Fantasy Football Mock Draft, 12-Team PPR: Clyde Edwards-Helaire at No. 4

Round 12

• Team 12 (12.01) – Cam Newton, QB, NE
• Team 11 (12.02) – Sammy Watkins, WR, KC
• Team 10 (12.03) – Damien Harris, RB, NE
• Team 9 (12.04) – Duke Johnson, RB, HOU
• Team 8 (12.05) – Justin Tucker, K, BAL
• Team 7 (12.06) – Daniel Jones, QB, NYG
• Team 6 (12.07) – LA Chargers D/ST
• Team 5 (12.08) – Baker Mayfield, QB, CLE
• Team 4* (12.09) – Lamar Miller, RB, NE
• Team 3 (12.10) – Jared Goff, QB, LAR
• Team 2 (12.11) – Brandon Aiyuk, WR, SF
• Team 1 (12.12) – Sterling Shepard, WR, NYG

This is the ultimate flier pick that I’m making here but it feels worthwhile given who’s available. The Patriots recently signed veteran Lamar Miller, a player who missed all of last season due to injury. Miller now joins what appears to be a crowded New England running back room. But the fact that he was signed might indicate something more.

Sony Michel has been dealing with injuries and signing Miller might mean that Michel starts the year on the PUP list. That could then pave the way for Miller to play a substantial role in this offense, one likely to rely on the rushing attack. We’ve seen veteran backs come to the Pats as a rental and succeed (LeGarrette Blount, anyone), so perhaps this is another instance of that. In Round 12, I’ll take a chance on that being the case.

Round 13

• Team 1 (13.01) – Golden Tate, WR, NYG
• Team 2 (13.02) – DeAndre Washington, RB, KC
• Team 3 (13.03) – DeSean Jackson, WR, PHI
• Team 4* (13.04) – Austin Hooper, TE, CLE
• Team 5 (13.05) – Anthony Miller, WR, CHI
• Team 6 (13.06) – A.J. Dillon, RB, GB
• Team 7 (13.07) – Jonnu Smith, TE, TEN
• Team 8 (13.08) – Hunter Renfrow, WR, LV
• Team 9 (13.09) – Harrison Butker, K, KC
• Team 10 (13.10) – New England D/ST
• Team 11 (13.11) – Joe Burrow, QB, CIN
• Team 12 (13.12) – Mike Williams, WR, LAC

Getting a backup tight end isn’t one of my big priorities in any fantasy draft. Having said that, with Austin Hooper sitting here in the 13th round, I couldn’t pass it up. Though he played in only 13 games last year, he was still the TE6 with Atlanta in fantasy football. But now that he’s with the Browns, that could mean big things for his usage and production under new Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski.

In Minnesota, Stefanski gave tight ends Kyle Rudolph and Irv Smith Jr. a combined 95 targets as the offensive coordinator. It’s a key position in his offensive scheme and, though David Njoku is still in Cleveland, Hooper is being paid to be a high-end starter. As a 13th round depth pick, this is great Kelce insurance with upside to potentially make Hooper a usable FLEX play.