Strategies for Your Fantasy Football Keeper Draft

As another NFL football season approaches, veterans of each fantasy football keeper league are busy plotting their strategy for how they will take home their league's trophy - or prize money as it applies. And, then there are the rookies who are just trying to wrap their minds around a fantasy football draft where the players may belong to a given player for several years.

Most experienced players know that there are three basic fundamental angles to a fantasy football keeper draft. But, for all those newbies out there, the following is a quick study that will help you formulate a plan that will give you a chance at gaining your league's crown. From this point on, you're not a rookie anymore. In a fantasy football keeper league, you have to think like a veteran to have a chance against the actual ones.

Fantasy Football Keeper Draft Strategy #1 - "Going for broke"

This angle is one you see a lot of players try. In most aspects of life, human beings fear the unknown. And veterans of a fantasy football keeper league are no exception. Sure, you may have a feeling that the kid taken number one overall in this year's NFL Draft might be a stud in a couple of years, but you want to win now. And, like any veteran of a fantasy football keeper draft, you know that evaluating young talent is really just a proverbial crap shoot anyway.

For instance, consider the fact that quarterbacks Ryan Leaf and Akili Smith - both complete busts - were taken number two and three overall respectively. Now, consider that Tom Brady, perhaps one of the most prolific players in fantasy football keeper league history, was taken in the sixth round, number 199 overall and wide receiver Terrell Owens who ranks second in NFL history in touchdown receptions was taken with pick number 89.

So, what's the benefit to this strategy? Well, quite simply it gives you the best chance to win this year. What's the negative? That's one's easy: by utilizing this strategy, you are basically mortgaging your future. At some point all of those so-called "proven" players are going to get older and their game is going to drop off. At some point in the future, your lack of foresight is going to leave you with a team thin on talent and heavy on injuries - not to mention gray hair.

Fantasy Football Keeper League Strategy #2 - "Stockpiling for tomorrow"

This method is rarely utilized by itself. Basically, the strategy here is to stockpile younger players instead of veterans who have proven their value in previous years. The angle here is to focus on the next two seasons instead of the current one. Obviously, this method only works in a fantasy football keeper draft where these players will be allowed to develop on your team, over time. For some, sacrificing the current season for the future can be a gut-wrenching scenario. However, patience often wins out and savvy veterans of past fantasy football keeper leagues have used this strategy to form dynasties that dominate for several years.

A great example of this happened in 2007 when one of drafters in our league passed on MVP running back, Shawn Alexander and All-Pro stud, Larry Johnson in favor of Adrian Peterson, who at the time was an unproven rookie. Obviously, going with his gut paid off and his team is poised to make another run at the title this year.

Fantasy Football Keeper Draft Strategy #3 - "The perfect mix"

A fantasy football keeper draft is about building your overall team for now and the future. The best way to this is by incorporating aspects from both strategies. Sure, some of veterans of fantasy football keeper leagues are going to lean either slightly or heavily in one direction or the other. The key is knowing when to follow your instinct and when to toe a more conservative line; when to bail on the aging veteran and take a chance on that athletic rookie and when to pass up the lure of the new for the security of the guy you know.

It's not an easy task. But, that's what makes a fantasy football keeper draft so special. And that's why we play.