Tips for Fantasy Football Live Drafts

If you have ever found yourself in a dilemma as the player you had targetted for your next pick in a live fantasy football draft gets chosen right before your turn to make your next pick...I have some advice for you.

As one who has participated in many fantasy football live drafts over the years, there are few things more frustrating than having a player you really wanted chosen before your turn to pick. You don't know if you want the next player at the same position as your target and the clock is ticking. So what to do?

For starters, have your players ranked before hand. The default player rankings for yahoo, foxsports and most other fantasy football leagues are often based on last years' statistics or pure speculation on breakout players for the coming season.

In 2010, few fantasy football owners spent an early pick on Arian Foster, Michael Vick or other notable fantasy studs from last season. I got scoffed at, laughed at and dissed as a contender for the league championship last year for the egregious sin of picking Arian Foster in the 4th round... Who was the #1 scorer in most fantasy leagues last year? None other than Arian Foster.

Check out as many NFL preseason games as you can on TV. I watched the Dallas-Houston game last August and Arian Foster was running wild on the 'Boys defense in the first half before sitting the 2nd half out. I also knew the Texans opened the 2010 season against the Colts defense, notorious for being weak against the run.

Steve Slaton was deep in the coaches doghouse for fumbling, Rookie Ben Tate had been injured and Foster, who had a couple of good games at the end of the 2009 season, was the Texans' only option. Houston's offense is the same one that made stars of Clinton Portis, Mike Anderson and other backs in Denver when Houston coach Gary Kubiak was offensive coordinator. Do a little homework if you want to win in fantasy football.

When your guy gets picked right before you're ready to pluck him in your fantasy football draft, if your players are ranked and you have a few players in the queue column to the right in most fantasy football draft formats, simply take the next player in line.

Keep in mind that it doesn't have to be a player who plays the same position. If you already have a good #1 running back for instance, consider taking a receiver before your #2 running back if the player you had your heart set on gets picked before your turn.

Also, I can't emphasize enough, check out the scoring rules of your league closely before your draft. If your league has that mickey-mouse (in my opinion) 4 points for a passing touchdown rule, don't use a pick on a QB until the 3rd round or so.

I hate that rule.If any touchdown is worth 6 points in regular football, why should a passing touchdown be worth 6 points to the receiver but only 4 to the passer in some fantasy football leagues?

If regular scoring rules apply, Aaron Rodgers and Michael Vick are quarterbacks to consider drafting in the last half of the 1st round. The NFL has become more and more of a passing league and with fan interest as high as ever and all the pass-happy spread offenses in the college game, look for the NFL to emphasize the pass more than ever.

If you do take a QB in round one, you'd better be sure to draft a running back in the 2nd round what with running backs and their injuries.

Another key point is: in competitive fantasy football leagues, and what other kind would competitors want to be in, make sure and do not load up on too many players from one NFL team or too many players with the same bye week. If you do, be prepared to take a beating at the hands of your opponent that week or scramble just to fill a roster with active players.

In competitive leagues, that one certain loss could be the difference between making the playoffs in your league and being an also-ran. Remember, you can't win your fantasy football league if you don't make your league playoffs.

For advice on how the NFL lockout will affect fantasy football leagues, please check out my article on that subject, as well.