In almost every area of life, backups can be very useful.

Backing up your files on your computer will be a life saver if your computer ever crashes and wipes its own memory.

Backing up your arguments with facts is a key component of being a worthwhile writer, debater, or generally informed individual.

Backing up your car while looking over your shoulder out the back window will prevent you from running into any other cars, people, or objects.

Backing “that thang” up will get you in the top 100 Billboard songs of 1999 if you’re a rapper named Juvenile.

But there are four things you should never, ever backup if you’re in a 12 or fewer team fantasy football league: Your top-12 quarterback, your top-12 tight end, your kicker and your defense.

Learning from History

2012 was the year of the quarterback. Take quarterbacks early and often seemed to be the motto, so you may have found yourself with Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers on your team last season.

But what would have happened if you had declined to back up your stud fantasy passer, and drafted from another position?

when filtering out players taken in less than half of 12 team leagues.

Going fewer than 10 spots later than Dalton - a backup on many teams - was Fantasy Football Calculator mock drafts leading up to the start of the 2012 season. That’s only two spots higher than according to Fantasy Football Calculator’s ADP data.

Let’s take a look at some of the great depth players you’ll miss out on by taking a backup quarterback or tight end in the late rounds this year.

Bilal Powell, who is likely to get a ton of work with the New York Jets behind the frail Chris Ivory, is being selected in the 12th round. So before you take Tyler Eifert to backup Jason Witten, you should really consider taking a running back with a decent offensive line in front of him who has a path to playing time.

Likewise, Joique Bell is a 13th-round pick in PPR mock drafts at Fantasy Football Calculator. So instead of grabbing Josh Freeman to backup Aaron Rodgers, you could get a running back who could catch 50 passes as a part-time player, and a potential PPR stud if Reggie Bush gets hurt.

Mike Williams is a 9th-round pick, and is being taken alongside Big Ben and Mike Vick in that round. So instead of a backup passer you may use just once, use this pick to grab a wide receiver who could get 1,000 yards and 10 scores in a vertical passing offense.

You’ll still have your choice of Alex Smith, EJ Manuel, Brandon Weeden and others on the waiver wire to back up your quarterback, and your options at tight end, kicker, and defense are even more plentiful. So don’t waste draft picks backing up these positions, and instead built a bench full of depth your leaguemates will envy (and want to trade for).