The Antidote to Head Games: Confidence

  Posted 7/20 by Mark Wimer, Exclusive to Footballguys.com

Over the years I have written several articles about the head games fantasy team owners deploy to undermine their fantasy rivals, and I'll be floating some new thoughts in that direction later during preseason. However, in this article, we'll take a different tack - how can fantasy football owners (old veterans of the hobby or first-time neophytes) overcome the psychological warfare that occurs in almost every draft at this time of year? How can you sail through shark-infested waters and come through with a championship team on the other side?

It really boils down to one thing: confidence. In order to implement a successful draft strategy, you have to believe in what you're doing. And that isn't as easy as it sounds.

First of all, owners should go into a draft aware of all the latest NFL news: knowing that Tatum Bell is currently on top of the RB depth chart in Detroit due to Kevin Jones' foot injury heading into training camp is a vital fact that you probably won't find in a fantasy football magazine. The news that Jones will probably start the season on the physically unable to perform list (out six weeks or more) broke in June after most magazines went to press. The last thing you should do is go into a draft ignorant of the latest news. If you do, you are opening yourself up to A) making a bad pick and B) being ribbed unmercifully. Using the Footballguys.com player pages and news blogger will ensure that you are armed with all the latest news before you start drafting.

Secondly, you need to be confident using the drafting tools that you bring along with you to the draft, whether that's a hard-copy list of players or a really great drafting application for your laptop, like our Footballguys.com Draft Dominator. The Draft Dominator is a powerful application that can chart your course to victory - if you are familiar with all of its features, and know how to use the application under time pressure. Take the time to practice handling your drafting tools - then you won't get flustered when the heat is on and you have to make the call between drafting Peyton Manning as your #1 QB or snagging Larry Fitzgerald to headline your WR corps.

Finally, it's very helpful to go into a draft with a plan - knowing which positions and perhaps even which players you want to target with your early round picks will help ease you into the rhythm of the draft and overcome any nervousness you might be feeling. Of course, unexpected "value" picks will emerge as you go along, so don't be afraid to deviate from your gameplan. You can only identify good values, however, if you have a solid plan in place from the get-go. The plan you build for your picks will vary from draft to draft depending on where you end up on the queue, so analyze each league draft as a stand-alone case.

If you walk into your league draft prepared with a solid plan, timely drafting materials, and the latest NFL news, you'll be well on your way to running a superior draft. You'll be able to shrug off any ribbing the other owners throw at you and give back as good as you get. Being confident and sure of yourself will discourage the sharks in your league from coming after you, and they'll look for easier targets somewhere else in the room. In the meantime, you'll build a championship-caliber team.

Happy Drafting!