Welcome to a new segment in The Draft Society library. Here, I, (DraftGenie), will be providing you with my thoughts on all things draft! Each segment of Genie's Corner will focus on something specific and relevant to current events in the Draft Fantasy EPL world. Those of you who follow me on Twitter will know I tend to take a bold and differential approach to the draft game, which has led to many fantasy titles. In these articles I will be giving you my unique insights, bold takes, sage advice, and much more throughout the season. This article will feature everything you need to know as you prepare for your drafts this summer and as we get closer to the start of another EPL season. Click here for details on how you can access our 22/23 Draft Kit. Let's get it.
Check out our 22/23 Draft Kit for all the pre-season information you would ever need. Draft Rankings, Team Previews, Strategy, Draft 101. We've got it all!!!
Genie's Corner: Fantasy EPL Draft Season
Say Goodbye to "Hoarding" Midfielders
In previous seasons and also in recent mock drafts, I have seen many managers trying to draft a good chunk of midfielders in the first few rounds on top of maybe 1 premium forward. In my opinion that is not the way to go this season. Just because you can start 5 midfielders, doesn’t mean you need to draft 5 midfielders in the first 7 rounds, or even need to draft 5 midfielders at all. In fact, this season you only need to start 2 (!!!) midfielders in any given gameweek, giving you a lot more roster flexibility (due to the new 5-2-3 formation).
I am a big advocate of drafting players with the highest ceilings. This season it looks like they will be forwards and elite defenders. The forwards in the first few rounds should offer you ceilings of potential hat tricks. Obviously, there will be weeks when they blank and get you 2 points. After all, you can’t expect Ronaldo to bang in 3 goals every game. But he does have it in his locker to do so. Looking at the midfield pool outside of De Bruyne and maybe Bruno and Maddison, none of them are really capable of doing that. The elite defenders such as Trent, Robertson, Reece, Chilwell, and Cancelo all have added upside of attacking returns AND clean sheets. The fact that they play for teams that are good defensively helps as well. They see more of the ball and are less likely to concede - and the 6 free points from a clean sheet come in handy. Some weeks the likes of Trent will easily crack 20+ without an attacking return.
Now another reason to not draft an excessive amount of midfielders is the depth in that pool. I think you can easily piece together a decent 2-4 man midfield off the free agency in any given week. There will be weekly surprise starters and your classic CDMs who can give you 7-10 points. Combine that with a front 3 that can score and a defender or two in the elite category and that could be the recipe for a title.
Verdict: I would recommend targeting high upside forwards and defenders in the first 6 rounds, and coming out of round 6 with 2 or fewer midfielders, unless high upside mids fall to you. You really cannot pass on Bruno Fernandes in the second round just to take a forward there instead!
Draft for Upside or Safety?
This is the constant dilemma during draft season. Should you choose that player who could offer much higher value if everything goes his way (loan move, minutes, injuries etc...), or do you play it safe by drafting a known quantity who will surely get you 7ish points each week? Long story short, always draft for upside. These explosive players, especially in the mid to late rounds, are the punts and lottery tickets that could lead you to league titles. Even in leagues as deep as 12-14 players, you will always be able to stream a starting defender playing against mid-table team, or one of the 20 starting CDMs in that gameweek. Passing on the chance to take a punt on Ross Barkley in round 12 vs. drafting the "consistency" of Fabinho should be a no-brainer. That is, if Barkley gets a loan move...well anywhere in the EPL he could offer MID 1-2 upside whereas there will be 15-20 players any given week who can offer you similar point production as the beloved Fabinho.
I tend to go by the saying, "Championships favour the bold"; here is a strategy that puts that quote into action. Going bold doesn't mean taking Nathan Redmond in round 5 because he might lock down a role this season.....smart decisions need to balance this out. There is no need to overreach for your bold picks, and if another manager happens to draft them, then look for another player in a similar mold. For example, if Barkley gets drafted just before you, then maybe take a gamble on Hudson-Odoi getting a loan instead. If you do happen to miss out on the players you truly believe will have great years in this "lottery" category, send in a trade offer post-draft. I would usually aim for a better player and try to get said lottery ticket as a side piece in a deal.
This doesn't mean completely avoiding safe picks such as CDMs or CBs as well. Don't be afraid to complete your punt central team by adding in the ever-consistent Ethan Pinnock or Declan Rice.
Draft a Team You Can Cheer For
One of the worst things you can do during a draft is draft players you despise or players on teams you cannot stand. I can promise you that there will be players in a similar mold that you may enjoy cheering for. A lot of the fun in fantasy is seeing one of your favorite players win you your matchup as they score their first goal of the year. Stacking defenders from a team you love, getting a clean sheet and the win, it's the perfect storm. We have plenty of examples of people choosing strategies to ensure they get a team they can cheer for. Our very own @CNFC82 has NEVER rostered a Manchester United player because he just can't stand to cheer for them, and he's won himself multiple titles. I personally always try to draft players of which I'm a fan even if I must overreach. Kovacic is the best example of this. I just love the guy.
You could easily lose interest very fast if you choose to draft a team of players you can't stand on teams you don't want to cheer for and they end up doing very poorly. On the other hand, it would be hard to lose interest believing week after week that your favorite team Arsenal will finally get you a clean sheet to get you a much-needed win to avoid coming last. It is a strategy I firmly believe in, and is on point with the "Genie" brand. Last season I took Jadon Sancho as the 2nd overall pick in a draft (passing on the likes of KDB and Salah)!!! I ended up finishing 4th in that league (2 wins off the title), but thoroughly enjoyed that season despite the frustrations that came with rostering Sancho. Every week he started I was excited to cheer a little extra for him because I also rostered him in my fantasy leagues. If you are able to manage the rest of the draft well, stay active in free agency, and make smart trades, reaching for a player you enjoy watching shouldn't lose you the league....I blame that on streaming Rob Holding and Yerry Mina during their infamous double gameweek slip-ups.
Genie's Final Draft Season Tips
Don't stress too much about the draft, it is a long season that is won and lost so many other ways - often in the midseason waiver wire - so don't panic if your draft doesn't go exactly according to plan.
Look to spend a few hours creating your own "personal" rankings. I highly recommend using our consensus rankings as a starting point and then editing them and our tiers based on your personal preferences. Move up players you believe in and players you want to draft while moving down ones you want to avoid.
Get to know your league mates if you are in a Twitter league. I can promise you this leads to a much more competitive and exciting group chat, which will make everyone more invested in the league. Additionally, you might make a few lifelong friends.
Take a couple of bold picks. Nothing will feel better than seeing your round 9 out-of-nowhere punt come good and average 10 PPS as you push to win the league. If they happen to flop, at least you tried! Remember "Championships favour the bold".
Good luck and thank you for your support!
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