Draft-Day Checklist: Be Ready Before Pick One

The draft is won in the hours before it starts. Show up prepared and you make calm, value-driven picks; show up cold and you improvise your way into regret. Here’s the checklist to run before pick one.

1. Know your league settings cold

Scoring format, roster slots, flex and superflex, team count, and draft position. Everything downstream — your board, your strategy — depends on these. Never draft without confirming them.

2. Have a tiered board ready

Bring tiers, not just a ranked list, so you know when a position is about to fall off a cliff. Merge them into one overall board for your format.

3. Pick a strategy — and a backup

Decide your plan (bell-cow RB, zero-RB, etc.) and a fallback for when the board doesn’t cooperate. Flexibility beats rigidity.

4. Run a final mock

One last mock draft from your actual draft slot shakes out surprises and warms up your instincts.

5. Note your targets and values

Flag the steals you’re higher on than ADP and the sleepers you want late — so you don’t forget them mid-draft.

6. Set up your tools

Have your Cheat Sheet and Draft Assistant open and synced before the clock starts.

The takeaway

Confirm settings, bring tiers, pick a strategy, mock once more, note your targets, and set up your tools. Preparation is the whole edge.

Warm up with a final mock draft before you go live.