Auction Strategy

Tue Aug 27 12:59pm ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Auction drafts are becoming a lot more popular these days. They give you a chance to get any player as opposed to a regular snake draft. So with a different style of drafting, there comes different strategy. And as always, we are here to help. Below are a few tips to help you navigate your next auction. And if you want to sign up for an auction, click here to see all we have to offer here at RealTime Fantasy Sports. 

Tier your rankings. I always suggest tiering your rankings for any draft, but this especially rings true for an auction. It is vital to know your cutoff spots for your each position. This will help ensure that you don’t miss out on getting an RB1 or WR2. You control your fate at an auction, so there really isn’t a good reason to leave a draft without getting an RB1 on your roster. When you see the tier getting low, make sure you don’t leave the draft before that tier runs out. I highly suggest tiering come auction day.

Vary your strategy for nominating players. You don’t want to fall into a rut and give away any info to your fellow owners. It is fine to nominate guys you want on your team. It is also smart to nominate guys you don’t want. I like to mix it up to make sure the owners don’t know my targets.

And also vary your bidding strategies. Just like nominating players, you will want to bid on guys you don’t really want. Keep owners guessing when it comes to your strategies. Obviously, you don’t want to get stuck with a player you don’t want, so make sure you aren’t bidding too close to what seems like the finish line. Just make sure you don’t fall into a rut of only bidding on your targets. Owners will pick up on this and bid you up.

Go big on your starters. This is a little risky but I really like going big on my starters in an auction. I don’t mind a weak bench. It can burn you but there isn’t another fantasy league you can get two No. 1 running backs and two No. 1 receivers on the same roster. In my view, staying healthy is a big key in any format. So why not load up on as many elite players as you can in an auction? I like to leave an auction with a very formidable starting lineup.

Know your budget. Every auction gives you a number that you can spend. For example, you could have $150 to spend at a 12-team, 18-roster spot league. That is roughly $8 to spend per player. You will not spend that if you hope to win your league. I like to set target numbers for each position, including bench spots. So when the auction happens, I can try to get close to that number I have set for each position. This helps me not overspend. You might have to pivot during the auction if things go off the rails, but most of the time, you can stick pretty close to your goals for each position.

Pay attention to other owners at the auction. There are going to be owners running up players to get people to spend more. There are also going to be owners that just nominate players they want. Don’t be afraid to run them up as well. You need to be paying attention to what other owners are doing. You don’t want to get caught up in your own little world. The auction format is one of the few drafts that you really can have an impact on how it plays out.

Don’t be afraid to overspend a little to get your player. I have no problem overspending a little on a player you are targeting. If you want a top-three running back and have a $41 target price for one of these backs, it is fine to spend $45 or so to ensure you get them. You don’t have to stick to your price. It is alright to spend a little more to get the players you want. You could end up regretting it when the auction is over. Plus, there is a good chance you save on a few players later in the draft, causing things to even out.

Always spend all your money. Lastly, there is no reason to take money home at an auction. Spend it all. An owner that leaves the auction with some money left is likely an owner that is going to lose the league. The difference in value of a player that is $2 compared to $6 is pretty significant in an auction league. That is why you don’t want to leave an auction with money in hand.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at [email protected]. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Player Notes
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