We all read and read and read information but when push comes to shove, you only have limited time to review all of your information during the actual draft. Analyis paralysis is common during the draft. To avoid becoming overwhelmed at the draft what items do u have open and ready to access?
Fantasy Football - Footballguys Forums
Welcome to Our Forums. Once you've registered and logged in, you're primed to talk football, among other topics, with the sharpest and most experienced fantasy players on the internet.
What do you bring to your draft? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter ppierce
- Start date
ConnSKINS26
Footballguy
Sand paper, six euros and a gerbil.
Same here. The cheat sheet is broken into tiers. I only record picks for the first couple rounds to track positional runs since after that all heck breaks loose anyway.
Raiderfan32904
Footballguy
Draft prep is a multi hour event for me. First, I go the myfantasyleague.com site and do searches for leagues similar to mine and I query all the latest completed drafts. Next, I import the data to an excel spreadsheet and break down by positions, and rank them (RB1-RB50, QB1-QB-30, WR1-WR90) etc.
Assuming I know my draft spot, say I'm pick #11, I look at the #11 team and then look at who that guy passed on and what mistakes he may have made and who he could have had. I try to optimize his team with 20/20 goggles.
I do this for at least 3 different recent leagues with similar scoring rules. If I encounter a team that is making guppy moves, I disregard that draft as an outlier.
From this data, I try to separate tiers within positions, assigning a group value to a set of similar players. I try to set up notes on a side column like "do not draft this player before Rd #2, but do not let this player go after round 4". These are just rules of thumb, but help me to define my value.
Next and final stage, after all the studying, I morph all the recent drafts as my personal ADP list with comments (I'll leave that on a separate laptop). Then I get my main laptop and hook it up side by side and use Dodds VBD excel spreadsheet (the latest version). I plug in my scoring rules and go to the spreadsheet. I follow the VBD list almost religiously, especially taking note of the top 60 list. I will highlight picks as their called off, and follow the ebb and flow of the picks, paying close attention to my leaguemates rosters and what they are in need of. This helps to predict the runs. This is sometimes hard to do with a 70 second timer, but tabbing around my ADP list while seeing the values drop helps to narrow the short list for the next round. Speaking of the next round, I always have at least a half dozen candidate picks in the hopper just in case I'm running short on time.
One more thing I recommend. It may seem like a lot of info, but read up on all of Bloom's articles. From his insight, start to pencil in some notes on your ADP list next to the player's name. Obviously do this well in advance of the draft.
Assuming I know my draft spot, say I'm pick #11, I look at the #11 team and then look at who that guy passed on and what mistakes he may have made and who he could have had. I try to optimize his team with 20/20 goggles.
I do this for at least 3 different recent leagues with similar scoring rules. If I encounter a team that is making guppy moves, I disregard that draft as an outlier.
From this data, I try to separate tiers within positions, assigning a group value to a set of similar players. I try to set up notes on a side column like "do not draft this player before Rd #2, but do not let this player go after round 4". These are just rules of thumb, but help me to define my value.
Next and final stage, after all the studying, I morph all the recent drafts as my personal ADP list with comments (I'll leave that on a separate laptop). Then I get my main laptop and hook it up side by side and use Dodds VBD excel spreadsheet (the latest version). I plug in my scoring rules and go to the spreadsheet. I follow the VBD list almost religiously, especially taking note of the top 60 list. I will highlight picks as their called off, and follow the ebb and flow of the picks, paying close attention to my leaguemates rosters and what they are in need of. This helps to predict the runs. This is sometimes hard to do with a 70 second timer, but tabbing around my ADP list while seeing the values drop helps to narrow the short list for the next round. Speaking of the next round, I always have at least a half dozen candidate picks in the hopper just in case I'm running short on time.
One more thing I recommend. It may seem like a lot of info, but read up on all of Bloom's articles. From his insight, start to pencil in some notes on your ADP list next to the player's name. Obviously do this well in advance of the draft.
Khy
Footballguy
Mr. Know-It-All
Footballguy
by position list with about n + 10 guys on each list where n = historical # of guys drafted at each position
depth charts for each team (offense and defense since it is an IDP league) for reference only
make notes on position list for injuries pulled from latest injury report
pen and paper to record picks (for all teams so i can quickly see my needs as well as others)
short list of late round targets for once the cor eof the team is built
depth charts for each team (offense and defense since it is an IDP league) for reference only
make notes on position list for injuries pulled from latest injury report
pen and paper to record picks (for all teams so i can quickly see my needs as well as others)
short list of late round targets for once the cor eof the team is built
Sweet Love
IBL Representative
My custom cheatsheet, a pen and highlighter...Gotta have the highlighter. Did a Father/Son draft with my boy last Friday, and I brought two highlighters (proud moment).
DoubleG
Footballguy
KCitons
Footballguy
I start each fantasy year with a new notebook. Everything for that season goes into the notebook. As I prepare for the draft, I put together a spreadsheet with my rankings/tiers. I print that out and put it in the notebook.
I asked Mom if I could get a trapper keeper next year. But, she said she's not spending that much on something I'm likely to lose on the bus.
I asked Mom if I could get a trapper keeper next year. But, she said she's not spending that much on something I'm likely to lose on the bus.
kegger
Footballguy
Laptop with draft software to keep the players drafted by each team, plus all my player info/personal cheat sheets..
Beer..
Whiskey.. (temper the whiskey drinking by yourself to a minium till late, but feed everyone around you plenty)...
Chips..
A main sheet to hand out to everyone to highlight players an mark them off the list as well as the draft order to follow...
.
Beer..
Whiskey.. (temper the whiskey drinking by yourself to a minium till late, but feed everyone around you plenty)...
Chips..
A main sheet to hand out to everyone to highlight players an mark them off the list as well as the draft order to follow...
.
Last edited by a moderator:
socrates
Footballguy
I set up my draft board online in advance of the draft, but it does not record tiers, so I print the draft board out and separate it into tiers. I also print out complete rosters and perceived needs for each team in the league.
One of the most crucial things I bring, however, is a notebook and pen to record notes and observations. Each year, I compile notes on every owner in the league, tracking trends and tendencies. I find these notes to be an invaluable tool when constructing trade offers as well as my draft board. For instance, this season, I was able to trade down in the draft, feeling confident the player I was targeting may drop to me, which he did.
My how things have changed. Back in the early '90s, I showed up with nothing but my dog-eared, 3-month-old magazine cheatsheet and an ink pen. My only secret weapon back then was to buy a couple rounds for my leaguemates before we began, to loosen them up a bit (while I stuck to Diet Coke). (And once I gave the crappiest magazine cheatsheet I had to another owner who was ill-prepared!)
One of the most crucial things I bring, however, is a notebook and pen to record notes and observations. Each year, I compile notes on every owner in the league, tracking trends and tendencies. I find these notes to be an invaluable tool when constructing trade offers as well as my draft board. For instance, this season, I was able to trade down in the draft, feeling confident the player I was targeting may drop to me, which he did.
My how things have changed. Back in the early '90s, I showed up with nothing but my dog-eared, 3-month-old magazine cheatsheet and an ink pen. My only secret weapon back then was to buy a couple rounds for my leaguemates before we began, to loosen them up a bit (while I stuck to Diet Coke). (And once I gave the crappiest magazine cheatsheet I had to another owner who was ill-prepared!)
theothervcruz
Footballguy
- Excel sheet where I can put down what positions each team has picked based on draft order, i.e. if I am picking 4th and 1-3 already have QBs, I know I can wait until the 7th to draft a QB rather than 6th.
- My own Top 180 list broken into position tiers and with stat projections. When everyone else is busy staring at the ESPN list - last draft I did 1/2 were using that - I feel better off.
- My iPad in case I need to do some last minute searches online.
- Chair, Beer (and water) and Food for the Potluck.
- My own Top 180 list broken into position tiers and with stat projections. When everyone else is busy staring at the ESPN list - last draft I did 1/2 were using that - I feel better off.
- My iPad in case I need to do some last minute searches online.
- Chair, Beer (and water) and Food for the Potluck.
biju
Footballguy
Here's what I bring:
- Final cheatsheets by position and overall (for flex spots)
- Updated depth charts (for reference)
- Bye weeks (for reference; this will also be on each players position cheat sheet). I general do not care about bye weeks but it is good to have if you truly are deciding between to perceived equal players.
- A short list of late round player pick reminders
- My "draft tendencies" sheet. Since this league has been going for many years I work hard to track drafting tendencies (this guy will only pick a "big back" as his RB1, tends to pick QBs in round x, etc.) and then make them in round by round format. This allows me to identify the likelihood of a player slipping to me, if I need to trade up to grab the guy I want, or if I need to reach a round early to make sure I get my guy. I also keep track of everyone's favorite NFL teams just for reference as this sometimes give me an advantage.
- A blank sheet of paper for me to write down my picks and a few select other players who are drafted by other teams. I make note of which owners are visibly or audibly upset about certainly players getting picked and use this for trades later in the year, especially if a certain player blows up. This works with other team's draft picks as well if you can identify when someone picks someone because "there wasn't anyone better" meaning they might undervalue that player and I can swoop in with a big game from a late round role player.
- Last year's rosters. Some owners simply like players and will pick them over and over again. Additionally, I have details (along with the "draft tendencies") to see how many QBs, RBs, WRs, and TEs they tend to draft. This works best if you include their draft position and the order of draft picks so you know they reached from necessity or were flush on a position.
Additionally I try to show up early and listen to the general talk. I know which people in my league talk "down" a player because they are targeting them, and I know which owners honestly discuss players ahead of the draft.
It's overkill, but this is my hobby and I enjoy taking pride in the preparation.
- Final cheatsheets by position and overall (for flex spots)
- Updated depth charts (for reference)
- Bye weeks (for reference; this will also be on each players position cheat sheet). I general do not care about bye weeks but it is good to have if you truly are deciding between to perceived equal players.
- A short list of late round player pick reminders
- My "draft tendencies" sheet. Since this league has been going for many years I work hard to track drafting tendencies (this guy will only pick a "big back" as his RB1, tends to pick QBs in round x, etc.) and then make them in round by round format. This allows me to identify the likelihood of a player slipping to me, if I need to trade up to grab the guy I want, or if I need to reach a round early to make sure I get my guy. I also keep track of everyone's favorite NFL teams just for reference as this sometimes give me an advantage.
- A blank sheet of paper for me to write down my picks and a few select other players who are drafted by other teams. I make note of which owners are visibly or audibly upset about certainly players getting picked and use this for trades later in the year, especially if a certain player blows up. This works with other team's draft picks as well if you can identify when someone picks someone because "there wasn't anyone better" meaning they might undervalue that player and I can swoop in with a big game from a late round role player.
- Last year's rosters. Some owners simply like players and will pick them over and over again. Additionally, I have details (along with the "draft tendencies") to see how many QBs, RBs, WRs, and TEs they tend to draft. This works best if you include their draft position and the order of draft picks so you know they reached from necessity or were flush on a position.
Additionally I try to show up early and listen to the general talk. I know which people in my league talk "down" a player because they are targeting them, and I know which owners honestly discuss players ahead of the draft.
It's overkill, but this is my hobby and I enjoy taking pride in the preparation.
Braktastic
Footballguy
Loads of sarcasm and ridicule. These are essential draft day items.
grateful zed
Footballguy
tequilla, beer, weed, cigar, best adp i can find.
cheatsheetwarroom
Footballguy
The Necessities:
- Booze
- My cheat sheet
- My computer (to perform a quick sanity check before drafting a player"
Otis
Footballguy
I have my final draft Dom sheets printed by position with my rankings. I also have a top 200 or so overall list. 5 sheets total and this can be too many. I prefer a printed list. I've tried to follow all the teams before and it detracts from my experience. So now I follow the first 4-5 rounds and let it go.
I also bring beer for whomever would like it. 2 pens and my favorite camping chair.
I also bring beer for whomever would like it. 2 pens and my favorite camping chair.
Similar threads
