Fantasy Football Draft Strategy 2018: Blueprint to Forming a Winning Squad

In the fantasy football realm, owners have a variety of ways to win their leagues.

Some managers start their drafts with two running backs; others prefer to mix it up with a wide receiver, quarterback or tight end early. Regardless of the method, there's a success story for each strategy.

However, some approaches are unique to specific seasons. In a random year with multiple injuries at running back, it's not a bad idea to take a chance on a sleeper in the middle rounds or stream options each week. This season, we could see two mobile quarterbacks who also have the ability to pick apart defenses in the pocket rise above the rest at the position.

Which quarterbacks should owners target in the early rounds? What goes into evaluating a top-notch wide receiver? Who's nearly a slam-dunk at running back?

Below we'll examine three aspects of a winning strategy for the 2018 season.

You Can't Go Wrong with the Top 4 Running Backs

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According to Fantasy Football Calculator's average draft position (ADP), Todd Gurley, Le'Veon Bell, David Johnson and Ezekiel Elliott are the top four running backs, and it's been steady throughout the summer.

For fantasy owners who drew a top-four pick, it's simple: Choose one of the ball-carriers above. All four should handle the majority rush attempts in their respective backfields and possess solid receiving skills.

Kareem Hunt would fall into this category, but there's some uncertainty with first-year starter Patrick Mahomes under center. If he struggles, the 2017 rushing champion could see eight-man fronts, making it difficult to produce at a high level.

Under standard Yahoo scoring settings, Gurley led all running backs last year (319.30 points). Bell ranked second in catches (85) for the Pittsburgh Steelers and ran for 1,291 yards in 2017. Johnson led the league in touches (373) and yards from scrimmage (2,118) in 2016. The All-Pro running back should have another highly productive year, with only 34-year-old wideout Larry Fitzgerald primed to see 100-plus targets among the Arizona Cardinals wide receivers.

Elliott averaged the most rushing yards per game in each of the past two seasons. In addition to his heavy workload as a ball-carrier, he will likely see an uptick in targets as a receiver after the team lost tight end Jason Witten to retirement and cut wideout Dez Bryant.

If you're picking early, don't overthink it. Take a bell-cow running back who's going to rack up points as a pass-catcher in PPR leagues.

Pay Attention to Wide Receiver Targets

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Typically, when choosing wide receivers, owners look at yards and touchdowns. It's also important to project target volume. Last year, DeAndre Hopkins, Antonio Brown, Jarvis Landry, Keenan Allen and Fitzgerald ranked in the top five in this category—three listed atop the position in fantasy points.

While Hopkins and Brown are easy to predict as high-target pass-catchers, you can also lean on a standout name within a group of unproven commodities. Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton falls into this collection. Ryan Grant, who hasn't logged 50 catches in a season for four years, lists as the team's No. 2 wideout.

In 2016, with a healthy Andrew Luck under center, Hilton saw the fourth-most targets among wide receivers. He'll have the three-time Pro Bowl quarterback on the field in the upcoming season and should have another strong campaign.

Managers should also value wide receivers who play in pass-heavy offenses. Quarterbacks Tom Brady and Philip Rivers attempted the most passes—581 and 575, respectively—last season. It's no coincidence Brandin Cooks and Allen finished as top-seven wide receivers in points. More throws equal elevated receiving numbers.

Choose a Quarterback Who Uses His Legs

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Take points whenever possible. It's tempting to go after the archetypal pocket-passing quarterback, but the signal-caller able to tuck the ball and score with his legs could give your final score a significant boost. If you find both qualities in one player, take him in Round 2 at the earliest.

Despite the frequent advice to wait on a quarterback, Russell Wilson and Deshaun Watson profile as special talents who could throw for 4,000 yards, 30-plus touchdowns and run for 400-plus yards and rack up several scores on the ground.

In 2017, Wilson's 358.92 fantasy points led all quarterbacks. That's 43.44 more points than Cam Newton in second. Brady, a pure pocket-passer, came in third with 303.88. 

Wilson threw for 3,983 yards and 34 touchdowns to go along with 586 yards and three touchdowns on the ground last season. His ability to pass and run the ball rewarded fantasy owners. Watson logged 1,699 passing yards, 19 touchdown passes, 269 rushing yards and two scores on the ground in just seven games. If he picks up where he left off, the second-year signal-caller could help owners hit big in 2018.