Strategy Question for Odd League Format (1 Viewer)

[Mr. Know-It-All]

Been playing this game for years, not sure why I never thought to ask the question here...but after my worst year ever last year I might as well get input from the smart people here.

We have a 12 team league - rosters are 1 qb, 2 rb, 3 wr-te, 1 k, 2 dl, 2lb, 2db, and 1 flex. So 14 active spots and a 10 man bench.

The trick is, for the first 7 rounds you can only draft one player from each of the eligible positions (1 qb, 1rb, 1 wr-te, 1 k, 1 dl, 1 lb, and 1 db). Rounds 8-24 are a free for all and you can take whatever positions you want. So the question is, is it a necessity to grab a rb in round 1? Based on these rules every team SHOULD get a top 12 at each position.

Scoring is ppr if that matters and qb pass tds are worth 6 - so qbs are pretty valuable.

In the past I have grabbed the highest ranked player available at each position in the first 7 rounds and then used ADP to fill out the roster - usually grabbing a few rbs, then wrs for rounds 8-12 before delving into IDP and qbs.

If you were in a league like this - what strategy would you employ? Like I said, I sucked last year so any insight may help.

Sorry, no idea where I draft, it is a lottery so my question is generic strategy - not who to take at x slot.

 

[Raider Nation]

I would have quit that league before my first draft pick.

 

[ldizzle]

Been playing this game for years, not sure why I never thought to ask the question here...but after my worst year ever last year I might as well get input from the smart people here.

We have a 12 team league - rosters are 1 qb, 2 rb, 3 wr-te, 1 k, 2 dl, 2lb, 2db, and 1 flex. So 14 active spots and a 10 man bench.

The trick is, for the first 7 rounds you can only draft one player from each of the eligible positions (1 qb, 1rb, 1 wr-te, 1 k, 1 dl, 1 lb, and 1 db). Rounds 8-24 are a free for all and you can take whatever positions you want. So the question is, is it a necessity to grab a rb in round 1? Based on these rules every team SHOULD get a top 12 at each position.

Scoring is ppr if that matters and qb pass tds are worth 6 - so qbs are pretty valuable.

In the past I have grabbed the highest ranked player available at each position in the first 7 rounds and then used ADP to fill out the roster - usually grabbing a few rbs, then wrs for rounds 8-12 before delving into IDP and qbs.

If you were in a league like this - what strategy would you employ? Like I said, I sucked last year so any insight may help.

Sorry, no idea where I draft, it is a lottery so my question is generic strategy - not who to take at x slot.

get a new league? jk. but have you ever tried value based drafting. it is different from what you have normally done, taking best player available. this will allow you to maximize your starting rosters points for rounds 1-7, since that is what you draft first. if you havent done value based drafting before, i highly suggest you read up on it and maybe take a look at your previous years drafts to see if any of your leaguemates have any tendencies. like do they always go rb wr qb or qb rb wr. hope that helps.

edit: http://www.footballguys.com/05vbdrevisited.htm

 

[Run It Up]

I'm just curious how this league was conceived and to answer your question, RB without a doubt since TE isn't mandatory.

 

[Doubtingthomas]

Hard to totally commit with out scoring for defense but i would probably target jj watts as my first round pick if he is avaiable. He is probably the most valuable player in the league, as long as defensive scoring is in line with offensive scoring. Sounds like you may need some better rankings and projections as the format gaureentees a top 12 player at every position. I would look to draft wr 1-3, rb 4 to 8, qb 3 to 8, kicker last, and lb and db after offense but before kicker.

 

[ZWK]

Set your baseline at RB12, QB12, WR/TE12, etc., and calculate VBD relative to that baseline. Use that as the starting point for your draft board, for the first 7 rounds.

 

[meyerj31]

Set your baseline at RB12, QB12, WR/TE12, etc., and calculate VBD relative to that baseline. Use that as the starting point for your draft board, for the first 7 rounds.

Yea, it's pretty much that simple for VBD baselines. Really simple, actually.

Interesting league concept (don't pay attention to the haters, they're lemmings who only play standard leagues).

While the exact numbers depend on VBD, I imagine that you want to be at the start of every run and never chasing, as well as extending your last pick as long as possible if you're on the back end.

Here's an example:

If I'm picking 1.08-12 I'm not going RB unless some crazy value falls like Charles/Martin. Think about it. You are guaranteed to get the 12th best RB in the 7th round if you don't take one right away. That's a 2nd round value in the 7th. You want to structure your picks around that strategy where you are getting crazy value wherever you are picking them. If you have a chance to pick a top 3 guy of any given position you should almost certainly do that instead of picking someone 7-12 from a given position, unless there's a steep drop off from like 8th to 12th.

I would also be more inclined to pick the TE and WR position early because I'm starting the run there and everyone is chasing. Not to mention in normal VBD Graham is already a 2nd round value. I wouldn't hesitate to grab Graham ANYWHERE in the 1st, a top WR in the early 2nd, and still be getting the 12th best RB in the 7th while I take value in every other round.

Calvin is the clear 1.01 in that league because he's better to a greater degree than the 12th WR than AP is to the 12th RB. Graham is surprisingly the 2nd best VBD pick in that format because he's ~90 points better than the TE12. AP is "only" 60 points better than the RB12 in standard PPR. In a 4-TD passing league the QB1 is only 60 points from the QB11. I'd be most likely to wait on QB and RB.

 

[Run It Up]

Set your baseline at RB12, QB12, WR/TE12, etc., and calculate VBD relative to that baseline. Use that as the starting point for your draft board, for the first 7 rounds.

Yea, it's pretty much that simple for VBD baselines. Really simple, actually.

Interesting league concept (don't pay attention to the haters, they're lemmings who only play standard leagues).

While the exact numbers depend on VBD, I imagine that you want to be at the start of every run and never chasing, as well as extending your last pick as long as possible if you're on the back end.

Here's an example:

If I'm picking 1.08-12 I'm not going RB unless some crazy value falls like Charles/Martin. Think about it. You are guaranteed to get the 12th best RB in the 7th round if you don't take one right away. That's a 2nd round value in the 7th. You want to structure your picks around that strategy where you are getting crazy value wherever you are picking them. If you have a chance to pick a top 3 guy of any given position you should almost certainly do that instead of picking someone 7-12 from a given position, unless there's a steep drop off from like 8th to 12th.

I would also be more inclined to pick the TE and WR position early because I'm starting the run there and everyone is chasing. Not to mention in normal VBD Graham is already a 2nd round value. I wouldn't hesitate to grab Graham ANYWHERE in the 1st, a top WR in the early 2nd, and still be getting the 12th best RB in the 7th while I take value in every other round.

Calvin is the clear 1.01 in that league because he's better to a greater degree than the 12th WR than AP is to the 12th RB. Graham is surprisingly the 2nd best VBD pick in that format because he's ~90 points better than the TE12. AP is "only" 60 points better than the RB12 in standard PPR. In a 4-TD passing league the QB1 is only 60 points from the QB11. I'd be most likely to wait on QB and RB.

And how many points better is Graham to the WR13? Since TEs are WRs in his league; making the baseline for TE completely irrelevant.

 

[Craig_MiamiFL]

Yuck.

Employ a strategy of finding a new league.

 

[Mr. Know-It-All]

Last year, I had the brilliant idea of nabbing Hernandez, Graham and Gates as my 3 WRs....so I had better RBs but when those 3 sucked, there went my season. I like the idea of VBD for the 1st 8 rounds. This is a league with little to no trading and limited waiver moves so rounds 8-24 would then be best player available. The tendency in rounds 8-9 have always been rb heavy - but in the way the NFL is going I think WR has more value. You guys are giving me stuff to think about.

As for finding a new league - this is my 20th year in this league - all high school buddies. So that is not an option. They have gotten better and I don't do as much prep, so I guess bad records were inevitable.

 

[msudaisy26]

Find a new league, I had a league where you had to roster 2 qbs, 4 rbs, 5 wrs, 2tes, 2 kickers, 2 def, and all trades had to be 1 to 1 or 2 - 2 because of it. That year I had Graham and Gronk at tight end in the draft and then someone dropped Hernandez when he was injured and I wasn't allowed to pick him up and I was pissed, instead I had to keep Mark Ingram and Nate Burelson rostered when I could have picked up Hernandez and traded one of the tight ends for something I could start on my team.

 

[ldizzle]

Find a new league, I had a league where you had to roster 2 qbs, 4 rbs, 5 wrs, 2tes, 2 kickers, 2 def, and all trades had to be 1 to 1 or 2 - 2 because of it. That year I had Graham and Gronk at tight end in the draft and then someone dropped Hernandez when he was injured and I wasn't allowed to pick him up and I was pissed, instead I had to keep Mark Ingram and Nate Burelson rostered when I could have picked up Hernandez and traded one of the tight ends for something I could start on my team.

why didnt u just trade gronk and ingram or burleson to get a crap te and upgrade at wr or rb? Then drop crap te and pick up hernandez.

 

[msudaisy26]

Find a new league, I had a league where you had to roster 2 qbs, 4 rbs, 5 wrs, 2tes, 2 kickers, 2 def, and all trades had to be 1 to 1 or 2 - 2 because of it. That year I had Graham and Gronk at tight end in the draft and then someone dropped Hernandez when he was injured and I wasn't allowed to pick him up and I was pissed, instead I had to keep Mark Ingram and Nate Burelson rostered when I could have picked up Hernandez and traded one of the tight ends for something I could start on my team.

why didnt u just trade gronk and ingram or burleson to get a crap te and upgrade at wr or rb? Then drop crap te and pick up hernandez.

Not a super active league, It would have been a real gamble to find a quick trade and still pick up Hernandez. He was only on waivers for about 3 or 4 hours if I remember correctly. Anyways I quit that league after one season.