Category leagues require a different approach than points leagues. Volume still matters, but it isn't everything. Steals and blocks are harder to find, while 3-pointers can be concentrated among certain types of players. Field goal percentage, free throw percentage and turnovers can quietly swing a league over the course of a season.
That can change how players should be valued.
A guard who gives you steals, 3-pointers and strong percentages can be more valuable than a higher-scoring player who hurts you elsewhere. A center who blocks shots without wrecking your free throw percentage can give you a major advantage. A forward who provides assists can help solve a shortage in a category that is harder to address at that position.
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Our recent 10-team roto mock showed how that can play out. Four point guards went in the first round, while no small forwards were selected. Then Cooper Flagg, Scottie Barnes and Amen Thompson went with three of the first four picks of Round 2. Point guard became a focus again in Round 3, when James Harden, Jalen Brunson, Josh Giddey, LaMelo Ball, Jamal Murray and Stephen Curry all came off the board in a seven-pick span.
Derrick White also went 17th overall, which makes sense given how difficult his combination of 3s, assists, steals and blocks is to replace at shooting guard. Power forward showed one of the clearest positional drop-offs, while center remained deep enough that useful rebounders and shot-blockers were still available well into the middle rounds.
That's where tiers become useful.
I've separated players by their default position, even if they qualify at multiple spots. The rankings show how I value the players in a neutral build. The tiers show where the player pool changes. Once the draft starts, what you already have should influence what comes next.
The goal isn't simply to draft the highest-ranked player every round. It's to know from round to round what your team does well, where it is vulnerable and when a category or position is about to become much harder to draft.