Fantasy Football Draft Strategy: Larry Fitzgerald 3rd overall? Different League's; Different Strategies

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	Topic: Fantasy Football Draft Strategy: Larry Fitzgerald 3rd overall? Different League's; Different Strategies
Russell_108 Admin Membership: Starter Joined: September 04 Total Posts: 9928 Favorite Team: Online	Post Date: 07/18/09 05:50 I'm sure some of you think I'm crazy for even suggesting it. But it can make perfect sense depending on the type of league you play in. So much depends on your specific league rules when deciding what type of fantasy football draft strategy to employ. What works for a redraft league may not be the best way to go in a dynasty league, or even a limited keeper style of league. For example, a league I'm involved in uses a limited keeper format. We can keep up to 2 players from our teams every year (max for a single player is 3 years). We have to give up a draft pick 3 rounds higher than his draft position from the prior season. So in 2007 I drafted Michael Turner in round 8 (he was still a backup to LT but I knew his contract was coming up and that he would get a feature RB position with another team in 2008), last season I gave up my 5th round pick to keep him and this year I will be giving up my 2nd round pick to keep him. Last season I also drafted DeAngelo Williams in round 7 so I am giving up my 4th round pick this season to keep him. As you can tell, anyone drafted in rounds 1-3 are not eligible to be kept and have to go back into the draft pool. Well, we ran our draft position randomizer the other night and I ended up with the 3rd pick in round 1. Our league is 14 teams, .5 ppr, and decimal point scoring for yards. We start 1 RB, 2 WR's, and have to flex either a second RB or a 3rd WR. Usually, when you have one of the top 5 picks, you grab the stud RB. But since I already have both Turner and Williams (neither much of a ppr RB, but they make up for that with their rushing stats) my greatest need is a stud WR. So I am planning on grabbing Larry Fitzgerald. I normally wouldn't take Fitz that high, but in this particular league, with these particular rules, it makes the most sense. Only thing that could throw a wrench in my plan is if somehow Adrian Peterson or Maurice Jones-Drew falls to me at #3. If that happens, it will be hard to pass him up even though I don't need a RB. And while AP and MJD should be the first two picks in most every fantasy league, strange things happen in drafts (and many have happened over the years in this league). Something else that is different about this particular league is that we are capped at the amount of players we can have at any given position. It's a 16 round draft and we have 15 mandatory roster spots. Each team must have 2 QB's, 3 RB's, 4 WR's, 2 TE's, 2 K's, and 2 D/ST's. We get one additional player who can be from any position (most teams usually use this for an extra RB or WR). So by capping the amount of players you carry at every position there is a greater importance placed on getting top starters at every position than grabbing top depth. There will only be a max of 56 RB's taken (if every team takes a 4th RB) in this league, and that is way different from most standard leagues. But to get back to the point: different leagues will require different fantasy football draft strategies for success. And the strategy you use in one league may not be the right strategy for another. Leagues that require you to start 2 QB's will have a higher premium on taking QB's earlier than leagues that only start one. A league where you only have to start 1 RB means that loading up on them isn't nearly as important as those that require you to start two. League's where you start 3 RB's every week means that they are even more important than normal. This all goes back to something that has been said many times: to execute a successful fantasy football draft, you need to know and understand your league's rules. Scoring system, starting positional requirements, roster limitations; each play an important role in how you prepare a draft strategy. Larry Fitzgerald 3rd overall? In the league I've just described, you bet! ---- On any given Sunday any fantasy team can beat another, only to still lose Monday night.
RSGFS.com_6 Admin Membership: Starter Joined: September 04 Total Posts: 6349 Favorite Team: Online	Post Date: 07/18/09 06:43 Great timing I just completed an article on 2009 fantasy football projections and added this blog post to it. Thanks Russ. ---- Its not that I have to win- its that I hate to loose!
tony_8690 Membership: Bench Warmer Joined: August 06 Total Posts: 875 Favorite Team: Offline	Post Date: 07/18/09 10:41 Great Info Russ and Jeff. You guys should tell us more about yourselfs how u got started in the fantasy business, where u guys went to school. This is a great site! i keep telling my cousin to visit hopefully he will listen this year.
James_4852 Moderator Membership: Starter Joined: August 05 Total Posts: 2026 Favorite Team: Offline	Post Date: 07/21/09 18:31 I was thinking that when we get going strong very shortly on this site when people are asking advice, that we place a sticky note on all sections on the board telling coaches that before they ask for any advice that they must post their scoring system with their question. The Sticky could say " Read Before Asking Any Advice." or something to thet effect Scoring systems are different in all leagues. They can just let us know if it is a: Standard Scoring system Yardage scoring system. PPR scoring system. That might save time. Scoring systems are so important to know if you are giving Fantasy football advice to someone rather than asking them to give you their scoring system then waiting for them to post back. This might save us all a lot of time. What do you guys think? James ---- Full time Ghostbuster!
RSGFS.com_6 Admin Membership: Starter Joined: September 04 Total Posts: 6349 Favorite Team: Online	Post Date: 07/21/09 19:58 Good idea- I am going to check with Simon to see if there is something else we could do? Tough to do. I also like to ask folks on trades what the trade analyer recommended. That helps me out as well. ---- Its not that I have to win- its that I hate to loose!
James_4852 Moderator Membership: Starter Joined: August 05 Total Posts: 2026 Favorite Team: Offline	Post Date: 07/21/09 20:46 You can win championships with having either a one sided RB or one-sided WR group of great players too. Two years ago I won a league with 4 number 1@ 2 RB's. There was a run early on WR's in the first round. I was the last pick of the first round and then the first pick of the second round. I then decided to nab all of the top RB's or as much as I could in the early rounds. I ended up with great Rb's but a crummy WR group. I mean, Joey Galloway was my number # 1 Wr! Yipes! We started 3 Rb's and 3 Wr's every week and the flex position of your choice. I played all 4 of my stud running backs nearly every week and dominated my league. They were scoring so many points that It did not matter what my WR's scored. The moral of this story is just like Russ said- study the rules and structure of your league, and don't be afraid to change your strategy at a moments notice depending on what the guys that draft in front of you do. I do prefer balance on my fantasy roster though only IF I can get it. Just be prepared for another strategy and pull the trigger on it if you need to. James ---- Full time Ghostbuster!
James_4852 Moderator Membership: Starter Joined: August 05 Total Posts: 2026 Favorite Team: Offline	Post Date: 07/24/09 13:27 This is too funny! I just started my first PPR high performance scoring draft and Fitz... went third! AP and Maurice Jones went 1st and 2nd. I have the sixth pick and I will take L.T. or WR Johnson if he is available. Good call Russ! James ---- Full time Ghostbuster!
Russell_108 Admin Membership: Starter Joined: September 04 Total Posts: 9928 Favorite Team: Online	Post Date: 07/25/09 04:00 In a standard re-draft league, even with PPR and high performance scoring I'd be more inclined to take a RB 3rd overall. In the above league, I have my starting RB's locked up already in DW and Turner. But this goes to show the love Fitz is finally getting from fantasy fans. We've come a long way from my having to defend my assertion that Fitz is one of the elite WR's over the last couple of years. ---- On any given Sunday any fantasy team can beat another, only to still lose Monday night.
Doug_94602 Membership: Bench Warmer Joined: July 09 Total Posts: 8 Offline	Post Date: 07/27/09 12:58 I n a 2 Qb lg would you consider a qb with the #1 pick?
James_4852 Moderator Membership: Starter Joined: August 05 Total Posts: 2026 Favorite Team: Offline	Post Date: 07/27/09 17:43 Doug, There are so few running backs that carry the ball full time in the league anymore that if you can get your hands on one of the few that does,it can carry a special value rather than picking the backs that share duties later on. This year is different though, The number #1 WR's are very thin this year and are going higher than usual. I am involved with my first computer PPR draft right now and I picked up Michael Turner with the 6 overall pick. Turner is not a PPR back, but I could not let him go at that pick. I ended up getting Steve Smith in round #2, Wes Welker in round # 3 and just took Derrick Ward in round #4. The Welker pick was interesting to me. Coaches ended up picking up recievers like TJ Housch.... and Vincent Jackson over Welker and man was I pleased to get him in round # 3. He is like PPR gold. I am seeing TE's going way too early which has me scratching me head this year. James That is why those few always go in the first few picks. ---- Full time Ghostbuster!
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