Another day, another mock draft. This one was an auction, which requires fantasy owners to nominate and bid on players rather than make selections over the course of several rounds. It takes longer than a snake draft, but it can also be a lot more enjoyable. In fact, I'd advise anyone who hasn't tried one to sign up for an auction or at the very least get into a mock auction on NFL.com. You very well might find it to be more exciting than the standard drafts, as you have a chance to get anyone you want on your final roster.
When it comes to auctions, the best advice is to allow a certain amount of your total budget (in this case, $200) to players or positions that you want to focus on. For example, I will spend more on running backs and wide receivers but not quarterbacks and tight ends. If a bid on a certain player you want gets out of hand though, don't be afraid to pass and wait to bid on another player at the same position who has similar value. If you wanted Jay Ajayi but bidding on the Dolphins runner went into the mid- to high-40s, for example, then go after DeMarco Murray or Jordan Howard when nominated. With that said, you don't want to be too timid in the bidding process because you never want to finish the auction with lots of unspent dough.
Otherwise, I like to follow the advice of Guns 'N' Roses and have ... "Patience." Let the rest of the owners in your draft run through their cash like Montgomery Brewster in the underrated flick "Brewster's Millions," because I promise that you'll be able to land ridiculous bargains in the latter portion of the auction.
All right, here's how this squad ended up and a few notes on how I compiled it pick by pick, in order of the player costs. Enjoy.
Devonta Freeman, RB, Atlanta Falcons ($38): I had a $42 max bid on Freeman, so getting him for $38 was a value. The versatile running back has finished in the top six in fantasy points at his position in each of the last two seasons, and at the age of 25 he's in the prime of his career.
Amari Cooper, WR, Oakland Raiders ($27): Bids on the elite fantasy wide receivers were off the charts, (Odell Beckham Jr. went for $63), so I sat back and waited to find one who was closer to what I would call a bargain. Cooper ended up being that wideout at the reasonable price of $27.
Joe Mixon, RB, Cincinnati Bengals ($25): I'm a huge fan of Mixon on the gridiron, and I'm projecting him to lead the Bengals backfield in touches as a rookie. I might have paid a few dollars more than I projected, but he's a player I wanted so I didn't mind overpaying for him slightly.
Tevin Coleman, RB, Atlanta Falcons ($24): Coleman wasn't someone I had targeted, but he ended up being the player I overspent for the most because I had a lot of cash in the budget when he was nominated. A terrific flex starter last season, Coleman also serves as insurance for Freeman.
Martavis Bryant, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers ($21): Did you know that Bryant has scored 15 total touchdowns and averaged more than 17 yards per catch in his 21 career NFL games? I love his upside in what will be a solid Steelers pass attack, so paying a bit more than I had projected is fine.
Jarvis Landry, WR, Miami Dolphins ($17): I do have concerns about Landry due to the whole Ryan Tannehill situation, but the signing of Jay Cutler should maintain the status quo. Landry will serve well as a No. 2 or 3 fantasy wide receiver.
Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints ($12): Brees was a bargain based my dollar projections, and I was surprised to land him at $12. Honestly, this was a case of me bidding up a player who was going for too little money ... and I ended up getting him. This was a win for an elite player.
Jimmy Graham, TE, Seattle Seahawks ($9): If you take one piece of advice from this column, it's that there are almost always bargains at the tight end position. Heck, Kyle Rudolph went for a dollar! I had the cash to spend on Graham, who was still a decent bargain at a price tag of $9.
Adam Thielen, WR, Minnesota Vikings ($9): Thielen had a tremendous 2016 campaign, finishing in the top 30 in fantasy points among wideouts after not being on the radar in most drafts. He was a few dollars more than I projected, but I had the extra cash and wanted him as a No. 4 wideout.
Eddie Lacy, RB, Seattle Seahawks ($7): I am 100 percent on the record as a Lacy naysayer, but I ended up getting him for a real bargain (I have him projected for more than double what I paid). With the trio of Freeman, Mixon and Coleman also on the roster, Lacy will be a flex at best.
Mike Wallace, WR, Baltimore Ravens ($5): Wallace was the last player I spent more than a dollar on at the end of the auction, and he's the fifth wideout on this particular roster.
Alvin Kamara, RB, New Orleans Saints ($1): Kamara could be buried behind Mark Ingram and Adrian Peterson, or he could see a Darren Sproles role. For $1, there was no risk with him.
Stephen Gostkowski, K, New England Patriots ($1): I like to bid $1 on an "elite" kicker at the start of the auction. Either someone bids more, or I get a solid starter for a buck.
Robert Woods, WR, Los Angeles Rams ($1): This was a flier. Woods could wind up being the most targeted wide receiver in the Rams offense, and he's the sixth wideout on this roster.
Charles Sims, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($1): I passed on bidding on a defense in favor of a sixth running back. Sims was the best runner on the board and would be my final choice.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Have a burning question on anything fantasy related? Tweet it to _**@MichaelFabiano**_ or send a question via **Facebook**!
