Considerations When You Are On The Clock In 2026 Fantasy Football Drafts
Fantasy

Considerations When You Are On The Clock In 2026 Fantasy Football Drafts

Cooterdoodle walks you through her obsession with the six Ds when she's on the clock in 2026 fantasy football drafts.

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I don't care how long a league allows for each draft pick. It doesn't matter. Because when I'm on the clock, I can't stop thinking about the D.

Well, I'm considering six Ds, to be exact:

  • Data (metrics)
  • Drama (injury news, off-the-field issues, etc.)
  • Depth Charts (The NFL's and my own)
  • Draft Strategy (My leaguemate's and my own)
  • Do Not Draft lists 
  • Discounts in ADP (Rank vs ADP)

I can't make the pick until I consider these aspects. So the next time you're on the clock, do a quick walk-through of the six D's before clicking "draft".

Data

Data is obviously always going to be an important part of your drafts. 

The bad news is: You only have so much time available. You can't possibly review every stat and data point from last season. There are so many metrics to consider when making sense of a player's past production. 

The good news is: Most of this has already been done for you!

Drama

While offseason and off-the-field issues don't always affect in-season performances, it is worth noting them when they happen. 

A little drama could be the tie breaker between players as the clock winds down to zero. 

What do I mean by "drama"? Conflict. Uncertainty. Surprise. Suspense! And there's always going to be plenty of it to go around. 

Here are a few highlights from the past two weeks:

You get the idea. Just a few things to be aware of …

Depth Charts

I consider NFL teams' depth charts AND MY OWN!

I absolutely want to consider who the "next man up" is on any given NFL team for handcuff purposes. I absolutely want to consider if a WR is second-in-command or fighting for a spot on the roster. 

But my personal depth chart matters, too! 

I need to always be aware of how many players I have at each position as I'm drafting. Because at some point, I just can't justify another RB. 

Right??

Draft Strategy

I personally never go into a draft with a strategy in mind. I see how the board falls and determine which way to play it from there. 

But regardless of how you want to do it (pre-determined or on-the-fly), you still need to be aware of the available draft strategies and which category you're falling into. 

  • If you draft a QB early, you don't need to roster two (if you play Superflex, I'm obviously not talking to you!).
  • If you miss out on the elite three TEs, you can wait several rounds before worrying about the position. 
  • If you draft a rookie early on, you probably want to balance out your roster with some tried and true veterans.

Figure out what works for you. But always consider your draft strategy as you're on the clock. And don't forget to take a peek at your leaguemates' strats as well.

Do Not Draft List

PSA: Your DND list does not have to look like mine. In fact, I'd rather you make your own. You're a big boy. 

Rashee Rice: I don't care if Andy Reid managed to keep a competent football team afloat for years despite ongoing off-the-field issues … Sometimes I have to put my foot down and add his top WR to my Do Not Draft list. 

Daniel Jones: I don't care if I want Jones to have an epic return from injury in 2026. I saw enough inconsistencies in 2025 (and before) to be wary of his ability to 'return to form'. You're on the list, Mr. Dimes.

Jahmyr Gibbs: I don't care if Gibbs is going to be one of the best fantasy players in this year's draft. You losers can have him! No, really, I mean it. If you're picking this early in your drafts, you must have lost last year, right? I don't have that luxury.

Discounts in ADP

Fantasy football ADP is volatile. It can change from one week to the next, depending on a variety of factors. 

I always consider which players are being drafted much later than their consensus rankings. If I can get them at a discount, I'm intrigued. And their ADP helps me to decide whether I can push it another round before drafting them. 

I talk about discounts between ADP and rankings here, but you can also easily check out each player's Rank vs. ADP while you're on the clock.

It's that simple!

Anytime I'm on the clock, I'm considering the D's. I suggest you do, too.

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