The Dallas Cowboys just handed our Seattle Seahawks a tough 17-7 loss in the preseason opener, and yeah, it stings. But while we are all still processing that L, the fantasy football world is already going absolutely nuts after Preseason Week 1, and some of the expert mock drafts are dropping bombs about player value, especially for our very own Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
Quarterbacks: From Afterthought to Top Pick, What Gives?
Seriously, what is *going on* with quarterback values in these fantasy drafts? We are seeing some absolutely wild swings from the industry experts. In a 12-team, half-PPR mock put together by the CBS Sports crew, Buffalo’s Josh Allen was the first QB off the board, but he did not go until the 47th overall pick, way down in the fourth round. Lamar Jackson was the only other quarterback to even crack the top five rounds, going 54th overall! The drafter who snagged Allen already had Bijan Robinson, Josh Jacobs, and Rashee Rice on their roster. It feels like everyone is trying to wait on quarterbacks, which means if you buck the trend, you could load up on insane talent elsewhere before grabbing a great QB later. Patrick Mahomes, get this, made it all the way to Round 12 as QB12 in that same draft.
Then you flip to ESPN’s 12-team Superflex mock, and it’s a completely different universe. Because of the “double-flex, superflex” format, the first six picks *all* went to quarterbacks: Allen, Jackson, Drake Maye, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, and Jayden Daniels. Five more quarterbacks flew off the board in Round 2! Only three managers left the position untouched through the first two rounds, picking up Mahomes (QB13), Bo Nix (QB14), and Matthew Stafford (QB15) in the third. Talk about a dramatic shift in how QBs are valued based on format.
JSN’s Elite Pairing and Other Surprising Draft Nuggets
But enough about QBs, let’s talk about the real deal: Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Our guy is getting some serious love in that ESPN Superflex mock. While some managers were taking those “risky” late QBs, others were stacking absolute monster RB-WR combos. And get this: JSN was paired with Jonathan Taylor! That is a huge vote of confidence for our star wideout, showing he is considered an elite talent even in those crazy formats.
We also saw some other head-scratching picks and moves. Brock Bowers topped Trey McBride for the TE1 spot, going 22nd overall in the CBS mock. Malik Nabers, who we all know is a stud, slipped all the way to the third round as WR12. Wild. In another PPR mock conducted by Michael Fabiano for SI.com, Christian McCaffrey (6th overall) and De’Von Achane (10th overall) were first-round picks, but Fabiano actually raised caution flags for both, citing durability and 2025 workload concerns for McCaffrey. Man, the experts are really digging deep into these player evaluations. The first round without a QB being taken in the ESPN Superflex draft did not even hit until the 10th round, which then saw sleeper picks like Rachaad White (RB34), Wan’Dale Robinson (WR39), and Jonathon Brooks (RB39) get scooped up.
So yeah, the fantasy world is buzzing, and JSN’s stock is looking good. But let’s not forget that 17-7 preseason loss to the Cowboys. It is just preseason, sure, but a loss is a loss, and you know Mike Macdonald is going to be drilling the team hard after that performance. We need to see that focus next game. What are *you* thinking about these mock drafts and how our Hawks are looking? Are you worried about that preseason L, or is JSN’s fantasy hype enough to keep your spirits up? We are watching every snap, Emerald City!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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