Fantasy Football, Your Either In or Out - It Ain't All Fun Baby!
"Thinking of Sticking Your Hand In and Giving It A Go? Don't!! Not Before You Get the Low-Down First"...
by Terry Clark
Table of Content
1. A Simple Explanation of the Game
2. Become a Fantasy Football Owner Today
3. Become Familiar with a League’s Point System and Rules before Signing Up
4. Don’t Select Your Tight End too Early
5.Draft Tips
6. Fantasy Football Draft Rules
7. Fantasy Football is Preferable to the Live Sport
8. Fantasy Football is a Game for Everybody
9. Fantasy Football Survivor Pools
10. Get Ready for Fantasy Football Season
11. How Much is that Player really Worth?
12. How to Approach Auctions
13. How to Attain Successful Draft Day Results
14. How to Create your Own Ranking Sheets
15. How to Draft a Defense
16. How to Draft a Kicker
17. How to Implement Running Back by Committee
18. How to Manage Bye Weeks
19. How to Pick from the Waiver Wire
20. How to Play the Game within Special Leagues
21. How to Select a Fantasy Football Team
22. How to Set Up Your Own Fantasy Football League
23. How to Win when Picking Last in the Draft
24. Increase Your Confidence with a Confidence Pool
25. Is an Auction Better than a Draft?
26. Keeping Score
27. League Rules and Point Systems
28. Many Options Exist for Fantasy Football
29. Pick‘em Pools
30. Planning Strategy for the 2010 Season
31. Possible Draft Day Mistakes
32. Practice Makes Perfect
33. Preparing for the Draft
34. Primary Ingredients of a Successful Draft
35. Public Leagues Make Fantasy Football Accessible
36. Select your Players Wisely
37. Should You Worry about Collusion?
38. The Beginnings 0f Fantasy Football
39. The Key to Winning is Understanding
40. Two Components of the Team
41. Various Types of Leagues
42. What if You Make Mistakes?
43. What is a Cheat Sheet?
44. When to Select your Running Backs and Wide Receivers
45. Why Advice can be Helpful
Resources: (fantasy football edge recommendation)
#1. A Simple Explanation of the Game
As popular as Fantasy Football has become there are still many who are unaware of its existence. However, the name Fantasy Football piques many individuals’ curiosity and the question is asked: What is it? There are so many facets of the game however this article is designed to provide you with the basics of Fantasy Football. First off, Fantasy Football is played over the Internet. Most of the game’s participants have a great appreciation of the NFL. The majority who play Fantasy Football also root for their favorite NFL teams as one of their recreational activities.
In brief, you register as part of a league wherein you become the owner of your own Fantasy Football NFL team. There are various leagues and each have their own set of rules. Also you may acquire the players on your team by way of draft or auction bidding; this aspect is entirely dependent on the league which you join. The players you select to become team members are all NFL players originating from various NFL franchises.
In this article, it is presumed your league engages in drafting players. Your roster, dependent on league, may be comprised of eight, ten, twelve, fourteen or sixteen players. All the members on your team are drafted to be part of your lineup. The owners of the teams are expected by the league to acquire the players within a predefined schedule of time. The attainment of players must be effected within the current season. When selecting players you are going to need to strategize with regard to any of your players becoming injured during the season. When developing the roster it is also important as a team owner that you consider the free agent status of particular players who can be subsequently added onto your team when the timing is appropriate.
The best aspect of the Fantasy Football team is that it is structured similarly to the teams in the NFL. Generally a Fantasy Football team may consist of a) two defenses; b) two quarterbacks, c) three running backs, d) two tight ends, and e) one kicker. That said, this roster format is apt to change from one league to the next; nevertheless, it provides you with some idea how the team player listing is set up.
During Fantasy Football, a touchdown is generally scored as six points. The points reward may be awarded to the player who was able to make the touchdown and also to the quarterback if he assisted in increasing the score. A field goal can add three points. Lastly, other points are attained or subtracted by means of offensive and defensive plays made by your team’s Fantasy Football players.
#2. Become a Fantasy Football Owner Today
Many people have been NFL fans for years. They’ve observed many of the plays as well as the players and thought: If only I owned a franchise—I’d surely do such and such. Well, now you can and you needn’t possess a hefty bank roll in order to achieve it. You can sign up online and easily own your own Fantasy Football team. Further, play is free. In the true NFL sport structurally there is a very prosperous owner who chooses the general manager for the football team as well as the main coach. The owner selects the other members of the staff - and drafts certain prized athletes.
Naturally, with any team the head coach has a great deal of responsibility on his or her shoulders to win games on a weekly basis. There is an upside, however, to all the stress placed on the main coach, and that is if the team performs well they are headed for the playoffs at the end of the football season. This translates to a generous cash reward. It is little wonder many persons have fantasized about being owner of their own NFL team.
The good news is Fantasy Football from an operational standpoint is nearly the same format, except you take on the positions of owner, and staff management. Also there is a Fantasy Football auction or draft. When you participate in the Fantasy Football Draft, it is up to you to select players for your team from all the teams’ players within the NFL. You are to establish a starting lineup weekly, and make use of trades when necessary. You do this in order to attain points for your team, making it your ultimate goal to reach the (final) playoffs. Within some leagues, if you win, there is a nice cash reward offered as an incentive.
People who have a good grasp of how a game is played within the NFL are in a good position to do well participating in Fantasy Football. The next question you may be thinking is: How do I become involved in Fantasy Football? That part is easy: All you need to do is get online and type the keywords (Fantasy Football) into one of the search engine browsers. Also you might specify free since it’s advisable at first you get accustomed to how the game is played before parting with any money.
You may consider purchasing a Fantasy Football franchise in the future. These setups provide you with plenty of opportunity to earn cash particularly at the end of season. In other words, as is the case with most business propositions: it takes money to make money. However you will have a great deal of fun spending it as well as making it.
Regardless of which route you take, make certain you understand the league’s points system with whom you sign up. It is best to select a league that has a simple standard scoring system. This will be important if you wish to strategize effectively.
#3. Become Familiar with a League’s Point System and Rules before Signing Up
If you are new to the game of Fantasy Football this is probably not going to be the first time you hear this advice: It is vitally important you become acquainted with a league’s point system. You are strategically not going to survive if you don’t become well aware of the League’s system with respect to points as well as its rules.
Some leagues do not set up their points systems with much common sense. For example, certain players are never going to have more yards in total than the quarterback so points need to be awarded accordingly.
Also certain leagues will not make matters even-Steven at all. You need to consider this type of situation because if you have a weak quarterback, you are going to get nowhere. It is important you find a league with a point system where points are allocated according to player. The point system needs to be harmonious in order that the teams may exist on an equal level with regard to competition. You don’t want the point system so uneven that the same team wins week after week.
Therefore, the recommendation is that you find a league with a fair point system or the adverse effect will be you are not going to continue with them anyway. You’ll burn out with respect to participation a little after a month. Make absolutely sure you are signed up with a league whose point system seems fair.
Also join leagues which have fifteen spots within their roster (on average). Each week you need to begin or start with a quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, one tight end, a kicker, and Defense. This setup will provide you with the best opportunity of winning. The team shown here will work for you especially if the quarterback you select is out early in the season.
You may end up selecting a host of various quarterbacks whose performances are totally lacking. However do not despair; you may have other players that are heavy duty allowing you to remain a contender until end of season. It is best to find a league that has fifteen spots within the roster.
Check out a league’s system for trades and waivers. Certain leagues will give you a certain number of players which you may add or drop. Additionally, they’ll limit the total number of times you can trade. It may be you don’t like the restriction with respect to the numbers; therefore make sure you are okay with their rules regarding trades and waivers before signing up.
#4. Don’t Select Your Tight End too Early
Certainly you understand team spirit however when putting together your Fantasy Football roster, you must remember as team owner a bit of individualized thinking is clearly in order. One area where your fellow team members will often blunder is selecting a tight end too early. This happens every season without fail. The way around this line of thought is not to get caught up in what the other team owners are erroneously doing; selecting certain positions too early.
You might want to converse favorably about tight ends with the other team owners. This will add value in the other guy’s and girl’s minds with regard to the position and they may make a mad rush in selecting their starting tight end. You may feel the urge to select a tight end within round four of the draft too. If you have already chosen two top tier running backs and wide receiver then you are allowed to take on a top flight tight end during the fourth round. If you can get a great tight end during round four who statistically had a great deal of yardage during the prior season this is great.
However, if you can’t pull in a top-tier tight end player during the fourth round, then it is advisable you wait it out. Any tight end you select after the fourth round is probably going to play about the same as the next guy. Don’t pout if you are placed in the position of receiving a tight end within the later rounds of the Fantasy Football draft. Let’s say you’ve attained your quarterback, two running backs, two or three wide receivers (pertinent to league) and begin looking about for a premier tight end at this point. The recommendation is: Don’t take a tight end if there are better performers in the way of a running back or wide receiver. It is important you remember to select the best performer available with regard to position. This is after you have attained your top five or six starters. In other words, do not select the lesser position too early especially when stronger top-tier players within certain positions are still available.
Neither should you become skittish about approaching another team manager/owner about trading your premier starting tight end for their best running back. This sounds nervy but it will be worth it if you pull it off. Suggest a trade after the draft: Your exceptional tight end for the other team’s starting running back. Don’t hang back: Approach the other manager and effect the one on one trade. Do this if it will enhance your roster with respect to your top-tier wide receivers and running back talent.
The reason the tight end is someone you’ll want to not consider too strongly is based from a historical Fantasy Football perspective. If you ask certain Fantasy Football participants who are their league’s winners to talk about their championships, they’ll never mention the tight end position; they will talk about their running backs and wide receivers However, the tight end’s role in their team’s win just does not come up. This is information you may wish to keep in the back of your mind prior to draft day. And, lastly, it is always important you review statistics prior to the Fantasy Football draft. Good sources include: the NFL website as well as Fantasy Football periodicals available at newsstands and larger book retailers.
#5. Draft Tips
Many people new to the game of Fantasy Football will read time and again the importance of preparing for draft day. Probably the reason that the subject cannot be stressed enough is because the draft is pretty much the ground work you lay in order to create a winning team. It is especially important to prepare if this is your first Fantasy Football draft. Here is where you make a first impression: and if you come off too clueless, people looking for the advantage are going to home in on you with a lousy deal later. In order to steer you on the right course, here are some tips about what to do on and before Draft day.
First on the agenda is to attain a copy of the rulebook for your league. Become familiar with your league's method of scoring, draft procedures and cash prizes. Also, many sites will offer Fantasy Football terms. It is necessary to read through the terms just so there is no confusion later on. Read who the experts believe will be the sleeper players. A sleeper player is an athlete not well-recognized within the NFL but with a great deal of upside potential, generally based on his collegiate experience and who has filled in for a primary NFL player during that player's injury. One example of a prime sleeper this year is Matt Leinhart who plays for the Arizona Cardinals.