1) Be smart in the first few rounds. Your first two picks should be QB and RB or some combination of the two. The only WR you even consider in the first two rounds is Calvin Johnson. QB and RB are the two most consistent positions and give you the best chance to score the most points. It's a passing league and QB's are the ones with the keys to the car. And an elite RB gets 350+ touches in a season with added duty in the redzone. Those numbers add up quickly. Be smart and take QB and RB early.
2) Stay away from TE's early. No TE is worth a pick before the 5th round. Rob Gronkowski is the only exception as a possible early round pick and even he comes with a warning tag ever since breaking his forearm. Simply put, the majority of TE's are too inconsistent to warrant early consideration. The difference between the number 1 TE and number 20 TE in last season's scoring was just five points per game. That is not enough of a point differential to vault TE into your top picks. Jimmy Graham lead TE's in scoring last season but averaged less than 10 points per game. Three kickers averaged more points per game than Graham. You can find productive TE's in the later rounds, trust me.
3) Don't be afraid to stock up at one position. It's never a bad idea to draft more players at one position. Even if it means drafting your fourth RB over drafting your second or third WR. You can always find someone in your league who will overpay for a position they desperately need. Take for example my team last season. I had an overstock of QB's with Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco (we start 2 QB's in our league) but had an underwhelming stable of RB's with Adrian Peterson, Willis McGahee, Doug Martin and Lamar Miller (we start two RB's and one FLEX). I was able to turn Flacco and Antonio Brown into Maurice Jones-Drew and Steven Ridley. They guy I traded with desperately needed a starting QB. The point is, you can always trade from one well of wealth for water in a dried up well.
4) Take the best player available in the late rounds.In the later rounds it is better to stock up on depth and potential trade chips rather attempt to fill a starting void with a lackluster player. Again, you can always make a trade to improve on at position you are lacking on but you first have to have players that other owners want.
5) RB is the easiest position for rookies to pick up right away. Rookie RB's have the easiest transition into the NFL. Every rookie RB from last year's draft that got significant playing time was impressive because the skills of a RB transfer well into the league. Being a RB is all about instincts and vision, and those are two things that don't just disappear when getting to the league. So don't be afraid to draft them if you think they will get the majority of their team's touches.
6) Rookie WR's have the toughest transition into the league. Most rookie WR's have trouble making the jump to the league. Defensive coverages in the NFL are much more complicated than in the college game. Rookies tend to have more problems reading them and thus tend to struggle more. Use caution when grabbing rookie WR's.
7) Be aware of the sophomore slump. When a rookie has a great season, they tend to cool off a bit in their next season because defenses have more film to study on them. They tend to drop in production. I'm not saying that means you stay clear of Alfred Morris or Andrew Luck, but what I am saying is don't be surprised if they are not as productive. Fantasy draft is all about value with each pick.
8) Be conscience of players coming off career years. When a player has a career year they are doomed to take a step back the next season. Rob Gronkowski set NFL records for TE's in 2011 in both receiving yards and TD's. The next season he fell back to earth a bit, (yes, due in part to injuries but even when healthy he wasn't the same). The real point of this tip is more to keep your expectations in line. Don't expect Adrian Peterson to run for 2,000 yards again this season. His numbers will probably be closer to 1,350 yards and 10 TD's. Still great numbers and certainly make him a first round choice.
9) Pay attention to the offseason reports. The information that comes out of offseason workouts and preseason games are generally pretty important. These reports let you know which rookies are challenging for early playing time. They reveal which veterans are out of shape and unhappy. They give you a guide as to what to expect early in the season. They also show you what trends a certain coach is going with.
10) Avoid at all possible cost the player that holds out of the offseason and preseason activities. Players that hold out always show up out of shape, unhappy and seeking a trade. Their heart is not there and they are generally only focused on getting paid. They become cancers with their team and it shows. And when you hold out and miss workouts, the tendency to get injured goes up tenfold. I will always take a player coming off an injury over a player that is holding out. Think back to last season when everyone said Adrian Peterson would not be available until Week 6 or at least would not be a quality player until later in the season. He started the season in Week 1 with a 20 point game. By contrast, Maurice Jones-Drew held out for all of the preseason only to join the team before the season started and then missed 11 games. The difference between the two situations is this; players that are rehabbing from injuries are working out with professional trainers who know what they are doing, whereas the player holding out is working out by himself and on his own rules. That just spells trouble.
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