A tier-based drafting approach is one of the most effective fantasy football strategies because it focuses on value and positional scarcity rather than rigid rankings.
Instead of seeing a strict 1-through-200 ranking, tiering groups players of similar expected value together. For example, you might have Tier 1 running backs (the elite few), then Tier 2 (solid RB1s), and so on. This recognizes that the difference between the 8th and 12th ranked RB might be negligible, while the gap between 12th and 15th could be significant.
Tiers make it obvious when you're approaching a "cliff" at a position. If there are 6 quarterbacks in Tier 2 and you need one, you know you have flexibility. But if only 2 remain in the top WR tier while 8 picks separate you from your next turn, you understand the urgency.
Rather than agonizing over whether to take the 14th versus 16th ranked player, you can see they're in the same tier and make your decision based on other factors like bye weeks, injury history, or team context.
Tiers help you pivot naturally. If a run on quarterbacks happens early and several drop out of their tier, you can adjust and grab value at other positions, knowing you can circle back to QB later.
The approach encourages taking the best available player from the highest remaining tier rather than reaching for positional needs, which typically leads to stronger overall rosters.
The key is creating your own tiers based on research and resources you trust. Projections are educated guesses based on data. They will vary depending on each fantasy platform, and you can't forget the human element in all of this. So don't just blindly trust the projected points that display during your draft (which is sometimes easier said than done).