- 1). Research thoroughly before your NFL Fantasy Draft and have a short list of players you prefer at each position. During a draft the participants have a time limit, usually one minute, to make a pick. Being unprepared can lead to overlooking a player you like or becoming overwhelmed by the hundreds of options you face. Many football magazines provide fantasy draft rankings and cheat sheets. Customize your rankings and keep track by crossing players off the list as other participants draft them.
- 2). Adopt a firm strategy before the draft. Some fantasy participants rank all players and choose the highest-rated player available for each pick. Others prefer to draft by position; for instance, a running back with each of the first two picks. The theory is that productive running backs are relatively more difficult to find than quarterbacks, who generally amass the most points in fantasy football.
- 3). Project future performance when drafting a fantasy team rather than relying on past statistics. Many factors can produce an increase or decrease in fantasy performance for a player. For example, a quarterback coming off a 20-touchdown season who has had surgery could see his production decrease. Coaching and personnel changes also can significantly impact the fantasy production of players. A head coach who favors running the ball may affect the fantasy value of the team's quarterback and receivers. A team losing some key offensive linemen could hurt the fantasy production of a running back.
- 4). Pay close attention to players not chosen in a fantasy draft and be ready to acquire top performers. It is not uncommon for undrafted players to emerge as stars during the season. This is particularly true with rookies and backups who become starters during the season. An example is receiver Miles Austin of the Dallas Cowboys in 2009. He started the season as a backup, but became a starter and went on to produce big fantasy numbers and on the field was chosen for the Pro Bowl.
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