It is finally the time of year for football fans to rejoice, as the upcoming season promises to wipe away the defeats and fantasy mistakes of yesteryear.

With the 2014-2015 season fast approaching, many fantasy football enthusiasts are readying their plans for their league drafts. To become a champion in this game, a wise draft strategy is vital. Even one mistake or unforeseen decline in production can derail an entire team. If you made the mistake of drafting Indianapolis Colts running back Trent Richardson last season or trusting Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III to be your franchise quarterback, pay attention to this well-reasoned and brief advice on which players can be your quality picks. After all, if you win the draft, you probably win the league.

Everyone is high on Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, and rightly so, but don’t count out his younger brother, as the New York Giants’ Eli Manning is due for a renaissance this season. Yes, this is the same Eli that threw for a league-leading 27 interceptions last year, but that statistic is misleading because many of those were quality throws that receivers failed to catch. Although interceptions are costly, drafting a gunslinger quarterback that will have over 40 pass attempts times a game will often outweigh the risk that those turnovers represent. With the forced retirement of starting running back David Wilson, the Giants are left with a rookie and Peyton Hillis to carry the rushing load — not exactly a reliable backfield. These issues at running back, coupled with the addition of a new offensive coordinator who wants to focus on shorter, more accurate passes should mean less pressure and more completions for the two-time Super Bowl Champion. Additionally, the lack of potent defenses in the NFC East and the Giants’ matchups against the AFC South give Manning a minimum of 10 strong matchups. He may end up being a steal if he can put up top-10 quarterback fantasy points.

The Detroit Lions’ offense can easily be among the NFL’s best this season, and while running back Reggie Bush will be a big part of that success, his backup Joique Bell is a name that savvy owners should be willing to pick up in the mid-rounds of their drafts. Bell’s value is high for two reasons: Bush’s inconsistent health means more opportunities to pick up carries and Bell has a solid presence near the goal line. Bush may get the Lions in the red zone, but Bell will get them in the end zone and capture all the fantasy glory. Last season, Bell saw six fewer carries in the red zone than Bush but produced five more touchdowns.

As for receivers, rookies are not the most reliable, but an athlete like new Buffalo Bills target Sammy Watkins should be an exception. Watkins has the most potential of any Buffalo receiver since the days of James Lofton and Andre Reed, and E.J. Manuel’s big arm finally has a deep ball threat. However, if teams choose to cover Watkins, Robert Woods, a second-year man out of the University of Southern California is an up-and-coming threat. Manuel seemed to like Woods in the first preseason game and the best part about Woods may be his value, as fantasy owners may not even need to draft him until the final round because he could be significantly under the radar.

For tight ends, beyond the obvious skills of the New Orleans Saints’ Jimmy Graham and the Broncos’ Julius Thomas, give Pittsburgh Steelers’ Heath Miller a try. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger loves him as much as he despises Offensive Coordinator Todd Haley’s play-calling. Miller will never put up Graham-like numbers, but he has solid hands, the trust of his quarterback and a great presence to attract red zone targets for potential TDs. If not him, give Cincinnati Bengal Tyler Eifert a look because teams will want to double-team wideout A.J. Green, and the former Notre Dame star started to catch Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton’s eye near the end of 2013.

Finally, for your defense and kicking considerations, the Cleveland Browns have a solid, gritty defense with excellent pass coverage. Holistically, their schedule is definitely on the easier side and while they may not put up monster numbers, they’ll be consistent and consistency wins in fantasy football.

Finally, Oakland Raider Sebastian Janikowski could be worth the risk at kicker. The Raiders will have a better offense and can at least get into Janikowski’s range, and if his accuracy on mid-range kicks improves, this will be a worthwhile pick.

Now you have my two cents; the rest is up to you. Draft wisely, my friends.

Michael Ippolito is a sophomore in the College. The Water Cooler appears every Tuesday.