draft
> Go back to Round 3 of our way-too-early fantasy football mock draft
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