Drafting Plasticity
Fantasy Football is a game of numbers and calculated risk. Many will fall victim to Lady Luck’s shifting loyalties, while others will blame the numbers on the calendar and say “This just wasn’t my year.” While a crushing playoff loss will happen to the best of fantasy players, perpetual success is only achievable with constant improvement upon your skill set.
In this text I will give you a fantasy football perspective of not only a fantasy football winner, but a former fantasy football loser. Anyone who has played as long as I have (20+ years now) has had his fair share of losing seasons while learning to be a constant contender. While I did win my first title at the young age of 15 in 1996, I have had horrible seasons before and (only a few) after that.
It has been over the last five years that I threw aside the founding principles handed down to me by my personal fantasy forefathers (my dad’s friends that got me into it when I was a young man) and started strategizing in my own way. Because I play more than the average man, I understand that my experience allows me to see this game with more foresight than my friends who typically play in my leagues (who really play because they just love football). If you are a player similar to my previous mentioned friends, you can still be a champion. You can take the title and rub it in their smarmy faces. Do you want to know how?
The answer is fluidity. You must be open-minded to win this game every year. If you have a positional draft strategy…you are behind the times. If you believe a player is worth his talent regardless of his changing situation…you are getting in your own way. If you are drafting defenses or kickers before round 14…you get the point.
Your draft is where your season begins and is where I shine the most. Other players are more adept at “in-season” play and can choose the best week to week starts that others are behind on. It all starts with your draft however. If you draft a week in, week out, high scoring fantasy lineup, you will not have to contend for the bits and pieces later on to fill your weekly quota of awesomeness.
In the draft, make sure you do not commit to any plan or any one player. While you should have a set list of guys you are targeting in each round, don’t let your affection for one player allow you to take him above his draft range. Don’t let your fears of leaving any round without a certain position prevent you from picking a huge upside player. Drafting Jordy Nelson instead of Gronk in round two last year was the difference between me placing second and first in one league. The reason I took Nelson? I didn’t want to be short at wide receiver later in my draft (along with Gronk’s injury concern). Point being: take the best player available in every round regardless of position unless it is ridiculous to do so.
While you’re preparing to draft this year, make a list of the guys you want in the correct order and stick to it. Take advice from others and add it to your own ideals, sprinkle it over the top of your specific league settings and you will have a tasty looking team after your draft. DRAFTING a championship team is the best way to avoid a nasty brush with Lady Luck that can end your fantasy season in a hurry.
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