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8 Tips for Your 2008 Fantasy Football Draft - Fantasy Football Draft Tips

Author: Kenny Madison

The 2008 Fantasy Football Draft Season is upon us and DraftSharks.com has a few tips for you on your big day. Some of these pointers are specific to this season, while others are good rules to follow in any year.

Fantasy Football Draft Tips - #1

Last year's stats don't equal this year's stats - This one sounds simple enough, but many people put too much weight on a player's previous season. Just because Kenny Watson finished 2007 as the 19th best RB or Bobby Engram as the 15th best WR does not mean these guys should be drafted among the elite at their positions. Do your research, examine trends, and then determine what each player's value is for this season.

Fantasy Football Draft Tips - #2

Don't pay for Tom Brady's 2007 season - Brady put together the best season for a QB in the history of the NFL last year. That was last year, though. He would have to repeat those numbers in 2008 to justify his current ADP of 1.06. Don't forget that after throwing for 49 TDs in 2004, Peyton Manning threw just 28 TDs the next year. Brady has a good shot to finish 2008 as fantasy football's #1 QB, but he is not worth a 1st round pick unless your league's scoring system favors QBs. We think there is much more value if you...

Fantasy Football Draft Tips - #3

Wait on a QB - While QB is one of the most important positions on the field for NFL franchises, the position is not as crucial in fantasy football. From 2005-2007, the average difference between the #1 QB (a standard league's best starting QB) and the #12 QB (a standard league's worst starting QB) was 7.6 points per game. The average difference over the same time span between the #1 (best starter) and #24 (worst starter) RBs and WRs was 16.3 points per game and 9.4 points per game respectively. In short, because more RBs and WRs are in starting lineups each week, the value of a top RB or WR is much greater than that of an elite QB. Simple supply and demand.

Fantasy Football Draft Tips - #4

RBBCs have created more RB depth - The dreaded running-back-by-committee has taken the NFL by storm. In 2000, 23 RBs rushed for at least 1,000 yards. Only 17 RBs accomplished that feat last year. Rushing yards aren't disappearing. They are just being distributed to a greater number of RBs. 44 RBs rushed for more than 500 yards in 2007, while just 33 did so in 2000. The rise of the RBBC has led to fewer stud RBs but far more serviceable ones. Consequently, fantasy owners no longer need to grab 2 RBs in the first 3 rounds of their drafts. Don't be afraid to grab 2 of the top-5 WRs and then select a guy like Thomas Jones (current ADP of 4.6) as your 2nd RB.

Fantasy Football Draft Tips - #5

Gates' value has declined - Up until last year, having Antonio Gates on your team was a huge advantage. He finished as fantasy football's #1 TE in 3 straight seasons (2004-2006). Over that time span, he outscored the #2 TE by an average of 22 points per year and the #12 TE by a whopping 88 points per year. Times have changed, though. Thanks to an influx of talented, young TEs, the position is deeper than ever. Gates didn't even finish as the top TE last season (Jason Witten took that honor). Rather than spending a 3rd round pick on Gates, wait a few rounds and grab a budding star like Kellen Winslow or Chris Cooley.

Fantasy Football Draft Tips - #6

Worry about weather - When deciding between 2 similar players, take the climate they play in into account. Draft QBs and WRs who play in warm weather or domes. Even the seemingly invincible Tom Brady was held back by blustery conditions in Foxboro last year. Many fantasy football playoff games are lost due to games played in wintry conditions. Don't knock Brady down your cheat sheet because he plays in frigid New England, but start to take weather into account when you get into the middle rounds of your draft.

Fantasy Football Draft Tips - #7

Draft for upside in the later rounds - Go big or go home! When you are looking for your 4th RB or 5th WR, there is little reason to take a guy like Warrick Dunn or Muhsin Muhammad. Instead, draft a boom or bust type guy (Rashard Mendenhall for example). If he ends up being a bust, you can always drop him if need be. If he pans out though, you'll look like a genius.

Fantasy Football Draft Tips - #8

Wait until the last 2 rounds to draft a K and DEF - There are a couple of reasons for this. First, like QBs, each team in your league likely starts just 1 K and 1 DEF. That means the demand for each position is low. Second, the turnover at these two positions is so great that drafting them is almost a crap shoot. There will always be a K or DEF on the waiver wire that will finish the year in the top-10. Load up on all other positions, and then take a stab at a K and a DEF with your last 2 picks.

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