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" 1. Know the rules. &amp;quot;Perhaps the biggest mistake is simply not knowing the league&amp;#039;s roster and scoring settings. Values of certain players change dramatically based on differences in point assignments. The most common oversight is when a league provides points for receptions.&amp;quot;  The take-away: TDs are important, but pay close attention to the little things, like how yardage is awarded. Leagues that award fractional points for receiving yards reward those hardworking, over-the-middle possession WRs, while those that award for passing 20-yard increments favor deep threats, who can rack up jumbo points on a few plays. Draft accordingly. 2. It&amp;#039;s business, not personal.   &amp;quot;Another big issue involves &amp;#039;Homerism.&amp;#039; That is to say, fans overload their squad with players from the home team. While it works with Indianapolis and a couple other instances, it&amp;#039;s a disaster for most.&amp;quot;  The take-away: Reread that last paragraph if you&amp;#039;re a Cleveland Browns fan and commit it to memory. Also, when you&amp;#039;re at the draft, lay on the guilt to make your rivals feel bad for &amp;quot;abandoning&amp;quot; their favorite team&amp;#039;s players. 3. You can never have too many RBs.   &amp;quot;It&amp;#039;s always a great idea to stack the running back position early. With so many teams turning to multiple-back systems, procuring two twenty-carry workhorses helps create an advantage. You&amp;#039;ll be able to find value at other positions later. Typically, you&amp;#039;re leaving the tight ends, kickers, and defenses until the later rounds. Load up on running backs, build wide receiver depth, and secure an upper-tier quarterback.&amp;quot;   The take-away: Everyone knows this rule, but seems to forget it by the fifth round, nervous that they don&amp;#039;t have a QB, or a defense, or a kicker. Hold the line, get backups for your starters, and remember there&amp;#039;s no such thing as too many RBs -- you can always trade them after the draft. 4. The exceptions to the RB rule.   &amp;quot;Tight ends who stand as the top receiving options on their teams (such as Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez) go early, as do top-tier defenses (Chicago and Baltimore) and the game&amp;#039;s best clutch kicker, Adam Vinatieri. Otherwise, owners should be waiting until the final rounds on these positions.&amp;quot;  The take-away: If you&amp;#039;re in a league with fewer than ten people, don&amp;#039;t draft a kicker or a defense unless you absolutely have to -- draft RBs and play the gameday matchups instead. You&amp;#039;ll do just fine. 5. Scout the systems.   &amp;quot;Some players are just off the charts in their skill levels, but there are systems that put players in a position to make plays. Look no further than the Denver running back slot, which has produced a 1,000-yard rusher in 11 of the last 12 seasons.&amp;quot;   The take-away: Travis Henry, a classic downhill runner, is going to have a big season at Mile High. If he&amp;#039;s around at the end of the first round, you&amp;#039;ve got a steal. 6. This year&amp;#039;s sleepers.   &amp;quot;I enjoyed watching Brian Billick open up the offense in 2006, and that means big things for speedster Demetrius Williams. I also expect big things from Indy rookie Anthony Gonzalez, Falcons second-year back Jerious Norwood, and starting quarterbacks J.P. Losman and Alex Smith. One player I like, despite a monster turnover total, is Lions starter Jon Kitna -- although I still don&amp;#039;t see ten wins in Matt Millen&amp;#039;s future.&amp;quot;   The take-away: Learn some new names on draft day and for fuck&amp;#039;s sake, do not draft Priest Holmes. 7. Keep your distance.   &amp;quot;Owners should wait on some veteran running backs and receivers who may be eclipsed by younger options on the roster. Fred Taylor, Warrick Dunn, Isaac Bruce, and Derrick Mason are four players sliding on my boards, as is Clinton Portis, for whom injuries and the presence of Ladell Betts signal a reduced workload.&amp;quot;   The take-away: With so many teams working in rookies as the season wears on, it&amp;#039;s harder to lock in on constant performers. Remember: Veterans will get the early snaps, so if you&amp;#039;re inclined to draft them, think about trading them early in the season, while their value is high and they&amp;#039;re still being used. 8. He who dares, wins.   &amp;quot;Last year, I snagged Drew Brees in the tenth round of a draft. The other owners backed off because of his shoulder injury and the Saints&amp;#039; troubled history. Needless to say, he rolled to a big year and thrust me into the playoff mix.&amp;quot;   The take-away: Man up at your draft and take a flyer on someone, especially in the later rounds. Your best bets: those guys coming off injuries or terrible seasons who are still guaranteed to touch the ball, like Ben Roethlisberger. 9. Championships are not drafted.   &amp;quot;You should definitely be checking in during the games to note possible personnel changes and injuries. Most leagues have waiver periods that end on Tuesday, so you need to react quickly to changing news. You&amp;#039;ll be able to play the matchup game and find gems later in the week, but the emerging stud will be gone if you snooze.&amp;quot;   The take-away: If you really want to dominate your league, get a laptop with WiFi and head to a bar with the NFL package and Internet access. Sit there, sip your beer, and quietly ride the waiver wire the entire time. Don&amp;#039;t invite your friends. Steal backups the minute an injury goes down. Pick up the guy with the gaudy numbers and don&amp;#039;t be afraid to cut the guy you drafted in the third round. Remember, draft day is just the start of an agonizing four-month process. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a3327/fantasyfootball081407/>