Draft Preparation (1 Viewer)

[Modog814]

Hey guys,

My league has a live draft where usually (if the commish can get 5-6 people together at a time before the actual draft date) the draft spots are drawn, so each team knows where they are drafting. In the past this has been very useful in preparing for the draft (obviously I don't have to choose between let's say Gore/Addai, or SJax/LJ if I'm picking from the 11th position). But this year, the commish has stated that he doesn't think he'll get enough guys together before the draft to draw slots so we'll be doing so at the draft.

My question to you all, is how would you prepare for a draft like this? My usual preparation techniques won't work too well (I'll describe them below)

My steps to prepare for a draft:

1) Come up with my own projections

2) Use them to come up with my own rankings

3) Compare to FBG rankings, review and tinker until I get a cheatsheet I like.

4) Get ADP info.

5) From there I use the ADP info and DD to run mock drafts and make lists of those players most likely available. For example, picking with Pick #23 I'll usually make a list of the 5 players that (according to ADP) go before my pick, and 5 after my pick, and note any large dropoffs in any position (say most 2nd Tier RB will be gone after this pick). Basically this gives me a list where I can be pretty certain that if I want any of these players for certain I must take them now. Plus I'll get a pretty good idea of whether or not to take a certain position because a run is about to start.

So how would you prepare? Obviously I could do this for every slot in the draft, but that seems a little excessive. Maybe I'll just break them down into categories of 3. (slots 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12) and use four. Just wanted to get other opinions.

TIA

 

[Chaka]

Not knowing your draft position should not change your preparations.

You seem to have it under control.

 

[Gamma1210]

Remember, all of the other owners will be in the same spot as you. They may all well be drafting out of a magazine with much less prep then you. I would read the breaking down draft slots articles as they show a common theme: after the first few rounds where there is somewhat of a consenus, you can get the guys you like in the later rounds no matter the draft spot. Since you said you have your own projections, you will probably get most of the guys you like after the 1st four rounds or so b/c your projections will have them ranked much higher than the general public.

 

[kensat30]

Sounds to me like you are doing too much planning with your draft. Once you get past the first 4 or 5 rounds, there is really no set pattern at all on who is going to be available. If you draft based on pre-planning, how do you cope with a situation where someone is available that you didn't expect?

You should pretty much know what players you like so that you can grab players that you want. That is the key to winning fantasy football IMO. Know which players you like and make sure you do what you can to get them on your team, even if the consensus doesn't agree with where you draft him. If you grab a player that the consensus doesn't like and he hits, you have a difference maker.

 

[Modog814]

Sounds to me like you are doing too much planning with your draft. Once you get past the first 4 or 5 rounds, there is really no set pattern at all on who is going to be available. If you draft based on pre-planning, how do you cope with a situation where someone is available that you didn't expect?You should pretty much know what players you like so that you can grab players that you want. That is the key to winning fantasy football IMO. Know which players you like and make sure you do what you can to get them on your team, even if the consensus doesn't agree with where you draft him. If you grab a player that the consensus doesn't like and he hits, you have a difference maker.

I use these list's as a guide, not a rule. Obviously if someone who I didn't expect to be there was there, and I wanted him I'd take him, regardless of who my list says. The lists aren't "okay, now I have to choose from these guys" and ignore all others. But a more of a, I like this guy, I want him, I think he will be a difference maker, do I have to take him now in order to get him or should he be around my next pick and I'll take a different player now?And as the draft moves on, the lists become less and less useful because of other people doing unexpected things.

 

[Mystery Achiever]

one of my leagues drafts on espn, where you don't get order til an hour ahead of the draft. i just go into it with a cheat sheet by position and a general idea of what position i want in what round and then just do the bpa/"where the value takes you" thing.