Ah, fantasy football. The game of choice for 59.3 million people in the US and Canada in 2017. Full of smack talk, strategy, and sweet, sweet victory, perhaps this is the year you come out on top.

But how do you dominate in 2018? Well, these fantasy football draft strategy tips should start you off on the right foot. From basic rules to expert tips, follow these guidelines and you’ll be making the playoffs this year.

Who to Pick First in Fantasy Football

Your draft begins with your linchpin, the best player on your team. With that in mind, it only makes sense to draft based on the rankings of the site you’re drafting on. Whether it be Yahoo!, ESPN, or NFL – or some other site – each has their own rankings of players.

Simply choosing one of the top 10-12 players in the rankings isn’t enough, though. The focus this year should be mainly on running backs and wide receivers.

The logic is simple: You want the best overall player that can win your matchup on a week-to-week basis. Because of this, and the fact that quarterback and wide receiver are really deep this year, the #1 overall focus should be getting an elite, top-10 running back.

However, don’t be concerned if you get a top-5 wide receiver. Just know you might want to load up on running backs in the next few rounds to mitigate risk.

Rounds 2-4

Continuing the theme of mitigating risk – just like poker – you want to draft solid players with “high ceilings” (someone who will get you solid points every week) and great potential upside. In fantasy football, that means loading up on top-tier WRs and RBs.

If you’re sitting with a pick where you can get a top-three tight end, then that’s your call. But the consensus is, rarely does a high-end TE finish as a top player at that position. The same can be said for quarterback, which is stupid deep this year.

By the end of round 4, you’ll either have two each of WR and RB, a 3-1 split of the two positions, or a 2-1-1 split of RB/WR/TE.

Rounds 5-10

This is where things get tricky.

Rounds 5 and 6 should be your first Flex player – another high-quality RB or WR – and a decent TE, in no particular order. The way you do this will depend on how other people are drafting; if TEs are flying off the board, best grab a solid choice at that position.

Rounds 7 through 10 is where you’re looking for a top-12 QB with decent weapons (and potentially legs). Otherwise, keep to RBs and WRs.

Rounds 11-15

At this point, you have your starting QB, starting TE, and roughly four each of WR and RB, all of them with high floors or potential.

Now you get to take fliers on those players with a greater range of outcomes. The bold picks. Perhaps a backup QB who is unsung and poised for a breakout season. There’s no reason to draft a backup TE.

As for rounds 14 and 15, this is where you draft your defense and kicker. These two positions are tricky because one great year last season doesn’t necessarily dictate a repeat of outcomes. While others in your league may draft the Jacksonville defense or Stephen Gostkowski early on, practice patience and choose a D and K that have the opportunities and the talent to be top-10.

This should conclude your draft. Congratulations!

Use This Fantasy Football Draft Strategy to Win This Year!

With this round-by-round, simple strategy, you should be able to dominate your league this year. Best of luck and have some fun!

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