08/16/2007
Let me ask you this ONE question…Listen very closely…. Do you want to be a champion? DO YOU?? Do you know what it feels like to be a champion??? Do you want to live in the glorification and the limelight of being a championship competitor? Do you want to produce an illumination around yourself that creates a championship aroma? Well then you listen to me! IT STARTS WITH THE DRAFT!!! Where being a CHAMPION all begins…..
This strategy works for all fantasy football formats. When you get to the draft table, give yourself some room as you will need to have several key tools in front of you at all times.
The first tool you will need is a list of all team owners listed horizontally across the top of the page (listed in draft order). Down the vertical column you will list positions QB, RB, WR, TE, K, and DEF. This is the MOST important tool you have. This will allow you to maximize drafting positions as the draft develops. It will also keep you from being swept away in runs on certain positions.
Let's assume you’re in a 10 team league that starts 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 K, and 1 DEF. As each draft pick is announced you enter it under the team name and position drafted. You are able to quickly see what each team needs and what each team doesn't need. This keeps you from picking players too high and helps you pick up some real steals later in the draft.
For example, you are team 8 in a 10 team league. Its round 3 and you've already picked a RB and a WR with your first two picks. You know you need that second RB, but you see that teams 9 and 10 already have 2 running backs. It is highly unlikely that those teams will use either of their next two picks on running backs. Therefore, you take a top WR or QB (if top tier QB is available) and pick up that second running back in round 4. You've now made a great value pick and not reached for the running back that would be there anyway. You get it?
The next tool in front of you should be a player rankings cheat sheet. I don’t care if you created a cheat sheet from your own brilliant mind or ripped one from a magazine. This is a crucial tool. You don’t want to be the idiot yelling out to your fellow fantasy football buddies that you just got a steal getting Lee Evens in the 7th round when he really got taken by the guy sitting right next to you in the 4th or 5th round. You don’t want to be that guy!!! If they are drafted … CROSS THEM OUT!!!
Finally, you need to record each player's bye week. I write it next to the player I draft, as I draft them. There are some guys who don’t care about this tool because they think that…oh well, ill just get that week over with. Well like I said before, do you want to be a champion?? I do!!! And I also don’t want to loose ANY games! AT ALL!! I don’t like to loose...do you? Loosing happens, but the team that looses the least, gets to the playoffs. And if you’re in the playoffs, you have the opportunity to do WHAT???? That’s right class… BE A CHAMPION!!! GOOD!! This guarantees I don't have a team full of players out on a bye week, in any given week. It also helps making difficult decisions between two comparable players during the draft. Every year I notice owners not paying attention and drafting a bunch of players with the same bye week and I pray to god I play them that week. This is a no brainer for serious team owners. And, of course, people who want to taste championship glory.
Being prepared for the draft is the best thing you can do towards being a champion. Certain elements, such as injuries, are beyond your control. Making smart draft decisions should not be one of them. So when it comes to your draft…be prepared, and focus on the prize at hand, cause if you’re not FIRST……..you’re LAST!!!
Oh yea, one more thing…If you draft T.J. Houshmandzadeh, don’t say…”I draft…..T.J. Whosyourmamma…Championship!” Dude, that was funny last year and now, its just stupid …. Just shut up!
Im Out!
-Goldenboy