Everyone wants a top-250 list, or whatever, year after year. Every 12 months I write this piece explaining why that idea, a top-whatever list, is simply useless when it comes to drafting. It’s lazy, inaccurate and misleading, in the least. At worst, it will lead to you constructing a team with holes and needs. I’ll try to explain, simply, why if you’ve been using one of these lists for years it’s time to rework your strategy. Seriously… you might as well just use auto-draft if you’re going to draft your team with a top-whatever list.


I never use a top-whatever list to put a team together on draft day. Never.

Three simple explanations of why it’s a terrible idea to use such a list:

If you’re using a list and player No. 114 is available you have to draft him over player No. 155, right? But does that work? Is that actually the right decision? Maybe, but it also might be totally wrong.

Is player No. 114 a fit for your club? Maybe he’s a power hitter and you have that covered so pivoting to take player No. 155 for his speed component would be a better move. The top-whatever list dictates that taking the higher ranked player is the correct move so people obviously draft the highest-ranked player from the list. In this instance you would be better off taking the better “fit” for your squad, and that’s the guy who is ranked lower on the stupid overall list. It's more important to construct a balanced team in some cases than it is to merely draft the “best” team on paper – especially if you're playing in a rotisserie format. Remember that. You need to take into account which categories and positions you are in need of and draft using that template. Context is everything.

A second example…

Let's assume there are eight options at first base and eight at third base that you trust to start for your squad. As your draft rolls along it's your turn to make a selection in the sixth round and you notice that of the eight first basemen you really want, seven are taken while at third base only five players have been drafted. In this scenario wouldn't you be better off taking the first baseman, the last guy you would want as a starter, with your pick and then look to grab the third sacker in the next round? That makes sense, right?

However, what if the No. 8 first baseman is ranked 125th in your top-whatever list while third basemen Nos. 6-8 are listed 98, 103 and 109. If you were drafting off the top-whatever list you would be pressed to take the third baseman who is ranked ahead of the first sacker. However, if you weren't slavishly drafting off the list, pulled back from the draft a bit and thought about it, you would take the first baseman, wouldn't you? There is only one first baseman left that you want so you need to draft him, especially since there is still a chance that one of the three third sackers will still be available when you select next. If you followed a top-whatever list you’d make the wrong call and take the third sacker.

Finally…

If you’re in a 5x5 league you are drafting players to fill categories. It doesn’t matter if you win the homer category by two or 27 – you get the same amount of points in the standings. Second, “punting” categories can work, but it sure makes your job much more complicated if you merely give away categories. Therefore, you need to keep track of the team you are putting together. Do you have power? Did you add enough speed? Are your ratios stable? Do you have some ninth inning options for your bullpen? In points leagues you could make a bit more of an argument for using a top-whatever list, but even in that situation I’m still not a huge fan (and again, I would never use a top-whatever list).

So how do you handle putting together your squad if I’m not going to recommend that you use a top-whatever list? Tiering is the answer folks. You can read all about it in the next article:

“Have Tiers Never Fear.”