Just an FYI- According to the rules you listed. This is not a TE premium.
Never mind I read the rules wrong. TE is listed in two different spots.
Just did one of these myself and grabbed Kelce and Waller at the 1.12/2.01 turn. Sort of regret not going Pitts over Kelce but both guys were top 12 overall scoring in this format last year. It’s a strange format. Lots of owners grabbing RB2s in the middle of the draft when WR2s and backend TE1s/TE2s are scoring as many or more points much later. I think it’s a good format though, really makes you reassess how to value players
Top of the draft was wild. 10 QBs straight to start the draft. The usual suspects then Lawrence, Burrow, R Wilson and Stafford (!), followed by CMC 1.11 and me at the turn. Then Pitts and Kittle in the next 3 picks and no additional QB selected until Fields at 2.12. Very streaky at positions throughout the first 10 rounds. If I had to do it again, and I’d love to do another one, I would more aggressively pursue trade backs in the first part of the draft because I think the premium and flexibility really strengthen the round 7-12 picks beyond what you’d normally expect
This was a fun read! Joined one of these also. Was sure fun to see all the different strategies. In mine, 12 of the first 13 picks went QB. I got a laugh at the comment about some ignoring TE even though it’s a premium. That ended up being me! Every time I considered one they’d go a little before me and I liked a RB or WR better so all I ended up with was Harrison Bryant late as a dart throw.
I actually traded out of the first to try something different. Started Jefferson, Metcalf, then Watson in the 3rd. So probably punting this year a little bit, but will have 2 1sts next year.
I’ve now entered two of these (one draft complete, the other at the halfway point). In both cases, QBs at elite TEs definitely flew off the board in the early rounds (9 and 11 QBs in the 1st round in the two I’ve done, and 15 QBs through 3 rounds). We’ve had diverse builds, including TE heavy (Kittle, Waller, Kelce at the 1-2 turn, including a trade, and 11 TEs total) and no TEs at all. None have completely avoided RB or WR, but that is probably because you would really have to force the issue and take lesser value players. I did want to address a concern Ryan McDowell raised on the pod and Twitter…the possibility that the lack of position requirements could suppress trading. In the first league, we had 26 trade of startup pick, future picks and players during the draft alone (and more subsequently). In the other, only seven trades. So, I think it really depends on the group of managers, and also on having a few big trades at the beginning to get people in the mood and create some draft position asymmetries on the board. But having no positional requirements for rosters (except driven by SF/TEP scoring raising value at QB and TE) in many ways seems to open up trades and the players that can be packaged in them; in most cases, managers are just looking for players they value (floor vs upside, tolerance for injury risk, etc) rather than being limited by a specific positional need. We’ll see if that maintains during the season. But all in all, I love the format and am wondering if I will ever go back to “normal” leagues again.
I read the rationale, but still very surprised you went with Baker over Tannehill. He outscored Baker by 90 points last season, added Julio, and their D should be garbage. With Tannehill, and getting lucky with a waiver/dart throw RB you’d be competing for the title.
Personally I think you are over-investing in TE. I don’t think a single full point extra for a reception is going to make higbee a stud all of a sudden. A lot of these tight ends outside of pitts I just don’t thin have the same upside as WR/RB even with the premium. At least where you drafted them. I think you could have waited or went after guys like Dan Arnold much much later
I don’t understand the makeup of this roster…you have two aging WRs in Diggs and Thomas who will absolutely deliver WR1 production for the next two seasons at the bare minimum, but without any consistent RB or depth they’ll probably be 29 years old with rapidly diminishing value
by the time you’re RB stable is where it needs to be. In addition to that in TE Premium the only real advantage that’s being gained is by the elite 3 TEs, Henry and Higbee will hardly be difference makers. You should also hope that you’re a firm contender before Matt Ryan hits his age 39/40 season.
Interesting format, great read! thanks a lot
best regards from Germany
It’s definitely a cool way of changing rankings. I wonder what a winning build would look like here. I would have faded Edmonds and Hines completely and the non elite TEs. It’s a purely point driven league other than QBs. I would have picked so many WRs since they tend to have more stable values. Very interesting to think about!
