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| Fantasy Football - Top 10 Draft Day Tips! |
| By: Rob Heffelfinger |
Editor: Angelia Greenwell |
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It's almost here! The greatest time of the year for football fans. The fields are in full bloom; sweltering, soupy unforgiving days often give way to the blessed relief of cooling evening thundershowers, and here in eastern Pennsylvania, just 50 miles North of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue in South Philadelphia, throngs are pouring-into the lush, beautiful Saucon Valley to experience the excitement of Eagles' Training Camp.
And, in just the same respect as the daytime humidity will ultimately break and give way to thunderheads and sheets of rain, so, too will Mid-July give way to early August, and the real kick-off of the NFL season will be under way--all this almost a full month before the first coin is tossed, or the opening string of signals is called.
For fantasy geeks like us, it all starts with draft day. Whether you are a seasoned veteran at the Draft Table, or you're an abject fantasy rookie, you want to be prepared on draft day. And so, in keeping with our philosophy of being the Sweetest Fantasy Site on the Web', we have assembled a Fantasy Sports Tech sampler of draft day Do's, for you to nosh-on in preparing for the big day. The choice is yours: you can choose to consume each of these nuggets, whole, and digest them thoroughly.
We ask that, in the best interest of your FF team, you at-least take a nibble of each of these sweet treats, and let your taste buds be the judge. Just don't return any of them to the box, without at least giving them a try. And so, without further Adieu--the Fantasy Sports Tech Sampler of Draft Day do’s:
#1 DO: Show up Early - This is probably one of the most vital tidbits we can dispense, so pay attention. This isn't about being polite to the rest of the group; remember: these are your rivals, or as we refer to one another in my own league, you’re "Foes for Life." We even named our league, in acronym, the "FFL." To the uninitiated, this would likely be construed as short, for "Fantasy Football League." But, we know Better.
The earlier you come to the party, the greater choice of seats at the table--I suggest one close enough to the Draft Board that you can easily see Round-by-Round activity, but not so close that you are in the absolute midst of activity, where your focus can easily be lost.
#2 DO: Keep your ears open - Also by arriving early, you'll be in the company of the sharpest players in your league. You might hear some late-breaking information on a player who's been injured, or one who has emerged as a likely starter, and you can make the appropriate changes in your strategy. Don't be afraid to verify this information by checking in at Fantasy Sports Tech, for the latest updates.
#3 DO: Stake out your own space - Also by arriving early, you can carve out as much territory as you decide you will need. Perhaps you simply require a small space for your laptop, so that you can manage the day's activity with all the great tools available to you at Fantasy Sports Tech. As we say: “Draft Smarter, Not Harder”. Even if you are still lost in the ‘Paper Age’, and insist on keeping extensive lists and cumbersome handfuls of magazines, this is your prerogative. And by showing up first to the party, you get to exercise that right. It doesn't hurt to position you strategically near the chow table, either. Most leagues break at some point for Lunch, and you want to have first dibs on the buffet table, too. The location of the cooler in respect to where you sit is completely at your discretion, which brings me to the next nugget:
#4 DO: Keep Your Wits - I enjoy an ice cold Labatt’s--or several--on a hot, intolerable day. I Do NOT allow alcohol intake to impair the important activities in my life. I don't drive drunk; and I CERTAINLY would never think about Drafting under the Influence. Keep in mind that your entire season hinges on your draft day decisions. Don't let the cloud of drunken stupor hang over your draft day decision-making. There's nothing worse than the regret of a bad draft day, especially if you could have done something to mitigate an unfortunate outcome.
#5 DO: Get plenty of food and hydration, but again: go easy on the alcohol - which may impair your judgment. I generally start off the day with a 32-ounce mug of Dark Roast (no joke) and a couple of fruit Danishes. Only after I've drained-off the last of the Coffee, and had my fill of gooey, doughy goodness, do I crack my first beer. I'll typically alternate each drink, or every-other, with a Coke, an iced tea, or some other caffeinated beverage. Just like the Big Boys, at Training Camp, I make sure to get plenty of sustenance when we break for lunch, and I go back as often as necessary, avoiding foods that will make me lazy. It's all about ~The Edge~ on Draft Day.
#6 DO: Have a Strategy - Yours might be to load-up on running backs, and trade for wide-outs, later. You might go a less-conventional route, and draft groups of players from teams with potent offenses. Whatever strategy you choose--use one that makes sense to you and fits in well with your league's format, and stick to it.
See the Fantasy Sports Tech GM's column on this subject matter, for some great ideas on choosing a strategy.
#7 DO: Know the Bye weeks - and be sure to avoid having too many of your big time scorers off (on BYE) on any given week. This, of course, is especially important when drafting QB's, Kickers and Defensive/Special Teams Units. In my league, we draft two-each of the aforementioned positions, and play one every week. I wouldn't want to draft two QB's (or K's or D/ST's) who share the same Bye week, as this would leave me with an automatic zilch at the position, for any week that I might have made such a blunder. This is one of the reasons you draft for depth. Another reason is so that you can use your depth to make adjustments.
#8 DO: Make adjustments - Most leagues allow for a free-for-all transactions period; some even up until kick-off of week one of the regular season. If you see a player that went un-drafted, who accidentally slipped off of your radar, and you have some weakness at that position, don't be afraid to consider pulling the trigger on an upgrade that may be available to you. Again--check Fantasy Sports Tech to be sure there's no unfavorable late news that may account for that player having gone un-drafted.
#9 DO: Exercise caution - when considering immediate post-draft trade offers. The sharpest players don't just show up earliest to the draft; they also hang around afterwards, and try to further strengthen their position, by exploiting those who are of weaker resolve. Draft with confidence, using all the tools available to you at Fantasy Sports Tech, and conduct yourself accordingly.
#10 DO: Have a lot of fun - While it might be close, this isn't quite life-or-death. If you're a veteran of fantasy football, you know that draft day is a great time for bonding with those who will be your best friends (and Staunchest Rivals) for years to come. There will be plenty of time for churning guts and sweating-out victories and losses, when the season rolls-around. Enjoy yourself, this is draft day--and you've found the Sweet Spot, with Fantasy Sports Tech.
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