Last week Canon Fodder covered some of the things every fantasy football owner should do to prepare themselves for their league draft. This week we’ll dive into the “don’tsâ€, those mistakes folks commonly make during drafts that can derail their entire effort. Without further ado…
The Don’ts of Fantasy Football Drafting
Don’t let anyone know your draft strategy – This happens too often to count. You’re getting ready for your draft and a buddy calls. “What are you thinking for your first pick?†You’ve been debating this over and over for days. You bounce an idea off him. Now he’s got a glimpse into your draft strategy. Does your team benefit? Not a bit regardless of what your buddy suggests. If you both covet the same player, he’s either drafting that player first or looking for alternatives if you snatch the prize. Had you lied (like any self-respecting fantasy owner should) you could get the player you want and have the added benefit of sending your buddy into a tizzy. (There are no friends in a fantasy football league.) Panic leads to mistakes and when your competitors are making bad decisions, your team benefits.
Don’t back down from your own mistakes – You burned a high pick on a running back just to learn he’s been demoted to a part-time roll; a bad pick. The other owners are watching you closely. They circle like sharks. The last thing you want to do with blood in the water is thrash around. Stay cool. Eerily calm. Grin like you know something they don’t. Plant a seed of doubt in their minds. “From what I hear, ‘Player X’ has a better shot at the job than is being reported. ‘Coach X’ loves his explosiveness.†Any owner with an ounce of sense will know you’re grasping desperately at straws. Fortunately for you, people with an ounce of sense don’t waste their time with fantasy sports. Somebody is going to take that little white lie of yours and tuck it away. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to package ‘Player X’ in a deal later because somebody bought your ploy and actually believes he still has a shot at a starting job. Either way, you took lemons and made lemonade.
Don’t draft Michael Vick – Maybe you haven’t been paying attention, but Vick’s in Roger Goodell’s doghouse. Mr. “Ron Mexico†is facing an indictment from the Feds and considering they sport a success rate around 95%, it’s a pretty safe bet Vick won’t be playing fetch with his Falcons teammates this fall.
Don’t believe rookie hype – First year players in the NFL don’t have as much impact as many are led to believe. NFL schemes are infinitely more complicated than those employed in the college ranks. Then factor in the longer season and the distraction caused by having a lot more disposable income (well, players from Ohio State are accustomed to getting a paycheck regularly, but for everyone else, this is new…) and you can understand how a young player might lose focus on the game. It happens. Often. Though there is the occasional exception to the rule, there’s a reason it’s a rule. Draft accordingly.
Don’t “Chase the Dragon†– No, I’m not talking about smoking heroin (though the term is somewhat borrowed from the practice). For fantasy purposes, to “Chase the Dragon†is to make a panic pick because there’s a run on a certain position. Four quarterbacks just got picked. I had better grab one before they’re all gone. This mentality plays perfectly into the hands of those teams that started the run. Why grab the tenth-ranked quarterback when top-rated tight end is still available? Is there much difference between the quarterback ranked tenth and the one at fifteen? If not, grab the tight end (or whatever the best available player happens to be) and get the lesser quarterback later. Why? Because unless your in a league that starts two QBs, there’s not much chance owners with Peyton Manning and Tom Brady are going to spend a high pick on a second QB they’re unlikely to play. With that in mind, try to draft those positions in which these owners are still interested. Simply put, try to start trends instead of following them.
Five tips to help you with drafting your fantasy football team. Keeping these in mind along with the tidbits espoused last week should allow any owner to waltz into their draft brimming with confidence and maybe a few tricks up their sleeve.
Like what Canon Fodder has been about so far? Offer up some feedback. E-mail me at jeff@canon-fodder.com with your questions, comments and complaints.