Fantasy Football: Never Draft Before the End of the Preseason

In the world of sports, timing is everything. It’s crucial for your team to get hot at the right time and that they gel when it matters most. When it comes to drafting players for your fantasy football team, you want healthy players. You want players that will consistently produce points while remaining healthy.

The only way to ensure you have healthy players to start your season is to draft after the preseason. This might seem like a no-brainer, but many leagues draft weeks in advance of the season opener. Injuries are an integral part of the game that teams look to avoid. Smart teams limit injuries because of the physicality of the sport.

There have been numerous injuries that will have significant ramifications for teams that have already drafted their squads for the upcoming season. J.K. Dobbins tore his ACL and will miss the 2021 season. Dobbins was set to have an outstanding season as the lead back for the Baltimore Ravens. Fantasy owners will now need to weigh the risk and reward of drafting him next season.

Another injury that could affect your team is Jacksonville Jaguars RB Travis Etienne Jr. His injury required season-ending surgery after the team’s game. Travis Etienne was going to be a solid RB this year. He was going to be used heavily in the receiving game.

Lastly, T.Y. Hilton of the Indianapolis Colts will miss a handful of weeks with a neck injury. The Colts quarterback, Carson Wentz, also had a significant injury that severely limited his assimilation time with his new team throughout training camp.

Injuries are the worst thing about sports. They affect the athlete and prevent the fans from seeing the best players in the world perform every week. The NFL has done plenty of things to increase player safety, but injuries will always be a part of the game of football. They are unavoidable.

If you are someone who participates in fantasy football, wait until the end of the preseason. Drafting too soon could come back to hurt someday.