Finally, my favorite time of the year. Fantasy Football Season. The storm is coming boys. These leagues can get expensive. They’re definitely a hefty investment. Are you tired of losing every single year? Tired of not having any bragging rights? Well you’re in luck. I’ve won «the big one» back in my day. I remember it like it was yesterday, sophomore year of high school. Best $60 I ever made. Honestly, it wasn’t even the money that made it worth it to me. A full year of bragging rights? Can’t beat it. With my step by step guidelines, you’re guaranteed to win… (at least like 3 games).
Let’s Coooooooook.
DO YOUR RESEARCH. The biggest mistake that tends to happen to people is that they don’t keep up with any of the news. It’s like neglecting going to class, taking notes, doing homework all semester long and expecting to ace the final. That’s absolutely absurd. You can’t just show up to the draft without any prior knowledge of trades, free agency signings, INJURY REPORTS!!! Those are key. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve witnessed someone waste a high draft pick on a player that tore their ACL the week before or didn’t pass their drug test and end up on suspension. PLEASE come prepared to your draft. Watch SportsCenter, listen to the radio or a podcast, read a blog (wink wink).
GO WITH YOUR GUT. The key to drafting a great team is going with your gut feeling. You need to ensure that is the type of player you can rely on so that each week you have confidence before setting that lineup. Go out and get your guy early on. You might think he’ll fall to the later rounds… but before you know it, he might be gone. You might regret it in the long run.
KNOW THE RULES. Make sure to ask your commissioner questions. It is important to know the point system. For example, if you join a PPR (Points Per Reception) league, you might want to draft entirely different. Your prioritizes / position need will be influenced. You might want to draft a WR in the first round as opposed to an RB.
KICKERS LIVES MATTER TOO. Please stop drafting Kickers in the last round. They are a STARTER in your lineup – and can potentially score anywhere from 5-20 points (20 on a good day). The key is to draft a kicker from a high run volume team. They tend to kick more field goals because it’s harder for them to convert on 3rd downs. Aka this equals more time for the kicker on the field.
DRAFT AN EARLY QUARTERBACK. I’m over the stereotype of waiting to draft a QB. Why in the world would you do that? This is the position that scores the most points for your team every single week. It is so important to draft a solid QB. Surprise your friends this year and be the wild card. Draft the #1 QB off the board right off the bat. Maybe even a 2nd just so you have some trade bait.
DO NOT SHARE A TEAM WITH A FRIEND. I’ve had a duo of friends who would do this every single year and it was the most annoying thing on the planet. They would constantly fight and disagree on things. Most common mistake I’ve heard in the past: «I don’t know enough about football to draft my own team.» — You will never learn until you experience your own team. Be your own individual player! Make it fair. Everyone is working on their own. «Co-Owners» of Fantasy Football Teams are a joke. FYI – they NEVER win championships. There is your life lesson for the day.
TAKE THE ‘BYE WEEK’ INTO ACCOUNT. People who don’t pay attention to Bye Weeks when drafting players tend to find themselves in a pickle. What if the playoffs are coming up and you REALLY need this win. But oh no. You have multiple starters on a Bye Week? Enjoy that L. Another reason to check the Bye Weeks is that sometimes you don’t have enough room on your roster to keep good players. You might need a certain position filled but nobody on the bench can fill. This means you have to drop a player. Just remember to be careful.
STOP DRAFTING ELI MANNING. He is trash. Just don’t. I don’t care if he has O’dell Beckham Jr. I promise you, it is a mistake.
DON’T BE THE TACO OF YOUR LEAGUE. There’s always that guy who refuses to pay attention to their team throughout the season. Unfinished lineups are the worst. Don’t be that guy. Don’t neglect your team. Trust me, I enjoy the easy W’s.. I’ll take them. But I also enjoy and encourage a challenge. It makes the game more fun for everyone.
CHECK THE WAIVER WIRE. This one applies more to you after you draft your fantasy team – but free agency is key. People are constantly dropping and picking up players every week. Some of those players are steals… Plus, there’s always that dark horse that goes undrafted. You want to hop on that players wave before the momentum dies down.
Every year, I join multiple fantasy leagues… Losing in all of them. But this year, is my year. The king is BACK. I’m focusing in on just one league. This league, in particular, is one that I’ve been in since 7th grade. It is my «Shiva-Bowl.» It’s also the most money I’ve ever put into a league before. My recommendation take my advice into consideration and to pay attention every week during the season. OH and purchase NFL REDZONE. It is the best investment I’ve ever made. Sometimes you just want to watch the exciting stuff. You want to watch every game. Well, now you can. This program constantly bounces back and forth, catching all of the action. It only bounces when the team is about to score and in «the redzone» – hence the name.
Well, that’s all I got for you today folks. Goodluck on your seasons.
– Chef Toro