How to Build Draft Tiers
The best drafters don’t draft off a numbered list — they draft off tiers. Grouping players into tiers turns a stressful “who’s ranked higher?” into a calm “is this tier about to empty?” Here’s how to build them.
What a tier is
A tier is a group of players who are roughly interchangeable in value. Within a tier, taking player A over player B barely matters. Between tiers, there’s a meaningful drop. Tiers tell you where the real decisions are.
Why tiers beat rankings
A ranking says “take #14 before #15” — a distinction too small to sweat. Tiers reframe the board around the only question that matters on the clock: is this position about to fall off a cliff? If a tier is nearly empty, reach now; if it’s deep, wait and address another need.
How to build your tiers
- Rank each position using sound valuation.
- Draw lines where value drops. Group players until you hit a clear step-down in expected production.
- Label the cliffs. Note which tiers are thin — those are your urgency markers on draft day.
Use tiers to navigate runs
When a position starts flying off the board, tiers tell you whether to join the run or let it pass. If the tier you want is emptying, jump in; if there’s a deep tier behind it, stay patient.
The takeaway
Build tiers, mark the cliffs, and draft the drop-offs — not the exact ranks. It’s the single habit that most improves draft-day decisions.
Draft with live tiers that update as the board moves via the Cheat Sheet.