“Don’t you have homework?” This was a popular question in my youth, especially during the start of the school year. I would mostly reply with “already done” which was a lie, pretty much all the time. When the response was “no way, go study” I did, but I wasn’t excited.  I graduated high school in 1992.  If I was in college or high school now, I would have such a hard time prying myself away from box scores and stats.  STUDY, whether it is school or fantasy, put in your work!

You want to pass a test… then you must put in work. You want to fail or barely slide by, then don’t. It always makes me wonder when I ask friends and Fantasy Football co-owners if they have done their draft homework and the answer is “a little” or “sorta.”  When owners who respond that way, I see it as the better my chances are at victory. No matter what draft I am in, I ALWAYS HAVE DONE MY HOMEWORK, prepared for battle.

Why would you play fantasy football if you haven’t prepared for success? Didn’t you fork up some coin to enter the league??  Don’t you want to smash your rivals??

If you play fantasy to “fit in” and to be “one of the dudes” or “it’s what everyone is doing” that will not work here and you should stop reading. Fantasy Sports totally consumes me. It is fun & exciting plus you are your own GM, Head Coach and Biggest Fan all wrapped up into one.  You control your own destiny, or at least you trick yourself in believing you do.

I have done my homework and will share for all you cheating slouches… just kidding. I constantly review, study other fantasy football analysts, listen to podcasts, watch fantasy shows, crunch rankings, etc…  You should do the same. Have a strategy heading into your draft. Know what pick you are before you walk into the draft room. Review industry drafts and see where some of your favorite analysts are drafting players. Try to find drafts that have the same number of teams as your league does and has close to the same scoring structure (I.e. 12 Team, PPR).  See where experts are drafting players…  Check out how they make up their roster piece by piece.  Do mock drafts… do mock drafts.

Make your own positional player ranks, use other peoples’ rankings as a guide only. Then make your own tiers… place flags on guys who you want more than others, make certain players “your guy” in drafts. Be proud and confident in draft rooms, know position scarcity, know the needs of the owners drafting around your draft position, draft for value, but most of all…. DRAFT THE TEAM YOU WANT!

Your season isn’t won here; you have to be on waivers and player news/updates all year long. Give yourself a good starting point and do your homework.  Cheat on mine, but don’t let the teacher see you…

Come back for weekly rankings and insight or hit me up on Twitter with any fantasy related questions (give me a follow @lunchmade).  I hope these Draft Ranks help your squad and your draft, would love to see how your team stacks up!

Todd D Clark – Fantasy Bro