5 Tips That Will Lead Your Fantasy Football Team to a Championship

Everyone has their own draft strategy they bring with them to the draft each year.

Some like a solid, steady team headlined by running backs. Others have noted the NFL's sea change toward the passing game and target quarterbacks and wide receivers immediately.

Some folks will only draft players from top offenses. Others have no plan other than taking the best value in each round, assuming they can trade for needs if they end up with a surplus at any position.

No matter what your strategy, it remains true that every year is different and every draft must be approached slightly differently. With that in mind, I've compiled several tips after studying last season and this year's draft class.

I pretend like this is some sort of definitive bible for how to approach your draft—you've got your own style already. But these are the five suggestions that I believe will help you maximize value and minimize risk this season.

Good luck!

Safety Matters at Running Back

Here are the running backs you should add without reservation in the first round: Arian Foster, LeSean McCoy, Ray Rice and Maurice Jones-Drew.

After that, it gets tricky. Trying to find runners who are clear-cut starters, consistent performers don't offer huge injury risks and aren't stuck on poor teams is a predicament this season.

Matt Forte would be a no-brainer first-round selection, but Michael Bush is a threat to steal touchdowns. Chris Johnson was a bust last year. Darren McFadden can't stay on the field. DeMarco Murray has a very limited resume. How will Jamaal Charles and Adrian Peterson recover from injury? Will C.J. Spiller steal some of Fred Jackson's value? Marshawn Lynch will dominate touches, but can he really be trusted?

You need to minimize risk and stockpile as many potential starters at the running back position as possible this year. Don't be afraid to take a player like Trent Richardson as high as the second-round—he's durable, he'll get a ton of touches in Cleveland's offense and he won't be taken out near the goal line.

In the era of running-back rotations and shortening career spans, finding safe, reliable running backs is key. Don't overpay for players whose risks outweigh their rewards.

Don't Miss out on a Top Option at Quarterback

Ideally, you want to be in a position to draft one of three quarterbacks: Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees or Tom Brady. Each consistently performs on a weekly and yearly basis, and each should be considered for your first or second-round pick.

After that, there are excellent options, but questions marks follow shortly behind.

Eli Manning puts up points over the course of a season, but his performances from week-to-week can can be inconsistent. He's often a feast-or-famine player.

Matthew Stafford, Ben Roethlisberger Peyton Manning and Tony Romo carry injury concerns.

Cam Newton and Michael Vick need rushing yards to maintain value, meaning durability issues arise.

Philip Rivers may be a great player on a mediocre offense, causing his numbers to suffer.

If you miss out on the top three, be sure to handicap your starter with a solid backup. My recommendation is to land Rodgers, Brees, Brady or Stafford in the first two rounds. In a year with so many questions at running back, a consistent stream of points each week from the quarterback position is vital.

Don't Be Afraid to Overpay for Calvin Johnson

Last year in standard-scoring leagues, top quarterback Aaron Rodgers was worth 6.1 points more than runner-up Drew Brees in the quarterback rankings. Top runner Ray Rice managed 16.4 points more than LeSean McCoy.

And Calvin Johnson scored 46.9 more points than the next wide receiver in the rankings, Jordy Nelson and finished with the 11th-most points in the overall rankings.

He is absolutely worth a mid first-round pick this year.

In the early rounds, you are looking to maximize your point totals, but in general, you want to maximize your value as well. Players aren't just valuable for how many points they score—they are also valuable for how many more points they score than their positional counterparts.

And Johnson offers a huge advantage in that regard.

So if you are sitting at your draft in the middle of the first round and Aaron Rodgers, Arian Foster, LeSean McCoy and Ray Rice are all off the board, think long and hard about selecting Johnson. He is worth that high of a selection this year.

You Need Rob Gronkowski or Jimmy Graham

Here's how the top five tight ends in fantasy football last season finished in standard scoring leagues last season:

1. Rob Gronkowski, 240.9 points
2. Jimmy Graham, 195 points
3. Aaron Hernandez, 135.5 points
4. Tony Gonzalez, 129.5 points
5. Jermichael Finley, 124.7 points

See why the top two are so valuable?

Rob Gronkowski finished with the 15th-highest point total in all of fantasy football last year, so if you snag him in the third round, it would be justified (if not a bit risky).

If he or Jimmy Graham are available in the fourth or fifth rounds, snatch them up immediately—they will represent a far greater value than a risky running back or wide receiver at the same slot.

Target Bounce-Back Candidates

DeSean Jackson won't have a contract dispute lingering over his head, and Michael Vick is a top-five quarterback if he stays healthy. The Philadelphia Eagles have a dangerous offense, and it's always good to poach players from elite offensive teams.

Chris Johnson will be hungry to prove he is still an elite running back.

Miles Austin might be available as a steal.

Peyton Manning is a huge question mark, but he's also one of the league's best quarterbacks if he is healthy.

Jamaal Charles is a top-five running back if he is healthy, and Peyton Hillis could be an excellent flex option in a running-back rotation in Kansas City.

A healthy Jahvid Best could be this year's Darren Sproles in the high-flying Detroit Lions' offense.

Jay Cutler is free of Mike Martz and is reunited with Brandon Marshall. He's due for a fantasy bounce-back this year.

The point is, you want to identify value picks for players who have proven in the past they have fantasy value but may come as steals given their recent history. I like to think of them as "nappers"—they aren't sleepers, but after a brief spell away from the limelight, your league mates may undervalue them.

Draw up a list of nappers and pounce on them in the middle rounds after you've selected safer options earlier in the draft.

Follow this simple formula, and you should dominate your league: Safe selections early, nappers in the middle rounds, sleepers late and, for heaven's sake, wait until your last two picks to select a defense and kicker.

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