It’s season two of The No Huddle Fantasy Football Podcast!
“Mover” Scott Durbin from the Imagination Movers joined us on the podcast to discuss draft preparation. We also chatted about some of the unique rules the Movers use in their league. And if you haven’t drafted yet, here are five handy tips.
Don’t fall in love
So Reggie Wayne did well for you last year, and he’s still highly ranked. Draft with your head and not with your heart. Look at the situation carefully. Peyton Manning may not be 100% at the beginning of the season. Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie have emerged as targets in the Colt passing game, not to mention Dallas Clark. That being said, I of course drafted Reggie Wayne. He was still the best WR available, and we adopted points per reception (PPR) this season.
Know your league’s rules
Look at the scoring system, particularly for QBs. The default in most online leagues is 4 points per TD for a QB. If your league is 6 points (or higher even), factor that into your draft strategy. QBs are much more valuable in such a scenario.
Don’t wait until the end for a defense
Conventional wisdom says draft Ks and Ds last. Not a good idea, at least for defense/special teams. A good defense in most scoring systems can be worth a decent WR or RB. There are usually only 8 strong defenses, 4 more that are solid to o.k., and the rest that are pretty much rubbish. If people start grabbing Ds in your draft, get one.
Stay informed
Pre-season is meaningless, but you still need to keep up with the news out of training camp. The two things you want to pay attention to are injury reports, and who is moving up or down in a team’s depth chart.
A good TE vs. a top WR
There are about a half a dozen really good TEs that can put up WR-type numbers. Pay attention during your draft. If these guys start to disappear, consider grabbing one, even ahead of a WR. One note though; as with the RB and WR positions in recent years, committees are forming at TE. The Browns and Patriots are good examples. Both teams have two TEs that are utilized extensively in the passing game. Make sure your guy is the clear-cut number one on the depth chart.
Happy drafting. Episode 11-1 of The No Huddle should drop September 5. You can stream, or download at Podbean, or subscribe in iTunes.
