Hello again! This series has been on hold for a long time, but it’s time to get back on the horse and dive right back into all that fantasy learning. Let’s not waste any more time!
Where We Left Off
Back in March (this is part two, so click that link if you missed that one) I talked through my fantasy shortfalls, and how we were going to get better at them together. As a reminder, Eddy (the number one ranked TGFBI player) is my fantasy guru throughout this journey. Step one, the draft, was finished shortly after, and with the season back up and running let’s go through what went well, what didn’t, and what to take away from it all (all picks are on my twitter @LaVerite_13, most with reasoning, we won’t go through all of them here).
Plans Are Useless, Planning is Essential
Eddy’s first piece of advice reframed a few things for me about fantasy drafts. He set me the task of running through several scenarios at my first three picks (12, 29, 52). There are a ton of mock draft websites out there, so I spent a good chunk of time just drafting those first three, starting over, and noting patterns. Knowing how the board might fall gives you a lot of knowledge to adjust to how it is falling. That brings me to take away two:
Keep Your First Picks Cohesive
As things go further down the line, you’ll have the chance to make more isolated picks- when you take a closer in round twelve that doesn’t have to be a decision you make based around the last two picks. The first three rounds are different in a league like mine; the expected production will begin to drop off steeply in most drafts (if you have fewer teams I’d include round four before that dip hits).
So what does that mean? It means you should have a balanced base that makes sense after those first three. I ended up with Lindor (a nice little drop), Corbin, and Bryant. With how the board fell, that gave me the best chance to stay competitive in all categories.
As a counter-example, and how I probably would’ve drafted without Eddy at my side, I probably would have ended up with Scherzer, Corbin, Morton. Is that a bad top end? Individually no, those are all technically good values, but think about where that leaves the non-pitching categories. At that point I’d have to hit on every single hitting pick to overperform, and no one is that good. If you don’t have to, don’t give up categories that early.
Find Your Weaknesses
This is a piece of advice to follow all the way through the draft, but can be especially good for those middle rounds that can have you feeling a bit lost. Three out of my first four picks were hitters, and I didn’t know where to go next. Something that I came back to again and again which Eddy really stressed to me, was simply, “Where are my weaknesses?”
In round five, it was starting pitching. Later down the line it would become power, and that would make several picks (Hello, Franmil Reyes) much easier. It can be very easy to get stuck with a lot of similar options that all seem around the same, but they aren’t the same value to your team. Be proactive, keep your weaknesses in mind, and those picks will become a lot more straightforward.
Just Set a Queue
This one is pretty simple. You never know when you might have internet issues, or forget you have a pick, etc. You don’t have to set it to pick automatically, but just don’t get stuck auto-drafting a Triple-A player like I did.
Sometimes, Your Crazy Plans Aren’t That Crazy
Once you get to the later rounds, your own personal projections matter a lot more. If you’ve followed our advice until late in the draft, you’ve got a solid base, you’re keeping abreast of weaknesses, and now it’s time to pick some league-winners.
I had a plan in those late rounds- a corner-infielder, an outfielder, and a pitcher in no particular order over the next three. Here was the crazy plan: Dylan Cease, Trent Grisham, then Evan White. Those are some Prospects Live Approved players, but more than that I was happy with it. All three would have been reaches, there were backups if anyone reached any more than I did, and I had done my research.
Then I had that voice in the back of my head sound off and say, “Don’t do that, that’s too crazy.” So I took David Peralta and then Dylan Bundy. Now those are fine picks, but they aren’t the players I researched and looked to target. If you’re making a calculated risk, there’s nothing crazy about that. Go get your guys at that point. By the next pick I’d talked to Eddy and learned my lesson, and took Evan White- and I feel great about that. You have leeway in the late rounds, don’t doubt your prep work.
Looking Ahead
Obviously I don’t have a full season of FAAB and management ahead, but I do have some that I’ll be writing about. Overall I’m very happy with the draft, and I think there was a lot to be learned both from the highs and lows, which is one last mini-tip for you to take into your own drafts. I hope you’re enjoying the journey as much as I am, I’ll be back soon with episode three!