Small Auction League Strategies?

[JaguarCrazy2832]

So for the last 3-4 years I've been running a 12 man auction league, got my strategy down to a science but unfortunately due to Covid uncertainty and some other stuff we had 4 people drop out so we're down to 8...How do you think this changes the auction format? 

Standard Scoring

QB

2 RB

2 WR

1 RB/WR

2 Flex

TE

DST

K

9 Bench spots

 

We added the 2 Flex spots and 2 bench spots to help compensate for the loss in members but what would your draft strategy be since our league got so small?

[Dr LBC]

Honestly, the same strategy should still apply, but I would definitely be more flexible in terms of who you're willing to end up with, because the less people in the auction the more price enforcing is going to be necessary (but that also increases the likelihood that you may get stuck with a guy or three that you were more price-enforcing than actively trying to acquire - so know your cut-off points and I'd even say shave $1-2 off that point to insulate yourself if they are guys you're more focused on price-enforcing than actually trying to buy).

Also, if there are high-ticket guys you really identify as must-have's and there are multiple guys you have in that same tier, do the damnedest you can to make sure they're the first one at their respective position to go on the block, because that guy is still very likely to go for less than the next guy up in that same tier at that same position, and likely for less than the last guy in that tier.  In your situation, I'd say that it's definitely worth considering trying to go after one of those elite TE's (Kelce, Kittle, Andrews) because compared to the next tier, you're looking at guys who last season were posting up weekly performances akin to WR2's versus WR3's and that's a significant difference when considering the context of a much smaller field (10-ish teams as opposed to 12).

Also with that few teams in your league, I'd genuinely suggest just deciding from jump to stream D/ST's (because you'll have a large enough pool to pick from on the weekly wire, especially if you're planning ahead a week or two with your pickup) and play matchups.  Me, personally, I'd be tempted to do that with QB's, too, but that may depend on your read of your leaguemates and how likely a majority of them are going to roster a QB and a backup QB.  Even if they do, in an 8-10 team league, that's taking 14-18 of the starting QB's out of 32 (before any injuries start occurring), which still leaves you roughly half of the starters in the league to choose from on who has the best matchups over 1-3 game stretches.  And it's a strategy that would allow you to devote considerable more resources towards improving the caliber of RB and WR you're starting on a weekly basis.

[JaguarCrazy2832]

30 minutes ago, The LBC said:

Honestly, the same strategy should still apply, but I would definitely be more flexible in terms of who you're willing to end up with, because the less people in the auction the more price enforcing is going to be necessary (but that also increases the likelihood that you may get stuck with a guy or three that you were more price-enforcing than actively trying to acquire - so know your cut-off points and I'd even say shave $1-2 off that point to insulate yourself if they are guys you're more focused on price-enforcing than actually trying to buy).

Also, if there are high-ticket guys you really identify as must-have's and there are multiple guys you have in that same tier, do the damnedest you can to make sure they're the first one at their respective position to go on the block, because that guy is still very likely to go for less than the next guy up in that same tier at that same position, and likely for less than the last guy in that tier.  In your situation, I'd say that it's definitely worth considering trying to go after one of those elite TE's (Kelce, Kittle, Andrews) because compared to the next tier, you're looking at guys who last season were posting up weekly performances akin to WR2's versus WR3's and that's a significant difference when considering the context of a much smaller field (10-ish teams as opposed to 12).

Also with that few teams in your league, I'd genuinely suggest just deciding from jump to stream D/ST's (because you'll have a large enough pool to pick from on the weekly wire, especially if you're planning ahead a week or two with your pickup) and play matchups.  Me, personally, I'd be tempted to do that with QB's, too, but that may depend on your read of your leaguemates and how likely a majority of them are going to roster a QB and a backup QB.  Even if they do, in an 8-10 team league, that's taking 14-18 of the starting QB's out of 32 (before any injuries start occurring), which still leaves you roughly half of the starters in the league to choose from on who has the best matchups over 1-3 game stretches.  And it's a strategy that would allow you to devote considerable more resources towards improving the caliber of RB and WR you're starting on a weekly basis.

So as far as your bench strategy regarding an even smaller league, do you just say screw it and go even harder about putting together the very best starting lineup with your money and if that means you have 7-9 $1 bench players?

[squire12]

agree with @The LBC on a lot in his post.

Stream D and K

If you are not going after a Mahomes, Jackson or Wilson at QB, might as well go for a solid 10-12 type QB (Ryan, Stafford, Murray, Brees, etc) 

Go aggressive after your starters and an extra RB and WR for your flex and bye weeks.  should be a good amount of players late you can get for minimum and on waivers after

[Dr LBC]

28 minutes ago, JaguarCrazy2832 said:

So as far as your bench strategy regarding an even smaller league, do you just say screw it and go even harder about putting together the very best starting lineup with your money and if that means you have 7-9 $1 bench players?

I'd be aiming for 1 quality (better than $1 bids) depth player at each of RB and WR (possibly one other for your flex, that you can adjust on the fly depending on how opportunity presents during-auction), and then fill out with $1-2 players with the rest.  I think 10-team and smaller leagues allow you to go Stars and Scraps/Scrubs pretty easily because injuries/opportunity are always going to expand the viability of the undrafted free agent pool by ~20%.  If we're talking a $200 starting budget (which feels like a low figure for that many roster spots, but it's what all my auctions have started at), I'd be looking at (I'm working the math on the fly here, so don't hold me to it, this might need some tinkering):

Average spending with that budget would say $10/player, which clearly isn't going to happen.

If you figure that on 6 (conservative figure) of those 9 depth players you only spend $2 - that right there gives you any extra $48 to put towards your starters.  Opt to stream defenses on the season, which means you're going after whichever defense with good Week 1&2 or Weeks 1-3 matchups you are able to get for $1 (Colts are a viable option with @JAX, vsMIN, @NYJ; Eagles are @WASH, vsLAR, vsCIN; Pats are getting undervalued again and they've got favorable early matchups).  Same with kicker (who, let's be real, you're not going to hold your kicker through his bye week, unless it's Tucker or maybe Butker).  That's another $19.  Streaming the QB?  Another $8-9 if your stream QB's.  (What are the odds someone's going to spend money on Big Ben to be their backup?  He's got the Giants (granted, on the road and Ben is historically far more consistent at home than on the road, but still, the Giants defense isn't going to be anything frightening) Week 1.  Goff is streamable at home against the Cowboys Week 1, as - very likely - is Bridgewater against the Raiders).  So that's roughly $75 to play with.  If you take 2/3 of that ($50) to devote to your RB1 and WR1 (an extra $25/per or split it up however you feel necessary), that gives you ~$30 for your TE & Flexes and your pricier depth spots.  If, as I suspect you may, you're given more allowance to start because of the amount of roster spots, there's likely another $50 in play (which would allow you an additional $5 each to your RB/WR1's and additional $40 on your other starts, 2 main depth).

It's definitely doable - you just need to go in with a plan, be able to adapt from that plan if opportunity presents itself (or things go horribly off-plan), and price-enforce to make sure that others are getting money out heavily as well, which will give you a better, more diverse pool to snag from when the lower-rate bidding comes along.

[Dr LBC]

4 hours ago, squire12 said:

agree with @The LBC on a lot in his post.

Stream D and K

If you are not going after a Mahomes, Jackson or Wilson at QB, might as well go for a solid 10-12 type QB (Ryan, Stafford, Murray, Brees, etc) 

Go aggressive after your starters and an extra RB and WR for your flex and bye weeks.  should be a good amount of players late you can get for minimum and on waivers after

Auction formats I generally don't sweat bye weeks as much.  I don't go for "punt weeks," that's not what I'm saying.  But as long as my WR1, QB, and RB1 don't share bye weeks, I'd rather have the strongest starters I can get, knowing that I'm diligent on the waiver wire (and know when to be aggressive with my FAAB), because injuries are going to happen, and there's a better than average chance I'm going to be able to fill the majority of my skill position bye week needs (outside QB - if streaming - and TE - unless streaming) via waiver pickups I've made along the way to those byes - or with guys I can plan a week or 2 ahead of said bye that are sitting on the WW and have favorable matchups.

My aim with auction drafts (if there are no keepers involved) is to build the strongest weekly roster I can straight out the gate, since you've got to make the playoffs to win the league, and the sooner I can lock up a playoff berth, the sooner I can start trying to take advantage of playoff-chasing teams to acquire players with really favorable playoff matchups.