Salary Cap Leagues, Early Nominations

Footballguys Staff's Salary Cap Leagues, Early Nominations Footballguys Staff Published 08/07/2022

Salary Cap content is part of the ELITE package for Footballguys Premium Subscriptions. We're making this preview available so you can see the edge these subscribers are getting. Sign up here.

The Salary Cap Roundtable Series

Joining a salary cap league can be intimidating for even a seasoned fantasy football player. Fortunately, the Footballguys staff has experience in this format and will help you. Over the summer, we'll cover various topics ranging from basic to advanced strategies.


What drives your early nomination strategy? How do you decide whom you will nominate in the early rounds?

Jason Wood

Every salary cap draft is different, of course, but generally speaking, I'm throwing out the highest-priced players I can whom I have no interest in rostering. I'll veer away from that if we approach a key tier break and only two players are left in the tier I'm targeting. Then I'll nominate a player I want to try and roster.

Jeff Haseley

I will nominate players that fetch a high price in the early rounds. The faster I can get people in salary budget trouble, the better. I want someone to spend over $100 on two players or over $140 on three players. The faster they are out of the budget battle, the easier it is to succeed in the mid-late game, where salary cap drafts are often won. I will nominate my $1 kicker and $1 defense early on. I can pinpoint my team before other big-name kickers or defenses are gone, always giving the impression that a better kicker is still on the board. This usually helps solidify a winning bid for $1.

Chad Parsons

I generally want to extract money from the room. The higher-priced players, specifically at positions where I target mid-tier options later on for potential discounts. As the nominations progress, I shift more towards players of interest for my roster.

Andy Hicks

Depends on the room. Like other guys, I want money out of the pool, but preferably on the players I don’t want at their expected prices. Sometimes I sneak a player through that I like, which may attract more money when the elite players are all taken. Surprise can have its victories.

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

 

2026 NFL Draft First-Round IDP Recap

Kyle Bellefeuil

Kyle Bellefeuil looks at some winners and losers for your IDP fantasy leagues after the NFL draft's first round concluded.

04/24/26 Read More
 

2026 NFL Mock Draft – Full Round 2 & 3 Predictions by Jeff Bell

Jeff Bell

2026 NFL Mock Draft: Full Round 2 and 3 projections before the 2026 NFL Draft, including team needs, scheme fits, and top prospects from No. 33 to No. 100 by Jeff Bell.

04/24/26 Read More
 

Omar Cooper Jr. Drafted by New York Jets: Fantasy Football Impact, Depth Chart, and 2026 Outlook

Jeff Blaylock

Omar Cooper Jr. was drafted by the New York Jets in the 2026 NFL Draft. Here’s his fantasy football outlook, projected role, depth chart impact, and what it means for 2026 drafts.

04/24/26 Read More
 

Makai Lemon Drafted by Philadelphia Eagles: Fantasy Football Impact, Depth Chart, and 2026 Outlook

Jeff Bell

Makai Lemon was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2026 NFL Draft. Here’s his fantasy football outlook, projected role, depth chart impact, and what it means for 2026 drafts.

04/24/26 Read More
 

NFFC $350 Draft Recap: Full 20-Pick Breakdown After Round 1 of the NFL Draft

Dave Kluge

Drafting right after Round 1 of the NFL Draft creates chaos and opportunity. We entered a $350 NFFC league before ADP adjusted and broke down all 20 picks, our roster construction, and the key decisions that shaped this build.

04/24/26 Read More
 

NFL Draft First Round Winners and Losers

Sigmund Bloom

The biggest winners and losers of an action-packed first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

04/24/26 Read More