Things You'll Need:
- Time to do your research.
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Step 1
I’ve spent the better part of the past decade playing fantasy football. I’ve played in friendly free yahoo leagues and also keeper leagues for some serious cash prizes. Each season (and off season) I spend countless hours doing research. Statistics go a long way in fantasy football, and so does luck, but there are a few things which I think make up the recipe for a successful team.
When reading below, quarterbacks will be abbreviated “QB,” running backs “RB,” and wide receivers “WR” -
Step 2
First thing is to know and understand the type of league you are in. This includes:
- Number of teams in league: which will help determine possible draft positions and players available. For example if it’s a 12 team league and the scoring system benefit RB’s, and let’s say there are only 5 superstar RB’s, and you pick 7th, you might want to focus on getting a top WR or QB.
- Scoring system: which will give you an idea which position is more productive.
- Keeper league or non-keeper league: If a keeper league, you want to consider players who are in contract years, who have value for the next season, and who you want to build your team around. -
Step 3
Once you understand the things listed above…then its time to do your homework. Here are some things to take a look at and how I approach drafting my team:
Find an NFL team with a high powered offensive. This means they score a lot, get a lot of yards, and have a very good QB, RB, and WR. An excellent example of this is the San Diego Chargers. Their QB (Philip Rivers) is a top 5-10 QB. Their RB (Ladainian Tomlinson) is a top 10 RB. Their WR (Vincent Jackson) is a top 15 WR.
I don’t think it’s wise to put all your eggs in one basket, which means, don’t try to get all of these guys. Also, there is a trend of getting the QB and WR of the same team think you will get double points if the QB throws a touchdown to the WR. Yes, this is true, but how many times is that actually going to happen? This is not a good idea because is the QB gets injured, you not only lose him, but will more than likely lose production from your WR as well.
My theory is to get the QB and RB from the same team. Most likely a defense will not shut down both the receiving and running game so you give your team consistency and a better chance to succeed, especially if it’s a high powered offensive team. -
Step 4
Another thing to look at is a player or teams schedule and division. If they have a tough schedule or division where they play many tough defensive teams, you might want to move on.
If they play on a high powered offensive team, but always lose games. Chances are, they will be throwing from behind and having the quarterback and wide receiver from this team is a good idea. -
Step 5
When looking for a RB, try to find one that does not split reps with another RB. For example, this year, Derrick Ward and Earnest Graham will be splitting reps for Tampa Bay, both might be good options as a reserve on your bench, but as a starter, I personally would much rather have a guy I know who will get 300 carries in a season. There are exceptions to the rule.
Realize that all positions win a championship. So do your research and make sure you get a good Tight End, Kicker and Defense as well (if that is how your league is set up). -
Step 6
Here’s a quick example of drafting strategy: You’re in a 12 team league and you pick 10th. Chances are most of the top RB’s and QB’s are gone, with a few exceptions. First thing is to see how the people before you have picked. In this case, you might want to draft a top end WR like an Andre Johnson or Calvin Johnson, but the truth is that in most leagues a good year for a WR is 200-225+ points. Where as a running back is 275-350+ and a quarterback is over 300-400+…so do I want to waste a first round pick on a WR who will get me over a 100 points less…not really.
So picking tenth, I might grab a guy like RB Ryan Grant from Green Bay and when my turn comes up again, I will evaluate the RB talent left, but most likely draft QB Aaron Rodger from Green Bay.
Doing my research I can see that Green Bay has a good offense. A quarterback who is top 5-10 in the league and a running back who is probably top 15 and will get around 300 carries. They also have a decent schedule and play in a division where I expect them to perform well offensively not once, but twice against their rivals. -
Step 7
From there, depending on my league, I can next go for another RB, or start to build my WR’s.
I usually go for a top 2-3 defense around rounds 5 or 6 because a top defense will most likely get you around the same points as a top wide receiver. A top defensive is almost always reliable and if you wait until the later rounds you chance losing out on one.
No matter what people say…a kicker should be draft dead last. You are better of securing reserve spots on your team before getting a kicker as the top kicker will only get your 20-30 points more than a mid-level one.
There is so much more involved in drafting a quality team and it really does take years and time to develop the niche for doing so.
Hope this guides you on your way and if I see this is a hit, I will follow up with even more tips.
