Alright, so today I decided to get my hands dirty with predicting how my fantasy football draft might go. I’ve been playing fantasy football for years, but this year, I wanted to be a bit more prepared. So, I thought, why not try to project the draft?
First, I grabbed my league settings. We’re a 12-team league, standard scoring, with the usual positions: QB, 2 RBs, 2 WRs, TE, FLEX, K, and DEF. Nothing too crazy there.
Next, I started looking at some rankings and average draft position (ADP) data. I figured those would be a good starting point. Basically, ADP tells you where players are typically being drafted in other leagues. It’s not perfect, but it gives you a general idea.
Then, I started thinking about my own draft strategy. I’ve always been a “wait on a quarterback” kind of guy. I figure there are plenty of decent QBs available later, so I’d rather load up on running backs and wide receivers early on. Also, I want to grab players whom are not always the best, but consistently above average.
My Mock Draft Process
I went round by round, trying to think like each of the 12 team owners. I know some of these guys pretty well, so I could kind of guess their tendencies. Like, I know “Big Joe” always goes for a top running back in the first round, no matter what. And Sarah always tries to get her favorite team’s players, even if they’re not that great.
- Round 1: Mostly running backs and top wide receivers went here. I snagged a solid RB for myself.
- Round 2: More of the same, with a few top quarterbacks starting to go. Still, I resisted the urge and grabbed another good RB.
- Rounds 3-5: This is where things got interesting. Wide receivers started flying off the board, and I made sure to get a couple of good ones. Also, a few tight ends went in this range.
- Rounds 6-10: This is where I finally grabbed my quarterback. There were still some solid options available, so I felt good about it. I also filled out my starting lineup with a TE and some depth at RB and WR.
- Rounds 11-16: These late rounds are all about finding sleepers and filling out your bench. I grabbed a kicker, a defense, and a few players I think could have breakout seasons.
After going through all 16 rounds, I had a pretty good idea of how my draft might go. Of course, it’s just a projection. Anything can happen on draft day. But at least now I feel a little more prepared and have a better sense of what to expect. And if I am honest, there are so many players that you can find to fill your team, you just need to focus on your personal strategy.