Let’s talk about a football twist you didn’t see coming. What if I told you someone put AI bots through their paces with fantasy football? Well, someone did. They created ten bots, each with different draft strategies, and ran a simulation of 1,000 drafts to find the most effective draft strategy for the 2023 season. In this game, the timing of choosing the first tight end (TE) and quarterback (QB) is the differentiating factor for each bot.
AI Fantasy Football Strategies
These bots have different strategies, but we are not here to get lost in the weeds. Let’s talk winners. The standout performers were Bots 1, 4, 6, and 9, racking up roughly 4-5 more points per game on average from starters. What’s their secret sauce? Mid-round selections of QBs and TEs, it seems. But don’t let that fool you into thinking you should always hold off on drafting QBs and TEs.
Listen, it’s not a one-size-fits-all approach here. Drafting a QB or TE early can still yield success – the gap between the strategies is smaller than you might think. For instance, Bot 9, which opts for a QB in the first round, is only trailing about three points behind the top strategy. The plot thickens when you look at the distribution of points per game from the whole team – Bots 7, 8, 9, and 10 are leading the pack, all favoring a TE or QB in the first round or prioritizing backups in later rounds.
So, what’s the takeaway? While it’s generally wise to wait until mid-draft to pick your QBs and TEs, there’s room for early picking if you’re eyeing the top dogs. But remember, folks, moderation is key – going all in for both power positions early on could lead to a fumble.
