It’s that time of year where we consider ourselves fantasy football managers. Nothing else really matters but the win for your team. Every week, we turn to our phones, iPads, or laptops to pick the best player of the week. We try to scheme up the best trade to make our teams better. Arguments may occur and friendships may end, but it will all be worth it at the end when you get the win and bragging rights.

Fantasy football is played by millions of people, and it allows people to construct their own team and compete against others throughout the season. As easy as it may sound, it is pretty difficult to put your own team together, especially after others snatch the player you want before you can put your hands on them.

Getting ready for the draft and knowing which players to pick is a must. On your roster, you typically want a quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, one tight end, one kicker, two flex positions, and a defense/special teams unit. You can draft more players to have on your bench for back up. Mock drafts are also essential to having a successful draft day. They allow you to dip your toes in the water and get a feel for which players you will most likely land.

There is also a technique when drafting your team. It is an unofficial rule in fantasy football to not choose a quarterback first. No matter how enticing it may seem, always choose a running back as your first option or a wide receiver because they will produce the most points and the best ones get picked up fast. Whomever you didn’t pick in the first round, pick for your second round. So if you picked a running back first, pick the wide receiver second, and vice versa. During the third round is when you can finally pick a quarterback, but if you’re feeling risky, you can go for another wide receiver or tight end, then pick your quarterback the following round. From there, pick the rest of the positions you need filled.

Here is my list of the top players to draft in each position and the top defenses.

Quarterback: Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson

Running Back: Christian McCaffrey, Saquon Barkley, Breece Hall, Jonathan Taylor

Wide Receiver: AJ Brown, Amon Ra St. Brown, Ja’Marr Chase, Tyreek Hill

Tight End: Sam Laporta, Dalton Kincaid, Travis Kelce, Mark Andrews

Kicker: Jake Elliot, Younghoe Koo, Justin Tucker, Harrison Butker

Defense: Ravens, Chiefs, Eagles, 49ers,

Good luck to all those participating this year!