Let's say a friend asks you to join another league. You figure why not (you're already in seven, what's one more?) and sign up. Then you find out the draft is being held when you have to be somewhere else, and you can't reschedule. No problem, they say: Just use the app and draft from your phone. Simple, right?
No, not so simple. In fact, it's a recipe for disaster. Sometimes technology is your friend, and sometimes it's an opponent, seemingly designed to hurt your draft or auction. Don't make the mistake of trying to use your phone on draft day.
For the record, I'm not afraid of technology. I usually embrace it. And I understand that many fantasy football apps are designed to make it really easy to make your selections. And they are easy, for a phone. But compared to a large screen on a laptop or desktop, they're decidedly inferior.
When you have 60 or 90 seconds to make a selection, every moment counts. You might want to check an injury designation, last year's stats, the latest depth charts, your own selections, who your opponents have drafted, the NFL schedule, recent cuts, recent signings, or maybe something else. The app might have some of that information handy, but when you need to open new tabs, you're asking for trouble. Do you have fat fingers? Is your eyesight perfect? Do you always have great reception? Does the wifi always work where you'll be? Are you very fast maneuvering around your phone's browser? Any one of those issues could sink your pick, or your draft.
Imagine accidentally closing the app while you're searching for something else, and it's slow to load when you open it back up. Seconds are ticking. Even if you recover in time to make your pick, is that the kind of stress you need on draft day? Will worrying about it happening again affect your future picks?
It could get worse. Suppose things don't go right, and you end up auto-drafting a few guys. You didn't even know this league existed a week ago. How invested are you going to be, with players you didn't want against opponents you mostly don't know? Is that a recipe for success? What are the odds you'll be in that league years from now? If they're bad odds after a bad start, why are you in the league at all?
When it comes to fantasy football, if you can't do it right you shouldn't do it at all. You need space to work, an easy-to-navigate setup, large screens, maybe paper and pen (remember those?), and the security that comes with knowing you have a good connection and the ability to research a lot of information quickly. In-person drafts are best, but a well-controlled setup is a decent second. After that, if it's a choice between a phone draft while doing something else or not playing at all, strongly consider not playing. I think it invites more headaches than you might expect, and isn't worth the hassle.
Now, I'll admit that I don't really mean your draft is a complete "no phone zone." I just liked the assonance and thought it would make a pretty good title. But really, you should have your phone with you. It's an extra screen you might want to use just in case. You want to be available if your family needs you, just in case. And perhaps most importantly, you need to be able to contact the commissioner just in case. There's nothing worse than getting locked out of an app, or having your internet knocked out, and not being able to reach the commissioner. They can pause the draft, or make sure you get the player you want, or help troubleshoot your problem. Always have the commissioner's phone number handy, even if you never talk to them in the real world. You might never need it, but if ever you do it can save your draft. And you really don't want to add "making a call" to your phone-based draft, so there's another reason to avoid it.
Here's to all your drafts being in person, or in front of giant screens with a reliable, lightning-fast connection. If you have a draft or auction this week, good luck.
Have you had good luck drafting from your phone? Any horror stories? What is your draft setup like? Share your thoughts below.
