Mastering the draft and implementing a keen strategy when it comes to fantasy football is many players’ dreams, but all too often, halfway into the season, you are chasing losses against your friends and co-workers in leagues that just seem insurmountable. A plan and a good grasp of researched data about players, teams, and league settings are crucial.
Going into a fantasy football draft without the right preparation is like placing a high-stakes sportsbook market wager without knowing anything about the fundamentals of betting. Finding and reading betting with bitcoin explained guides will allow you to be much more informed about crypto wagers, which markets are the best to visit, and which platforms offer the quickest transactions and best odds. The same goes for working out the do’s and don’ts of fantasy football drafts. Below are some tips on how to best prepare yourself to make the right decisions about the draft and hopefully give you the best chance of success for the season.
Do: Have a Plan
The first tip is not groundbreaking, but it is truly imperative. Having a plan for what it is you are doing when it comes to fantasy football is going to put you in a much better position than taking random punts. Being aware of your roster requirements, what the points system is, and what positions you are likely to need to cover the most is important. However, this sort of planning does not have to be completely rigid. Some people overprepare and will not allow for any wavering in this, which can also be detrimental. Players who only draft a QB after a certain round are just setting themselves up for disappointment. The ability to adapt to a general plan is the name of the game.
Do: Carefully Anticipate
Every offseason, there are always major changes to the league. Coaches are hired, and players move, whether it be new rookies breaking onto the scene, free agents moving in the market, or well-known players being drafted. Whilst keeping an eye on the major headlines will ensure you are relatively informed, there is a large fluidity of player and coach movement, which many underestimate. Keeping up with every move is going to be the best way to stay informed with personnel comings and goings.
Historical trends remain predictable. Running backs who finish top in touches will land amongst the highest fantasy scorers, whilst wide receivers who get more than 150 targets will likely become WR1s. But also looking past the headlines, you might find hidden gems. The smaller-name teams may have rookies playing who you didn’t know about. Without keeping an eye on these kinds of updates, you are passing up valuable opportunities to capitalize on players others may not have in their team. You want to notice patterns from last season, pick up on pre-season talk, and anticipate teams that have exciting prospects.
Do: Seek Depth
The power of the NFL comes from the team behind the superstars. This should be reflected in your picks. Picking a bench that has enough depth to perform when bigger point players are injured or in a rut can be the difference between a playoff run and losing the league. When chasing upside, consider rookies on the bench, consistent players, or players who could easily benefit from injuries in the NFL campaign. Making bold moves and taking a punt on rookies for the upcoming campaign from the last season can be your best chance at accumulating points.
Don’t: Believe Injury Narratives
Often in the NFL, players get injured, but this is through freak accidents rather than continual injury issues. Many managers tend to avoid players who have been labelled as injury-prone or who have sustained injuries in the previous season. But this has no real sense in it. Some players, such as James Conner, have made a name for themselves by not completing seasons in the past, but then went on to become the RB11 and dominated last year. This mistake often sees elite players such as DK Metclaff or Kenneth Walker fall into more reasonable price ranges, and smart players will scoop them up in the hope the injury does not sustain into the next season, and they flourish.
Don’t: Fall Foul Of Recency Bias
In the same vein, believing media hype and frenzy is something to avoid. Often, the media narratives ignore any form of factual data and rely on hearsay or rumours. It can be hard to let the recency bias of the media and your own memory from the past season not cloud your judgement, but reserving your focus for team roles, players’ traits, or athleticism, and using historical patterns are all much better indicators of who to watch and select in the fantasy draft.
Don’t: Not Take Risks
Ultimately, picking a good fantasy team that is looking to compete requires astute judgment and a bit of luck. But for it all to pay off, you really do need to take some risks. Taking the big shots and making the big calls is sometimes the only way you are going to take home that championship. Making changes 2 weeks early or bagging that star player in the 3rd draft is what you need in your locker to make the big wins. Careful planning and reserved calculations can only get you so far.
