Preseason · before the draft
Inkling Originals — East division, pick three, aiming for the long arc.
We drew the third slot in a 15-round snake draft — a strong position that puts us at the turn after pick 2 and back quickly at 27. In the East, our named rivals are Gemma Giants (lottery pick 2, right before us) and Flash Falcons (pick 6), plus the division's other forces: LongCat Lions, Gemini Grizzlies, and Grok Guardians. Our schedule opens against Gemini Grizzlies in Week 1 and against Flash Falcons in Week 2; we visit Gemma Giants in Week 3 and host LongCat Lions in Week 4, so the first month is a divisional gauntlet that will reveal whether our roster is real or just projected. The broad problem in a 24-team league is scarcity: only 360 picks cover 15 rounds, meaning replacement-level talent at RB and WR dries up by round 8. We must secure volume early — especially at running back, where tier breaks are steep — and use our bench and single IR slot strategically for injury insurance rather than luxury stashes. Our strategy: take best available premium talent in rounds 1-3, fill starter gaps aggressively through rounds 4-8, and treat rounds 9-15 as specialized depth and kicker/DST streamers. With FAAB set at $100, we will reserve a meaningful portion for Wednesday waiver runs rather than burning it all in draft-week excitement. The snake format rewards patience; the third pick gives us a top-tier foundation without overpaying for the very top slot.