I am the owner of the Aurora Eagles, an NFL.com fantasy team. I'm in a league with my family and my younger brother's best friend. (The kid got Peyton Manning two years in a row. Don't ask me how.) Last year, my draft grade was C- and my projected record was 3-13. I got third place anyway. So, here are my draft tips!
1: Draft a superstar RB in the first round, if possible. Keywords if possible. It's great if you can grab CJ Anderson, Le'Veon Bell or Adrian Peterson with the first or second pick. Choosing Matt Forte, Jamaal Charles, LeSean McCoy or DeMarco Murray a few picks later is also a safe bet. A superstar running back will quickly become the backbone of your team. But if you're in a, say, 14-person league and the biggest star RB left is Alfred Morris, then just grab him in the second round and choose Andrew Luck or Demaryius Thomas.
2: Keep an eye out for sleepers and breakout candidates. I have my eye on Teddy Bridgewater, Ricardo Lockette, Cody Latimer, and Latavius Murray, to name a few. In defensive player leagues, Bradley Roby or Keith McGill might be a worthwhile experiment. They are in the perfect position to edge into the top ten. You may get a high-quality player a few picks before the kicker round.
3: On that note, FORGET THE KICKER ROUND! Unless you got Dan Carpenter, kicking will not produce much in your league. Use that pick on another sleeper experiment and pick up a breakout kicker in free agency.
4: It's okay to have a bad draft. Whether you made poor choices or just didn't have a good draft position, it's not the end of your season. Free agency is a valuable tool. An undrafted sleeper who becomes a star or a trade that fills many positions of need can totally redeem you from bad draft luck.
1: Draft a superstar RB in the first round, if possible. Keywords if possible. It's great if you can grab CJ Anderson, Le'Veon Bell or Adrian Peterson with the first or second pick. Choosing Matt Forte, Jamaal Charles, LeSean McCoy or DeMarco Murray a few picks later is also a safe bet. A superstar running back will quickly become the backbone of your team. But if you're in a, say, 14-person league and the biggest star RB left is Alfred Morris, then just grab him in the second round and choose Andrew Luck or Demaryius Thomas.
2: Keep an eye out for sleepers and breakout candidates. I have my eye on Teddy Bridgewater, Ricardo Lockette, Cody Latimer, and Latavius Murray, to name a few. In defensive player leagues, Bradley Roby or Keith McGill might be a worthwhile experiment. They are in the perfect position to edge into the top ten. You may get a high-quality player a few picks before the kicker round.
3: On that note, FORGET THE KICKER ROUND! Unless you got Dan Carpenter, kicking will not produce much in your league. Use that pick on another sleeper experiment and pick up a breakout kicker in free agency.
4: It's okay to have a bad draft. Whether you made poor choices or just didn't have a good draft position, it's not the end of your season. Free agency is a valuable tool. An undrafted sleeper who becomes a star or a trade that fills many positions of need can totally redeem you from bad draft luck.