Draft your guy, draft upside, and find value when you can. Those are the three core philosophies I carry into fantasy drafts with me every year.
When I say draft "your guy" I just mean that wherever I am at in the draft, first round or 12th, I'll try and remember to take the guy I will have more fun rooting for. For example, John Brown had a fine season in 2015 and should be a nice piece in 2016. DeSean Jackson though? He's my guy. We went to Cal around the same time-ish, and watching him play, however inconsistent, is my jam. I'll take DeSean before Smokey every time, this despite the sensical side of me putting Brown ahead of Jackson in my rankings.
In the immortal words of 50 Cent, I love upside like a fat kid loves cake. LOVE it. Like real general managers, I fall in love with size/speed freaks, which is why it's a running joke among my co-workers here at NFL Media that I know everyone's 40 time.
Donte Moncrief, for example, will be gracing my rosters in nearly every format this year. I know I'll be overpaying for him and I get it, he's a HUGE unknown and had just 733 yards last year ... but my god, he's 6-foot-2, 220 pounds and ran a 4.40 40??? Plus, I've seen enough tape on him to know the dude can play. His upside will make me pass on more established names like Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Smith Sr.
I know my strategy is extremely high-risk, high-reward, but I do try and temper the volatility by finding veterans that for whatever reason have fallen in drafts. I call it the "Deuce McCallister Rule."
Back in 2005, the Saints' standout running back tore his ACL and in the offseason the team drafted Reggie Bush. As a result, Deuce fell hard in drafts the following year. I took him around the 10th round in 2006 and he bounced back in a big way with 1,200-plus scrimmage yards and 10 touchdowns.
The idea behind the pick was that despite the injury (remember 10 years ago, ACL tears were viewed VERY differently) McCallister was a guy that was extremely productive prior to the injury. I also assumed, correctly, that Bush was an outside guy and that Deuce would still be featured between the tackles.
I projected McCallister that year to put up about 900 total yards and six or seven scores, so obviously he knocked it out of the park, but even with a conservative estimate, I was comfortable with the pick at that price because I saw him as an every-week flex player.
Finding consistent players for the flex or as an RB2/WR2, even if they aren't sexy names, can help normalize your roster on a week-to-week basis. If you're wondering, Markus Wheaton and Marvin Jones feel like those type of players this year. Double-digit draft picks with secure roles, safe floors, and an outside chance of breaking out.
Hey look, I get it, you're just as likely to succeed auto-drafting a team as following my convoluted draft strategies ... but where's the fun in that? Because, you can do whatever you want but if you auto-draft you lose your "IN YO FACE" privileges. And really, dogging your league mates like a crazy Dave Chappelle character is what fantasy football is all about. Nothing else, just that. Remember that.
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-- Follow James on Twitter @JamesDKoh
