Fantasy Football: Things to Think about on Draft Day: Part 1
The smell of fresh air fluctuates outside while the sun shines bright. What are you doing? Sitting at your computer researching players for your upcoming draft? No need, as I will walk you through draft night right here. I will give you all the tools you need to succeed, and have a championship-caliber team.
Draft Strategies
Going into the draft, you are going to want to have some sort of strategy to follow. Before making your strategy, there are things to consider.
The first thing to consider is the amount of teams are in your league. If you have a smaller league (4-8 teams is on the small side), you can take more risks earlier in the draft. For example, in an eight team league, I would be much more willing to take the risk on an injury prone player, like Darren McFadden. If I was in a 14 team league, I would pass up McFadden for a less risk Matt Forte. If you are in a bigger league (10-20), then be a little less willing to take risks. I am not saying to not take risks, as the only way to get a championship is taking some risks, I am saying to limit risks. Safe players are always nice during the season, as you can count on them. An example of a safe player is Aaron Rodgers. You know you can count on Rodgers for 20-30 points a week.
The second thing to consider is your draft position. This is a crucial piece to consider before creating a strategy. Why? Well, if you are picking 1st, you are going to see a lot different players than if you are drafting 7th. There isn’t much to elaborate on here, just to estimate what players will be there at your spot, and plan around those estimates. I suggest completing a mock draft in the position you would draft in.
The third thing to consider is the settings of the league. This is the most important variable. The settings of the league immensely changes the values of certain players. For example, Darren Sproles. In a standard league, Sproles is a flex option, or a maybe your second RB. If it is a PPR (Points Per Reception) league, he is a fantastic #2 RB, and maybe a #1 RB. Another example is the amount of points a QB receives for each TD he throws. If a QB receives 4 points per passing TD, the QB will be worth his standard value. On the other hand, if he receives 6 points per TD, he is worth 3x the standard value.
Now let’s get to the actual draft strategies themselves. The first strategy I will present to you is RB-RB-RB-WR-QB. This is one of those strategies where you have to have a good position for it to work. The ideal position for this strategy would be the first pick, or the last one, because you get two picks in a row. I love this strategy, considering how shallow RB is this season. You have to be careful with this strategy. It usually works, but this is one of the riskier strategies. You will see WR thinning as you select that third RB and as you wait for your 1st WR. Don’t panic, as you will get decent WRs. If this strategy isn’t for you, try this one.
The next strategy I will suggest is the classic RB-WR-QB. This is the safest option, as you establish talent across the board. You will be a very balanced team, but won’t be spectacular at one specific position. This also limits your trading appeal and ability, as you won’t have the depth to trade as much. But none the less, still a good strategy.
There are plenty more strategies, and I encourage you to find a strategy that is right for you. There are infinite amount of strategies, but the two above are the ones I use most, and have been effective for me. Stay tuned for more fantasy advice coming throughout the weekend. Good Luck in your drafts! Cam is signing off, and until next time, GO FALCONS!