It’s a keeper

By Kelly May  |   Thursday, August 28, 2008  |  Comments( 4 )

Fantasy Football
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The vast majority of fantasy leagues are the standard year-to-year editions which require a full draft some time in August. For the totally committed fantasy owner, a keeper league provides that little extra juice each Sunday.

Not only are you rooting for your players each week, you’re rooting for their entire career. Let’s say that this is your first year in a keeper league. You go through the draft and do the best you can to load your team with talent. But you should ask yourself some serious questions about each player before you make the pick.

>>How long will this player perform at a high level?

The next player on the draft board is Terrell Owens. He’s big, fast, a touchdown machine ... and a 34-year-old. Do you want to spend a huge portion of your cap on a player who may not be on your roster in two years?

In normal fantasy leagues, it doesn’t matter – you just take the best guy on the board. But in keeper leagues, there’s a little more to the equation. When you draft next year, guys like T.O. won’t be available. All subsequent drafts will be comprised of incoming rookies and leftover free agents. Your first draft is essential for setting your team up for the future.

>>Will picking a high-priced player prevent you from filling out a solid roster?

Most keeper leagues operate with a salary-cap structure that serves as a check and balance for owners who try to stockpile expensive players. Obviously the most pricey players are the LaDainian Tomlinsons and Adrian Petersons of the world, so picking up one of these guys immediately puts you in a cap crunch.

When you draft a high-priced player, you need to be looking for bargains. Coming off a year in which the Rams struggled to get anything going offensively or defensively, guys like Torry Holt will be a little undervalued this season.

You should also target players who are priced low, but could make big impacts this season if the circumstances fall right. A guy like Jerricho Cotchery could end up having a monster year if Brett Favre can quit whining and learn his playbook.

>>If a player had a slow start or was injured last year, should you avoid taking him?

This goes for all fantasy leagues. Particularly in keeper leagues, though, a player's year-to-year performance plays a big factor in whether he should be drafted.

You may be a little wary of taking Steven Jackson with your first pick because of his injury last season and his high price tag. Always ask yourself a question before you pass on a player: How many selections will it be before the player gets drafted by someone else? If you think everyone in your league would pass on Jackson, then you’re safe to assume he’ll be there in the next round. If the answer is a resounding no, then you should probably go with your gut and draft him.

Training Camp: An entirely new kind of fantasy game!</i>">Training Camp: An entirely new kind of fantasy game!
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