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After attending a hilarious live draft last night at a local bar, I figured I'd come along and share some draft tips for those who can use them. As always, everyone has their own strategy, but perhaps some of these tips will help you avoid amazing mistakes that can cost you dearly before your season even begins.
Tip 1
Running backs are a good thing.
Last night, an unprecedented 4 quarterbacks went in the first round of a 10-team 18-deep draft. Now, understandably, this year people are going to go for Peyton Manning early. However, just because someone starts a QB rush doesn't mean you should follow through, especially in the first round. Running backs score, and top running backs are crucial. Within the first three rounds of any draft, you're generally going to want 1-2 running backs and a quarterback or a top wide receiver. Forget Antonio Gates, don't even think about your place kicker, and your defenses can wait.
Tip 2
Stick to your guns.
Sometimes, when someone picks a position early, other people start nabbing up the next in line at that position. This can leave top players open until late in the draft, and generally doesn't serve you well unless you get #1 or #2 in a given position (and even then, it's not always worth it). Get a top 200 list, or top 500 list, or a few of them. Make your choices on how you want to build your team, and stick to it. One particularly clever team owner decided to pick a kicker in round 5, when most people were picking WRs, RBs, QBs, and TEs. The next thing you know, 5 kickers were picked, and when it came to my turn I got a top 5 WR and because I was #9 out of 10 in draft order, I quickly got the Ravens defense next. I can guarantee that Torry Holt or Ravens D is going to get me more points than, say, Jason Elam. Don't be fooled by a run on a position--stick to your guns.
Tip 3
Watch your Bye weeks.
It's very important to make sure you can fill every position on your roster every week. Sometimes you need to skip over the next best pick if he has the same bye week as your starter(s). I saw a lot of people shooting themselves in the foot by having, for example, their entire running back squad with a bye of week 6. Come then, he won't have anyone to play unless he gets lucky in free agency or trades, and generally speaking that's not how you want to start your season.
Tip 4
Sometimes, your home team isn't the best.
In a move that defied all logic, one team owner in last night's draft picked a defense in round 6. Now, at this point my friend had picked Chicago, so I picked the Ravens, because those 2 defenses could arguably be worth a round 6 pick depending on a number of factors. This fellow's home team of the Washington Redskins, with a defense ranked between 30-32 out of 32, does not fit this bill. If you want to root for your home team, turn on the tv on Sunday. If you want a fantasy team that will win, separate yourself from that gut feeling that this will really be Kyle Boller's year to shine and leave him behind.
Tip 5
Don't look back.
We all make bad choices in a draft. You forget about bye week management or pick some guy who just broke his hand and won't be playing for 6 weeks. It happens. Don't get frustrated, though, and don't give up. One or two bad choices won't kill your playoff chances--just be prepared to deal with them in trading or free agency. However, getting flummoxed and trying to play catch-up will continue the snowball of doom down your roster, and that is hard to fix. Keep cool, and you'll be fine.
Hopefully this advice will be useful to some out there. Good luck, everyone!
~Mike/player of Gulphphunger
Awesome advice there!!
Having had P Manning on my teams last year I will attest that although he is a scoring machine and definate warrants a 1st - 2nd round pick. Tomlinson and a few other choice RB's kept quite a few teams around last year in many of the leagues a hell of alot longer than they deserved to have been. I play FF alot and in everyone of my drafts RB's take at least 5 of the top 10
If there's one piece of advice I can give it would be to do your homework. Check the matchups, bye weeks, last year, 3 year and this years projected stats and god only knows why so many people forget this but injuries.
Another thing folks tend to do is overlook rookies. Last year I took Joseph Addai (RB - IND) in every one of my drafts early on and folks thought I was crazy. I did my research saw the need and the potential and I took a chance. Needless to say he paid off by leaps and bounds and is now one this years top RB's.
Folks tend to draft/trade for the big names often hurting themselves in the process. While it's nice to have a superstar who's going to get you 40 pts a game it does no good if the rest of your teams going to grant you minimal points per week. What you want to look for is consistancy. Players who do thier job week in and week out and put up solid numbers.
There are many a lesser known player who are monster Fantasy Players. Off the top of my head Deuce McAllister comes to mind, he is often over shadowed by Reggie Bush but he is a powerhouse in Fantasy putting up consistent numbers weekly.
It may seem like alot of work but if you put a little effort into research it will go a long way to making sure you have bragging rights over your friends come playoff time.
Denz
Join Dragonrealms:The Fallen
And Play DR the way it was meant to be played
Customer service should never be considered an expense, It's an investment in the future
Having had P Manning on my teams last year I will attest that although he is a scoring machine and definate warrants a 1st - 2nd round pick. Tomlinson and a few other choice RB's kept quite a few teams around last year in many of the leagues a hell of alot longer than they deserved to have been. I play FF alot and in everyone of my drafts RB's take at least 5 of the top 10
If there's one piece of advice I can give it would be to do your homework. Check the matchups, bye weeks, last year, 3 year and this years projected stats and god only knows why so many people forget this but injuries.
Another thing folks tend to do is overlook rookies. Last year I took Joseph Addai (RB - IND) in every one of my drafts early on and folks thought I was crazy. I did my research saw the need and the potential and I took a chance. Needless to say he paid off by leaps and bounds and is now one this years top RB's.
Folks tend to draft/trade for the big names often hurting themselves in the process. While it's nice to have a superstar who's going to get you 40 pts a game it does no good if the rest of your teams going to grant you minimal points per week. What you want to look for is consistancy. Players who do thier job week in and week out and put up solid numbers.
There are many a lesser known player who are monster Fantasy Players. Off the top of my head Deuce McAllister comes to mind, he is often over shadowed by Reggie Bush but he is a powerhouse in Fantasy putting up consistent numbers weekly.
It may seem like alot of work but if you put a little effort into research it will go a long way to making sure you have bragging rights over your friends come playoff time.
Denz
Join Dragonrealms:The Fallen
And Play DR the way it was meant to be played
Customer service should never be considered an expense, It's an investment in the future
OK...Weirdness...
Apparently, once a league drafts, you cannot delete it or reset it...you're stuck with it.
So....it looks like I'll make a new Yahoo screen name and make one more league. ::cries::
Solomon
"Experience will come, it's not a race or anything. The ones who kill themselves to get to the finish are the ones who tire out quickly."
http://www.myspace.com/simutronicsdragonrealms
Apparently, once a league drafts, you cannot delete it or reset it...you're stuck with it.
So....it looks like I'll make a new Yahoo screen name and make one more league. ::cries::
Solomon
"Experience will come, it's not a race or anything. The ones who kill themselves to get to the finish are the ones who tire out quickly."
http://www.myspace.com/simutronicsdragonrealms
<<separate yourself from that gut feeling that this will really be Kyle Boller's year to shine and leave him behind.>>
heh, substitute Brady Quinn and know that I share yer pain.
Rehlyn
You gesture at a gargantuan korograth.
A sheet of slippery rich amber ale-hued ice forms beneath a gargantuan korograth!
The gargantuan korograth refuses to fall.
heh, substitute Brady Quinn and know that I share yer pain.
Rehlyn
You gesture at a gargantuan korograth.
A sheet of slippery rich amber ale-hued ice forms beneath a gargantuan korograth!
The gargantuan korograth refuses to fall.
>>Another thing folks tend to do is overlook rookies. Last year I took Joseph Addai (RB - IND) in every one of my drafts early on and folks thought I was crazy. I did my research saw the need and the potential and I took a chance. Needless to say he paid off by leaps and bounds and is now one this years top RB's.
>>Folks tend to draft/trade for the big names often hurting themselves in the process.
Great points. Last year Addai and Colston saved a couple of my teams. There's a pair of rookies I've got my eye on this year, and I'm trying to draft them in every league I play. Unfortunately I haven't had a lot of luck nabbing them because of the draft order I've gotten or not being able to make a couple of live drafts, but my big leagues are coming up, and these guys are a priority.
>>heh, substitute Brady Quinn and know that I share yer pain.
Heh. We've all done it. A couple years ago a (Redskins fan) friend was insisting that Mark Brunell was going to be the next Daunte Culpepper, and drafted him accordingly. Everyone has dreams. Then again, you look at people like Drew Brees last year, and it can happen.
I am so happy it's almost football time.
Sunday, Sept. 6 at Casa Gulphphunger: bean dip, beef barbeque, chili, mac and 7-cheese casserole, corn on the cob and some other fresh veggies from a local farm, chicken, dogs, and burgers on the grill, and whatever else people want to bring. 2 TVs side-by-side (preparing for the inevitable season-long "I wanna watch Ravens!" "Well, I want to watch Redskins!" that happens in the Balto-DC metro area). In short, sheer football-filled cooking out madness. And beer. Lots of beer. I...can't...wait.
~Mike/player of Gulphphunger
>>Folks tend to draft/trade for the big names often hurting themselves in the process.
Great points. Last year Addai and Colston saved a couple of my teams. There's a pair of rookies I've got my eye on this year, and I'm trying to draft them in every league I play. Unfortunately I haven't had a lot of luck nabbing them because of the draft order I've gotten or not being able to make a couple of live drafts, but my big leagues are coming up, and these guys are a priority.
>>heh, substitute Brady Quinn and know that I share yer pain.
Heh. We've all done it. A couple years ago a (Redskins fan) friend was insisting that Mark Brunell was going to be the next Daunte Culpepper, and drafted him accordingly. Everyone has dreams. Then again, you look at people like Drew Brees last year, and it can happen.
I am so happy it's almost football time.
Sunday, Sept. 6 at Casa Gulphphunger: bean dip, beef barbeque, chili, mac and 7-cheese casserole, corn on the cob and some other fresh veggies from a local farm, chicken, dogs, and burgers on the grill, and whatever else people want to bring. 2 TVs side-by-side (preparing for the inevitable season-long "I wanna watch Ravens!" "Well, I want to watch Redskins!" that happens in the Balto-DC metro area). In short, sheer football-filled cooking out madness. And beer. Lots of beer. I...can't...wait.
~Mike/player of Gulphphunger
