Michael is on the road this week. Due to increased interest in his "Faulk Strategy," the following is a reprint of his May 29 column which highlights this drafting approach.

Fantasy owners are always looking for an edge, that one advantage that will aid them in assembling a championship-caliber team on Draft Day. You can bring updated depth charts, player rankings, cheat sheets for miles and an assortment of good luck charms. But nothing is more vital to the success of a draft than having a solid blueprint.

Welcome to the Faulk Strategy.

Named after St. Louis running back Marshall Faulk, this strategy's basic premise requires owners to select three running backs in the first three rounds. It also requires owners to select a quarterback or wide receiver in Round 4, depending on the flow of the draft, and a quality tight end by the end of Round 7. The Faulk strategy also suggests filling out all skill positions before selecting a kicker or defense, neither of which should be taken until the final two rounds. Because there are so many good kickers in the league, there's no reason to waste an earlier pick on the position. And unless you grab the Buccaneers defense, the difference in many of these units is minimal from a Fantasy perspective.

Faulk was once head and shoulders more valuable than any player in Fantasy Football, and drafting him was almost a guaranteed ticket to the playoffs. My thinking in constructing the early-round guidelines of this strategy was simple: If I wasn't lucky enough to draft Faulk, I was going to do everything possible to guarantee consistent production from my backfield. Selecting three No. 1 running backs not only gave me better depth at the position than most owners, it also gave me a chance to play matchups and counter the owner that selected Faulk. Considering the value of running backs, it also gave me great leverage for making trades during the regular season.

What makes this strategy such a success is that it enables owners to gain depth at the most vital position without sacrificing overall team balance. The number of quality quarterbacks and wide receivers has grown in recent years, and the growing popularity of the Faulk strategy increases the level of solid non-running backs available after Round 4.

I've outlined the major guidelines owners should follow to ensure the highest level of success on Draft Day. In order to gain a better understanding of the players available per round, I've included my own round-by-round selections from the Gridiron Guru League and Krause Experts League drafts.

Faulk Strategy guidelines

Rounds 1-3

The most vital guideline to the Faulk strategy is selecting three running backs in the first three rounds. Not only does the running back position lack great depth, but it is also the skill position where the most injuries are suffered. A total of 10 starting running backs missed at least two games last season, while another six missed one. By using the Faulk strategy, owners ensure themselves three quality players at a position desperately lacking depth. Running backs will go flying off the board in Rounds 1-3, so any failure to follow this strategy early can result in a very undesirable starting backfield for Fantasy owners.

GGL: Marshall Faulk (Round 1), William Green (Round 2), Corey Dillon (Round 3)

KPL: Stephen Davis (Round 1), Tiki Barber (Round 2), Kevan Barlow (Round 3)

Rounds 4-7

Depending on the flow of your draft, selecting a quarterback or wide receiver in Round 4 is advised. It isn't completely out of the question to grab a fourth starting running back here if one should slip through the cracks, especially if you play in a league that requires a "flex" player. Be sure to examine the number of quality quarterbacks and wide receivers each round to determine your next selection. If you feel the depth at a certain position is beginning to decrease, it's a good idea to start thinking about grabbing a player from that position. Selecting a quality tight end and individual defensive player (in IDP leagues) is also advised in these rounds.

GGL: Rod Gardner (Round 4), Jerry Rice (Round 5), Bubba Franks (Round 6), Jeff Garcia (Round 7)

KPL: Jeff Garcia (Round 4), Warrick Dunn (Round 5), Bubba Franks (Round 6), Quincy Morgan (Round 7)

Rounds 8-12

Following Faulk Strategy guidelines, owners should have at least one quarterback, three running backs, two wide receivers and one tight end entering Round 8. It is during this phase of the draft that owners should look to add depth to their rosters, mostly in the form of wide receivers. Owners should also consider taking a chance on another running back during these rounds, especially if one of the tailbacks selected in the early rounds has been prone to injuries. Looking for potential sleepers and a backup quarterback is also advised.

GGL: Kurt Warner (Round 8), Tai Streets (Round 9), Curtis Conway (Round 10), Emmitt Smith (Round 11), Lamar Gordon (Round 12)

KPL: Travis Taylor (Round 8), Chad Pennington (Round 9), Joey Galloway (Round 10), Ed McCaffrey (Round 11), Corey Bradford (Round 12)

Rounds 13-16

Owners should take a chance on a few potential sleepers before grabbing a kicker and defense in the final two rounds.

GGL: Kevin Johnson (Round 13), Dwayne Carswell (Round 14) Falcons defense (Round 15), Jeff Reed (Round 16)

KPL: Steve Smith (Round 13), Jason Elam (Round 14), Cowboys defense (Round 15)

MICHAEL FABIANO'S ROSTERS
Gridiron Guru League Krause Experts League
QB Jeff Garcia, San Francisco QB Jeff Garcia, San Francisco
QB Kurt Warner, St. Louis QB Chad Pennington, N.Y. Jets
RB Marshall Faulk, St. Louis RB Stephen Davis, Carolina
RB William Green, Cleveland RB Tiki Barber, N.Y. Giants
RB Corey Dillon, Cincinnati RB Kevan Barlow, San Francisco
RB Emmitt Smith, Arizona RB Warrick Dunn, Atlanta
RB Lamar Gordon, St. Louis WR Quincy Morgan, Cleveland
WR Rod Gardner, Washington WR Travis Taylor, Baltimore
WR Jerry Rice, Oakland WR Joey Galloway, Dallas
WR Tai Streets, San Francisco WR Ed McCaffrey, Denver
WR Curtis Conway, N.Y. Jets WR Corey Bradford, Houston
WR Kevin Johnson, Cleveland WR Steve Smith, Carolina
TE Bubba Franks, Green Bay TE Bubba Franks, Green Bay
TE Dwayne Carswell, Denver K Jason Elam, Denver
K Jeff Reed, Pittsburgh D Dallas Cowboys
D Atlanta Falcons    

You can e-mail your questions to Michael Fabiano at gridguru@commissioner.com. Be sure to put Attn:In the Trenches in the subject field. Please be aware that due to the large volume of submissions received, we cannot guarantee personal responses or answers to all questions.