What's your draft-day process? (1 Viewer)

Thought it might be helpful to see what others actually do immediately before and during their drafts to make sure they stick to the plan. Do you make your own cheat sheet or use someone else's template? How do you decide each round who you're going to pick?

What I always find the hardest is reminding myself to go back to my cheat sheet so I don't forget guys who might be buried by Yahoo.

I have a 3 pronged approach - I have my personal cheat sheet, CBS projections for 2016 (to see where my league mates may reach for my targets, we use CBS to host league) and Draft Dominator.

I use CBS projections purely as a timetable as to when I should take a particular player, I use Draft Dominator to help me decide between a few target players (for VBD purposes as well) and ultimately decide using my spreadsheet based on who I have ranked higher.

I'm the commish and I run our draft. I print out the one page VBD Excel Cheatsheet input with our scoring system. I overpay for  guys early that I like. After crossing off names there are usually pockets of value that appear. I cherry pick players there. I also have sleepers in my head but usually the pockets of real value overtake those guys. I end up having a pretty good draft...especially in the mid to late rounds.

I get trashed and try to outbid my opponents for magic football players.

Mostly involves alcohol 

My brother and I do some bar hopping then go to the draft.  I just have some spreadsheets that I made printed off and that's it.

I only do one redraft and it's my old college buddies. One guy has a shore house right by the beach and we draft down there, and of course its a boozefest. I try to keep the "paperwork" to a minimum. The last couple of years I just printed out my VBD rankings, having each player color coded by his position (based on draft board stickers) -  but even that got a little "confusing" by the end of the draft with trying to cross players off and find positions I needed so this year I will make four columns on one sheet of paper for each position (RB, WR, TE, QB) still color coded and ranked in order by my projections. I just grab stickers at the end for K and D/ST so don't need rankings for them.

This year I am also including one extra sheet - my "sleeper list for when I'm drunk and stupid at the end of the draft" because I usually lose a little track of my plan towards the end.  

Fun topic.

i used to have a cheat sheet of my own, and Sportsline's cheat sheet to know where my league mates would be targeting players. Then id have my positional rankings sorted by tiers. But my leagues have evolved - now all of my leaguemates are using multiple data sources, so I just go with a generic ADP chart instead.

I've simplified my processes -  too many times I just had too much data in front of me to process and I'd suffer from "paralysis by analysis". Or I'd have to cross out the same player on 5 lists. It's a lot to do with 2 mins on the clock. 

So now I follow a more relaxed approach:

1. Prepare as much as possible. Mock using live mocks, self-mocks using ADP & my projections for that format and lately using the FFPros mock tool (which I love - it's not perfect but it's very useful at determining strategy for different draft positions). I'll mock as many as 10 times for each of the 12 positions, all the while researching players, which really helps me to familiarize myself with the field before my draft. 

2.  My personal rankings and tiers for each position sorted in a mead binder with dividers. That's it. I list ADP in a column, my projected points for that scoring system, tiers, and I highlight my favorite targets in bold/italics. Keeps it very simple.

3. I make a draft sheet with some notes. In light gray on the "player" field, I'll put some potential favorite targets. Just to remind myself who I love in that round, and it reminds me to check all my rankings.

4. I check every position list, every pick. I never want to miss a great value that's slipped by being so focused on the one player or position I was targeting.

5. Every round I check the teams ahead of me in the serpentine. Example: If I'm at 5 and QB free-falling, and teams 1-4 all have QBs, it's a low % that any of them are going to take another one. Same with RB/WR. I'll check my tiers and identify how many of my targets are there and try to determine who will make it back if there isn't a no-brainier pick. If I'm debating between a RB & a WR in round 4 and I've only got a couple RBs I like there, and teams 1-3 all stacked on WRs, it becomes an easy decision to go RB. If there's no obvious decision I make my best guess and hope for the best. Sometimes that means just counting 7 players I want on the way back and I'm guaranteed to get one of them. 

6. Talk smack, have fun, drink beer, laugh a lot. I do live drafts with good friends. We take our fantasy football seriously, but we also take our drinking seriously. And if I can mock someone's pick and get a lot of laughs maybe it throws them off their game on their next pick. if it works even once it might help you. If it doesn't work at least everyone had a good laugh and you got to break your buddy's balls.

7. Deep breaths - relax. You should have done enough prep work to never have to stress or panic during a draft. The simpler I keep my processes and the more prepared I am, the more relaxed I feel all draft. And those have historically been my best teams. 

Use draft dominator 

The Hank said:

I have a 3 pronged approach - I have my personal cheat sheet, CBS projections for 2016 (to see where my league mates may reach for my targets, we use CBS to host league) and Draft Dominator.

I use CBS projections purely as a timetable as to when I should take a particular player, I use Draft Dominator to help me decide between a few target players (for VBD purposes as well) and ultimately decide using my spreadsheet based on who I have ranked higher.

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Interesting.  Doe anyone know where this same info can be found on MFL?

I have 2 draft sheets that I print from some FF site.  One sheet has the top 300 players.  The other sheet has the players listed by position.  An hour before the draft, I go through the list and put up or down arrows next to players that need adjusted on the lists.  As the draft unfolds, I cross off the players on both lists.  I try to keep it simple.   

One draft sheet

Write names of players I don't like in margins, just in case someone wants to look at my sheet...they think I'm high on these players

Drink lots

win

This year I'll be drafting on my iPhone while returning from a weekend long hiking trip. Should be interesting.

DD & hope the Hudson River Valley has good cell coverage.

DocHolliday said:

I have 2 draft sheets that I print from some FF site.  One sheet has the top 300 players.  The other sheet has the players listed by position.  An hour before the draft, I go through the list and put up or down arrows next to players that need adjusted on the lists.  As the draft unfolds, I cross off the players on both lists.  I try to keep it simple.   

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Used to do this, but I always use DD now. Less about their projections and value (I do use it), but more about having a clean slate, i.e. knowing who's gone and who's left. With the paper sheets, I'd almost always make a mistake and either have a damn, didn't realize he was still there or not realize that the guys behind me were done with their QBs. DD just makes the whole draft management easy, especially if you are in multiple leagues.

Wrigley said:

One draft sheet

Write names of players I don't like in margins, just in case someone wants to look at my sheet...they think I'm high on these players

Drink lots

win

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That's totally paranoid, yet totally clever. I love the subterfuge! 

lol! 

Hot Sauce Guy said:

That's totally paranoid, yet totally clever. I love the subterfuge! 

lol! 

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I once took a 6 year old magazine and tore off the cover....had a guy try and draft Fred Lane that year.

Sometimes it's just too easy

Wrigley said:

I once took a 6 year old magazine and tore of the cover....had a guy try and draft Fred Lane that year.

Sometimes it's just too easy

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Night train! 

That's hilarious.  

I use a cheat sheet based on my scoring system and a rankings sheet with ADP for each position. I have all my targets highlighted in green and my players to avoid in yellow.

I still like using paper. I bring a spreadsheet with the top 200.

I color code all of the positions, for easy viewing of where the dropoffs occur. Also for ADP, and a certain color in a seperate box, for a few of the players I target.

Usually bring a depth chart, hardly end up using it though.

Does anyone know if there is a way to import ranking from a spreadsheet/XL into CBS for the draft? is this possible?

This year, I was a week late to the draft (knew it was on a Wed..) 

Im sure you would be amazed at all the Rookies still available on the wire.  Fortunately I was able to find Hackenberg!

I also added Buckner   (Dont tell my League mates, I was planning to add him as my 2nd pick)  We only require one DL, but there is some disparity in the position.

I guess if someone wanted to replicate my process?  Id suggest working hard, and some light drinking...

This is my second missed draft (not counting the 2012 when I took Trent 2nd overall!) 

So if you have/had a better draft this Season?  Now you know why..  Managers were either absent or drinking (maybe both)

Always look for same name players to nominate in auction. Several years ago I nominated Adrian Peterson (Chicago Bears RB) and bidding made it up to $32 before the guys caught on. Needless to say the manager who "won" him did not think it was as funny as the rest of us. 

I always make my own two page sheet, based on a number of factors but mainly 2016 projections, ADP and my own personal preferences.   Since we have outlawed electronic devices at the draft this year I do have a magazine that I'll refer to in the later rounds if I am trying to decide between a couple of late rounders.  

I know the magazine is outdated but by that time I will have been drinking for a few hours and may need reminders on rookies, etc.

BobbyLayne said:

This year I'll be drafting on my iPhone while returning from a weekend long hiking trip. Should be interesting.

DD & hope the Hudson River Valley has good cell coverage.

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This turned out to be a really bad idea



Regrets are few given I just experienced one of the most amazing weekends of my life, but I digress. I did not follow my plan.

In mocks, I tried to just let the draft come to me, but my rankings inevitably followed the same pattern. 70-80% of the time I had 4 WRs after 5 rounds. Wait until the 10th round or later for TE. Draft QB8-QB12 for the starter. Don't draft a kicker or backup QB, someone always emerges on the WW. Especially this year, remember to draft young RBs and seasoned WRs. If you take a TE because someone fell, don't go QB early. If you go QB early, wait on TE. If for some reason you do take a 2nd RB early, wait on both QB & TE.

I pretty much violated every self-made rule.

LESSONS FOR YOU - stick to your game plan. Whether that's a script or just letting the draft come to you and take the BPA/VBD, stick to your intentions.

The team I hate:

Hopkins

Ingram

Freeman

Landry

Olsen

Bortles

Josh Gordon

Duke

Henry

Tyrod

Michael Thomas

Eifert

NYJ

Catanzaro

Dixon

DeAndre Washington

Treadwell

Fuller

And whatever your draft day routine has been in prior years, stick with that. Don't try a totally new environment / routine (something you've never done) & expect the results to be good.

:ihatemyffteam: 

My wife "helps" get me prepared and relaxed.  She is a wonderful woman.

LOL  Bobby   "IF ya draft a QB, wait on TE"   It sounds so much like  "If ya get a QB, dont forget about a TE"

Team dont look terrible    It might not be half as bad as your figuring

My home league is 14 teams and there's a few guys I only see once a year at the draft since work and life has taken people all over the place. The league has a lot of what I will call "gamesmanship". Before the draft instead of catching up with each other there's immediately trash talk and information mining.

Commish hands out dated (usually at least a couple weeks old) cheat sheets for standard leagues (ours is PPR). Then we draw names out of a hat and first name out gets the first choice of draft spot. Just before the draft starts the winner of last year is presented with the throphy and the last place person is thanked for buying the food and booze.

Once the draft starts, our pick "timer" is whenever people start to get tired of waiting and the OTC starts getting heckled until at some point everyone is laughing and making fun of one guy for being slow. If someone picks a player that anyone else has knowledge of an injury they have to disclose it. There's no real "rule" it's just something that we've adopted. If someone tries to pick a player that's already been drafted they have to do a shot. This is a much bigger deterrent now that we are all older. 

Once the draft is over there's lots of discussion on best and worst teams. And lots of trade talks. The draft is pretty much only football and draft discussion. 

I used to bring my own rankings on paper but I've found that they grow legs, I get "Oh I left my sheets over there. Let me use your sheet just for this next pick." or every time I'm not right on top of my sheets someone is "just seeing what I'm thinking". Also, I've wrecked more than enough sheets by food or drinks getting spilt on them. Now, I use the DD on my phone. 

Draft day is one of my favorite days of the year. Can't wait. 

I normally try to get everyone real drunk then talk up the 5th string qb on the jets, YO THAT SKIN FLUTE STEVE has a rocket Arm you should totally take him!!

and of course they take him while I draft Le'Veon Bell in the 10th run.

CHAMPIONSHIP!!

Dismattle said:

Team dont look terrible    It might not be half as bad as your figuring

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It'll have to do. Software says I had the 2nd best draft, I'm just mad because I've been dominating my LT league the last 3 years by going heavy WR & waiting on my QB (& I mean after my K wait - somebody always emerges on the WW.) I was in a discussion & half paying attention; my turn would come, I'd glance at my rankings & DD, say yep that looks good & go back to chatting. When I got done I was like WTF drafted this team.

 

If I pass on Freeman I get Amari. If I pass on Olsen I get Maclin or Floyd as my Flex. That makes Landry the best WR3 in my league. It's not rocket science, same formula has won me two championships & a points title the last 3 seasons.

Now I've got a "balanced" team. Friggin' hate the makeup. And lawd help me, I just dropped Dixon to pickup Pryor. That's my WR3 until Gordon comes off suspension. Any injuries my corps is not equipped - Fuller, Thomas & Treadwell are at best bye week fillers not plug n play.

I run our neighborhood league, and our "process" involves gathering at my place an hour or two before the draft and competing for choice of draft slot via some arbitrary method that's only loosely based on skill.

In years past, we've earned our draft slots based on darts, round-robin games of Kan Jam, and a blitz poker tournament with 5-minute rounds. For 2016, I'm setting up a beer pong table with 10 cups - each person gets 10 balls to throw, draft priority determined by number of hits - which should be interesting as we're all in our 30s and 40s with kids so, let's just say, aren't exactly on top of our beer pong game.

It beats the hell out of "ESPN assigns a random draft order one hour before draft start time," IMO.

Mr. Irrelevant said:

I run our neighborhood league, and our "process" involves gathering at my place an hour or two before the draft and competing for choice of draft slot via some arbitrary method that's only loosely based on skill.

In years past, we've earned our draft slots based on darts, round-robin games of Kan Jam, and a blitz poker tournament with 5-minute rounds. For 2016, I'm setting up a beer pong table with 10 cups - each person gets 10 balls to throw, draft priority determined by number of hits - which should be interesting as we're all in our 30s and 40s with kids so, let's just say, aren't exactly on top of our beer pong game.

It beats the hell out of "ESPN assigns a random draft order one hour before draft start time," IMO.

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This is interesting 

we pick draft order from a 12 card deck, giving the ace the chance to select his draft spot 

Mr. Irrelevant said:

I run our neighborhood league, and our "process" involves gathering at my place an hour or two before the draft and competing for choice of draft slot via some arbitrary method that's only loosely based on skill.

In years past, we've earned our draft slots based on darts, round-robin games of Kan Jam, and a blitz poker tournament with 5-minute rounds. For 2016, I'm setting up a beer pong table with 10 cups - each person gets 10 balls to throw, draft priority determined by number of hits - which should be interesting as we're all in our 30s and 40s with kids so, let's just say, aren't exactly on top of our beer pong game.

It beats the hell out of "ESPN assigns a random draft order one hour before draft start time," IMO.

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This is great.

Our draft is this Friday night. Our 24th year, with all the same guys. Unfortunately I relocated out west 6 years ago so I will be drafting remotely along w/ phone calls before/half time/ and after. Also chat it up during the draft.

After a month of monitoring football activity topped off by a week (this week) of cramming/tweaking ratings/etc. I just like to clear my head. So I take the day off, get up dark and early, and do a backcountry fly fishing trip around 10,000 feet ASL. Drive back early afternoon, pick up a Wasatch Brewery variety pack on the way home. Unload, get prepped (a little last minute cramming and trolling for breaking news), make a quick run to Moochies for some cheese steaks, then be on line and ready for action by 5:30p.

I compile my own Excel spreadsheet... includes our draft board, my cheatsheet (rankings), ADP trends, NFL schedule, latest depth chart, player notes, misc. stats, and last seasons weekly FFP sorted by position. All kinds of nerdy color highlights, flag notes, conditional formatting, as well. I find visual clues very helpful in later rounds as the beers go down.

Id add a good workout at the gym the night before, so your well rested and make good choices..

Godsbrother said:

 Since we have outlawed electronic devices at the draft this year I do have a magazine that I'll refer to in the later rounds if I am trying to decide between a couple of late rounders.  

I know the magazine is outdated but by that time I will have been drinking for a few hours and may need reminders on rookies, etc.

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Why on earth would you possibly do that? 

Did you outlaw motor cars as a means of conveyance to and from the draft also? People ride in horse drawn wagons with buck boards? 

Have you also outlawed writing implements in favor of stone tablets and chisels? 

Baffling - was there some grievous offense that led to this rule like two people texting and colluding? If not I see no reason why anyone would outlaw electronic devices at a draft. Weirdest rule ever.  

ETA: also, if you can't have electronic devices at the draft, why would your fallback be a magazine that's months out of print?  Can't you print a more current list of the literally dozens available online? Or have you completely sworn off technology? 

Wait - how did you even get on the Internet to post this? 

Hot Sauce Guy said:

Why on earth would you possibly do that? 

Did you outlaw motor cars as a means of conveyance to and from the draft also? People ride in horse drawn wagons with buck boards? 

Have you also outlawed writing implements in favor of stone tablets and chisels? 

Baffling - was there some grievous offense that led to this rule like two people texting and colluding? If not I see no reason why anyone would outlaw electronic devices at a draft. Weirdest rule ever.  

ETA: also, if you can't have electronic devices at the draft, why would your fallback be a magazine that's months out of print?  Can't you print a more current list of the literally dozens available online? Or have you completely sworn off technology? 

Wait - how did you even get on the Internet to post this? 

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It was discussed here

ETA:  We can bring whatever printed materials we want.