There are several components to a good fantasy football draft. Of course, making good on first and second round draft choices is key. Known commodities in the middle rounds also have value. But, sometimes the biggest difference makers in your lineup come from late round fliers and waiver wire selections. Every pick matters, so be prepared and make them all count.

Our sleepers list covers all sorts of undervalued commodities. Some can be found early, some in the middle rounds, and some late. The point is, in our humble opinion, each of these guys is better than his preseason draft position. We’ll go ahead and explain why we think so. You take the information, generate your own opinions, and use it at your next draft. Read more »

They say in real football circles that nobody cares about kickers until you need them, and the same is true in fantasy. As much as all kickers’ statistics generally level off by the end of the year, kickers can determine the outcomes of fantasy matchups on a week-to-week basis. The sad part is that it’s nearly impossible to gauge when a kicker will have a good season or game. How can you possibly predict when a kicker’s offense will be good enough to drive down the field, but not good enough to capitalize in the red zone?

The answer to this quandary is to just play the percentages. You want to find kickers that either play in a good offense, play in a good weather or domed stadium, or have demonstrated a powerful and/or accurate leg. The best kickers have a combination, if not all, of these attributes. Read more »

When drafting units of players as opposed to individuals, opinions tend to vary wildly. That has always been the case when it comes to picking a defense, but in 2008, one team has risen to the top of the preseason hype. The Minnesota Vikings, who led the league in both rush defense and defensive TDs last season, picked up sack machine Jared Allen via trade before the NFL draft. In turn, the Vikings have been nearly the consensus first D taken in drafts.

Outside of the top three Ds of Minnesota, San Diego and New England, most other D units will be picked up in the back end of drafts. And besides the top three, most defenses have the look of producing nearly identical numbers. During the season, matchups and strength of schedule will play a big part in which units perform the best. Read more »

Gone are the days where Antonio Gates is the clear cut No. 1 tight end in fantasy. In are the days of more parody at the position, with an influx of superb, athletic pass catchers playing tight end. Gates has been stamped out and cloned to the point where he’s no longer a must-have selection for those who put a premium on tight ends.

Jason Witten and Kellen Winslow emerged as elite options with career seasons in 2007. Neither figures to slow down in ‘08, and both could again challenge Gates for top-scoring tight end honors. Read more »

A changing of the guard will be taking place as the aging Randy Moss and Terrell Owens steadily get pushed by youngsters Braylon Edwards, Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Johnson. Moss and Owens are still the class of this group, but better-than-usual value is there in the second, third and fourth rounds in up-and-comers with big time ability.

Moving on down the line, it really becomes about risk versus reward, more so this year than in years past. And there are unique risks to take. Plaxico Burress, Chad Johnson and Anquan Boldin are unhappy; Brandon Marshall is ultra talented, but a headcase with a potential looming suspension; Torry Holt is an elder statesman, but still a good bet to churn out 1,300 yards and 6 or 8 TDs. Read more »

Conventional wisdom says running back is the most important position in fantasy football, and that’s why owners will likely spend at least two very high picks on them. Getting not only a stud running back to anchor your team, but depth at the position, is normally viewed as a recipe for success. It is a recommended strategy, but you need to be careful this year.
 
Generally, not only have NFL teams have been airing it out more, but they have been switching to “two-headed” monsters at running back, therefore cutting down on your No. 1 back’s carries (See: Dallas, Minnesota, Jacksonville, New Orleans, Oakland etc.). As a result, there are less conventional every-down, star running backs out there, so the days having to immediately load up on running backs may be dwindling, just ever so slightly. Read more »

The 2008 quarterback class will be headlined by familiar names, and there’s nothing to suggest that the top fantasy signal callers will be changing anytime soon. With a historic season from Tom Brady, the continued excellence of Peyton Manning, and the emergence of Tony Romo and Ben Roethlisberger as legitimate fantasy studs, the gap between the top of the class and the middle is as big as ever.

However, that’s not to say that owners who do not take a quarterback in the first four rounds will be starved of options. There are plenty of lower-ranked QBs with a high ceiling, such as Jay Cutler, Marc Bulger, and the newest Manning with a Super Bowl ring on his finger, Eli. They won’t be putting up three TDs every game, but they’re solid and cost-effective. Read more »