Last-Minute Fantasy Football Draft Tips: Don't Get Attached To Any Strategy
Fantasy

Last-Minute Fantasy Football Draft Tips: Don't Get Attached To Any Strategy

Cooterdoodle is here with some last-minute fantasy football draft advice, just in time for one of the busiest draft weekends of the year.

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There are no “get rich quick” schemes in fantasy football.

Trust me.

But there are some last-minute tips you can follow to try and make the best of your roster on fantasy football draft day.

But first:

Let’s get the stupid sh*t out of the way.

Eeeevery year, there’s that one guy who doesn’t follow the most basic advice. The simplest aspects of fantasy football. The downright bare f*cking minimum.

This is for that one guy:

  • Know your league rules & scoring
  • Pay your league dues
  • Have the app downloaded before the draft starts

Now, for those of you who actually know what you’re doing.

Three Last-Minute Draft-Day Tips

I'll let you in on a little secret.

Champions get sniped. Champions lose players to injuries. Champions don’t have perfect draft picks through 18 rounds.

Champions are champions because they don’t panic, they know when to pivot and they prepare.

Tip No. 1: This is not the disco, so don’t panic.

Like I always tell myself when the Saints are down by 17 points with 2:00 left in the fourth quarter: DO NOT PANIC.

There’s no use in wasting precious time on the clock fretting and worrying. One pick won't ruin your draft, but self-imposed pressure to not ruin future draft picks will cause you to panic and pick your way right into the loser's bracket.

  • Forgot your cheat sheet? Sucks, but there’s built-in fantasy football ADP in your drafting software (or you can use Fantasy Life's Draft Companion to keep things moving with recommendations at every turn.)
  • Got sniped? Maybe your leaguemate did you a favor. Move on from it and make your pick.
  • Your draft strategy blew up right in front of your face? Wanted to draft a late-round QB, but they're flying off the board faster than their ADPs would have implied. IT'S FINE, DUDE. Appreciate the gems that are falling to you.

Matthew Berry's Ride or Die

Tip No. 2: It's not illegal to look ahead.

There’s no way to predict how the board will fall to you during your draft. But if you take a peek at the guys typically being drafted in the rounds ahead, you can begin to identify your personal "boundaries" and where you might need to prepare for a pivot.

By taking a peek at the board, you're able to address some key points that will help you draft confidently and adhere to Tip No. 1.

Pro Tip: Using Fantasy Life's Draft Board and Grid setting, you can see how players' ADPs fit within each round of your draft.

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When looking ahead at the board, ask yourself:

  • Who are you hoping to draft with your next pick?
  • Who are you NOT willing to take with your next pick?
  • Knowing what position(s) you want to secure next, how many players do you like from the remaining pool?

Identify your “do not draft” guys in each round. That way, when they fall to you, you’re not surprised and overwhelmed. They were always going to be there, stinking up the place.

Just move down a few spots in ADP to a guy you prefer.

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Tip No. 3: Don’t get married to anything.

Drafting is like college. You’re allowed to experiment.

But if you want to have a good time, you don’t want to be committed to anything during your draft.

  • Don’t get married to any one draft strategy.
  • Don’t get married to the ADP.
  • Don't get married to a "must-have" player.

Your draft day will be unpredictable. Rather than fighting it, this is your time to experiment and scroll down a few picks.

Maybe you planned to draft Zero RB, but now you're drafting Hero RB. OR MAYBE YOU WANT TO TAKE IT SLOW AND NOT LABEL IT AT ALL.

Want to change your plan because the board isn't falling the way you had hoped it would? That's fine! Change it.

You’re not married to it.

Bonus: Evergreen Tip

Annnnnd one more time for good measure: Pay your league dues.

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