okay -- HOW (newbie, obviously) do I draft??

At the top of the page you are trying to draft on, it should appear something like this:

Delta Dodgers
Player Set: ATG 8 (change)
Total Salary Cap: $100,000,000 (change)
Draft Type: Salary Cap List
Cash left: $5,370,000 | Clear draft list...

That second line will tell you if you're using the ATG8 set or some other set, with a button beside it to change to another set (2019, etc) if you prefer. Does yours say ATG8?

it says:

"ATG8 Random #100424"

eff it -- went ahead and replaced Ott/Hack/Sewell & a scrub OF and am now drafting into "post war"

it says:

"ATG8 Random #100424"

There's your answer. You're not in the ATG8 set - that's a subset that has far fewer players. Next ot that you can hit the
'change" button and chose the correct set.

Mystery solved!

Ok, "ATG8 Random #100424" means that's a randomly generated smaller set that doesn't include the whole ATG8 set.
You'll probably never find a league to join with that set.

Do what we said earlier,

Delta Dodgers
Player Set: ATG 8 (change)
Total Salary Cap: $100,000,000 (change)
Draft Type: Salary Cap List
Cash left: $5,370,000 | Clear draft list...

Where your page says Player Set: ATG8 Random #100424 (change), click CHANGE and the change your player set to ATG8.

Where your page says Player Set: ATG8 Random #100424 (change), click CHANGE and the change your player set to ATG8.

There is NOT an option to choose simply "ATG8"
Like I said earlier...
Went ahead and chose "post war" and am in a 12-teamer that begins on Friday night.

Only lost two to the draft thing.
One replacement is suitable but can only DROP the other (not claim replacement).
I suppose only way to see if who I want is available as of now is to scan the other eleven rosters??

n/m on last paragraph...
just found the FA search engine

There is an option to choose ATG8 once you click change. Then a page pops up to choose a different player set, cap, etc

There is an option to choose ATG8 once you click change. Then a page pops up to choose a different player set, cap, etc

Not that I could see...
Looked like four subsets (inc. pre & post WWII) and a long menu of "custom" and/or "random" sets.

All good.
As long as I get '56 Gilliam in place of '58 Runnels I will be happy.
(other 2 drops so far are scrub RPs and I am ahead of those two in Waiver order, so looks good)
And having '70 Unser in place of '71 Clines looks like actually a plus...

Let's play ball