My favorite line from anybody, ever, on preparation comes from the ear-munching maestro, Mike Tyson. “Everybody has a plan, until they get punched in the mouth”.
Who knows better than his opponents, eh?
Even though the most violence that occurs at draft parties are vulgar epithets, and some derogatory comments hurled at someone’s maternal origins, figurative punches are tossed left and right on draft day. Without burying yourself in mock drafts, those punches keep coming and suddenly you’re left with no defense.
Mock drafts equip you with the tools to identify trends in the draft, where to find value in deeper rounds, and most importantly mix up your style so you can be a crafty, savvy fantasy footballer.
Let’s say that there is a run on QB early and your face runs flush. You start wondering, “That’s five gone in the third round! I better grab one now!”
We call this nervous ailment “hitting the panic button”. The three categories of criteria to diagnose the poor victims are:
- NFL player they wanted suddenly disappears
- Sweating profusely from the armpits and forehead
- Face buried in hands
Nerves set to hyper vigilant and the next thing you notice is a drink in your hand to settle yourself. Though liquid courage can boost your self-esteem, help you dance, and crush on your exes, it impairs your ability to make good decisions. The booze starts coursing through your veins and the next thing you know you’ve drafted Chad Ochocinco.
If Chad Ochocino is on your roster, you might be setting your team on fire in a dumpster and starting all over again.
This isn’t an AA meeting, just a precaution you should take before you step into the draft ring.
The Value of the Mock Fantasy Draft
Mock drafting doesn’t automatically make you a stud on draft day, but what it does is show you some of the current trends; such as runs on positional players, and where you can get value in the later rounds. Conducting them early and often until the day of the draft can prep you so the panic button can be left at home for whenever your child swallows a small object. You know, the important stuff.
Most mock drafts will end differently so you get to sift out when and where you’ll grab players. The only lasting embarrassing scar that can be left in the mock drafts is the “expert” in the chat section judging every move you make, which why would you care what some nesting, festering numbskull says about your style. Set aside that heckler and go about business as usual. There is no such thing as a “reach” in a mock draft. Once the session is over, you go on about your day.
A slight contradiction here, there is such a thing as a reach in the real draft. For example: you might be smitten with Jordan Reed (WAS TE), and you want to draft him early. But, enough mock drafts will show you that Reed isn’t currently exiting the draft pool until round 10. So instead of reaching for Jordan Reed in round 6 you can strap a more pressing positional player to your roster.
Strategy developing can be a crucial part of draft day and without mock drafting, you’re left reading articles from guys like me, who think they know everything. Don’t be a mindless drone, get on your computer and dabble in a mock draft. You won’t regret it.
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to follow me on Twitter – @LWOSCaseyBow. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport and @LWOSworld – and “liking” our Facebook page.
For the latest in sports injury news, check out our friends at Sports Injury Alert.
