Catching a Draft

Last night I had my first of what will be three fantasy football drafts. For the past week, I have been researching and getting up to speed on who to draft, who not to draft, who to draft only if it's late enough in the draft, and who to draft when everyone I wanted to draft has already been drafted. This takes a lot more effort than you would suspect.

First, you have last year's stats to work with. Second, you have this year's projected stats based on last year's stats plus a little extra for expanded roles or added experience (i.e. Adrian Peterson) or a little less for injuries or no longer being relevant (i.e., Shaun Alexander). Third, you have internet articles on draft strategy and trends. Fourth, you have mock drafts, which are the equivalent of practice exams in college. It's always better to take a look at the types of questions you'll have to answer before it counts. Mock drafts are useful, either drafts where you're involved or expert mock drafts conducted by, well, experts. However, every draft is different. Certain positions start being called off the board in torrential fashion forcing you to get on the train or go completely against the grain. All of these tools are helpful, but, in the end, you have to trust yourself.

But the draft is the thing. I love drafting more than following my team during the season. It holds so much promise. Your players are all healthy (usually), your team name is clever and ironic, you're ready to go on auto-pilot until the championship game when you'll, undoubtedly, be scooping up a large amount of cash for dominating the league; the potential is limitless. No rain clouds today, just pure sunshine.

Then the games start. You realize that waiting until the 5th and 6th rounds to take your first running backs was not a good strategy, even though you knew that two weeks ago when you reviewed drafting strategy, which specifically stated, "make sure you get two running backs within the first 4 rounds." You try to rationalize your decision to pick three wide receivers and a tight end (in fact, the first tight end taken), citing the early run on running backs, but everyone listening assumes you're an amateur. Once the scores count, however, you see that your rationalizing won't win fantasy football games, but at least you have a top tight end, which counts for something, but not really.

Drafting is fun because that's where you get to "play." That's where you make the big decisions. Once the games start, the players take over. Accumulate stats, points, by then it's out of your hands. Sure, you make roster decisions, pick up this player, drop that one, start this one, bench that one, but the draft is when you're the conductor and the orchestra is playing flawlessly. No excuses needed.

For a few days of dreaming of championships and picking the correct long shots, the deep sleepers, from right under another owner's eyes, it's worth it. In the end, we all just want to be proven right, smarter than someone else, with better judgment. Undeniably better. Fantasy football is just like anything else, another stomping ground to prove your quality. Two more drafts to go. At this rate, I might just catch a cold.

Jared