Choosing the right player who is in just the Right Spot is critical for winning your fantasy football league. And that doesn’t mean you have to have one of the top picks to select San Diego’s LaDainian Tomlinson, Kansas City’s Larry Johnson or St. Louis’ Steven Jackson. It’s all about location, location, location when a player is in the Right Spot. Is he playing on a good team? Is he surrounded by a good supporting cast? Does the offensive feature him? And is he in a contract year?

Having one of those top guys can help, but it’s not the answer. Just look at how each of those players struggled last season. Tomlinson was off his game, Johnson failed to dominate after the Chiefs lost a few key linemen, and Jackson suffered through injuries.

Further down the draft board, running backs like Cleveland’s Jamal Lewis, Pittsburgh’s Willie Parker, Philadelphia’s Brian Westbrook, Indianapolis’ Joseph Addai, Dallas’ Marion Barber and Jacksonville’s Fred Taylor thrived. Then there were the surprise backs of 2007, including rookies Adrian Peterson (Minnesota) and Marshawn Lynch (Buffalo) and emerging runners like Earnest Graham (Tampa Bay) and Ryan Grant (Green Bay) — who flourished when finally give a chance.

There are always players who come out of nowhere and produce big numbers, like wide receiver Marques Colston of the New Orleans Saints a few years ago or the above mentioned Grant. So for this discussion, we’ll leave the players that burst on the scene out of the equation. There is no way to predict it, unless you have a hunch. But drafting smart and winning your league should be about more than just a hunch.

Arm yourself with facts
Know what players are having good camps. Know who is winning the position battles. Know what teams have best improved themselves in the offseason, both through free agency and the draft. And that doesn’t mean just offensive players either. If a team made substantial improvements on defense, that success should transfer over to offensive skill guys because generating turnovers or more three-and-outs on defense will give the offense more opportunities to score.

You can never have enough depth
If you’ve done your homework, then you are poised to build a strong, competitive team. Everyone can pick out the top players at each position. That’s easy. It doesn’t take a ton of skill. But when you get into the middle-to-late rounds, choosing wisely can make all the difference. And those smart choices are all about the right player in just the Right Spot.

How to draft a gem
With a former offensive line coach taking over the head coaching reigns in Miami, look for running back Ronnie Brown to have an impressive season. It’s not just the coach, but with Bill Parcells overseeing the operation you can bet on a commitment to running the ball. And with No. 1 overall pick and offensive tackle Jake Long leading a new group of line additions, the Dolphins should be leaning on Brown heavily. Especially when their quarterback situation is shaky at best.

How to avoid a lemon
Don’t draft Cincinnati wide receiver Chad Johnson. Unless he gets traded or finally signs a big deal, it’s far to risky to draft him. He’s one of the best receivers in the league, but thanks to his power struggle with the Bengals, he might not play a down as he is threatening to sit out the season. He’s simply in the wrong spot.

Brown and Johnson are just examples, and Johnson is pretty obvious, but each example makes a strong point. Know who has the tools around him to succeed. Who is in the Right Spot. By studying up and keeping your ear to the ground this summer, you just might be the envy of your league when the dust settles following your draft. And just maybe, a championship will follow.