| Fantasy Forecast: Auction Draft Survival Guide |
| By John Georgopoulos |
Published
07/8/2007
|
Fantasy Forecast
| Unrated
|
|
|
John Georgopoulos
Senior Editor and Founder John T. Georgopoulos is a 15-year veteran of the fantasy sports industry. He has written for several national fantasy magazines and has appeared on sports talk stations around the country.
John has also been a six-time finalist for various Fantasy Sports Writer Association (FSWA) awards; his Fantasy Forecast column was awarded the 2006 Best Fantasy Football In-Season Series by the FSWA.
View all articles by John Georgopoulos
Fantasy Forecast: Auction Draft Survival Guide
Georgopoulos was able to keep his man-crush on Rudi Johnson a secret just long enough to get him at a bargain price.
|
In-Draft Strategy
As your auction draft starts, there are some important strategic points to keep in mind:
-
Psychology
of Nominations - The order of the players you nominate plays a crucial
role. In a recent Experts Auction Draft, I had targeted Steven Jackson and Rudi Johnson as my top runners; naturally, I nominated Larry Johnson for
my first pick. The reason I did this was because I knew Johnson is
considered a Top Three runner and that he would go for a high price. Sure
enough, Johnson went for over $60. I landed Rudi Johnson for $26 and Cadillac Williams for $19 (Jackson went for $46). You can also set folks up by
establishing a 'bluff', much like in a poker game. In the same Experts'
draft, I nominated Peyton Manning on my second turn, and remained in
the bidding until $40 or so (he went for over $50). I then also bid on
another owner's nomination of Tom Brady to about $40. I'm sure
that several owners felt I was jonesing for a top QB, like Carson Palmer. So when my next two nominations came up, I put up Matt Hasselbeck
and Eli Manning and opened the bidding at $9 each. Amazingly, the
other owners felt I was trying to 'run up' to lesser QBs in order to
save my money for Palmer or perhaps Michael Vick. But Hasselbeck and Manning were my two real QB targets all along. I got Hasselbeck for $11
and Manning for the original $9. I was able to land two starting QBs for less than my budgeted amount ($30) for one starting QB. And each of
my opponents felt that I had screwed myself out of Palmer or Vick!
Flexibility
- Jackson was obviously on someone else's 'must have' list as well. I
noticed the run up on Jackson, and bowed out at $30. I then shifted my
attention to Cadilliac Williams and was able to nab a decent runner at a
bargain price. Discipline - At one
point, I was very tempted to bid $45 on P. Manning, thinking I could get
him for a good price; then I reminded myself that to do so would have
thrown my entire pre-draft strategy into the trash. Note: While
flexibility and discipline are polar opposites, it is the balance of
the two that will determine the success of your draft! Adaptability
- in the example above, I had budgeted $54 for two starting runners; I
acquired those two RBs for a total $45. I immediately adjusted my
pre-draft guide, allocating the spare $9 to my starting WR allotment.
This meant I could afford to spend $63 for three starting WRs,
increasing the average per WR from $18 to $21. Accounting
- You need to know both your roster and your budget at all times;
furthermore, you need to know your opponents' rosters and budgets at
all times. Being aware of your opponents' needs and budgets will allow
you to nominate players in such a way so as to maximize our own bid
values.
Of
course, the principles outlined above are merely meant to be guides,
not absolute truths. A lot will depend on how well you know the other
owners, how well they know you; league rules may force a shift in the
way your budget gets allocated.
Auction
leagues can be a little more draining and time-consuming, but perhaps
more rewarding than traditional drafts. Give one a try and you'll see
what I mean!
|
|
|
