The National Football League’s preseason begins with the Hall of Fame Game on Aug. 7, ushering in the 2016 season.
But another popular season will begin prior to kickoff — fantasy football.
It’s estimated that 57.4 million people will play fantasy sports this year, according to FSTA.org, a site which specializes in fantasy sports coverage. However, only a small minority will end the season as their league’s champion.
The first step to successful fantasy football season is a solid draft. For those who do not know, typically fantasy football drafts are 15 rounds in which you select your initial team of players.
Your team will normally consist of a quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, a tight end, a defense, a kicker and a flex player, which can be a running back, wide receiver or tight end, in most leagues. There are seven additional roster spots for bench players to complete the 15-man squad.
The first four rounds are the most crucial, as they will set the foundation for your team.
The size of the league and where your team’s selections fall will greatly influence the players picked, but this will be a general guide.
In the first round, draft — I cannot stress this enough — a running back. In actual games, good running backs contribute, but are not game changers. In fantasy, that is completely the opposite.
Rushing touchdowns are scored as six points, whereas passing touchdowns are only four. Also, there is a more distinct divide between elite and solid running backs then the gap between quarterbacks.
In terms of fantasy, quarterbacks are a dime a dozen, but the elite running backs will be gone by the time the first round closes.
Once you grab that first running back, pick up a quarterback or another running back. This choice will depend on who is left on the board. I tend to lean toward running backs, because two top-10 running backs are worth more than a top-five player at QB and RB.
Whichever position you don’t fill in round two should be filled with your third pick. This should leave you with a two solid RBs and a top-15 quarterback.
Rounds four through seven get a bit trickier. By this time, your league rivals may start to grab elite receivers or a top-three tight end. This is where you’ll have to adapt.
The goal will be to fill both wideout spots, the flex spot and the tight end position. But the order will depend on the players left in your league’s draft.
Preferably with the fourth and fifth picks, you’ll be able to pick up two decent WRs. However, if you can steal a top TE such as Rob Gronkowski or Jordan Reed, then go for it.
Otherwise, grab a WR in rounds four and five, then fill the remaining two positions in rounds six and seven.
All that’s left is the bench, a defense and a kicker.
It will be tempting to start filling the bench with decent players, but avoid doing that. The bench players will likely not end up being better than your starters. Therefore, with the next two picks grab a kicker and defense to complete the starting squad.
With a completed starting lineup, you’ll enter the most difficult part of the draft.
Filling your bench is a challenge, because once you get past the household names, it is hard to differentiate between players. Research is key in determining who exactly to draft, but the position should follow something like this.
A solid bench will have at least two wide receivers and running backs, a backup quarterback and a reserve tight end. This leaves you with one spot remaining and this should go to a WR or RB, depending on players left.
When drafting the bench, pay close attention to your starters’ bye weeks and that the reserve players’ byes do not interfere. Other than the week off, your backups should stay on the bench, barring an injury.
Don’t worry about a reserve defense or kicker, as these can be picked up the week needed, and will allow you to see which bench player performs the best and which should be removed to make room for the position needed.
If you follow this draft guide and research the players, you’ll be on your way to being crowned champion this season.
