Fantasy sports are tremendously popular in the United States, none more than Fantasy (American) Football and the National Football League (NFL). Most NFL fantasy leagues have used the draft format for a long time, so there are a few NFL strategies that have developed here in the States that might help the EPL crowd. I hope this article will offer something for all audiences: nudging Americans with undeserved confidence in worldly affairs to try and conquer a Draft Fantasy EPL, and giving everyone else a chance to learn battle-tested draft strategies they may not be familiar with.

See More: The ‘Punts’ For FPL Draft 2017 – 2018

To begin, I’d like to share a bold strategy that underscores the value proposition of selecting players at the proper time in the draft, and not choosing a player too soon:

Zero Running Backs: Zero Forwards

In the NFL:
Counterintuitive as this may be, some die-hard fantasy NFL fans have had success without drafting a running back until the dying rounds. I won’t rehash all the rules of American Football, but typically, running backs are the highest scoring position outside quarterbacks and the first picks off the board. But because of the scarcity of elite running backs, they tend to be overvalued in virtually every fantasy format.

There are always a few running back busts due to injury or the inability to meet unrealistic expectations, something we should all strive to avoid. A zero running back draft means that you plan to draft only the players that are left at the very end, and you add/drop from the waiver wire as the season progresses.

See More: Love for the EPL, as told by an American

In the EPL:
Crazy as it sounds, you really might want to consider avoiding forwards until the final picks and instead loading up on elite Midfield, Defense, and Goalkeeper talent. In my experience, players do tend to go crazy for the big-name forwards even while an out-of-position Defender in advanced positions or ever-present attacking Midfielder on set-pieces can do similar damage. If you happen to miss out on the sure things in this year’s draft, you should consider waiting on the forwards and letting your competition overspend their picks while you reap the benefits later.

I’d say it would work best if you feel confident in your ability to play the waiver wire and rotate in forwards as they get hot mid-season. As spot-plays, Divock Origi, Sam Vokes, and Peter Crouch were available on many waiver wires throughout last season. And you don’t have to wait until the very end of the draft – mid-round value forwards could be your ticket to draft glory. Maybe youngsters Tammy Abraham, Dominic Solanke, or Ademola Lookman will shine this year.

With Romelu Lukaku now at Manchester United, Ademola Lookman may be asked to do more at Everton.

VERDICT: This a bit of an “NFL Europe” idea… good in concept but very hard to execute. But if you feel you can take advantage of how the other managers pick, fortune favors the bold.

Feel free to follow @Cjacksondraft for links and any draft fantasy football advice I can give you.

@Cjacksondraft is an avid fantasy football (soccer) fan who currently lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and loves his day job. Peaked during the 2003 Kentucky All “A” Regional tournament. I still like waking up early on Saturdays and Sundays to watch EPL live on the West Coast.