Monday, February 8, 2010, the day after the Super Bowl...what a great day!!! Why? Because that's when I started to prepare for the upcoming 2010 fantasy football season. Sure, I'm a football addict with a serious competitive nature, but according to all accounts, there are tens of thousands (if not more) that are just like me. How about you? Itching for some pigskin? Craving that weekly dose of smashmouth?
Fantasy football lets you call the shots. As an owner, you control player drafting, trades, etc. and, depending on how your league is set up, the financial worth of each player on a roster. I've been in quite a few leagues and formed a couple more of my own and every one is unique. From how each owner drafts a team to which specific stats carry the most weight (points), no two leagues are completely alike.
If you're just getting your feet wet with fantasy sports, I highly recommend using an online network. You can get help with how to draft (pick) a fantasy football team (roster) and how to keep track of player stats, to understanding fantasy football terms. Most online leagues will track all wins/losses, transactions, player stats, etc. so all you have to do is decide who from your roster is best suited to "start" and who should "sit" each week. Of course, this is based a lot on who your players are playing against for that week's games. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of each team, their historical performance at home and on the road, during night games, coming off a bye week, etc., are all relevant factors.
Here's a few tips to remember... When drafting players, know which positions offer the most talented pool of players. For example, if you join a 16 team league and high-ranking quarterbacks are at a premium (due to your league's point structure), you may wish to select one earlier than later and use late round picks for other skill positions. Secondly, think with your head - not your heart. I can't tell you how often owners will stock their teams with "home town favorites" only to be overwhelmed by others who draft players based on performance, regardless of which NFL team they play for. Lastly, plan for bye weeks and injuries. There's nothing worse than having to pick up a quarterback because those on your roster are all off during a bye week. Now you've got to drop a player to fit the new addition to your roster (and may lose that player to someone else in your league). And injuries are inevitable. As a matter of fact, I have never gone through a season without players (yes, multiple) who had to be replaced due to injuries.
I could go on and on about strategy and mock draft guides and playoff scenarios, but you should start out by getting as much information as possible. Try www.americandiversions.com for one of the top sites providing NFL fantasy football insight and player lists. Good luck and, who knows, we might meet up on the gridiron later this season!!!!
Try www.nfl.com or www.espn.go.com for even more fantasy football options.
