Fantasy leagues are won by people who draft with a strategy tuned to their league's scoring and roster rules — not by whoever memorized a generic ranking. This builds a plan around your exact settings, gives you a round-by-round approach and target tiers, and sets up the weekly habits (start/sit, waivers) that actually decide the season — while reminding you to check current injury/role news, which changes constantly.
What This Skill Produces
- A settings-aware strategy — approach shaped by your scoring (PPR, categories, etc.), roster spots, and league size
- A draft plan for your slot — positional priority by round for snake, or a budget allocation for auction
- Tiers over rankings — where the drop-offs are, so you know when to reach or wait at a position
- Targets & values — the kinds of players to target and common value/trap picks
- A weekly playbook — start/sit logic, waiver-wire priorities, and a trade lens
- A verify reminder — player values, injuries, and roles change; confirm current status before draft day and each week
Required Inputs
Ask for these if not provided:
- The sport & format — which sport, redraft/dynasty, snake or auction
- Scoring — PPR/standard/points/categories, and any quirks
- League size & roster — number of teams, starting slots, bench, flex
- Your draft slot / budget — pick position or auction budget
- Your goal — win now, build for the future, or just be competitive
Framework: Settings First, Then Value
- Read the settings. Scoring and roster rules change everything — PPR lifts pass-catchers, deep rosters change scarcity. Strategy flows from here.
- Think in tiers. Draft the last player of a tier before the drop-off, not a name off a flat list — this is where value is won.
- Value positional scarcity. Prioritize positions that fall off a cliff early; wait on deep ones.
- Plan your slot. Snake picks come in pairs from the turn; auction is budget management — plan for the shape you're in.
- Win on the waiver wire. Most seasons turn on weekly start/sit calls and waiver pickups, not the draft — set up those habits.
- Verify, always. Injuries, depth-chart roles, and news move values daily — confirm current status before locking picks or lineups.
Output Format
League: [sport/format] · [scoring] · [teams] · slot/budget: [x]
Draft strategy: [positional priority by round / auction budget split]. Tiers to watch: [position — where the drop-off is]. Targets & traps: [types to target] · [common value] · [overpriced trap].
Weekly playbook
- Start/sit: [logic — matchup, floor vs ceiling].
- Waivers: [priorities — what to chase].
- Trades: [what to buy low / sell high].
Player values, injuries, and roles change constantly — verify current status before the draft and each week.
Quality Checks
- Strategy is derived from the league's actual scoring and roster settings
- Uses tiers and positional scarcity, not a flat ranking
- Draft plan fits the specific slot (snake) or budget (auction)
- Includes weekly start/sit and waiver logic
- Flags that values change and to verify current status
Anti-Patterns
- Generic rankings that ignore the league's scoring/roster.
- Drafting names, not tiers — missing where value actually sits.
- All-in on the draft with no weekly waiver/start-sit plan.
- Asserting stale player values as current — always say verify.
- One-size strategy regardless of draft slot or format.
Example Trigger Phrases
- "Help me strategize my fantasy football draft — 12-team PPR, I pick 4th."
- "Who/what should I target in an auction league with a $200 budget?"
- "Set my lineup this week — start/sit logic."
- "What's my waiver-wire strategy this season?"
- "Explain how to draft by tiers for my league settings."