Tips for a first time auction drafter?

I've been reading some strategy suggestions online, and trying the mock drafts.

But I thought I'd see if anyone here had any sage advice for me before I do my first auction draft.

The league is standard scoring (passing TDs are 6 pts tho), we start QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, FLEX, TE, K, D/ST, and our draft budget is $200.

I'm trying to come up with some budget and ideal scenario ideas. Right now I'm thinking I want to spend big early on a top RB, then try to slow down and get value at my other spots (especially QB), save some money so I can target guys late.

What strategies have you guys used that you feel work?

Don't nominate a player you really want when everyone has a lot of money

If u try to run up the bids on a player, be willing to not regret having the guy on your team. I did that last year w/ Demyterius Thomas, but he ended up helping me win my league.

It sounds like there's a lot more to the strategy with auction. More of poker game kinda thing. And sadly, I'm not that great at poker...

How much time do you spend worrying about the other players, how much money they have, and what positions they have? Do any of actually track that yourselves during the draft?

And what's the best way target lower value guys you like? Wait until players are going for cheaper and hope you still have money? Nominate them half way in when people are starting to clamp down on spending?

Or do you guys most just go big early and roll the dice late (the "stars and scrubs" philosophy)?

Originally posted by teeohh:

Don't nominate a player you really want when everyone has a lot of money

This.

And wait, Wait, WAIT. Noobs like you will overspend from the start and miss out on some GREAT bargains later on. When it's your turn to put someone up for bid (not always, just your first few turns) nominate someone on your NOT draft list for the minimum and watch others overpay

Originally posted by TheFunkyChicken:

It sounds like there's a lot more to the strategy with auction. More of poker game kinda thing. And sadly, I'm not that great at poker...

How much time do you spend worrying about the other players, how much money they have, and what positions they have? Do any of actually track that yourselves during the draft?

And what's the best way target lower value guys you like? Wait until players are going for cheaper and hope you still have money? Nominate them half way in when people are starting to clamp down on spending?

Or do you guys most just go big early and roll the dice late (the "stars and scrubs" philosophy)?

NEVER go big early. You might be able to get Ridley at 1/5 of the cost of Adrian Peterson. Decide what ONE player you wanna go big on and when he's up see how it goes, if the bidding gets crazy just bow out before you regret it

Okay, so that draft just went down, and I think I did okay, but it got a little weird.

There were only a few other players that deliberately waited for good deals. So I cleaned up on steals late. But I also didn't bite on a lot of good talent early, and even ended up with $6 left over. Wasn't planning on it, but everyone else was broke...

Also, WRs I liked kept dropping like crazy. So I ended up getting a ton of good WRs, but missing out on RBs. Kinda the opposite of what I wanted.

Here's my team. I would definitely like some feedback on it, and my spending.

QB - Stafford ($16)
RB - Richardson ($57)
RB - Sproles ($14)
WR - Cruz ($23)
WR - Colston ($21)
FLEX - Wayne ($10)
TE - Sudfeld ($1)
K - Bryant ($2)
D/ST - CHI ($2)

BN - Nicks ($9)
BN - Amendola ($8)
BN - A. Brown ($7)
BN - Ball ($7)
BN - Mendenhall ($3)
BN - Bradshaw - ($14 [my last pick and I still had money left over....])


I have, by far, the best depth. But I would love to try and turn some of that into top players.

What do you guys think? Did I hold my own?


Oh yeah, it's a 12 team standard league with 6 pts for passing TDs.

realize there are solid alternatives to the guy you want..don't over pay on him

unless you get a TOP 3 RB....just wait

Originally posted by jrg:
realize there are solid alternatives to the guy you want..don't over pay on him

unless you get a TOP 3 RB....just wait

That's pretty much what I did. But it worked too well. I ended up with a too many players too start. If I could go back I would have bid a little more for a few guys and not ended up with so many WRs....

Post the rest of the teams (and their players value) abd we'll help you come up with some trade offers. There's gotta be at least a couple teams in need of that WR riches you've got that can maybe trade you a solid RB1

If youre gonna over pay for someone. Make sure its a consistent 300+ points player. Other than that its all about who you want and if you can get a steal or 2

Here are the other teams. Which there's definitely some guys who don't have any good WRs. Bad Motherluckers is playing for next year's keepers I think. But I still floated the idea of a WR for RB trade. Would love to get Wilson, Lacy, or Miller from him....

Who else seems like good prey?


Bad Motherlucker
1. (43) Vernon Davis (SF - TE) $11 2. (61) Torrey Smith (Bal - WR) $15 3. (63) David Wilson (NYG - RB) $31 4. (65) Eddie Lacy (GB - RB) $19 5. (73) Lamar Miller (Mia - RB) $23 6. (79) Andrew Luck (Ind - QB) $15 7. (85) Cecil Shorts (Jac - WR) $5 8. (89) Christine Michael (Sea - RB) $12 9. (97) Josh Gordon (Cle - WR) $6 10. (107) Giovani Bernard (Cin - RB) $15 11. (109) DeAndre Hopkins (Hou - WR) $7 12. (118) Daryl Richardson (StL - RB) $4 13. (120) Kenbrell Thompkins (NE - WR) $3 14. (122) Michael Floyd (Ari - WR) $3 15. (131) EJ Manuel (Buf - QB) $1

Pinche Babosos
1. (8) LeSean McCoy (Phi - RB) $56 2. (10) Marshawn Lynch (Sea - RB) $60 3. (14) Drew Brees (NO - QB) $61 4. (38) Greg Olsen (Car - TE) $5 5. (53) Anquan Boldin (SF - WR) $8 6. (74) Robbie Gould (Chi - K) $1 7. (86) LaMichael James (SF - RB) $1 8. (98) Jermaine Kearse (Sea - WR) $1 9. (121) Alshon Jeffery (Chi - WR) $1 10. (132) New York (NYJ - DEF) $1 11. (148) Percy Harvin (Sea - WR) $1 12. (155) Jeremy Maclin (Phi - WR) $1 13. (162) Julian Edelman (NE - WR) $1 14. (169) Brandon Myers (NYG - TE) $1 15. (173) Michael Turner (Atl - RB) $1

Buddhist Fishwives
1. (20) Matt Forte (Chi - RB) $55 2. (26) Brandon Marshall (Chi - WR) $40 3. (41) Jermichael Finley (GB - TE) $3 4. (46) Larry Fitzgerald (Ari - WR) $36 5. (49) Vincent Jackson (TB - WR) $27 6. (57) Tony Romo (Dal - QB) $15 7. (104) BenJarvus Green-Ellis (Cin - RB) $2 8. (106) DeAngelo Williams (Car - RB) $8 9. (110) Cincinnati (Cin - DEF) $2 10. (111) Stevie Johnson (Buf - WR) $6 11. (119) Denarius Moore (Oak - WR) $2 12. (142) Pierre Thomas (NO - RB) $1 13. (149) Justin Blackmon (Jac - WR) $1 14. (156) Matt Prater (Den - K) $1 15. (163) Isaiah Pead (StL - RB) $1

beardo's weirdos
1. (4) Arian Foster (Hou - RB) $71 2. (5) Calvin Johnson (Det - WR) $62 3. (7) Colin Kaepernick (SF - QB) $33 4. (28) Jonathan Stewart (Car - RB) $8 5. (45) Le'Veon Bell (Pit - RB) $9 6. (55) San Francisco (SF - DEF) $7 7. (67) Kendall Hunter (SF - RB) $2 8. (100) Austin Collie (SF - WR) $1 9. (134) Jordan Cameron (Cle - TE) $1 10. (143) Phil Dawson (SF - K) $1 11. (150) Chris Givens (StL - WR) $1 12. (157) Emmanuel Sanders (Pit - WR) $1 13. (164) Malcom Floyd (SD - WR) $1 14. (170) Willis McGahee (Den - RB) $1 15. (174) Darrius Heyward-Bey (Ind - WR) $1

Cheddahwurst
(2) Doug Martin (TB - RB) $62 2. (11) Seattle (Sea - DEF) $5 3. (42) Cam Newton (Car - QB) $23 4. (48) Dwayne Bowe (KC - WR) $15 5. (59) Jordy Nelson (GB - WR) $14 6. (71) Ryan Mathews (SD - RB) $11 7. (76) Antonio Gates (SD - TE) $5 8. (77) Mike Williams (TB - WR) $3 9. (81) James Jones (GB - WR) $6 10. (90) Mike Wallace (Mia - WR) $6 11. (101) Shane Vereen (NE - RB) $17 12. (113) Stephen Gostkowski (NE - K) $1 13. (114) Andre Brown (NYG - RB) $4 14. (116) Mark Ingram (NO - RB) $5 15. (124) Knowshon Moreno (Den - RB) $1

Pocketful of Pancake
(1) Adrian Peterson (Min - RB) $77 2. (6) Jamaal Charles (KC - RB) $61 3. (17) Rob Gronkowski (NE - TE) $20 4. (35) Tom Brady (NE - QB) $25 5. (52) Kyle Rudolph (Min - TE) $6 6. (105) Greg Jennings (Min - WR) $2 7. (125) Eli Manning (NYG - QB) $1 8. (144) Kenny Britt (Ten - WR) $1 9. (151) Johnathan Franklin (GB - RB) $1 10. (158) Shonn Greene (Ten - RB) $1 11. (165) Philip Rivers (SD - QB) $1 12. (171) Jacquizz Rodgers (Atl - RB) $1 13. (175) Josh Freeman (TB - QB) $1 14. (177) Jermaine Gresham (Cin - TE) $1 15. (179) Carson Palmer (Ari - QB) $1

Mean Machine
(22) Alfred Morris (Was - RB) $47 2. (27) A.J. Green (Cin - WR) $45 3. (37) Demaryius Thomas (Den - WR) $38 4. (47) Russell Wilson (Sea - QB) $18 5. (58) Reggie Bush (Det - RB) $22 6. (69) Jason Witten (Dal - TE) $6 7. (91) Chris Ivory (NYJ - RB) $11 8. (115) T.Y. Hilton (Ind - WR) $4 9. (126) Ben Roethlisberger (Pit - QB) $1 10. (135) Lance Moore (NO - WR) $2 11. (141) Michael Bush (Chi - RB) $2 12. (145) Denver (Den - DEF) $1 13. (152) Vick Ballard (Ind - RB) $1 14. (159) Blair Walsh (Min - K) $1 15. (166) Isaac Redman (Pit - RB) $1

WestBostonWhackers
1. (16) Chris Johnson (Ten - RB) $36 2. (19) Ben Tate (Hou - RB) $8 3. (30) Matt Ryan (Atl - QB) $34 4. (32) Andy Dalton (Cin - QB) $4 5. (34) Steven Jackson (Atl - RB) $45 6. (40) Wes Welker (Den - WR) $17 7. (44) Houston (Hou - DEF) $4 8. (56) Tony Gonzalez (Atl - TE) $11 9. (68) Robert Griffin III (Was - QB) $18 10. (72) Pierre Garcon (Was - WR) $6 11. (84) Eric Decker (Den - WR) $6 12. (92) Tavon Austin (StL - WR) $4 13. (103) Miles Austin (Dal - WR) $5 14. (127) Joe Flacco (Bal - QB) $1 15. (137) Mason Crosby (GB - K) $1

Preying Manti's
1. (3) C.J. Spiller (Buf - RB) $55 2. (25) Dez Bryant (Dal - WR) $40 3. (39) Julio Jones (Atl - WR) $42 4. (54) Darren McFadden (Oak - RB) $19 5. (62) DeMarco Murray (Dal - RB) $20 6. (80) Michael Vick (Phi - QB) $5 7. (93) Bryce Brown (Phi - RB) $3 8. (94) DeSean Jackson (Phi - WR) $2 9. (99) Steve Smith (Car - WR) $3 10. (112) Fred Davis (Was - TE) $4 11. (117) Brian Hartline (Mia - WR) $1 12. (123) Jared Cook (StL - TE) $2 13. (128) Jay Cutler (Chi - QB) $1 14. (133) Fred Jackson (Buf - RB) $2 15. (138) Roy Helu (Was - RB) $1

Tackling Dummy
1. (18) Randall Cobb (GB - WR) $33 2. (21) Peyton Manning (Den - QB) $48 3. (23) Stevan Ridley (NE - RB) $41 4. (24) Jimmy Graham (NO - TE) $35 5. (31) Frank Gore (SF - RB) $31 6. (64) Martellus Bennett (Chi - TE) $3 7. (139) Vincent Brown (SD - WR) $1 8. (146) Ronnie Hillman (Den - RB) $1 9. (153) Arizona (Ari - DEF) $1 10. (160) Justin Tucker (Bal - K) $1 11. (167) Jonathan Dwyer (Pit - RB) $1 12. (172) Danny Woodhead (SD - RB) $1 13. (176) Ryan Broyles (Det - WR) $1 14. (178) Alex Smith (KC - QB) $1 15. (180) St. Louis (StL - DEF) $1

Hellcats No More
1. (12) Maurice Jones-Drew (Jac - RB) $35 2. (15) Ray Rice (Bal - RB) $57 3. (29) Aaron Rodgers (GB - QB) $39 4. (36) Roddy White (Atl - WR) $27 5. (51) Andre Johnson (Hou - WR) $27 6. (88) Owen Daniels (Hou - TE) $3 7. (95) New England (NE - DEF) $1 8. (129) Golden Tate (Sea - WR) $2 9. (130) Mikel Leshoure (Det - RB) $2 10. (136) Bernard Pierce (Bal - RB) $2 11. (140) Sidney Rice (Sea - WR) $1 12. (147) Matt Schaub (Hou - QB) $1 13. (154) Zac Stacy (StL - RB) $1 14. (161) Kendall Wright (Ten - WR) $1 15. (168) Sebastian Janikowski (Oak - K) $1

Pinche Babosos

that's your target right there, blew his money on 3 guys, his WR1 is Boldin, who the f**k is his WR2? Jeffery?

You can easily offer Sproles and any 2 of your WR's for Lynch. See if he's at least willing to discuss. You have a lot to work with.

Pocketful Pancake and the guy you mentioned would be guys to talk to ass well.

Originally posted by vrabbit:
Pinche Babosos

that's your target right there, blew his money on 3 guys, his WR1 is Boldin, who the f**k is his WR2? Jeffery?

You can easily offer Sproles and any 2 of your WR's for Lynch. See if he's at least willing to discuss. You have a lot to work with.

Pocketful Pancake and the guy you mentioned would be guys to talk to ass well.

Yeah, Pancake was the guy I thought of first. But he's a friend of mine that I just brought into this league for the first time. So I don't want to totally ream him right off the bat.

I mean, it would be funny if I did.... But I feel like with him in particular I should offer something fair. He's a chiefs fan, so I don't know which RB he'd rather keep.

So my two questions are:

1. What's a good first offer to Babosos? Start with Nicks and Sproles for Lynch and Boldin? Then go up to Nicks, Wayne, Sproles for McCoy, Meyers, Boldin?

2. What's a fair offer to start with Pancake? Colston, Nicks, Bradshaw for Charles, Rudolph, Eli?

I feel like I'm operating from a position of strength, so I don't want to push it. But if these top heavy teams have a lucky week 1 I could see them refusing to give up big parts.