DON’T draft a QB with your 1^st round pick, except in leagues that start more than one QB. But if you must, make sure his name is spelled B-R-A-D-Y. But even that is a sucker’s bet.

DON’T go RB-RB this year in the first two rounds of your draft. This is the deepest draft in recent memory for RBs, so going RB-WR makes much more sense this year than any year in the last decade.

DON’T waste your time drafting rookie WRs late in your draft, unless it’s a keeper/dynasty league. In the last 10 years, only Anquan Boldin in 2003 emerged as a Top 10 WR as a rookie, and only TB’s Michael Clayton joined him in the Top 20 (in 2004).

DON’T even think about drafting a kicker until the last few rounds of your draft (that means you too, Papa Deuce!)

DON’T select a defense anywhere in the draft’s 1^st 8 rounds. The success rate is usually very low, and many defenses do not perform up to their projections. And don’t even think of keeping a defense in leagues that allow keepers.

DON’T draft more than 3 QBs with the hope of dealing one away. Unless you absorb some major bad luck and actually need your #3, chances are that player won’t have any value until very late in the season.

DON’T draft 3 RBs in the first 5 rounds of your draft. Remember, that player is a pure backup and will only play two weeks tops if injuries pass over your team. Having a solid backup RB is essential, but the first six rounds of your draft are to take your starters. Take your backup RB in rounds 7 through 9.

DON’T be afraid to draft unexciting veterans, such as TB’s Joey Galloway and Jeff Garcia or SF’s Isaac Bruce. They’re still productive and can be had for a song.

DO load up on running backs late in your draft. Most may not pan out, but who would’ve thunk Justin Fargas, Earnest Graham or Ryan Grant had any value either last pre-season. Piling up multiple QBs or defenses just doesn’t make sense.

DO make sure to examine special teams units when ranking fantasy defenses. While Chicago’s defense may be on the decline, Devin Hester makes it worth the price of admission alone.

DO draft lesser talented players on great offenses over more talented players on bad offenses. Just take a look at Buffalo’s Lee Evans miserable 2007 to understand why.

DO look at Yards per Catch, Yards per Carry and Yards per Attempt averages, but don’t weigh them too heavily. They vary from year to year, but some players stay in a relatively consistent zone and you can make a solid call on them. A RB with a few years under 4.0 YPC; a WR with a few years under 12.0 YPC; and a QB with a few years under 7.0 TPA should be cause for concern.

DO draft RBs who catches passes over ones who do not every chance you get. That trait stays relatively consistent and one dimensional backs are much more inconsistent. And if they have a bad year, look out below. Just ask Rudi Johnson owners who drafted him in last year’s 1^st round.

DO take a chance on a rookie RB, perhaps even more than one. The learning curve for rookie backs is much easier than it is for WRs or QBs. Many talented rookie rushers entered the league this year, so the crop is plentiful.

DO draft one of the Top 5 Quarterbacks in 2008 (Brady, Manning, Romo, Brees, Palmer) – but aim for the 3^rd through 5^th QB. They represent fantastic value this year.

DO take a chance on veteran QBs who are in starting roles for the first time – they’re a solid gamble. A QB like GB’s Aaron Rodgers knows the system after 4 solid years as a backup. He’s a great breakout candidate.

DO look at the state of offensive lines before your draft. A bad offensive line can wreak havoc for your players (i.e. Larry Johnson, Steven Jackson). It’s a very important, yet often overlooked, step when drafting your team.

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