Fantasy Football Draft Strategy

There are many fantasy football draft strategies out there. Most have some merit.  Some are completely absurd. There is a draft strategy that I use in most of my drafts. It’s served me well and I’d like to share it with you.  No one really talks about it, but it makes total sense.  

Are you ready?  Here it is – If you’re in a 10-12 team league that’s competitive and active- don’t even draft a Kicker or a Defense.  

There I said it.  Now, I’ll explain it.

If you draft a Kicker or a Defense, you’re wasting a pick.  The only time you should draft a Kicker or a Defense is if you’re drafting after the season starts.  Predicting and projecting the value of Kicker’s and Defense’s is particularly hard to do.  A good Defense one year can be one of the worst the next.  Kickers are also especially tough to predict.

With Kicker’s the difference between the 6th and 12th Kicker is normally pretty slim anyway, so don’t waste a pick. You can always play the waiver wire and find good value.  Also, rarely does a team that drafts a Kicker or Defense end the season with the
same one they originally drafted. The turnover on those positions is so high, why waste a pick, when there are solid options you can pick up on the waiver wire?

To really hammer home this draft strategy, in my league last season only 4 of 12 teams finished the season with the same Defense they originally drafted.  One of those teams still had the Steelers Defense he drafted, but it wasn’t even his best defense.  In going one step further, only 3 of 12 teams still had the original Kicker they drafted at the end of the season.  

There is no reason to draft a Kicker or a Defense in your draft, instead opt to stock up on position players late in your draft.

In looking back over my 12 team, PPR league’s draft last season, this draft theory makes perfect sense.  I didn’t draft a Kicker or a Defense in that draft.  While one team took the Titan’s Defense in the 11th round, I took Beanie Wells.  Also available in the 11th round were Jamaal Charles, Ricky Williams and Mike Sims-Walker.  While three teams took Defenses in the 12th, I took Sidney Rice.  Round 15 of the draft saw several Defenses taken (Chicago, Dallas and Miami).  

Still on the board in the 15th were Miles Austin and Jeremy Maclin.  All of us know now that Miles Austin turned into a stud.  But let’s look at Maclin, who an owner could’ve taken in round 15.  In the heart of the fantasy season, Week 10 - 13, Maclin averaged 5.25 catches and 71.5 yards and had one TD over those four games. That’s an average of 13.5 points in one of the most critical stretches of the fantasy season.

He also had six catches for 92 yards in week 16 (most leagues championship week). That’s really solid PPR production from a guy you could’ve taken late in your draft, instead of taking a Kicker or a Defense.

Another good reason to not draft a Kicker or Defense is preseason injuries. Imagine you draft the Jets D and Revis gets hurt in the preseason.  That could significantly change the value of the Jets D you just wasted a pick taking.  However, if you take a starters backup late in the draft and the starter gets hurt in preseason – then you instantly have a starter and add value to your team.  

Just imagine- you take a late round flyer on Toby Gerhart (instead of drafting a Kicker) and AP tweaks a hammy in the final preseason game and will be out two weeks.  Look at the value that’s just been added to your team.

Even if you roll the dice and take some backups late in the draft and they don’t pan out, simply drop them before the season starts and get a Kicker and Defense off the waiver wire. Once the season starts and bye weeks kick in, there will be plenty of turnover with Kickers and Defenses anyway.

We all know that you’ll need to have a Kicker and a Defense on your team and in your lineup to start the season.  I’m just saying don’t draft one.  Wait until closer to the season starts to add a Kicker and Defense off the waiver wire to your team.  Stock up on position players later in your draft.  Then cross your fingers that a few of
them turn into this year’s Sidney Rice and Miles Austin.

Article written by:  Rick Coeburn
E-mail questions or comments to:  [e-mail]
Visit the website:  www.fantasyfootballsoup.com
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