Alright, so I wanted to get a leg up on my fantasy football league this year. I’ve been burned in the past by relying on outdated rankings, so I decided to dig into Average Draft Position (ADP) data, specifically for half-PPR leagues. ESPN is my league’s platform, so that’s where I started.
Finding the Data
First, I needed to find the actual ADP data. you can found it on the ESPN fantasy football section.
Making Sense of It All
Once I landed on page, I was staring at a table. A ton of names, numbers, and a couple of abbreviations I sort of understood. It’s basically a list of players, ranked by how early they’re usually being drafted in fantasy leagues.
I started to see how it all broke down.
- Rank: This is the player’s overall ranking based on ADP.
- Player Name: Well, that’s self-explanatory.
- Team: Which NFL team the player is on. Important for bye weeks!
- Position: QB, RB, WR, TE, D/ST, K. The usual suspects.
- ADP: This is the key number. It shows the average position in a draft where this player gets picked. So, an ADP of 5.3 means the player is typically drafted around the 5th or 6th pick.
Digging Deeper – Half-PPR Impact
I play in a half-PPR league, and I noticed on page “Half-PPR” option . I clicked it
Half-PPR means players get 0.5 points for every reception. It might seem small, but it makes a difference! It boosts the value of players who catch a lot of passes, especially running backs and some wide receivers.
I started comparing the standard ADP to some other rankings I found online that were specifically for half-PPR. I noticed some key differences:
- Running Backs Rise: Guys like Austin Ekeler, who are known for catching passes out of the backfield, often had a higher ADP in half-PPR than in standard.
- Some Wide Receivers Shift: Slot receivers, who tend to get a lot of short catches, sometimes got a little bump.
Building My Draft Strategy (a little)
I’m not going to reveal my entire draft strategy, gotta keep some secrets, right? But here’s what I started to think about:
- Early Rounds: Look, top-tier running backs and wide receivers are still gold, even in half-PPR. But, I’m definitely going to prioritize pass-catching backs a little higher than I might have in a standard league.
- Middle Rounds: This is where the half-PPR ADP really helps. I’m going to target some of those running backs and wide receivers who might be undervalued in standard leagues because they rack up receptions.
- Don’t Sleep on Tight End: If you can snag a reliable pass-catching tight end, it’s a huge advantage.
Used It.It’s very important to use filter. I selected “Half-PPR” and found value players.
My Takeaway
Using ESPN’s Half-PPR ADP data isn’t a magic bullet. It’s just one piece of the puzzle. You still need to consider player injuries, team changes, and your own gut feeling. But, it definitely gives you a better idea of how other people in your league might be drafting, and that’s a huge advantage.
Now, I feel a little more prepared. Let’s hope it translates to a championship this year!