Some last-minute advice to help your fantasy draft
You've studied, scrutinized and swept over player rankings. You've tried to track down sleepers. You are up to speed on player injuries and position battles.
Congratulations. You are ready for fantasy football draft day!
Almost.
For newbies and veteran fantasy players alike, it's always good to get last-minute tips and advice. Some of these points are specific to 2009, but most you should keep in mind every year. Enjoy -
My top advice for 2009: Do not be afraid to take an elite wide receiver in the first round.
As a matter of fact, if you are in a late draft position and manage to grab two stud wideouts, there is a good chance you will still be able to put together a title team.
This flies in the face of everything I've ever preached, but with NFL teams going with so many two-RB systems, it has become easier to hit on tailbacks in the third through sixth rounds.
Let's assume for a moment you have any pick from 7-12 in a 12-team league. In many cases, Randy Moss, Andre Johnson and Larry Fitzgerald will still be on the board in the first round. If you grab one, then somehow grab another early in Round 2, think about that receiving corps. Even if you can't get two of the three, pairing one up with Roddy White, Greg Jennings, Reggie Wayne, Calvin Johnson or Steve Smith with your second-round pick makes an awfully tasty duo.
The RB depth is there. Take advantage. Are you telling me a team with Larry Fitzgerald, Reggie Wayne, Ronnie Brown, Chris Wells and then perhaps LenDale White or Cedric Benson and just one sleeper that hits isn't going to score a boatload of points?
Trust me, it will.
See both sides: Remember to assess a team's overall offense and its defense before blindly picking a player.
This rule is one reason I'm not high on the Rams' Steven Jackson or the Lions' Kevin Smith. Both teams don't figure to score much, and even when they do it will probably be through the air. The Rams and Lions won't be much better than last season and will play catch-up a lot.
Pay attention to the schedule: Sept. 13 is the first Sunday this year, which means the 2009 NFL regular season goes all the way into January. You don't want your fantasy playoff team littered with QBs and WRs who could be playing in blizzards.
With that in mind, remember that kickers in domes or warm climates will pay even bigger dividends as the season goes on.
Don't freak out over bye weeks: So many sites and experts advise, "Don't draft too many players with the same bye week!" My counter: Why not?
Sure, you don't want to take two kickers or defenses with the same bye (if you actually have to draft two kickers or defenses), but don't pass up any player you deem worthy just because three or four of your players are off the same week. Losing the majority of your roster in one week probably means a loss, but the rest of the season you are at, or nearly at, full strength.
Build depth: Middle rounds are meant for third and fourth WRs and RBs or backup QBs - not defenses and kickers. This is where fantasy championships can be won.
While your opponents are grabbing the Baltimore or Pittsburgh defenses, you should be taking LeSean McCoy, Leon Washington, Shonn Greene, Chris Henry or Patrick Crayton.
Be flexible: Draft the best player on the board. Don't feel pressured into taking a middling, 800-yard, 5-TD receiver when a potential breakout RB (like Chris Johnson or Michael Turner last year) is on the board.
jdietz@dailyherald.com
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