Is this everybody's draft strategy?

[Free Bagel]

Jamal Anderson.

Uh....

[SiouxCitySavages]

Ya'll aint gettin nuthin out of me...My draft strategy is "Top-Secret"...Besides, I'd steer ya wrong intentionally....

[smackthefirst]

Personally, I agree with the strategy and would take it one step forward. I like to draft three Running Backs with my first three picks. Last year I ended up with LT, Tiki, and Jamal Anderson.

See what can happen when you stick to a "strategy".

[Canacuna]

Personally, I agree with the strategy and would take it one step forward. I like to draft three Running Backs with my first three picks. Last year I ended up with LT, Tiki, and Jamal Anderson.

Um... good job?

In the few mock drafts I've participated in, I've began initializing the Best Player Available strategy. It's working pretty good so far. In 12 team leagues, I've managed to land a solid #2 RB in the fourth round, enabling me to draft a stud QB and WR in the process - which gave me a very well-rounded team.

I've also done the 'ol RB-RB-WR-QB strategy and that's worked well, too.

I've tried a bunch of various strategies and every time I think I've fielded one of, if not the best team in the mock. Point is, if you draft smartly, it doesn't matter where you take each position.

Last year I drafted the best player available every round until the eighth. In the eighth round, I took my first RB - Ladell Betts. I ended up with Ladell Betts, Amos Zeroue, and Jerome Bettis as my RBs. However, since I had great talent at every other position and made good use of the waiver wire and trade proposals (buy low, sell high), I had a stud RB stable at the end of the year - including Stephen Davis, Shaun Alexander, and Fred Taylor.

[Guest]

Sorry, Jamal Lewis, not Jamal Anderson.[/quote]

[Azrael]

Last year I grabbed Dominick Davis, Marcel Shipp, Corey Dillon, Curtis Martin and Michael Westbrook off the waiver wire and just let them sit on my bench until somone offered something that appealed to me.

I originally put in Jamal Anderson which was a mistake. I picked up Jamal Lewis with my third round pick.

I'm hoping Michael Westbrook was a mistake too. You probably meant Brian. I may pick up Michael Westbrook up for a game when I face the owner with Stephen Davis, hoping Westbrook will kick his a$$, thereby nullfying his effectiveness.

[smackthefirst]

LOL. We all missed that one. Nice catch Azrael.

Sorry Dan, we all have those type of days.

[deadskunks]

I just read every post on this subject, and it looks like one of those situations where all I can do is nod in agreement with what most of you are saying.
I've seen some interesting stuff on draft day... and some very unexpected results by the time the season has wrapped-up.

Two years ago, I watched a guy who lives and dies by "Stud RB Theory" wind-up with the #10 pick in a 10-team league. We talked strategy for months prior to the draft and he was unshakable about his RBs. Regardless of where he picked, he was taking the best available RB in the 1st, 2nd and possibly 3rd rounds. So draft day rolls around and I picked 9th and took Travis Henry. He picked 10th (& 11th) and took... ?

Yeah, you guessed it... Harrison and Owens! Needless to say, I jumped all over Moss with the 12th pick (I learned later to avoid panic when it looks like there's a run on a certain position).

The point of the story is this...
With some risky (but well-researched) picks in the middle rounds, this guy was able to "compensate" for taking two WRs with his first two picks (I think he "stole" Shockey in the 6th). And that made all the difference. He went on to win the league against some solid competition.

The following season, I watched a guy draft RBs with 4 of his first 5 picks (and 6 RBs overall). When the draft was over, my only question was how he would fair without a top-notch QB or TE... and only one solid WR. During the regular season, he was stopped... but twice. He moved through the playoffs like a hot knife through butter and took the league with only a half-dozen plays on the waiver wire. In his case, it was just a perfect textbook Stud RB season with no injuries and no need for effort after draft day. (and where's the fun in THAT?!!)

If sticking to a tried-and-true system works for you year-in and year-out, then good for you. I've seen it go both ways.

[MeShawn]

Someone might of said this already, but IMO, you go best player available. I think the ideal situation is to go RB, RB, WR, WR, QB but I rarely ever do this. Best player available, always.