The NFL Draft is in the rear view mirror, so it’s time to turn full attention to the 2009 fantasy season. And while redraft leagues won’t likely be holding their drafts or auctions until August, those in dynasty leagues are ready to turn what happened in New York on April 25 and 26 into the latest components in their championship-building.

With that in mind, a dedicated group of Huddlers—whose identities have been shielded, since there’s a good chance one or more is in your league and they weren’t too keen on letting you know all their secrets—gathered for a redux of the rookies-only mock draft held just prior to the NFL Draft. That earlier draft will be referenced (and can be found here), but the draft held once first-year players actually had a pro team to call their own is dramatically more relevant; if you need to ask why, perhaps you need to revisit Fantasy Football: The Next Level for a firmer grasp on how critical opportunity is to the fantasy football equation.

In any event, the post-NFL draft mockery can be found here but I’ve also included it below and provide comments after each round. The two drafts featured the same participants, picking in the same order.

ROUND 1

When picking in a dynasty league, you usually have specific needs to address; for example, you’re already loaded at receiver but your backs are thin. Because there was no back story to this particular mock dynasty draft, the focus was on best player available—and usually ones whose impact would come sooner rather than later.

It’s interesting to note that the same 12 players selected in the first round of the pre-NFL draft mock were first-rounders in the post-NFL draft mock, though the order changed slightly. Beanie Wells moved up a spot after landing in Arizona, while Donald Brown moved up two now that he’s expected to share carries in Indy. New Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez leap-frogged Matthew Stafford, who actually slid back one spot in the later draft. Of this group Giants receiver Hakeem Nicks saw his stock take the biggest hit; the third receiver and sixth overall selection in the pre-draft mock, Hicks fell behind Percy Harvin and Darrius Heyward-Bey among wideouts and to the last pick in Round One.

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