Rankings Updates — Underdog, Redraft
Accounting for the latest news
Quick note here that I entered a bunch more slow drafts on Underdog, and then got an opportunity this afternoon to have two of my favorites, Erik Beimfohr and Jakob Sanderson, on the Stealing Signals YouTube channel to draft three different Underdog teams (a Big Eliminator with Beimfohr, and a Big Dog plus a BBM with Jakob). There’s always great content over there, and if you haven’t done it yet, please do me a huge solid and go subscribe to that channel, as I try to reach 3k before Week 1 (we’re not even to 2k yet, so I need you).
Getting a chance to stretch my legs in the fast draft streets helped me both get used to some of the major ADP changes that have occurred just in the past week or so since I last updated my Underdog rankings, and also helped me crystallize some of my tiers in redraft, as well.
I’ve been asked about redraft rankings updates, and those are coming almost literally daily. Those of you who like to hang out in the sheet while I’m tweaking know I’m really trying to get a feel for how I’d play a lot of different things, both within tiers and then across them. This period after having released those rankings is all about battle-testing them, and really finding out what I stand behind at various points.
Similarly, my latest Underdog rankings got a little more aggressive, to stay ahead of potential ADP changes, should they move a certain way. Always keep ADP in mind in all formats, please. I am in no way telling you to draft directly off these lists; I do probably let market expectation influence me some, but I like to rank more on how I think guys are actually valued. If I am very confident a 15th-round pick should be drafted before a 10th-round pick straight up, I will just rank it that way. But that doesn’t mean you draft the 15-round pick in the 10th or even 11th round; it’s more to really clarify why the 10th-round pick probably shouldn’t be taken even if they fall to the 12th, because you can still get someone I prefer straight up later on (unless it’s an exposure thing).
Anyway, in past years, you guys have asked me to document changes. You can upload the Underdog rankings, but most of those changes were to move back players whose ADPs have really shifted, like Kimani Vidal. For the redraft ranks, some of the changes include:
Removing some of the “transition tiers,” as my opinions about those “big tier breaks” solidify, and also because I know those were confusing to some of you. I still have a couple left, but I’m trying to get all those out of there. It was far easier for me at WR where I have strong skill-based player takes, but I continue to struggle at RB and somewhat at TE.
Lowering injured players pretty substantially. I was asked if positive news might move some guys back up, and yes, guys like Puka Nacua are wait and see types right now.
Constantly shuffling the Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Garrett Wilson group.
Constantly shuffling the Tee Higgins, Tank Dell, Zay Flowers group, and a couple names that now fit in with them (D.J. Moore and Rashee Rice).
Constantly shuffling the big RB tiers from about RB20 through about RB50, as minor notes about the teams, their usage, player health, and all sorts of other factors can really change my perception day to day. There’s just no way that range will ever dial in and stay put, because secondary RB valuations are constantly shuffling in August.
I’m always reading your comments about specific players and comparisons, and sometimes if I don’t respond, it’s because I want to chew on it. That’s often a sign you got a strong point across. I’ve come back to comments a week old occasionally where I’m like, “Ah, I never responded to that [Player X] note, but that was a strong point!”
I’ll give it another fresh look tomorrow morning, as I do each morning, but I mostly wanted to share with those of you who have uploaded the Underdog ranks that those are updated as of today, as well. If you haven’t signed up at Underdog, you can always use promo code “SIGNALS” (it’ll unlock the same deposit match offer you can find anywhere else).
I’ll also be continuing to hammer out my Offseason Stealing Signals posts (three left) and then getting into my positional tiers posts where I talk through the targets and fades, which are coming soon. I can’t believe with the start date in the first week of September, that we’re only about three weeks out from Week 1.
Lots more coming. Links below the paywall: