Top 10 Tips to Make Fantasy Football Year a Success
It’s that time of the year again, when die-hard football enthusiasts start to look at available players and begin preparing for their fantasy draft. With the hopes that others may find the same success, as someone who has been at the top of all the leagues in which he has participated, I thought it would be helpful to share my preparations for my fantasy football draft.
Tip 1 – Leave your Allegiance at Home
It is amazing how many times I have participated in fantasy football drafts. You can quickly figure out the favorite team of some of the guys when they start drafting the roster. The current league in which I am involved changes one or two players every year. Nothing is more fun than seeing someone new to a league begin drafting players from the same team over and again. After Jay Cutler, Matt Forte and Earl Bennett were selected, Devin Hester said that they liked the Bears. No kidding. It was something I never would have thought of. I don’t think it is wrong to draft one or two players from your favorite team. Because you are familiar with their strengths, and weaknesses, it is a smart move. It is too risky for me to focus on just one team.
Tip 2 – Have a plan
It is not a good thing to see someone draft without a plan or understanding of fantasy football. The majority of leagues have a set order for the first round and then reverse it for the subsequent rounds. This allows you to get an idea of the players that you will be able to pick from in the next couple rounds. If you draft a top quarterback like Brady, Brees or Rodgers don’t bother taking another quarterback until the other starting positions are filled. The classic mistake is when a drafter drafts Tom Brady and then follows up with Eli Manning in round 2. Scott Chandler, who was drafted by the same team as Manning, starts Scott Chandler at tight end. This happens because Manning passed on Jimmy Graham and Jason Witten. You don’t have to worry about backup if you draft a top-tier QB.
Tip 3 – Pay Attention To Runs
Although I’m sure I just said to have a plan but you also need to be aware that you can run at certain positions and be open to changing your target list as needed. One example is this: If you want one of six top defenses according the list you’re following, it might be a good idea to think defense in round seven or 8. Someone takes a defense at the top of round six. The next person then selects a defense and two more defenses go. This is known as a run. If you want the best defense, you might need to adjust your selection process. You may have to grab it a little sooner than you expected. Or you could be stuck with a bottom feeder defense throughout the year.
Tip 4 – Pay Attention, But Don’t Be Consumed By Bye Weeks
When selecting fantasy football players, it’s a given that bye weeks will be taken into consideration. If one player is clearly superior but has the same bye week for another running back, wide receiver or running back, then you should select them. You can make adjustments to your bye week later. If DeSean Jackson or Wes Welker has a different bye weeks than Calvin Johnson, but both have the same bye week, choose the one with the different week. DeSean Jackson or Devon Bess are the two options.
Tip 5 – Learn about Rookies, but don’t become a Preschool teacher
Every year, there are some rookies who explode onto the NFL scene. But the phrase “rookie Wall” is not a random occurrence. I recommend that no more than 10-15 percent of your fantasy football roster be occupied with rookies. It is possible to grab a rookie wide receiver to be a rotational player in your fantasy football lineup. However, having a rookie running back or rookie wide receiver established as starters from the beginning can be risky.
Tip 6 – Draft one defense and one kicker
Another thing I see often is someone finishing the draft with a second kicker or defense. Why? You can pick up a defense and a kicker that you like and then drop them off the next week. You will be mad if you have two middle-of-the-road defenses. Kickers are the same. My strategy has been to draft only one defense and one kicker, and keep the other roster spots open for flexibility and depth.
Tip 7 – Time to Get Back-Ups
A back-up player to a star player is another strategy that has worked well. By selecting only one kicker and one defence, I was able to save two roster spots. I also fill in some of the remaining roster spots with my back-ups. This ensures that I am protected in the event of a superstar going down. Drew Bledsoe was my Cowboys starting quarterback. This was the perfect example. Knowing the Cowboys’ offensive line was weak, I chose Drew Bledsoe as my backup QB. He was adequate but not great. Bledsoe was the backup quarterback that I chose, which happened to be Tony Romo. We all know what year Romo had, so I didn’t hesitate to fight with anyone to file a waiver claim to add him. After selecting LeSean Mccoy in round 2, I found myself with Ronnie Brown. He had been a bit ill the year before, so it worked out well for me. As the year progressed, I was able use the Ronnie Brown slot for my drop/add and was able add my fill in defense for the bye week as well as my kicker for a whole week.
Tip 8: Avoid most trades
I advise you to not let someone approach you about a trade with a player who has a poor record than you. They are likely looking to dump your garage for gold. One of my favorite moves is when a guy offers to trade four players for two, and then says that the same points have been achieved by the four players that were produced by your two. Fantasy football’s goal is to get as many points as possible from each player. In the hopes of gaining those points, trading two players for four is not a good idea. A trade that involves more than one player who is unbalanced is bad. While some trades can be fair and beneficial for both teams, I think the guy who begins trading week two should not be allowed.
Tip 9 – Stay Involved, or Stay Home
My biggest pet peeve is the guy in fantasy football who starts out 0-3, then stops paying attention and quits. While fantasy football is meant to be fun, it should be taken seriously enough that you are able to continue playing for the entire season. Don’t sign up for a league if you are unable to commit for the full season.
Tip 10 – Take it seriously, but not too seriously
Keep in mind that every member of your league has a daily life and a job. Therefore, there’s no reason to harass anyone with 42 trades or start fights over waiver wire moves. It has been a sad experience to see friendships fall over fantasy football. My father used to tell me, “You still need to get up on Monday to go to work, win, or lose.”
Additional Resource:
https://fantasy.premierleague.com/
https://www.espn.in/ffl/
https://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/