The Perfect Fantasy Football Draft

So, just what does the perfect fantasy draft consist of? If you plan on simply showing up with basic football knowledge and luck, don't plan on succeeding in a real league. Sure, a general knowledge of football may get you through some free public online league that you can find anywhere on the internet, but if you plan on taking this game serious, you had better plan on a lot of off-season work. Also plan on spending just a little money, and I don't mean those worthless fantasy draft publications you pick up at the bookstore. By the time your draft rolls around, those magazines are outdated and only useful as toilet paper. I am not going to get into heavy details, but this guideline will supply you with the basic tools you need to get started on a promising career as a fantasy football guru. (If I told you everything, you would soon be taking my job here, and I have to pay the bills somehow).

Avoid the draft run. A major mistake many people make is getting caught up in a run at any skilled position. We have all done it. You see 2-3 wide receivers taken in a row, and then suddenly you throw all of you draft planning out the window for fear of missing out on a stud receiver. Don't let this happen to you. This usually happens early in the draft, and chances are, you have plenty of positions that you are lacking in at this point. Take advantage of this situation and get the studs in those areas. Keep an eye on those that do get caught up in the draft runs though, as you will most likely be able to make some great trades with them later.

Don't draft first. The worst thing for me is to have the very first draft pick, knowing that the value of the players below are usually so close. This doesn't mean you shouldn't want to draw this position when the draft order is given out, just be smart and trade out of it. Don't get me wrong; drafting 1st can be great, providing the player you drafted lives up to full expectations. If that player doesn't achieve your expectations, you are in a mess because that #2 player you picked is only the 24th or worse player in the league. If it is a 12-team league, I prefer to pick at the very end. In leagues larger than 12, I want to pick between the middle and the end.

Push a position. I also refer to this as starting a run. Once you are set at a position, do whatever you can to sell that position for the rest of the draft. For instance, if you have your stud Quarterback, make sure everyone notices how many quarterbacks have been taken, and how slim the pickings have become. If nothing else, a couple people will bite on this, allowing some of those players on your dream team to fall to you. While I don't have a problem personally mentioning players who haven't been drafted yet, many of your teammates may not like that approach, so be very careful in this tactic.

Stay Focused. Have fun at your draft if you are lucky enough that you can all gather together and do the draft in person. Just make sure you don't have too much fun too early and find yourself unable to concentrate on the draft due to having a little too much to drink. Save that for after the draft. If you are drafting online in a live draft, have your draft sheets ready, and keep the players marked off once they are taken. Also be sure to have your current roster listed, and INCLUDE THEIR BYE WEEKS!!! Don't be the one who finds half their roster on a bye during one week of the season.

I hope you find these guidelines helpful. They have been very helpful to me over the years, and I feel the time has come to pass them on to you. Use them wisely.









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