It’s not even June yet, and I’m already thinking fantasy football. I don’t like thinking about football in August, heck it’s still baseball season, so thinking about football before June is really strange. Why, you ask? Well, because it’s part of my job!

I was a participant in two mock drafts for our first 2008 fantasy football magazine (we print 4), Fanball.com’s Fantasy Football Weekly Annual Guide. As I studied for the drafts, I realized it was like being back in school (although I don’t ever remember enjoying studying like this in school!). I found out that Kevin Smith could be a nice sleeper if he’s the number one running back in Detroit, and Ahman Green might bounce back and surprise some people. Darren McFadden could be this year’s Adrian Peterson (a rookie who takes the league by storm!).

If you believe you must take a running back with your first pick, it appears there are six who separate themselves from the pack…I’m not telling you who the six are, you’ll have to get the magazine! But the real learning experience came from the draft itself. With 11 highly respected colleagues, each pick provided valuable insight. As the draft unfolded, I realized I should have taken a couple players sooner, and wow, what does he know about that player that I missed?

I also learned it’s never too early to start. Sure, some of our picks will look a bit off in late August, but even then, the experience was worth it. So as the dog days of summer lie ahead, if you are a serious fantasy football player, there’s plenty you can be doing to prepare for the season. It’s easy to read the magazines and start formulating opinions on the players you like, but if you want to know if you have a chance on getting them on your roster this year, consider an early mock draft.