The mock draft series continues! Andy Richardson has the most projected points through Round 9, but which rosters are really the strongest, who is finding the best values and which drafters are in the weeds?

This mock draft is for a full PPR redraft league. The rosters are 1QB/2RB/2WR/2FLEX/1PK/1DST/6BENCH. Where referenced, positional rankings and projections are from Fantasy Index and Average Draft Position (ADP) is from Sleeper via Draft Sharks. Our drafters include Andy Richardson, Todd Zola, Luke Wilson and myself from the Fantasy Index staff as well as readers and members of the Discord server.

Here is how the board stands after nine rounds :

These rounds were more balanced with 14 RBs drafted compared to 13 WR and the game of chicken ended with 5 QBs and 4 TEs going. Only three teams have yet to draft a QB and another three are still waiting at TE. Teams with a QB are at a sizable advantage and are marked with an asterisk in the table below. Here’s how the projected points look through Round 9 :

Let’s see how each drafter approached these rounds:

Khalil Shakir at the beginning of the 9th round went nine spots after his WR28 ranking but still eleven spots ahead of his ADP. Being Josh Allen’s top target last season didn’t amount to much for Shakir and now sidelined by a high ankle sprain his role in Buffalo’s crowded receiver group is even less clear. He’s been an interesting value so far this draft season and likely will be more so if his ADP drops. Jordan Mason at the end of the 8th round could be a solid pick at RB3 but working in a split backfield in a pass heavy scheme, he’s not someone I’m eager to rely on. Brandon Aiyuk as the WR46 is a reach as he’s currently ranked WR72. Recovering from an ACL/MCL tear, on a low volume passing offense with a crowded and oddly disgruntled WR group, Aiyuk is going to have to fall into my lap around WR70 before I’m taking that chance.

Breece came into Round 7 in desperate need of and RB2 and landed a solid backstop in Aaron Jones. Coach Kevin O’Connell recently described his backfield as a 1A/1B situation and some drafters are assuming that Jordan Mason will run away with the job. I think Jones’ pass catching chops are going to keep him relevant even in the most Mason friendly versions of a split backfield. In the seven games where he played more than half of the 49ers snaps Mason was targeted just 10 times, Jones caught 51 of his 62 targets across 17 games making him the 11th most targeted RB per game last year. In the 8th Breece added more RB depth with Quinshon Judkins. Judkins could get signed and play most of the season for the Browns, we just don’t know. It’s not a bad upside play after waiting at RB but taking Jordan Mason could have been clever here.

Todd’s roster is still waiting for QB but came into Round 7 with an otherwise balanced team. Rome Odunze at the 7.03 is about where he is ranked and going but it’s a good pick. Odunze caught just 54 of the 101 targets thrown his way in 2024 but with a relatively high average depth of target (13.9) over 100 targets as a rookie is compelling. He may be just the favorite target of yet another crazed gunslinger in Chicago but with the influx of talent across the organization I’m getting excited to chase Odunze’s upside. Rhamondre Stevenson in the 8th round is a big reach fourteen spots before his positional ranking and sixteen spots before his ADP. Todd’s picks have been solid up to this point so he can likely afford to get his guy here especially since we have received some clarity around the likely usage of his 9th round pick Tyrone Tracy.

Andy used two of his picks in this range to select QBs Bo Nix and Kyler Murray. This is a strategy I’ve seen several times this season. Ian Allan did it in our Dynasty mock draft , selecting his QB2 and QB3 at the 12/13 turn. The way QB is falling in drafts right now it’s hard to argue that the value of a Top 10 QB should be tossed aside for the caliber of position players this late, especially if your league is active with trades. Andy can likely afford the risk as he has one of the best drafts going in this mock. According to the Fantasy Index positional rankings he’s reached no more than one spot on any player and his only significant ADP reach, Jakobi Meyers, is his best rankings value! Trey Benson in the 9th is another player I’m drafting wherever I can, Andy also has James Conner making Benson that much more valuable.

Josh’s team added Deebo Samuel in Round 7. I’ll believe the Commanders are willing to let Terry McLaurin go when I see it on the Fantasy Index main page there is room for Deebo to succeed either way. He is one of the best there has ever been at racking up YAC on short yardage receptions and hopefully can provide a productive outlet for Jayden Daniels in a high powered offense. Cam Skattebo in the 8th is an upside swing that I’ll wager Josh wants back but he’s also strong enough at the position to afford the miss. Baker Mayfield is the QB I’ll probably have the most of this season and at 8.05 is a homerun.

Title Town drafted Jordan Addison as his WR4 in the 7th and is likely thrilled that the WR21 from last year will only be facing a three-game suspension. Brian Robinson was drafted as the RB31, which is pretty safe value for the RB30 in PPR last year. He’s not my ideal player to backstop a riskier RB2 play in RJ Harvey but he has a strong floor. In the 9th Round Title Town took his QB1, Brock Purdy and equally unsexy pick who nonetheless has finished as top 12 QB per game the last two seasons.

Lou added Mark Andrews in the 7th round. Andrews appeal is resurgent after Isaiah Likely had surgery on his fractured foot and is questionable for Week 1. His role in the Ravens offense has dwindled over the last two years but a career high 11 TDs last season would seem to indicate that his new role has some fantasy value after all. All the news out of camp has Ricky Pearsall rising to the challenge of being the last man standing in the 49ers WR room. Taken here as the WR45 he’s seven spots after his positional ranking yet 11 spots before his ADP indicating a solid value to target. Josh Downs at 9.07 is not so well liked in the rankings, he’s eleven spots before his positional ranking but right at ADP. I like the stats: 107 targets, 67.3% catch rate, 83.8% slot rate, 30.48% WR target share. That’s a recipe for a safe floor but the most important thing needed for him to grow from his WR32 per game finish, the Colts to having a QB who can keep the offense on the field, looks unlikely.

In the 7th round Luke continued to bolster his RB group with bounce back hopeful Travis Etienne. New Jaguars head coach Liam Coen authored a prolific turn around for the rushing attack as the Buccaneer’s offensive coordinator last season. Aside from finishing 4th in rush yards the Bucs also threw to their backs the 4th most often. His rushing upside may be limited with several good backs on the roster, but his receiving work can keep him relevant and playing on his 5th year option he needs to perform this year to get paid. Emeka Egbuka is an interesting prospect to keep an eye on as we wait to see how Chris Godwin’s recovery progresses but at nineteen spots ahead of his ADP and ten spots before his ranking this pick is a flag plant on a rookie in a very crowded situation.

Coming up to my pick in Round 7 I was thinking it would be a good time to get at TE as the end of the tier where I’m comfortable was approaching. David Njoku or Evan Engram is the range I’m usually targeting but looking at the board I realized that the three teams after me already had a QB, so the odds of the top QB on the board, Patrick Mahomes, coming back were around 100%. So, I did something I had not considered at any point this year, I drafted Travis Kelce and let Mahomes come back around to complete the stack. I do think Mahomes has been frustrated with the Chiefs inability to dominate the passing game in recent seasons, so there is a world where, with healthy receivers, Mahomes finds his way back to the elite production of his first five seasons and Kelce likewise returns to dominance, at least in the red zone. Do I believe that will happen, not necessarily, but at this price I don’t hate the possibility.

At the 7.10 T’Challa selected Mathew Golden. Camp praise for the rookie has been abundant with QB Jordan Love joining in this week, calling Golden a stud. I think it’s likely Golden’s ADP climbs as we approach the season, right now he’s going around 98th overall, here he’s at 82nd but I don’t hate the reach for a guy who looks likely to be a top target for the Packers. In the 8th he added Jaydon Blue as his RB3. This pick feels speculative right now with Javonte Willams’s veteran pass protection and passing game chops between Blue and fantasy relevance but the opportunity for Blue to show out in the preseason and make this a pure committee is legitimate. Unless Williams can reverse trend on his performance, 3.6 yards per carry in the last two seasons, Blue could emerge as the RB1 at some point this season.

Setting out to address his thin WR group Sanj took three receivers in these rounds. Cooper Kupp is likely to provide more floor than ceiling in his first year outside a Sean McVay offense. I don’t mind him for depth but as Sanj’s WR3 he’s less than ideal. Stefon Diggs in the 8th round has a better chance of providing some pop. The Patriots may be an up-and-coming franchise but their WR group lacks anyone to challenge Diggs for the top spot. Darnell Mooney at the 9.11 (107th) overall was taken right at his ADP but fourteen spots after his ranking. He’s another value pick that I’m looking for this season.

Chuck took a swipe at filling his RB2 spot in Round 7 after ignoring the position since the first round. Jalen Warren finally has a chance to step into the main role after spending his first three seasons as a change of pace and pass catching back behind Najee Harris. Camp reports about Warren so far are not glowing; with Kaleb Johnson breathing down his neck and profiling as the better goal line back, he’s not a rock solid RB2. Also flying under the radar Kenneth Gainwell could eat into what little receiving work the backs are afforded in Arthur Smith’s offense. Bhayshul Tuten is more of an upside swing, but Chuck really needs someone who can fill that RB2 spot to maximize his solid WR group, I probably would have gone with JK Dobbins. Nonetheless, Chuck has the 2nd most projected points so far.