Two days ago, I compared the fantasy football draft to a chess game, where you plan your moves but must be ready to change your strategy as your opponent makes his moves. I could also compare the draft to a war. The heat of battle is not when you make you plan – it’s when you execute under pressure.
I know what I’m going to do in round one – regardless of what draft pick I draw. But with each progressive round, it harder to predict. You can spend a lot of time planning this out, but it winds up being a crap shoot. With that said, I do have some “value” plays that I will be looking for in the middle and later rounds.
When the draft is over, there is a problem you hope to have. That’s the problem of having too many good players. You can only start nine players, and only five wide receivers, or running backs. Last year, wide receiver Amari Cooper was sitting on my bench when he scored 40 fantasy points in a game.
The early rounds of the draft are not a time to bet on someone’s potential. In the first three rounds, you want to select known commodities. These proven stars are going to be running backs, or wide receivers. One exception is Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. Great NFL tight ends are scarce, and Gronk is great.
As discussed previously, I’ll probably draft a running back in round one. If that running back is Alvin Kamara, I know I’ll be getting Mark Ingram as a handcuff in the fifth. If I get Gronk, or Travis Kielce (the second-best tight end) in round three, I must pick up a top wide receiver in the second round. I can’t afford to wait.
Tomorrow: Drafting a winning team, part seven
Doubting Thomas' Fantasy Sports 