Half-PPR Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Hero RB Build Around James Cook

If you ain’t mocking, you ain’t trying.

We’ve now reached the middle of July, and while best ball drafts have been happening left and right, preparation for your season-long drafts cannot be overlooked, especially with training camps approaching. And while those best ball drafts are a blast and can help you get a gauge of where players are going, they don’t exactly translate to your home league.

Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.

Now live at Fantasy Life is Draft Champion, our mock draft simulator. In just minutes, you can sync your league with any provider and run through an entire mock draft to get your reps in (it is training camp season, after all). You can also create a custom draft using different scoring, fantasy football ADP, etc. So with Draft Champion live, I thought it would be the perfect time to run through a mock draft and see how I do. Here’s the format:

12 teams
0.5 PPR
1QB, 2RB, 3WR, 1TE, 1FLX

Feel free to take a look at how the entire draft unfolded.

12-Team Half-PPR Fantasy Football Mock Draft

1.12: James Cook | RB | Bills

With the final pick of Round 1, I debated just doubling up at WR. But the running backs that were on the board were too good to pass up, and I know I’d still get an elite wideout to kick off the second round. Cook, Saquon Barkley and Ashton Jeanty are all close for me, but I sided with the reigning rushing champion because he plays for my beloved Buffalo Bills.

OK. Also, because he’s really damn good.

Buffalo promoting Joe Brady could benefit Cook, who has really thrived in his offense. Brady took over as the Bills’ offensive coordinator in Week 11 of the 2023 season. Since then, Cook is averaging nearly 18 touches, 100 scrimmage yards, 0.90 touchdowns and 17.3 PPR points per game across 40 regular-season contests.

Admittedly, I’d love to see Cook see more work in the passing game. After seeing 54 targets in 2023, Cook has traded more rushing volume for a dip in receiving, averaging just under 40 targets over the past two seasons. But the immense scoring upside makes up for it, even with Josh Allen scoring plenty of rushing touchdowns. Since 2024, Cook has averaged 1.5 goal-to-go carries per game, the seventh-most in football.

Great player, great offense, great usage. Check, check, check.

2.01: Drake London | WR | Falcons

Because this is a mock, I really wanted to experiment with going RB-RB in a 3WR draft. But since I was positioned at the turn, I knew I’d be waiting a long time. So I “settled” with London, who was doing outrageous things when healthy last season. From Weeks 4-11, London averaged 11.2 targets, 7.3 receptions, 108.5 yards and 24.2 PPR PPG. He was fantasy’s WR1 while recording five 100-yard games over that stretch. London was easily on pace for a career year, but a PCL sprain derailed his season, costing him four games. And when he finally returned in Week 16, he clearly wasn’t the same player, averaging just 8.3 points per game during the final three weeks.

London’s midseason stretch illustrates the upside he possesses. During that span, he ranked second in TPRR (31%) and first in target share (36%), while accounting for a whopping 75% of Atlanta’s end zone targets. Entering 2026, London remains the clear alpha in Atlanta. We’ll see if Michael Penix is ready for Week 1, but even if he’s not or once again misses time, the addition of Tua Tagovailoa guarantees that London will have a quarterback who can at least support great fantasy receiver seasons.

3.12: Emeka Egbuka | WR | Buccaneers

Somehow, someway, Chris Olave or Rashee Rice nearly made it all the way back to me to end Round 3. That would have made things much, much easier because the pocket of receivers in this range is very tight for me. Here are the wideouts I was considering:

Egbuka
Garrett Wilson
Jaylen Waddle
Zay Flowers
Davante Adams

Yeah. It was tough. Ultimately, Egbuka was the decision because, damn it, I can’t stop thinking about the way his NFL career began. Through the first five weeks, Egbuka was averaging 20.4 PPR points and 94.5 receiving yards per game. But a Week 6 hamstring injury possibly derailed his rookie campaign, as he wasn’t the same player after.

Egbuka pre/post-injury	Weeks 1-5	Weeks 7-18
Yards Per Route Run	2.50 (13th)	1.40 (61st)
YAC Per Reception	5.9 (9th)	5.0 (16th)
Yards Per Catch	17.8 (4th)	13.0 (32nd)

Fast forward to 2026, Egbuka is healthy, which is just as important as Baker Mayfield being at full strength. Mayfield battled through multiple issues last year, most notably a shoulder sprain he suffered in Week 12. From then on, Mayfied also struggled, which obviously impacted Egbuka. From Weeks 13-18, just 51% of Ebuka’s targets were deemed catchable, an incredibly low rate. During Egbuka’s hot start, Weeks 1-5, however, that catchable target rate was 76%.

4.01: Davante Adams | WR | Rams

If this were a full-PPR league, I likely would have selected Zay Flowers or Ladd McConkey. But with it being half, I put more emphasis on touchdowns, an art form Adams has mastered throughout his career.

During his first year in Los Angeles, Adams led the league with 14 touchdowns, despite missing the final three games of the regular season. His 28 end zone targets were easily the most in the NFL, and the most we’ve seen from a player in 25 years. And Sean McVay’s uptick in 13-personnel helped Adams make quick and easy reservations for six, as he saw nine end zone targets out of 13-personnel.

5.12: Christian Watson | WR | Packers

Because I’m once again at the turn, I knew I’d be able to get the running back I want to pair with Cook. So first, I made Watson my FLEX, while also giving me a WR3 for when one of my top-three wideouts is on bye or misses time. I love the upside Watson possesses, but especially as just my FLEX.

A 2024 late-season ACL tear sidelined Watson for the first seven games of last season. But when he made his debut in Week 8, Watson wasted no time showing his immense upside. From Weeks 8-18, Watson ran 72% of the routes, while posting a 23% TPRR and 20% target share. During that stretch, Watson was the WR22 in fantasy points per game (13.2), but the underlying metrics prove that, with added volume, he can do so much more.

Watson Weeks 8-18:

17.5 Yd/Rec (2nd)
2.54 YPRR (8th)
11 plays of 20-plus yards (10th)
6 TDs (5th)

Overall, Watson ranked fifth among all wideouts in fantasy points per route (0.57), and entering the 2026 campaign, there’s a lot to be excited about.

6.01: Bhayshul Tuten | RB | Jaguars

Admittedly, I haven’t drafted a ton of Tuten this summer. But with a glaring need at RB2, I was ecstatic to see him available to start Round 6. He usually comes off draft boards in the middle of Round 5, so I’ll take the slight value and hope the upside hits.

Whether it’s at receiver or running back, there is so much uncertainty in Jacksonville right now. Tuten should operate as, at the very worst, the 1A in this backfield. And because Liam Coen’s scheme is conducive to fantasy success, that’s exciting. We just saw Travis Etienne finish as the RB13, and a lot of it was buoyed by schemed usage in the pass game. Etienne ranked third among running backs in screen routes (21), first in targets (12) and second in receptions (9). Tuten, meanwhile, posted strong collegiate receiving numbers (13% target share). While he may not be the safest, most guaranteed RB2, the upside is too enticing.

7.12: Josh Downs | WR | Colts

This was one of the most interesting spots in my draft. Did I necessarily need Downs on my roster? No, not really. But looking around, I thought the tier drop at running back fell off after Tuten, D’Andre Swift and TreVeyon Henderson were selected. And at tight end, my philosophy is usually “draft the elite, top-three option or wait until the end.” So I drafted a player I really believe in at wide receiver.

Deal with it.

When drafting, don’t always fall into the trap of filling out your starting lineup by position. Honestly, that’s probably the wrong way to approach it. And sure, I drafted Downs a good bit ahead of ADP. But ADP can be thrown out the window when you are drafting at the turn. Get the players you like. Period.

Among wideouts with at least 100 routes last season, Downs ranked 11th in TPRR vs man coverage (29%). The absence of Michael Pittman should open up more opportunities for Downs, who didn’t play when the Colts were in two-wide sets last season. Last season, Downs ran just 17 routes out of 12 personnel, which ranked outside the top-100 wideouts in football. But in that very small sample size, Downs was targeted seven times. No matter what the personnel or situation, Downs simply earns targets.

8.01: Brock Purdy | QB | Niners

Still without a quarterback on my roster, I knew now was probably the time to make the move, especially with Justin Herbert and Trevor Lawrence coming off the board to end Round 7. And again, if my picks weren’t so far apart, maybe I would have waited a bit longer.

But I didn’t want to get cute.

Perhaps the most underrated quarterback in both real and fantasy football, Purdy just gets no love. “He wouldn’t be anything without those weapons and Kyle Shanahan.” For starters? Wrong. And secondly, guess what?

He has those weapons and Kyle Shanahan.

Since 2023, Purdy’s 18.5 fantasy points per game rank sixth-best among all signal callers. And last year, despite injuries to all of his pass-catchers, Purdy still averaged 19.7 fantasy points per contest (QB6). Often drafted around QB12, I have Purdy as a top-10 option at the position.

9.12: Mark Andrews | TE | Ravens

This was the easiest pick of the draft for me. And you know what, Draft Champion? I really didn’t appreciate the C- grade for the selection.

By now, you should know I’m all-in on Andrews in 2026. Over the past two years, Isaiah Likely has carved out a larger role, limiting Andrews’ upside. With Likely on the field since 2024, Andrews has been targeted on 18.6% of his routes, while seeing a 14% target share. But with Likely off the field during that span, Andrews’ rates climbed to 21% and 19%, respectively.

Likely’s presence also hurt Andrews’ overall playing time. In four games without Likely since 2024, Andrews has run 79.2% of the routes, but in games with Likely active, his route participation drops to 64%, to go along with a 60% snap share. Andrews should return to more of a full-time role this year, and a fantasy-friendly one at that. Since 2023, 41.5% of Lamar Jackson’s red-zone pass attempts have gone to the tight end position.

Sounds like double-digit touchdown upside to me.

10.01: Kenneth Gainwell | RB | Buccaneers

Because it isn’t full PPR, I debated between Gainwell, Jordan Mason and Jacory Croskey-Merritt. And while Gainwell’s pass-catching ability is the main appeal, it’s still likely he carves out a role on early downs, on top of already taking over Rachaad White’s third-down/two-minute role.

11.12: Khalil Shakir | WR | Bills

There is absolutely nothing exciting about this selection. And looking back, I definitely should have drafted Jayden Higgins, Denzel Boston or Jalen Coker, mostly because there’s less certainty but more upside. This is why we mock.

12.01: Tyjae Spears | RB | Titans

At this point in the draft, I’m simply looking to add running back depth that could potentially turn into something more. While Tony Pollard should be the starter, the Titans continue to at least also mention Spears’ name when discussing who will lead this backfield in 2026.

13.12: Jonah Coleman | RB | Broncos

J.K. Dobbins has missed 13 games over the past two seasons. Meanwhile, RJ Harvey was wildly inefficient in his dress rehearsal as Denver’s RB1 last season. Among 64 running backs with at least 50 carries last year, Harvey ranked:

59th in EPA/rush (-0.15)
52nd in YPC (3.7)
51st in success rate (36.3%)
62nd in explosive rush rate (2.74%)

14.01: Travis Hunter | WR | Jaguars

I mean, it’s the 14th round, guys.

There’s contingent upside if things happen that thrust him into a larger role on offense. If it doesn’t look like he’ll have a consistent path to fantasy success, you drop him and move on.

15.12: Jacksonville Jaguars D/ST

I have a simple strategy when selecting my fantasy defenses. Find a good enough unit that draws a friendly Week 1 matchup. And to kick off the season, the Jaguars face … checks notes … ah. The Cleveland Browns.

That’ll do.

16.01: Ka’imi Fairbairn | K | Texans

My starting lineup is complete. Thanks, Ka’imi.

Players Mentioned in this Article

JamesCook
RBBUF
PPG
15.7
Proj
247.0
DrakeLondonQ
WRATL
PPG
13.8
Proj
213.1
EmekaEgbuka
WRTB
PPG
9.5
Proj
175.4
DavanteAdams
WRLAR
PPG
13.1
Proj
173.7

Published Jul 15, 2026, 6:55 AM ET