Okay, so I’ve been messing around with this ESPN ADP thing for fantasy football, and let me tell you, it’s been a bit of a journey. For those who don’t know, ADP stands for Average Draft Position. Basically, it’s where players are typically being picked in drafts.
First, I jumped into a bunch of mock drafts on ESPN. I wanted to see for myself how this whole ADP thing played out in real-time. I joined a few leagues, made some picks, and paid attention to who was going when.
- I noticed that ESPN’s ADP is based on data from all the drafts happening on their platform.
- So, if a player is super popular and everyone’s grabbing them early, their ADP will be low which means he is being picked early in drafts.
- If a player’s not getting much love, their ADP will be higher, indicating a later-round pick.
Then, I started using the ADP data to my advantage. Before my drafts, I looked at the list to get a sense of when certain players might be available.
- If I saw a guy I liked with a high ADP, I knew I could probably wait a few rounds to snag them.
- But if there was a player I really wanted and their ADP was low, I made sure to grab them early before someone else did.
One time, I was in a draft, and I noticed a player I really liked was still available way later than their ADP suggested. I snatched them up, and it turned out to be a great move. Turns out not everyone follows ADP to the letter, and you can find some real steals if you’re paying attention.
I also realized that ESPN sorts players in their draft queue based on ADP. This can be helpful, but it can also be a trap. You don’t want to just blindly follow the queue, or you’ll end up with a team that looks like everyone else’s. For example, if Christian McCaffrey was No.1 in one draft and No.2 in another, his ADP is 1.5 between those drafts. And the teams that did qualify for the playoffs are assigned draft slots 21-32.
So, I started doing my own research, looking at player stats, and reading expert analysis. I combined that info with the ADP data to come up with my own rankings and draft strategy. And the sum of fantasy points and associated player stats given up by each NFL team to opposing fantasy positions is called “Fantasy football points allowed”.
It’s been a learning process, but I feel like I’m getting the hang of this ADP thing. It’s not a magic bullet, but it’s a useful tool to have in your fantasy football arsenal. By using ADP wisely and combining it with your own research, you can definitely improve your draft game and build a winning team.
In a word, Understanding ADP and how to use it can significantly enhance your drafting strategy and help you build a competitive team.