Fantasy Football Draft Strategy: 5 Tips to Drafting Your Team

Fantasy football is finally here and your draft will be coming up soon and obviously you want to win your league, right? Of course you do!

Fantasy football drafts can be nerve-racking because when you get to the middle rounds you have no idea how those guys will pan out. They either make or break you.

If you have zero draft experience and you're frantically looking for good ways to draft players, the first thing you should know is breakout players come at the RB and WR position.

I'd rather have a potential sleeper at RB sitting on my bench than a third QB that history shows won't do much but stay on my bench.

I've provided five tips for drafters to improve their draft strategy and improve their teams overall. Good luck with your draft!

1. Take an Elite Running Back

Take an elite running back before you take your quarterback, the difference between the top backs and the middle of the pack backs is really what can make your team.

For example, I drafted Jamaal Charles as my first rounder. He's been consistent over the last few years and added a new FB that used to open holes for Ray Rice, who would also be another good pick.

An elite back will literally carry your team to victory some weeks with monster performances and create blowouts for you and earn bragging rights.

2. Do Not Take a Quarterback in the First 3 Rounds

The biggest part of my draft strategy—wait on a quarterback, at least until Round 4. Most likely there will still be some good quarterbacks that are projected to have monster seasons. In specific, good guys to draft here would be a Josh Freeman, Ben Roethlisberger or new Vikings QB Donovan McNabb. 

Although they aren't a Tom Brady or Peyton Manning, they are projected to have elite numbers.

Tom Brady Projected Points: 266.28

Josh Freeman Projects Points: 266.18

Look at that, Tom Brady, a potential high pick, really isn't projected to do that much better than a guy you know will be there in Round 4 after you've taken WR1, RB1 and either RB2 or WR2. With those three first-round picks, you can get the guys who are consistent and you know are going to have good fantasy seasons.

Yes, I know projections are never perfect because in the end we have to play the game. The people who project those do a pretty good job of doing so unless you take injury, random freak seasons, or other flukes into account.

If you hold out on a quarterback and wait for what ESPN Radio's Colin Cowherd has called them, the "Next Six," and it means they aren't the elite group of guys, but they're almost there, take one of them and you'll be happy with it.

3. Draft Julio Jones Late in the Draft

He's down in the rankings both on NFL.com and ESPN.com, but rightfully so as a rookie. I can't help thinking though that he's going to explode and win offensive rookie of the year.

Put him on the bench at first and as he starts to warm up to the NFL and put up great numbers alongside Roddy White, you can work him into either the flex position or the WR2 position.

The thing that stands out to me is they have White, who will no doubt draw tougher coverage and safeties may cheat over allowing Jones to get over the top for large scores.

The other biggest factor in drafting him is Matt Ryan. He's good, and really good at home and the Falcon offense puts up points and Julio Jones will be an instant part of this.

You can wait until late, late rounds to take him and honestly he could be the last non-kicker pick of your team.

This is the edge your team needs and the production will come.

4. Don't Take More Than 1 Tight End, Defense and Kicker

The latter should make the mos sense, if you take more than one kicker you will be the laughingstock of your league, and rightfully so. Kickers are essentially a formality and you should just pick the kicker that comes from the best offense.

On the issue of tight end and defenses, my philosophy is that plenty of them are available to add and drop at will, why waste a pick on them?

Draft more wide receivers and running backs, they are the ones that will carry your team. It's nice to have a great defense and I encourage you to draft a great one at about Round 6 or 7 but do not draft another. They will still be there in free agency and you can pick them up on waivers.

For tight ends unless you get one of the top five tight ends (Gates, Clark, Witten, Finley, Davis) wait until later to pick one that will give you solid production.

If you only take one it opens up a bench spot for Jones to be drafted as I mentioned in the last slide.

5. Take a Chance and Have Fun

Take a big chance in your fantasy draft. Be the guy who takes a deep sleeper and hope for the best, but most of all have fun while doing it.

The draft is a great excuse to go out with the guys and have a good time talking football and probably getting some good food while you're at it.

Don't stress out too much if something doesn't pan out for you because in the end it's only a game.

Taking a chance can get you into first place, take a chance on guys that you think could make some noise in 2011.

Stay calm, wait on quarterbacks, take a chance. The three biggest phrases to remember during your draft.