It’s almost the end of June, meaning training camps start in a few weeks, meaning the season starts in two months. This also means fantasy football drafts will be here before we know it. Yes, the Fourth of July is still a week away, but it’s never too early to start some basic research on the upcoming fantasy football season. And the best way to do that this early is to buy a magazine.

A slew of fantasy football magazines are already on the shelf. Though the Web is a popular source for fantasy preparation (even this early), a magazine has the portability perfect for summer. Take it on vacation, by the pool, on the porch with a malted beverage — you get the point. Some tips for selecting a magazine:

– Make sure you buy one that was published AFTER the April draft. Believe it or not, there are fantasy football mags that are released before the draft. The easy way to see if it was published after (most are) is to look for a rookie section, or see if JaMarcus Russell is included in QB rankings or Marshawn Lynch in RB rankings.

– Some magazines will point you to online updated rankings. The rankings you buy today will change by the end of the summer, and if the mag is advertising updates, you know they are serious about their rankings.

– Remember that rankings are mostly arbitrary, as are projected sleepers and busts. One magazine’s surprise for 2007 might be another’s must-avoid-at-all-costs pick. That said, the magazine you consult should just be once source of fantasy info, along with other magazines (Sports Illustrated did a big fantasy blowout last summer, I guess they’ll do it again) and numerous sources on the Web.

– Magazines also will be valuable tools on draft day. Find one you not only like, but also can look up players quickly and easily. Some fantasy owners won’t have a computer on draft day to quickly look up who the Texans’ third RB might be or which kicker missed more field goals in the last three years, so the ability to look for this information in a magazine becomes crucial.

– Finally, a glossy cover is more water resistant when you spill that malted beverage onto your magazine. You’re SOL if you drop it (your mag and your beer) in the pool, though.