By Steve Kwan
Fantasy Sports 101 Football

We got you pointed in the right direction with Part One of our Fantasy Football Draft Guide. You know where you pick in the draft, you know who's picking around you and you should have a basic strategy to get maximum value out of your draft position. Now comes the hard part: executing the draft.

In Part Two, we'll talk about prioritizing your players, crunching the numbers and finishing the draft on a high note to get your season started with a bang.

The Early Rounds
The first few rounds should fly by with minimal fuss; in the early going, you want to take the best available talent on the board. And while the order of everyone’s top 30 may vary, most lists are comprised of the same 30 sure-fire studs.

Work off your own list and worry about filling specific position needs a little later. That's not to say you should draft running backs with your first three picks, just that you should exercse good judgment. Don't sweat it if a key position, say a wide receiver, is still not filled, especially if taking a wideout means sacrificing several better overall talents.

After you make your first selections, the rest of the draft will fall into place around those players. If you chose running backs with your first two picks, you’re set there for the next few rounds; move on to your highest rated quarterback or wide receiver. Just as it's not urgent to fill particular positions early, there’s no need to stockpile, either. Seek out the best talent, while also considering the balance of your roster.

My Personal Take
Depending on where I land in the draft order, I always start with RB-RB or RB-QB. There's no rigid formula here, but I always believe that there are plenty of low-end wide receivers who put up big numbers. Stud running backs, on the other hand, that emerge during the season don't last long on the waiver wire.

Add that to the fact that running touchdowns occur more consistently than receiving TDs and you’ll see why going with RBs is the safer route. Drafting a QB with a second round pick is dependant on the names “Brady” or “Peyton” being on the board. If they are, grab them in the second round. If not, take a second RB and start looking at the next tier of QBs for guys like Tony Romo, Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger.

Middle and Late Rounds
After you take a look at the mainstays in your lineup, use the later rounds to fill the gaps in your starting roster while trying to sniff out potential sleeper picks. How you go about this is based on personal taste. For example, Anthony Gonzalez of Indianapolis is widely regarded as a sleeper in the eighth or ninth round, but if you want security at RB first, a starter like Julius Jones can usually be had around the same time.

You’ll move on to team defenses and kickers in the later rounds. While there are top-notch defenses that go off the board before Round 10, many of these units produce comparable numbers and are not worth a look until the last few rounds.

With kickers, unless you have insider information about Nick Folk kicking for 400 points this year, they should usually be left until the very end. With few exceptions, these guys are good for roughly the same point totals; any outbursts that do occur are hard to predict and reserved for drafted kickers and free agents alike. Forget about them until the rest of your lineup is filled.

Bench vs. Starting Lineup
There comes a point in drafts where you can either fill less relevant spots in your starting lineup or start building depth at premium positions. Let's set this straight first -- you do not want to draft a player for your bench if a starting spot is open at quarterback, running back or wide receiver.

Tight end is even a little iffy here, but it really depends on who is available and how long you can wait for the tight end of your choice. If you're seeking out a sleeper and feel that there is no threat another owner selects him, get that dynamic bench guy now. If the owners behind you are all looking for a tight end also, then you better address the starting spot first.

Quick Note About Rookies
One rule about drafting NFL rookies is that for the most part, they always start their fantasy careers as overvalued. Case in point; Reggie Bush and Calvin Johnson both came into the fantasy arena with immense hype and lofty rookie draft stocks, but in 2008, both are valued significantly lower. In fantasy, hype rarely delivers the goods as promised, so if you’re faced with a proposition between Darren McFadden and Edgerrin James, take the proven product.

Hopefully this guide has helped answer some of your questions as you take your first few steps into the world of fantasy football. Drafting, of course, is only half of the battle; the key to winning a fantasy championship is staying active in your league.

See also: Fantasy Football Draft Strategy: Part 1