PRO Instructions: How to Use The RosterWatch Cheat Sheets in Auctions

RosterWatch - Be Ready.

RosterWatch – Be Ready.

Many of you have asked about how to use the cheat sheet in auction drafts. It is actually a perfectly suitable format for using the sheet, so we’ve created this simple set of auction instructions to go with the Auction Sheets now available in your downloads section. Remember, this set of instructions is different from the three easy steps on the cheat sheet – and only to be used if you are participating in an auction as opposed to a traditional snake format. Rosterwatch PRO members can find all the “traditional” (snake draft) cheat sheets in their downloads section as well as separate sheets to be used in auctions.

FOR USE IN AUCTIONS

1) Download the .pdf version of the cheat sheet.

2) Next to each player, in the extra space within the cell, record the player’s auction price to the winning bidder.

3) With your opening bid, nominate a player you are not particularly interested in, preferably outside of the Top 10-15 range positionally as listed.

4) Take a non-aggressive approach to early bidding until small market sample of winning bids to appear recorded on your cheat sheet. (unless, of course, one of your personal key targets is nominated very early).

5) Identify auction nominations where it appears players higher up on the sheet may be had for less budget than players below him went for.

6) Bid aggressively on players in these situations until the value no longer exists. Make sure you remain aggressive until your roster’s core is mostly set.

7) Try your best to bid on players “in the middle” of various “tiers” of the sheet. It would take a whole article to explain exactly why, but the TL;DR version is that you very often get the best deals on players in the middle of a tier because you pay a premium both as a first-mover and also as someone who has to pay up to secure the last remaining player in a particular tier before a perceived drop-off.

29 Comments

  1. ↓ Post By mark51schichtel@gmail.com

    Thanks for the advice on auctions. Appreciate the info.

  2. ↓ Post By MikeVegas

    I see a Detroit lion RB on your sheets.
    I’m not sure you can play any Lion RB.
    They all get hurt and none has more than ~13 touches.
    IMHO, of course.

    1. ↓ Post By Byron Lambert

      Bert is one fine looking animal! Kerryon has nothing on him!

      1. ↓ Post By MikeVegas

        Byron, Thank you!! Very true. Bert has a higher ADP.

        Alan, Thanks for the info.

    2. ↓ Post By Alan Seslowsky

      Hi Mike:

      Going back to Kerryon’s pre-draft process, KJ said (I’m paraphrasing) that he was better suited as a RBBC player.

      Based on Swift’s college workload 15ish ave, closer to 19 last year, he profiles similar. I’ve been telling myself a story that both of the Lions backs thrive with a RBBC approach. Efficiency may go up. The draft price is right on both IMO. Any RB post top 2 rounds is going to have a little stinky cheese on them.

      1. ↓ Post By Baron VonIronCock

        Swift was always my top rb to target predraft.
        When he went to detroit i took him from 1 to 6.
        I think iam gona regret that.

        Cream should whether he has a cockamamie headcoach or not..

  3. ↓ Post By Kondo

    Yo Fellas,

    Thanks for everything! Choke Artist here (aka Army of the Dead, aka Champ Champ).

    I could really use your advise. The cockamamie owner of my 14 team league just blew up roster construction for this weekends draft, citing COVID concerns of folks not being able to put together lineups.
    We now only have to start 1 each at the QB, RB, and WR positions. There are 4 flex spots and 6 on the bench. No TE required.
    Looking for your thoughts on how I might make modifications to the PPR cheat sheet. My gut says just go bananas on drafting RBs. I have the 12th pick.
    Thanks for any guidance you are willing to offer. I don’t like the idea of messing with a magic sheet of paper without prior consent from the wizard who created it.

    1. ↓ Post By Alan Seslowsky

      Kondo:

      I’ll be waiting with anticipation to what the boys say. But my quick though is the simplest explanation. With so much roster flexibility you are in BPA mode this whole draft. Don’t overthink it, take the best player available. The UDCS obviously is magical in its ability to leverage vs ADP, and it still will work, but you don’t need to veer off any position at any time to get the best guy. Good luck. Let us know how it turns out

      1. ↓ Post By Alex Dunlap

        I agree with Alan. I think your commish is a cockamamie bastard btw.

        1. ↓ Post By Kondo

          Agreed! Thanks again!

        2. ↓ Post By Baron VonIronCock

          This has me on TILT
          This must be a dynasty since u are drafting last.

          U should never disrupt the years of work it takes to put together a monster roster

          If its not dynasty
          I see where his heart was… but he over thought it .

          Just add like 12 ir spots

          Now our savvy draft knowledge advantage is out the door!!!
          Ffs

      2. ↓ Post By Kondo

        Thanks for the thoughts!
        I agree that the BPA philosophy Is probably the beat way to go.

  4. ↓ Post By J Bonini

    Thank you gents!

    1. ↓ Post By Byron Lambert

      Thank you Jason!

  5. ↓ Post By The Real Oldschool92

    With so many flex positions I love zagging however the draft goes. That said I do like the early running backs more than I do the running backs later. But if you grab elite wide receivers in PPR it is how I won my first 2 cash leagues the past 2 years with players who loved running backs. With the cheat sheat you can’t go wrong. Only time I deviate is when the draft is heavily skewed beyond belief towards one position through 5 rounds.

    1. ↓ Post By Baron VonIronCock

      Yep
      We pay these dirtbags for the work in leveraging players vs. Adp.
      So the zag is built in to the sheet.
      .
      Should ur league go totally cockamamie and continue the rb madness… and u have a feeling it will continue.
      Id make sure i get 1 of the top guys at or below aaron jones.

      This yr is the cockamamiest year for rbs i have seen in ages.

  6. ↓ Post By Chief58

    Based on current news do you think Sanders is still worth a 2.9 pick in PPR league?

    Thanks

    1. ↓ Post By Baron VonIronCock

      Yeah brah

    2. ↓ Post By Alan Seslowsky

      2.9 feels like the a nice spot. All of the upside with risk priced in.

  7. ↓ Post By treefrog13

    For the 2nd week in a row, missing Matt Breida in your 2QB/SF sheets 🙁

  8. ↓ Post By Deagsdan

    Fellas, waited on TE in my draft. Was happy to land Hockinson late but some has dropped Higbee. In a .5ppr non TE premium do we drop Hock for Higbee?

  9. ↓ Post By rw-pwwwTBG8w

    How about a dynasty cheat sheet

  10. ↓ Post By A.J.

    Hey RW,
    Thanks for all the tools, been a member for about 4 yrs. Do you plan to update best ball cheat sheet or is that done? Also, I can’t seem to find it on the pro tool download pages?

  11. ↓ Post By paul@ammobooks.com

    Gentlemen,

    Not an auction question, but I have a longtime league that has 11 IDP (3DL, 3LB, 4DB 1FL) and to balance that out the offense is 1QB, 1RB, 1WR, 1TE, 1K, and 2 FL (RB, WR, TE). This changes the rankings up a bit and puts an emphasis on TEs and QBs and IDP over the usual RBs and WRs. How can I adjust your ppr rankings to account for the smaller number of offensive positions? And when to start targeting IDP?

    Thanks,

    Paul

  12. ↓ Post By rossh1980

    Where is the auction cheat sheet? I’m not able to locate.

  13. ↓ Post By Andrew

    Is trashman doing his flex rankings this year? If so, what day?

  14. ↓ Post By acousti

    Don’t ever remember numbers in parentheses on the standard PPR draft sheets. Do they have any meaning? Thanks for everything you guys do, best in the business!!!

    1. ↓ Post By christopherdavidhui@gmail.com

      They should be bye weeks.

  15. ↓ Post By jrcs851315

    What are your thoughts on Justyn Ross this year? Is he worth a stash in .5 PPR leagues or is Tank Dell/Jalin Hyatt better for the last bench spot?

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