JUMPING ONBOARD THE FANTASY FOOTBALL TRAIN? HERE ARE A FEW BASIC POINTERS ON HOW IT WORKS AND PICKING A TEAM.
The basics
A league will have a commissioner who sets up the rules, draft date and approves any trades (so be nice to them).
Ideally, there are 8-14 teams per league who will play each other during the season. The team with the most points between the matchups within your league wins.
Don't forget to set your lineups once a week. You have up until your first player's game starts to adjust. Remember, some teams play on Thursday night.
Scoring systems and roster structure can vary league by league depending on the participants' preference, so make sure to learn the rules of the league you're involved with.
How to draft a winning team
Here's one phrase to have in your back pocket - PPR. When translated into plain English, it means a point per reception. So, when drafting, look for offensive players who have a lot of time with the ball and tend to score, such as wide receivers, tight ends and running backs. The higher the number, the better.
While drafting, be aware of bye weeks, i.e., a week off. For example, don't forget to bench your players when they have a bye week. Don't draft quarterbacks with the same bye weeks because you won't have one to play that week!
Don't waste any of your early picks on kickers.
You can spend an entire day going over stats and reading the commentary. At the end of the day, go with your gut and have fun.
Still hungry? Don't forget to check out our five things you need to know about fantasy football.
