I have been playing fantasy football for 7 years. I have won multiple titles in multiple leagues. I have never had a year that I did not make the championship game in at least 1 or more leagues. I have developed a proven system to draft a team that will be successful and I would like to share those ideas.
Fantasy Football is one of the fastest growing pastimes in America. It has really exploded into the mainstream in the last 3 years. It has actually been around since the early 70’s. With the internet explosion it has made it easier for people to play. Many sites offer free leagues and do all the scoring for you. All you have to do is sign up, pick your team and play. Over the last few years I have been part of many mock drafts and real drafts. The following is a ranking of my 5 most successful strategies I have used for winning fantasy football. As with anything no strategy is fool proof. However I feel that these 5 tips with assure you the best chance of being successful in your league. I will rank them in reverse order to save the best for last.
#5: Do Your Homework
The modern NFL is a changing league on a daily basis. There really is no off season.It is important to check the league news, especially during training camp and the off season free agent signing period. It is a must to keep up with player movement because it will directly effect a players fantasy value. Have 2 or 3 websites you check often. I find it helps to keep a spreadsheet of a team’s depth chart. You can get that info from the official team site or NFL.com. Just be sure the info is updated before you use it. It becomes easier to do this as you get closer to the season. Some teams do not update their depth chart until training camp.It is never too early to start player rankings. Know the players that have changed teams. This is vital to predicting fantasy production. For example a running back who had been a stud may have went to a team with a poor offensive line. The perfect example of this is Edgerrin James last year. He was a stat machine while in Indy. He went to Arizona behind a below average o-line and his numbers tumbled. He was drafted way to high by many people based on past performance. I will address this more in my next strategy. The more prepared you are the better you will draft. I know this because I have been there. When I have had years I did not take time to prepare my team didn’t turn out as good as it should. I was left scrambling during the season scrounging the waiver wire and trying to make trades. So we shall call this the Boy Scout Strategy…..Be Prepared!!!!
#4 The Last Shall Be First
The quarterback position is the sexiest position in all of sports. The QB gets too much credit for winning and too much blame for losing. They get all the commercials, all the chicks, and all the glory. So it is in the world of fantasy football. The best and most popular QBs’ are always drafted in the early rounds. It is in my opinion the most over-rated position in fantasy football. Your QB can’t win you a title, however if you draft him too high and pass up on depth at running back or wide receiver he can cost you the title or even the playoffs. It is quite ok to be the last to draft a QB. In fact I encourage it. Every year in our draft I wait and wait while others get in a hurry to draft the marquee names in the league. I wait until at least the 8th or 9th round and pick up a QB that will have almost if not better stats than the big names. These are usually the same people who later in the year want to trade me their big name QB for RB depth which they could have had at the draft. Finally, when you do pull the trigger get 2 QBs’ back to back. You will get good and similar value for the position. You will also have the luxury of playing the best matchup week after week. There is not much difference stats wise between the top 5 QBs’ and the next 10. So let your foes pass up on RB depth while they pick Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. You will do just fine with guys like Marc Bulger and Matt Hassellbeck. All the while you will have a stable of other position players they will wish they had come mid-season. Which brings me to my next proven strategy……
#3 The First Shall Be Last
Never ever be the first to take these 3 positions…. Defense,Tight End, Kicker. These are positions that are on everyone’s roster but are not the main contributers to points. If you are relying on any of these 3 positions then you have drafted poorly and your team is not contending. The team defense or the newly popular IDP (Individual Defensive Player) should never be considered until the end of your draft to fill out a roster spot. They are not going to be your main point producers and can be inconsistent from week to week. The tight end position is little used and rarely the best receiver on an NFL team. There are exceptions of course but in general you are better off drafting a 4th RB or WR before getting a TE. Kickers as we all know are worthless. They are not real football players. They do fill out a roster spot though. Do not be the first to take one or you deserve all the razzing you get from your league. Most times I do not even draft a kicker at all. I just scour the waiver wire from week to week and play the matchups. They can’t be counted on for consistent scoring so why take them over a good backup WR or RB.
#2 Know Your Scoring System
All fantasy leagues use the same basic setup for their scoring system. Most online leagues let the commissioner make adjustments, some more than others. It is very important you know the unique characteristics of your league’s scoring system. This will affect not only how you draft but how you set your lineup on a weekly basis. You want to check to see how many points a QB gets for a touchdown. Some leagues give less than 6 points to a QB for a touchdown. Another important stat is interceptions. If your league take away allot of points for the INT then you might want to stay away from QBs’ who throw allot of them. Know if your league gives points for receptions. This could be key in making the right decision if you weighing 2 running backs in the balance. Check the stats to see with player gets more catches. If your league gives points for catches then that should tell you who to pick. There can be hidden points as well. Some leagues reward points for first downs. If you know a team that likes to pound it on 3rd down then that RB could get you those points that another back whose team likes to throw in 3rd down will not get. These hidden points can be the difference between winning and losing some weeks.
That brings us to the #1 draft strategy…...
#1 Stock Up!!!
The most important positions in fantasy football are RB and WR. Most leagues require you to start at least 2 or 3 at each position. Allot of leagues are going to a flex position as well which means you have a starter who can be either a RB or a WR. It is so important to have depth at these 2 positions since they make up the biggest part of your roster. They are also the bulk of your scoring, especially the running backs. You absolutely must take a running back with your first 3 picks in the draft. This is regardless of scoring system or league format. You also need to draft nothing but running backs and wide receivers with your first seven picks. Do not even think of another position until the 8th round. These positions are too important to winning games it is a must that you pick the best available each time your turn comes around. It never fails that injuries happen to all of us. It is better to have a a stud on the bench than to be thin and have your #1 or #2 go down.You are then left to scramble the waiver wire for a replacement or try to make a trade.
So there you have it. The secret is out. Now go out there, win your league and make your kids proud. Or at least you will be happy. The kids just don’t understand.
