Best Ball Slow Draft Strategy: Drafting A Player Out For The Season
gm, Australia.
A core difference between fast and slow drafts is not just the time allotted to draft picks, but the information available at the time of drafting.
Fast drafts (30 second draft clocks) are a snapshot of the information available at a current moment of time, where as slow drafts (8 hour draft clocks) are a reflection of information for a much larger time period. Sometimes a slow draft can last a month!
This core difference of time and information available allows us as slow drafters to react to information to change draft strategy mid-draft if needed. A recent example? Calvin Ridley’s full year 2022 suspension.
That feeling of drafting a premium priced player that ends up being ruled out for an extended period of time due to injury or suspension can be demoralizing —THIS TEAM IS DEAD AND I HAVE TO KEEP LOOKING AT IT!!!!
I’m here to say pump the brakes. As the odds may be stacked against the team, a team is never dead. Let my 2021 Underdog Best Ball Mania II 17th place finish be the example.
2021 BBMII Team Review
My 2021 BBMII team was a slow draft. I drafted JK Dobbins in the 4th round, and shortly after, news broke that Dobbins was out for the year due to a torn ACL. My thought process was “Dammit this team is royally F’d”, but I also thought, how should I adjust my draft strategy?
My plan was to increase fragility of the quarterback and tight end ‘onesie’ positions, which would allow me to increase player depth at the RB and WR positions. Why? Added depth at RB and WR would hopefully make up for the lost Dobbins production at not only the RB position, but also the flex position.
Result
QB - As I prefer three quarterback builds, I decided that I would only draft two, and hope they both hit as top 10 finishers (Allen finished QB1, Stafford QB5).
TE - At the time of this draft, I had recently wrote about the potential viability of Solo TEs, and with my late 2021 draft season Andrews optimism peaking, I decided I’d roll the dice to bet on the strategy and narrative that Andrews would produce as an elite TE (he ended TE1).
By only drafting one TE and two QBs, I was able to draft 6 total RBs and 10 WRs.
RB - Damien Harris (RB13) and Leonard Fournette (RB7) were as solid fantasy producers as any other RBs in 2021 and this team literally rode them all year until Rashaad Penny (RB36) emerged late in the season as a tournament winner. Yes - Xavier Jones was on this team. At the time (prior to his achilles tear and Rams signing of Sony Michel), Jones sentiment was rising as the clear back-up to RB Darrell Henderson.
WR - Cooper Kupp ended the season WR1, while the combination of DeAndre Hopkins (when he played), Stefon Diggs (WR7) and Brandin Cooks (WR20) contributed top 24 WR production the entire season. Like Penny, Rookie WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR21) production ascended down the stretch of the season.
2022 Calvin Ridley Example
A situation I would have preferred to avoid in 2022 is having drafted a player in March that is already out for the year. However, I did draft Calvin Ridley (7th round price tag - R u kidding?) in multiple slow drafts.
On those teams, I have embraced fragility at the quarterback and tight end positions. Below is an example of a superflex team, which I had already drafted three quarterbacks.
I prefer four quarterbacks in superflex, so I consider three quarterbacks to be a fragile build.
Having drafted Travis Kelce early allowed me to draft to the solo TE construction narrative.
I was more accepting of drafting multiple Rookie players on this team in hopes of landing in desirable offensive situations.
Mahomes-Kelce and the fresh off the press Matthew-Robinson slim stacks.
I accepted a more “zero RB” strategy, in hopes that one of Edwards, Gainwell, Drake or Michel emerge as ROI top-tier winning candidates in 2022.
To be fully transparent, in superflex I do believe I could have went either more fragile at the RB or WR positions, at the opportunity cost to add a 4th QB. I believe QB depth to be that important in superflex!!
I don’t believe this team is dead yet!
Concluding Thoughts
Calvin Ridley will not be the last player of the 2022 draft season that will be determined out for the year prior to season kick-off. When in slow drafts and having drafted players out for the year, be willing to adapt to the news and deviate from your typical draft strategy. I think accepting fragility at the onesie positions may be a strategy that just might work when targeting to offset the loss of a premium priced player at the RB or WR positions!
