Fantasy Football 101: Strategies and Tips Before You Draft

Anyone who has played fantasy football knows it’s addictive.

It makes every Sunday a little more interesting. In fact, it can make a whole season more interesting. Some people might disagree, but I’ll bet those who disagree have either never tried it, or tried it and didn’t fare so well competitively.

Whether you are a seasoned veteran of fantasy football (FF), or a first-time player, if you follow some of these basic strategies I promise you will have a competitive fantasy season.

First, let’s cover some FF basics:

FF is an online game in which participants draft their own team and compete with teams built by others. Individual game winners are determined by points accumulated by players based on their real-life performance in a game on the same day.

How many points a certain NFL player can make in the fantasy world depends on two factors:

1) How well they perform in the real-life game.

2) What scoring system your fantasy team uses.

The scoring system varies from league to league, but they use the same basic idea. Most commonly, the scoring is as follows:

a) A touchdown is worth six points for the player who scored it.

b) A field goal is worth three points for the kicker; also an extra point is worth one point for the kicker.

c) Points are given for rushing yards, receiving yards, and passing yards; and some leagues award points for every reception.

d) The defense and special teams are awarded points based on how many yards they allow, and also receive bonus points for sacks, interceptions, touchdowns, etc.

Every league’s scoring system varies a little bit, so make sure you read the rules and regulations for you league.

Now, on to what every FF player both loves and dreads—drafting.

The key to owning a championship FF team is to have a successful draft day. Every fantasy team owner will tell you their own strategy for victory. I have interviewed people who have won fantasy leagues, have read countless articles on strategies, and have had a respectable FF career myself. I tried to compile all this information and all of the opinions into one master strategy.

Here are my top five rules for having a successful draft:

1.      One of the biggest causes of poor drafts is being unprepared. There are cheat sheets, player rankings, team schedules, and player predictions on hundreds of Web sites online, and even in special magazines just for FF, which can be found in your local grocery store.

      Participate in online mock drafts, or mock drafts with friends. When you go to draft your team, you should have a list that contains the order of which you will select players by position, and a list of player rankings by position, and bye weeks. Be prepared!

2.      Always build a team around your running backs. Running backs have the potential to score more points than other positions. Always try to get a running back that does more than just run the football.

      Many running backs these days also catch, and sometimes throw passes as well. The more they do, the more points they can potentially earn. A running back should always be your first-round pick, no exceptions.

3.      When drafting your team, always pay attention to your backups’ bye weeks. It can be a hassle to do the extra homework, but it will help in the long run. What is the point of getting a backup that has the same bye week as your starters?

4.      If the elite players are already gone at one position you may need but there is still an elite player left at a different position that you may already have covered, go get them. Once the elite players are gone, the rest are all basically the same. Remember, having extra “elite” players can really help in trade negotiations later in the season.

5.     Don’t wait too long to pick up your defense/special teams unit. For example, last year I had two fantasy teams. In one draft I selected a DST in the eighth round, and the other I waited until the 11^th round.

      In one, I got the Ravens, and the other, I got the Buccaneers. I’m sure you can guess which was which. Do not underestimate the points that a good defense can bring to your team.