Join the Footballguys Daily Update
Start your morning with our roundup of the most important stories in football - with the fantasy insight you need to make league-winning decisions. Delivered straight to your inbox, 100% free.
If you're using a generic cheatsheet instead of custom cheatsheets, you're doing Fantasy Football wrong.
Read on and we'll show you why.
Think back a few years ago. To the days when guys drafted from a magazine with a dated, generic non-specific cheatsheet. As the Shark of your league, you ate those Fish alive.
Today, the Fish in your league are the guys who draft with a generic non-specific cheatsheet they've downloaded "from the internet". The only difference is it's not as dated.
But because it's a one size fits all solution to a very specific problem, the advice and the results are just as bad.
Here's the hard truth. Once you project the stats, a player's value is largely determined by three things.
- Your specific scoring system.
- Your specific starting lineup requirements.
- Your specific number of teams in your league.
Those factors determine a player's value factoring the projected points scored against the supply and demand in the market. It's Economics 101. It's why Diamonds and Rob Gronkowski are both so valuable.
Consider Julio Jones.
We currently have Jones projected for 84 receptions, 1,336 yards, and 6.7 touchdowns. That's pretty much in line with what most people are projecting for Jones.
It's "common knowledge" Jones is a great option early in the second round. Most all the internet rankings say so. Sometimes, he's drafted late in the first round. In other drafts, he falls deeper into Round 2.
But listen up - and this is important - a stat line of 84 receptions, 1,336 yards, and 6.7 touchdowns for a wide receiver does not necessarily mean he's worth a second round pick.
10 Teams/TD-Only Scoring
Start 1 QB/2 RB/2 WR/1 TE/0 flex |
12 Teams/Standard Scoring
Start 1 QB/2 RB/3 WR/1 TE/0 flex |
16 Teams/PPR Scoring w/6pt Passing TDs
Start 2 QB/2 RB/3 WR/1 TE/1 flex |
not in Top 50 overall
|
#13 overall
|
#24 overall
|
So DEPENDING ON YOUR LEAGUE, Jones posting 84 receptions, 1,336 yards, and 6.7 touchdowns could mean he's ranked in the Top 13. Or the Top 24. Or not in the Top 50.
It's simple economics.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU? You need a custom cheatsheet that takes into account the crucial components that can accurately value players for YOUR league. Not a generic one size fits all type solution.
And stuff like this doesn't just happen with Jones. Look at a couple of players from every position. And again, this shows how the same projected stats can have a radically different value based on the specific situation.
Pos
|
Player
|
10 Teams/TD-Only Scoring
Start 1 QB/2 RB/2 WR/1 TE/0 flex |
12 Teams/Standard Scoring
Start 1 QB/2 RB/3 WR/1 TE/0 flex |
16 Teams/PPR Scoring w/6pt Passing TDs
Start 2 QB/2 RB/3 WR/1 TE/1 flex |
QB
|
Aaron Rodgers
|
#14 overall
|
#34 overall
|
#2 overall
|
QB
|
Alex Smith
|
not in Top 50
|
not in Top 60
|
#25 overall
|
RB
|
Jerick McKinnon
|
#34 overall
|
#27 overall
|
#54 overall
|
RB
|
Leonard Fournette
|
#4 overall
|
#8 overall
|
#27 overall
|
WR
|
Michael Thomas
|
#40 overall
|
#18 overall
|
#28 overall
|
WR
|
Davante Adams
|
#15 overall
|
#21 overall
|
#38 overall
|
TE
|
Rob Gronkowski
|
#11 overall
|
#16 overall
|
#51 overall
|
TE
|
Kyle Rudolph
|
#32 overall
|
not in Top 60
|
not in Top 80
|
The bottom line is the scoring system, the starting lineup requirements, and the number of teams matter. A LOT.
Especially in the overall rankings. And unless your league drafts all the quarterbacks, then all the running backs, then all the wide receivers, and then tight ends, overall rankings matter.
A lot.
But the differences are clearly a huge factor even among the positions.
Quarterback Rankings from Late July
Quarterback
|
Team
|
6-pt TD
|
4-pt TD
|
TD-Only (6 pt)
|
TD-Only (4 pts)
|
Aaron Rodgers
|
GB
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
Deshaun Watson
|
HOU
|
2
|
1
|
4
|
4
|
Tom Brady
|
NE
|
3
|
5
|
2
|
2
|
Carson Wentz
|
PHI
|
4
|
6
|
3
|
3
|
Russell Wilson
|
SEA
|
5
|
4
|
7
|
7
|
Cam Newton
|
CAR
|
6
|
3
|
8
|
5
|
Drew Brees
|
NO
|
7
|
7
|
5
|
6
|
Ben Roethlisberger
|
PIT
|
8
|
8
|
6
|
8
|
Philip Rivers
|
LAC
|
9
|
13
|
11
|
13
|
Matthew Stafford
|
DET
|
10
|
12
|
10
|
11
|
Kirk Cousins
|
MIN
|
11
|
11
|
12
|
9
|
Jimmy Garappolo
|
SF
|
12
|
9
|
17
|
17
|
Alex Smith
|
WAS
|
13
|
10
|
14
|
15
|
Jared Goff
|
LAR
|
14
|
15
|
9
|
10
|
Patrick Mahomes
|
KC
|
15
|
14
|
15
|
14
|
Running Back Rankings from Late July
Running Back
|
Team
|
Non-PPR
|
PPR
|
TD-Only
|
0.5 PPR
|
Todd Gurley
|
LAR
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
Ezekiel Elliott
|
DAL
|
2
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
Le'Veon Bell
|
PIT
|
3
|
2
|
6
|
2
|
David Johnson
|
ARI
|
4
|
3
|
5
|
4
|
Alvin Kamara
|
NO
|
5
|
4
|
3
|
5
|
Leonard Fournette
|
JAC
|
6
|
9
|
4
|
7
|
Melvin Gordon
|
LAC
|
7
|
6
|
7
|
6
|
Dalvin Cook
|
MIN
|
8
|
10
|
8
|
9
|
Kareem Hunt
|
KC
|
9
|
8
|
9
|
8
|
Saquon Barkley
|
NYG
|
10
|
7
|
11
|
10
|
Devonta Freeman
|
ATL
|
11
|
14
|
10
|
12
|
LeSean McCoy
|
BUF
|
12
|
12
|
15
|
11
|
Jordan Howard
|
CHI
|
13
|
16
|
13
|
15
|
Jerick McKinnon
|
SF
|
14
|
13
|
18
|
14
|
Christian McCaffrey
|
CAR
|
15
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
Joe Mixon
|
CIN
|
16
|
15
|
19
|
16
|
Alex Collins
|
BAL
|
17
|
19
|
21
|
17
|
Derrick Henry
|
TEN
|
18
|
21
|
14
|
19
|
Kenyan Drake
|
MIA
|
19
|
17
|
28
|
18
|
Wide Receiver Rankings from Late July
Wide Receiver
|
Team
|
Non-PPR
|
PPR
|
TD-Only
|
0.5 PPR
|
Antonio Brown
|
PIT
|
1
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
DeAndre Hopkins
|
HOU
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
Odell Beckham Jr
|
NYG
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
Julio Jones
|
ATL
|
4
|
5
|
17
|
5
|
Keenan Allen
|
LAC
|
5
|
4
|
5
|
4
|
Michael Thomas
|
NO
|
6
|
6
|
14
|
6
|
A.J. Green
|
CIN
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
7
|
Mike Evans
|
TB
|
8
|
8
|
9
|
8
|
Davante Adams
|
GB
|
9
|
9
|
4
|
9
|
Adam Thielen
|
MIN
|
10
|
10
|
22
|
10
|
T.Y. Hilton
|
IND
|
11
|
13
|
21
|
13
|
Tyreek Hill
|
KC
|
12
|
14
|
11
|
14
|
Doug Baldwin
|
SEA
|
13
|
12
|
8
|
11
|
JuJu Smith-Schuster
|
PIT
|
14
|
15
|
10
|
15
|
Amari Cooper
|
OAK
|
15
|
16
|
19
|
16
|
Brandin Cooks
|
LAR
|
16
|
20
|
12
|
18
|
Stefon Diggs
|
MIN
|
17
|
18
|
13
|
17
|
Alshon Jeffery
|
PHI
|
18
|
21
|
6
|
20
|
Larry Fitzgerald
|
ARI
|
19
|
11
|
25
|
12
|
Marvin Jones
|
DET
|
20
|
25
|
16
|
23
|
Josh Gordon
|
CLE
|
21
|
24
|
33
|
24
|
Allen Robinson
|
CHI
|
22
|
22
|
26
|
22
|
Demaryius Thomas
|
DEN
|
23
|
17
|
28
|
19
|
Sammy Watkins
|
KC
|
24
|
27
|
18
|
26
|
Golden Tate
|
DET
|
25
|
19
|
34
|
21
|
Michael Crabtree
|
BAL
|
26
|
23
|
15
|
25
|
Marquise Goodwin
|
SF
|
27
|
31
|
51
|
27
|
Robby Anderson
|
NYJ
|
28
|
30
|
27
|
28
|
Devin Funchess
|
CAR
|
29
|
28
|
20
|
29
|
Chris Hogan
|
NE
|
30
|
34
|
23
|
34
|
Tight End Rankings from Late July
Tight End
|
Team
|
Non-PPR
|
PPR
|
TD-Only
|
0.5 PPR
|
Rob Gronkowski
|
NE
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
Travis Kelce
|
KC
|
2
|
2
|
5
|
2
|
Zach Ertz
|
PHI
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
3
|
Jimmy Graham
|
GB
|
4
|
6
|
2
|
6
|
Greg Olsen
|
CAR
|
5
|
5
|
7
|
5
|
Evan Engram
|
NYG
|
6
|
4
|
6
|
4
|
Delanie Walker
|
TEN
|
7
|
7
|
10
|
7
|
Kyle Rudolph
|
MIN
|
8
|
8
|
4
|
8
|
Jordan Reed
|
WAS
|
9
|
9
|
9
|
9
|
O.J. Howard
|
TB
|
10
|
12
|
8
|
10
|
Here's the bottom line. The days of picking up a magazine on the way to your draft went away 20 years ago. But drafting with a generic cheatsheet is just as bad. The Footballguys custom cheatsheets are generated by the Draft Dominator and they're custom tailored to reflect YOUR specific situation.
They're the key to your Perfect Draft.