Fantasy Football's level of maturity and popularity today makes it easy for owners to obtain the information they need to succeed. There is so much information available through magazines, books, and the internet that it has become rather overwhelming. Particularly for someone new to the game, the dozens of magazines for sale at book stores and news stands can be conflicting and even confusing (not to mention the web sites). So, as an owner trying to prepare for the season, what do you do?

The first thing to remember is that no one who publishes any fantasy sports information has a crystal ball. Each have their opinions, informed or otherwise. However, given the same information, we all have an equal chance of guessing correctly how well or poorly a player or team will perform. Obviously, the key to increasing a person's chance of an accurate player assessment is up-to-date information and an ability to project results. Experts gain their reputation on their ability to properly analyze and communicate the data they receive about teams and players.

You and I as typical fantasy football owners will do exactly the same thing - analyze the information. It is certainly important to buy some periodicals (I suggest buying 2 magazines; a longtime favorite and something new to you) and browse as many web sites as your level of interest allow. Since most publications give plenty of justification for their player rankings, we can begin to understand how the "professionals" analyze the data they have gathered. Focus on the articles and comments that give you insight into WHY a player is ranked where he is. This will prepare you for the next step - making your own fantasy draft "cheat sheet".

A personalized draft sheet is really important for several reasons. First of all, publications are current only at the moment they are posted or printed. Some services offer updates after the major issue, but even these become outdated. It is important to you and I as owners to know what is going on in the real football world by being aware of current information.

Secondly, any player ranking list you come across has not been tailored to the scoring system and personality of your league.. Typically the rankings are based on a general or touchdown-plus-performance scored, non-keeper, 10-team league. There are pay services that will customize rankings based on your scoring system, but they are still not able to consider intangibles, such as keepers and owner tendencies within your league. All of these issues should be taken into consideration when ranking players for a particular league.

Lastly, creating your own player ranking list is fun! Of course, it helps if you follow up with a great draft and win your Fantasy Bowl, but the process of trying to predict how a player will perform during the season can be rewarding. At the worst, you will be the most informed player at your draft - which often translates into success.

Okay, so how do you generate your player rankings? I suggest keeping your assessment as simple as possible, while considering all the information you have available; coaching, supporting staff, team philosophy, past history, etc. When possible, use a spreadsheet program and include a list of every possible player to be selected. Estimate the production of each player in relation to others.

Everyone expects QB Brett Favre to out produce Doug Flutie. However, the key to successful rankings is projecting how both players will do in relation to the rest of the NFL passers. Go through your QB list player-by-player, and make your general predictions.

Another example is RB Ron Dayne. No one really knows if he'll score four or fourteen TDs this upcoming season. The Giants look to be playoff contenders, yet the supporting players are nothing special. You also know that Tiki Barber is the Giants feature runner.

Sooo, what do you do regarding Dayne? From the information I have, he will get 10 or 15 rush attempts per game and that a majority of them will be in short yardage attempts. I grade him with Alstott and Thomas as a non-fantasy starter, and hope I get someone like him as a supporting RB in my draft.

Your initial effort may take awhile, as you will run into players and teams you are not very familiar with. Finally, continue to adjust this draft list right up to the day before your draft.

I often hear friends say, "I don't have time to do all that work". I certainly understand, too. And, in some cases, published cheat sheets from web sites and magazines work out fine, after minor updates. However, I strongly encourage all fantasy owners to develop player rankings of their own. Once you try it, I think you will find that the results are worth the extra efforts. In fact, I know it will. Good luck!

~TC~

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