Best Available: What Happens When Your Top Target is Taken?

22 July 2025

Ever been all-in on a player or team strategy, only to watch it vanish before your eyes? Whether you're a GM on draft night, a fantasy football manager, a coach courting recruits, or a fan glued to trade rumors, you’ve probably asked yourself: “What now?” When your top target is taken, it's like prepping your dream sandwich only to find out someone ate the last piece of bread. Frustrating? Absolutely. But all is not lost.

In this article, we’re diving into what happens when Plan A goes up in smoke and how pros — and passionate fans — shift to Plan B without losing momentum. Let’s rip the band-aid off and see how the best decisions are often born from unexpected pivots.

1. The Shocking Moment: Your Target Is Gone

Picture this: It’s NFL Draft night. Your team’s on the clock. The guy you’ve circled in red, watched 100 highlight reels of, and already imagined in your team’s jersey? Boom. He’s taken. One pick before yours. Ouch.

This scenario plays out across all levels of sports — from college recruiting to fantasy leagues and even pro trades. There’s an emotional punch to missing out on your top choice. But here's the twist... this moment often sparks some of the best roster decisions ever made.

The Emotional Rollercoaster

Let’s be real. There’s no sugarcoating the initial reaction. Whether you're a fan or a front office exec, the gut punch is real. You rage-tweet. You second guess everything. But high-performing organizations — and smart managers — quickly transition from frustration to focus.

2. Draft Day Drama: Going Best Available

“Best available” — it sounds like settling, right? Like getting the last slice of pizza with anchovies when all you wanted was pepperoni. But in sports, going best available isn't about scraping the bottom of the barrel. It can be genius.

B.P.A. Strategy: Talent Over Need

The Best Player Available (BPA) approach is simple: when your top positional need is off the board, you grab the most talented player left, regardless of fit. Why? Because talent is currency. A stacked roster never hurts. And sometimes, that player turns into a future star or a valuable trade chip.

Look at the 2007 NBA Draft. The Portland Trail Blazers picked Greg Oden instead of Kevin Durant. Why? Because they had a positional need. The rest is painful history. Oklahoma City? They went BPA — and Durant became a generational player.

When BPA Becomes Gold

Let’s flashback to 2017. The Kansas City Chiefs missed out on some early quarterback targets but grabbed Patrick Mahomes. Not exactly a “need” at the time. Fast-forward — Mahomes is a Super Bowl MVP. That’s the power of trusting talent over fit.

3. Scouting Depth: Preparing for Plan B (and C)

Here’s a little secret: The smartest teams never rely on one “top” target. They build deep boards, analyze scenarios, and prep for chaos.

Layered Game Plans

Great scouting departments rank players not just by skill, but by scheme fit, character, and upside. They’ve got Plan B, C, and D ready to go. It's like walking into a candy store with a list: if they’re out of Snickers, you’ve got a backup in Reese’s or Kit-Kats.

The Art of the "Steal"

Sometimes missing the top target leads to a steal. Think Draymond Green in the NBA. Or Cooper Kupp, a third-rounder in the NFL. Or even Tom Brady, picked #199. Every team that passed probably had a “better” option in mind. Oops.

4. Trades, Trades, and More Trades

When top choices disappear, creative front offices start making moves. Trades light up the phones like Christmas morning. Why stay stuck when you can shift the board altogether?

Climbing the Board

Some teams refuse to sit back. Missed your guy at pick #12? Package some picks and climb. Maybe your target is falling — don’t wait. Be aggressive. It’s chess, not checkers.

Trade Down: The Sneaky Smart Move

If your top target’s gone and the board feels meh, trade down. Gather more picks. Take more shots. The New England Patriots have made a dynasty out of this approach.

5. Fantasy Focus: Your Draft Just Got Interesting

Now let’s bring this closer to home — your fantasy football draft. That one buddy always snipes your guy one pick ahead (don’t worry, we all hate him). But good fantasy players thrive on pivoting.

Depth Charts Matter

You missed out on the RB1 you were dying for. Cool. Dig into depth charts. Who's the handcuff? Who’s the pass-catching back? Who's one injury away from being a star?

Flexibility = Wins

Flex-player heavy lineups thrive with versatility. Pass on RB and grab a WR1 instead. Or reach for a high-upside TE. Adaptability isn’t just a virtue — it’s a weapon.

6. Recruitment Woes: When the Star Player Picks Another School

College recruitment is its own beast. Coaches spend months (sometimes years) recruiting a top player — only to see them commit to a rival. Brutal, right?

The Ripple Effect on Programs

Missing on your top recruit can mess up your whole class — but only if you let it. Smart programs shift focus fast, use scholarships creatively, and build in marginal gains.

Walk-Ons and Underdogs

Some of the best college players weren’t “top targets.” Baker Mayfield? Walk-on. JJ Watt? Started at Central Michigan. Trust your development program. Invite dogs, not divas.

7. Fans' Reaction: Meltdowns and Masterpieces

Let’s not forget the most passionate piece of the puzzle — the fans. When your team misses out on that surefire pick, Twitter explodes, Reddit threads double overnight, and podcasts go nuclear. But with time, the truth emerges.

The Instant Hot Take, Versus Long-Term Success

Fans often lose it in the moment. But how often have those hot takes aged like milk? Lamar Jackson was “too raw.” Giannis was “too skinny.” Nikola Jokić was drafted during a Taco Bell commercial. Turns out, disappointment today can become dominance tomorrow.

8. The Undervalued Gem: When Plan B Outshines Plan A

You won’t always strike gold after you miss your top target — but sometimes you get diamonds where you never looked.

Hidden Potential

Maybe the pass-rusher you drafted ends up switching to linebacker and dominating. Maybe the guard you picked instead of the flashy scorer becomes the heartbeat of your team.

Chemistry Over Stars

Sports aren’t just about talent. Fit, culture, drive — these things are priceless. And sometimes, your second or third choice ends up being the guy your team needed all along.

9. Trusting the Process

So, what happens when your top target is taken? You pivot. You stay composed. You trust the work you’ve put in — the scouting, the research, the instincts. Because reacting emotionally leads to bad decisions. Responding strategically? That’s where championships are won.

10. Lessons from the Greats

Let’s wrap by looking at how the pros handle it:

- Belichick: Misses a guy? Trades down, gets three more.
- Pat Riley: Adjusts on the fly, reshapes the roster.
- Warriors: Built dynasties not with No. 1 picks, but smart, flexible moves.

Great teams have vision beyond the immediate. They don’t panic when Plan A disappears. They know that every draft, every recruit, every trade, is a new door opening.

Final Thoughts: Turning Disappointment into Opportunity

Here’s the honest truth — in sports (and life), you won’t always get what you want. But sometimes? That’s the best thing that could happen.

The phrase “Best Available” isn’t settling. It’s choosing to trust your homework, embrace adaptability, and see the board with fresh eyes. It’s about recognizing that opportunity doesn’t always show up wearing your favorite player’s jersey.

So next time you see your top target snatched away… smile. Your next star might just be waiting a few picks later.