There is a subsect of the fantasy community that believes auction (or salary cap) drafts are the only way fantasy drafts should be conducted. This may be too aggressive of a stance, but auction drafts have their benefits. The beauty of this style of draft is that every team has access to every player.
The lack of a pre-determined draft order presents a fair amount of nuance in how drafters develop their draft strategy. Not only do you have to consider how to attack each position, but the order in which players are nominated is a key part of auction draft strategy.
Outside of your budget, there are no restrictions on how you can approach an auction draft. This leads to managers approaching the draft with a wide range of mentalities. Some adopt a "stars and scrubs" approach where they burn upwards of 60 percent of their budget on a few star players while filling the rest of their roster with questionable fliers. Others take a more conservative approach, loading up on mid-tier talents that don't break the bank.
DOMINATE YOUR DRAFT: 2024 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet
There is no "right" answer in building an auction draft strategy. A variety of strategies can lead to a roster capable of contending for a championship. The best way to test out potential draft strategies is through mock drafts. It's best to work out the kinks in a setting with no pressure and no money on the line.
For this mock draft, I took on the approach that involves filling my roster with respectable talents without spending a large sum on a single player. The top-15 players all went for significantly higher than our projected values. I decided to sit back, allow other teams to burn their budget, and scoop up some of the falling values.
The results of this auction (salary cap) mock draft can be found below, in order of the money spent to acquire each player.
2024 FANTASY AUCTION VALUES (PPR & STANDARD)
Overall | QB | RB | WR | TE | DEF/ST | K
Fantasy Football Auction Mock Draft 2024: Draft results and strategy overview
Note: This draft was completed in a Yahoo! Salary Cap Mock Draft lobby. The roster consists of 1 QB, 2RB, 2WR, 1 TE, 1 FLEX, 1 D/ST, 1 K, 7 Bench. This league uses PPR scoring and a $200 budget for drafting.
De'Von Achane, RB, Miami Dolphins ($35)
The high-end running running backs were flying off the board at prices that were far higher than I was comfortable paying. Christian McCaffrey went for $72, Bijan Robinson was scooped up for $69, and Breece Hall cost $65. These prices weren't palatable, so I decided to wait until the prices cooled off.
The player I wanted to pounce on was De'Von Achane. He provides RB1 upside at a fraction of the cost of these other running backs. I was able to grab him for almost half the price of the top three RBs.
Achane was simply electrifying as a rookie. He managed to find the endzone 11 times on just 130 touches last season. By his 30th carry last season, he had amassed 414 rushing yards. His efficiency eventually fell, but his 7.8 yards per carry was the highest mark in NFL history for any player with at least 100 attempts. He is a special player with the perfect offensive mind to get the most out of his talent. If Achane can stay healthy in 2024, he could truly break fantasy.
Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers ($34)
Brandon Aiyuk was the first player on my team, but I ended up spending a dollar less on him than Achane. Aiyuk has been the focus of trade rumors in recent weeks, but let's not let this distract us from who he is as a talent.
Much like Achane, Aiyuk was highly efficient last season. He ranked in the top-five of most efficiency metrics and posted a 3.18 yards per route run which ranked third among wide receivers. Aiyuk is a crucial part of the 49ers' offense and will maintain a prominent role once again in 2024.
We got a WR14 season out of Aiyuk last year. We should expect more high-end production out of him again in 2024. He is an incredibly talented player who also happens to be in one of the league's best offenses. It's hard to pass on a player with this outlook.
2024 PPR RANKINGS
Top 250 Overall | RB | WR | TE | DEF/ST | K
Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins ($24)
Speaking of talented players on quality offenses, Jaylen Waddle slots in as the WR2 on this team. Waddle may have finished as the WR34 last year, but his production is skewed by injuries. He completely missed three games and missed time in three others due to injury.
There is no question that when he's on the field, Waddle is capable of being a quality WR2 with WR1 upside on a weekly basis. His value is driven by the highly concentrated offense in Miami. Waddle and Tyreek Hill control the vast majority of the targets. Hill is one of the league's premier target earners, but Waddle is no slouch. He earned a target on 27.5 percent of his routes, the 10th-highest rate among receivers.
Much like the Aiyuk selection, drafting Waddle simply follows one of the core principles of fantasy footballs: invest in talented players in quality offenses.
Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants ($23)
Unfortunately, not every player on this team can come from an elite offense. Malik Nabers was shipped off to New York to deal with Daniel Jones as his quarterback. This is less than ideal, but it's a good risk to take with our WR3 slot.
Drafting Nabers is a bet on his talent and ability to dominate the target share market. Through his time at LSU and limited preseason action, it's clear that Nabers is the real deal from a talent perspective. He can make contested catches, leave defensive backs in the dust after the catch, and generally do whatever is asked of him.
He has also proved that he can (and will) be the engine of the Giants' offense this year. He ran 17 routes in the Giants' second preseason game. He saw six targets on those routes. This sample size is too small to rely on, but this an incredibly encouraging sign. Even though Nabers will be held back to some degree by Jones, I am very comfortable with him as my WR3.
Anthony Richardson, QB, Indianapolis Colts ($17)
You know what they say, "upside wins championships." Betting on upside has been a common theme with this team, and it continues with Anthony Richardson.
He drew comparisons to Cam Newton during the pre-draft process and they proved to be accurate. The 6'4", 245-pound quarterback can truck linebackers and is a lethal weapon at the goal line.
That style of play was also why we didn't see much of Richardson on the field last year, but when he was healthy, he was a goldmine for fantasy production. Richardson played two full games last year. He scored 21.9 points and 29.6 while clearing 40 rushing yards and scoring on the ground in both. If he can keep this up, he'll contend for the QB1 title.
2024 FANTASY SLEEPERS
QB | RB | WR | TE | Each Team
Rashee Rice, WR, Kansas City Chiefs ($8)
Scooping up Rashee Rice for $8 was arguably the steal of the draft. We're talking about a player who could realistically lead a team in targets that is quarterbacked by Patrick Mahomes. And no, this isn't quite like the Skyy Moore narrative of last offseason. Rice proved that he is legitimately talented and can be productive with his targets.
The biggest question with Rice has nothing to do with football. Off-the-field incidents looms over his head. Throughout much of the offseason, the expectation was that Rice would be suspended for multiple issues. But as the regular season draws closer, it seems that Rice may be in the clear. If he does avoid suspension, an $8 price tag will be theft.
Najee Harris, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers ($7)
Whether you like it or not, Najee Harris is a strong option as an RB2 this season. Harris has been a 1,000-yard rusher and an RB2 or better in each season of his NFL career. He even looked respectable from an efficiency perspective last year.
Harris is once again in line to see 250-plus carries for a fourth consecutive year in an offense that may run the ball at the highest rate in the NFL. Offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has always been committed to "establishing the run" and nothing should change in Pittsburgh this year. Given his volume projection, Harris should be an RB2 once again.
Calvin Ridley, WR, Tennessee Titans ($7)
The Titans have also been one of the most run-heavy offenses in recent years. But the arrival of Brian Callahan and several new weapons should lead to a dramatic shift in Tennessee's offensive philosophy. Callahan operated a pass-centric offense in Cincinnati and has indicated that this will continue in Tennessee.
Ridley also stands to benefit from a better role in Callahan's offense. He was relegated to a vertical role where he was running routes on the boundaries last year in Jacksonville. With DeAndre Hopkins taking that role in this offense, Ridley will see more creative usage with a more diverse route tree. Many hoped for Ridley's secondary breakout last year, but they may have been a year too early.
Kyle Pitts, TE, Atlanta Falcons ($6)
If there's one tight end that fits with this team, it's Kyle Pitts. He has disappointed in recent years but has the talent and (finally) the environment to succeed.
The Titans aren't the only team set to undergo a massive philosophical change on offense. The Falcons are moving from Arthur Smith to Zac Robinson, a descendent of the Sean McVay coaching tree. Atlanta should see an overhaul in terms of its scheme and overall pass rate, which comes as a tremendous benefit to Pitts.
Pitts will also benefit from steady quarterback play for the first time in his career. Everything is coming together for Pitts to return to his rookie year form and truly break out in a big way.
2024 POSITION TIERS & DRAFT STRATEGY
QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST
Jonathon Brooks, RB, Carolina Panthers ($5)
While picking up Najee Harris and his RB20 production has its purpose, it's not the kind of pick that wins fantasy championships. Adding a player with a high ceiling like Jonathon Brooks is how leagues are won.
Brooks was clearly the No. 1 running back in a rather thin draft class at the position. He was still the first running back drafted despite an ACL tear in November.
Brooks now enters a backfield where he should be the RB1 when he's healthy. Head coach Dave Canales has also shown a willingness to use a bell cow back, giving Rachaad White the 2nd-most touches in the NFL last season. If Brooks can come back and dominate the backfield opportunities, he can easily be my RB2 down the stretch.
Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Seattle Seahawks ($5)
There's nothing else to say other than Jaxon Smith-Njigba was a disappointment last year. But he may not be entirely to blame. A wrist injury derailed his training camp and likely impacted his development early in the year. Offensive coordinator Shane Waldron also misused him last year. His 6.1-yard aDOT was egregious.
Moving into year two, Seattle has a new offensive coordinator, Ryan Grubb, who will hopefully play to Smith-Njigba's strengths. It would not be a shock to see him surpass Tyler Lockett as Seattle's WR2 in a breakout season.
Brian Robinson Jr., RB, Washington Commanders ($4)
Brian Robinson Jr. is a very strong backup option who can provide RB2 production if he's needed in the starting lineup. Despite the arrival of Austin Ekeler, Robinson will be in a similar role to what he played last year. He will be an early down grinder who can punch it in at the goal line. He parlayed this role into RB2 production last year. This is a reasonable expectation once again as long as he holds onto the goal line job.
2024 STANDARD, NON-PPR RANKINGS
Top 250 Overall | QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST | K
Chase Brown, RB, Cincinnati Bengals ($2)
The bench is rounded out with one final upside swing at running back. As a rookie last year, Brown displayed athletic ability and a second gear that nobody else in the Cincinnati backfield possesses. He was the second-fastest ball carrier on any play last season when he hit 22.05 MPH on a 54-yard house call.
Brown has been getting plenty of reps with the starters during the preseason. If he can look the part of a starting running back early this season, he could be a league-winning type of sleeper.
Dallas Cowboys D/ST & Brandon Aubrey (Both $2)
I typically do not draft a defense or kicker unless absolutely necessary. I would also recommend spending just $1 unless you have a few leftover dollars. In this case, there was some extra room in the budget and Yahoo! requires a full lineup.
The Sporting News' rankings were consulted to target a quality option at each position. Streaming a defense may end up being the optimal route, but Aubrey should be a "set it and forget it" kicker.