Fantasy football continues to evolve in the different formats that are available to users. The emergence of keeper and dynasty leagues for long-term commitments has grown in popularity. There are also daily options, like DraftKings DFS, where you can pick new players on an everyday basis.
However, the formats for drafting season-long fantasy football leagues still boil down to either snake or auction drafts for the process of selecting players.
There are advantages and disadvantages to each format. It also should be noted that your individual league rules and roster structures should be considered before drafting in either case. Here is a brief breakdown of the directions you can take for both formats.
Snake Drafts
Likely the format most fantasy football fans are familiar with, Snake Drafts remain the most common. This involves having a pre-set order for selecting that reverses after each round. Each team makes one selection per round.
On the positive side, you are guaranteed to add one player in each round as you build your team. However, you are not in full control of the players you are targeting, as each other player has a chance at taking your same target. For example, if you have the 10th pick in the draft, it is essentially certain you will not be able to draft Christian McCaffrey.
There are a variety of strategies for snake drafts. It also would be wise not to be dead-set on any one approach entering the draft and adjust as the board plays out in front of you.
Here are a few of the more common strategies that could yield great rosters.
Hero RB:
This strategy involves taking a top running back and then waiting until the later rounds to add a second. The hope is that the production from this running back can be enough to make up for the other and that prioritizing other positions is what is best for your team.
With so many teams splitting carries in their backfield, adding one of the guaranteed featured backs carries significant value. This strategy typically results in taking chances on bigger upside swings at the running back position in the later rounds.
Zero RB:
To take things a step forward, the zero running back strategy involves not taking any running backs until the middle rounds. This is a strategy that generally should not be predetermined and is more reactionary to how the draft board is playing out.
If running backs are flying off the board above their ADP, it may be the best route to prioritize drafting wide receivers, a quarterback, and perhaps a top tight end. Theoretically, you should end up with better wide receivers than anyone in your league.
Zero WR:
To take the exact opposite approach, the zero wide-receiver tactic involves prioritizing running backs in the early rounds. In this situation, you generally take three running backs, a quarterback, and possibly a tight end before selecting your first wide receiver. The thought process is that, generally, there are fewer impact running backs than wide receivers, so it makes sense to get as many as you can.
A note: It is crucial to hit on a late-round wide receiver who outperforms his draft slot significantly for this to be successful.
Robust RB:
A slight step back from the zero WR strategy, robust RB still involves prioritizing running backs early in the draft. Even as the NFL has evolved to become more pass-dominant, the most valuable players are often still effective running backs. This strategy involves drafting three running backs within the first five rounds to set the foundation of your team.
While coming from a similar mindset as the zero WR tactic, this strategy is more based on prioritizing running backs rather than devaluing wide receivers.
Auction Drafts
The most appealing characteristic of auction drafts is that every participant has an equal chance going into the season. In this format, every player starts with the same set budget to build a team. They then go through each available player and bid how much they are willing to pay. This opens the door to drafting two players with similar ADP, which would likely be impossible in a snake draft format.
While the drafts take longer to complete, this provides much more opportunity to build your team how you desire. Rather than prioritizing position, the strategy behind auction drafts is built around how you manage your budget.
For some participants, the plan will be to grab a few high-cost studs early on. They’ll then hope to hit on late-round cheap options. Others will prioritize having enough money to evenly distribute to each position and keep a well-rounded team.
When the draft is complete, there are typically far more diverse rosters compared to snake drafts. Managers are unable to just lean on ADP and instead must make more difficult decisions.
There are pros and cons to each format of drafting. You also can succeed in a variety of ways in both types of drafts. In either case, your fantasy football season will be won by taking late-round undervalued players. It’ll be lost by early-round picks that do not perform.
In all formats, you should react to the options in front of you rather than be overcommitted to a gameplan going in. While we all have our top targets and players to avoid, it’s important to react accordingly to what opportunities pop up.
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I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and user (my username is seanbarnard) and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information.
