Ever just dominated a draft?

[Polar Bear]

After recently drafting in a cafe league and reading many of the different strategies here I am in tip top drafting condition. I seriously feel like I am King Leonitus in the movie 300, except without the 200 arrows in my body.

I was in a 10 team IDP/ppr league which creates a loaded league to begin with and by the 5th round it was evident that it was unfair for me to be in that league. When the 13th round hit I still had a bunch of players in my head while the rest of the owners were just throwing out anyone with no particular knowledge of the player. I landed Burleson in the 13th round, nobody in that league had him on their radar, if it had not been for the cafe I probably would not have either. Guys were drafting defensive players by the 6th round while I just stocked up on all the offensive talent. I still drafted one of the better defenses in the league and didn't start drafting them until round 11.

Now anything can happen, but on paper I have the best team and it is not even close.

Have any of you ever felt like this when drafting with a bunch of people who really aren't that experienced in fantasy football? I really noticed a difference in the later rounds. That is where I was able to stack my roster because people were just drafting because of the name or because they were next on their ranking sheet.

So anyways, thanks cafe you guys have made me a well oiled machine come draft day.

[bigh0rt]

This may be sacrilegious , but I've got to speak to my specialty to draw the comparison here. More often than not, when I draft my baseball leagues, I feel this way. Mainly because I'm so prepared and keyed in, that I hit my targets in the rounds that I want them. Even if I don't hit option 1, I hit option 1a, etc. This generally leads to me looking at my roster immediately post-draft with the thought, "I got this." What I've learned is this has little to do with my success over the course of the season. Trades, injuries, timely Add/Drops, etc. You said yourself that anything can happen, so you already know that.

My experience in Football, though, has shown me that no matter what your team looks like in Week 1, injuries will likely determine your success, provided you've done at least an adequate job drafting -- which I assume you've surpassed that level.

I'm not a big time fantasy football player, but it sounds like this is a weaker league, if players were going in the rounds you've stated, and even still, I'll take the field vs. your team (I'll always take the field vs. one team before the season has started).

[stomperrob]

I had a live draft like that a couple weeks ago - it was a league of guys that have been together a few years but needed a few replacements for their redraft league. I soon realized that there were only a couple that really knew their stuff and so I ended up with a super team. There was the usual stuff ya see like drafting 2 kickers, 2 D/ST's, 2 TE's, reaching too soon for IDP's, etc. And while Yahoo's rankings aren't too bad for offensive players, they're way off for IDP's and most were relying on those rankings.

The only prob with a league like this is it ain't much fun - you know from day 1 you're gonna totally dominate, and several of the other owners are gonna lose interest and become inactive. And there's not a lot of satisfaction in beating people who are not on the same level as you are. That's why Cafe leagues are so great!!!

[knapplc]

I've had drafts like that where I really nailed it. A couple of years ago when Steve Smith was tearing up the league I had him, LT2, Bulger, the Bears D (also good that year), and one other pretty good WR whose name escapes me. Jamal Lewis was my second RB, I believe. I shattered the single-season scoring record that year for a league that's been around since 1987 (back when the commish used to use a spreadsheet and the local paper to calculate scores and post them on Wednesday). So yeah, I nailed that draft.

Funny thing is, I lost in the first round of the playoffs because Bulger, LT2 and Smith all had a bad week in week 14.

I laughed and laughed.

[FatFoot]

That was my first serious year of FF, I bet. A few years ago, Steve Smith, TO, Roy Williams, Edge, Jamal, and a few others... ALL kicked ass. I ran the table, killed everyone, outscored everyone, every game.

And then lost in the first round of the playoffs because they all had a bad game or got hurt.

[Polar Bear]

This may be sacrilegious , but I've got to speak to my specialty to draw the comparison here. More often than not, when I draft my baseball leagues, I feel this way. Mainly because I'm so prepared and keyed in, that I hit my targets in the rounds that I want them. Even if I don't hit option 1, I hit option 1a, etc. This generally leads to me looking at my roster immediately post-draft with the thought, "I got this." What I've learned is this has little to do with my success over the course of the season. Trades, injuries, timely Add/Drops, etc. You said yourself that anything can happen, so you already know that.

My experience in Football, though, has shown me that no matter what your team looks like in Week 1, injuries will likely determine your success, provided you've done at least an adequate job drafting -- which I assume you've surpassed that level.

I'm not a big time fantasy football player, but it sounds like this is a weaker league, if players were going in the rounds you've stated, and even still, I'll take the field vs. your team (I'll always take the field vs. one team before the season has started).

Of course anything can happen. Also keep in mind that this was an IDP draft so defensive players will hurt the ADP of 3rd tier players.

I hope this league stays active because I want to see if my team dominates like I expect it to.

[TGM]

I ran the table, killed everyone, outscored everyone, every game. And then lost in the first round of the playoffs because they all had a bad game or got hurt.

Man, do I ever know how that goes? Seems to be the way my seasons end up more times than not.

I have also found over the years that the better my team looks on paper right after the draft, the worse it performs. And, visa versa. Weird....

[eagles21]

I dominate every draft.

[Azrael]

Last year my brother, who literally knows nothing about football and was a new member to a league that's been around for 6 or 7 years, killed everyone. His core players Westbrook, Brady, Boldin, Portis, Moss, Edwards, Welker, Graham, and Heath Miller. Derek Anderson rode the pine for his team all year.

[TGM]

His core players Westbrook, Brady, Boldin, Portis, Moss, Edwards, Welker, Graham, and Heath Miller. Derek Anderson rode the pine for his team all year.

That's one helluva team right there... Kinda makes you wonder just how much the rest of his league really knew though. I mean, obviously Welker, Graham, and Anderson were WW acquisitions. Or, in Welker's case...a late round flier. But, to get Westbrook, Brady, Portis and Moss in the draft??? Not to mention Boldin and Edwards?

Nonetheless...I bet he sure as hell enjoyed his first experience in the world of FF, huh?