Updating NFBC ADP Data on FanGraphs

With the Super Bowl behind us and pitchers and catchers already in camp, fantasy draft season is officially in full swing. That means it is time to update the Average Draft Position (ADP) data we use on FanGraphs.

FanGraphs pulls in ADP data from the NFBC and displays it in a few places on the site where it can be useful to our readers:

• Auction Calculator outputs
• Fantasy Player Rater outputs
• “Fantasy” tab on projections leaderboards
• Tables in our rankings columns

As of today, the first three will all show NFBC ADP for Online Championships. ADP shown on rankings articles will update when those rankings are next updated and this will be noted in the changelog on each piece.

Up until this point in the offseason, we had been using Draft Champions ADP, because those drafts start earlier and provide a more robust and useful dataset. However, as Online Championships ramp up, we prefer to use that ADP data. Because Online Championships allow for waiver moves, while Draft Champions leagues don’t, they are more representative of how most fantasy leagues function. This makes the ADP data more applicable to most leagues, including those not on the NFBC.

When you look at the new ADP data, you may see some changes. Some things to be on the lookout for:

• Relievers will get pushed down. The inability to play the wire for saves in Draft Champions means you have to go get reliable saves in the draft. Edwin Díaz is down six spots (from 27.1 to 33.4 in drafts since January 1) in the new data. Devin Williams is down 18 spots (from 44.4 to 62.7).
• Multi-position players are also going to be pushed down a bit. Again, the lack of a waiver wire means that you have to be able to replace injured or underperforming players from your bench. A player like Ernie Clement (2B/SS/3B) is more valuable in Draft Champions (287.9 ADP and 100% drafted) than Online Championships (304.8 ADP and 96% drafted).
• Speaking of replacing injured players, injury prone players (and others with risk they won’t be rostered or will underperform) can be pushed up in Online Championships relative to Draft Champions leagues, because they can be replaced. Gerrit Cole (up to 280.1 from 290.0) and Zack Wheeler (up from 144.9 to 122.1) are getting taken earlier because the downside is lower. If either of them has a set back, a Draft Champions roster is stuck with them; in an Online Championship, at least you can replace them. The same is true of someone like Sebastian Walcott (up to 360.7 from 585.5) because the risk if he is not called up is much lower. You can just kick him to the curb if you need that roster spot.
• Depth catchers also get pushed down, because they simply aren’t needed. Victor Caratini, Freddy Fermin, and Miguel Amaya were all 100% drafted in Draft Champions leagues since January 1; they are all 4% drafted in Online Championships.

Also, keep in mind that while we use this data because it is useful for anyone, you want to be sure you are using it the right way. These leagues are 12-team, 30-man roster, two-catcher leagues with traditional 5×5 scoring, and an overall component. Position eligibility is based on playing 20 games at a spot in 2025 or 10 games in 2026. If you play in an OBP league, this ADP will undervalue Kyle Schwarber. If you play in a Saves+Holds league, this will overvalue closers and undervalue set-up guys. If you play in a 15-teamer, this will undervalue players who are 12-team bench players but 15-team starters. Use this as a baseline and adjust accordingly.