NFL.com Senior Editor Andy Fenelon proposed a question to me in the office this afternoon: “What do I do if I have the sixth or seventh pick in the first round?”

This is a question that countless fantasy footballers will have to ponder, and there are no simple answers. But if I’m in that position, I will not draft Tom Brady ahead of a running back. I know, I know, he had over 4,800 passing yards with 52 total touchdowns last year and is coming off the best fantasy season ever recorded.

But I’m telling you right now, I have a better chance to score with Giselle Bündchen than Brady has of scoring another 52 times.

What’s more, you can still land a solid quarterback after the fourth round. That was evident in the recent NFL.com Experts League draft, where I was able to nab Matt Hasselbeck in Round 7. If you do find yourself slotted in the middle of the draft in each round, here’s how I would attack the situation.

Let’s assume that LaDainian Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson, Brian Westbrook, Steven Jackson and Joseph Addai are the first five choices. I wouldn’t blink before I took Clinton Portis ahead of Brady. In fact, I’d take these six backs plus Frank Gore, Marion Barber and Marshawn Lynch ahead of Giselle’s man.

Here’s another question I’ve been asked over and over again: “What if I have a late pick in the first round and a high pick in the second round?”

Well, in this case there’s a lot more risk at the running back position once you get to the likes Larry Johnson, Ryan Grant and Jamal Lewis. So if you’re in a league that rewards six points for all touchdowns, it might be time to take Brady or an elite wideout like Randy Moss.

Since all drafts are different, however, you never know what player might fall in your lap and make your fantasy life a lot easier. Here’s an example:

11. Michael Fabiano, NFL.com
Round, Player
1. Clinton Portis, RB, Washington
2. Terrell Owens, WR, Dallas
3. Roy Williams, WR, Detroit
4. Willis McGahee, RB, Baltimore
5. Selvin Young, RB, Denver
6. Roddy White, WR, Atlanta
7. Matt Hasselbeck, QB, Seattle
8. Todd Heap, TE, Baltimore
9. Javon Walker, WR, Oakland
10. Ladell Betts, RB, Washington
11. Aaron Rodgers, QB, Green Bay
12. Greg Olsen, TE, Chicago
13. Isaac Bruce, WR, San Francisco
14. Warrick Dunn, RB, Tampa Bay
15. Buccaneers defense
16. Adam Vinatieri, K, Indianapolis

The fact that I ended up with Portis with the eleventh overall pick shows how no two drafts will ever shake out the same. I’ve been in plenty of drafts where Portis was a top-10 pick, but he fell to me in this situation. That allowed me to focus on a star wideout (Owens) in the second round.

Based on the flow of the draft, I passed on a back in Round 3 and took a chance on McGahee in Round 4. Just remember…come to the draft with a gameplan, but don’t be afraid to abandon it if the draft dictates it.