Fantasy Football Draft Strategy: 5 Reasons Not to Panic on Draft Day

Fantasy football drafts are set to take place in many basements, bars and Internet sites the next couple of weeks. Do not panic about your draft! It is not that important!

While the heart and soul of your team is put together through the draft, the winners are separated from the losers between Weeks 1 and 17.

Here are five reasons why you should not panic about your fantasy football draft.

First Three Rounds Are Straightforward

Unless you are participating in an extremely large league, the first three rounds of your draft will be hard to mess up. As long as you have your cheat sheet, or your players ranked if you are drafting on-line, you will be fine in the first three rounds.

Most drafting sites pre-rank the players for you. If you are having a hard time deciding between players, go with the highest-rated player on the website and you will be fine.

I believe there are 40 high quality players in this year’s draft. Unless you try to avoid these players, you will get at least three of them.

Quarterbacks and Tight Ends are Deeper than Ever in 2011

I have heard many people debating over whether or not to draft Michael Vick or Aaron Rodgers in the first round. I say, "it doesn’t matter!"

If your heart is set on Vick or Rodgers, go ahead and pull the trigger—you will spend the rest of the draft picking running backs and wide receivers while the rest of the league is drafting their quarterbacks.

My advice is to wait on drafting a quarterback or tight end before Round 4. You can receive a good bargain on quarterbacks such as Matt Shaub, Matt Ryan, Matthew Staffor, or Josh Freeman. Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy are positioned for breakout years as well. I suggest stacking up on running backs and wide receivers and draft a quarterback from this list.

After New England dominated last year with two tight ends, many teams in the NFL are utilizing the tight end position more. While Antonio Gates, Jermichael Finely, Dallas Clark and Jason Witten are at the top of the class, you will not lose much ground to your competitors if you wait and draft Owen Daniels, Kellen Winslow, Jimmy Graham or Greg Olsen.

Using the Waiver Wire Will Win You Your League

Each year players who are drafted in the first two rounds end up being bust while undrafted players end up putting up huge numbers—thus separating the good teams from the bad.

Last year running backs LeGarrette Blount, BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Michael Tolbert went undrafted in most leagues. Blount and Green-Ellis both rushed for over 1,000 yards, while Green-Ellis and Tolbert both had over 10 touchdowns.

Teams that were able to acquire these players off waivers had a huge advantage over the rest of the league.

Trades

Unlike real football, fantasy football is all about playing a player when he is hot and trading him when he is cold.

You must be a good fantasy football player in order to gauge when a player in on the rise, or when he is going downhill.

I often get criticized for my teams after the draft, but I let everyone know, “These players won’t be here for long.”

When you are at your draft, keep trades in the back of your mind. If no one is drafting a quality quarterback, although you already have your starter and backup, you can select the quality quarterback and trade him to a team in need.

Sometimes this system backfires, but as soon as a quarterback goes down with an injury, the team in need will come calling.

Panicking on Draft Day Will Ruin Your Team

The people who draft the best fantasy football teams are the teams that come prepared. Have an idea of who you are going to draft and stick with it.

In most standard scoring leagues, I suggest drafting two running backs followed by two wide receivers, waiting until Round 5 to draft your quarterback.

It doesn't matter what order you plan to go with, the important thing is that you show up with a plan, execute the plan and don’t panic on draft day.

Whatever you do, don’t be the guy who takes the entire allotted time to make a selection. This will just frustrate others and make it seem like you don’t know what you are doing.

A Poor Draft Is Not the End of Your Season

A fantasy football draft is not rocket science! Don’t make it harder than it has to be. Come prepared and be confident in your selections.

Even the best fantasy football gurus are wrong more often than not. If you draft poorly your season is not over. You can still win your league!

Follow my advice and if nothing else….. Have fun! It is just a game!