Finally, it is coming back around to football season again and since we already know who the Steelers drafted for 2023, we can’t wait to get together and cheer them on. But before that, you will be drafting your fantasy football team.
No one wants to be the loser of the office league. You’ll never hear the end of it. So, we have our Quick Fantasy Football Guide that will show you who you should be targeting in the draft and who you should definitely stay away from.
Here are our top picks as keepers, sleepers, and players you should definitely avoid drafting.
How to Pick a Great Fantasy Football Team
When it comes to picking the best fantasy football team, our Quick Fantasy Football Guide has a few basic rules that you should follow to make sure your draft goes right.
- Don’t Auto Draft: Unless you have no clue what you are doing and no desire to learn, you are going to do better than auto draft will. Auto draft doesn’t even take into account players who have been injured in training camp and are out for the season.
- Pre-rank Your Players: When you draft for a league, you want to pre-rank your players. It really helps you to move faster and keep a better eye on who has already been taken.
- Remember You Can Make Trades: You are not stuck with whatever mistakes occur on draft night. You can always add and drop players as well as make trades. Don’t keep a mistake if you don’t have to.
- Know the Rookies: There are rookies who will be amazing in season one. Everyone doesn’t watch college football, but if you do, or you know where to look for college rankings, it is a major advantage. Not a college football fan? It’s worth reading up on the players to grab an outstanding rookie in the late rounds of the draft.
Fantasy Football Keepers
If you play in a dynasty league you will have the opportunity to keep a player from the year before (in some leagues, it can be more, up to the majority of your team). Our Quick Fantasy Football Guide will give you three players that you should keep if you are in a dynasty league or you should target early in the draft in a regular league.
- Jalen Hurts: This is not an easy player to come by, but if you can get him- keep him. Hurts is a good player, but more importantly as a dual-threat QB with Nick Sirianni’s play calling, he really puts up the points.
- Jason Kelce: Tight ends that get the ball a lot are hard to find. Mahomes depends on Kelce, which means he will give you points almost every game.
- Minkah Fitzpatrick: Not quite the ball hawk he was in his Alabama days, but he still gets picks and occasionally runs one back. In the Steelers’ defense, he’s added a lot of tackles to his game. Fitzpatrick is one of the best defensive players you can get this season in terms of points.
Fantasy Football Sleepers
These are the guys n one sees coming. Every year there are always a few that come out of nowhere and put up outrageous points. Here are a few to consider if you can grab them a little later in the draft.
- George Pickens: Listen up Steeler fans, you saw how good Pickens can be. Expect a lot more consistency as he gets his temperament under control with another year of maturity, Expect Pickett to be more accurate and their chemistry to improve, too. Pickens could shock everyone.
- Trevor Lawrence: The league has only seen sparks of what Lawrence can do. He barely got his feet under him last year. Lawrence should put up big numbers in year two under Pederson.
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba: A rookie out of the Ohio State University, Smith-Njigba has the potential to be ROTY. Last year, OSU receivers were at the top of the league, and Seahawks’ Geno Smith is looking for his next great weapon.
Players to Avoid
There are always players with a lot of hype that go nowhere. Just like in the NFL, you don’t want to waste a draft pick on someone who isn’t going to perform. Watch out for these players.
- Odell Beckham Jr.: Everywhere he plays, OBJ causes the QB to force him to the ball and it all goes downhill from there. Jackson to Beckham sounds great, but you shouldn’t count on it.
- JuJu Smith-Schuster: JuJu has gone to the Patriots. They no longer have Tom Brady, and he no longer has Pat Maholmes. That doesn’t bode well for either of them. Steer clear of this guy.
- Deebo Samuel: Samuel is a great player, but don’t be tempted. The Niners are questionable at QB and Samuel is injury prone. He isn’t worth the risk (unless you can get him super late in the draft).
Have a Fantasy Draft Party at Hibernia
Hibernia Bar is the best place to hold your fantasy football draft and watch NFL games in Hell’s Kitchen. Great food, cheap drinks, and lots of beer on tap are all the keys you need for having a great time with your friends. Hibernia also has lots of fantastic spaces for you and your league to get the actual drafting done.
Once your draft is over, it’s all trash talk and good times. We’ll see you at Hibernia – your Steelers Bar NYC!