May I make a suggestion? Yes I may.

With fantasy football season in full swing, I thought I’d drop some knowledge and basic tips for all you fantasy football virgins out there. The draft isn’t only the most fun part of playing fantasy football, it’s the most important, so here are a few suggestions to help you draft smart.

- Know when teams have a bye week: The last thing you want is a team filled with players who have the same bye week. Use strategy when selecting your back-ups, especially your QB, to make sure they’re available to play when your other players are off. With this said, don’t pick too many players who are on the same team, or you could end up with getting a serious beat down during they're week off.

- Know who’s injured or suspended: On the day of your draft check out each teams injury report to see what impact players could miss time. If you don’t check, it’s more than likely that the dicks in your league won’t tell you.

- Do your homework, but not too much homework: Spending time researching the upcoming season is good, but spending too much time reading different guides and different websites will only confuse you. I've seen some sites with DeAngelo Williams going as high as 3rd, while other’s have him as low as 14. Man up, and go with your gut when picking your team. A small percentage of these 'experts' actually offer substantial advice. Last year no one predicted Steve Slaton, Matt Forte or Williams to be top fantasy players, but they were. The point is, go with who you like, not with some jackass’s predictions that probably won’t pan out.

- Pick your kicker last: Anyone who picks a kicker before the last round is an idiot. Why? Because the top 10 kickers last season were only separated by only 20 points, which is less than a point difference per game. Try to grab a guy who has a late buy week so you can hold on him for a while.

- Play mind games with other’s in your league: Try to talk up players who the ‘experts’ may like, but you think will have a poor season. For example, say this to a dumbass that you’re drafting against. – “I think Joseph Addai will have a big comeback this year, and has a good chance of leading the league in rushing.” This may entice the dumbass to pick him well before we should get drafted, thus improving your chances of getting a player you want.

- Aim for players with a high upside: Use the later rounds to go after guys who aren’t superstars, but have the potential to be. Every superstar has one breakout season. Snagging a guy like Ted Ginn Jr. or Rashard Mendenhall in the late rounds has a low risk, high reward probability.

That’s it! Remember to have fun and try to pick a well balanced team. Good luck, and make sure to check back during the season for more fantasy advice!
~Joe Osborne