First time fantasy football draft bench strategy

[Juke]

Nothing really left for me to say. Great work. This is exactly why I think the Cafe has the best forums around. People actually willing to help and not afraid of "letting their secrets out". Again, great job.

[schmidty]

This is exactly the question I was looking for the answer for too. My situation is similar to the OP except for more roster spots: 2 QB, 3 WR, 2 RB, TE, W/T, W/R, K, DEF, 2 D, 2 DB, 2 DL, and 6 BN (yes, this uses IDP). The suggestion of using the bench spots for your skill positions seems sound (at least 1 more QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs). Just a couple more questions:

Is a back-up TE worth having?

Is it worth bothering with back-ups for IDPs, or are they easily scrounged up from the FA list is there's a need during the season (it's a 10-team league)?

[maddog60]

This is exactly the question I was looking for the answer for too. My situation is similar to the OP except for more roster spots: 2 QB, 3 WR, 2 RB, TE, W/T, W/R, K, DEF, 2 D, 2 DB, 2 DL, and 6 BN (yes, this uses IDP). The suggestion of using the bench spots for your skill positions seems sound (at least 1 more QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs). Just a couple more questions:

Is a back-up TE worth having?

Is it worth bothering with back-ups for IDPs, or are they easily scrounged up from the FA list is there's a need during the season (it's a 10-team league)?

Personally, I think that bench is simply way too thin. 16 starters and only 6 bench spots, that is ridiculous, and very poor decision on the part of the commish. In this position I would keep 1 QB backup, 2 RB and 2 WR backups, and 1 LB backup. I'd made sure to get at least one stud LB and QB if not two at each position, that way my bench spots are actually worth the valuable space they take up.

With an adeuate bench backup IDPs would be worth having, but I wouldn't keep a backup DL, just pending spots (1-2 LBs, and 1 DB backup). Then again, that would be with an adequate bench, your commish is going to find lots of people complaining that their bench is non-existent in that league, and bye weeks are going to hurt, a ton.

[ateam]

Another strategy with your bench can be tradebait.

2 years ago in a league that started 2 QBs, I drafted 4 starting QBs, and traded off 2 for some good quality players.

I ended up winning the league, and the commish went to a 1 QB league aftere that.

If you want to pile up RBs, I'm sure other owners will be looking to deal...