So I stumbled across this “2024 Spectra NFL Checklist” everyone kept mentioning in forums, claiming it was some magic recipe for fantasy drafts. Figured I’d put it to the test myself since draft season was creeping up. Grabbed a cold one, printed out the checklist, and plopped down at my kitchen table last Tuesday night.
First Impressions & Setup
Right off the bat, the checklist looked… simple. Maybe too simple. Just columns for positions – QB, RB, WR, TE, DEF, K – and vague tiers like “Elite,” “Solid,” “Risky.” No actual player names, just categories. Felt kinda barebones, but whatever, I filled in my draft slot number at the top anyway. My beer was sweating on the table already.
The Actual Draft Trial Run
Hopped into a mock draft lobby. First pick came around – I’m sitting at spot 5. Checklist said: “Take Elite RB if available.” Okay, easy enough. Grabbed McCaffrey. Felt good! Next pick, 16th overall. Checklist: “Priority: WR1 or Fallback RB2.” Draft board showed Jefferson and Lamb gone, so I snagged Saquon Barkley. Tick, tick. So far, smooth sailing.
Third round, pick 25. Checklist screamed “MUST GET WR1 HERE!” Only… the top 10 WRs were wiped out. Best left? Keenan Allen. Took him, but felt iffy. Fourth round chaos hit. Checklist just mumbled “Value Pick OR TE if Top 3 available.” Top TEs? Long gone. “Value” meant whatever dude fell – ended up with James Conner. Meh. Already doubting this thing.
Where It All Fell Apart
By rounds 5-8, the checklist turned useless. Just said stuff like:
- “Depth RB/WR“
- “Consider QB if Elite available“
- “No K/DEF yet!“
Meanwhile, other guys in the mock were sniping sleepers and stacking QBs with receivers. I was just ticking boxes like a robot. Picked a QB way later than I wanted ’cause the checklist yelled “NO QB BEFORE ROUND 8!” Ended up with Geno Smith. Pure nonsense.
Final Roster & Real Talk
Mock draft finished. My team looked… average. Checklist got me “safe” picks but zero upside. Zero excitement. Felt like I drafted a spreadsheet. Worse, it didn’t adapt. Key weaknesses:
- Too rigid – Didn’t account for wild draft runs (like 6 QBs going in round 3!).
- Vague categories – What’s “Elite”? Draft board changes every year!
- No strategy – Just reactive, no stacking, no targeting breakouts.
Yeah, it helped me avoid total disasters by reminding me not to take a kicker early. But honestly? Any fantasy noobie with half a brain could avoid that dumb mistake.
My Takeaway
That Spectra checklist? Garbage. Felt like training wheels made of wet cardboard – falls apart at the first bump. If you draft like a drone following orders, you get a robot team. Slow, predictable, and boring. Real drafts need gut calls, quick pivots, and actually knowing players beyond “tiers.” Crushed the printout and tossed it. Back to my own messy notes and hunches. Way more reliable.
