As many of you know, I’m a Buffalo, N.Y., native and a lifelong Bills fan. So, September is normally the first of two months out of the year when I’m optimistic about the team in some way.
Because that’s such a small window, I’m an avid fantasy football player. I can’t control what the Bills do in real life (and if I could, I could fill an entire newspaper with my plans), but it’s good to know that I can draft some of my favorite players and lead them to success in some format.
If you like the NFL, whether your favorite team is good or not, you should join or create at least one league. I’m in three right now, and I’m feeling only 100% sure that I’ll win one of them.
Because there’s still some time left to get in on the action, here’s a nugget of advice for each position for fantasy football newcomers.
Going into league play with a good team is important. And, when you have a great team name, it has the same psychological effect as cleaning up: look good, feel good, play good. The funnier your name is, the better. In my keeper league, for example, my team’s name is, “Watt is Love? J.J. Don’t Hurt Me.”
You usually can’t have a good receiver without a decent quarterback, but you can have a good quarterback without a star receiver — just ask Drew Brees. However, you shouldn’t look to draft a QB with your first pick if you’re not picking in the top four spots in your league. Because the NFL isn’t very deep at running back right now, a QB can wait a round or so, if you’re not going for a guy such as Brees, Peyton Manning or Aaron Rodgers.
When I say the NFL doesn’t have many great running backs, it’s probably an understatement. A lot of people I’ve drafted with have checked the RB list after the first round or two and started panicking, because it’s like walking out of a mansion’s back door and immediately staring at the edge of a steep cliff. You must draft your RB1 early if you like scoring points, and you have to be wary of players from certain teams — Arizona, Carolina, New Orleans, etc. — that use platoons of three or more backs every game. Those guys are always getting vultured.
It gets better at wide receiver, because there are plenty of good options out there. Also, keep in mind that guys like Percy Harvin and Tavon Austin have extra value as kick and punt returners. Touchdowns are touchdowns, no matter when Harvin scores them. If the league has a down year at RB, as is the case right now, then I like to draft a wideout for my Flex (extra RB or WR) slot.
Good tight ends are like unicorns, and they’ve been that way in fantasy football for some time now. Don’t draft a guy because he’s a good blocker. He’ll never score. You need a guy like Vernon Davis, Jimmy Graham or Rob Gronkowski, if you want high production, and the drop-off is so steep after those three that it almost doesn’t really matter who you scoop up.
The same thing goes for defenses, although they don’t have the scoring potential that all of the offensive players do. While yards allowed and points allowed are a part of the defensive scoring foundation, teams that rack up sacks or create turnovers are the best bets. Yes, that means more of the Cincinnati Bengals than Gio Bernard, A.J. Green and Marvin Jones did something well last season.
Kickers may not get as much love as the other guys. They always get drafted late and are blamed for most close losses in real life. But a solid kicker is a great fantasy football asset. Watch for kickers from teams such as Seattle, Denver, San Francisco and San Diego that are good at getting in field goal range. But there also are standouts such as Justin Tucker who make the most out of more limited opportunities.
And, one last thing: If a player you want is suspended right now, there’s a good chance he’ll still be a free agent after your draft is finished. Wait until the week before he’s back in action to scoop him up, so you don’t have a bench spot gathering dust with an inactive player during an emergency.