Tips For AFL Fantasy Drafts
The strategies here are useful for AFL fantasy leagues with a draft where one player is allocated to one specific fantasy team in the league.
The more teams in the fantasy league the more important the star ruckmen and forwards become:
If it is a 16 team league, push the quality ruckmen and goal-kicking forwards much higher up in player rankings. There are around 5 to 10 really good fantasy ruckmen and forwards, while the midfielder depth for fantasy players is somewhere around 50 to 100 players.
Use the last pick/first pick of the rounds to fill a position:
If your team's first draft picks, for an 8 team league, are 8 and 9 it will be a long wait until you pick again. Draft two ruckmen in succession to get an advantage, if you select White and Fraser or Cox and Lade you can still get star midfielders with your next picks but if you wait for two rounds for your next draft picks it could be too late to get a good ruckman.
Use your bench to cover for your older, angrier or injury-prone players:
If you draft a player like Buckley who might be rested for a game or two throughout the season, you can use a late pick on another Collingwood player who would see increased action in those games. There are some players that are regulars at the AFL tribunal, you can cover the suspension risk by drafting that player's teammate, for example if Mooney is in your team you could use your last pick to put Nathan Ablett on your bench. Ruckmen have their share of injuries over the season, if you are playing a star ruckman in your fantasy team you can have the insurance policy of his backup on your fantasy bench. If Cox is hurt then you put Seaby in, if White is out and you have Jamar on your bench then you have it covered.
Establish how important goals are for that fantasy league:
If a lot more fantasy points are given to goals then obviously the players like Fevola, Gehrig and J Brown become much more important.
Pre-rank the players in the important positions very high on your list:
If you have to rank players for them to be drafted, forget about midfielders for the early picks and put star ruckmen, forwards and backs up the top of your list.
Use the other players' favourite teams against them:
If you know the other fantasy coaches in your league during a live draft, or if you can work out their allegiance due to their fantasy team name it can provide an advantage. If you have a couple of picks close together and are deciding between two players, but are unsure as to which one will last to the next pick, if one of the players you want is a favourite player of someone then you take them as they wouldn't last until the next pick. If your league has trading between fantasy teams, then having a couple of Magpies players could make it easier to trade with a Collingwood supporter, as everyone likes having their favourite players on their fantasy team.
Draft by the previous season's averages:
While total stats are important, when drafting players look at their averages from the previous season. That's why Jonathan Brown will go in the top 3 or so players.
Be careful with drafting older players from bad teams:
There are incentives for teams to rest, or shut down, their star veterans later in the year. It can allow the players more time to prepare for the next season and it doesn't hurt a team's draft picks either. If you had Adam Simpson and Shannon Grant last season in a fantasy team then it wasn't helpful for the final few rounds.
The more teams in the fantasy league the more important the star ruckmen and forwards become:
If it is a 16 team league, push the quality ruckmen and goal-kicking forwards much higher up in player rankings. There are around 5 to 10 really good fantasy ruckmen and forwards, while the midfielder depth for fantasy players is somewhere around 50 to 100 players.
Use the last pick/first pick of the rounds to fill a position:
If your team's first draft picks, for an 8 team league, are 8 and 9 it will be a long wait until you pick again. Draft two ruckmen in succession to get an advantage, if you select White and Fraser or Cox and Lade you can still get star midfielders with your next picks but if you wait for two rounds for your next draft picks it could be too late to get a good ruckman.
Use your bench to cover for your older, angrier or injury-prone players:
If you draft a player like Buckley who might be rested for a game or two throughout the season, you can use a late pick on another Collingwood player who would see increased action in those games. There are some players that are regulars at the AFL tribunal, you can cover the suspension risk by drafting that player's teammate, for example if Mooney is in your team you could use your last pick to put Nathan Ablett on your bench. Ruckmen have their share of injuries over the season, if you are playing a star ruckman in your fantasy team you can have the insurance policy of his backup on your fantasy bench. If Cox is hurt then you put Seaby in, if White is out and you have Jamar on your bench then you have it covered.
Establish how important goals are for that fantasy league:
If a lot more fantasy points are given to goals then obviously the players like Fevola, Gehrig and J Brown become much more important.
Pre-rank the players in the important positions very high on your list:
If you have to rank players for them to be drafted, forget about midfielders for the early picks and put star ruckmen, forwards and backs up the top of your list.
Use the other players' favourite teams against them:
If you know the other fantasy coaches in your league during a live draft, or if you can work out their allegiance due to their fantasy team name it can provide an advantage. If you have a couple of picks close together and are deciding between two players, but are unsure as to which one will last to the next pick, if one of the players you want is a favourite player of someone then you take them as they wouldn't last until the next pick. If your league has trading between fantasy teams, then having a couple of Magpies players could make it easier to trade with a Collingwood supporter, as everyone likes having their favourite players on their fantasy team.
Draft by the previous season's averages:
While total stats are important, when drafting players look at their averages from the previous season. That's why Jonathan Brown will go in the top 3 or so players.
Be careful with drafting older players from bad teams:
There are incentives for teams to rest, or shut down, their star veterans later in the year. It can allow the players more time to prepare for the next season and it doesn't hurt a team's draft picks either. If you had Adam Simpson and Shannon Grant last season in a fantasy team then it wasn't helpful for the final few rounds.
