Three keys to drafting in a 14-team fantasy league
Yahoo Fantasy's Josh Norris and Joel Smyth offer draft advice for managers in larger leagues.
Video Transcript
How does your draft strategy evolve in a 14-team league compared to a smaller one?
So Joel, we took you on one side of the spectrum, and we're gonna force you to answer the question the opposite end.
I have three quick tips, I would say, especially when we're- Okay getting 14 teams, very large.
Lots of 28 players are going in those first two rounds.
So with one, I would say to balance the risk a little bit more.
Not that you have to completely fade your Malik Nabers, your George Kittles, Tucker Krass, the guys that are injured right now, but I would not draft multiple or a lot of them in your starting lineup.
Like, if you're drafting Nabers, I would try to draft pretty healthy everywhere else.
Or draft players like DeAndre Swift to set it off, who has, like, my number nine guy injured that first month of the season.
But I wouldn't, like, start my draft with Jeanty and then Malik Nabers as my first two picks just because these 14-team leagues, you gotta make the playoffs, and there's not a lot of depth that, that there is in those leagues in general.
So number two, on the opposite end, I would say the floor plays in the later rounds become more enticing.
You technically have a deeper starting lineup just because there's not many players on waivers.
There's so many teams in the league.
So your Stefon Diggs, Wan'Dale Robinson in PPR leagues, Chris Godwins become a little more enticing.
As usual teams will have them as their number one bench player in a 14-team league.
If you are having 10 to 12 points per game every single week from Stefon Diggs as your flex, that's pretty solid for a 14-team league.
And then that last one is just waiting on quarterback to wherever yours, you're comfortable.
With 14 quarterbacks potentially, I would find how many quarterback ones I consider or, like, I'd be comfortable with.
For me, I would love to have one of the top 11, and if 10 of those are drafted, I would rather have, like, I really want that 11th quarterback before it gets to that 12 and 14.
But you are waiting kind of up until that last moment.
I'd rather wait to quarterback 10 to 12 than take quarterback two Lamar Jackson.
I think that is the number one piece of advice here for these deeper leagues is to wait on quarterback.
I mean, if we just look on Yahoo right now, Brock Purdy's the quarterback 12.
Patrick Mahomes is the quarterback 13.
Bo Nix is the quarterback 14.
Matthew Stafford is the quarterback 15.
I think three of those were top eight scorers at the position last year in points per game, and you just have to feel comfortable getting one of those guys.
You gotta push and push and push until, everyone else in your league has really selected quarterbacks, and then get ahead of them when it comes to running backs or starting wide receivers and, and all that stuff.
Because how you outlined it, saying that 28 players are gonna be in the top two rounds, I mean, that means DeVonta Smith is a second round pick.
That means Jeremiah Love or Kyron Williams is a second round pick.
That makes me nervous.
So yes, push quarterback and then prioritize other positions too.
