I was fortunate enough to join the Always Be Building Show with Hosts @FFChalmers and @FFDelly to be a part of a Dynasty Fantasy Football Startup Mock Draft. This was not just any mock draft, as it included a more in-depth approach to player value, roster construction, and consideration for trades during the draft. The first episode covered rounds one through three, but stay tuned for the rest of the series covering the remainder of the dynasty mock draft!
For reference, the format includes: Superflex – PPR – Tight End Premium (.5) – 3 Flex Spots
1.07 – Joe Burrow (QB – CIN)
I am sitting at the seventh pick, and in normal circumstances, I would not consider a quarterback due to the top options having already been selected ahead of me. However, today is my lucky mock draft day. With Ja’Marr Chase and Bijan Robinson also going ahead of me, I was able to take a top-five quarterback in Joe Burrow.
What Burrow lacks in rushing upside when compared to his fellow top-five Dynasty quarterbacks, he more than makes up for in his elite passing ability. Burrow led the NFL in pass attempts, completions, passing yards, and passing touchdowns, all while completing a staggering 70.6% of his passes. And after an injury-shortened 2023 season, Burrow achieved his best fantasy season, 22.5 points per game.
The stars are aligning for Burrow to once again lead the NFL in most, if not all, passing categories in 2025. The Bengals bring back one of the best pass-catching duos in the NFL with Chase and Tee Higgins. And it is expected that Burrow will throw plenty with a Cincinnati defense that will likely be among the bottom third in the NFL once again. So to get a quarterback of Burrow’s caliber at the seventh pick was simply too much to pass up.
2.06 – Puka Nacua (WR – LAR)
Since this is a superflex format, consideration is always given for a second quarterback early. However, since I selected Burrow at the seventh pick, only two quarterbacks have gone off the board: Drake Maye and Patrick Mahomes. This leaves plenty of quarterbacks until the next round, with much concern about a steep drop-off in fantasy value. This leads me to a somewhat polarizing player in Puka Nacua.
The Rams’ receiver burst onto the scene in 2024, immediately filling the void of former triple crown winner Cooper Kupp. And despite various injuries in the latter half of his rookie season, Nacua did not miss a game. His sophomore season continued his fantasy ascension, boasting a top-three finish in fantasy points per game, while also missing five games due to injury and sitting out the final week of the season.
As we head into 2025, Nacua is the clear number one option in Los Angeles, but he does have some uncertainty around him. The longevity of Matthew Stafford’s career and the touchdowns ceded to Davante Adams could impede Nacua’s 2025 success. But for me, I am getting a tremendous value halfway through the second round on a player whose organization I trust to best position Nacua to succeed.
3.07 – Justin Herbert (QB – LAC)
I was once again surprised to see only two quarterbacks selected since my second round selection, Caleb Williams and Bo Nix. But any of the must-have running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends have been drafted already. At this point, it is wise to remember the structure of the league, superflex, and not get too cute. Justin Herbert it is!
There is a comfort in knowing that my starting quarterback and superflex positions are settled by round three with two players that are established yet still have youth on their side. Herbert enters year two under Jim Harbaugh, and there is a lot to like. Despite the classic run-centric nature of a Harbaugh-led offense, Herbert has a career best in passing yards per attempt. The running game allowed Herbert to push the ball downfield with his rocket arm, and then rookie Ladd McConkey was a great help in that effort.
The Chargers have continued to improve on the offensive side of the ball, including what should once again be a top-half offensive line. Not to be forgotten are the additions made to the players on offense. The drafting of Omarion Hampton, Tre Harris, and late-round selection KeAndre Lambert-Smith should do wonders for Herbert and his growth in year six and beyond. Taking Herbert here gives me flexibility to build out the remaining positions, as I can wait to fill out my quarterback depth.
Thanks for checking out this ~FREE~ DFF article! And be sure to follow this entire series to soak up even more Dynasty content! For any questions regarding this series or anything Dynasty, you can reach me on Twitter @FatherDynasty. #DFFArmy #FantasyFootball #AlwaysBeBuilding #NFL #DynastyFantasyFootball
