Everyone has their own preferences when they go into a Fantasy Football draft, including which cheat sheets to use, what flavor Doritos to snack on, and most importantly, which way they want to attack their draft.

I’m here to help you get through that last one (although, Spicy Nacho Cheese Doritos are without a doubt the best choice for Draft Day). I’m here to help you figure out which strategy might be best for you this draft season.

5 Fantasy Football Draft Strategies to Consider

We’ll go through some different methods to see what type of team you will end up with, and help you figure out which risks you prefer to take in general. We’re not going to list taking a quarterback with your first pick because it’s really just not a wise thing to do. As great as Peyton Manning is, it’s doubtful he’ll repeat his 2013 efforts, so a regression is likely – and there are just too many really good quarterbacks out there to waste a first-rounder at the position.

Stud RB Theory: This is usually the one that’s most used in Fantasy, and while many choose to avoid it because of that, remember that it’s popular for a reason.

By drafting two running backs with your first two picks, you’re giving your team a very stable foundation to build upon. There are very few featured running backs left in the NFL, so if you are able to get one of them in the first round, then follow it up with another top-20 running back in the second round, your team will not be guessing much for the rest of the draft.

When you should use this strategy:

• If you have one of the first four draft picks, you should definitely use this strategy. That means you’re starting off with one of the best running backs in the league, Jamaal Charles, Matt Forte, LeSean McCoy and Adrian Peterson, and you’ll end up pairing him with another featured back like Arian Foster, Andre Ellington or Doug Martin.
• If you feel like you aren’t as prepared as you should be. This is the best way to not step into draft pitfalls. By going RB/RB, you won’t have to gamble later in the draft at this position. All of the other positions are much deeper, allowing you to get good players in the middle rounds.

Stud WR Theory: Over the past few years, with the passing explosion taking place in the NFL, some Fantasy owners have decided to load up on reliable stud wide receivers with their first two picks. The stats have proven that the chance of a stud wide receiver being a bust are smaller than the chances of a stud running back underperforming.

When you should use this strategy:

• If you are picking in the middle of each round, this might be a smart strategy to follow, which would allow you to draft either Calvin Johnson or Demaryius Thomas, and follow him up with a stud like Julio Jones or Alshon Jeffery. This means you’ll have to get some lower-ranked running backs, but you can still do well there, because there are so many very good running back sleepers in Rounds 9-11 (like Terrance West, Khiry Robinson, Carlos Hyde and Jeremy Hill).
• If you are confident that you can choose well in Rounds 3, 4 and 5, as well as hit on some later sleepers, then this is a route that could treat you well.

Jimmy Graham in Round 1: This should only be done by the most confident of Fantasy Football drafters. While Graham will essentially give you top-five wide receiver stats – at the tight end position – you’re going to be playing catch-up for the rest of the draft.

When you should use this strategy:

• When you know you are the best player in your league, and you are fully confident you’ll manage the rest of the draft really well. You can’t make many missteps in the next few rounds, as you’ll be using RB2s as your RB1, and WR2s as your WR1.
• If you go this route, you’ll need some great free Fantasy Football draft tools to get through it.
• If you just don’t like where you are drafting in the first round, with Megatron, Demaryius Thomas, and the top four running backs off the board.

RB/WR in First Two Rounds: This is actually a good mix of the two Stud Theories, and it allows you to be flexible. You’ll end up with a top-10 player at the two most important Fantasy positions in the game. The problem is – you’ll still end up with an RB2 in the third round that’s borderline RB3.

WR/RB in First Two Rounds: While a little risky, you still get a top-15 running back, and a top-five wide receiver. If you are in a league that starts three wide receivers, this isn’t too bad of a move. You’ll probably want to follow up with another running back in the third round, just so you can double down on two top-25 running backs.

Obviously, there are plenty of other ways you can attack your Fantasy Football draft, but these five strategies are the most common.