RUN TO THE FRONT

Load up early on running backs or be left with scraps later

In the first of a six-part fantasy football draft preview series, The Post looks at overall draft strategy. Next week: tight ends and defense/specials teams.

YOU’RE waiting in line at your favorite burger joint. The eight people in front are hording all the ketchup. You like ketchup, too. You know if you don’t get enough and have to go back later, the restaurant might be out. What do you do? Get as much as you can, of course, so you don’t run out in the middle of your meal.

Running backs are t he ketchup of your fantasy football condiments. They are the universal addition everyone needs and wants. And if you’re not careful in your fantasy draft, if you go too wide receiver-heavy early on, you’re going to end up with a fantasy burger with too much mustard and not enough ketchup. That lack of ketchup will have you playing catch-up all season.

And if you think such a concept is pure pulp fiction, just look at the average draft positions of the top-tier running backs and the history of volatility at the position. You want to get plenty of ketchup, because you assume there likely is a sour packet or two within the bunch.

Wide receivers are great, they enhance the burger experience, but they are the mus - tard. There are plenty to go around. You always can go back and get extra mustard. That doesn’t mean you wait and ignore the need, but you don’t have to emphasize that flavor as much early in the process. Your first several rounds should be dominatednated by making sure you have a handful of ketchup, while al s o grabbingr a fefew packets of mustard. YYou’re not worried aabout the bbun (quartt ee r b a c k s ) . ThThe pickles (titight ends), tt hh o u g h a selselect few are mumuch fresher than the rest, shouldn’t dodominate the fantasy burger experience, so no need to waste an early request on such.

So, you will reach a point in your burger order in which you have, say, four or f ive ketchup packets and three or four mustard packets — save the uncommon occasion when a fresh-fromthe-oven bun or newly sliced pickle is placedd in the bin and you can point to that specific item a little earlier than expected. Oncece you reach that point of ketchup and mustard saturation,ration, when you need justt one more packet of each,h, that is when you turn your attention to the bread and pickles.kles.

In 12-team l e a g ues, t hee Madman likes a pair of each. If picking this late on QB, you want the optionon t o platoon. And at tight end, you’re hopingg to hit on one, and you double your odds if you grabab two.

Because you had a steady diet of RBs and WRs early, you can splurge with s o me fat at QB and TE late. And once you have placed orders on t hose, then turn to the garnishments. Kickers and team defenses are interchangeable and/or streamable. Pick them last. And because streaming defenses can be effective, do the unthinkable and pick a kicker before the last round.

Follow this recipe, and you’ll create a delicious roster worthy an A-plus

Zagat fantasy rating.