Guillotine Strategy, Late First-Round Pick

Footballguys Staff's Guillotine Strategy, Late First-Round Pick Footballguys Staff Published 08/21/2022

Links to Guillotine league discussions:


A Guillotine league usually consists of 18 teams. Each week, the lowest-scoring team is eliminated. The players on their roster then become free agents.

Your strategy needs to change with such a high number of participants and other format changes.

To help you with this unique format, we asked our staff questions. Here is the latest.

In an 18-team league, having a pick in the last third of Round 1 means you'll only have two top-48 selections. How does that influence your first two picks?

Phil Alexander, Pick 1.14

For me, it meant minimizing risk. Aaron Jones projects as the engine of Green Bay's offense and a more significant part of the passing game with Davante Adams out of town. Mike Evans' production is bankable year-over-year. Players like DAndre Swift and Tyreek Hill were in play with my first two picks, but I didn't want to learn we've been over-projecting their roles while my team was getting eliminated early in the season.

Craig Lakins, Pick 1.18

Drawing the last pick in the draft order was less than ideal, but it clarified how I wanted to attack my first set of picks. Getting a productive running back with a safe role and securing a top asset at quarterback or tight end were my goals. There's enough depth at wide receiver to load up on those later in the draft. With Mark Andrews still on the board, I locked up a top-two tight end and then took Leonard Fournette to have a strong running back to build around.

Already a subscriber?

Continue reading this content with a 100% FREE Insider account.

By signing up and providing us with your email address, you're agreeing to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive emails from Footballguys.
Photos provided by Imagn Images
Share This Article

More by Footballguys Staff

 

CeeDee Lamb Remains a First-Round Target

Jason Wood

Jason Wood spotlights CeeDee Lamb and why you should invest in a bounce-back after last year's disappointing season.

06/05/26 Read More
 

Mike Evans Is Being Drafted at His Floor

Jason Wood

Jason Wood spotlights Mike Evans as he starts his next journey in San Francisco.

06/05/26 Read More
 

Chris Olave Found His Quarterback

Maurile Tremblay

Concussions erased his 2024. He answered with a 100-catch, All-Pro 2025 season and is currently available at a discount.

06/05/26 Read More
 

Christian McCaffrey: Fantasy's Biggest Bust in 2026

Gary Davenport

Gary Davenport offers a dire warning to fantasy managers coveting McCaffrey in 2026.

06/05/26 Read More
 

Vikings QBs, Nabers' Recovery, Verse Makes a Claim: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Bob Harris

Sorting out the chaos with a big-picture look at fantasy-specific news, notes, and analysis from around the NFL.

06/05/26 Read More
 

2026 Player Spotlights

An in-depth look at a player, highlighting his pluses and minuses along with a bottom-line expectation for the 2026 season.

06/05/26 Read More