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antasy football team owners know the importance of drafting well. The difference in winning cash and taking home the league championship trophy could come down to taking a chance on the “sleeper” early in the draft or by stunning (and perhaps making angry) your fellow owners by taking the first defense available in the fifth round. Never, in recent memory, has a draft been more important to your team’s success than this year. With the extended NFL lockout, no teams have been able to have Rookie Camps and it appears that summer training camps are greatly shortened. For some Mondaymorning-quarterbacks, this signals a possible downturn in the quality of football to be played this season. There are several ways that fantasy owners prepare for their drafts. Fantasy veterans may rely on past formulas to field their best roster and some fantasy rookies may spend hours upon hours pouring over stats, projections and analysis. Due to the NFL lockout and the possibility of losing preseason and perhaps even regular season games, getting the best value out of your draft picks is of the utmost importance. The first thing to evaluate is your league’s point structure. In most leagues, running backs are your best source of point income. Running backs can score by the number of rushing yards gained, touchdowns scored, receiving yards, and in some per-touch leagues, receive points for carries and receptions. More touches mean more opportunities for touchdowns. With this lockout-shortened off-season, as well as many NFL teams moving to two-back systems, drafting the high-profile running backs could make the difference for your team. Maximize the early round picks with running backs. Of course, other owners in your league will use this formula as well. Your next objective is to find the best quarterback possible. Quarterbacks will have the next best opportunity to produce touchdowns and yardage. However, be disciplined and don’t take unnecessary risks on rookie or unproven signal callers. There are very few elite wide receivers in the NFL. If you feel you can take a sure-fire receiver in the early rounds, snatch them up; especially, if your players receive points for receptions. Most owners will wait until the final rounds to take their kickers and team defenses. It’s usually best to be the first owner to take a defense/special team; however, with limited point-earning potential, picking the best possible back up for other positions can prove invaluable. – Joel Easton
Want to challenge the opinion of our Fantasy Expert? Have a question you want to get his take on? Contact him at joel_easton@yahoo.com.
58 | August 2011
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