Why Should We Mock Draft?

The simple answer is to prepare for our upcoming real fantasy football drafts. The more advanced answer is to strategize and optimize what sorts of lineups we are looking to build. Think of it like studying for a test. If you do not study, you are less likely to perform well. Could you pass? Or even get an A? Sure. But it is unlikely. Studying will almost certainly provide you with better results on your test.

Here are specific ways to optimally mock draft in preparation for your drafts.

Use the WalterPicks Draft Tool to Mock Draft

Mock drafting in the WalterPicks app will provide you with the best insights possible. You can compare any players that you are struggling to choose between within the app. Walter's data-science and expert-driven projections will assist in any draft-day decision making. Walter will also provide you with customized insights based on your league's exact settings. Mock with Walter.

Getting Your Draft Pick Early

Before even beginning to mock draft, it is important to try and get your league commissioner (maybe that is you) to inform you of what pick you have. Drafting from various positions is definitely helpful, but knowing what pick you have, and then mocking from that spot, is a far more optimal use of your time.

Focused mock drafting, particularly for your first three picks, is a crucial way to prepare. The thinking behind prioritizing your first three picks is that, starting in the fourth round, the picks will be far too random, with far too much variability to really garner any sort of idea of what to expect. The first three rounds are far more predictable, making it much easier to attempt various strategies that will inform how you approach the remainder of your draft.

Getting Acclimated to the ADPs (Average Draft Position)

Every platform has different rankings and ADPs, and Walter helps us identify the top values on each platform while factoring those in. ESPN, historically, has some of the easiest ADPs to take advantage of. While Sleeper is typically one of the sharpest combinations of rankings and ADP.

Make sure to sync your mock draft to whatever platform your league is on. Doing so will make it much easier to know when to prioritize reaching for or waiting on certain players, based on what pick you have. Practice this multiple times to gain confidence in how to manipulate whatever ADP you are dealing with, as well as the draft board.

Pivoting, Adaptability and Tough Decisions

Every fantasy football player (at least any serious one) has conviction on certain players, whether it is positive or negative. Because of this, our natural inclination is to target or avoid whoever those players may be in every draft. Naturally, some of the players we want are going to be drafted by someone else in our league, and, in many cases, they will be taken the pick before yours. We can either go in unprepared and panic in this instance, or we can mock draft to prepare for whatever scenario comes our way.

The ability to pivot another direction effectively, as well as adapt to the way the draft board is shaking out, are key events to practice in mock drafts. They are also events that, when handled correctly, can lead you to a fantasy championship.

In some of your mocks, resist the urge to take the guy that keeps falling to you, in favor of practicing how you might handle the situation where he does not. Doing so will (hopefully) result in you being a calm, composed, and focused drafter on draft day.

One of the things Walter is best at is making tough decisions less tough. Tough decisions are par for the course in fantasy football. But, mocking with Walter, as well as using Walter throughout the season, will alleviate a huge amount of stress for you.