Just get it right. If only if it were that easy. Fantasy football is supposed to be a fun diversion from daily life, but stress just gets in the way. It’s important to keep things in perspective and remember that this is a hobby meant to bring joy. But money, pride, and bragging rights are at stake, so things sometimes get stressful. By no means can anyone truly offer the magic elixir, but we can try and come close. So let’s jump into 10 fantasy football draft mistakes to avoid.
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10 Draft Mistakes
Not Knowing the Rules of Your League
Apologies if this sounds oversimplistic, but we have to begin from the top. Not every fantasy football league is created equal. Each website has its own set of rules, and if you are playing in a private league, then you could be at the mercy of your commissioner. Here are some questions you should know the answer to prior to draft day, as they could have a material impact on your strategy and roster construction:
- When do waivers run?
- Is there a bidding system for free agents?
- Are there open free agents at any point in the week?
- Is there a limit on transactions?
- Are there minimums and maximums on each position both on draft day and in season? Essentially, do you have to draft a kicker?
- Is trading allowed?
Not Knowing the Scoring Settings
This is where advantages and edges could potentially be found. Does the scoring system over- or under-weight any positions? If so, your drafting strategy could require a revision.
- Is your league PPR (point per reception), standard (yardage and touchdowns), or touchdown only?
- How does scoring for each position work?
- Do quarterbacks get four or six points for passing touchdowns?
- How do negative points work?
Using Outdated News
Things change. It happens by the hour, let alone the day or week. You aren’t going to make beach plans based on the weather forecast from two weeks ago, so why would you draft a fantasy football team with news that’s two weeks old. This isn’t something where you could just drop in at a point in time, and be good to go. Ingest all of the content you can find. Read that article from a month ago, but also follow the news that’s coming out each day to put everything in context.
Failing to Make Your Own Ranks
I’m not drafting your fantasy football team. It’s not my pride and money on the line. Sure, I stand by my ranks, and that’s what I’m drafting off of, but we aren’t the same person. My ranks are also based on a generic league and scoring setup, and they aren’t updated to account for any differences in scoring or league rules.
Please review my ranks and agree or disagree with them all day. But use it as a guide in making your own rankings. The last thing anyone should be doing is entering their draft and just going off a list. That’s how panic sets up when you’re in the hot seat to make a pick. Factor in as much input as you want, but please, do your own ranks.
Not Being Organized
Our lives are crazy. Everything is digital: shared calendars, reminders, different devices, etc. When you sit down at the draft table though, forget about all of that. Have your materials ready, shut all the other notifications off, and be prepared with your process. This isn’t the time to shuffle through papers or open browser tabs. Show up early, set yourself up, and be ready.
Not Having a Plan
A fantasy football draft isn’t meant to be a lazy Sunday strolling Main Street and letting the wind dictate where you go. Please don’t be one of those people who has bathroom breaks scheduled to the minute, and only allows 10 minutes to eat lunch, and if it goes to 11, you’re out of luck, but make a plan. Just don’t be too Type A when doing so.
Failing to Pivot
Yes, I know I just told you to have a plan. And now I’m saying to throw it away? Does this guy even know what he’s saying?
The problem with a plan is that it’s in a vacuum. You might think you know what’s going to happen, but can you, with full certainty, account for your league mates and every decision they make? What if a player gets hurt and is out for the season an hour before your draft? That one domino could throw the whole plan out the window. There has to be room in your plan to pivot, and you have to be comfortable doing so.
Panicking
When you make a plan, the universe generally laughs at you. You need to go into your draft, and really life, with that mindset. As much as you can plan and have contingencies in place, things are bound to go off the rails. So stay calm, don’t panic, and stick with that plan. And when you can’t, comfortably pivot.
Don’t Rely on Technology
Technology is a great resource. But you have a finite amount of time to process each pick and make your own selection. It’s better spent analyzing the options rather than looking at five different computer screens. You want to be present in the draft room and not a zombie behind a screen. And what if the WIFI crashes? Then what? I might be old school, but give me a pen and a pad.
Keep Your Wits
I’m all for having a good time and enjoying legal substances. But don’t overindulge in anything that will take your focus away from the task at hand.
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