Ross Durham examines D/ST draft strategy in FFPC best ball leagues and finds the optimal window for drafting defensive units.
Like me, you probably haven’t been paying enough attention to the defense/special teams position in fantasy football. With the growing popularity of defense-less (and kicker-less) formats in best ball and classic leagues, a lot of us just don’t devote many brain bytes to a position that could provide a nice structural advantage at very low cost. But in formats that still include the D/ST position, getting those picks right can be a difference maker. Let’s take a look at how defenses still matter for best ball.
How many defenses should I draft?
With all the decisions that go into a draft, it’d be nice to relegate one position to autopilot. For years I’ve drafted defenses the same way: identify the flat areas in the double-digit rounds, decide on a handful of D/STs I like, and plug one in whenever I think most of my other targets will get back to me. Stop at three. This is pretty cavalier compared to the agony I feel when both Mark Andrews and D’Andre Swift slip in the second round and I can only take one of them. Using the RotoViz Roster Construction Explorer, we can see broadly what different defense structures have done for win rates in FFPC leagues over the last five years.
