As the NFL preseason winds down, owners across the land are giddy with hope, anticipation and championship aspirations. I’m not talking about the 32 billionaires anxiously awaiting for NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to turn on the free-flowing money fountain. Only a handful of owners have a legitimate chance to win the Super Bowl. I’m referring to the 57 million individuals who play fantasy football. For those owners, everybody has a chance to be great. Follow this guide, and your name could hang from the rafters as a 2015 fantasy football champion.
Pick a cool name
Some might argue that a name has absolutely nothing to do with how a fantasy football team performs. These are people who have likely never finished on the peak of the fantasy football mountaintop. Championships aren’t won solely on the strengths of clever names, but when close games come down to the wire, the based laced god shows favor on those who actually put effort and thoughtful consideration into naming their team. Who wants to see “The Eagles” coronated as league champions? Nobody. Dig deep into your creative cranium and come up with something witty like “It’s a Hard Gronk Life” or “Somewhere Over Dewayne Bowe.” Extra points for incorporating football player or celebrity names or using current events.
Prepare for the draft
Many people think because they watch SportsCenter every day and their uncle Chuck used to sell beer at the football stadium that they have some special level of insight when it comes to drafting players for their fantasy league. Hogwash. Preparation is key to success. Traditional 12-team leagues will choose between 160 and 240 players, depending on roster size. IDP (Individual Defensive Players) leagues could go even deeper. When you remove offensive lineman from the equation there are still more than 900 players to be considered for those roster positions. Unless you work in the front office, there’s no possible way you can make solid decisions about those players without taking time to prepare.
However, too much preparation can be detrimental. Everybody has opinions and suggestions regarding fantasy football (including me). Many of those suggestions will clash. Find two or three sites you trust for information and build your draft strategy from there. Too much info will have you looking like a deer in headlights once the draft finally begins. Make a list of players you want to target, players you want to avoid and potential sleepers.
It’s also critical to pay attention to your league’s scoring settings. Is your league PPR (points per reception)? If so, running backs who catch the ball out of the backfield are liquid gold. Are QB TDs worth 6 points or 4 points? The difference can determine whether you need to target a stud QB in the first- or second-round or wait for a quality second-tier guy in the fifth- or sixth-round.
Adjust your player rankings manually
All fantasy football sites have default player rankings. The rankings are usually fairly solid and consistent, however they often don’t take into account injuries that happened during the preseason, player holdouts, late suspensions, chronically injured players. Since draft gremlins love to make cameo appearances during this time of year, pre-ranking your players could be a lifesaver. One missed pick, whether due to tardiness, a lost WiFi signal or the baby finding the magical button that causes your computer to restart and install 17,325 updates just as your draft is starting could cause the autopick monster to select Sam Bradford or Geno Smith to be your starting QB with someone competent like Cam Newton still on the board. It’s not necessary to vet every single player available, but find those afflicted with what Palmer Alexander III calls “Bum Disease” and completely remove them from your rankings to prevent a disaster.
Separate the top tier players at each position
Every position has tiers. Your goal should be to at least get one elite player at every position. To help you here is a listing of elite players at the skill positions. When an inevitable run occurs on each position, make sure you snag at least one of the top guys before they’re gone.
QB Top Tier: Aaron Rodgers (GB), Andrew Luck (IND), Drew Brees (NO) and Peyton Manning (DEN)
RB Top Tier: Adrian Peterson (MIN), Le’Veon Bell (PIT), Eddie Lacy (GB), Jamal Charles (KC) and Marshawn Lynch (SEA)
WR Top Tier: Antonio Brown (PIT), Odell Beckham Jr. (NYG), Demaryius Thomas (DEN), Calvin Johnson (DET), Dez Bryant (DAL), Julio Jones (ATL), A.J. Green (CIN) and Randall Cobb (GB)
TE Top Tier: Rob Gronkowski (NE) and Jimmy Graham (NO)
DEF Top Tier: Seattle Seahawks, St. Louis Rams, Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals and Buffalo Bills
Local line
It’s always good to have a local player on two on your fantasy football roster. After all, chances are you will be tuning in to watch the Rams each week anyway. You might as well have a few guys to root for even more. Choosing the Rams defense makes the most sense as the front four is arguably the best in the league and we can expect plenty of sacks, fumbles and picks from the boys in blue and gold. In IDP leagues, grab Robert Quinn, Aaron Donald and Alec Ogletree without hesitation.
On the offensive side, things get a little trickier. WR Brian Quick has potential to be an impact player, but is coming off a serious injury. The same can be said for rookie RB Todd Gurley, who is slated to start the season on the sidelines. Rams QB Nick Foles is an upgrade over Sam Bradford, but the shaky offensive line could spell doom for his fantasy potential.
Regardless of your strategy for the 2015 fantasy football season, make sure to put in the time and effort to build a winner. If you blow the draft, you’ll have to spend the season trying to hustle gullible owners into trading you their unappreciated treasures for your trash. Good luck and Godspeed.
Follow Ishmael and In the Clutch on Twitter @IshmaelSistrunk
