Fantasy football: The right way to draft

So why do you play fantasy football? Is it for the camaraderie with your friends? Does it make Sunday more enjoyable because you get to root for players on your fantasy team? Or do you follow the sage advice of ex-Jets coach Herman Edwards and play to win the game?

If you're playing to win, it's time to forget about the experts and their rankings. Ready yourself for the trash talk. Don't worry if another league member laughs at a pick. Don't be afraid to pick a tight end like the Patriots' Rob Gronkowski early. And most of all, prepare for the chance that everything could go horribly wrong and you'll finish dead last.

This year, there are some amazing players slipping on draft boards because of the question marks surrounding them. People are worried about Bears running back Matt Forte's minor injury from last year, Maurice Jones-Drew's holdout and Marshawn Lynch's potential early season suspension.

These things shouldn't concern you. You should be more focused on Weeks 14-16 (the fantasy playoffs) than you are on Week 1.

Coming off ACL tears, Minnesota's Adrian Peterson and Kansas City's Jamaal Charles may start off slow. But they should be back in top form by fantasy playoff time.

Put simply, you don't win fantasy football with the obvious picks. You win it by getting value on players who far supersede expectations, and those players are usually the ones that come with the most risk.

Alex Case is amNewYork's fantasy football columnist.