Auction drafts are easy to “win” but even easier to “lose.” Dave Caban overviews the preparation, thought processes, and in-auction strategies needed to ensure that you’re ready for the intensity and challenges auctions will throw at you and are poised to leave your draft with a contender.

A Reminder From the Introduction

If you have never participated in an auction draft or have spent little time considering auction strategy or optimal approaches, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Questions such as “How much is too much for Justin Jefferson?” or “Who should I nominate and when?” may arise. Additionally, you might wonder how to create a value worksheet for the draft, whether to employ a Zero RB strategy, or if a stars and scrubs approach is viable.

While no single optimal approach exists, there are strategies and advantages to be gained by recognizing that an auction draft is fundamentally different from a snake draft. Auctions are not linear, and no two are the same. This reality is a double-edged sword: while it allows for team construction that would be impossible in a snake draft (where average draft position [ADP] limits flexibility), it also complicates draft preparation and contextualization.

For nearly a decade, I have dedicated significant time to thinking about auction drafts, participating in expert auctions, and analyzing in-auction dynamics. During this period, I have written numerous articles that I believe will thoroughly prepare you for the mentally challenging exercise of an auction draft. Many of the principles that underlie effective auction draft strategies are not intuitive, and I have found that novice auction drafters often ask the wrong questions during preparation. In fact, attempting to determine exact