Posted by Josh L on Aug 19, 2010; 3:46pm
URL: https://forum.idpguru.com/Draft-Strategy-tp1081026p1227113.html

I agree with this, although I do like to spend a relatively high pick to grab 1 or 2 LBs.  I play in a 16 team league and last year I grabbed Beason in the 4th, Harris in the 6th (who knew that Rex Ryan would turn him into a stud?) and Cushing was an unexpected bonus in the 15th round.  Our league set up allows a guy like Patrick Willis to be the top scorer in the league and he usually goes in the 2nd round.

When it comes to DB and DL I wait until almost the end of the draft and grab sleepers and mislabelled LBs.  I'm just aiming for guys who can keep up to the average, but last year I hit gold with Brian Dawkins.  Most years my starting DLs and DBs at the end of the year are guys I pick up on waivers as the gems start to emerge in the first few weeks.  Most of the time I spend a middle round pick on a DL or DB (Justin Smith and Josh Wilson last year) they end up getting dumped for an emerging waiver wire guy anways.

My advice is when you see a guy who puts together 2 or 3 solid IDP games to start the season you grab him immediately, especially if you think the spike in production is due to a new role in the defence (now a starter, or position/scheme change) as opposed to just a lucky play (obviously the DL who gets a lucky INT for a TD is not a good target for repeat performance).