Mistakes to Avoid in Your 2020 Fantasy Football Draft

"Draft Day" is one of the best days of the year. But don't let all that excitement get the best of you, because a poor performance during the draft can tank the rest of your season.

With that in mind, here are four fantasy "don'ts" to keep in mind when draft day rolls around.

1. Don't Forget to Handcuff

Dalvin Cook is a RB you should always pair with his backup. / Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images

Drafting a star player's handcuff is rarely a bad idea. Especially with more injury-prone players, handcuffing can often be a lifesaver. For example, someone like Dalvin Cook, who is a risky option due to his potential holdout and injury history, should always be paired with his backup. Were Cook to miss any time, the potential loss can be mitigated if you already own Alexander Mattison.

2. Don't Panic When a Positional Run Starts

Don't panic when running backs start flying off the board. / John McCoy/Getty Images

When one position, like running back, starts flying off the board, you might be tempted to draft one to ensure you aren't left without one. That kind of decision making rarely pays off, though. Rather than reach for a lower-tier player, just sit tight and grab the best player on your board. Generally, you want to ensure you grab the best player available whenever you're on the clock, so don't overthink position too much.

3. Don't Draft a Kicker or Defense Before the Last Two Rounds

Don't overdraft defenses or kickers. / Al Pereira/Getty Images

If this isn't the cardinal rule of fantasy football, it's at least in the top five. Every year, someone in your league will inevitably reach on a defense (or kicker) and pat themselves on the back for getting a good value. That's never really true, though. You're much better off taking stabs on high-upside position players, because even if you hit on a great kicker or defense, the payoff won't be nearly as high as it would be at WR or RB.

4. Don't Auto Draft

Don't miss your fantasy football draft. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images

As mentioned above, draft day is one of the best parts of fantasy season. From a purely entertainment perspective, it's an event that's just too fun to miss. And if you actually plan on winning, you probably don't want to leave the big decisions up to a computer. Do whatever you have to do to ensure you can make your draft this year.

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Max Staley is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Max Staley also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username mstaley1212. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.