So, my buddy Jon helped me a bunch this offseason in plotting a strategy for fantasy football.
I thought I’d share it with you.
He told me about this guy Peyton Manning. Apparently he’s a quarterback with the Indianapolis Colts and he, like, threw a bunch of touchdown passes last year.
Yeah, my good friend insists he’s the one who filled me in on Manning, and the top-five consideration he should get in fantasy drafts this year.
Welcome to fantasy football season – the time when all of your friends are smarter than each other, and you’re smarter than all of them.
At least that’s what we all think now.
All the bold talk starts the drafts, which are well underway, and won’t start to get settled until the NFL season kicks off Sept. 8.
A few months from now, those brilliant friends of yours will be complaining about injuries to this guy or that guy, while they’re handing you cash.
That is, of course, as long as you read this column right here every Friday.
So, let’s get started.
Jon must have told a lot of people about this Manning guy, because everyone I tell already knows about him. And they’re all right.
Manning’s record-breaking 49-touchdown season was something he won’t likely repeat, but it was a sign of his incredible consistency – something that every fantasy owner craves, but rarely finds.
Try this stat on for size: Manning has played seven seasons in the NFL and has improved his completion percentage every year. And only in his rookie did he throw for fewer than 4,000 yards.
Bottom line: This guy is a tremendous fantasy football value and is head and shoulders above anyone at the position.
If you don’t get Manning, sit tight on a quarterback until much later in the draft. A starter with significant value can easily be found in the fifth-to-seventh rounds, and you’ll have better players at the other skill positions.
The basic rule is always draft for value. You want to pick up players who are the best available at their position. That’s why the “always draft a running back first” rule doesn’t necessarily apply anymore.
Running backs are deeper this year than they’ve been in recent memory. The elite – LaDanian Tomlinson, Shaun Alexander and Priest Holmes – are ideal, but after that you can flip a coin with the next dozen, or so.
This means you can wait, but you should still come out of the first two rounds with at least one good running back.
List your players in tiers at each position – elite, very good, good, wait until later. If all your “elite” and “very good” backs are gone, switch gears and fill a different spot.
Next week, we’ll talk about the enormous depth at wide receiver this season and some gambles worth taking. But first …
The five basics
1. Do your research: Have an idea of which players you want before your draft starts. Don’t be flipping through your favorite fantasy football magazine when you’re on the clock. Your friends will dislike you and you’ll end up with an awful team.
2. Know the rules: Don’t be the person asking, “Do we get points for …” You should know your league’s rules and scoring so well you’re dreaming about two-point conversions in your sleep.
3. Double dip: When it makes sense, grab the quarterback who throws to your best receiver, or vice versa. For you, that means one touchdown equals two.
4. Backup your stars: You know your annoying computer guy friend who always tells you to backup your hard drive? Well, consider guys like Priest Holmes and Edgerrin James your hard drive. Specifically with injury-prone players, grab their backup for insurance.
5. Watch the bye: There’s nothing worse than trying to make your lineup and realizing that all of your running backs or receivers are not playing that week. Keep bye weeks in mind when drafting your bench.
Reporter Victor Balta: 425-339-3455 or vbalta@heraldnet.com.
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