As I said last week, the early rounds of your draft is the easy part. Most of the work is done for you. If someone else takes a guy you like, he’s not available, so you’ll simply take whoever you think is best. And you'll keep going until you have most of your starters in place.

But you still have a bench, right? So what then?

Many owners look to lock up a position with a player’s backup. It gives us something we don’t get much of in fantasy football: Security. Even if a player goes down, you have the next man up. The next best option.

But do you? You have the best option that particular team has on its roster. But ask yourself if that’s the really best option for your team and your roster. In the quest to lock up a certain position, you might lock yourself out of better opportunities.

I guess now’s a good time for the disclaimer: This doesn’t apply to all handcuffs, of course. We all know there are guys who can step and be as good (or better) than the guy at the top of the depth chart. In fact, there’s a good chance they’ll take the job outright over the course of the season.

I’m not talking about those guys. Feel free to take them, or keep them from an opponent. They’re worth drafting. But the vast majority of backups are not worth a valuable spot and won't perform anywhere close to the starter’s potential.

Here's something else: We’re not even sure if they’re the actual backup. Depth charts change, practices reveal better potential and sometimes players just don’t produce when given their shot. You might have “the guy” for maybe a game or just a half. Then, who knows?

It sounds obvious to many owners, but you should fill out your roster with as many starters as possible. Yes, their floors are lower and you’re not going to replace your injured guy's points. But you’ll have a fill-in for a game or two, and that can be the difference between making the playoffs and watching someone else win a title.

Middling starters are predictable, boring and are also subject to injury and demotion. They don't have the excitement of a Jordan Howard, who can come out of nowhere and help you win a title. They won't make you look like a genius for nabbing them late in the draft. But in a fantasy season where you’ll definitely need to use your bench, it's nice to have options who can jump in and put some points on the board.

Besides, a team’s backup can only produce for you if they get a promotion on that particular team. But a different team's starter can jump in for an injured player, help out at the flex spot or cover for bye weeks. They're not flashy, but you don't have to wait for an injury or benching for them to get a shot. They can start right away, and I think that versatility provides more security than you’ll get with most backups.

I've seen rosters (okay, I've drafted rosters) that are full of backups and potential superstars if they only get their shot. Too often, they either don't get the shot, don't deliver when they get it or they get thrown to the waiver wire because there's a need for an actual starter immediately.

I'm not saying to avoid flyers or backups completely. I won a title with Howard last year. But remember that roster spots are valuable, and having guys who can step in with decent production usually trumps having a bunch of lottery tickets who could win a championship, but end up pacing up and down the sidelines.

I could have written this column in July, but I wanted to wait for the phony...I mean, I wanted to wait for the preseason. We're seeing things and hearing names today that will seem worthy of a spot on draft day. Some of these backups looks like they could help you win this year, and it's hard not to call upon a few of them to fill out a roster full of potential.

Just remember that "potential" in August doesn't win fantasy games in September. Pick one flyer each year if you want the fun of playing the lottery. But make sure that everyone else can step in immediately if necessary. That dull starter might get called into service in week 3, well before the backup has earned the starting job. If someone boring can help you win in the fall, you might still have something to play for in December. Good luck.

Have you had good luck with a roster full of backups? Have you gotten burned by playing the lottery too many times? Share your thoughts below.