Alright, folks, let’s dive into my little project from this week: figuring out my fantasy football tiers for 2024. I’ve been playing fantasy football for years, and I’ve found that having a solid tier-based ranking system really helps me during the draft. It’s not just about individual player rankings, but grouping guys with similar projected output.
So, first, I grabbed my usual sources – you know, the big-name fantasy football websites, a couple of podcasts I trust, and some of those “expert” rankings (though I take those with a grain of salt). The goal here wasn’t to copy their rankings, but to get a general sense of the player pool.
Next, I opened up a good ol’ spreadsheet. Nothing fancy, just a simple Google Sheet. I created columns for position (QB, RB, WR, TE), and then a bunch of columns for different stats: projected points, yards, touchdowns, receptions, and whatever else seemed relevant for each position.
Then came the time-consuming part: populating the spreadsheet. I went through each position, player by player, and started plugging in numbers. Now, I’m not a stats guru, so I didn’t build some complex projection model. I mostly used the averages from my sources, sometimes adjusting a bit based on my own gut feeling (like, if I think a player is due for a breakout year or is on a new team that might change their role).
Sorting into Tiers
Once I had all the data in, this is where the tier system came into play. I started sorting by projected points within each position. The idea is to find “clumps” of players. You know, where you see a clear drop-off in projected points from one group to the next.
- Tier 1: These are the studs. The guys you can rely on week in and week out, barring injury. The no-brainers.
- Tier 2: Still really good players, but maybe with a little more risk or slightly lower ceiling than Tier 1.
- Tier 3: Solid starters, but maybe more dependent on matchups or game flow.
- And so on… you get the picture.
The trickiest part is always figuring out where to draw the lines between tiers. It’s not an exact science. Sometimes, you’ll have a couple of guys who seem really close, and you just have to make a judgment call. That’s where I look at those other stats – yards, touchdowns, etc. – to see if they help break the tie.
I also made sure to consider things that stats don’t always capture, like a player’s injury history, their team’s offensive scheme, or even just how consistent they’ve been in the past. All the stuff us football nerds have to think about.
After a few hours of tinkering, sorting, and re-sorting, I finally had my tiers. I’ll probably tweak them a bit as we get closer to the season and more news comes out (training camp battles, injuries, etc.), but for now, I feel pretty good about it.
Having these tiers ready makes me feel way more prepared for my draft. It helps me avoid getting caught up in the heat of the moment and overpaying for a guy just because he’s the next name on the list. Instead, I can see which positions are getting thin and adjust my strategy accordingly. Good strategy always helps you out.
So, that’s my process! It might not be the most sophisticated method, but it works for me. Hope this helps some of you out there get ready for your own fantasy football domination!