Getting the Most Out of Your Fantasy Football Draft

One of the most enjoyable, stressful and important parts of the fantasy football process is the fantasy football draft. It's here that you will build your team, engage in some good natured back and forth with fellow fantasy football league members and find out if those hours of research pay off with getting the players you wanted on your team.

For those not familiar with the process, a fantasy football draft is held before the season and allows all the members of your fantasy football league to "draft" their players. Much like the regular NFL Draft, everyone gets to pick after another, with the player getting picked going off the fantasy football draft board.

Team owners fortunate enough to get the top pick in their fantasy football draft get to pick the top player in the fantasy football rankings, but the top pick also has its share of pressure. With the top pick, everyone has their own opinion on who should get picked in a fantasy football draft. Some will argue that it should be a running back. Others argue the top player in a fantasy football draft should be a quarterback. Almost no one picks a receiver.

The reason quarterbacks and running backs are usually the top picks in a fantasy football draft is because they handle the ball the majority of the time. Therefore, they are the least likely to get in a slump or get phased out of the game plan. A good quarterback, like Peyton Manning for example, is almost always going to be allowed to put the ball in the air no matter what. Even if the defense is playing the pass, a good quarterback can find his receivers and pile up fantasy football points.

Running backs have an advantage over quarterbacks when it comes to the thinking of a fantasy football draft. A good runner not only piles up yards on the ground, he also scores touchdowns in the red zone. Those are big points. Additionally, a valuable running back also catches passes out of the backfield. Rushing yards, touchdowns and receiving yards and catches all add up to major points. That is why someone like LaDainian Tomlinson will be the top fantasy football draft pick by most team owners in this year's fantasy draft. The San Diego Chargers running back does it all: rushing, receiving and scoring touchdowns.

Participants in a fantasy football draft should be prepared for a long day. Most last for hours depending on how many people are in a fantasy football league. Just look at the math. If there are 10 people in your fantasy football draft, and there are 12 spots on a league team, that is 120 picks. Even if people took 1 minute per selection, the procedure would take at least two hours. However, most people don't take 1 minute per pick. So be prepared to settle in for a long day.

To get some personalized fantasy football draft advice, browse through our website and use our fantasy football tools.