Inaugural Superflex Draft

[jbenz0208]

Just posted this in another spot but might be better here. My league is having our inaugural draft tonight. 12 team superflex auction with salary cap. 25 players per team, $250 budget. Here are my initial thoughts:

-I do not care about winning this year or next
-My thinking is people may spend a lot too early and I can load up on some decent younger talent later in the draft on the cheap
-I want to make sure I get a top 5 young QB (Burrow at the worst) and potentially a stud young WR (AJ Brown or Pittman at worst)
-Not taking any somewhat expensive RBs
-After this I will just wait until people spend or potentially bargain shop

Two questions:
1) Does anyone have rankings for a 2 QB / Superflex dynasty league that shows auction values?
2) Any tips / suggestions?

Thanks!

[HippieJuice]

I just joined thinking this site would have a lot of auction information since that seems to be where all the dynasty drafts are going and was bummed it is devoid of information.

I have my first dynasty auction Superflex coming up as well. I hear a lot of people say you should always shoot to win now or at least within a couple year period because the average life of these leagues are 3 to 4 years. Assuming it lasts I am still all kinds of torn on how to attack it and a lot depends on how many you actually start. Ours is 10 with no kicker or defense so the design screams a balanced attack and yet I guarantee people will be shooting 25% of their budget out of the gate on 1 QB. Some will spend 50% on 2.

I agree on being patient but how far down? What do you settle for on QB which will be the core of your team for a long time? Are you willing to spend up a little for a stud RB? a couple WR's?

I have been toying with drafting older players that scream value and can win now. Brady/ Rodgers for 10 to 12% of the budget? Henry and Zeke will be way under value. Even Kupp might slide a little but certainly Evans will. I'm torn.

[zaner75]

A recent popular sentiment is to try to get 2 of the elite QBs to build around, given that the top tier of proven producers are also young. If others in your league are thinking the same thing, then that could end up sending QB prices well over 50% of your budget on those 2 players, which I wouldn't advise. If you're not concerned about winning in year 1 or 2, that is the path I would try to lean into (up to 50% of budget on 2 elite QBs) and then add other youth pieces to grow with your team (All-22 strategy as a possibility), especially if you have no concerns about the long-term viability of your league. RB and WR can more easily be filled through rookie drafts and trades than elite QB.

If QB prices are out of control, your best pivot is to go win-now and get Brady at a discount and fill in QB2/3 with a couple of Goff, Winston, D Jones, Ryan and stack RB/WR depth.

I was in a 16 team SF auction ($1200 budget for minimum 11 starting lineup, no maximum number of players but roster cutdown to 28) and QB prices were ballistic. Most were nominated early and went for premium prices.
QB scoring in this league is also juiced with 5 point passing TDs, only -1 for INTs and 0.1 points per first down. In 2021, 101 players scored 200+ points. 28 were QBs. 15/29 who scored 300+ were QBs. At 400+ it was 5/8 QBs. Scoring projections for 2022, the top 30 QBs are projected for 300+ points with 11 projected at 400+. No other positions have projections above 400. 10 RB, 8 WR and 3 TE projected for 300+
The top 20 QBs went for $200+. 10 @ $395+, 4 @ $299-358, 6 @ $200-260. Highest was Herbert at $480. Mahomes was first QB won at $450. 6 teams spent over 50% of their budget getting 2 QBs, with the highest spending $871 on Allen/R Wilson (476/395) early and was basically hamstrung for the rest of the draft. 4 only got 1 starter. A couple other teams have QB rooms of Mahomes/G Smith and Burrow/Baker.

[GB STOCKHOLDERS]

People always overpay for youth. So, you won't be able to wait on youth in a superflex. Go best player available.

[mild]

People always overpay for youth. So, you won't be able to wait on youth in a superflex. Go best player available.

It's a bit tricky for this guy, though - as he's in an Auction. He actually can't go BPA strictly, as it will be based on Nomination.

To the OP, here are my Startup Auction tips for you:

- Same as any other Auction format: nominate players you know will go for lots, and that you definitively do not want. Drain your opponents budgets, and fill their teams with the players you don't want. In your case, this sounds like RB's, and especially any older stud ones (Saquon, D-Henny, Kamara, Chubb, etc)
- Be careful on price enforcing. Only do it when you are outright getting a steal and you're happy to pay that figure. In Auction, the used up roster space becomes a resource in itself at the end of the draft when the astute guys are sifting what's left on the trash heap.
- It's ok to blow all your budget on less than the full roster of guys. Consider that you will likely want to speculate the waiver wire with at least 3-4 spaces of your team, plan accordingly if you like the idea of "Stars and Scrubs" as much as I do. Remember: a locked in, no doubt about it player taking up 1x Unit of Roster Space that you will never churn has a value unto itself, freeing you to speculate at other more difficult positions (always be locking up backup RB's with good athletic profiles)
- Definitely lock in at least 1x super solid QB, if not two. 1x Elite and 1x "Could Be Elite One Day" would be ideal (Discount on T-Law?)
- Load yourself with Rookie and 2nd year WR's. Whatever they are costing in drafts is usually not enough, although this may be harder given we have nearly a half season of data now. Guys with elite profiles that are currently held back that could smash some day (Garrett Wilson, Drake London, Devonta Smith, any Waddle discount, perhaps Pickens or Jeudy etc) are total smash buys.

For any sort of "productive struggle" startup draft, young WR's are basically like taking investment stocks. When they hit, they are tradeable for other assets you might need in a few years, when it's time to make a playoff push.

Good luck.

[Dynasty DeLorean]

I’ve done a few auction startups and the one thing I always regret is spending a medium amount of money on a medium player. So for example, if a stud is $100, a medium guy is $50, and a dud I $1. I would go the studs and duds approach. I can’t tell you how much money I blew on Carson wentz, jameis Winston and Jalen Reagor.

For you specifically, I would target guys we know are good but have depressed values. Breece Hall would be an example.