With August entering its final week, now’s the time to plot your fantasy football draft strategy. Whether you’re in a unique league format or a traditional snake or auction draft, what you do on draft day sets your team up for the season, for better or worse.
Showing up with a plan doesn’t mean you have to study mock drafts and player charts for hours on end. It just means you have a general idea of what you want to do and how you plan to do it.
It’s important to remember that there is no one right way to play fantasy football. The right strategy is the one that’s going to give you the most enjoyment. If you have one favorite player, building your team around him might be the thing that gives you the most joy. In that case, know the round you want to take your guy and build from there.
Other strategies include building around, or away from, a certain position. It all depends on your league format, your draft position and your personal preferences.
If you’re looking for a plan, these ideas can get you started.
Win Positions
Having the best player at a position is an advantage. Doing it at multiple positions can give you an edge over most of your opponents. That’s the theory behind this strategy, where you target elite players at multiple positions.
A great example is tight end and quarterback. You could spend your third- and fourth-round picks on Josh Allen and either Trey McBride or Brock Bowers, potentially giving yourself an elite option at both positions. If you have an early pick in the first round, you might even grab Ja’Marr Chase to get the best wide receiver on the board.
You’ll likely need to hunt the waiver wire if you pursue this strategy. Spending the suggested cost on Allen and a top tight end means you’re passing on some talented running backs and wide receivers. But if those players perform to their potential, you’ll have a significant positional advantage almost every week.
Zero Running Back
You can find good running backs outside the big names. Zach Charbonnet wasn’t going until round 11 last season, yet he scored 12 touchdowns. That’s the kind of back you’ll need to target in the later rounds with this strategy. You pass on the big-name backs early, instead loading up on elite pass catchers and other high-scoring positions.
The thinking here is that running backs will get hurt. That’s a reality of football. Bucky Irving was a great example last year. He missed weeks 5 through 13, right when people who drafted him in round 2 or 3 really needed him.
Again, you’ll need to work the waiver wire well and find a few late-round gems. But if you can stack the top of your draft with high-scoring players, you’re in good shape.
Hero Running Back
Hero Running Back takes the opposite approach: secure one elite running back early, then build out the rest of your roster around him. With this strategy, you’ll ideally have one of the first few picks and use it to get someone like Jahmyr Gibbs or Bijan Robinson.
After that, you’ll go for top scorers at multiple positions. You might go for a second top running back or take top wideouts with your next two picks.
The obvious risk is that so much of your strategy hinges on one player staying healthy and productive. But if your top back stays on the field and performs as expected, you’re in good shape.
Defense and Kicker Streaming
Unless your league requires it, consider skipping defense and kicker entirely on draft day. Those are usually your final two picks anyway, so why not use them on two more sleeper position players instead?
Between draft day and opening day, players will get hurt and position battles will be decided. By the time the season starts, you’ll have a better idea of which players you don’t think will help your team.
At that point, you can simply drop two players and replace them with a defense and kicker who have a great matchup in Week 1. Miami is an excellent example. The Dolphins aren’t projected to have a top 20 defense, but they open against the Raiders. That’s a reasonable matchup, and you’d only need Miami for one game. Then you can drop the Dolphins for another good matchup.
Kicker streaming works similarly. Most leagues only contain 10 to 12 teams, which means there will always be kickers available. Find one with a good matchup instead of using a draft pick on one.
Have a Plan, But Be Ready to Change It
No draft strategy guarantees a championship, and that’s part of the fun. Pick an approach that fits your league, your draft position and the way you like to play, then be ready to adjust when the draft inevitably doesn’t go according to plan.
