For the newbies of Fantasy Football!

[montana 89]

My top 10 (in no order) of things to think about for FF Newbies! Feel free to add your own or leave feedback - yeah, I'm bored! LOL!

 

A. Do your homework! Do your homework! Do your homework! (PREDRAFT):

1.) Read as much as you can from this site (and a select few elsewhere), its filled with good insight, area gossip from their local teams you can't find just on any national site, others opinions on situations, stat projections from some that actually know what they are talking about, & a decent help board. Look into coaching changes, def/off scheme changes & what that does to key players on those teams. Its okay to buy a bathroom mag - just don't put too much stock into what they say, as most of those are made in May/June - long before injuries/contract problems/starting line ups are actually set.

2.) Keep up on injuries, players retired, contracts, etc... Nothing worse than drafting a hurt player, or worse, someone that retired in June. Also watch for a player(s) that had serious injuries the year before & their progress/health now.

3.) Keep a watchful eye on players that have switched positions and/or teams during the offseason. Look into their off/def schemes & try to determine if they are a good fit there. Just because he was a stud for his last team, doesn't mean a thing if he has moved on - sometimes, a player is a product of the scheme/coaching style - nothing is a guarentee when this changes.

4.) One word - Rookies! Most Rooks do not see much playing time their first year or two - sure, there are acceptions to every rule, but just know that for every 1 rook that see's quality playing time at a skilled position, there are at least 3-4 that won't do a whole lot. Your job is to look into each situation & try to determine the ones that are most likely to see the field sooner rather than later. Of course, if you are drafting in a dynasty league, this rule doe not apply (dynasty league = you keep your same roster every year (FOR THE MOST PART) & do not redraft completely every year).

5.) If you know your other owners, drop in a few questions here & there to try to gain some insight as to how they view a certain player/team/scheme, etc.... This gives you a small glimpse into there thinking style & could be useful later. Its not cheating, its knowing your enemy & setting up a game plan. Its like watching game film, the better you know your enemy, the better chances you have of defeating them later. Of course, if they ask you questions, or turn it around on you.....never, NEVER, give them a complete & honest answer (try to do this w/o sounding like a goof though). LOL!

5a.) Read the rule book BEFORE showing up for draft day if possible. Ask other owners/the commish if you are unclear about any rule and/or scoring (especially if you are new to the league).

6.) Figure out your OWN player projections/rankings (either by position or overall). Do this by looking at your leagues scoring system. NEVER, I say NEVER, use just any player ranking sheet you come across. What I usually do (and yes, it takes some time) is to gather around 10 rankings from various sites/mags, whatever, & get a concensus ranking of all players. Then I use those rankings & move the players up/down as I see fit while using my own rankings/projections & I ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND THE SCORING SYSTEM. Be careful (if you choose to use this method) to use projections/rankings that are the closest to your scoring system (if possible).

7.) Try not to get too "wasted" the night before the draft - nothing worse than showing up to your draft hung over.

8.) Pay attention to strength of schedule. I'm not saying to draft players with easy schedules, but you do need to pay attention when deciding between players of equal talent/caliber.

9.) Playoff schedule. This is kinda like strength of schedule, but this only takes into consideration the final few weeks of the NFL season when most FF leagues are having their playoffs. Its something to consider, but don't put too much stock into it! Just know what teams have an easier last few weeks than others.

10.) Do a little research & find out which players are in "contract years". For whatever reason (rollseyes) some players seem to put up better numbers during their contract year. They play like crazy to try to land more money for the next contract. This is something to keep in the back of your mind, but again, don't put too much stock into it.

 

B. THE DRAFT:

1.) Come prepared! First & foremost....never leave your "homework" behind! Hopefully you've listened to my predraft list - now it's time to put it to work! Make sure you bring enough supplies to keep track of the draft too. I like to bring two notebooks (1 for my notes/draft picks, 1 to keep track of the other players drafted), I also bring a highlighter or two, a few pens, and maybe a few articles/rankings that I've printed off from the internet.

2.) Pay attention to who is being drafted & to which teams(other owners) they are going to. Sometimes, you can almost predict what an owner(s) will draft next, just based on the roster they have drafted thus far. Its safe to say if an owner already has their starting QB, it may take a while for them to draft another one.....so pay attention to details. This is can be HUGE if only you pay enough attention to detail & know the drafting order at all times!

3.) Never get caught up in "rolls" or a "train". I define a "roll/train" as when a few owners before you start drafting the same position one-after-another & you get nervous because you figure "if I don't draft one now, nothing will be left" & join right in. This could kill you! It could mean you passing up a decent rb/wr/qb for say a kicker just because you got nervous & decided to "get one while you can". Always try to draft the best talent (regardless of position) at every pick (within reason). Use your best judgement here & look at your projections - don't ever, EVER get caught up in "trains".

4.) Its okay to talk a little "smack" during the draft. It is also okay to spread fake/false rumors about players yet to be drafted. Say something like you heard so-in-so got hurt today, blah,blah,blah. Plant the seed of doubt in their heads. Or better yet, leave a junk FF mag (opened of course) laying around, or some fake b.s. notes sitting on a table for all to see that leads them to believe you are high on a certain player(s) that you really have no interest in because you have that certain player(s) highlighted. It'll get them thinking you know something that they don't. That being said, make sure you are up-to-date on all injuries so that you don't fall victim to this b.s. in return. As far as talking "smack" - JUST DON'T BE THE GUY THAT EVERYONE ENDS UP HATING BY THE MIDDLE ROUNDS because you won't STFU!

5.) It is also okay to try to look at other owner notes or whatever if they are foolish to just leave them laying around. But be careful, they could be doing to you what you are trying to do to them - if they are leaving their predraft notes laying around, you have to ask yourself ....WHY? It could be a trap.

6.) Try not to drink/smoke weed (if thats your thing) while drafting. Clearer heads prevail. On that note, bring that stuff for the other owners if you wish. Incourage them to drink away as you sip on your Pepsi. LOL!

7.) Watch bye weeks! Try not to kill your weekly line ups by having too many players with the same bye weeks (if possible). That being said, I'm by no means telling you NOT to draft a stud rb because he shares the same bye week as your other stud rb, just be careful overall.

8.) Drafting too many players from the same team. This kinda goes hand-in-hand with #7, not only will you have too many players on the same bye week, you also increase your odds of having "off weeks" (meaning point totals). If you have too many players from an off. that has a bad week, your point total will be killed. Its never a good idea to stock up even on what some call an offensive juggernaut, because sooner or later, they'll have a few bad games. Just tread lightly here & you should be okay.

9.) Don't be a "Homer". Sure its fine to cheer on your favorite team, but guess what? There are other teams in the NFL out there - draft talent, not your favorite player(s) or from you favorite team(s).

10.) Try to have something on the TV to distract some owners. Put on a preseason game, or Tivo something that you think some would have an interest in. Especially if its a NFL preseason game (or a game from last year), it could effect their draft if a certain player is having a good game. Porn isn't a bad idea either! LOL!

 

C. Post Draft & During the season:

1.) Talk it up. See if any owner is unhappy with their roster & look to see if there is something that can be agreed upon as far as a trade goes. Sometimes an owner realizes he has too many players with the same bye week & will unload a decent player for less, just to feel more comfortable. Bargins can be had - act on them! Look for weaknesses in other owner rosters & offer up trades that could help YOU, not him (look for the obvious - too many players from one position/too many from one team/too many with the same bye weeks, etc....).

2.) Always start your studs! Don't buy into matchups with every player. I would rather start my #1 rb versus a top 5 def then to start my #3 or #4 rb versus a softer def. Its a hard rule to learn & a harder one to stick to, but in the long run, it usually pays off.

2a.) Sometimes match-ups are a good thing to watch. If you are trying to decide between two wrs of the same caliber, look at the def's that they are facing that week. In this situation, playing the match-ups usually pay off in your favor. Just be careful & watch trends if possible.

3.) Stay current with injuries. Don't be the guy to start a player that is out 4-6 weeks with broken ribs etc....

4.) Watch the gameday weather reports. This could be helpful when deciding a line up spot between two players from the same position/same caliber. Usually the worse the weather is, the better chance of a ground game or less chance for an air attack - you get the idea.

5.) Stay current on FA's available in your league. Watch the waiver wire multiple times a day if possible. This can really help you out on your "thin" weeks.

6.) Stay alert on other teams in your league. Watch for opportunities when they lose a player to injury or bye week (or possible suspension). Sometimes this can be your "foot in the door" when trying to pull off a trade.

7.) Do not panic if/when you lose an important player on your team! I call this the "Fred Taylor Effect". LOL! (based on a few years ago when taylor got hurt & the guy made some very stupid trades & completely screwed his team for the rest of the season to try to fill one spot). You WILL lose a player (or more) to injury during the season - thats just a plain fact of FF. Hopefully this will be limited on the amount & the amount of time you are w/o said player(s). Do your best to fill the void w/o sacraficing your whole season. Check the waiver wire, look into a possible trade(s) & it doesn't hurt to ask for divine intervention either. LOL! Don't sell the ranch because you have one sick horse!

8.) Just remember - most of the time you have to give up something to get something in return! In most "serious" leagues, stupid trade offers will get you "black listed". Meaning: come correct, or not at all! Don't waste your time or the time of others with your "Jon Kitna for Peyton Manning" trade offerings! Its insulting to the other owner for one, and for two, it makes you lose credit within the league. On the same note, never, NEVER offer your worst (his best) trade offer right away. Sometimes you can give up a little less than expected, so do some trolling first (w/o making stupid offers - try to make a little sense is what I'm saying).

9.) If an owner offers a trade that seems too one sided (in his favor), don't just dismiss it right away. Look at it objectively & come up with a total opinion. Sometimes what looks to be way off at first ends up being closer than expected. If it is still "one sided" in his favor, counter offer with a more even outcome (or more in your favor if possible - again, w/o making a stupid offer). If you are still unsure - use the HELP BOARD here on FFToday & ask around.

10.) Get your weekly starting line ups posted in time! Most leagues have a set time when all line ups are to be posted by - make sure you know the time & get them in! It's okay to get beat, its painful when you are the cause.

 

I hope this helps a few of you out there - best of luck!

[Swim54 4]

The comments above are pretty much right on. a couple more things to think about.

 

1. Never draft a kicker too early. A top 10 kicker can always be found on waivers. Plus the difference a typically on a point or two per week between the top 15 kickers.

 

2. Don't take your defense in the first 6 rounds. There is always someone who is completely sold on a Defense and grabs them way too early. Again this is a positon that can be filled through waivers and playing matchups. It take a bit more work when the season starts but if it means getting some solid depth and trade bait it is well worth the work.

 

Just a couple of things that rookies tend to do. Don't be that guy

[montana 89]

Two very good points - but to say "Never" draft a ____ before the first ____ rounds could be a mistake. Always remember to check your leagues scoring system for this to go into affect. I've never run into any leagues that favor def/spt or kickers very much, but I'm sure they're out there.....somewhere....maybe? Thanks swim! Any more?

[RicemanX 20]

Wow, nice work Montana.

 

Round 14- 16 are very important rounds. Some people like to just throw sh1t at a wall and see what sticks. But with fftoday forum, you have a great idea of sleepers and who is going to break out. Therefore, your 14th - 16th pick could be your most important and your biggest steals.

[DanXIII 8]

Wow, nice work Montana.

 

Round 14- 16 are very important rounds. Some people like to just throw sh1t at a wall and see what sticks. But with fftoday forum, you have a great idea of sleepers and who is going to break out. Therefore, your 14th - 16th pick could be your most important and your biggest steals.

 

QFT.

 

My round 16 pick last year: Chicago's Defense.

[ExtremeFajita 0]

Participate in several mock drafts if you have never drafted before. Otherwise you might make some war-room errors simply because you are nervous/excited and don't have a feel for where players are going. The serious mock drafts on antsports.com are good. Of course if you are doing a live draft that is even more intense if you have a 2-minute timer, but the mocks will still help speed up your decision making process.

[Second Place Don't Pay 0]

Great list. I'd add one I learned 13 years ago...

 

Don't tell the guy who picks after you who you are going to pick before the pick gets to you. Otherwise, he'll trade up in front of you and take Ricky Watters.

[Nate Burleson's Burly Son 0]

Wow, nice work Montana.

 

Round 14- 16 are very important rounds. Some people like to just throw sh1t at a wall and see what sticks. But with fftoday forum, you have a great idea of sleepers and who is going to break out. Therefore, your 14th - 16th pick could be your most important and your biggest steals.

True that! I picked up TJ Housh in round 16 last year, and started him a few times towards the end of the season. Awesome value.

[montana 89]

Excellent point Faj - can't agree more! Mock drafts are a great way for all of us to sharpen our "game". Its like going to war w/o all the killing LOL! And I also agree with the comment about the middle to late round draft selections! Any idiot can pick a top 10 player from whatever position - most rankings are pretty much the same - but the keys to winning are finding the "gems" that are listed below the top 10 spots - those are the guys that make/break your season!

I kinda break it down to this:

60% Draft (by far, this is where you make/break yourself....IMO).

20% FA pickups/drops (staying alert can help you drop your baggage from draft day & replace them with something valuable).

19% Injuries (even if you lose your #1 pick overall, if you drafted well, it will hurt less if you had a good draft).

1% Luck (this is thrown in to explain: the 255 yrd. rec'ving days, the 5 tds in one game days, the 6 sacks & 1 INT days, etc...... noone can predict these days! sometimes its hard to beleive that the guys that can put up these numbers weren't actually drafted in some leagues). LOL!

 

LOL 2nd Place - yeah, thats pretty important too - don't give away your secrets/intentions before/during/after your draft(s)! LOL! - Had that happen to me my 2nd year playing - by my own BROTHER!

[zmanzzzz 1]

if you added a few boldings and some white space between paragraphs i might actually read this post.

[montana 89]

This wasn't composed to be graded, sorry. LOL!

[zmanzzzz 1]

This wasn't composed to be graded, sorry. LOL!

 

i assume it was meant to be read, which is next to impossible with your crude formating skills.

[DBZFan2K 0]

Never bench Stephen Davis!

 

In this case, you're better off dropping him instead.

 

[zmanzzzz 1]

A. Do your homework! Do your homework! Do your homework! (PREDRAFT):

 

1.) Read as much as you can from this site (and a select few elsewhere), its filled with good insight, area gossip from their local teams you can't find just on any national site, others opinions on situations, stat projections from some that actually know what they are talking about, & a decent help board. Look into coaching changes, def/off scheme changes & what that does to key players on those teams. Its okay to buy a bathroom mag - just don't put too much stock into what they say, as most of those are made in May/June - long before injuries/contract problems/starting line ups are actually set.

 

2.) Keep up on injuries, players retired, contracts, etc... Nothing worse than drafting a hurt player, or worse, someone that retired in June. Also watch for a player(s) that had serious injuries the year before & their progress/health now.

 

3.) Keep a watchful eye on players that have switched positions and/or teams during the offseason. Look into their off/def schemes & try to determine if they are a good fit there. Just because he was a stud for his last team, doesn't mean a thing if he has moved on - sometimes, a player is a product of the scheme/coaching style - nothing is a guarentee when this changes.

 

etc...

 

do i have to do focking everything?

[-jb- 0]

If your #5 WR is on the same team as your opponent's #1 QB, make sure you start him. The points cancel out!

[berven 0]

Don't stash injured stars on your bench. They will return later than predicted. When they do, they will not immediately perform to expectations. Meanwhile, the dead roster spot will make it harder to cover bye weeks and pick up free agents.

 

 

Don't take an egg at tight end to avoid dropping a player to cover a bye. You just might need that single point you're sacrificing.

 

Don't carry two kickers, two defenses, or two tight ends.

 

Don't fume on the "Help" board if the guy they told you to bench does better than the guy they suggested you start. This isn't exact science.

 

Most importantly, don't take it all too seriously, getting all inflated when you win and despondent when you lose. As in poker, skill makes a difference in the long run but luck is a huge factor.

[zmanzzzz 1]

never listen to bronco billy.

[Ras66not99 0]

Don't listen to a word that comes out of Mike Shanahans mouth... In fact don't even draft any Broncos and you'll be better off

[RicemanX 20]

Never bench Stephen Davis!

 

In this case, you're better off dropping him instead.

 

isn't it time to retire that saying?

[FlaHawker 24]

Great list. I'd add one I learned 13 years ago...

 

Don't tell the guy who picks after you who you are going to pick before the pick gets to you. Otherwise, he'll trade up in front of you and take Ricky Watters.

 

 

OUCH!!

 

However, do supply as much misinformation as possible. I have been telling my neighbor for weeks that regardless of where I pick, I am taking Reggie Bush in the second round. He works with most of the guys in our league so I am sure that misinformation is spreading like wildfire.

[Striker99 0]

madden curse...cha cha cha....madden curse....cha cha cha...yippy hurray!