Help setting up rankings for Sandbox draft...

[kjzoo]

This is my first year playing FF, and I am looking for any suggestions. First the skinny...I am in a 10-team league in Sandbox's Full Contact FF system. The league is set-up as "Open List", automatic draft type. For those of you who don't know, this basically means that instead of ranking each position independently, we have to rank all players on a master list. The positions that we need to fill are: QB, RB, WR, TE, K, LB, DL and DB (a minimum of one each to start). We draft 20 players and start 11 each week. Each week we need to start the following: QB, RB, WR, TE, K plus three of (RB, WR, TE) and three of (LB, DB, DL). I'll admit this system is a tad confusing for my first year...but I'm prepared to give it a go.

The first decision we have to make is how many of each position we want to draft. I chose the following: 2 QB, 3 RB, 6 WR, 1 TE, 1 K, 1 DL, 4 LB, 2 DB.

The next choice is the rank the players, but in doing so try to rank them such that you hope to have positions picked in a certain order. I am hoping for the following: RB, QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, WR, LB, LB, LB, DB, LB, DB, TE, QB, K, DL, WR, WR.

I guess I have a few questions. First, what do you think of the number of picks at each position that I am going with? Second, how does my proposed order of picking positions look?

I find that the most difficult thing is the ranking on the master list. In order to try to get the positions picked in the order I said above, it takes some guess work on how many of each position will go in each round (particularly the first few). If you are overly conservative (say ranking RB's in the top 20 positions), there is a good chance you will get RB, RB instead of RB, QB (not a really bad thing I guess). On the other hand, if you are too risky (ranking RB's in the top 5 positions and then QB's for the next 15 for example) then you may lose your chance at getting a RB in the first round and be left with some limited choices in the second or even third.

For those who I haven't completely confused by now, I'd appreciate any comments. Thanks.

-kjzoo

[roamingphantom]

I am also at sandbox in the same position as you. What i did was draft a good QB first then Rb's then Wr's and down the line. Just make sure you get 1 good QB rank your Qbs very high bit only take a good one then go for 4 rb's its likely everyone will go for Qbacks first so if you get ahead of them then you are choosing from the best. In Sandbox auto (open List) it goes through each position at a time so do maybe 1qb then 4rbs then 4 wr's and 1 TE maybe 2. here is a tip. when the draft is done. spring for some sleepers, Fred Taylor, Peerless price and Kevin Dyson. This is my second year so dont kill me is i am not 100% right ..but it worked for me. I got no good QB in mine but got Holmes, dillon, martin, Tomlinson, Edgerrin and Torry holt, david boston

[Arlo]

I'd go easy on the defense. If you start three defenders, you won't need seven on your roster. I'd draft just one player at each defensive position (possibly two at LB), and spend those extra picks on sleeper RBs and WRs. Good luck drafting!

[cwebb]

Draft only 4-5 defensive players, get more RBs.

I didn't change the list from the previous year much, I just dropped injured or retired players, and put all defense players down my list to 200 and under. I made clusters of kickers at about 100, so I knew I'd get a kicker there but only after many talented WRs and RBs.

Making clusters of TEs could also work. But except Gonzalez no TE should be taken with your first 7 picks or so, so make sure your top50 are QBs, RBs and WRs only, you'll likely get 7-9 players out of those making for a deep team (and most sleepers aren't included here!!!)

[funkydrno]

I've set up my sandbox automated draft card to only include one QB, but a good one. I thought I could pick up a backup QB from the waiver wire after the draft, or trade some other offensive skill guy once I see who I have. Does this seem foolish? I wouldn't do this except it's an automated draft and I don't want to burn early picks on QBs.