17 Jan 2013
Posted by Kyle Wachtel 
Without a doubt, auction drafts have become my preferred drafting method for fantasy football leagues. No owners can gripe about their draft position since every person begins on completely even ground. Every player is within your grasp if you’re willing to pay the price. You can craft your team however you wish. Maybe you’d like to spend big money for a few elite players or perhaps you would rather opt for a more balanced lineup of solid starters. How you go about your draft is up to you, but here are my tips for tackling an auction draft (Any values discussed are based on a $200 budget):
- Be flexible. Each draft is different and you must be able to adapt. Sure, you really wanted an elite RB like Arian Foster, but if the top RBs are being overvalued then swallow your pride and be smart. The more some players are overpaid for, the bigger discounts you’ll see for others. On the opposite end of the spectrum, if the owners in your league are playing cautiously and saving their money, then don’t be afraid to capitalize and grab a couple elite players.
- Keep track of player values. This can be an arduous task, but it can really pay dividends. I assume that you already cross taken players off of your cheat sheet, so just be sure to write down the value right after. Knowing the trends of the auction is imperative if you want to take advantage of the bargains. What positions are being overvalued/undervalued? How much will you need to bid for a similar player? Etc.
- Everyone has a right price. I have been spurned by Darren McFadden on more than one occasion, but I’d advise you to never cross a player off of your list before hand. Perhaps it’s late in the draft, you still need another RB, budgets have been depleted some, and your fellow owners are also sheepish; one of them is about to get him for $13… “Going once… going twice…” jump in and take advantage of the value. Sure you didn’t plan on targeting him, but your goal should be to construct the best possible roster within the limits of your budget.
- Watch out for bidding wars. No matter how much you wanted a certain player, you must know when to let go. It’s very easy to get caught up in the moment during a back-and-forth: Calvin Johnson, 45. 50. 52. 55. 56. 57… Concede defeat when a player’s price surpasses your limit otherwise you’ll be digging out of a hole for the duration of the draft.
- Use your entire budget. Do not head home with unused funds or toss away your remaining $15 for Sebastian Janikowski. Rather than settling for Torrey Smith at $16, you could have used that money to secure Julio Jones for $30.
- Nominate players likely to be overvalued. Rather than nominating a player you want, your goal should be to entice the other owners to overspend as much as possible and as early as possible. The best way to do this is by nominating highly coveted, elite players or geographically linked players. If your league is headquartered in Massachusetts, then put up Stephen Gostkowski and watch as competing Patriots fans bid him up to $5 or more. It may not seem like much, but those extra dollars add up.
- Place reasonable starting bids. This tip is for maintaining a smooth, swift auction rather than for strategic purposes. Auction drafts can be quite lengthy. Therefore, if you nominate Adrian Peterson, then rather than starting at $1, you should begin with $30. If someone else nominates Foster for $1, then boost him up to a reasonable starting price off the bat as well. Ultimately, Foster will easily hit the $50 threshold, these reasonable starting bids will help bypass the early, pointless back-and-forth bids and keep things moving.
- Keep track of your budget. If your auction draft takes place online then you can likely disregard this tip. Otherwise, it is important that you know your remaining budget and your max bid at all times. Max bids can be calculated by this simple formula:
Remaining budget – remaining roster spots + 1 = max bid
- Only bid for what you want. Squeezing out an extra few bucks from the budget of a big Eli Manning fan only seems like a very smart and sneaky move. If Eli is currently underpriced, then go ahead and place a bid. However, if he has already reached market value, do not press your luck for the sole purpose of attempting to exploit a competing owner. You could easily lose that game of “hot potato” and be stuck with a damaging deal.
- Key on your handcuffs. Backup running backs are of a greater value to the owner of the starter than any other owner. So don’t be afraid to spend a little more for Bernard Pierce if you landed Ray Rice earlier. Nevertheless, if someone knows you want the handcuff and tries to bully you, then ease up and let him get stuck with the overpriced backup.
- Remain calm. It is very likely that everything won’t be going your way. You’re going to miss out on some of your targets. Maybe you bid a little much for a certain quarterback. Don’t overbid just because you haven’t selected a player in a little while. Just do not panic. Maintain an optimistic mindset and allocate the rest of your funds the best you can.
