Help the rookie! (Draft Prep Question)

[Chief Wiggum]

I've played a couple years, but suddenly the people in our league seemed to have stepped up their game lately.

My question is concerning your diabolical plan going into draft day. Obviously putting in the hours, creating your own draft sheets, knowing the people in your league...etc is vital, but to what extent do you come in with as a draft order plan? For example, as a guideline, I'm planning on the following:

1st Round: RB
2nd: RB
3rd: WR
4th: WR
5th: WR
6th: QB
7th: QB
8th: RB or WR
9th: RB or WR
10th: 1st Defense
11th: 2nd Defense
12th: RB or WR
13th: RB or WR
14th: RB or WR
15th: RB or WR
16th: Kicker

We have pretty much standard rules, yardage and TD, starting 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR/TE, 1 Def, 1 K.

Again, this is a guideline not a well documented plan by any means. But, first, to what extent do people (you) walk into a draft with this sort of guideline, or do you just have certain players that you go after, regardless of a set order. And, secondly, are there any major problems with what I have above?

Thanks

[Cornbread Maxwell]

Not too many experienced fantasy players will go into the draft with a set strategy like you are talking about. It is smarter to be more flexible. You dont want to be the guy who has a late 2nd rd pick and has to jump for a bad RB because of some set strategy - if all the good RBs are gone, simply take a top WR or QB.

[Chief Wiggum]

That's what I meant by more of a guideline as opposed to something set in stone. Like you are saying, I will adjust as the draft unfolds (to make it worse, we don't know our draft order until that day).

But, assuming everything goes pretty much as you have planned, say...you're 5th of 10, nothing too unexpected happens, do you have some order that you may target, or at least for the first 4-6 rounds?

Or is it more of targetting the players that you want specifically?

[slowkidz]

That's what I meant by more of a guideline as opposed to something set in stone. Like you are saying, I will adjust as the draft unfolds (to make it worse, we don't know our draft order until that day).

But, assuming everything goes pretty much as you have planned, say...you're 5th of 10, nothing too unexpected happens, do you have some order that you may target, or at least for the first 4-6 rounds?

Or is it more of targetting the players that you want specifically?

I will normally go the BPA route and not look to target anyone specifically. If I find that I am in too heavy in one area, then I might back off of that one and go for the BPA in one of my weaker areas.

[FeArMeNtL]

Ya BPA is what I do most of the draft so ya I agree with Slowkidz on this one. You dont want to go into draft day having a strategy because if a good player that drops because of a certain run on a position, then you should take him. So having a strategy IMO isnt the way to go. Ive found BPA to be quite effective in the past.

[allstarqb]

I agree, you should rank players regardless of position, and when it is your turn to draft take the best available player. With the plan above I would not say that it is a good idea to take your third back in the 8th round. You will find that most of the RB's that are going to produce will be gone by round 4 or 5. You can learn a lot by just browsing around the cafe.

[Poobah]

Chief, I'd definitely look around a lot before your draft, and I think it's good that you are only looking for guidelines. However, I would say that if you only have 2 RB by Round 7, you will be hurtin' for certain. My rough deadline for leagues is to have 3 RB and 3 WR by the end of round 6, unless a premium QB starts falling. After that, I get QB in back-to-back rounds, and a top 3 defense if one is there in round 9. However, I would NOT waste a round 11 pick on a 2nd defense, they are too unstable...

I'd also suggest some mock drafting on antsports.com. Good luck

[FootballDrummer6]

Yet, there is definately advantages to knowing the sorts of players you want to target and when. Personally, I have a word document with every round and who I want to pick, but also what to do if that person isn't there (sometimes just take a worse player at the same position, or switch things up - but either way, I have my plans written down before hand).

For example (without giving away too much-lol): I have my plans for which RB I want to take in the first round, but if I end up with the 11th or 12th pick, I switch to pick M. Harrison, which then changes a couple later round plans that I have written down as well. You get what I mean? Now, I also have my all-player rankings to be able to adapt if something really weird happens, and I wouldn't hessitate to take someone great that somehow slipped, but I'm probably gonna stick to the outlines that I have made.

In other words, instead of trying to adapt to the draft as it is going, adapt to it before hand by planning what you do if something unexpected Does happen.

[portisfan24]

I also project what rounds a player will go in(based on mocks, my own opinion, etc.) so if you think there was a guy who should have gone in the second and he is still the in the 4th, grab him.