Scott Engel is in his 13th year as the official Fantasy Football writer and analyst for Seahawks.com. He is an inaugural member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association's Hall of Fame. Scott is a four-time FSWA award winner and a 13-time nominee. You can find more of his fantasy football analysis and fantasy football rankings at RotoBaller.com.

The anticipation for fantasy football drafts starts to build in July, rising more when NFL training camps open. By August, fantasy leaguers regularly ruminate on how they will shape rosters on draft day. We lay out the map on how to create the best roster possible during the most fun and eagerly awaited day on the fantasy football calendar.

Fantasy Football Draft Prep: How To Assemble A Winning Roster

1. Fantasy Football Draft Order Approach: Fill Up The Queue

Once fantasy players find out what spot they are drafting from, they will speculate on who to pick in the first round. Internal guessing games are played until it is time to actually make that first pick. Guesswork often proves to be inaccurate, as you never know who will truly be taken ahead of your spot, and even if other league mates indicate who they might pick, those opponents could change their mind when they are on the clock. To be ready for that first pick, make a list corresponding to your pick slot in the online draft room's queue.

If you have the eighth pick, for instance, then queue up your top eight players overall. When it's your turn, then just pick the top player remaining from the online list of available players. After each pick, start building a new queued listing of players for the next round, and take the top player available for every pick. When participating in live drafts in person, you can compile lists for each round and follow the same approach.

Being ready with multiple players as targets as your turn gets closer will ease the sting of getting "sniped" on a prime targeted player who gets picked right before your spot. Having a few guys ready as possible picks will always allow for a quick pivot to another desired target.

2. NFL Fantasy Roster Building: Be Ready For The Ride

Some fantasy leaguers try to form a pre-draft plan of how to construct their roster by position. For example, they might intend to start with a running back in the first round, then a wide receiver in the second, another wide receiver in the third, and a second running back in the fourth. But every draft is different in the flow of players picked, and always naturally has unpredictably figured in. Rather than trying to stick to a preset positional draft order, be ready to keep the most important positions in mind and work off a loose, or "skeletal" plan as the draft proceeds.

You may choose to wait on a quarterback and won't go for a tight end until the middle rounds. In that case, aim to draft two RBs and two WRs in the first four rounds, but in no particular order. The draft process is a roller coaster ride, as participants will never know for sure who will be available when their pick slot comes up, so executing a successful draft is all about adjusting on the fly instead of closely following a preset outline.

Experienced fantasy players might choose to go with a "Zero RB" or "Zero WR" theory, in which either position is avoided in the first few rounds. Those types of approaches stick closer to a stricter path and require more risk-taking at the positions that are steered clear of early on.

3. Running Back Rankings Begin With The 'Big Three'

Christian McCaffrey will be the No. 1 pick off the board in most leagues, and then the second and third picks at the position will frequently be Breece Hall or Bijan Robinson, and either one might be taken ahead of the other. Those three guys comprise a "Big Three" at the position that will be coveted more than any other RBs.

If you don't land in draft position to take one of those three top RBs, then Saquon Barkley, Jonathan Taylor, Jahmyr Gibbs, Derrick Henry, and Kyren Williams are fine alternative RB1 types to consider in the first three rounds. I recommend trying to take your two starting RBs in the first five rounds or so. There are approximately two dozen RBs to aim for as first and second starters when following that road. Current Average Draft Position reports from FantasyPros indicate that the 24^th RB is picked just before the No. 90 slot, which would be the middle of the seventh round in a 12-team draft.

When considering an RB as a flex player, you can shoot for value types such as Zach Moss and Gus Edwards. Zero-RB drafters will often target RBs in the 25 to 36 range of rankings or ADP reports at the position.

4. Wide Receiver Wave Splashes Over The Early Rounds

The ADP reports suggest there will be a heavy run on WRs in the first three rounds, as 26 of the first 36 picks are dedicated to that position, on average. Many leagues require three starting WRs and you can use a fourth at the flex position. The first round of drafts will be packed with high upside performers, with CeeDee Lamb, Tyreek Hill, Ja'Marr Chase, and Justin Jefferson often taken in the first half of the round. Amon-Ra St. Brown, A.J. Brown, Puka Nacua, and Garrett Wilson are also popular early targets at WR.

Opening a draft with two WRs in the first two rounds can give you a potent start at the position. Those who pick late in the first round won't be able to avoid the temptation of a Wilson/Marvin Harrison Jr. pairing to start the draft, as one impressive example. The position runs about 35 players deep with the more comfortable options, and they may be off the board by the end of the fifth round or so in a 12-team league.

5. Quarterback Map

The elite four QB group includes Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, and Lamar Jackson. In many drafts, they will be picked in the third or fourth round. Those who aim for one of those QBs will interrupt building an optimum RB/WR core yet will have a perceived advantage at QB. Drafters who wait a bit longer for the starter can be satisfied with upside plays such as C.J. Stroud or Anthony Richardson or established producers such as Dak Prescott, Joe Burrow, and Kyler Murray. Jordan Love, Brock Purdy, and Tua Tagovailoa are viable back-end QB1 types.

Rookies Jayden Daniels and Caleb Williams have fantasy QB1 potential as rookies, but waiting for a QB1 beyond them could force you to stream starters and is a riskier approach to the position. In superflex leagues, which are highlighted here, QBs will dominate the first round and it is recommended to pick two starters in the first four rounds.

6. Lions Tight End Roars To The Top

There is a new No. 1 Fantasy TE atop the rankings heading into the 2024 campaign. In a historic rookie season, Detroit's Sam LaPorta scored the most points at the position in Points Per Reception formats, with 239.3. Tight ends very often take some time to develop into prime fantasy picks, so seeing LaPorta break out early marks him as a highly desired target for this year.

Travis Kelce and Mark Andrews are the proven elite TE picks, and Trey McBride is another early career upside type after an impressive second pro season. Evan Engram, George Kittle, and David Njoku are quality targets, too. Dalton Kincaid and Kyle Pitts are top breakout candidates. Ideally, you will want to nab one of these nine to feel comfortable with your TE1 starter.

7. Defense Mechanisms: Consult Early Schedules

Many fantasy leaguers make the mistake of drafting their defense based on overall seasonal rankings. But throughout the year, most of us change defenses often and stream new ones regularly. So start streaming from the beginning of the schedule, by reviewing Week 1 and early-season matchups for all defensive units. Pick the ones with the most enticing matchups in the first week or two. For instance, the Seahawks schedule for 2024 to open up a new era under defensive wizard Mike Macdonald begins with appealing draws vs. Denver and New England.

8. NFL Schedule Should Not Be A Major Factor

Don't tie fantasy draft decisions heavily to NFL team schedules. Much of the schedule analysis you may consult is based on last season and so much changes in terms of trends and team performances from year to year. Looking at the schedule to consider who players may face during fantasy playoff Weeks 16 and 17 is peering too far down the line, as player outlooks and your roster composition will change significantly by then. Also don't be rigid in considering bye weeks when drafting reserves, as trades, injuries, and waiver moves will alter your roster by the time the byes roll around.

9. Fantasy Football Bench Building

Make sure to fill out your projected starting positions other than defense and kickers in the first eight rounds or so, and then the focus should shift to a combination of targeting the best players available and backing up the starters with enough quality depth. I always venture to draft at least two backup RBs and two to three backup WRs. Taking a backup QB or TE can depend on who your starter is. Those who draft an elite or top half QB or TE can target value types such as Will Levis or Noah Fant, while others may need to opt for a respectable streaming alternative.

10. NFL Fans Should Not Be Fantasy Homers

Never draft a fantasy football team with your heart. Sure, it's a lot of fun to watch Jaxon Smith-Njigba perform well for the Seahawks while he also scores points for your fantasy football team. But do not take any Seahawks earlier than they should be drafted because they are on your favorite NFL team. Smith-Njigba is a great value target as a fantasy WR4, so you don't have to draft him as a WR2.

11. Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Veer Off The Path When Needed

Using a cheat sheet from your favorite fantasy football site or expert can serve as a good basis to get a better sense of player values. But if you aggressively want to go for a guy because the belief is that he will exceed expectations, or he may not be available with the next pick, then don't hesitate to pick him earlier than what cheat sheets or ADP reports lay out. DK Metcalf could be headed for a big season under new Seahawks offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, so consider targeting him as a top-15 WR if you believe in his fantasy upside this year, not based on your fan allegiance.

12. 2024 NFL Schedule: The Fantasy Draft Is Just The Beginning

Drafting a roster is just the start of the fantasy football journey during the 2024 NFL schedule. As previously noted, the fantasy team composition will change often and significantly throughout the season. There is much work ahead to be done in terms of waiver adds, trading, and compensating for injuries. It is fun to see a positive draft grade on fantasy platforms that provide them, but the real grade won't be in until the end of the league playoffs in late December.

For more fantasy football analysis from Scott Engel, visit his writer page at RotoBaller.com during the 2024 fantasy football preseason.