Fantasy Premier League (FPL) has captivated football enthusiasts for over two decades, offering fans the thrill of managing their own teams. The introduction of draft-style leagues in 2017 added a fresh dimension to this experience. However, challenges such as delayed updates and the absence of predictive analytics have left room for improvement.
To address these shortcomings, I developed Draft SuperComputer – an app designed to enhance the FPL draft experience with real-time data and strategic insights.
The Challenge
Despite FPL’s widespread popularity, participants in draft leagues face several frustrating challenges:
- Delayed Scoring Updates: Scores and bonus points are only finalised after all matches conclude, leaving players in suspense for extended periods.
- Lack of Strategic Tools: Essential insights, such as predicted scores and personalised transfer recommendations, are absent, making informed decision-making difficult.
- Fragmented User Experience: Manually calculating points and navigating across multiple pages disrupts the immersive experience of the game.
These limitations often dampen the excitement and competitive spirit, especially for those seeking instant updates and actionable insights.
The Solution: Draft SC
To overcome these issues, I tapped into data from the official but undocumented FPL API and other sources to build a comprehensive dashboard. Combining real-time information with advanced analytics and predictive models, I created a minimum viable product (MVP) for Draft SC.
The app is designed around two core views: the Current Gameweek and the Next Gameweek.
Current Gameweek View
Premier League Fixtures: A swipeable list displaying fixture dates, times, and live statuses. Selecting a fixture reveals detailed statistics, including goal scorers, assists, and bonus points. Players are highlighted in green if owned by the logged-in user and in red if owned by their current opponent.
- League Fixtures: Displays this week’s match-ups with live scores, the number of players yet to play, and predicted scores. Users can click on a team to view detailed information about formations, predicted and live points, automatic substitutions, and non-playing squad members.
- Live League Table: An “As It Stands” table that provides real-time updates to league standings, so you no longer have to wait for the week to end to see how you’re doing.
- Gameweek Waivers: A detailed list of all waiver transactions completed during the week, offering transparency and aiding strategic planning.
Next Gameweek View
Upcoming Fixtures: A schedule of upcoming Premier League fixtures and draft league matchups, complete with dates, times, and predicted points to help users plan ahead.
Recommended Lineups: Suggested lineups are provided for each team, complete with predicted points. This feature flags potential injuries or other factors that might affect a player’s availability, along with expected minutes and difficulty ratings for the next five matches.
Waiver Suggestions: A custom algorithm generates a list of available players who could outperform current team members, enabling smarter transfer decisions.
Draft SC showcases my skills beyond marketing, combining JavaScript development, UI design, and user functionality. I coded the core logic, crafted a user-friendly interface, and built a seamless signup process to ensure accessibility for all fantasy football enthusiasts.