by Patrick Thorman

Created on: July 07, 2010

The slow build-up to your fantasy football draft is misleading.  You have about two months beginning after the Fourth of July to gather the information you will need.  By the time the all-important third preseason game is played (the one where a team's true starters play a majority of the contest), you will most likely have perused countless sources of facts and fantasy strategies for the upcoming season.  The key is to filter all of this information into a single comprehensive sheet to take to your draft, as to not be inundated with stacks of paper when you are on the clock to make your pick.  This is a vital step that is often overlooked due to a wide variety of reasons, from overconfidence to just simply being lazy.

 The first step in getting organized for your draft is getting educated for your draft.  You should be checking fantasy news web sites like Rotoworld.com on a daily basis to stay current.  You will also want to read as many articles as possible from reputable sites like ESPN, Yahoo and Sportsline.  Watch the NFL Network as much as you can.  There are many resources at your disposal, but the point is to absorb as much information as possible during July and early August.  After a while you will be able to know what a particular player’s “story” is off the top of your head, and you will officially be in “football mode” for lack of a better term.

 Around the second week of August you will want to start compiling your positional rankings.  You can use the lists you find on the fantasy web sites or, preferably, you can make your own.  These lists will be fluid, and should change as more information becomes available.  Injuries, depth chart alterations and scheme changes are just a few of the many factors that will affect where the players will land on your final sheet for draft day.  Do not be stubborn. Always be open to adjusting your rankings.  Just think of how the ranked values of these players will be different after a couple of weeks of regular season practices and games.  The preseason is no different.  They are always changing, so embrace that dynamic and use it to your advantage during the preparatory period as well.

 The ultimate key to a successful fantasy football draft is picking the best value.  Not necessarily the best player, but the best value you can get at that particular draft slot.  This is where

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