Remember that feeling you had when you were a child on Christmas Eve, knowing the next day your dreams would be answered (well, at least some of them)? If you are a die hard fantasy football player like myself that feeling should enter your soul every year around this time as draft season is finally upon us. All the hours of studying and arguing with your significant other about the number of leagues you were to join have finally silenced leaving only one thing left before the start of the season: The Draft. There isn't a guide available for purchase that can teach one exactly how to draft, so there are a few things that need to be remembered on the road to a fantasy football championship. While every league is different, this guide should give a nice outline to help you stay focused during the most exciting part of participating in fantasy football. Remember, this isn't concrete, but it maybe it will make you think differently come draft day.1. Know Your League SettingsIf you don't know your scoring settings, how are you supposed to maximize your team's potential. There is a big difference in a PPR League and Non-PPR league, which is the best example of why you need to know your league settings. Example: Reggie Bush may find himself out of the Top 20 in leagues that don't reward receptions. But in a PPR league, Bush's value increases significantly considering the Lions offense relies on short passes to running backs out of the backfield (Joique Bell w/ 52 receptions in '12).2. Stick to Your PlanIt is amazing how many times I have witnessed someone take a player ranked lower on personal rankings due to an "fantasy expert's" opinion, and then the regret sets in. You did your homework, so now it is time to see if you can put your money where your mouth is. There is a reason you have Marshawn Lynch ranked ahead of Arian Foster, so if you are the third pick, don't be afraid of following through on your plan.3. Remember Who You are Drafting AgainstWhether it is your friends or colleagues, one should know who they are up against. If you are drafting with a bunch of Cowboys fans, there is a good chance that players like Dez Bryant, Tony Romo and DeMarco Murray will be overvalued. This type of situation could change the outcome of your draft significantly and should be noted when finalizing position rankings. Remember, it isn't always who you draft, rather than when you draft them.4. Don't Let a Position Run Scare YouFive tight ends just when off the board and you are sitting there with a blank in your TE slot. What should you do? Should you go with the flow, or target the next best running back? After many drafts, I have learned that it is best to buck the trend, as this situation may lead to great value at other positions. Most leagues consist of 12 teams or fewer, so odds are you will land a top 12 player at a given position even if you last to fill a vacancy.5. Don't Draft With Your HeartAs a long time Giants fan it is hard not to want to roster the likes of Victor Cruz or David Wilson. That doesn't mean I am going to have my heart set on making them part of my championship team. Time and time again fans draft with their hearts rather than their heads, and nine out of ten times they get burnt. Don't be one of those sad stories. If you end up with your favorite player, so be it. If not, it could be a blessing in disguise.6. Protect Your High Draft PicksThis rule can't be reiterated enough. If your are going to spend a high draft pick on the likes of C.J. Spiller, you have to make sure you protect your investment and draft Fred Jackson at some point. If something was to happen to your top draft pick, you don't want someone else to reap the rewards, as one injury could mean the difference in your season. Considering the player and the offensive scheme, this rule could be either more or less significant, but it needs to be addressed at some point in draft day.7. Don't Be Afraid of Swinging for the FencesUnlike fantasy baseball, there is a lot more gambling on potential involved in constructing a championship team. It isn't always a good thing to have five running backs who could start for you at any given time, as that may mean your team is full of mediocre players at a given position. If you have the home run hitters on your bench that means you likely have top player in a certain slot, which means this is a win-win situation.8. Be Cautious of Relying on RookiesFor every Trent Richardson or Doug Martin, there are 10 Ryan Mathews'. Rookie players have always been a sexy pick on draft day, but the NFL is not college football and should be factored into personal rankings. I know it is hard not to draft rookies, considering there are seven rounds of players drafted each April, but there is a time and place for everything. Drafting rookies should be no different.9. Always Have a Backup PlanOne can only predict so much, as fantasy drafts take many twists and turns over the time it take to fill out a draft board. If the player you thought would be sitting there in the second round has already been taken, you will need to have a player or two that you would consider in his place. Consider your average draft position (ADP) of a player more as a guideline rather than a concrete spot. Everyone values players differently, so be prepared to adjust, even in the worst of situations.10. Never Run Out of BeerThis may be the most important of the 10 rules covered in this column, considering fantasy football and alcohol go hand-in-hand. If you are running your own home league, or enjoying a few drinks while drafting in a satellite league, there is nothing worse than running out of beer. Don't be that guy. Be sure to check back to Rotoinfo.com for more preseason fantasy football analysis as the season approaches!Matthew Beck is a Fantasy Sports Columnist for Rotoinfo.com. If you have any questions or comments feel free to e-mail him at matthewbeck@rotoinfo.com.  Also follow him on Twitter @MatthewRBeck for up-to-date Q&A and fantasy information.  And, to make setting your Fantasy Football lineup easy, be sure to utilize RotoInfo.com’s new NFL Lineup Grids.