What Is ADP?
ADP stands for average draft position. It is the average pick number at which a player is being drafted across many drafts, and it is the single most useful number on draft day. Think of it as the market price on a player.
An ADP of 1.8 means the player usually goes around the second overall pick. A player with an ADP of 90 typically lasts into the eighth round. Knowing those numbers tells you who will realistically be there when you are on the clock.
A market price, not a ranking
ADP is calculated by taking the pick each player was drafted at across a large sample of real and mock drafts and averaging it. Because it is an average of what people actually do, it is a live consensus, not one analyst's opinion.
That is why ADP and rankings often disagree. Rankings say what a player should be worth; ADP says where the crowd is actually taking them. When a player you like has an ADP later than their projected role suggests, the market is undervaluing them, and that gap is your edge.
How to use ADP on draft day
Find value: ADP vs projected role
The edge is the gap between where a player is drafted and what they are projected to do. A starter going a full round after players projected to score less is a value. Draft the gap, not the name.
Know when you can wait
If a position's ADP is clustered, the drop from the best available to the next tier is small, so you can wait and take value elsewhere first. If it cliffs, you pounce before the tier is gone.
Do not reach past the market
Taking a player a round or two before their ADP usually means you paid a pick you did not need to. Let ADP tell you the latest you can realistically wait, then take them there.
Read it for your format and refresh it
ADP moves all summer with injuries and depth-chart news, and it differs by PPR, half-PPR, and standard. A number from July or from the wrong format can mislead you. Use the current board for your scoring.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ADP mean in fantasy football?
ADP stands for average draft position: the average pick number at which a player is being drafted across many real and mock drafts. An ADP of 1.8 means the player typically goes around the second overall pick.
How is ADP calculated?
Data providers aggregate the pick a player was taken at across a large sample of drafts and average it. Because it is an average of real behavior, ADP is a live market price, not a ranking or a projection.
Does ADP change by scoring format?
Yes. A player's ADP shifts between PPR, half-PPR, and standard because reception scoring changes value. Pass-catchers rise in PPR and slide in standard, so always read ADP for your format.
Is ADP the same as rankings?
No. Rankings are one analyst's opinion of value. ADP is the crowd's consensus of where a player is actually being drafted. The two often disagree, and that gap is where value hides.
How does Oddsmyth use ADP?
Oddsmyth reads live 2026 Sleeper ADP for your scoring format and compares it to projected role, so it can tell you who is a value at your pick and who is going a round too early.
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