Football fans all over our nation are starting to get antsy. We’re only a couple of weeks from the start of NFL training camps, but more importantly, the return of the majesty of fantasy football.
Yes, every year, so many of us elect to play fake games. We draft real players and hope that their hard work and success brings us some sort of displaced sense of victory. I can’t mock it. In fact, I’m just as addicted as you are!
I spend hour upon hour researching each year’s crop of talent, and I must say, I’m fairly successful at it. At least…..I’m successful enough to think I’m successful enough to offer you advice on how to win your league.
I’m a firm believer in strategy. If you have the right gameplan heading into your draft, the players will come. You have to be flexible in assessing value. For instance, don’t take Matt Ryan in the 2nd round just because you need a quarterback. If there isn’t a quarterback worth a 2nd round grade, go running back! Go receiver! It doesn’t matter! If you pigeonhole yourself into drafting based on positions, you’re going to end up with a team you are unhappy with.
You don’t want to be that guy….he’s in every league! The guy who nags all season about how bad he screwed up the draft, and wishes he had a do-over.
Here are the six principles that I base my draft-day philosophy on:
1. When in doubt, go running back.
This is perhaps the most important rule I follow for two reasons. First, running backs play the easiest position to predict. You know the running back is going to touch the ball, and hopefully, plenty of times. In most formats, your running backs are going to carry your team! Second, running backs are usually high in demand, meaning you’re going to get good trade value from the guy who drafted Matt Ryan in the 2nd round. In fact, just stockpile your backfield! You’ll have a good rotation going throughout the season, keep several options open for advantageous match-ups, and if you need a player throughout the season, you’ll have excellent leverage to propose a trade.
2. Examine opportunities!
Don’t draft DeMarco Murray and then tune in to the Eagles/Browns game in week one cheering ol’ #29 on! He’s in Tennessee now, sir/madam.
You would know this if you examined opportunity throughout the league. You have to look at team’s additions and losses. Then, you’ll know to stay away from the Philadelphia backfield, and draft Lamar Miller instead.
Don’t draft Arian Foster and then tune in to ANY NFL game at this point. He’s not even on a roster!
These are the types of things you have to pay attention to throughout the offseason in order to be prepared for your draft.
Also, think about injuries. You may be ecstatic to see Darren McFadden available in the 6th round, but remember….he is banged up and Dallas drafted a huge upgrade at the position, so he’s still a big question mark for the 2016 season. Well then, who’s going to get the opportunity? Ezekial Elliott.
When considering drafting a player, you have to look at his opportunity to succeed. If it’s there, then pull the trigger!
3. Know the schedule!
We all face tough decisions in the draft. One of the first things I look at when forced to choose between two similar prospects is their respective schedules. This will give you insight as to the level of competition each will play, and perhaps make the choice clearer for you.
4. Defense/Special Teams & Kickers should ALWAYS come last!
Every year, someone in your draft will undoubtedly draft the Steelers D/ST in the 6th round. This is completely ludicrous. Unless you landed the 2013 Seahawks D/ST (which I don’t even know how would be possible), your defense was probably inconsistent and made little impact overall on your season. So why waste an early pick on either of these positions with a good crop of backs and receivers on the board? Let the other guys do this, and you’ll have yet another competitive advantage when the season starts.
5. Don’t draft two quarterbacks!
This is one I’m sure you’ll shake your head at, but I stand by it fully! You’re used to the idea of the “bye week replacement,” but if you land a good, solid quarterback that you can ride through an entire season, you’ll only need a second quarterback once! Unless you’re in a 16-team league that plays two quarterbacks each week, you’ll be able to pick up a serviceable replacement off the waiver wire. Typically, 15-20 quarterbacks in the league are good for at least 10 points. Go on ahead and use that pick on…guess what….another running back!
6. Know your enemy.
Pay attention to your league’s draft history, you may be able to pick up on the members’ drafting trends. This will give you an invaluable edge in planning for the draft! If you know ol’ Teddy has a mancrush on Aaron Rodgers, you can plan on waiting a couple of rounds and snagging Philip Rivers. If you know the guys behind you hoard receivers, you may want to go ahead and grab Julio Jones before the well runs dry. This sort of planning will give you an idea of when to wait and when to move on a player, along with a notion of who might slip through the cracks.
Now, with that in mind, I’ve only won 2 championships in all my years of playing fantasy football…..but hey…I couldn’t tell you that before you read all of the information, could I? I will only denounce my credibility after I’ve wasted your time.
Happy drafting everyone!
Stoney Keeley is the editor of the SoBros Network, Tennessee Titans Featured Analyst for Pro Football Spot, and covers the WWE for WrestlingNews.co. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley,@PFSpot, @WrestlingNewsCo
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