Alright, so today I decided to tackle something I’ve been putting off for my fantasy football league: creating player tiers. I always hear the experts talking about them, and it seemed like a good way to get my head around the player pool before the draft. Figured I’d share how I went about it.
Getting Started
First, I opened up a good old spreadsheet. Google Sheets, to be exact, because it’s free and easy. I needed somewhere to dump all my player names and start sorting them. I knew I wouldn’t be inventing any fancy metrics here, it was more about grouping guys based on my gut feel and what I’ve been reading.
The First Sort: Positions
Obviously, you gotta start with the positions. So I made separate tabs for Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers, and Tight Ends. I also added a tab for Kickers and Defenses, those are afterthoughts.
Populating the Lists
This part was a bit of a grind. I went to a few of my go-to fantasy football websites and just started copying and pasting player names into my spreadsheet, position by position. I wasn’t too worried about ranking them within the positions yet, I just wanted to get everyone listed.
Creating the Tiers (The Fun Part)
This is where the magic happens. I started with the Quarterbacks, since they’re the easiest for me to get my head around. I looked at the list and thought, “Okay, who are the absolute studs? The guys I’d be thrilled to have as my QB1?”
- Tier 1 (The Elite): These guys were the no-brainers. The Mahomes, Allens, and Hurts of the world. I just knew I’d be happy starting them every single week.
- Tier 2 (Solid Starters): Guys I’d be comfortable with, but maybe they have a slight question mark. Maybe a new offensive coordinator, or they’re coming off an injury.
- Tier 3 (Good, with Upside): These were the guys who could potentially break out, or who were in a good situation. Maybe a second-year QB ready to take a leap.
- Tier 4 (Streaming Options/Backups): The guys you might pick up off the waiver wire during the season, or who you’d only start if your top QB had a bye week.
I followed a similar process for Running Backs, Wide Receivers, and Tight Ends. It got a little trickier with those positions, especially Wide Receivers, because there are just so many of them! The key was to not overthink it. I relied on my initial impressions, combined with stats and projections I’d seen.
Tweaking and Refining
Once I had my initial tiers, I went back and started comparing players within each tier. I’d ask myself, “Would I rather have Player A or Player B?” And I’d move them around accordingly. This is where I spent most of my time, going back and forth, second-guessing myself, and then going back to my original gut feeling.
Kickers and Defenses
I did those at the end. I created 3 tiers.
- Tier 1:I copied some names.
- Tier 2:I copied some names.
- Tier 3:I copied some names.
The Result
Finally, I had a tiered list for each position! It wasn’t perfect, and I’m sure I’ll be tweaking it right up until draft day, but it gave me a much better sense of the player landscape. Now, instead of just seeing a giant list of names, I have a structured view of who I’m targeting and where I think the value is. It felt good to get it done, and I’m definitely feeling more prepared for my draft.