Which Strategy works best? (1 Viewer)

[Deadzone21]

I've been tossing around a couple of strategies.

1. Balanced Depth - Going into the draft with the 9th spot (12-team redraft), I decided to try and achieve some depth at various positions and play the matchups on a week-to-week basis, especially since I didn't expect to have any clearcut "never sit your stud" players since I also planned to draft RB/RB/RB/WR. I ended up with the following roster...

QB - A.Brooks, K.Warner

RB - S.Jax, FWP, F.Gore, L.White

WR - D.Jax, E.Kennison, M.Jones, E.Wilford

TE - T.Heap, B.Watson

PK - J.Kasay

DF - Miami, AZ

2. Hoard backup RBs - I've watched another team in our league do this now going into its 3rd year with mixed results. With only 6 bench spots, he'll sacrifice depth and always roster up to 7-8 RBs on his bench (mostly good backups...hoping for injuries or other opportunities and use them for trades). If I were to use this strategy, I would eye the following available FA RBs

B.Jacobs (NYG) - good preseason. TD opps,

M.Turner (SD) - backup for LT2, great likelihood of success

M.Hicks (SF) - 5.2 ypc in 2005. Have Gore, but really don't expect too much out of SF's run game.

If any of these RBs should payoff, I would use them in trades to improve my WRs, but to do this I would need to drop some players to make room. Is it worth it? Which strategy is more likely to get you to the championship?

FYI - Other RB Hoarder is rostering the following RBs: L.Johnson, D.Foster, J.Lewis, C.Benson, M.Bell, Musa Smith, S.Gado, T.Henry

 

[AcerFC]

There is actually a way to do both while getting good value at all positions. I usually always go RB-RB but due to this years question marks around Tier 2 guys, I went with RB-WR. Now if you want decent Running backs, you have to go RB in the 3rd. The 4th is the wild card because there will still be some top 10 Recievers and a questionable starting running back the likes of Fred Taylor, Thomas Jones, Duece, Mike Bell etc. So you have to decide. I personally went WR and then went RB-RB in 5 and 6. Then you go for value from 7 on and you can probably land another back or two while still securing 2 good QBs and another reciver. You never have to stock pile recievers because there will always be one or two on the ww.

In my league, 12 man redraft, QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 Flex (RB-WR), 1 TE, 1 DEF, 1 K and IDPs (Not looking for a rank) 14 starters and 8 bench spots. I feel as if I was able to "hord" RBs while still landing quality players

QBs Plummer (9) Leftwich (12)

RBs Brown (1) Lewis (3) T Jones (5) Moroney (6, keeper eligible) Morency (8-thought he was starter) Moats (10), Lundy (14) and Harrison (19)

WRs Fitz (2) Wayne (4) R Smith (8) and E Wilford (12)

So I feel like I was able to land solid players at all positions and still maintain a decent Running back corp as bench players

Again, not looking for comments on my team, just showing you what I was able to do

 

[AnonymousBob]

I like to build the best possible starting lineup. That usually leaves me with little depth. Some years it works and some years it doesn't.

 

[Deadzone21]

There is actually a way to do both while getting good value at all positions. I usually always go RB-RB but due to this years question marks around Tier 2 guys, I went with RB-WR. Now if you want decent Running backs, you have to go RB in the 3rd. The 4th is the wild card because there will still be some top 10 Recievers and a questionable starting running back the likes of Fred Taylor, Thomas Jones, Duece, Mike Bell etc. So you have to decide. I personally went WR and then went RB-RB in 5 and 6. Then you go for value from 7 on and you can probably land another back or two while still securing 2 good QBs and another reciver. You never have to stock pile recievers because there will always be one or two on the ww.In my league, 12 man redraft, QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 Flex (RB-WR), 1 TE, 1 DEF, 1 K and IDPs (Not looking for a rank) 14 starters and 8 bench spots. I feel as if I was able to "hord" RBs while still landing quality playersQBs Plummer (9) Leftwich (12)RBs Brown (1) Lewis (3) T Jones (5) Moroney (6, keeper eligible) Morency (8-thought he was starter) Moats (10), Lundy (14) and Harrison (19)WRs Fitz (2) Wayne (4) R Smith (8) and E Wilford (12)So I feel like I was able to land solid players at all positions and still maintain a decent Running back corp as bench playersAgain, not looking for comments on my team, just showing you what I was able to do

Thanks for the feedback. Do you carry this strategy throughout the season? Do you keep those RBs for depth or start trade offers flying when some of those RB backup move up to a starting RB role? How well has it worked for you in past seasons?I thought about grabbing a top 5 WR with my 2nd pick, by with all those questions that were around that 2nd tier of RBs, and I really didn't like the next tier of RBs, and wanted to grab as much of the top 15 RBs as possible. I ranked F.Gore at 15 and he was there in the 3rd round, so I grabbed him instead of an WR in the 3rd rd.

 

[AcerFC]

Thanks for the feedback. Do you carry this strategy throughout the season? Do you keep those RBs for depth or start trade offers flying when some of those RB backup move up to a starting RB role? How well has it worked for you in past seasons?I thought about grabbing a top 5 WR with my 2nd pick, by with all those questions that were around that 2nd tier of RBs, and I really didn't like the next tier of RBs, and wanted to grab as much of the top 15 RBs as possible. I ranked F.Gore at 15 and he was there in the 3rd round, so I grabbed him instead of an WR in the 3rd rd.

I usually stay put for the first couple of weeks because injuries are so unpredictable but I will engage any trade offers and just look to make my team stronger. I would not mind trading Moats to the Westbrook owner but they will have to give up a WR3 or something similar. Im not asking for the kitchen sink but I need someone that I can plug in.

 

[rascal]

I've gone RB-RB-RB the past three years in my league and each year I get a borderline #1 WR that falls, as well as a solid #2 WR.

For example this year I drafted Ronnie Brown, Lamont Jordan, and Chester Taylor at RB. I managed to snag WR's Donald Driver, D Mason, and L Evans. I don't have the best WR's in the league (or top 5 for that matter) but my RB's are set.

Note we can start 3 RB's (2 RB and a WR/RB flex).

 

[browntown]

It depends on the other owner types, combined with how the league runs. There certainly isn't a definitive yes or no answer to either strategy though.

For me i'd handle it like this. In advanced leagues i don't go overboard on RB hoarding, seeing as you've commonly got everyone else doing the same thing. Draft for value while being sure to take 2 RB's in the first 3 rounds. After that you'll likely have to take a risk at RB3 in the 5th or 6th round. In that case you might want to try and lockup a lesser known RBBC like the Jets or Texans (later in the draft), rather than paying too much for a guy like AGreen or FTaylor. If you go too early and too often with the RB's, chances are your WR's are really going to suffer. Right now i see RB, WR, RB, WR, RB as the best way to start out, assuming you can get one of the top 5 WR's in the 2nd. Don't reach for a risky RB in the 5th though, there's always value to be had there a few rounds later with guys like Lundy, Barlow, etc. Keep strengthening your WR/QB/TE spot if the risk/reward isn't there at RB. Make sure you end up with about 5-6 RB's in a 16-18 player league though. Your 3rd RB taken ideally would be a starter, but at the very least a guy with a good chance for significant carries. If you can't grab the RBBC guys as your RB4-6, then look at talented handcuffs like Norwood, Turner, and Perry.

In more novice or intermediate leagues by all means hoard the RB's. Your fellow owners will likely know enough to draft a few starting RB's early, but are more likely to look at other starting spots too early for their own good. In these leagues you can find excellent late round value with the aforementioned RBBC guys. You might take a beating at WR, but you can always flip over a temporary starting RB for good WR value into the year. It never fails, just target the team with poor depth at his lowest point, and one look at the empty cupboard at RB on the FA, and he's almost got to make a move.

 

[Deadzone21]

In more novice or intermediate leagues by all means hoard the RB's. Your fellow owners will likely know enough to draft a few starting RB's early, but are more likely to look at other starting spots too early for their own good. In these leagues you can find excellent late round value with the aforementioned RBBC guys. You might take a beating at WR, but you can always flip over a temporary starting RB for good WR value into the year. It never fails, just target the team with poor depth at his lowest point, and one look at the empty cupboard at RB on the FA, and he's almost got to make a move.

For me, I've found out that in my more experienced (money) league, like this one, it only takes 1 or 2 RB hoarders and the FA soon becomes bare of any decent RBs. It then becomes difficult for another team to hoard RBs effectively. Or if enough owners follow suit, you'd be luck to pickup a couple good RB prospects for your bench. Good news is that you can find someone who wants to trade, but the experience level makes it difficult to get great value. The other team knows that you want to trade just as much as they do, since those RBs on the bench aren't scoring anything.On the other hand, I'm also in a free Yahoo league, where it is too easy to hoard RBs, but no other online owner is willing to trade or give up a good WR.

 

[Deadzone21]

Which strategy is more likely to get you to the championship?