Bench vs starters

[MilkSpiller22]

assuming similar value, should you ever draft a bench player before you drafted all your starters besides for kicker and defense??

Should you reach a little at a weaker position and sacrifice a deeper position??

During drafting should you be thinking about future rounds or only the current round??

I think these 3 questions go together so i am asking them all in one thread...

 

[averagejoe]

I usually do start drafting part of my bench before all of my starters are in. Particularly at RB. If it's the fifth round and I have the choice of Lamar Miller as my RB3 (bench) or Cecil Shorts as my WR3 (starter), I'm going with Miller as my RB3.

 

[TREFF]

Obviously this depends entirely on the starting requirements. But regardless...depending on the flow of the draft of course..I will quite often take a 3rd RB before a starting TE. But by no means is that my "strategy" going in. Its all relative to who is available at the time.

But, the worst advice, at least I think anyway, is to stick to a hardline strategy of "I have to do ...(whatever it may be). That's where the biggest mistakes are made.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

I usually do start drafting part of my bench before all of my starters are in. Particularly at RB. If it's the fifth round and I have the choice of Lamar Miller as my RB3 (bench) or Cecil Shorts as my WR3 (starter), I'm going with Miller as my RB3.

I see your point, but your example is not the greatest since miller's ADP is in the 30's and cecil is in th high 70's low 80's... They are not similar value... Would like to see a better example to see if i would agree...

 

[TREFF]

During drafting should you be thinking about future rounds or only the current round??
..

Yes, but only to a very small point. You should have a vague idea of where you're comfortable drafting you QB, TE, DST, and kicker and pay attention to those position as it nears that point, just in case you're estimate appears to be coming up short. But, other than my next pick, the thing I consider the most is how the other teams in the league are drafting. If 9 of 12 teams have their starting QB..I can likely wait another round before grabbing mine..that sort of thing.

 

[TKOSpikes]

For the most part, I'll be looking for a 3rd RB before a 3rd WR, a TE (not named Graham) and a QB. Of course, the fall of the draft can sway my intentions, but usually that's what I'm looking for...

I'll be taking Le'Veon Bell in the 4th/5th before the Deckers and such... better example?

 

[MilkSpiller22]

Obviously this depends entirely on the starting requirements. But regardless...depending on the flow of the draft of course..I will quite often take a 3rd RB before a starting TE. But by no means is that my "strategy" going in. Its all relative to who is available at the time.

But, the worst advice, at least I think anyway, is to stick to a hardline strategy of "I have to do ...(whatever it may be). That's where the biggest mistakes are made.

I understand and have often taken bench players over starters throughout the years... But assuming similar players... lets say its the 7th round and you have both RBs(no flex) and need a TE... you can get either BGE or Antonio gates/kyle rudolph... would you rather have the depth at RB or a near elite TE??

 

[TREFF]

I understand and have often taken bench players over starters throughout the years... But assuming similar players... lets say its the 7th round and you have both RBs(no flex) and need a TE... you can get either BGE or Antonio gates/kyle rudolph... would you rather have the depth at RB or a near elite TE??

Well first off, Gates and Rudolph aren't near elite TE's..not anymore/yet respectively. And again it would depend on what else is behind them. Is a Jared Cook or Germaine Greshem still lurking? Maybe Eiffert?? Are there any of Ball/Bell/Lacy still available? If the TE'S are really thin, than maybe I grab one..if there are 3 or more TE's available, that I feel comfortable with as my #1, than I will likely fill out my RB depth. If not, I'll take that TE.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

For the most part, I'll be looking for a 3rd RB before a 3rd WR, a TE (not named Graham) and a QB. Of course, the fall of the draft can sway my intentions, but usually that's what I'm looking for...

I'll be taking Le'Veon Bell in the 4th/5th before the Deckers and such... better example?

Its a better example not great, but i dont know if i agree... i think that may be way to early to draft a bench player, especially since you are sacrificing everything else... Bell is a 3rd/4th rounder... if you get him in the 4th you would have 3 RBs and only one something else, which means you are sacrificing a little on either QB or WR2 and therefore WR3

 

[MilkSpiller22]

Well first off, Gates and Rudolph aren't near elite TE's..not anymore/yet respectively. And again it would depend on what else is behind them. Is a Jared Cook or Germaine Greshem still lurking? Maybe Eiffert?? Are there any of Ball/Bell/Lacy still available? If the TE'S are really thin, than maybe I grab one..if there are 3 or more TE's available, that I feel comfortable with as my #1, than I will likely fill out my RB depth. If not, I'll take that TE.

Yes, but is there anything worse than waiting too long to be too late after the run on a certain position?? so why not take the best available needed position(assuming similar value)?? Sometimes when you are thinking about future rounds you get screwed because you wait too long for the sleepers that everyone else knows as well(assuming you are not in a crappy league)...

 

[TREFF]

Well IMHO the worst thing is to get caught up in position runs. If the TE pool is that shallow by round seven..it means one thing..most teams have a TE already. A lot of owners don't take a second, and those that do would be crazy to take a second that high..so why not wait???

 

[TKOSpikes]

sacrificing a little on either QB

I honestly don't think there is such a thing in a 1-QB, 12 team league. In fact, "not sacrificing" on a QB makes you miss good talent at RB/WR. I'd rather sacrifice Brees for Romo, than Forte for DeAngelo....or Cam for Eli than Bell for Leshoure.

 

[TKOSpikes]

Well IMHO the worst thing is to get caught up in position runs. If the TE pool is that shallow by round seven..it means one thing..most teams have a TE already. A lot of owners don't take a second, and those that do would be crazy to take a second that high..so why not wait???

exactly!

 

[dblakejr7]

to me.. draft position trumps most.. as ive come to learn.. if you draft (in a 12 team league) 1-2 or 11-12 then you have to pick players based on availablity .. per your scoring system.. there might be a few rbs left to take that will get you value in rnd 4-5 where the equivelent of wr points in the 6th or 7th id take the rb first before filling other slots if you miss out on the elite TE the next tier could still be available in the 8th or 9th..

 

[MilkSpiller22]

Well IMHO the worst thing is to get caught up in position runs. If the TE pool is that shallow by round seven..it means one thing..most teams have a TE already. A lot of owners don't take a second, and those that do would be crazy to take a second that high..so why not wait???

Well, anyone who drafts gronkowski is definitely going to take a "backup" Te... Pitta, gates and rudolph are the 6th-8th ranked TEs which means after that ther is still 4-5 TEs that need to start in a 12 owner league. there will always be at least 3 owners that like having good backups in all positions(TE included). so if you wait to long you can easily get the 15th ranked TE... That is a pretty significant disadvantage, even if you like that TE... in larger leagues it is even more dangerous to wait...

 

[dblakejr7]

here are the TE averages.. top 6 averaged 8.5 ppg 7-12 avergaed 6.2 per game 13-18 averaged 5 ppg ... where as the top 6 rb = 17.2 7-12 averaged 12.9 .. 13-18 averages 10.3 // you have to go down to the 31-36th ranked rb to equal the same points as the te.. even the 37-42 ranked rb are 4.8 points per game..

 

[TREFF]

here are the TE averages.. top 6 averaged 8.5 ppg 7-12 avergaed 6.2 per game 13-18 averaged 5 ppg ... where as the top 6 rb = 17.2 7-12 averaged 12.9 .. 13-18 averages 10.3 // you have to go down to the 31-36th ranked rb to equal the same points as the te.. even the 37-42 ranked rb are 4.8 points per game..

This proves my point to a T. The difference between a top TE and the #18 is roughly 3 pts a week?? Gimne RB depth and I'll wait and wait and wait

 

[JDM]

I had a league last year where it worked out that I took 4 RB the first four rounds and one more in the next couple. It all depends who is on the board for me and who I think will fall.

 

[Sam Sportboy]

I had a league last year where it worked out that I took 4 RB the first four rounds and one more in the next couple. It all depends who is on the board for me and who I think will fall.

I took 4 RB's and had Julio in there in the 3rd in one league last year.

 

[MilkSpiller22]

This proves my point to a T. The difference between a top TE and the #18 is roughly 3 pts a week?? Gimne RB depth and I'll wait and wait and wait

I love depth as much as the next guy, but dont sacrifice too much depth for your starters... it is not comparing a TE to a WR or a TE to a RB... it is comparing the TE you have to the TE others have... If your TE averages 3 less points a week, then you have a huge disadvantage, especially since you waited so long to get him so it is not like your other starters are better than the other teams...

Example to what i am saying since it is a little confusing... If you draft kyle rudolph in the 7th round you already could have a full Starting roster, so Kyle rudolph would be your TE... if you wait until the 10th round you have not changed the rest of your starters, only your TE and now it would be Owen daniels or martellus bennet or pettigrew...

If that costs you 2 points per week, you are in a huge disadvantage... Of course everyone has their own rankings so if you like those later TEs better than the earlier ones then go for it, but if you wait too long you might not even get those TEs...