Fantasy Football Draft Prep: Quarterbacks, Running Backs, Wide Receivers, and More

What positions should you draft first in fantasy football? Many people have different opinions about what constitutes the best strategy for drafting.

The truth is, there really isn't a right answer as every league is different and what works for one may not work for another.

In this blog post, I will discuss what positions to draft first in fantasy football from both an offensive and defensive perspective.

#1 Quarterbacks

The first position many people will take is a quarterback.

If you have the opportunity to draft one of the elites, definitely go for it as they can lead your team to victory by themselves.

However, what if there are no good quarterbacks available? In that case, don't panic and use your next two picks on running backs or wide receivers.

As long as you have at least one elite quarterback, your team will be in good shape.

For what it's worth, if you want to draft running backs or wide receivers first overall in fantasy football, the decision should ultimately be yours.

The most important thing to keep in mind when drafting a quarterback is what the rest of your league will do.

If no one else is drafting quarterbacks early, then it's okay to wait on them as you'll be able to get a good one later on.

As a general rule, you shouldn't draft more than two quarterbacks as they are simply too unpredictable and can be found on the waiver wire throughout the season.

#2 Running Backs

As I mentioned earlier, what position you draft first in fantasy football depends on what kind of league it is.

If the scoring system favors running backs over wide receivers (more points for touchdowns scored or more points per rushing yards), then drafting a pair of elite runners will give your team an advantage.

However, if there are no good quarterbacks left and you still have running backs on your mind, don't be afraid to draft two wide receivers first.

Picking a running back in the first round can be risky because what often happens is your team's studs at other positions will score less.

There are times when running backs have an off game or get injured. This can greatly affect your team if you don't address what to draft first in fantasy football.

#3 Wide Receivers

This is the deepest position out of all fantasy football positions.

You can draft a top-tier wide receiver with your first pick, but what if you don't see one available?

It's time to go for running backs or even quarterbacks before looking at another WR.

As long as you have at least two good ones on your team, then your team shouldn't have any issue winning games.

Wide receivers typically don't score as much as running backs, but what they lack in points they make up for with receptions.

If what matters most to you is how many receptions your fantasy football wide receivers get, consider what kind of offense their team runs and what kind of quarterbacks they have.

#4 Tight Ends

Tight ends are the most unpredictable of all fantasy football positions.

Some owners may argue that they're interchangeable with wide receivers, but this simply isn't true.

The big difference between these two is what tight end will give you more points per target?

If your league counts receptions for tight ends, then it's important to know what position scores touchdowns most often.

If you want to draft a tight end as your first fantasy football pick, I recommend drafting Rob Gronkowski or Travis Kelce if available.

Tight ends are usually among the best fantasy football players, but what makes them so good is their lack of consistency.

They're either great or terrible on any given week. This makes what to draft first in fantasy football even more difficult.

#5 Kickers and Defense

It's important to draft a kicker and defense in fantasy football.

However, what most people don't know is that these two positions are interchangeable.

If you have a good kicker and defense, then your team should be fine.

You can wait on both of these positions until the last couple of rounds as they are very unpredictable.

As I mentioned earlier what position to draft first in fantasy football depends on what kind of league it is and what scoring system favors running backs or wide receivers more.

It also depends on what positions are available. If you have no idea what to do, I recommend drafting a quarterback first in fantasy football before anything else.

#6 IDP Positions (Linebackers, Defensive Linemen, Safeties)

IDP (Individual Defensive Player) positions are what makes fantasy football unique.

These three require a lot of homework in order to draft them correctly.

Linebackers and defensive linemen tend to score well, but what position is the most important?

If you want my recommendation I would say linebackers because they do it all; stop runs, rush the passer, and cover receivers.

Safeties are what I call the “glue” of fantasy football teams, but what if you can't find one that's worth drafting?

Don't worry about it as long as you have both linebackers and defensive linemen on your team.

Conclusion

Before you start your Fantasy Football Draft, take a look at our NFL mock draft to help you get a sense of who is going where.

If this doesn't provide enough information for you or if you have any more questions about how the drafting process works, don't hesitate to reach out via email and we'll be happy to answer them!

Good luck with your fantasy football season!