Mike Clay's Playbook, Part 2: Fantasy football draft tips for nontraditional formats

Mike Clay is a senior writer for fantasy football and the NFL at ESPN and a member of the FSWA Hall of Fame. His projections power the ESPN Fantasy Football game, and he appears on 'Fantasy Football Now' and the Fantasy Focus Football podcast.

Dynasty leagues are the closest you can get to playing GM, as you retain assets year to year. The best advice is to consider perceived value. Dynasty managers love unproven youngsters and first-round picks more than established veterans. Take advantage by going extremely young at the expense of short-term success. Aim for 20- to 24-year-old players and fade everyone else. Not all picks will pan out, but enough will, and within a year or two your roster should be peaking. Sometimes that can be a more enjoyable ride than a stressful playoff run. Don't be afraid to trade rookie picks, as we tend to overestimate the hit rate of rookies. Turning a lottery ticket into a weekly starter should be a no-brainer.

For rookie drafts, take the best players available rather than reaching to fill positional needs. Most fantasy-relevant players were drafted on Day 1 or 2, so prioritize proven pedigree over short-term desperation.

In keeper leagues, keep players who help in the short term, adjusting only slightly for age. The best advice is to consider ADP when making keeper decisions. In IDP leagues with standard settings, focus on offense first and worry about defensive players later, as IDP scoring is generally below offense.